Remember that trip a few years back when you arrived at the airport, took the rental-car shuttle, signed the paperwork and walked to the parking lot only to face the prospect of driving a Ford Taurus? Times have changed.

Recently, while stuck in an 8-mile-long parking lot waiting to cross the water, my mind’s jukebox started playing the ’60s soul classic “Expressway To Your Heart” by the Soul Survivors:  “At 5 o’clock, it’s much too crowded, too crowded.” 

With autumn approaching, the thoughts of summer coming to an end weigh on the collective consciousness – specifically, all the things you meant to do and thought you still had time to do yet didn’t get around to. 

This was the moment Walter Wilkens was waiting for. He had received a call from Bill Scott, owner of a racing team and Summit Point Raceway in Charles Town, W. Va. Volkswagen was sending over next year's car for the last race of the season.

It’s a Saturday night like any other at Jenro’s Coffee House, and the weekly car-show ritual known as Saturday Night Fever is about to unfold.  The skies are clear, the evening warm . Both are good omens. Beautiful weather  brings  motorheads out in force to show off their rides and chat with fellow enthusiasts.

Before I weigh in on the new Nissan Cube, I’ll give you a moment to look at the vehicle yourself. Go ahead, examine the photo. I’ll wait. Have an opinion? You either love it or hate it, don’t you? As for me – well, I can see both sides of the argument.  But I think it comes down to a question of age, or should I say maturity.

  As suburbanite appetites for sport utilities shrink along with gas budgets, many have turned to small SUVs for solace, not to mention transportation. Joining an already-crowded field is the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350,  a small SUV body that rides atop the mechanical components of the compact C-Class sedan.

By John Pearley Huffman For a broad swath of American consumers, Honda is the maker of unpretentious good stuff at accessible prices. Usually without flashy or distinctive styling, Honda’s products can be said to define the leading edge of ordinary. The company was the brainchild of Soichiro Honda, the eldest son of a Japanese blacksmith.

You're looking at one of the hottest small SUVs on the market, the 2009 Toyota RAV4. Nationally, Toyota dealers have a 20-day supply; 60 days is considered normal. You may wonder why. The RAV4 certainly doesn't win on its looks. But beauty is more than skin deep, and that's why the RAV4 shines. But before we get to that, a bit of housekeeping.

Traffic is stopped on the interstate. Ahead lays a construction zone with a posted speed limit of 55 mph. Nearby, a meter that reads the speed of passing motorists reads, "Your speed" followed by... nothing. It's shut off. We aren't moving anywhere. What a tease.