Musings from my driveway, my home and my heart
We’ve had a parade of test cars in our driveway this year, but the one that got the biggest reaction from friends, neighbors and strangers was the 2018 BMW 430i Coupe in Snapper Rocks Blue Metallic One neighbor, a former BMW owner, physician and Gen Xer, got her first glimpse of the eye-catching color, a... Continue Reading →
I had two significant experiences with self-driving vehicles on June 26 in the Detroit area that brought me closer to trusting these robot rides. In the morning I attended the May Mobility launch of its fleet of six-passenger electric vehicles designed to carry property management company Bedrock’s employees to work in a short loop in... Continue Reading →
When I was a rookie reporter at the Oakland Press in Pontiac, Michigan, the chief photographer snapped a picture of me hugging my silver 1976 Volkswagen Beetle, a car I loved for its counterculture vibe and cute looks. The picture and the car meant so much to me that I got out my craft supplies... Continue Reading →
Several years ago, an Audi executive told me he wanted to recruit the British musician Sting as the company spokesman. “He’s older, but he’s how I want to age,” the executive said. “He’s not sitting in a rocking chair, he’s racing around Aspen in some hot car on his way to the slopes.” I thought... Continue Reading →
I consider myself fortunate because I hate chocolate and love minivans. After spending a week in the redesigned 2018 Honda Odyssey Elite minivan, I found that I’m in the minority among my girlfriends — and not just when it comes to Dove bars and other sweets. My odyssey in the Odyssey took me from the... Continue Reading →
NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP, Michigan – There’s a different take on the speed trap in my neighborhood. We call it “the sunflower trap” and it’s not about getting a ticket from the cops for having a lead foot. It’s about slamming on the brakes and impeding traffic as you come off of the highway and encounter what... Continue Reading →
Google the phrase “fun to drive” and you get 114 million results. The phrase is a cliché in many test drives, although some reviewers take pains to explain exactly what they mean by it. Some say it can be boiled down to a single statistic: 0-60 miles per hour acceleration. “You want to smoke the... Continue Reading →
It annoys me when automakers and car reviewers pigeonhole vehicles, suggesting they’re aimed at Baby Boomers or Millennials or some other monolithic group. Case in point: the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, an all-new gasoline-electric compact hatchback that takes aim at the Toyota Prius. More than one reviewer has called the Ioniq a good choice for... Continue Reading →
I’m often jumping in and out of test vehicles with my sister-in-law Jean Jennings, a longtime automotive writer and editor. So when she showed up at my house one afternoon last week, it was only natural for us to get behind the wheel of the redesigned 2017 Mazda CX-5 compact SUV and go somewhere. (Hint:... Continue Reading →
My sister Claudia spent the last three years living in Saudi Arabia, a country where women are not permitted to drive and her family did not even own a car. So when she and her husband moved back to the U.S. in June after his work assignment ended, shopping for a new vehicle was high... Continue Reading →
Anita's Way 