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Cars

Sat Aug 22 2026

Happy Saturday from the USA TODAY Cars team!

I'm Keith Laing, and I report on automotive news, conduct vehicle reviews and write consumer advice for USA TODAY. If you have topic suggestions, consumer advice, maintenance questions or general queries, you can reach me at klaing@usatodayco.com.

What's your favorite car? Here's mine.

A couple weeks ago, I shared that my first car was a five-speed 1992 Volkswagen Jetta that I bought used when I was a senior in high school. Since then, I've owned five other cars and I started thinking: which was of those was my favorite to drive?

It turns out my favorite car I've ever owned is another Volkswagen Jetta, a 2004 five-speed manual I bought used when I was 25 and finishing graduate school. I remember the day I brought it home like it was yesterday. That car drove me through the rest of my 20s and early 30s, through multiple long-distance moves and everywhere I went in between. By the time I became a father at 34, it had over 120,000 miles on it — but I suddenly needed a lot more rear passenger space. It was hard to say goodbye.

A 2004 Volkswagen Jetta.

Keith Laing

Now, it's your turn. What was your favorite car you've ever owned, and why? What is one of your favorite memories with it? Tell me (and share photos, if you have them) at klaing@usatodayco.com .

Take a spin through this week in cars

•	We compared the gas-powered and hybrid versions of one of the most popular family SUVs, the Kia Telluride, to see which one came out on top. We also compared the Toyota bZ and Lexus RZ electric cars to see if it's worth paying more for the luxury brand.
•	Speaking of electric vehicles, Genesis unveiled its new GV90 electric SUV. We took a look at what shoppers need to know about it.
•	And on the topic of new cars: Our own Charles Singh took a look at Ford's new vehicle plans for 2027. See what they have in store.
•	We also looked at at the best affordable car lease deals of August and the best EV discounts on the market.
•	And lastly, we asked you for your thoughts on the best car ever made. The answers were surprising.

What say you, readers?

We asked you share memories of your first cars, and you delivered. Here are a couple of our favorite responses:

•

Bob Rustad of Naples, Florida, shared that his first car was a 1947 Plymouth "painted green with a brush" that he recalled paying $75 for when he was 16 and "gas was 19 cents a gallon."

•

"I tried to drive it to Minneapolis in December 1961. Threw a rod next to tiny cow town named Winnit. I sold the tires, brand new, for $20. In the summer of 1976, I drove out to see the parks in Montana. This is true, my green Plymouth was still sitting by the side of the road, with no tires. I love the place."

•

John Schneider shared that he still has his first car — a 1992 Toyota Corolla — at 53 years old.

•

"I remember when it had 10 miles on it. The ’91 Camry (grandmother's) and ’07 Tundra were added later — only vehicles I have owned. ... Sexy? No. Great performance? No. Decent Comfort? Yes. Everything still works? Yes. Only minor repairs here and there. Never having a car payment in my life makes them my 'most favorite' as well."

You take the wheel

We're working on a story about how people who need large family cars are navigating the affordability. Are you biting the bullet and paying the high current car prices? Or are you considering downgrading to smaller models that have cheaper sticker prices? How would going to a smaller model affect your family life?

Email me at klaing@usatodayco.com and share your advice for anyone who is navigating this tough new car market.

Thanks for reading this week. What would you like to see in our next newsletter? Email me your feedback or connect with me on LinkedIn.