November 2017

Chevrolet offers tips for transporting a Christmas tree

(November 29, 2017) DETROIT — The holiday season is upon us and for many that includes a fun-filled trip with family or friends to find the perfect Christmas tree. But before your tree-hunting adventure begins, it’s important to be prepared. A recently published AAA survey estimates that in the past three years 20 million Americans did not properly secure their trees to their vehicles, which may lead to accidents on the road.

Alfa Romeo Giulia, Ford F-150, Honda CR-V named best by Motor Trend

(November 28, 2017) LOS ANGELES — Motor Trend today announced the Motor Trend award winners of the "Golden Calipers" for Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Person of the Year. The award winners were announced during a red carpet ceremony at a gala event featuring an audience of industry insiders and celebrity guests at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

The Motor Trend Car of the Year is the Alfa Romeo Giulia, the Truck of the Year is the Ford F-50, and the SUV of the year is the Honda CR-V.

Battery tests are key part of winter check for vehicles

(November 28, 2017) When temperatures start to fall and days become shorter it is time to take your car to the workshop to prepare it for the winter. Changing to winter tires and testing lights are a matter of course for drivers. However, the car battery is often neglected, although it is under even more stress during the cold season, according to Johnson Controls, the world's largest manufacturer of automotive batteries.

Gas prices decline across the country heading into December

(November 28, 2017) The national gas price average has been trending cheaper for 10 days. At $2.51, today’s price is three cents less than last Monday. On the week, 49 states are paying less at the pump for a gallon of regular gasoline. The District of Columbia and Hawaii saw their gas price increase by one cent. Prices have dropped between one and 15 cents elsewhere across the country, according to AAA's weekly statistics.

Honda Civic Si delivers flawless performance, great price

By Peter A. Hubbard


MotorwayAmerica.com

(November 27, 2017) If you’re like the majority of us 99-percenters, you have champagne tastes but are hobbled by a bank account that requires you live on a beer budget, or an occasional white wine every now and then.  But now we can all take heart. We may not be able to afford a brand new Corvette or Porsche — much less a Ferrari or Aston Martin — but for those of us with a need for speed, the new 2017 Honda Civic Si just might provide an affordable solution. 

After a near-death experience Mitsubishi is now a believer

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(November 27, 2017) Pick up a copy of most any car buff magazine, or browse online auto reviews of the Mitsubishi Outlander, and you’ll be hard pressed to find much critics like about the Mitsubishi crossover. That’s understandable, since just a few short years ago the brand was practically dead, on the verge of pulling out of the U.S. market, and the company was doing little to improve or add to their product lineup.

Kia Forte — Promising more than it can deliver

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(November 27, 2017) It’s been a while since we last dove the Kia Forte — the late 2013 launch program in Arizona to be exact — but we came away reasonably impressed with Kia’s small sedan. The sleek styling, capacious and well-appointed interior, low NVH levels, and decent fuel economy were enticing. However, the unresolved suspension damping, lifeless steering with similarly lifeless power assistance adjustments, and rear seat backrests that don’t fold completely flat tempered our enthusiasm.

Kelley predicts second-highest November sales on record

(November 23, 2017) IRVINE, Calif. —  New-vehicle sales are expected to fall 1 percent year-over-year to a total of 1.36 million units in November, resulting in an estimated 17.1 million seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), according to Kelley Blue Book.

"Following two months of more than 18 million SAAR, we project November sales to return to the low 17 million range," said Tim Fleming, analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

Highest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2014 to hit motorists

(November 22, 2017) BOSTON — GasBuddy projects that Thanksgiving will see the highest average gas prices since 2014 as the country prepares for the busiest traveling weekend of the year. Yet the average gas price in four of five U.S. states is lower than a week ago, coming as the number of Americans driving is expected to surge by 20 percent over last Thanksgiving according to GasBuddy’s Annual Holiday Travel Survey.

New Mazda MX-5 RF continues to excite roadster fans



By Peter Hubbard
MotorwayAmerica.com

(November 20, 2017) Writers — even auto writers — need a spark of inspiration every so often, to get their motors running and creativity flowing.  But for this review, lack of inspiration will not be an issue.  After all, if you can’t get inspired after a weeklong fling with a Mazda MX-5 Miata, you may be brain dead … or possibly German.