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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Posted May 31, 2023in Cars in the City
The EV (electric vehicle) market is booming. Each year, automotive manufacturers jump on the plug-in band wagon, touting their new vehicles. Nissan first launched the Leaf in 2010. New for 2023, Nissan debuted its first electric SUV, the Ariya. The Ariya Engage is a lower-end crossover SUV at $44,735. Aside
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Posted May 03, 2023in Cars in the City
Nostalgia sells. In the past few years, old model cars, or rather their model names, have made a comeback. The Ford Bronco is back, the Ford Mustang is an electric, and the Chevy Blazer returned in 2019. Like the other comeback vehicles, this Blazer is far from its original 1969
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Posted April 05, 2023in Cars in the City
When owning a classic car, you can’t sit in the garage polishing it all day — you want to drive it. There’s nothing better than comparing racing stripes, souped-up engines and oversized dangling dice with other classic car owners, such as those in the Concrete Cruizers car club. The Concrete
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Posted March 01, 2023in Cars in the City
A Camaro in the late 1970s and early 1980s was one of my favorite cars. All the cool guys drove older model Camaro Z28s, Trans-Ams or Monte Carlos — any two-door that wasn’t a parent’s practical sedan. If you were dating a guy with a two-door, most had bucket seats.
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Posted February 01, 2023in Cars in the City
Typically in this column, we feature shiny new cars with backup cameras, massaging seats and automatic liftgates. These features make safety a top priority, along with comfort and innovation. Sometimes comfort is overrated, and we want to relive our youth by scooping the loop in a car with a revved-up
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