Posted April 03, 2024in Cars in the City
Whenever I see a Jeep, it screams adventure. That rugged look and jacked-up body seem ideal for off-road trips. Maybe it’s from the TV commercials of a Jeep perched on a faux boulder. Regardless, when you take it for a spin, you’re bound to experience an exhilarating ride — even
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Posted March 06, 2024in Cars in the City
Pickup trucks are big in Iowa not only in size but in the number of trucks sold. The Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado and Ram are all bestsellers. But maybe you want a truck that isn’t so huge or that may cost you fewer bucks. A mid-sized truck might be ideal.
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Posted January 31, 2024in Cars in the City
With Iowa in full swing in winter driving conditions, it’s easy to criticize your current ride’s ability to handle snow drifts, slick spots and unplowed paths. If your car didn’t quite make it in the latest blizzard, you might want to consider an all-wheel-drive vehicle, such as the Subaru Crosstrek.
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Posted January 03, 2024in Cars in the City
The Hornet is back. Correction — the Hornet name has returned. This time, it’s a Dodge sub-compact crossover SUV. For Hornet fans, the last one manufactured was an AMC Hornet from 1970-1977. Dodge is manufactured in Italy. According to Road and Track, the Hornet is a “lightly rebodied” Alfa Romeo
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Posted December 06, 2023in Cars in the City
For those with a large family, the trusty station wagon transported siblings in the way-back seat. Then, the minivan debuted in the 1980s and took over as a top-selling family vehicle. Today, SUVs have surpassed minivans in popularity among most vehicles. However, minivans continue to be great solutions for many.
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Posted November 01, 2023in Cars in the City
Volkswagen is known for its most iconic cars — the Beetle (slug bug) and the VW minivan. It’s been a while since those original models were sold, and Volkswagen SUVs are now their best-selling vehicles. The 2024 Atlas SEL Premium RL is a midsize SUV. The higher-end model rings in
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Posted October 04, 2023in Cars in the City
When I see patrol cars driving on the interstate, I wonder what makes them so special. Should I get a vehicle like the officers’ jacked-up ride? An Iowa State Patrol car test drive was out of the question, so I settled for a ride. Luckily, this ride was voluntary. Patrol
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Posted September 06, 2023in Cars in the City
When Toyota introduced the Prius in the U.S. in 1999, it was the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle that had both battery and gas engines. It soon became the best-selling hybrid of all time. Now, Toyota debuts its first fully electric vehicle, the bZX4. The bZ stands for beyond zero emissions.
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Posted August 02, 2023in Cars in the City
In 2019, Kia debuted its Telluride, a midsize crossover SUV. In the years since, the Telluride’s popularity has soared. In 2020, the Telluride hit the “best of” lists, including Kelly Blue Book’s Best Buy, Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year and 2020 World Car of the Year Award. Why is
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Posted July 05, 2023in Cars in the City
Sensible. Reliable. Affordable. Fuel efficient. These are some of the traits of Honda vehicles. I’ve driven a Honda for 30 years, and I’ve wanted to write about a spiffy new Honda for this Cars in the City column to see what I’m missing — or, maybe, to do some car
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