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First Impressions: 2021 Ford Bronco

2021 Ford Bronco The Legend is Back! By Anthony Cressey, Contributor, Car-ED.com | July 2020 First impression of the 2021 Ford Bronco? Amazed. I like Toyota FJ's, and I like Jeep Wranglers. The new Bronco to me looks like if an FJ and a Jeep had a baby, then gave it steroids and took it to the tattoo parlour. In my humble opinion, it's a mean looking, fully capable off road vehicle with all the creature comforts. Ford hit it out of the park with this one, and as long as it performs as well as it looks, the new Ford Bronco is going to give the competitors a run for their money. I plunked down $100 to get in line! Ford take my money already! I think my top 3 things I like about it are: All the factory-backed options/add-ons right from launch (factory lift, light bars etc) Offered in a 7 speed Manual transmission The infotainment! (12" screen, upgraded stereo, trail app etc) All the off-road tech available (like front swaybar disconnect) looks way cool! Ok so that was 4, who's counting... -- Tony

Andres Valbuena, Partner, Car-ED.com2020-07-15T17:13:54-04:00Jul 2020|Car Reviews|

Compared: The New EV Hotness

Compared: The New EV Hotness We take a look at the two major debuts of electric crossovers at the LA Auto Show By Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com | November 2019 This week's Los Angeles Auto Show saw the debut of two vehicles that portent a big future for a new segment, the all-electric crossover. While one was a production vehicle and the other a concept, both help to illustrate the respective visions of each of their brands of what the electrified future of the auto industry will look like. One of the most hotly anticipated debuts of the week was the Ford Mustang Mach-E, a new vehicle that combines the sportiness of its namesake with the utility of a crossover, and the Mach-E's electric drivetrain actually supports both of these missions. While there's a flurry of current activity among luxury EV crossovers, especially from Europe, when the Mach-E hits the market in late 2020 it will likely be the first entry of decent size from a mainstream brand—the Hyundai Kona being too small for many buyers. That likelihood depends on the timing of Volkswagen's ID.4, another all-electric SUV from a brand that wants to own the EV space in the U.S. market. But the ID.4 will likely be positioned at the lower end of the market, a bit above the company's Tiguan compact crossover, which starts in the mid-$20,000 range. [...]

Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com2019-11-28T13:46:24-05:00Nov 2019|Car Reviews|

First Impressions: 2018 Ford Expedition Max Platinum

2018 Ford Expedition Max Platinum How big of an SUV do you need, really? By Cherise Threewitt, Contributor, Car-ED.com | October 2018 The Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) Fall Rally, which took place in October at the Autobahn Country Club southwest of Chicago, gave car-ED the opportunity to check out a bunch of vehicles we might not have otherwise seen. The 2018 Ford Expedition Max Platinum caught our attention — how could it not? The largest version of this large SUV dominated the vehicle parking area. It’s understandable that this Expedition wasn’t allowed out on the track, so we hopped in and headed out to the country roads that surround the country club. Based on that brief drive, here are our thoughts on this super-sized version of the Expedition. The Ford Expedition, the brand’s large, traditional SUV, is available in three trim levels, all of which can be upgraded to the extended-wheelbase Max. Thus, the Max Platinum is the top-tier Expedition with extra passenger room and an additional 15 cubic feet of cargo space. It’s huge, yet comfortable and surprisingly easy to handle. The overall vibe of the Expedition’s cabin is rather masculine, thanks to black leather upholstery, dark trim, and a beefy steering wheel. The seats are extremely comfortable, which is nice, and there are some touches that help lighten everything up, such as a massive panoramic moonroof and a stylish [...]

Cherise Threewitt2018-10-29T06:53:00-04:00Oct 2018|Car Reviews|

First Impressions: 2018 Ford Mustang GT

2018 Ford Mustang GT This member of the stable brings distinctive personality. By Cherise Threewitt, Contributor, Car-ED.com | October 2018 The Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) Fall Rally, which took place at Autobahn Country Club in Illinois in early October, featured some interesting and attention-getting vehicles from Ford. Among them were the Ford Mustang GT and Mustang Bullitt. Ford representatives on hand at the event assured us that the two cars feel very different, despite the fact that they share a powertrain. We thought we’d start with just one and see how the day progressed. Here are our first impressions of the 2018 Ford Mustang GT, based on a few lead-follow laps of the Autobahn Country Club track. The Mustang GT ranks about mid-pack in the complicated Mustang hierarchy. It’s at the top of the “mainstream” Mustang trim levels and below the high-performance Shelby models. From there, you can further drill down to Fastback (the model provided at the MAMA event), Premium Fastback, and Premium Convertible models. In practical terms? That means the Mustang GT comes with a bunch of standard features, though we didn’t have much time to play around with them as we queued up for the track. The Recaro seats were very nice and supportive, for example, but the adjustments felt a little finicky. The cabin of the Mustang GT has a lot going on, it must be said, [...]

Cherise Threewitt2018-10-29T06:53:39-04:00Oct 2018|Car Reviews|

Compare the Newest Crossovers

Hyundai, Ford and Mitsubishi's New Crossovers Take a closer look at each model. By Cherise Threewitt, Contributor, Car-ED.com | June 2018 The crossover market is currently booming, which means that there are a lot of new entries to the segment. The Hyundai Kona and Ford EcoSport have generated a lot of interest, and the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross may have the opportunity to generate new buzz for the brand. We had the opportunity to test these three new crossovers at the Midwest Automotive Media Association annual Spring Rally, which took place in May at Road America. These vehicles were approved only for street use, so our driving impressions better reflect real-world driving conditions than if we had tested them on the track, though we were only able to spend a short time with each vehicle. 2018 Ford EcoSport According to Ford, the “Eco” in the all-new “EcoSport” is actually pronounced “echo.” Knowing that, this vehicle makes a bit more sense, since it isn’t actually as efficient as the word “eco” would imply. That said, we made our most of our chance with the EcoSport to see how it fared against other crossovers making their debut. Ford brought us an EcoSport in top-of-the-line Titanium trim, which has a ton of features. The interior was a mixed bag. We thought the seating was comfortable and easy to adjust, and the Titanium model’s standard leather upholstery [...]

Cherise Threewitt2018-07-22T14:51:53-04:00Jul 2018|Car Reviews|

2018 Chicago Auto Show Overview

2018 Chicago Auto Show Overview The Windy City showcases important vehicles for the coming year. By Cherise Threewitt, Contributor, Car-ED.com | Feb 2018 The Chicago Auto Show might not be the most important in the country in terms of new model reveals — that honor would go to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and, arguably, the Los Angeles Auto Show. However, Chicago’s positioning early in the calendar year and closer to new model year launch timing, as well as the sheer size of the two combined show floors which is the largest in the country, demands attention. Several auto manufacturers chose Chicago again for significant reveals, updates, and celebrations. This year, the halls of McCormick Place saw new model introductions kicking off on Thursday, February 8, followed by another day of media-exclusive previews and the annual First Look for Charity gala. The show opened to the public on Saturday, February 10, and wraps up on February 19. The Chicago Auto Show features vehicles from 40 manufacturers, ranging from concepts to prototypes to production vehicles. It’s a lot to take in, especially if you’re coming at it from a consumer’s perspective — learning more about your options for your next new vehicle — but we’re here to help. Here are some of the most interesting and important models that were on display at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show. New model [...]

Cherise Threewitt2018-03-12T21:30:57-04:00Feb 2018|News|