Mazda's CX-70 PHEV is The Perfect SUV For Fun Loving Couples With No Kids
Oct 20, 2024
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Mazda's CX-70 PHEV is The Perfect SUV For Fun Loving Couples With No Kids
So many people visit Las Vegas and never venture outside of the strip... they don't even know what they are missing. On the other hand, I visit the city several times each year and have wondered what adventures the mountains might have in store. On this trip, I hooked up with my friends at Trail Trek Tour who had some Toyota TRD Pro trucks ready for some adventure. Unlike most of my off road trips that take place at very low altitudes and cruising through sandy, scorching hot, sun-bleached desert, this time we were headed up to a very windy 7,700 feet on a mountain trail with trees and rocks.
Like many advocates for electric vehicles, in the past I've been willing to look past the weaknesses and point to some day in the future when we'll finally "be there". Well I think we've hit that point and while EV's are still mostly limited to sedans and crossover-wagons, the future is bright for bigger vehicles too. Today though, we're talking about our experience taking the all-new Kia EV6 to Electrify Expo in Long Beach where we had a chance to meet with a variety of companies that are filling in the gaps that will ultimately make an EV practical for all prospective car buyers.
Virtually every man I know has an appreciation - if not an outright love of cars. While some are simply dull practical machines to get back and forth, many of them are in fact works of mechanical and artistic triumph that deserve to be celebrated. That's one of the reasons why I love the annual Fabulous Fords Forever show. It's more than just an exotic car show, but rather it's a celebration of passion for one of my favorite automotive brands - Ford Motor Company.
Like many other parts of the country, California continues to be under water restrictions and while we've had a lot of rain recently that doesn't mean we can start wasting water again. As a result, my car looks terrible. It has dust, pollen, bird stuff, road grime all over, and ironically even beads of wax left over from my last car wash months and months ago. I've avoided regularly washing my car like I once did because frankly it's appalling how much water is wasted that way. While commercial, automatic car washes are far more efficient with water than washing at home with a hose and bucket, it's still a huge waste of water. That's why I was excited to try the new Armor All Ultra Shine Wash Wipes when they asked me to try them out recently.
It's no secret that the auto industry is extremely competitive and that American tastes are shifting away from mid-sized sedans to SUVs like the Mazda MX-5, Honda CRV, Toyota Rav4, and Jeep Cherokee. What is interesting to me is how similar each of these cars is on paper and price - yet so different in driving experience. It made me step back a bit and think about how I experience cars since rarely do I get a chance to actually compare vehicles directly. Typically we're provided a top of the line model and asked to share our thoughts on it. Through a bit of luck and planning though, I managed to drive all four of these this year and take the opportunity to compare not just their bullet-ed talking points - but what it actually means to someone shopping for the right SUV for their lifestyle.
The day your teenager gets their driving licence is a roller coaster of emotions. They’re excited, and perhaps a little nervous, and you’re proud but absolutely terrified. Watching your child get behind the wheel of a car for the very first time is a wonderful experience, but it’s one that reminds you just how dangerous cars can be. After all, car accidents are the leading cause of death among teens. Because of this, it’s absolutely vital that your child knows what they’re doing. Here are some tips to ensure that your teen stays safe on the road.
All too often vehicles get distilled down to just one aspect of their personalities. A Bugatti Veyron is fast, a Maybach is luxurious, and a Raptor is just badass. While those are true - at least in the case of the 2019 Ford Raptor, it doesn't tell a complete story of why this is possibly the best truck on the market today. While previous generations of the truck were 100% focused on off-road ability, the current iteration is equally adept on the pavement, including twisty mountain roads as it is flying over the desert at high speeds.
This is a different sort of Raptor review. The Ford Raptor is hands down the most fun truck or SUV that I've had the chance to test - ever. While most reviews focus on it's extreme off road abilities as a Baja racing truck that you can buy from a dealer vs building your own. The truth is that the truck goes way beyond that and after spending a few days testing it out with my wife and another couple during a getaway to Borrego Springs, California, I'm even more impressed. This is far more than just "dad's toy"!
The Chevy Tahoe is one of my favorite big SUVs and that's because it is apologetically big and powerful, yet still fun to drive. Chevy has made it even better this year by offering a new trim level, "Custom" where they've removed the third row, made a towing package standard, and added a few cosmetic tweaks as well. What you're left with is the perfect truck for pulling everything you need for the weekend and tons of cargo space inside, along with a super comfortable ride and great tech to help you get there safely.
Winter is here, the snow has started to fall, and you've decided you're going to make a couple of extra bucks plowing driveways. Now what? It goes without saying that you'll need a truck, and to get the job done right you'll need the right truck!
Quite honestly I've been pretty happy with the current state of the industry when it comes to driving assistance technology and "lane keep assist" type features that are available from most manufacturers today. They all have different names but fundamentally those technologies depend on a camera and some other sensors that help keep your car between the lanes. This is a huge benefit when it comes to long road trips. However, it wasn't until last week at a General Motors test track outside of Detroit that I started to realize just how awesome Super Cruise can be.
When people ask me why I like minivans so much for road trips the answer is easy - they are practical, drive nicely, and park easily. I'm not always looking for the most stylish and technology filled solution when my objective is getting from here to there with a bunch of bags and people. On a recent road trip through the Eastern part of Florida's Everglades with the all-new 2022 Kia Carnival I was extraordinarily impressed since not only did it have everything I expected from a minivan... it also looked great and had plenty of creature comforts too.
Miles Per Gallon is probably one of the biggest selling points for cars today. Even though fuel prices are lower now that they were just a few years ago, we all know it won't stay that way forever. To solve that problem, American manufacturers have focused primarily on EV and hybrid platforms but there's a third option that Chevy presented to me - diesel. When they first challenged me to test out the Cruze Hatch Diesel I nearly declined their offer. After all, my experience with diesel engines was good in terms of hauling loads... but at the sacrifice of peppy performance, especially the ability to accelerate quickly and pass people on the highway. Then they asked if I'd like to do a road trip from San Diego to Scottsdale for some Spring Training Baseball and I simply wasn't able to pass up that invitation.
Volkswagen's ID.4 was both one of the most exciting EVs that I had a pleasure to drive this year as well as one of the most frustrating and confusing. Ultimately though, many of the things that detracted from what ultimately could be one of the best EV options on the market today are "quirky" design elements that I've found in other VW vehicles... though in those, tech is less core to the experience and are easy to adapt to over time.
What's a "sports truck" you ask? For me, it's just like how a sports car is designed to go faster and turn quicker so you can do stuff others can't - this truck can go places and do things other trucks will never be able to. It's also designed for the person who doesn't simply want a "practical" vehicle. They want something that is an object of desire and affection. It's a vehicle that you instinctively crave from the moment your eyes first lock onto it. That's exactly what the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is... and I'm hooked!
The desert is an amazing place to explore - on road as well as off. Despite the fact that some people might think it is dead and desolate, this is an environment that is incredibly dynamic. Dangers as well as beauty can pop up at any moment and disappear just as quickly. One of these dangers is sudden dust storms or sandstorms. They are most common in the deserts of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula but also in parts of the United States including California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.
While American sand storms are often smaller in size than what might be experienced in the Saharan Desert, the danger to motorists can be similar. Here's what to do if you find yourself in a sand storm.
Yes, you read that right! The folks at Papadakis Racing have revealed their latest build, a 1,000 horsepower Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla Hatchback that will be competing in Formula Drift races this year. Here's a look at what it takes to transform a stock front-wheel-drive 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback into this rear-wheel-drive beast.
Nothing lasts forever. There will always come a time when we need to say goodbye to our beloved vehicles, no matter how heavy our hearts feel. Whatever your reasons are for selling, you have a responsibility to both the buyer and your car. However, your car has to be in tip-top shape so that it is in a good position to fetch those dollars you need to part with it.
Buick is a car brand that has almost universal name recognition in the United States (and likely much of the world). Unfortunately it suffers from a perception problem that it is "and old man's car" and they've even embraced that with the "That's a Buick!?" marketing campaign. I'll be fank - when I was invited to Palm Springs earlier this week, there wasn't a single car in their lineup that I was excited to drive. However, I accepted the invite because I really love working with GM and the company has treated me VERY WELL over the past couple years. What I discovered after spending some time listening, feeling, and driving a few different vehicles was that this is a brand that is worth considering if you are looking for what they describe as, "Attainable Luxury."