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Full-size trucks are the best and worst vehicles in America

You don’t need me to tell you that Americans love pickup trucks. And the bigger the truck, the more likely it seems to be seen as an object of desire. Monthly and yearly sales charts are something of a broken record; track one is the Ford F-Series, followed by the Chevy Silverado, RamÂ’s line of haulers, and somewhere not far down the line, the GMC Sierra. The big Japanese players fall in place a bit further below — not that thereÂ’s anything wrong with a hundred thousand Toyota Tundra sales — and one-size-smaller trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger and Chevy Colorado have proven awfully popular, too. Along with their sales numbers, the average cost of new trucks has similarly been on the rise. Now, I donÂ’t pretend to have the right to tell people what they should or shouldnÂ’t buy with their own money. But I just canÂ’t wrap my head around why a growing number of Americans are choosing to spend huge sums of money on super luxurious pickup trucks. Let me first say I do understand the appeal. People like nice things, after all. I know I do. I myself am willing to spend way more than the average American on all sorts of discretionary things, from wine and liquor to cameras and lenses. IÂ’ve even spent my own money on vehicles that I donÂ’t need but want anyway. A certain vintage VW camper van certainly qualifies. I also currently own a big, inefficient SUV with a 454-cubic-inch big block V8. So if your answer to the question IÂ’m posing here is that youÂ’re willing to pay the better part of a hundred grand on a chromed-out and leather-lined pickup simply because you want to, then by all means — not that you need my permission — go buy one. The part I donÂ’t understand is this: Why wouldn't you, as a rational person, rather split your garage in half? On one side would sit a nice car that is quiet, rides and handles equally well and gets above average fuel mileage. Maybe it has a few hundred gasoline-fueled horsepower, or heck, maybe itÂ’s electric. On the other side (or even outside) is parked a decent pickup truck. One that can tow 10,000 pounds, haul something near a ton in the bed, and has all the goodies most Americans want in their cars, like cruise control, power windows and locks, keyless entry, and a decent infotainment screen.

Top 11 Lego Technic cars to buy on Amazon in 2024

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. I recently got a birthday wish list from my 11-year-old nephew, and I couldn't help but smile when I saw “Lego Technic Cars” at the top. Lego isnÂ’t a phase, itÂ’s a lifestyle. Once a Lego fan, always a Lego fan. In fact, IÂ’d be willing to bet that many of you reading this right now have some kind of Lego vehicle in a box somewhere, or better yet, on display in your home. While theyÂ’re not necessarily cheap, getting into building Lego Technic vehicles doesnÂ’t have to bankrupt you, either, unless you go for the $400 Lamborghini right off the bat. Here are 11 of our favorite Lego Technic vehicles on Amazon, right now, ranging from an affordable $35 all the way up to $450. LEGO Technic Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Ages 9+ (544 Pieces) - $39.99 (20% off) One of my first and favorite model cars growing up was a first-gen Ford Mustang GT350, so this GT500 for under $40 is right up my alley. At 544 pieces and made for ages 9 and up, the GT500 is a considerable step up from Grave Digger but a great starter to a Technic collection nonetheless. It isnÂ’t the most accurate-looking vehicle in this list, but the AR app and the fact that it can drive make it a worthwhile purchase. $39.99 at Amazon LEGO Technic Formula E Porsche 99X Electric Ages 9+ (422 Pieces) - $49.99 Not a Ford fan? Not a problem. This Formula E Porsche 99X is the same price and better looking than the GT500. Even though there are 122 fewer pieces in this Porsche set, it has a level of detail seen in much more expensive Technic sets including numerous decals and a pull back motor.  $49.99 at Amazon LEGO Technic Jeep Wrangler Ages 9+ (665 Pieces) - $54.99 This is the set I ended up going with for my nephew, not because I think it is the coolest, but because for the price, I think you get the most bang for your buck. 665 pieces is over 50% more than the comparatively priced Porsche 99X and it also scratches the nostalgia itch for me: The first-ever model vehicle I built was a yellow Jeep Wrangler Sahara. This Wrangler Rubicon has definitely had some aftermarket mods like the front winch, which makes it one of the coolest Technic sets under $60.  $54.99 at Amazon LEGO Technic Monster Jam Grave Digger Ages 7+ (212 Pieces) - $34.16 If ever there was a gateway Lego Technic, this Grave Digger is it.

10 of 18 midsize SUVs earn 'good' IIHS side impact safety rating

It's not terribly surprising that midsize SUVs earned better safety ratings than small SUVs in the latest side-impact tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Just how much better they scored, on the other hand, certainly raises an eyebrow. Ten out of 18 midsize SUVs earned the highest rating of 'good' in the stringent new test, altered for vehicles starting with the 2020 model year with a heavier barrier (4,200 pounds) that moves at a higher speed (37 miles per hour) and is fitted with a hard honeycomb frontal structure. By way of contrast, just one out of of 20 small SUVs earned a 'good' score.  SUVs that receiving 'good' scores were the Ford Explorer, Infiniti QX60, Lincoln Aviator, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, Volkswagen Atlas, Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and Volkswagen ID.4. For EV fans, it's worth noting the ID.4 was the only electric vehicle included in the test. The Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse scraped away with 'acceptable' ratings while the Honda Passport, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Wrangler 4-door, Kia Telluride and Nissan Murano were deemed merely 'marginal' in the tough new test. Only two models — the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen ID.4 — earned a "Good" rating in every test category.  Interestingly, the Jeep Wrangler would have scored a 'good' rating if it were equipped with side airbags for the rear seating positions. It would likely be an engineering challenge to equip its removable top and/or doors with airbags, but the lack of that safety feature allowed the head of the rear passenger dummy to hit the vertical support of the top. Otherwise, the Wrangler scored good ratings across the board. The new Ford Bronco, which makes more allowances for side-impact safety, has not yet been tested.  The popular Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride SUVs stand out in the test with 'poor' ratings for driver pelvis injuries. The Nissan Murano, a vehicle last redesigned for the 2015 model year, was the only vehicle tested that received a 'poor' rating for its structure and safety cage. Videos of the tests of 12 of these 18 SUVs can be found on the IIHS' YouTube page. Related video: Green Buick Chevrolet Ford Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jeep Kia Mazda Nissan Subaru Toyota Volkswagen Safety Crossover SUV IIHS Insurance Institute for Highway Safety