By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

Lucid: expressed clearly; intelligible; bright or luminous.
Air: essential to breathe.
Pure: free or unadulterated.

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By Casey Williams - MyCarData

I drive a lot of new cars, but like most automotive journalists, I always keep a short list of vehicles I would buy for myself if circumstances changed and I needed a vehicle for everyday use.  I want vehicles that are easy to drive, get great gas mileage, carry the family, and don’t cost a lot to buy or maintain.  For the last couple of years, the Ford Maverick has been near the top.  I especially like it in Lariat trim as a hybrid.

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By David Boldt - MyCarData

The connection between cycling and automobiles has roots as old as the car itself. When Karl Benz attached a motor to a tricycle he created what is generally recognized as the first motorcar. And paved streets — which made motorized transport more practical — began with the demand for smooth, all-weather roads by cyclists.

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By Jim Meachen - MyCarData

The all-new Kia EV9 has already — in its infancy — received numerous accolades such as "World's Best Car for 2024," an award annually handed out by the judges for Women's Worldwide Car of the Year; and the "UK Car of the Year," which celebrates the "best new vehicles available to UK customers." More awards for the all-electric three-row SUV are likely to follow on this side of the pond.

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By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

Want a Chevrolet pickup truck? There’s five cab and box styles, from a regular cab with 3-person bench and a 79.44-inch cargo bed, on up to a crew cab with room for five, and the same size bed — you can get a 98.18-inch-long bed in the regular cab too.

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By Paul Borden - MyCarData

Though speculation in recent years about the future of the BMW Z4 would lead you to believe the sporty little roadster is on its last legs (wheels?) the reports of its immediate demise may be a bit premature. As far back as 2016 an item in BMWblog.com lamented its impeding demise with the headline “Say Goodbye to the BMW Z4 – Imperfect but lovable” (sic).

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By Casey Williams - MyCarData

In the beginning, way back in 1948, post-war Land Rover had one model cribbed from the American Jeep.  Its aluminum-intensive body covered a chassis engineered for war, farms, and crawling across deserts.  Seventy-six years on, we have the more luxurious Discovery series and the stupid-exclusive Range Rover, but if you still want an all-capable SUV that borrows from its upscale siblings, you’ll consider the 2024 Land Rover Defender 110S.

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By David Boldt - MyCarData

 
In early March the Wall Street Journal’s automotive columnist, Dan Neil, reviewed Bentley’s Bentayga EWB, a lifestyle box those capable of affording lifestyles are hellbent to check. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to schedule a Bentley from that company’s press fleet, but then, putting a Bentley in my neighborhood would be roughly akin to putting Mar-a-Lago in my neighborhood. You could, of course, make it fit — but it’d never fit.

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By Jim Meachen - MyCarData

The 2024 Mazda3 compact vehicle, which is part of the fourth generation introduced in 2019, comes in sedan and hatchback body styles with a choice of two 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines—one a spunky turbo. Hatchbacks with the base four-cylinder and front-wheel drive can be had with a six-speed manual gearbox, and all-wheel drive is available across the lineup—but only with a six-speed automatic.

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By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

“It’s the last of its kind,” they said as the 2024 BMW M2 sat next to a barn-find Ford Model A from the 1920’s at my local Caffeine & Octane. “Turbocharged and a 6-speed manual – enjoy it while you can,” said others when it sat between two hot rods at the same event.

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By Casey Williams - MyCarData

If the Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce compact crossover looks a little familiar to you, it’s because it shares most of its body, interior, and architecture with the Dodge Hornet.  Don’t get me wrong, both harbor accomplished bits straight from Italy.  Our little Alfa goes further with a proper plug-in hybrid powertrain that optimizes efficiency while providing quick weekend reflexes.  The question, though, “Is the Hornet a bargain Alfa Romeo or is the Tonale a fancy Dodge?”

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By David Boldt - MyCarData

In "THE QUEEN," Helen Mirren — portraying Queen Elizabeth — is seen behind the wheel of a Land Rover, traversing some of the vast acreage comprising the Balmoral Estate. Much later the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip (portraying himself), is laid to rest with the assist of a custom-built Land Rover, comprising little more than a two-passenger cockpit and long bed. Both scenes underscore the attachment Great Britain’s royal family has for Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles. And few vehicles in the company’s long history communicate "ROYAL" better than Land Rover’s Defender 130. 

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By Paul Borden - MyCarData

Introduced as a 2012 model to replace the Sport version of the iconic Outback SUV, the subcompact Crosstrek continues to be a stellar seller for the Japanese automaker Subaru, challenging the Forester and Outback the company’s No. 1 spot. Over the last three years, the Crosstrek has occupied the No. 1 (2022), No. 2 (2023), and No. 3 (2021 place in Subaru’s yearly sales in swapping positions with the Forester and Outback.

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By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

The boat ramp was not a civilized place. No ribbed concrete or railings on this saltwater marsh within spitting distance of the Atlantic Ocean — no, it was mud, deeply pockmarked with holes filled with brackish water, and rimmed with sea grass. Perfect place for a photo of the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness, right?

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By Casey Williams - MyCarData

On August 6, 1956 while on tour in Miami, Elvis Presley bought a Continental Mark II.  The white over beige leather luxury coupe was one of the most expensive cars in America that year and Elvis, per usual, bought it on a whim.  But the guy who barely kept cars long enough to change their oil before giving them away, kept the Mark II until 1976, the year before he died.  I suspect he’d gift lots full of the 2024 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring plug-in hybrid.

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By David Boldt - MyCarData

Four carmakers stepped up to place ads in this year’s Super Bowl. And of those four — BMW, Kia, Toyota and Volkswagen — none resonated quite like Volkswagen’s ad, which used the time and space to commemorate VW’s 75 years — of both time and space — in the U.S.

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By Jim Meachen - MyCarData

It seems the off-road craze has invaded the auto industry, and as the temperature for off-road vehicles reaches a fever pitch most manufactures have added a rugged go-anywhere appearance — with a measure of off-road equipment — to their SUV lineups. Subaru is on board with this trend adding the Wilderness package to several products including the new compact Crosstrek, mid-sized Outback and compact Forester.

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