My friend Sage purchased a 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor, but he isn't sure he'll keep it. He's had it for six months, and while he likes aspects of the truck, it hasn't thrilled him like he'd hoped. In fact, he's so dissatisfied that he approached his dealer for a trade-in evaluation. I'm here for a… Continue reading Review: 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor and Fear-Free Canyon Carving
Well, this is a surprise. My family from the heart of conservative trucks-and-guns Pennsylvania just took delivery of an EV. A 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E, to be precise. Now I’m wondering, is this a harbinger of red America going green? Not that selling EVs in the heartland should be hard. EVs pair the torque of… Continue reading Review: 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E (vs. Tesla Model 3)
V6 up front, rear wheels driven and seating for two. Sounds like the makings of a driver's car, right? Well, the curious thing is that even though the Ford Transit 250 cargo van is nearly 20 feet long and over 8 feet tall, it did satisfy my love for driving! The van was a means to an… Continue reading Review: 2020 Ford Transit 250 Delivers the Goods
No one buys a sports car because they need one. Such purchases are emotional. Equally true is that no one needs a V8 sedan or a Baja-ready truck for the commute and daily errands. Yet, so many people buy extreme vehicles for mundane duties. Case in point: My brother-in-law uses his 2019 Ford F-150 Raptor… Continue reading Review: 2019 Ford F-150 Raptor
As I pace around the sparkling gray 2018 Ford Taurus SHO, I ask myself what is this car and who is it for? SHOs of the past were the “Super High Output” vehicles in the Taurus range, packing extra punch and having an aura of sportiness to them. The current Taurus has grown so large… Continue reading Review: 2018 Ford Taurus SHO
2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S, 2014 Cadillac CTS-V wagon and 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 wagon. These four cars were my top contenders in my search for a Ford Focus RS replacement. Each car held the promise of being sonorous, tactile, and smooth: rewarding in ways the RS never was in the… Continue reading Review: 2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
My $55,000 purchase of a performance station wagon was made on 9/10ths emotion and 1/10th logic. The emotional draw is obvious: A supercharged, Corvette-derived V8 spins—and I do mean spins!—the rear wheels of the most distinctive and attractive vehicle to ever come out of Cadillac. The logic is tenuous: “Honey, there’s seating for the whole… Continue reading Long Term: 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Sports Wagon
I have been thinking about selling the Focus RS for nearly a year. In April 2017, I got a quote from CarMax to purchase the vehicle. They offered $33k, and I thought I could do a little better. But life intervened, and I did not post my car for sale until April 2018. My car… Continue reading Long Term: 2016 Ford Focus RS
The 2018 Ford Mustang GT received its mid-cycle refresh, and judging by its face, it’s not too happy about it. Its once handsome visage now wears a droopy pout. The 2018 GT is supposed to be renewed and ready to stand toe-to-toe with the rival Camaro SS, so is the car just sad about its… Continue reading Review: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
I am in rural Sonoma County, a land of forests, farms, and hills. For the last few weeks, I’ve been exploring the area in my Ford Focus RS, and I’ve found the RS to be much better suited to country living than city duty. The roads up here are beat to smithereens, but they follow… Continue reading Review: 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mike's Steering Column 