New Ride: Subaru Crosstrek

I traded in my super economical Honda Fit in favor of a safer, sturdier ride. A Subaru Crosstrek.

It's smooth and comfortable, on the inside. While from the outside it's badass thanks to masculine lines and unique tough looking hub caps/wheels.

It runs on regular gasoline and has comparable mpg to the fit, while featuring responsive AWD. And a very healthy steering and turning radius. Love it!

The New Status Car Might Be Tesla

photo borrowed from Crain's article, credit: Kendall Karmanian

Tesla has become the new status car among many top executives who I interact with for work.

And this was just reinforced by an article I just spotted on my Facebook feed by Crain's Chicago Business (The new status car: Tesla).

What I've heard first hand is that people are liking the physical appearance of the vehicles, as well as the ability to peruse the company's offerings while at the shopping mall, since most of the company's retail presence is in higher-end shopping centers (my nearest one is in Oak Brook Shopping Center in Oak Brook, Illinois). Folks are fascinated by the fact that you can turn the car on while in an enclosed space because there are zero emissions.

Many folks are probably also captivated by the uniqueness of having an all-electric vehicle which is brand new on the market, and so the perception would be that a buyer would be in the "first adopter" category instantaneously by driving one of these cars down their posh neighborhood street.

Many top executives are probably playing around with the idea of being seen as socially responsible by going for an "environmentally friendly" electric vehicle with no emissions. Never mind that most of the electric power is probably coming from a nuclear plant nearby...Personally, I think the Model S resembles the new Jaguars and Porsche Panameras quite a bit, which are anyway cars that are targeted to this particular demographic in the first place. These are solid sedans (or saloons like the British call them) with sleek lines and fully loaded interiors.

It will be interesting to see how many conservative top execs actually start driving these around town. I'll be keeping an eye out for the upcoming Model X, which is their SUV model.

Most Popular Cars in UK

I recently had the opportunity to visit London, so, of course, I did lots of observing of roads and cars. Besides them driving on the wrong side of the road, of course j/k ;o)

I was surprised by the amount of high-end vehicles in the city, particularly in view of the considerably high congestion charge (and this) levied there.

The car makes I saw the most while there for a handful of days:

• Bentley
• Porsche
• BMW
• Ford
• Vauxhall
• Volkswagen
• MINI
• Mercedes
• Jaguar (not at all as many as I anticipated)
• Rolls Royce
• Honda Jazz (not many other Honda models though)

My observations seem to match, somewhat, findings from an article in The Telegraph of best selling cars in the UK.

Of course, one of my favorite vehicles was the famous black cabs. I got to ride in new ones most of the time, but once I happened on an older model. Good times.

Celebrating a Car Anniversary

When the excitement of owning a new car, or new-to-me car still exists a month or so into owning it, what's the proper way to celebrate?

I've now had my new car for about a month and I'm still very happy with the purchase. I got an economical, simple to run car which has been that and more. It's zippy which is important during traffic lane changes and when there's an odd tailgater so we can get out of their way.

I certainly enjoy letting a squee escape while I'm gassing up. My gas costs have been reduced by half. That's extra money that goes towards paying my student loan or go into my savings. Or both.

So what's a good way to celebrate your car's anniversary? A joyful smile escaping the corner of our mouth while driving is a fine way to go. Simple, but effective.

I'm thinking new all-weather mats can be a good idea, though I already have mine.

Perhaps a car deodorizer? I can still detect a little bit of that neutral, new car smell so I'll wait a little bit yet.

Maybe a car wash and free vacuuming of mats? That's more like it. Three dollars and we're spic and span.

Listening to a peppy song, while dreaming of spring a little prematurely, and singing along seem to be fine ways to celebrate as well.

Whichever way you celebrate your car or your relationship to your car, may you have many happy times together.

NYTimes Coverage of Detroit Auto Show

There are so many Tom, Dick, and Harrys out there covering the Detroit Auto Show, that there's a confusion of options to keep abreast of the hottest happenings and launches. That's why I prefer the New York Times' Autos section, which cleanly and crisply outlines the major newsbytes for me.

I'm not being lazy, honest, but time is money. So, at the NY Times Autos section, I just scroll on down and check out anything that pops out at me--like this interesting bit about the 2014 Nissan Versa Note hatchback redesign.

Can't beat the NYTimes' neatness and orderly pursuit of layout, for easy auto news browsing.

The Most and Least Expensive Cars to Insure

Insure.com came up with a great list of most and least expensive vehicles to insure.

I was actually surprised so see Jeeps on the list, because I remember my parents' premiums were rather high in the 90s when we first bought our Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Top five least expensive:

1	Ford Edge SE	4	$     1,128
2	Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo	6	$     1,148
3	Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium	4	$     1,150
4	Kia Sportage	4	$     1,157
5	Jeep Patriot Sport	4	$     1,160

Top five most expensive:

1	Mercedes-Benz CL600	12	$     3,357
2	Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG	12	$     3,330
3	Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG	8	$     3,221
4	Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG	12	$     3,207
5	Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG	8	$     3,184

I can tell there won't be a Mercedes in my future any time soon ha!

2014 Nissan GT-R

It's no gentleman, but quite a looker. Find out all the specs on the NYTimes.

Universal Studios' DeLorean

EPA's Greenest List

MSN Autos just posted an article about the EPA's Greenest Cars list (EPA Designates Most Energy-Efficient Cars by Claire Martin).

The article's first paragraph elicited a chuckle with its subtle leger a main: it names three of the cars (Honda Civic Hybrid w 44 mpge, Toyota Prius w 51 mpge city, Chevy Volt w 62 mpge highway) I would definitely think would be at the top of the EPA list, and announces that they're actually located towards the bottom of the list!

Good reading to get better acquainted with the brands and vehicles that are making the most mileage conscious vehicles out there, right now.

What's Your State's Favorite Car?

Yes that's a little bit of an odd question to ask. But MSN Autos went ahead and asked it anyway, or at least, they researched the answer (What's the Most Popular Car in Your State?).

Some of the cars that one usually thinks are most popular across the country, are listed for each of the states.

I was a little surprised to see the Ford Fusion for the state I live in, Illinois, since I honestly can't say I see many of those. I do see many Honda Odysseys and Toyotas, even a few Jettas. Not many Fusions though.

How about your state? Did you agree with the car they selected?

Historic Fuel Efficiency Standards

Great infographic borrowed from Fast Lane Blog

Today, DOT and the Environmental Protection Agency are finalizing national standards for fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions for passenger cars and light trucks built in the years 2017 through 2025. (Historic fuel efficiency standards for cars, light trucks will save families money, reduce emissions).

Can I get a big, hell yea, from everyone? It's about time.

The Most Stolen Late-Model Cars in America

It looks like MSN Autos got some flack from readers that the last list of most-stolen cars featured ancient vehicles. They've just put out a "late model" list (The Most Stolen Late-Model Cars in America) for those of us only really interested in cars produced in the last three years.

Top Stolen Cars

When making the decision to purchase a car, many individuals can focus on a variety of criteria: upkeep, social status, total cost to own, gasoline mileage, cargo capacity, is it expensive to insure, etc. One other important criteria should be whether the car is whether the car will likely be stolen for parts or for a collector.

MSN Autos put out a yearly list of top stolen cars in the USA (America's 10 Most Stolen Vehicles), and the list pretty much runs down as follows:

• 1994 Nissan Sentra
• 2002 Ford Explorer
• 2004 Dodge Pickup
• 1999 Chevrolet Pickup
• 1994 Acura Integra
• 2000 Dodge Caravan
• 1991 Toyota Camry
• 2006 Ford Pickup
• 1998 Honda Civic
• 1994 Honda Accord

Surprised to see any of these on the list? 

As cars are redesigned and parts become harder to come by, it's no surprise to me that many older, trusty models are going to be in demand to help fill in the parts and service market gap. 

Fiat 500

Easily Spotted

Fiat 500s are always on my mind. They're adorable, parkable almost anywhere (no matter how small the space), and rather economical (purchase price and gas mileage).

Today, on my way to and from Target during a quick lunch hour errand, I spotted a couple of shipment trucks unloading a few specimens as they reorganized their shipment.

Azzurro and Verde Chiaro

I'm fondest of the 500c in Rosso Brillante, and after going to Montreal last month, I'm also quite fond of the Verde Oliva, but...

...the Azzurro one I saw today isn't half bad, either.

Knowing Your Vehicle's Worth

Recently, I went to my local Carmax outlet to obtain an appraisal on my vehicle. I was considering selling because I could use the funds to pay off my car loan and either part of my student loan or a huge chunk of my credit card balance.

I ended up enjoying the process at  Carmax, which only takes 30 minutes to review 125 points on your vehicle. They do a thorough physical and history inspection of your vehicle, and provide you a printed report on everything they were able to find on your car.

The report showed that my vehicle didn't have any major mechanical or body issues, and that it had retained almost 100% of its value since I bought it. Big kudos.

This report is pretty much the same report you'd get at Carmax if you were looking to purchase one of their cars.

Carmax does not accept any frame or water damaged cars, but everything else is fine and worth a look. If the vehicle is in serious condition but still acceptable, it may end up in the rear lot auction versus the front lot sale area.

It was a great learning experience that really left me with a lot to think about. I was planning on driving my significant-other unit's Honda Civic should I decide to sell my vehicle. In the end, however, because my significant-other unit is planning on eventually selling his vehicle and obtaining a (much lower mpg) Jeep Wrangler, I opted to retain my vehicle for a few more years.

I walked away from the experience having gained a lot more knowledge and trust in the Carmax process and philosophy. I would definitely consult their website to search for a new-to-me vehicle, or if I saw one of their other locations have a brand new vehicle that I would be interested in owning.

Here's to good car buying experiences.

Cars Worth Waiting For?

Gentlemen, start your bank accounts. Car and Driver today teases our automotive salivatory glands by suggesting we just wait and see how great cars will be over the next few years.

In 25 Cars Worth Waiting For, our intreprid Car and Driver writers suggest we keep an eye out for forthcoming deliciousness such as (I'm just picking some random ones here):

• 2015 Bentley SUV
• 2014 Infinity compact hatchback
• 2014 Porsche Macan entry level SUV
• 2013 Nissan Altima
• 2013 Honda Accord
• 2014 Maserati Kubang SUV
• 2013 Ford Fusion
• 2015 Land Rover Defender

What do you think? Some good ones worth waiting (and spending) for? 

2012 Chicago Auto Show

I got the chance to go to the Chicago Auto Show on Saturday. It was packed when I got there at around 5-ish to 6-ish, but people were streaming out so it made my visit rather easy going.

I went into a lot more cars than I usually do, and lingered a little to get a good feel of how the ride and interior were. This added a fun new dimension to my visit than in years past. Of course, going by myself was easy and allowed me optimum use of my time.

I felt like luxury makers were back in the game with both feet this year, after being a little thin the last couple of years. I think TATA has done a great job with the Range Rover/Land Rover line: the models are just as luxurious even though the bodies have been tweaked a little, and still look solid and performance-oriented.

I don't like Jaguars so I took a couple of pictures of the neat hood on the XK convertible (very Aston Martin-ish) but then passed on to greener pastures. I was very interested in the Volkswagen family (Audi and VW) so I lingered there a bit.

I also lingered extensively at the Fiat 500 area. I was debating whether or not I wanted to line up for the privilege of a test drive, but finally opted not to when I made plans to meet two friends later, who happened to also be at the event that day.

If it didn't snow in Chicago and there weren't that many extra large vehicles on the roads, and the roads weren't so pothole and buckle ridden...I would buy a red Fiat 500 in a heartbeat. The Abarths drew droves of young men, and I personally couldn't get enough but was unable to squeeze through the crowd for a sit-in. I did linger inside the yellow regular model 500, and really, really liked it. It's roomy, it's clean and ergonomic, it's comfortable. It's a good vehicle.

I don't think I saw any Mini Coopers, which is possibly my fault. Were any there?

I was mostly interested in the VW family, particularly the Audi A3 and the VW Golf. I'm almost pretty kind of sure ^^; that my next vehicle, whenever that may be, will be a VW Golf automatic. Time will tell, of course.

Here's a Flickr set of the photos I took. I apologize in advance for the blurry and focus issues on the photos. I forgot to bring a lenses cleaner cloth with me and focus issues emerged due to a smudge.

I should also have brought a backup battery as mine died just as I got out of my final area, the Ford Mustang showcase. Last year's camera passed out well before, so it's a slight improvement.

 

Autonomous Cars

Wired's Autopia runs us through the history of autonomous cars. Good times.

Repairing the Auto Show

Graffiti Smart credit Tyler Linner

Great article on Inc. today about how "We Need to Repair the Auto Show" (by John B. Rogers).

The sub-header describes, how, in today's world, spectacle and lighting-fast information has rendered the auto show obsolete. With such a strong interest in engineering and innovation for true engineering and car geeks, the spotlights and car girls leave us wanting more.

Did you know? The first auto show premiered in Madison Square Garden in 1900. People were introduced to horseless carriages.

James Bond Cars Exhibit

According to Wired (Gaze Longingly at 007 Speedsters at UK Exhibit), there's a great little James Bond cars exhibit at the UK National Motor Museum starting this month.