The Wonder And the Why of the Automotive World

The San Antonio Auto and Truck Show (SAATS), produced by the SA Auto Dealers (SADA), is next week, bringing all things automotive to South Texas, and we’ll be there!  Dubbed “the largest showroom in South Texas”, show visitors may shop and compare all makes and models of cars and light trucks, under one roof. 

Whether you’re single and living in the city or you’re a parent living in the suburbs and looking for a great first car, this compact SUV is a strong choice because of its versatility. It does appeal to the younger market - that is to say, younger than I am. And the choices of trims and styles and colors, and the fact that it’s a Lexus - and Lexus doesn’t scrimp - means that it is a vehicle for a wide variety of people.

With a new survey finding four-in-10 (42 percent) parents of teen drivers don’t talk to their kids about safe driving on a regular basis, Allstate urges teens to flip the script and spearhead this important conversation with their parents and friends during this week’s National Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 21 - Oct. 27).

On Oct. 16 at the Texas Truck Rodeo, presented by the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), 69 journalists voted on winners across several categories. Over the course of two days, the journalists drove 57 vehicles in the rain, mud, and surface streets in Dripping Springs and Bee Caves, Texas, just west of Austin.

Ask a little boy what kind of birthday party he wants, and you’ll get the usual requests: Spiderman. The Avengers. Maybe Pokémon.
 
At least, that’s what Travis Monson was expecting.
 
The Arkansas father of two was planning a birthday party for his son, Holden, and wanted some ideas.

Mazda’s midsize sedan is a five-seater, and we found there was plenty of room in the truck for even my giant, overstuffed suitcase. Since my mother makes homemade English muffins on a regular basis, I knew I had to have a bag large enough to tote back to Texas a few dozen, at least.

The Mazda3 is billed as a “fuel-efficient compact car”, but it was still a wonderful surprise to me just how fuel-efficient it is. On top of all that, the Mazda3 is eminently affordable.

Toyota is a solid brand with reliable resale value, and buyers looking for a vehicle with mid-range pricing can’t go wrong with the Sequoia. It offers ample power at 381 hp, which is on par with a Jaguar F-Type or Range Rover Velar, and a V8 engine, so it has no problem towing a boat or camper (~7,000 pounds), either.

Kids: happy. Me: happy.

Two engineers at Nissan, also moms, came up with the idea to create Rear Door Alerts by applying technology the vehicles were already using. That idea may save more lives than they could imagine.

When I heard that we were towing the Tommy Bahama Edition Airstream with a 2018 Ford Expedition Max, I was thrilled. The Expedition Max has a towing capacity (9000 LBS max) that far exceeds the weight of the trailer (5000 LBS). Plus, it has a fantastic backup camera and towing features, which deliver the peace of mind to take on the opportunity of creating a lifetime of family memories.