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Honda Ridgeline: The Best Midsize Pickup?

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2017 Honda Ridgeline

Don’t say you saw this coming: The Honda Ridgeline is making a name for itself as a competitive midsize pickup.

In fact, it’s creating a new niche of buyers who want the handling, ride, and everyday drivability of a sedan with the ability to haul loads of stuff every now and then.

The Chevy Colorado and Toyota Tacoma offer that combination platter of capability, but the Ridgeline turns the dial up to 11, and buyers are taking notice.

The thing is, Honda is scooping up buyers before Ford has the chance with its all-new Ranger. Continue reading >>>

New Teslas Could Last 1,000,000 Miles


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We’ve all known people who sell their cars before they turn past 100,000 miles.

That was probably a wise move back in the 1980s, but today’s vehicles can live well past that mark, even doubling or tripling it with proper care.

Diesel engines can go even farther, routinely cruising past 500,000 miles.

The longevity of gasoline and diesel motors are ultimately limited by all the moving parts and heat generated by the process of turning liquid fuel into energy. Pistons, valves, injectors, gaskets, and more are subject to eventual failure, thereby limiting how long a motor can last.

Electric cars don’t have those parts and are sometimes advertised as needing less maintenance. But just how many miles can an EV go? Continue reading >>>

Fog Lights: The Latest in Obsolete Car Tech


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Fog is a known killer on highways around the world, but a popular accessory to battle the soupy stuff is starting to fade away from today’s vehicles.

The New York Times says,

Fog was a factor in nearly 20 percent of deadly multicar pileups involving 10 or more vehicles.

Fog is especially prevalent in some regions, including much of the Southeast, northern New England, the Pacific Northwest and the Central Valley of California, and it forms most often in winter. Deadly multicar crashes generally occur when cars and trucks traveling at interstate speed drive into what is essentially a low-lying cloud and quickly lose visibility. Drivers may not see the slowed cars ahead until it is too late, with one vehicle crashing into the next, including huge tractor-trailers.

Fog presents a real danger, and many car shoppers make sure their new cars are equipped with fog lights. In fact, the lower lights are expected on higher-end cars, trucks, and SUVs.

Some automakers, though, are removing the lights, because they’re no longer deemed necessary as headlight technology improves. Yes, add fog lights to the once-common list of features on cars that are going away forever. Continue reading >>>

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Coming for the Millennials


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Any luxury automaker that doesn’t have a premium compact on the market is missing out on a huge, and potentially imperative, market.

No longer are BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi in the business of selling only large luxury vehicles to well-off Boomers. The market has shifted in favor of millennials, and with that change comes the need for a smaller breed of luxury-brand vehicles.

That’s why we’re seeing mini crossovers, tiny sedans, and hatchbacks from Audi and BMW. Now, after 20 years of existence in European countries, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class will join the party. Continue reading >>>

Dodge Demon Danger: Can’t Buy It Without a Waiver


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2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

There aren’t many cars that require the buyer to sign a waiver before driving it off the lot. In fact, there might be only one.

The Dodge Demon, which is actually a Challenger in SRT Demon dress, might look close enough to a standard-issue Challenger to fool the non-initiated, but make no mistake, the Demon is a devil just waiting to prove how delightfully dastardly it can be.

While the Challenger, especially in Hellcat guise, is a perfectly capable performance car, the Demon is a deceptively dangerous track car that’s been approved to freely roam the streets. This isn’t a car for just anyone, though. There’s enough potential danger lurking under the hood (and in the tires), that buyers must sign a waiver before actually buying one. Continue reading >>>