General Chat

Audi, Toyota Ready Subcompact SUVs

Jul 11, 2016 by tgriffith

Audi_Q2

The unofficial car of Seattle is the Audi Q5.

Driving through the Emerald City is like navigating an Audi showroom, as it seems every third car on Interstate 5 sports the 4-ringed logo up front.

It’s grown so common that my family now plays the “Q5 game,” where the first person to spot a Q5 gets to punch someone in the shoulder. It’s a lot like an updated version of the old “slug bug” game involving the Volkswagen Beetle.

This weekend my wife punched my arm, then quickly had to retract it when she noticed the passing car was a Q3, a smaller sibling to the Q5 that we had both forgotten existed.

The Q3 competes against the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA, some of the smallest SUVs on the market, but Audi is now going even smaller with the upcoming Q2.

How small can SUVs get?

Stay Cool: Our 10 Favorite Features for Summer

Jul 8, 2016 by John Harrington

The 4th of July has passed once more, and if you’re anything like us, you spent a good portion of the holiday grilling, swimming, and taking care not to lose a finger while shooting off those Roman candles. Then, waking the next day in a foggy state, you climbed into your car and began thinking about all the features that would make your sweltering drive back home a bit more pleasant. Some ice-cold A/C for sure, but also maybe some sunshades or, if you’re anything like one of our test drivers, ventilated seats.

Are We Always Passively Shopping for Cars?

Jul 8, 2016 by tgriffith

Whether you’re aware of it or not, you’re always shopping for a new car.

You can be casually scrolling through Facebook, thinking only of cat videos and the most recent “Game of Thrones” episode, when a post from a car dealer goes by featuring a shiny new Ford Explorer. You might wonder, even for a moment, if the new rig would make for a good replacement for your aging Honda Pilot.

Or maybe that first glimmer of desire for a different car appears when a friend posts photos of his or her new GMC Acadia.

Whatever the source of inspiration, you might start wondering if you should consider buying a car. At the very least, you’ll start thinking about the type of car you’ll want when the time comes to make a purchase.

Perhaps you’ll click on the dealer’s link out of curiosity, or even (innocently) begin a search inspired by your friend’s new car.

Even though you didn’t think you were in the market, a different car suddenly becomes a very real possibility. This is called “passive shopping,” and a new study suggests that social media has created an environment in which we’re doing it all the time.

Summer 2016’s American All-Stars

Jul 1, 2016 by John Harrington

Over the past few decades, competing automakers in Europe and Asia have developed their own reputations for superiority. German cars have become synonymous with luxury and precision, while Italian cars deliver excitement and emotion. Sweden’s Volvos offer the best in safety, and England provides sumptuous style. Across the Pacific, the major Japanese automakers have built their reputation on reliability and longevity, while Kia and Hyundai of Korea now provide top-flight quality at great value. While foreign automakers tend to focus their approaches in ways that bear out these specific reputations, America remains a bastion of variety.

How To Get the Most Money for Your Trade-In

Jun 30, 2016 by tgriffith

trade_or_sell_car

Want to get the most money for your trade? Here’s a tip:

Don’t take the first offer.

Trading in a car at the dealer, as opposed to selling on your own, has benefits and drawbacks. On the negative side, you usually get less money when trading. On the positive side, trading can mean less sales tax on the new car because, in some states, you only pay sales tax on the difference between the new car and the trade-in.

Even though you’re receiving less for the trade, the savings on tax can help make up the difference.

How can you make sure you get the most money for your trade? Read on!

General Chat

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