With Valentine’s Day here, I’m thinking about love. And cars. I certainly love cars, but do they love me back? Any science fiction fan will tell you machines are incapable of love. But I still managed to find the seven best new car options that will make you feel loved by keeping you warm and comfortable, by helping you out [...]

Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week, the 2013 Nissan Quest LE. Minivans get a bad rap. Critics say these vehicles are uninspired and boring, that they’re transportation appliances designed with the sole purpose of moving people. The naysayers recommend car shoppers that want engaging styling and driving dynamics look elsewhere. I disagree. After owning a [...]

Members got a look at the completely redesigned 2013 Nissan Pathfinder at the October luncheon of the Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association (GAAMA). With unibody construction replacing a truck-like body-on-frame architecture, the 7-passenger crossover is a departure from its predecessor yet maintains much of the outgoing model’s capabilities. The luncheon at Ray’s on the River in Atlanta included a presentation [...]

Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week, the 2012 Nissan 370Z. Rejoice! For the it is a sports car and, even better, one with a six-speed manual transmission! How many proper rear-wheel drive sports cars are available these days, especially in the low $30,000 range? They certainly number few. And Nissan has been in the sports [...]

Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week, the 2012 Nissan Murano. This five-passenger crossover is powered exclusively by a 260-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 sending power through a continuously variable transmission (CVT.) Front-wheel drive is standard on the Murano, while all-wheel drive is offered for a $1600 premium on each of four trim levels: S, SV, SL and [...]

Golf schmolf. That’s this car junkie’s humble opinion of the value of a country club membership. But joining an exclusive motorsports facility like Monticello Motor Club, which is just 90 miles from Manhattan and includes 4.1 miles of smooth tarmac? That’s more my speed. Sure, one must plunk down the $125,000 initiation fee, plus a bit over $10,000 per year [...]

Renault-Nissan just broke ground on a new engine manufacturing facility at their Decherd, Tennesee plant. Under a partnership with Daimler, the four-cylinder motors will power U.S.-built Mercedes-Benz C-Class vehicles in addition to Infiniti models. Beginning in 2014, the C-Class will be built at Daimler’s plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The Nissan Leaf is the world’s first mass-production EV. This time, is the electric car here to stay? Electric vehicles may be a relatively recent addition to the mainstream automotive marketplace, but the technology is hardly brand new. Indeed, electric propulsion was among the earliest solutions for motivating vehicles, dating back to the late 19th century, when electric vehicles were [...]

Automotive photographer Dave May and I are working on a new format for bringing visitors into the driver’s seat of the vehicles that fascinate us. That format is video, and we think it has promising potential for sharing our experiences.

J.D. Power’s annual Dependability Survey results show Toyota brands on top in eight of the fourteen categories. The Blue Oval is a big winner too, with vehicles from Ford brands taking three slots. The survey looks at 3-year-old vehicles, so these 2012 rankings reflect 2009 models. Here are the winners by category: Sub-compact Car: Toyota Yaris Compact Car: Toyota Prius [...]