Mike Lale
The noise is the giveaway. Not the speed. Not the badge. A lot of drivers first notice the transmission question on a long climb, when the crossover is loaded, the grade gets steeper, and the engine suddenly hangs at one loud, stubborn rpm. That is the moment the old “CVTs save fuel” story collides with … Read more
Spring is when a lot of drivers quietly tell themselves they’re finally using the AWD they paid for. Wet pavement. Cabin weekends. One muddy turnout. Maybe a late snow patch near the mountains. The expensive part is that most of those trips still happen on normal pavement, where all-wheel drive is more reassurance than requirement. … Read more
The old Japanese pickup still sells a fantasy modern trucks can’t quite fake. Small footprint. Thin pillars. A simple bed. Nothing extra. The trouble starts when the fantasy meets a real 2026 weekend: interstate miles, potholes, cabin gear, air conditioning, crash risk, and one long grade with a cooler in back. Chevrolet says the 2026 … Read more
The driveway test lies. The highway tells the truth. A weekend vehicle can look tougher, taller, and more “adventure-ready” without getting better at the kind of trips most people actually take. The U.S. Department of Energy says roof racks can cut fuel economy by up to 25% at interstate speeds, and its fuel-economy guidance says … Read more
The first 20 minutes flatter the manual. The next 280 miles usually tell the truth. That truth got sharper as modern automatics and dual-clutch gearboxes got quicker, smoother, and often easier to live with than the old manual-versus-auto arguments admit. Edmunds’ current manual-versus-automatic explainer says many of the old manual advantages in fuel economy, performance, … Read more
A lot of drivers make this switch for the look, not the route. Then the first long weekend shows up, the tank drops faster than expected, and the tire choice starts to feel less cool and more expensive. The U.S. Department of Energy says fuel economy usually falls quickly above 50 mph, and its Energy … Read more
The roof box usually shows up when the family vehicle is solving the wrong problem. Toyota’s 2026 Grand Highlander launch materials say it has room for seven small roller bags with the third row up and up to 97.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, while Kia’s current U.S. Telluride specs … Read more
The badge on the tailgate does not answer this one. The pass does. With gas prices climbing again, the old engine debate feels less like bar talk and more like trip math. AAA said on March 26 that the U.S. average for regular had jumped to $3.98 a gallon, up $1 in a month. That … Read more
Truck-based toughness still sells hard in 2026. It also gets expensive fast when the trip is mostly pavement, potholes, parking lots, and one rough cabin road at the end. Edmunds’ latest Chevrolet Tahoe review says the body-on-frame Tahoe has clear strengths over unibody SUVs in towing, hauling, and off-road use, but it also spells out … Read more
Gas is expensive again, and that changes this question fast. AAA said on March 26 that the U.S. average for regular had jumped to $3.98 a gallon, up $1 in a month, which is exactly when old engine debates stop sounding theoretical and start hitting the trip budget. The real 2026 split is not “which … Read more