On the road with a Swedish wagon. You are to be forgiven if you have have some difficulty placing the Volvo XC60 in the right category. This model is a cross between the traditional station wagon and a utility vehicle, what some might consider a “tall wagon” while others would … Read more
A sporty CUV with luxurious features. Mazda is one of the smaller of Japan’s six automakers that still maintain a stake in the US market, trailing Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Subaru, but well ahead of Mitsubishi in vehicle sales. Concern that Mazda might someday exit the market have been brushed … Read more
Big Apple relocation for Cadillac in the works. Fresh on the heels of its announcement that its upcoming full-bodied, top-of-the-range flagship Cadillac sedan would be be built in Detroit — starting in the fourth quarter of 2015 — GM announced this week that it will detach Cadillac from its main … Read more
New model will sit at the top of Cadillac’s model range. The worst kept secret in the automobile industry is this one: Cadillac plans to build a full-sized, rear-wheel drive sedan that will rival the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Lexus LS and the Audi A8. The top-of-the-range model has … Read more
Second generation A3 meets an important price point. Take one look at the Audi pecking order and you’ll find a good mix of small, medium and large models. When it comes to the compact end of the market, Audi offers a two-prong approach in both the A3 and A4 sedans, … Read more
It may not be known as the “greatest show on earth” but the Charlotte AutoFair has its own notoriety amongst automotive enthusiasts. This week, from Thursday through Sunday (Sept. 18-21, 2014), the latest edition of the semiannual AutoFair gets under way. For more than three decades AutoFair has been drawing … Read more
The Jeep brand continues to set sales records and shows no signs of losing ground. New or updated models have propelled the brand as have new markets and consumers who are embracing America’s iconic 4×4 brand. 2015 Jeep Renegade Jeep is not resting on its laurels. The Chrysler Group, indeed … Read more
Hail Damage and Your Car: What is the Cost? A line of dark, foreboding clouds begins to appear on the horizon, signaling trouble ahead. You turn on your weather alert and your suspicions have been confirmed: strong winds are forecast with the possibility of isolated tornadoes. Moreover, damaging hail may … Read more
Buick’s flagship sedan now delivers Wi-Fi and more. Buick calls its LaCrosse a luxury, midsize sedan. Though there is little to dispute the luxury label, calling this sedan “midsize” just doesn’t seem right. Instead, what you have here is a fairly large four-door model that comfortably seats five people and … Read more
Now that the Ford Motor Company has turned its attention to Lincoln, new and updated products are debuting with more on the way. In 2013, the latest generation MKZ sedan made its appearance. This summer, the all-new MKC crossover utility vehicle rolled out. And this fall we have the latest … Read more
Tesla Motors announced late last week that it had chosen a location near Reno, Nevada, for its highly-anticipated gigafactory. The state-of-the-art manufacturing plant will assemble lithium-ion batteries with build partner Panasonic. The new factory will be built in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center near Sparks. It represents a $5 billion … Read more
Updated August 19, 2019, to reflect office changes. A North Carolina-based nonprofit is making a difference for thousands of residents. Without a car, low-wage earners must resort to using public transportation — if that option is even available to them. In a pinch, they may call for Uber or Lyft, … Read more
Subaru continues to ride on a crest of month-over-month sales increases, based largely on its mix of utility vehicles. Not to be overlooked is the midsize Subaru Legacy sedan, the only standard all-wheel drive model in the segment. For 2015, the Legacy is all-new and Auto Trends had one 3.6R … Read more
World debut for an iconic roadster. Mazda holds a special place in the hearts and minds of certain car owners and it is for that reason it still manages to attract a decent following, largely on the strength of three models: the Mazda6 sedan, the CX-5 crossover and its best-selling … Read more
J.D. Power 2014 Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study reveals much. New car owners love their technologies, but only when they work right. Today’s cars offer a varying range of audio, communication, entertainment and navigation (ACEN) systems with hand touches, finger gestures, buttons, knobs and voice commands among the ways that … Read more