Latest Writings & Articles
When we tested Nissan’s all-new 2022 Frontier Pro-4X last year, we walked away impressed. Its ride quality, comfort, drivetrain, looks, off-road capabilities and composed on-road demeanor were all highlights we fell in love with. We even considered picking one up for ourselves. The 2023 Frontier, while mostly the same, has a few minor exterior and interior updates that made the experience even better. If you haven’t yet given the new Frontier a chance, do it. You won’t be disappointed.
Ram’s new heavy-duty won’t just tow your house down the road, it will tow it up the mountain.
Brand-new for 2022, the Audi e-tron GT is making some waves in the electric vehicle scene. Sharing the same platform as the Porsche Taycan, the e-tron GT is a stunner from the outside and an absolute rocket off the line. Its comfortable and stylish interior comes with user-friendly tech that makes driving it a breeze — but its driving range and price tag may be a turn off for some buyers. KSL Cars spent a week with the 2022 Audi e-tron GT Quattro to determine if the sporty sedan is worth six figures.
Genesis can do no wrong these days, and that trend continues with its new electric vehicle, the GV60. The electric compact SUV is the complete package. It’s fast, luxurious, unique, stylish and nice to drive and ride in. We spent a week with the GV60 Performance and left singing its praises.
I’ve had it a long time. It’s been a part of me since an early age, probably around five years old. It waned for a while, only to be reignited in my early teen years. Since then it’s grown, become more interesting, and, inevitably, more expensive.
No, I’m not referring to an obsession with Mountain Dew.
Rather, the “it” that I refer to is what we at Everyday Driver affectionately call “The Disease.”
Since my early teen years, the WRX STI has long since been the object of my deepest car dreams. What began as an affinity for the 2002 bugeye WRX only became amplified at the announcement of the full-blown STi blobeye variant of the WRX in 2004.
With a giant wing, gold wheels, all-wheel drive, blue alcantara seats, a breadbox hood scoop, and 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque on tap, all at a relatively affordable price, the WRX STI was bold, brash, and awesome. The recipe was sound and could knock off competitors more than twice its price. I wanted one.
“Are you working from home today?” the text said. Coming from a friend up the street who I haven’t seen or spoken to in about a year, I wondered what this could be about. Did he need help? Did he want to go to lunch? Did he want to give me a bucket of cash?
I texted back. “No, but I’ll be home this afternoon!”
To which he responded, “Great. I’m going out of town and wanted to leave you the Raptor for the weekend to enjoy. Have fun. See you Tuesday!”
Produced from 1991 - 2010, and then again from 2013 - 2017 as a fifth-generation SRT specific model, the Dodge Viper has always, like countless other book fair poster-wielding 6th graders would attest, held a sort of mythical allure to me.
For over 70 years the Toyota Land Cruiser has established Itself in the off-roading zeitgeist as the king of reliable off-roading. This was especially true in the first several iterations of the Land Cruiser. Up through the 80 Series, the Land Cruiser’s purpose had been mostly for adventure. Then, beginning with the 80 series Toyota began the Land Cruiser’s transition to a more luxurious SUV experience, whilst retaining its legendary four-wheel prowess.
The 2022 Infiniti QX80 is an upscale, attractive and luxurious full-size SUV. Its solid build and pillowy ride are superb, and the thrum from the V8 engine is sentimentally comforting. Infiniti has done a nice job updating the QX80 over the last 12 years, so much so that its age is only just starting to show. Need a lavish, stylish V8 in an old school body-on-frame? Look no further. This one can (mostly) haul the whole family while simultaneously towing a boat. Is it worth close to $90,000? That will be up to you.
Since its introduction in 2003, the Nissan Titan has been popular as a full-size light-duty pickup truck. With the beefed up XD model, it’s now more of an in-betweener. It’s no longer a light duty truck, but it’s also not a heavy-duty one either. As a result, we expect the Titan to appeal to a very specific subset of buyers. Still, with its proven V8, luxurious cabin, compliant ride and 5-year/100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, the 2022 Nissan Titan XD Platinum Reserve has a lot to like. If you’re looking for an interesting alternative in the full-size truck segment, but don’t need top-tier capability, this could be right for you.
The 2022 GMC Sierra AT4X is GMC’s long overdue entry into the off-road market. Content to sit on the sidelines for most of the last decade, GMC watched silently while its competitors launched their own off-road super trucks. Now, with the introduction of the Sierra AT4X, the brand seems ready to compete with the big boys.
For 2022, GMC brings a long list of hardcore trail hardware and luxury goodies to the table. Is the GMC Sierra AT4X good enough to capture the attention of the most hardcore off-road enthusiasts? We spent a week with one to find out.
I admit, I have never been a minivan fan. In high school, I even wrote in my life goals paper that I would never own one. But after a while with the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Limited AWD, I almost broke my own rule. Of the cars to come across my driveway, few have surprised me as much.
Comfortable, luxurious, spacious and extremely well thought through, the Pacifica makes a strong case to be the best family hauler. And you know what? Most people would agree if they gave it a shot. It’s just that good.
The 2022 Nissan Rogue is a contender in the ultra competitive crossover segment. Its 2.5-liter 4-cylinder has been replaced by a smaller, yet perkier, 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder. The continuously variable transmission remains, after Nissan spent significant resources refining its performance. Overall, the refreshed Rogue offers good comfort, economy, practicality and space, making it a solid entry into the compact crossover space.
Here’s a life lesson for you: Do not say anything negative about a Toyota Tacoma to a Tacoma fan. During our week driving the Tacoma TRD Pro, I innocently commented to a Toyota fan about a desire for more power, which was quickly rebutted with a series of statements about how the Tacoma doesn’t suffer from a power problem, it’s a gearing issue, if you need more power you don’t know what you’re doing, etc. Ok, got it. Like a bear protecting her cubs, I had overstepped and quickly learned my lesson.
Toyota has brought back the Tacoma for its seventh year of the N300 generation, making it the oldest platform in its class. The Electric Lime Metallic TRD Pro tester we had is the tip-top of the Tacoma trims, complete with TRD-tuned Fox shocks, skid plates, Rigid Industries fog lights and more. Despite its age, the Tacoma is selling better than ever and the TRD Pro trim is especially appealing for its off-road readiness right from the factory.
Another year, another awesome event by the city of Spanish Fork, Envision, and Utah County wealth management consultant, Richard Seal. Wings and Wheels: Utah’s Festival of Speed always brings out a fun crowd, and this year was no different. Several thousand people were at the Spanish Fork Airport to witness some of the state’s fastest cars and most unique planes in action.
The Ford F-Series pickup has been the bestselling vehicle in the U.S. for 40 years and the bestselling truck for 45. While Ford has been the unquestionable king of the pavement, the Ford F-150 Raptor has proven to be a formidable off-road beast since it was introduced in 2010.
A high-performance pickup that functions as a daily driver and a weekend dune crawler? It’s the stuff of automotive dreams. Over its three generations, the F-150 Raptor has been tweaked a bit. KSL Cars breaks down what’s new and what’s stayed the same.
Jeeps are popular here in Utah. With over 50,000 vehicles on KSL Cars to browse, Jeep Wranglers are among the most searched, especially in the Rubicon trim. Capable of going deep into the boonies, scaling steep trails, trudging through mud and making impassable areas passable, the Rubicon offers robust features that make it one of the most confident off-roading vehicles on the market.
Several months ago, we spent a week with Mercedes-Benz’s S580 flagship sedan and were thoroughly impressed. Everything about its construction, luxury and driving experience was superb and left us wistfully longing for its return. Fast forward a few months to when Mercedes sent us its new, totally redesigned C300.
After just a week of driving, we’re convinced the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C300 is one of the best luxury values on the market. In more ways than one, the new C-Class feels like a baby S-Class. From the styling, interior and materials, it’s evident that the elegant and fun C300 shares some of the best genes of its brother — for a fraction of the cost.
When Toyota dropped off the 2022 4Runner TRD Pro in its Lime Rush paint, I couldn’t have been more excited or curious about how it would perform. Afterall, the 4Runner has soldiered on largely unchanged since 2009 — an analog watch in an iPhone world. We drove the SUV for a week to find out if it’s as rugged and charming as we remembered. We found it to be a true reminder that sometimes the old ways are the best.
While it bears little resemblance to the favorite sedan it's based on, the Corolla Cross takes Toyota’s compact SUV segment to another level. Offering a comfortable driving position, an array of driver assistance technology and the capability of hauling gear down some light trails, there’s a lot to love here for commuters and adventure seekers alike.
As one of the most popular cars in America for the past 50 years, the 2022 Honda Civic had a lot to live up to. Now in its 11th generation, the Civic offers fresh, simple and timeless styling. It's economical, fun to drive and full of the latest technology. It's garnered accolades and awards from multiple publications and testing outlets. In short, the 2022 Honda Civic resets the benchmark for the compact sedan segment.
Audi’s lineup is full of stylish, forward-thinking SUVs, and the 2022 Q3 is no exception. In fact, the Q3 bears a strong resemblance to the brand’s flagship Q8, albeit at half the price and size of the luxury behemoth. Audi has always been a leader in car technology, too, and some of the best features the brand has to offer have trickled down here. The interior and technology features are the main selling points of the Q3, and its overall modern design is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Small, lightweight, manual transmission, rear-wheel drive sports cars are rare these days. There are only a few left, and the new 2022 Toyota GR86 is one of them. And it's fantastic. After a week of driving GR86, we are convinced it is one of the best sports cars on the market today. With phenomenal steering, a potent boxer engine and superb handling dynamics, Toyota has not only mastered what was great about the first generation, but improved it to make it one of the most fun driving experiences of the modern sports car era. And it's affordable.
The Chevrolet Traverse was one of the progenitors of the three-row crossover, and its popularity has only grown since its introduction in 2009. As buyers have become increasingly minivan averse, the Traverse has stepped in to be the hauler of families, soccer teams and wholesale club finds. The Traverse is spacious and comfortable, with competitive power and space. Are those qualities enough to carry it to the top of its hyper competitive segment?
People may get harder to shop for as they age — but not car lovers. They never tire of all things automotive, no matter how old they are. And while it’s easy to shop the latest bestselling products, they likely already have them. Besides, T-shirts wear thin, cleaning products run out and those tree shaped fresheners eventually lose their scent. Memories, however, last a lifetime. With that in mind, consider these gifts of experiences for the car enthusiasts on your list.
If you’ve been looking for a car that’s just as great crawling on the commute as it is carving up a canyon, the 2022 BMW M240i is it.
It seems you can’t go a week without hearing of a new off-road SUV these days. They’re hugely popular, although most buyers will likely never take them off-road. That’s just fine for Honda’s rugged looking 2022 Passport TrailSport. The trim is mostly cosmetic, consisting of a more rectangular grille, new front and rear bumpers, plastic fender flares, orange stitching and badging.
While your off-roading success may vary, with nary a lift kit or skid plate in sight, at least you’ll be comfortable. The Passport has acres of passenger legroom for your jaunts over mountainous fire roads.
Honda made the new Si sharper and more fun than ever while retaining everything that makes the 11th-generation Civic so great. We want one.
Automotive Journalist Portfolio
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KSL Cars / KSL.com
Jason writes for KSL Cars and is regularly featured on the KSL.com front page for his car content.
KSL CARS STATS (cars.ksl.com)
15,934 average page views for Jason’s articles.
14,581 unique visits per Jason article.
586 Million page views (KSL Cars)
79,923 average cars listed any given time
KSL.COM STATS
1 Billion annual page views
3.7 Million monthly users
23.8 Million monthly sessions
FIND A VEHICLE
With tens of thousands of new and used car listings, KSL Cars is the place where you can find what you’re looking for without the pain and anxiety that usually comes with searching for your next car.
SELL A VEHICLE
KSL Cars understands the car buying journey and delivers the delightful shopping experience a car shopper expects. KSL Cars shows everything from Grandpa’s old pickup just waiting to be restored to that shiny, new sedan on display in the dealership showroom.
THE HOME OF LOCAL BREAKING NEWS
KSL.com originated in 1996 as a broadcast website but is now an independently operated digital news entity and Utah’s largest news site. With a focus on local, breaking and uplifting news, KSL.com has been on the forefront of technology to reach new audiences. KSL.com was one of the first local news sources to incorporate live audio and video streaming.
The site has received multiple awards over the years, including the Society of Professional Journalism’s Best Local News Website of 2019.
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Everyday Driver
Jason is part of the Everyday Driver team as a blog contributor.
“We’re here to help everyone find cars they will really love. A car that makes you want go for a drive… just to drive.”
Airing on the Motor Trend cable channel - 13 weeks per season, Q1 and Q3 of 2020 with an audience of 3 million viewers expected in 2020.
TV Episodes generate an additional 2.2 million views per quarter through viewership on Amazon Prime Video, Pluto TV, and Vimeo. (More than 8 million streaming views in 2020.)
Car Debate Podcast – mentions, integration and giveaways for our partners on Spotify, iTunes and additional platforms.
Downloaded 600K times monthly and growing.
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KSL Cars Social Media
Jason is the social media manager for KSL Cars. KSL Cars acts as the central hub for all car communities across Utah.
~ 2,700 Instagram followers
~ 3,750 Facebook followers
111,000 accounts reached in last 90 days.
The new Integra is a far cry from the Integras of the 2000s, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Fun, quick and practical, the new Integra impresses.