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Badge engineering has been part of the auto industry ever since someone figured out the magical mix of calculus and alchemy that somehow makes money by selling the same car under different names. I've never been entirely sure how this actually works, but it must — because automakers continue to do it. But which car gets the platform prostitution crown? I think I know the answer. Badge-engineered cars are also fascinating in the way that studies of twins are fascinating: when you start with two things that are essentially the same, even the most minor of differences take on vast new levels of importance. For example, looking at, say, the Ford Pinto and Mercury Bobcat can tell you all you need to know about how the two brands see themselves. The Ford is the base model, the Mercury adds fussier, more delicate trim, a more chrome-laden grille, wider taillights– little things, but they all add up to the more upmarket tone the Bobcat aspires to. Advertisement Eventually, … [Read more...] about This Is The Most Badge-Engineered Car Of All Time

Some of us were Scouts as kids, now we see the organization as a vaguely-militaristic-indoctrination club for parents living vicariously through their children, but hey, they've picked their five favorite kiddy-haulers. Apparently Scouting families are not for want and prefer American, as the cheapest in the pack starts around $28k and there's one foreign-badged car in the crowd. Should you be a scouting parent and interested in their recommendations, below, in no particular order, are the 2009 Scouting Magazine picks for hauling your troop to a secluded camp far from the prying eyes of the general public: Chevy Tahoe Hybrid/GMC Yukon Hybrid — Base price: around $51,500 2009 Dodge Ram Crew Cab — Base price: around $32,500 Chevy Traverse — Base price: around $29,000 Honda Pilot — Base price: around $28,000 Ford Flex — Base price: around $29,000 You can check out the full cover, of which Ford is proud to have snagged, HERE and head over to Scouting … [Read more...] about Scouting Magazine Picks Five Best Vehicles For Playing With Kids

If you put every standard-issue crossover on the market right now into a blender, you’d have a broken blender. But if you did it figuratively, you’d end up with something like the 2018 Kia Sportage SX. It’s simple, welcoming and just fancy enough to make you feel good. Just don’t expect it to be outstanding in every way. (Full disclosure: Kia had a Sportage SX dropped off at my apartment with a full tank of gas for me do use for a week. This was last year, before I was dealing with some medical issues, so that’s why it’s a 2018. Still, enjoy.) Most modern Kia reviews are obligated to start with something like “Kias are way better than they were 20 years ago.” And yeah–modern Kias are a far cry from the stapled-together soap box cars of the ’90s that seemed predestined to end up as pizza delivery beaters. That said, the original Sportage is the only early American-market Kia I have to admit I kind of miss. Looking at this … [Read more...] about The 2018 Kia Sportage SX Is a Great Daily Driver, But Gas Mileage Leaves a Lot to Be Desired

So this crossover thing? Yeah, it's starting to get a little out-of-hand. What we have here is the 2009 Chevy Traverse. If you want to use the promotional literature, it's an 8-passenger crossover vehicle. If you use your eyes, it's a minivan with big wheels and no sliding side doors. Thus the stage is set for that epic automotive battle: Marketing vs. reality. Advertisement Chevy's rationale makes sense: Soccer moms across the country are about to turn in their leased Trailblazers and Yukons. They've seen budgets battered by gas prices, but they still have to have something that can tote the brood around. With 7 or 8 passenger seating, a tall ride height, generous cargo room, and a fairly low load floor, the Traverse attempts to give them a reason to drive back out of the Chevy dealership in something new — something new that isn't a minivan. Chevy needs the Traverse pretty badly, considering they don't have squat between Malibu and Trailblazer. Although Traverse sits on the … [Read more...] about 2009 Chevy Traverse, First Drive

The fact that Kia is building a large seven/eight-seater SUV is about as surprising as discovering that the Twinkie you’ve just bitten into contains an interior chamber, filled with a white, sweet, creamery substance. It’s a move so safe that I’d tell it my bank card PIN, if it asked. People will buy these, because, it seems, that’s all they want to buy anymore. Happily, Kia’s jump on this particular bandwagon is a jump well executed. I can say this because not only did I take the 2020 Kia Telluride on a little road trip, but I slept in it overnight, too, because that’s how you really get to know a car. (Full disclosure: Kia lent me a 2020 Telluride with a full tank of gas for a week so I could review it. I did not need it for transportation as I already own several ridiculous cars but I used it for that anyway. They made me swear not to sleep in it or let my kid lie on the dashboard and I’m proud to have honored that promise.) Also, if a car … [Read more...] about The 2020 Kia Telluride Is a Pretty Nice SUV to Drive and Sleep In