Tag: jalopnik.com

The word “horsepower” has been used as a marketing tool since the Steam Age. James Watt formalized the term as a way of getting a client’s attention for his new steam engine, using “horsepower” to measure — and show off — how much more work it could do, relying on the same amount of fuel,…

The Ford Motor Company as it’s currently configured was, of course, founded by Henry Ford. But it wasn’t his first go-round as an automaker. Back in 1901, the Henry Ford Company was created by Ford and his former colleagues at the Detroit Automobile Company, which Henry had joined as superintendent in 1899. The business fell apart…

Car maintenance is more than just changing critical fluids at the manufacturer’s recommended service interval and replacing wear items like brake pads, brake rotors, dampers, and clutches. Depending on how, or how often, one sails the seas of concrete on their trusty steed — or the fuel they use — it’s important to maintain its…

In theory, the whole point of insuring something whether it’s your car, your home, or your health, is to protect said asset with a safety net that can mitigate the financial impact of unexpected events. That means if you have car insurance and your car gets hit or stolen, you should only be on the…

The three-point seatbelt in a modern car may look like nothing more than buckles and webbing straps, but there’s a bit of genius in its construction. Cars are now equipped with numerous airbags for added crash protection, including a new type of airbag that prevents passengers from hitting each other during a crash. However, airbags…

Rumors are once again swirling that Tesla is working on some sort of low-cost entry-level vehicle to sit below the Model 3 and Model Y. We’ve seen this song and dance before, and CEO Elon Musk has even called a cheap Tesla “pointless” in the past, but I suppose we should still talk about what…

According to S&P Global Mobility, the average age of vehicles in the United States, including cars and light trucks, hit the 12.8-year mark in 2025, a rise of 0.2 years over 2024. More strikingly, the average age of passenger cars was 14.5 years.  Cars are also becoming more expensive to repair because they are equipped…

You’ve probably seen it: a massive RV cruising down the interstate with a Jeep Wrangler tethered to its rear bumper, merrily rolling away at 70 mph. It looks like a convenient way to carry your own adventure vehicle with your home on wheels. It’s called “flat towing,” a practice of pulling a vehicle with all…

Car sales aren’t doing so hot at the moment. It’s almost like starting a war that sends the entire global economy into a tailspin wasn’t a great idea. Despite this, though, Stellantis actually had a better first-quarter sales report than it did last year, but one of the conglomerate’s Italian brands had a remarkable sales…

Earning the title of “The Camry of SUVs” is no easy task, as Toyota’s midsize sedan comes with a long list of selling points that any contender has to live up to. For starters, Toyota is a Japanese company, of course, but the brand’s midsize sedan is built in the United States and has been…