Tag: jalopnik.com
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Why 5-60 Is Usually A Superior Performance Metric Than 0-60
Ah, the vaunted 0-to-60-mph test. We all know and love (or loathe) this car acceleration test metric -– even non-gearheads get the gist of why it exists. The prevailing wisdom is pretty straightforward: does a car leap off of the line quickly from a stop? Look up the 0-to-60 time, and you (kind of) have…
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Brake-By-Wire Sounds New-Fangled, But It’s Been Around For 25 Years
Bosch has been an important innovator in the braking industry since 1927, pioneering systems like anti-lock brakes and electronic stability programs back in the 20th century. The company — whose magneto ignition device made spark plugs possible – hit the headlines in 2025 with another advance: a brake-by-wire system in which the brake pedal isn’t mechanically part of…
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Car Colors Used To Be So Cool, They Inspired Guitar Companies To Use Them, Too
The results are in, and once again the most popular car colors are white, gray, and black. Boring! If you want to know what it was like when parking lots weren’t an endless sea of sameness, walk into your nearest guitar shop, and behold the spectrum. Many of the classic shades you’ll find were originally…
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Are There Times Where Aftermarket Tires Outshine OEM Tires?
For as many automotive brands, segments, trims, and options out there out there to tickle any consumer’s fancy, there are just as many (or more) tire brands. A tire may be selected by a manufacturer to increase fuel economy and wear life, enhance grip in different scenarios, or even maximize ride quality — it all…
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Mini Has Been Making Drivers Smile For 25 Years Today, And I’m So Glad
BMW created something truly remarkable when it revived the iconic Mini Cooper for the 2002 model year, injecting a healthy dose of exciting driving dynamics and genuine style into the otherwise rather sedate turn-of-the-century hatchback market. The fourth-generation Volkswagen GTI was not the chuckable, gritty, rowdy, machine that its predecessors were, and even the Honda…
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The 10 Vehicles Most Likely To Get Stolen In The US
There’s no shortage of “these are the most stolen cars” articles, and they’re usually grounded in research by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The problem with these lists is that the NICB is looking at aggregate theft data (that is, how many of each model are stolen across the country in a year). There are certainly…
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2026 Subaru Crosstrek Is Consumer Reports’ Top Subcompact SUV (Or Is It A Car, Maybe?)
The 2026 Subaru Crosstrek is, by most accounts, a perfectly good commuter vehicle. It’s small enough to feel versatile on the road, big enough to qualify as practical, quite affordable starting at $28,415 (including $1,420 for destination), and its symmetrical Subaru all-wheel drive and slightly lifted nature mean it holds its own on a trail…
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Why Being Last On Consumer Reports’ List Of Safest Cars Doesn’t Mean A Car’s Unsafe
Car safety has come a long way, and no matter how you look at it, that sort of progress is a general win for the many pedestrians and motorists you see on the road. If, however, your purchase decision hinges on one car (or car brand) being safer than the other, then this Consumer Reports…
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Is There Any Standardization For Stage 1, 2, Or 3 Engine Tuning?
The range of aftermarket engine tuning available to enthusiasts is incredibly wide, and we all have our own favorite car mods. When it comes to engine computer software, modern fuel injection has made it easy for companies to pick up where manufacturers left off, and squeeze out a little — or a lot of —…
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The Brief And Annoying Period Where Car Ads Bragged About 0-50 Times
Car advertisements have always stretched the truth, but in the early 1980s, some manufacturers found a more creative way to do it: just change the finish line. If you’ve spent any time digging through old car ads, you’ve probably noticed something odd tucked into the performance claims of a few early-1980s models. These claims advertised 0-50 mph…