National Motorists Association Blog

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist The old Beetle was designed as “the people’s car” — for European people. It was very small — and very small engined. The current Passat, on the other hand, was specifically designed for the American people — and is actually made in America (TN). It’s a bigger car than the […]

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist No car salesman ever wants to find himself admitting to a customer that he just hasn’t got what they’re looking for . . . but the guy down the street does. Before the introduction of the JX35, that was exactly the situation Infiniti salesmen — and dealers — were in. […]

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Acura has what you might call a Lincoln Problem. Just as Ford is trying to jump-start its dead-in-the-water lux division (Ford sells more Mustangs in a year than Lincoln sells cars) Acura is trying to become more than a purveyor of really nice Hondas. That’s harsh — but it’s reality, […]

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Minivans — traditional minivans — are becoming scarce. GM and Ford don’t even make them anymore. That leaves Chrysler (Town & County — and its lower-rent Dodge sibling, the Caravan — which is also re-sold by VW as the Routan), the Honda Odyssey, Toyota’s Sienna — and the Nissan Quest, […]

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist Cue ’80s-era Queen… another one bites the dust. Another V-6, that is. The 2014 Mazda6 — all-new — is now also four-cylinder-only.