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The semiconductor shortage has disrupted the auto industry throughout 2021, halting production, reducing inventory and raising prices, a formula that has left some frustrated buyers searching for any tires to kick.
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Q: I am considering buying a hybrid car. When I lay up my conventional car whenever we go to Florida each winter, I connect a battery tender to the battery, and it seems to survive the winter very nicely. However, I am not sure what to do with a hybrid. What will happen to the car sitting fo…
Having arrived in 2021 wearing a nameplate last used in 2009 on a midsize, body-on-frame SUV, the 2022 Trailblazer is now a subcompact crossover. Developed and built by GM Korea in Incheon, South Korea, it doesn’t feel much like its larger American counterparts. Instead, the Trailblazer is a…
MOAB, Utah — "Don't get cocky, kid." Those were Han Solo's words when newbie Luke Skywalker celebrated shooting down his first Imperial warship in "Star Wars," and they could have been Jeep executive Jim Morrison's when he recently chided automakers for SUVs that add a skid plate here, a Tor…
Ford Motor Co. and Rivian Automotive Inc. on Friday said they have scrapped plans to develop an electric vehicle together on the EV startup's platform as both automakers work to expand their production of EVs.
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden launched into three-way diplomacy with the leaders of Canada and Mexico on Thursday, celebrating the return of near-annual summits that went dormant during the Trump years. But there were still plenty of differences to sort through over trade, immigration an…
The maker of Jeep SUVs and Chrysler minivans is eliminating a 200-person crew at its Tipton Transmission Plant in Indiana, citing decreased production due to the global microchip shortage.
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden punched the accelerator on a battery-powered Hummer on Wednesday, causing the wheels to squeal and the truck to jet forward as he tried in his own way to drive the country toward an electric vehicle future.
ASHEVILLE, North Carolina — It's not easy staying top dog.
CHICHESTER, England — For classic car fans, vintage race events are a rare treat: the chance to see old sports or race cars traveling on a track. There are many in the U.S., including my favorite, the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, held in July. But they pale in comparison to the Goodwood Re…
Q: I have a 2018 Toyota Avalon with the six-speed automatic transmission. When descending grades, I usually downshift and coast downhill without using the brakes. Do you recommend this practice?
While the motor press has reported ecstatically on the mid-engine C8 Stingray, one Corvette design engineer says it's not all about engine placement.
Q: I’ve read about several catalytic converter thefts recently. My Toyota dealership is advertising a shield for theft protection. What are your thoughts? Does this shield prevent access for car maintenance?
When Lexus first arrived decades ago, it was very much a split personality. Sure, there was the exquisitely engineered Lexus LS 400, a clear attempt at bettering the finest sedans from Germany. But it was sold alongside the ES 250, which was little more than a Camry with unwarranted airs of …
The Mazda MX-30 is the ZOOM! ZOOM! brand's first electric vehicle and it brings Mazda mojo. It's stylish, feature-rich and fun to drive.
Rivian, the startup electric truck manufacturer, rolled out one of the biggest initial public offerings in years Wednesday, raising nearly $12 billion and valuing the company at more than $77 billion.
Startup electric truck manufacturer Rivian is seeking a valuation of about $60 billion in its forthcoming initial public offering, according to a filing Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Q: I have a 2006 Hyundai Tucson GLS with approximately 123,000 miles. I have all original documents (keys, manuals, title) and it is in fair condition. It has been parked outside and not used for over a year. It will most likely need to be towed. I stopped driving due to medical issues and m…
With Halloween upon us, it’s time to revisit the vehicles whose time on earth is coming to an end. These vehicles will disappear for the new model year. But they merit more than a footnote for what they say about the auto industry and its buyers. But will they be remembered or reviled? Let’s…
The plug-in hybrid, or PHEV, version of the Ford Escape compact SUV slipped into dealerships recently, generating — as always seems to be the case — less attention and acclaim than this exceptionally useful technology deserves.
If General Motors' shift to electric vehicles spells the end of the legendary Chevy small-block V-8, the engine that powered many of its greatest vehicles is going out with a roar and a record: the most powerful naturally aspirated V-8 ever in a production car, the 2023 Corvette Z06.
Tesla has delayed its Cybertruck pickup until late 2022. For those who can't wait, the Rivian R1T is here.
This is a story about a box.
Q: A blinking check engine light came on setting a number four cylinder misfire code. I suspected a bad ignition coil, which I replaced. I cleared codes and the car runs great. I was able to find an auto parts store open late and fortunately the coil was in front of the engine not in back. A…
I get emails regularly from readers saying they'll never buy an electric vehicle because there's no place nearby to charge it.
DENVER – If you’re shopping for a new vehicle, odds are it’s an SUV or pickup, not a sedan nor a sports car. Those last two categories are seeing their sales shrivel faster than American civility. And yet these are the vehicles that provide the most pleasure, especially one with talents that…
WAMPUM, Pennsylvania — The trouble with straightaways is they have to end.
The Rivian R1T, the first electric full-size pickup, just went on sale, and it's clearly ready to challenge luxury vehicles like Land Rovers, with head-snapping power and eye-popping technology. Priced starting at $73,000, the R1T makes no pretense of competing with upcoming mass market elec…
DETROIT — Hertz announced Monday that it will buy 100,000 electric vehicles from Tesla, one of the largest purchases of battery-powered cars in history and the latest evidence of the nation's increasing commitment to EV technology.
Q: Can you address the difference, if any, between non-oxygenated versus other gas? One gas station I use has regular octane 87, premium octane 92 and non-oxygenated octane 91. They say their premium gas contains some oxygenates (ethanol) but their non-oxygenated does not contain any ethanol…
San Francisco — Hustling over California’s twisted two-lane Pacific Coast Highway in a Mustang GT, I suddenly came upon a three-car moving road block. I flattened the right pedal. ZOT! The GT gulped the trio like a killer whale feeding on fish.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — After 22 years and two generations (not counting the T100, a full-sized truck Toyota produced for eight years before the Tundra), Toyota has finally produced a pickup that can challenge its rivals: the new 2022 Toyota Tundra. It’s a wonder that it’s taken so long, but ex…
What's most stunning about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime, a sporty plug-in hybrid, is not the exceptional mileage figures or the good looks.
DETROIT — Record electric vehicle sales last summer amid a shortage of computer chips and other materials propelled Tesla Inc. to the biggest quarterly net earnings in its history.
MADISON — Some Wisconsin legislators are looking to treat catalytic converters more like stereos and gold watches.
Q: Every now and then when coming to stop signs the brakes on my 2014 Hyundai Sonata will shudder. The dealer mechanic tells me my pads are OK. Is this something I should be concerned about? Is it a dangerous condition?
PHOENIX — Lexus adds a welcome plug-in hybrid, among other useful features, to its 2022 NX compact SUV. Brief tests also suggest significantly improved infotainment and connectivity systems.
MILFORD, Michigan — The GMC Hummer EV truck is big, bad and surprisingly balletic.
For those above a certain age, the name Ford Maverick will bring up memories of the affordable 1970 compact that replaced the Falcon in Ford’s lineup. It’s return for 2022 as a compact pickup truck may be surprising, but its mission is very much the same: provide affordable transportation in…
What’s in a name? It depends.
Q: I have a 2010 Honda Accord with 110,000 miles on it. I am going to replace the spark plugs. The recommended iridium spark plugs, NGK or Denso, are very expensive. Some online prices for the same spark plug are almost half the cost. There are numerous articles on the internet warning of fa…
GAYLORD, Michigan — Get it in Tiger Eye Pearl.
No matter how much money you have — or don’t have — everyone loves a bargain. So what if I said you can buy a new 2021 Jaguar sedan at a price that’s $7,105 lower than last year, yet it has a dramatically improved interior, updated infotainment system and styling updates? You’d say, tell me more.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Fisker Karma and Tesla Model S exploded into our lives in 2011. With stunning looks, sci-fi technology, dashing CEOs — even $500 million each in investment from the Obama/Biden administration — the four-door exotics promised a wild ride into the EV future.
Q: We have a new 2021 Ford Mustang Mach E and have a question regarding remote charging stations.
MILWAUKEE — It seems like the prices for everything have increased this past year, and used cars are no exception, but a few makes and models in the Milwaukee area have risen in price more than others.
GLENDALE, Ky. — Ford and a partner company say they plan to build three major electric-vehicle battery factories and an auto assembly plant by 2025 — a dramatic investment in the future of EV technology that will create an estimated 10,800 jobs and shift the automaker's future manufacturing footprint toward the South.
These days Marcus uses his Toyota Tacoma pickup to haul kayaks along the Banana River in Central Florida. He's a tour guide in the beautiful Thousand Islands region, home to dolphin, manatee and pelicans.
As if semiconductor shortages and COVID-19 hadn’t driven car prices high enough, automakers are ratcheting up a hidden charge most shoppers are unaware of — and which nobody seems to understand.
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