It’s not a “wagon”; even on Buick’s web site it’s classified under “SUVs & Crossovers”. It would be a better vehicle without standard AWD, an without elevated ride height, and without excess and bizarrely patterned bright trim. More like the Sportback, which is offered in additional and better-looking paint shades (e.…

It’s actually somewhat witty and clever, in the same vein as the Geo Storm near where I used to live in Maryland with the plate CALMB4D. Unlike the people who just use the plate to describe or duplicate the badge, like RED911. Sad!

The writer explicated that local dealers weren’t interested in renting and rental companies didn’t have the vehicles. I would expect to be able to find a RAV4 at many rental companies, but it’s quit difficult to get a specific model even if you reserve it--it’s always “or similar”.

Well, Japanese doesn’t have articles, neither definite nor indefinite. And there are other languages that don’t, or use articles in a different manner to English, so identity/style guides from overseas management may seem odd to ‘Murcans. There are other oddities even between different English-speaking nations, like…

Reminds me of my 1990 626's 14"ers, just much bigger.

Getrag tough, actually...it’s a 6DCT250.

Waiting to hear Brendan O’Neill’s take on how Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana et al. should handle their Amish issues.

The biggest problem I see compared to the current car is that the outboard headrests are larger and don’t fit as far down over the seatbacks, but at least they are not as large as some and they are still removable, unlike many vehicles in this segment. Otherwise, I reserve judgment until I sit in it, as visibility is…

Ooops, meant the first-generation 5-door, 2006.

AWD is not a “first”, unless they mean it’s coming to the USA, but the press release covers other stuff like engines that apply globally (doubtful the US is getting the 1.5l or even the 2.0l, e. g.). The second-generation Axela 5-door and both body styles of the 3rd-generation Axela have been available with AWD

Interesting. I bought a 2014 3 after finding the rear visibility was no different than the Golf in practice or by measurement, and have had no problems since.

And of course it will never occur to his excellency that maybe GM might have reallocated products to Lordstown if tariffs on raw materials and parts weren’t making the US a more expensive and less attractive place to build automobiles. Volvo completely changed its production plan for its unopened US factory, and I…

It’s iconic, but not that attractive, imo. As the child of a Gulf employee, it was always weird to me that the pastel powder blue is very different from the dark navy in the various Gulf logos through history, while the orange is very close. A dark blue and orange version always seemed like it would be striking.

Set the parking brake before you exit the car, kids.

There were once multiple liftbacks because Toyota could pick from all the JDM Corollas and Sprinters, Levins and Truenos, to put together the US Corolla lineup. And badging the Matrix and the Tercel as Corollas at various times helped pad the bestselling nameplate headline contest. The 2019 hatch is a positive step…

Well, the harvest goes on later in the more temperate lands to the south. And Thanksgiving wasn’t always in October, it was moved, in part to separate it from Armistice/Remembrance Day after that became a thing.

Oh well, at least it should smoke the Kia Niro plug-in which has all of 104hp and can cost just as much if similarly equipped.

That’s not quite true, because only a few years ago the eastern winter was frequently warm a couple years in a row and I was driving around Pennsylvania with my sunroof open in December, January and February, which hadn’t happened since the early ‘80s at all, and less often. My crocus plants usually bud in January and …

Moving away from autos but staying with vehicles, Gulf Oil had a NASA tie-in and I remember putting together the Lunar Excursion Module they gave away at gas stations:

Crystal City has a Metro stop directly underneath it, and a VRE station immediately adjacent. You could get there from Fredericksburg, VA on the Rappahannock; or, including MARC, Perryville, MD on the Susquehanna, or Martinsburg, WV with little concern for automobile traffic. If you lived in one of the Crystal City…