Among the many things we check when preparing the reliability stats are unusually high odometer readings. Some people add an extra zero by mistake. Others simply spend an insane amount of time on the road. The latter is especially likely with two cars: VW’s Golf/Jetta/Rabbit TDIs (diesels) and Toyota’s Prius. Looking at 2010s, with readings averaged over the past four… More →
Month: January 2013
AutoWeek Design Forum 2013
Each year following NAIAS (the Detroit auto show), AutoWeek puts on a design forum where the general public can hear car designers discuss their work. This year the program included the exterior design manager for the new Corvette, the executive in charge of Alfa, Lancia, and Maserati design, the well-dressed head of a design consultancy, and a pair of executives… More →
Keeping today’s cars alive a decade from now
Consumer electronics aren’t designed to last more than a few years. After all, advances in technology render computers and phones obsolete long before many of them have a chance to fail. Many people expect their cars to last at least a dozen years. If the car is a desirable one, enthusiasts would like to keep it going…forever. But will this… More →
Favorite NAIAS Intro: 2014 Lexus IS
Between the C7 Corvette and Cadillac ELR, General Motors received about 97 percent of the media’s 2013 NAIAS (Detroit auto show) love. But of the new cars introduced at the show, my personal favorite was the 2014 Lexus IS, which has received little love from other sources. How might I explain my deviance?