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Design Notes
Somebody’s going to hell for the 2018-26 Honda Odyssey
(EXPANDED FROM 7/9/2018) The headline may seem overly dramatic. After all, ugly car design doesn’t have nearly the negative consequences of, say, melting the polar ice caps. However, visual blight has been proven to increase […]
Gallery
This year’s auto show was one vast sea of disappointment
Attending an auto show used to be a high point of my year, so I have wondered why this year’s Seattle event was so disappointing. Could it be harder to impress an old fart who […]
Auto Paedia
How the greenhouse on US cars has evolved from the late-40s to present
(EXPANDED FROM 10/27/2021) Greenhouses have not typically changed as frequently as other parts of the American automobile’s external styling, but they go a long way toward summing up the dominant design approach of a given […]
Data Dive
Why did Mitsubishi fail in the United States?
(EXPANDED FROM 2/9/2024) There was good news and bad news about Mitsubishi’s U.S. sales in 2024. The good news: Sales were up 25 percent, led by its Mirage economy cars. The bad news: This was […]
Current Events
Why do Japanese automakers continue to make their vehicles look so scary?
My biggest takeaway from a trip to the 2024 Seattle auto show last week was how automakers continue to try to outdo each other in making their cars and trucks looks scary. Why? Clotaire Rapaille, […]
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Design Notes
2019 Acura RDX inspired by Wavy Gravy
(EXPANDED FROM 11/1/2018) When I came upon a 2019 Acura RDX, I was reminded of Wavy Gravy. That’s the name of a Woodstock-era citizen activist who still uses silly performance art to generate visibility for […]
Readings
Richard Johnson showed what can happen when a journalist does auto history
(UPDATED FROM 2/19/2021) Histories written by practicing automotive journalists are usually engaging reads with lots of behind-the-scenes anecdotes. However, they can also be analytically superficial and grounded more in access than accountability journalism. In other […]
Current Events
What should a simple modern car look like?
(EXPANDED FROM 3/1/2020) Once upon a time a Truth About Cars commentator lauded the simplicity of the then-new Jeep Renegade. “Well, I for one am yearning for a simpler time, and this vehicle suggests that,” […]