Blog > Recent Articles In Car and Driver Tips

Mazda CX-5
Safety first. A solid rule for the road, and one the IIHS Top Safety Picks can steer you toward. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released its annual list of best-performing new cars based on updated criteria that prioritize protection for pedestrians as well as vehicle occupants. Sixty-four vehicles – all 2020 model-year cars and SUVs – are split across Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards. To qualify, each must have good ratings in crashworthiness evaluations; good or acceptable headlights, and available front crash prevention with an advanced to superior rating.   The… Read More

Genesis G80
Good news if you’re in the market for a car – vehicle dependability is at an all-time high, says J.D. Power. More good news is that its latest study identifies the best brands and models to help your selection. The market research firm’s 2020 Vehicle Dependability Study looks at problems experienced in the last 12 months by original owners of 3-year-old vehicles. Useful information, especially, for anyone considering a 2017 model-year vehicle. But for those who aren’t, the findings still serve as a valuable barometer of which automakers are producing the most reliable rides, and what they are. Genesis, the… Read More

Toyota Highlander
  What will you be driving 15 years from now? Get behind the wheel of one of these models and you may have your answer. Following are the 15 new cars owners are most likely to keep for 15 years or more, according to research – well beyond the seven- to eight-year average. Fans of Toyota will be spoiled for choice. The Japanese automaker dominates with a broad range of models from its lineup. There are 10 in total, headed by the Highlander SUV and including other utilities, along with pickups, passenger cars and a hybrid. Two more badges, Honda… Read More

Chevy, Kia, Jeep take 2020 car, utility, truck honors
  Two newcomers and one new take on a classic have claimed the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) titles. The Kia Telluride SUV and Jeep Gladiator truck, both introduced for the 2020 model year, win on their debuts. The redesigned Chevrolet Corvette Stingray sports car is the best car of the year. The awards mark the culmination of months of testing and research by 50 journalists from a range of media in the U.S. and Canada. Run by a non-profit organization, NACTOY are considered among the most prestigious… Read More

Honda Civic
They don’t come any better than these. Edmunds has delivered its verdict on the best new vehicles on the market to help direct your dollars to the most satisfying purchase. The 2020 Top Rated Awards are based on the auto shopping guide’s highest test ratings for performance, comfort, technology, fuel economy and value, and take into account thousands of hours of testing on the track and in the real world. Editors then select best in class from a pool of finalists. “We believe our process is one of the most rigorous and empirical in the industry, which makes these awards… Read More

Toyota 4Runner SUV
How best to spend your money on a used vehicle this year? Here’s a handy “driver assist” for that buying journey. Auto research site iSeeCars.com has named its best preowned cars for 2020 following analysis of more than 20 million vehicles. Long-term reliability, value retention and a high average safety rating (at least four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) separate these models from the rest. The top picks fall into categories encompassing passenger cars, SUVs, trucks, minivans, sports cars, electrics and hybrids, along with their runners up. These arenas are dominated by Toyota, while… Read More

All-wheel drive vehicle in snow
  The recent winter storms that hit large parts of the country may have you considering all-wheel drive (AWD) for your next vehicle. You may also be wondering just how much of a difference these systems can make, and if the added cost is worth it. The following pros and cons list should help with answers to those questions, but, firstly, it’s important to know that all-wheel drive is different from four-wheel drive (4WD), and how it differs. Without getting technical, AWD is a light-duty system typically found in cars and car-based SUVs, while four-wheel drive is a heavier-duty capability,… Read More

Man driving at night
  Tomorrow, Dec. 21, marks the shortest day of the year and, for drivers, less means more. More risk that is. Fewer daylight hours on the winter solstice and throughout winter result in extra nighttime driving and a higher chance of accidents. Serious ones, too. Figures from the National Safety Council show that vehicle death rates are three times higher after dark than in the day. Thankfully, there are many ways to protect yourself and your vehicle, and these tips will help you safely steer through the gloom.   1. Clean lights and windshields As visibility is a major challenge… Read More

Kia Telluride driven in snow
  When you’re drawing up a new-vehicle wish list with the best and brightest options for your drive, expert recommendations are a great place to start. Aiming to provide something for everyone, Kelley Blue Book’s 2020 Best Buy Awards offer 16 “sure bets” across categories that “resonate with the majority of car buyers.” Many of those categories are for SUVs, which this year expand to eight, while designated places are given to pure electric and hybrid vehicles. There’s also an award for the best new model,… Read More

Toyota Sequoia on racetrack
The RoadLoans blog provides articles on a range of topics. Auto finance, for sure, but also the wider car-buying experience, vehicle ownership and interests. The most-read blog posts of 2019 reflect that spectrum, albeit with a bias towards financing, from the longest-running vehicles to the basics of refinance. As the year enters our rearview mirror, here are the top 10 posts to date.     Longest-lasting vehicles: SUVs are way ahead Some vehicles just don’t like to quit – especially big SUVs. See the models and brands most likely to take you past 200,000 miles, as recorded by iSeeCars.com.  … Read More