Editorial archive

August 2023

Gas prices hit pause ahead of Labor Day weekend

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(September 1, 2023) WASHINGTON, D.C. —While damage assessments are still being made in the wake of Hurricane Idalia, pump prices remained in neutral, with the national average for a gallon of gas falling by a penny since last week to $3.82. Oil and gas experts have noted that overall gasoline demand this summer failed to match previous years, with consumption getting little “lift” from vacation travel this summer despite retail gasoline prices below last year’s. There is a lot of speculation as to why, but no one seems to know for sure.

2023 Mercedes EQS 580 SUV — Outselling the sedan version

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By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(August 31, 2023) Mercedes-Benz has set an ambitious goal of going “all electric” with its vehicle fleet by the end of this decade with the caveat of “where market conditions” allow, which a cynic (ahem!) might suggest gives the Germans an out should buyers prove to be reluctant to participate in this automotive revolution.

Labor Day weekend travel is up over last year according to AAA

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Road trip travelers will see
gas prices similar to last year

(August 30, 2023) WASHINGTON, D.C.  — As summer winds down, many Americans are heading out of town. AAA booking data for flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises shows Labor Day weekend travel is up over last year: domestic bookings are up 4% and international bookings are up 44%.

IIHS commentary — Simple steps could reduce motorcyclist deaths

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By Eric Teoh

Director of Statistical Services, IIHS

(August 30, 2023) In the 15 years since I began researching motorcyclist safety, evidence has continued piling up about commonsense measures that could reduce deaths. However, we have failed to fully implement these solutions, and the death toll in the U.S. has continued to rise, reaching a record high of over 6,000 in 2021, the latest year for which statistics are available. Thinking of all the motorcyclists I’ve known in the safety community over the years, this toll isn’t just a number to me. We’ve got to do more to address this aspect of our road safety crisis.

Study finds it's hard to find late-model used cars under $20,000

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(August 29, 2023) Used-car shoppers who want to purchase a late-model vehicle for under $20,000 will need a time machine. Four years ago, sub-$20,000 cars made up nearly half of options in the pool of 1- to 5-year-old used inventory. Those vehicles now make up a scant 12 percent, according to an iSeeCars.com used-vehicle pricing study published this month,.

2023 BMW X4 M Competition — An SUV all about performance

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By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(August 28, 2023) High-octane performance is not usually what you expect from SUVs, even luxury makes, but there are exceptions. Not surprisingly, a prime example of an SUV that is all about horsepower and torque comes from Germany. The 2023 BMW X4 M Competition model that the company bills as a Sports Activity Coupe and most others call an SUV sports a 503-horsepower, turbocharged inline-6 engine that produces a whopping 479 pound-feet of torque.

Gas prices edge down, but further relief could face turbulence

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(August 25, 2023) WASHINGTON, D.C. —The national average for a gallon of gas dropped four cents since last week, despite growing gas demand. However, the price of oil has declined several dollars per barrel and is holding steady below $80, contributing to lower pump prices. As Labor Day approaches, gas demand and volatile oil prices, particularly during an active hurricane season, could limit how much lower prices descend in the weeks ahead.

EV advanced tech more problematic than ICE vehicles

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Genesis ranks highest overall for
tech innovation in J.D. Power study

(August 25, 2023) TROY, Mich.: 24 Aug. 2023 — Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) owners experience more problems with advanced technology than do owners of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study, released today. The study focuses on the user experience with advanced vehicle technology as it first comes to market and is an early measure of problems encountered by vehicle owners.

2023 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV — GMC's new off-road brute

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By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(August 21, 2023) Yikes! I'm well aware that full-sized pickup trucks have gotten expensive but wowser — over $90,000 for the well-equipped half-ton GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV Edition? As it is we were already impressed with the GMC AT4X sans the AEV Edition gear add-on package that's an extra $6,895 to its standard vehicle price of an already stratospheric $81,700.

Cadillac adds high-performance V-Series model to Escalade lineup

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Photos by Paul Borden

By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(August 20, 2023) Two decades after unveiling the 2003 Cadillac CTS-V and nearly a quarter-century since jumping into the SUV pool, Cadillac has brought high performance capability to its signature Escalade. The result is a full-size work horse with the DNA of a 1960s-era muscle car. It is capable of towing up to of 7,000 pounds, and its spacious interior has a cargo capacity of 121 cubic feet behind the first row, 72.9 behind the second, and 25.5 with all three rows in place.