The most important dimension is the height from ground to driver’s seat. Crossovers have a comfortable seat height that doesn’t require the deep knee bends to get in and out of a sedan. When crossovers achieved fuel economy nearly equal to sedans, the public switched over, because CUVs offer more utility, more space,…

The most important dimension on a vehicle is the distance from the ground to the driver’s seat. Crossovers are popular because they don’t require deep knee bends to get in and out of. The American population is aging and getting heavier. People are making rational decisions in choosing crossovers.

And FCA also paid off its debts, while Ford is hugely in hock.

We have motorcycles all over those multi-lane highways, and this vehicle is much safer than a motorcycle, with its roll cage and four-point harness. It’s not a toy. The reality is that nearly 7/8ths of the time we drive alone and use a two-ton vehicle to accomplish that trivial task. Personal transportation of the…

Since when did infotainment systems become a primary determiner of auto reliability. An automobile is a tool for getting from point A to point B. Infotainment is for living rooms. I drive in silence. There’s enough going on around me I don’t need more distractions from infotainment and the stupid reliance on touch…

Daimler’s biggest mistake was not continuing development of the PT Cruiser, which was a crossover utility vehicle before that form became popular. 

First off, 300 acres is not "giant" by any stretch of the imagination, and second, the most practical vehicle is going to be a cheap, beater minivan, say a third generation Caravan with the 3.3 liter.

Absolutely correct on the seat height. We stopped driving a Neon and switched to a PT Cruiser because it has the perfect seat height. Now drive an AWD Journey and it is similar. I chose a Dakota instead of a full size pickup because of seat height. Even with 4WD my wife can get in without having to climb up. Third car…

The MEH cars show why cars should have a friendly face. It’s no accident that they have a down-turned “mouth.” Turn that around, and they would look good. The Insight, on the other hand, is ugly in the front and ordinary in the rest of the body.

A 75 year old man is not a Baby Boomer.

Chrysler 300 with the hemi. There are 10+ year old ones for $5000.

It’s only a 12 mile commute and will take an hour? I would say get an electric bike. You’ll probably do the commute faster than in a car. For a car, I would go with a Honda Fit, which will carry your paintings, get good gas mileage, and is easy to handle. Get it with backup and blind spot cameras.

79 is not 59. I’m 69, and in my mind I’m still 28, but my body tells me that’s not true. At 79 one has to be conscious of the aging process — declining vision and hearing, slower reaction time, lower ability to multitask, and the aged mind’s preference for accuracy over quick thinking. So the sporty car for a 79…

I think the problem with the Twin-Air is in how it’s driven. I have European relatives. They like to rev their engines and drive in low gear at high rpm. My son does the same. I’m on the opposite end in driving style. I drive smoothly and moderately and short-shift, going into a gear at 1800 rpm and upshifting at…

$3000 to prep for a drive to Alaska? My beater 2005 Dodge Caravan isn’t worth half that, but the only prep I would do is an oil change so I wouldn’t have to do one on the road.

The buying public has already decided, and manufacturers are following the trend. A three-box makes no sense when a two-box does the job better. The other day, I drove past the Toyota dealership in Duluth, MN. The front row of new vehicles was entirely trucks and SUVs with Camrys hidden somewhere in back.

He says “oh, re malaka,” which is Greek and equivalent to the German and English expletives he’s using. That’s a very mild tornado.

No, no, no. Don’t go into debt to buy a “fun” car when you’re going to have debt enough just getting through college. Buy a mid-2000s short wheelbase Dodge Caravan with the reliable 3.3 liter engine. You can get a good one for two to three thousand. I’ve driven several past 250,000 miles with minimal repairs needed.…

The Waymo vehicle did not cause the accident; however, it took no evasive action whatsover, continuing to run in a straight line. There was enough time for a human driver to take some form of evasive action.

Last October I drove 1,800 miles to North Dakota towing, first, a Ford 8N tractor and then a Willys pickup, both on a car trailer. My 2006 Quad Cab Dakota 4WD has the 3.7 liter V-6 (210 hp) and 6-speed manual. I got 19 mpg empty, downwind, and 13 mpg loaded into a ferocious headwind so strong that much of the time I…