By Lary Coppola

It seems rare that in my normal rotation of vehicles to review, I get a convertible in warm sunny weather.

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By Lary Coppola

The 2014 Ram 1500 is the first half-ton pickup to offer a modern, clean diesel engine as an option (a light-duty diesel was offered by Dodge previously), and it has Ram marketeers relentlessly chanting the mantra, “28 miles per gallon” with religious fervor.  read more »

In China, owning a Buick is a status symbol akin to owning a Mercedes, BMW, Infiniti, Audi, etc., in the U.S. I’ve actually never quite understood why. However, driving the 2014 Buick Regal reconfirmed what I already knew after driving the entire Buick lineup more than once over the past couple of years — they’re much better cars now, than at any other time in my life. read more »

Volkswagen’s new advertising slogan debuted at the 2014 World Cup competition, promoting what VW marketeers say is the most important car in its lineup — the 2015 Volkswagen Golf. This is the seventh generation of the most successful European car of all time — the car that replaced the legendary Beetle. read more »

The term “crossover SUV” has become standard nomenclature throughout the automotive industry, without a clear definition of what, exactly, makes up such a vehicle. The line between crossovers and “real” SUVs has become so blurred it’s hard for the average consumer to know which is which. The only certainty is that crossovers have become a blend of minivans, family sedans and traditional sport utility vehicles (SUV). read more »

The world’s best-selling subcompact — the Ford Fiesta — has a new look, two frugal new powerplants, new interior, and upgraded in-car technology for 2014.

Available in both sedan and hatchback versions, we had the opportunity to drive the 5-door hatchback Titanium and ST versions within two weeks of each other — the Titanium during a weeklong visit in South Florida, and the ST back in the Pacific Northwest.  read more »

By Lary Coppola

For the KPBJ

The venerable Toyota Corolla has enjoyed the title of the world’s most popular compact for almost a half-century — 47 years to be exact — with good reason. Since debuting in 1966 as a roller skate-sized compact, Toyota has sold 40 million Corollas worldwide, with continuing strong sales. The 2014 model marks the Corolla’s 11th generation, and its first redesign since 2008.  read more »

By Lary Coppola

For the KPBJ

Both an all-new Accord sedan and coupe were introduced last year, and only minor updates have been made for 2014. However 2014 saw the debut of a regular gas/electric hybrid model and a limited-production, plug-in hybrid as well.

The benchmark for this particular market segment — which also includes the Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Subaru Legacy and VW Passat — the Accord, much like its main competitor, the Toyota Camry, has also always been considered somewhat mundane.  read more »

Without going into detail, I’ll openly confess to not being a big BMW fan after being treated very shabbily by BMW Northwest when my wife’s 5-Series needed repairs. Because of that, I rarely write about BMW’s because I’m not always as objective I should be. read more »