Record share of consumers take on
$1,000+ monthly car payments

(July 5, 2023) SANTA MONICA, Calif. —  The cost of financing a new vehicle remains at an all-time high as car shoppers search for a new ride this summer, according to the car shopping experts at Edmunds. New vehicle transaction data from Edmunds reveals that the record-breaking financing figures from Q1 were unyielding in the second quarter.

A terrific new Lexus SUV
— if it just wasn't an EV

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(July 2, 2023) Lexus has been in the gas-electric hybrid business for almost two decades and now for 2023 the first pure-electric vehicle the RX has arrived. It's built on the same platform as the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra twins introduced last year, and the my eye they look quite similar, that is until a good look at the window sticker where the Lexus is near a $20,000 bump in price.

(July 2, 2023) Everyone rails against distracted driving. Many people believe the greatest cause of distracted driving — which can cause accidents and near accidents — is texting on a cellphone. Eyes off the road even for a few seconds can lead to big trouble. But it seems the biggest cause of distracted driving in 2023 is created by the company that made your car.

By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(July 1, 2023) Ford resurrected the Maverick nameplate last year but not as a two-door coupe it put out in the early 1970s to compete against the import compacts that were just emerging in the U.S., but rather a small pickup to fill out the company’s truck fleet. Though not a threat to unseat the perennial top-selling full-size F-Series in the Ford stable, the Maverick is holding its own against other compact pickups, including its older company sibling Ranger and Japanese imports.

Nissan Frontier only truck
to earn IIHS acceptable rating

(June 28, 2023) Most small pickups fall short when it comes to protecting passengers seated in the rear, the latest crash test ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show. None of the five small crew cab pickups IIHS tested earns a good rating. The Nissan Frontier is rated acceptable. The Ford Ranger earns a marginal rating, and the Chevrolet Colorado, Jeep Gladiator and Toyota Tacoma are all rated poor. The ratings only apply to the crew cab versions.

AAA photo

(June 28, 2023) WASHINGTON, D.C. — AAA projects 50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Independence Day weekend, setting a new record for the holiday. Domestic travel over the long weekend will increase by 2.1 million people compared to 2022. This year’s projection surpasses the previous July 4th weekend record set in 2019 of 49 million travelers.

(June 27, 2023) Good news for summer road trippers: the fireworks displays will be back this year, but the fireworks at the pump are behind us. Independence Day weekend this year will be much more affordable when it comes to fueling up, according to GasBuddy, a fuel savings platform. Gas prices this July 4 are projected to be over $1.30 per gallon less than they were in 2022, with the national average estimated to be $3.49 on the holiday this year.

Photos by Paul Borden

By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(June 25, 2023) A year after introducing the Ioniq 5, Hyundai has brought a sedan version of the all-electric SUV to market that has a sexier profile than the boxy crossover with the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6. The two share a platform and battery packs and have similar powertrains and comfortable, functional interiors filled with plentiful user-friendly technology.  Some analysts see it as competition for Tesla’s Model 3, pretty heady company for the South Korean automaker.

Auto industry facing wide range
of quality problems in all areas

(June 23, 2023) TROY, Mich. — New vehicles are becoming more problematic, evidenced by the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) rising a record 30 PP100 during the past two years. According to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS), released Thursday, the rise in problems is 12 PP100 greater than in 2022, which follows an increase of 18 PP100 in 2022 from 2021. In 2023, the industry average is 192 PP100. A lower score reflects higher vehicle quality.