Obviously, the most popular lists on this website revolve around the vehicles I had worked with. My Favorite Vehicles of [insert year here] are ones that fulfill your questions year after year. And, every year, you have opinions on it.
It wasn't easy. I failed the first time – on my birthday. I took it hard, but I went back in the saddle and tired again. In April, I passed my driving test and was given my license. It came in the mail weeks later.
In the meantime, the automotive retail business has been working overtime to reinvent itself. They are hungry for inventory, while production is ramping up under safer conditions along the assembly lines. Used cars are becoming scarce, with some auction facilities laying off personnel. However, the rental car companies are trying to reduce excess fleet in the pall of financial issues due to a reduction in travel.
Honda struck pay dirt with the original CR-V back in 1997. It appeared that they found a good vehicle to lead the SUV charge for the brand. It is not to discredit the rebadged Isuzu Rodeo known as the Passport, but the original CR-V was the result of learning how to produce one that attracted the right customer with its capabilities and overall design.
Translation: Japanese cars were thought of as cheap tin boxes that would never make it through a Minnesota winter. That was the mentality of the American consumer until the last couple of decades. It does help that several Japanese automakers set up shop building vehicles on our soil to change our collective minds.
One of them will be the year of "thinning the herd," which, sadly, can be taken many ways. However, this term is apt for something that have been a trend in the North American automotive market – the elimination of models from their respective lineups.
However, some of those vehicles no longer exist. Brands that have been erased from recent memory. Certain models no longer offered due to market conditions. Entire segments of automobiles withered away into dust.
Let me set the stage here. First of all, I mentioned that Wichita was not on the original plan for this road trip. A friend of mine asked about having me make a stop in there. After seeing that I could, I added the extra miles and the overnight stop to the trip.
OK, before we go crazy, pop some champagne, and blow some noise makers, let’s discuss the reason for this exclamation. Acura needed some vehicles in its lineup to engage customers – just like the old days.
This is it! The final round of this year’s roundup of vehicles that I worked with but appear elsewhere in the mediasphere. This is also among the final group of vehicles being considered for #VOTY19.