According to Car and Driver’s back-to-back fuel-economy test on the same vehicle and route, a hitch-mounted carrier returned 25 mpg while a rooftop box dropped the result to 21 mpg—a gap big enough to change the “weekend math” at highway speed. Consumer Reports measured a similar direction in its own testing, finding an overall 19% … Read more
According to AAA’s 2026 travel-intentions survey, a larger share of people expect to take multiple trips this year and many plan more vacations than last year—exactly the pattern that turns a “weekend vehicle” into a repeated-use tool. At the same time, U.S. pet ownership remains widespread: the American Pet Products Association (APPA) says 51% of … Read more
According to Car and Driver, it’s changing how it reports interior noise at a 70-mph cruise, adding sones alongside decibels to better reflect perceived loudness—because cabin sound is a real comfort variable, not a brochure line. Research on low-frequency road noise published in PLOS ONE found that this kind of interior noise can contribute to … Read more
According to Hyundai and a March 17 NHTSA safety recall filing, 61,093 model-year 2026 Hyundai Palisade and Palisade Hybrid SUVs in the U.S. are being recalled over second- and third-row power seats that may not respond to contact with an occupant or object as intended during certain powered functions. The recall covers Limited and Calligraphy … Read more
Motor1 published photos of four customized Land Cruiser FJ builds this week — retro, street, trail, and camper. Toyota isn’t selling any of them. But the exercise is worth taking seriously, because it clarifies what Toyota is actually trying to do with this vehicle: not ship one finished answer, but establish a compact, accessory-ready base … Read more
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) typically runs on electric power until the battery is nearly depleted and then switches to gasoline—so the trip still works even if charging is unavailable. The U.S. EPA adds a key nuance: some PHEVs operate mostly electric until the battery … Read more
According to Experian’s Q4 2025 auto finance report, the average used-vehicle monthly payment was $537, versus $767 for new vehicles in the same quarter. Cox Automotive’s mid-March 2026 update says the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index rose to 213.4, up 5.3% versus March 2025, a reminder that used pricing can move—but used still often delivers … Read more
According to J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Initial Quality Study, infotainment remains the most problematic vehicle category, even after modest improvement, and many of the industry’s top reported problems still relate to infotainment and touchscreens. The same J.D. Power release notes drivers are reporting more touchscreen-related problems as more non-audio functions (like climate controls and other … Read more
According to Consumer Reports’ December 2025 reliability survey write-up, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have more reported problems on average than conventional gasoline cars, while regular hybrids tend to score better. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) notes a PHEV will typically run on electricity until the battery is low, then switch over to gasoline automatically, so … Read more
According to J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) release, vehicle “quality” complaints are increasingly about usability—complex infotainment and driver-assist features that don’t feel intuitive in real life. At the same time, Car and Driver says it now reports cabin noise at 70 mph in sones as well as dBA, reflecting how much “calm” … Read more