Entering the third month of public restrictions due to COVID-19, and the warmer months of early summer when everyone longs to be out and about, my travels reveal a multitude of vehicles wearing registration tags other than the state of Maine’s. This is actually normal — we are, after all, touting that we are Vacationland …
When compact car fans set out to buy a new model now, they will find that there are eight remaining mainstream nameplates to pick from — all but one of them produced by Asian-based automakers. Leading off the segment price-wise are the Kia Forte and Nissan Sentra, both starting around $18,000. Up next is the …
Unlike the giants of the auto-industry, Japan’s Mazda has often chosen distinctive product paths quite divergent from customary norms. Think revolutionary rotary engines — when no one else used this innovative powertrain. Think investing in several small sports cars, like the RX-7, RX-8 and the MX5 Miata, while others pursued more mainstream models. Look back …
Remember when small cars were cheap, and built to stay that way? Today, there are very few small, inexpensive cars on the market, reflecting consumers’ preferences for more upscale, better equipped transportation devices. More safety gear, lengthy lists of features and amenities, plus expected convenience pieces have pushed small vehicle pricing far beyond the entry-level …
During two and a half decades of driving a new vehicle each week, there have been a lot of Jeeps that have come to rural Hancock County and the surrounding regions. There have been two-door Wranglers, four-door Unlimited Wranglers, soft-tops, hardtops, manuals, automatics, even some with diesel engines. There have been numerous Grand Cherokees, one …
When Toyota debuted its Lexus luxury division to America in 1989, it had a different vision of what the proper premium sedan should be. The Asian image was not only of a car worthy of some status, but to earn the extra money over other more plebian vehicles. A luxury car should also exude value, …
Last year, Chevrolet’s Silverado pickup series was displaced from its customary runner-up position on the sales charts by FCA’s Ram series — the first time this had ever happened. GMC Sierra pickup truck sales expanded, yet the redesigned Silverado took a step backward. This event could not have played out well in the halls of …
General Motors’ GMC Truck Division has created its own sub-brand within the entire lineup. Using the Denali title on a version of each GMC offering has increased not only sales, but net margin across the board — making GMC the most profitable part of GM. Also helping GMC’s status within the organization is the continued …
Exactly 30 years ago, a bright red Honda Civic sedan graced our dooryard as the replacement for a cancer-stricken Accord sedan with over 175,000 miles that appeared bent on self-destructing. This purchase mirrored wife Kathryn’s earlier Honda purchase, her very first car, except the salesman asked her not to come back again. She had squeezed …
The 2020 Outback wears evolutionary styling outside, yet an upgraded, tech-rich interior that packs more rear seat space and greater cargo capacity — all while retaining the virtues that make this America’s favorite wagon. Since 1996, the Outback has propelled Subaru’s sales in America — the brand’s largest market. Now in its sixth generation, and …
Anyone who has spent any time in a Boston region rush hour soon understands why Massachusetts drivers are so aggressive (you would never get anywhere otherwise), but also why today’s luxury cars are packed with luxurious interiors stocked with the latest creature features and entertainment options. You get to savor all of this hardware, every …
Thick, heavy snowflakes are peppering the windshield as my Lighting Blue Ranger FX4 squirts through the narrow streets of downtown Nashua and heads northeast for Maine. As each county line passes, the weather conditions change — right along with the temperature readout. Heavy rain replaces the wet snow, but just after the York toll plaza, …
