Kristen Brown

Bend

Freelance Autos Editor at A Girl's Guide to Cars

Freelance Writer at MotorBiscuit

Articles

7 Ways Your Car Keeps Your From Distracted Driving

2 days ago | agirlsguidetocars.com | Kristen Brown

In the last decade, technology in modern cars has exploded. Nowadays, cars can park themselves utilizing a myriad of cameras, sensors, and radar devices. Some can come to you when you summon them, and some can drive themselves and switch lanes for you. For features like that, you used to have to prepare to drain your bank account dry to have one of those features. Now, many come with one, two, or all of those features for much less than you’d assume.
5 Reasons We Love the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Trail Edition

3 days ago | agirlsguidetocars.com | Kristen Brown

At this year’s Mudfest test drive event, where journalists from the Northwest Automotive Press Association test drive trucks and SUVs on muddy Pacific Northwest terrain, there was one SUV that caught my eye in particular. It sat alongside the luxurious Genesis GV80 Coupe, the capable and quiet Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT, the always popular Subaru Forester, and the commanding Ram 1500 RHO. It was the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Trail Edition—an upgraded, badass version of the Outlander—that captivated me.
5 Reasons Off-Roaders are a Woman's Best Friend

4 days ago | agirlsguidetocars.com | Kristen Brown

A little over 10 years ago, my then-fiance and I took a road trip to Moab, Utah, in our 1996 Land Rover Discovery to visit my uncle. He’d lived there for about 15 years before that, daily driving his heavily modified 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. He’d installed a 3.5-inch lift, put it on 35-inch tires, packed it full of locking metal compartments, a CB radio, a winch bumper, and so much more.
6 Things That Excite Us About the 2026 Lexus ES

1 week ago | agirlsguidetocars.com | Kristen Brown

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder—and baby, the 2026 Lexus ES has it in a death grip. The eighth generation was unveiled in April during the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, and it came with an important announcement: the ES for 2026 would no longer offer a gas engine. From here on out, the ES could only be bought as a battery electric EV (BEV) or a hybrid. The ES is trimming back on the ethanol.
Car Core: How Wheels Can Match Your Aesthetic

1 week ago | agirlsguidetocars.com | Kristen Brown

A proper set of wheels complements a car’s look and personality (or “core”) like shoes complete an outfit. If you coordinate your outfit to be black for a cocktail party but then wear a pair of raggedy Converse, the vibe is just off. The same can be said about a car’s wheels. If they’re the wrong size, don’t have a cohesive design, or they’re the wrong color, it can tarnish the image a manufacturer is trying to present to their intended audience.
The Exciting Off-Road Victors of Mudfest 2025

2 weeks ago | agirlsguidetocars.com | Kristen Brown

Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, is a very technical racetrack tucked into a forest of tall Douglas Fir trees. Bald eagles soared over the “Baby Corkscrew,” and the wind whistled through the trees. It was quiet because 20 cars were parked in the paddock, rumbling and champing at the bit to be driven. But not on the track—through the mud and off-road course close to the paddock’s entrance.
All-Terrain vs. Mud-Terrain: What’s the Difference, and Which is Best?

2 weeks ago | myrtlebeachonline.com | Kristen Brown

Down and dirtySo, you need to upgrade your off-roader's tires. There are all kinds of off-road tires, but the two most common types for rigs are mud-terrain and all-terrain tires. Both are excellent, versatile options, though each one has what I call a "but" factor. For instance, all-terrain tires are less expensive than mud-terrain tires, but they're not as good in extreme off-roading conditions. Mud-terrain tires can be more effective off-road, but they're louder at highway speeds.
Which Subaru Wilderness Model is Best? I Explain

2 weeks ago | myrtlebeachonline.com | Kristen Brown

If all three are great, which is best? I've been asked, "Which Wilderness model is the best?" Too many times to count, and it's a complicated question to answer. Instead of shrugging and saying, "It depends," I'll break down the subtle differences between each one to help you make a more informed decision before you head to your local dealership and the commission-chasing Subaru salesmen start circling like sharks.
Why Are Automakers Removing Center Console Armrests From Sports Cars?

2 weeks ago | myrtlebeachonline.com | Kristen Brown

"Oh, of all the cheap, lousy ways to save a buck"It's true what they say, "You don't know what you got until it's gone." As automotive enthusiasts, we've grown to appreciate how high-tech modern cars are. Unless you're looking at the base model and very utilitarian 2025 Jeep Gladiator, there's no such thing as a car without power windows, ABS, or a touch screen. They're all vast improvements compared to the cars we all drove in high school.
Hard Top vs. Soft Top: Which Jeep Roof is Best?

2 weeks ago | miamiherald.com | Kristen Brown

Largely a matter of preference, but not alwaysAsking whether a hardtop or soft top is right for your Jeep Wrangler is like asking whether vanilla or chocolate is better. It's mostly a matter of preference. However, as a soft top-wearing Jeep owner myself (and therefore having to maintain and endure it), I wondered if I should bite the bullet and convert it to a hardtop.