Kristen Brown

2 weeks ago | sacbee.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.

2 weeks ago | sacbee.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.

2 weeks ago | sacbee.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.

2 weeks ago | sacbee.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.

4 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Kristen Brown

The Solterra marked Subaru’s first step into off-road-ready EVs—but the Trailseeker proves they’re taking it to the next level. Subaru and Toyota didn’t try that hard to hide the fact that the Solterra and bZ4X were rebadged versions of the same car. The interior design was identical, there were only minor changes to the exterior between the two companies, and the pricing was nearly identical, too. Subaru adapted its own AWD system for the Solterra, but otherwise, it was a Toyota.