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I’ve been telling people for decades that you should never buy a vehicle without taking a meaningful test drive. Not around the block, either. Get it on the highway, drive it on rough pavement, park it, back it up, make sure you can get in and out comfortably, and spend enough time behind the wheel to determine whether you can actually live with it. But there is one test drive almost nobody takes, and I think it has become increasingly important: Drive the vehicle after dark.

Q:  What Is A Hybrid Car And Is One Worth It With Gas Prices Climbing? A traditional hybrid car with a gas engine and a electric motor powered by a battery is a vehicle that uses less gas and will save you money at the pump. In fact, may hybrids improve fuel economy by 30-60% as compared with similar gas-only models.

Each week I bring you the top stories in the auto industry along with my commentary or sometimes amusing thoughts about the craziness that goes on in the world of cars.

Editor's note: Suits & Settlements is a weekly column in which Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds takes a look at the latest automotive-related legal headlines.

The average monthly payment on a new vehicle was projected to reach $821 in September, a record for that month, according to JD Power figures reported by my friend and Car Pro Show guest David Welch of Bloomberg. That works out to $9,852 a year in payments alone, before insurance, fuel, maintenance or registration. For families already stretching their budgets, that is a substantial commitment just to put a new vehicle in the driveway.

Ford has recruited comedian Nate Bargatze to help deliver a message that deserves more attention: The people who keep our vehicles running deserve some recognition, and America needs more people learning how to do their jobs. Bargatze brings the laughs, while Ford’s technicians bring the mechanical knowledge.

The 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport, which is making its competition debut at the 2026 Rebelle Rally this week, arrives with what Honda calls significant performance updates for the new model year. This, as the entire refreshed Passport lineup started arriving in CarPro dealerships last week. 2027 Passport TrailSport Updates 2027 TrailSport will enter the Rebelle Rally competition as the most off-road capable SUV Honda says it's ever built.

Toyota’s Grand Highlander is getting an outdoorsy addition for 2027, with a new Woodland Edition joining the three-row SUV lineup. According to Toyota, the updated models will arrive at dealerships later this year, with starting prices of $42,560 for the gasoline LE and $45,910 for the hybrid LE, excluding delivery and handling. The Grand Highlander continues to be assembled in Princeton, Indiana. Woodland Editions are also available for the RAV4, bZ and Sienna.

Back in August, I told you California was preparing to change the rules for buying a vehicle. That change arrived Oct. 1, when the California Combating Auto Retail Scams Act became operative. Now the question moves from what dealerships must prepare for to what consumers should expect when they shop. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the law adds protections involving advertised prices, financing disclosures, optional products and qualifying used-car returns.

I talked about Jim on the air a couple of weeks ago when I got the word of his passing.He was a friend and someone I spent hundreds of hours with when I was the Ford National Dealer Council Chairman.I was, in fact, the first one to ever serve two consecutive terms.