Upgrades make you forget the 2012 Ford F-150 is still a truck

Interstate 94 was the perfect place to test the top-of-the-line 2012 Ford F-150. The highway starts out relatively flat on Michigan’s east side and then moves through the rolling hills of the west.

Gadgets raise car hacking concerns

Washington — Drivers can talk with each other via Bluetooth phone connections, ask their cars for directions and dial up satellite radio. The same cars use electronic components to signal the gas pedal to accelerate and control stability.

In owners’ eyes, cars wage own battle of the sexes

Two garage attendants are talking about the svelte Mini Cooper coupe I’ve just parked. One says he likes it, the other laughs. “Are you kidding? That’s a chick car.” The first man’s face falls.

New tires aim to enhance performance

Looking for the aftermarket product that will enhance your vehicle’s performance faster and easier than any other? Look no further than bolting on four new tires.

Nissan $98,000 ‘Godzilla’ GT-R Supercar stomps Ferrari, Porsche

It’s called “Godzilla,” and the nickname is apt. The Nissan GT-R is fully capable of frightening children and terrorizing cities.

• Photos: 2012 Nissan GT-R

VW Beetle goes macho

Is the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle really getting tougher? Or am I just getting softer? The reason these questions even comes up is that because the longer I drove the third-generation Beetle, the more I really liked it.

Fresh models draw the crowds

Are American consumers coming out of the cold and returning to car showrooms again? It certainly looks that way, if the past month’s sales figures are a reliable indicator.

Retailers installing chargers despite tepid electric car sales

Los Angeles — “Charge it” might soon have new meaning at shopping malls and retail centers across the country.

Company helps make safe Volvos stylish

Volvo has been synonymous with safety since, well, since seemingly forever. But safe doesn’t have to mean dull. Since 1963, ipd — a Portland, Ore., company — has been enhancing the dynamic performance of Volvo vehicles.

5 tips to follow on leasing cars

Leasing a car rarely is the most economical way to have an auto at your disposal. But if you like to have a new car every two or three years, leasing could be the way to go.

January auto sales a good sign, but rest of 2012 may be rockier than expected

So January has come and gone and Detroit remains snowless. It’s already becoming a strange year, though January looks better than last January, as overall vehicle sales were up 11.4 percent.

Compass finds its way in Jeep lineup

The 2012 Jeep Compass finally feels like it’s moving in the right direction. When it arrived in 2007, the car-based Compass was for poseurs in plastic.

• Photos: 2012 Jeep Compass

Odometer gives sense of where we’ve been

“Like sands through the hourglass ... so go the miles of our lives. ...”

Start transforming your Charger or 200

Psst! Hey, buddy. You know the Dodge Charger Redline and the Chrysler 200 Super S you liked so much at the recent North American International Auto Show?

Painful farewell to Saab’s heritage

More than 100 Saabs, from the streamlined 1947 prototype known as the Ursaab to a 2010 9-5 sedan, are to be taken from their home at the company’s museum in ...

2012 Kia Soul Eco lacking in spirit

The 2012 Kia Soul has a lot going for it. So why would Kia, the fastest growing brand in America last year, want to muck things up by tweaking the Kia Soul ...

Skyactiv brings Mazda3 to Earth

Skyactiv is not merely an engine or a transmission; it’s a philosophy, a way of living, or at least driving. It’s the belief that moderation will make your ...

Mitsubishi i catches the eye, needs a socket

Being a transport pioneer is not as tough as it was in the horse-drawn wagon days, but it does have its challenges.

Higher mpg gas engines push hybrids to roadside

Detroit — It’s a sign of the times when Cadillac is staking its comeback on a compact car that boasts fuel economy approaching 40 mpg.

Motorcycle caddy plays right

Because it’s mostly been warm and sunny this winter in Michigan, you might be thinking about playing a round of golf.

Take six hot cars on a cool 150-mile drive

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — A joyride on the Florida Turnpike in a Ferrari F430 is a hassle. For starters, there are state troopers on patrol. Then there’s the ...

Buick LaCrosse an all-around good hybrid

GM offers a large sedan that out performs many subcompacts when it comes to mileage.

A familiar scene for Midwest drivers

George Carlin famously observed “Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?”

StrongBox a sure, secure storage solution

Whether you’re at the job site, hunting, camping, tailgating, or just want to stop for lunch on your way home from a morning of garage sailing, keeping the ...