Active Lifestyle Vehicle Awards

Some of my favorite childhood memories were going for drives in one of my dad’s classic cars and it was my dad who taught me to drive manual as soon as my feet could reach the pedals. So, it’s no surprise to me that I inherited his car-crazed DNA. Just like my dad and his dad before him, we share a love for all cars––the fast ones, the pretty ones and, of course, the rugged haul everything and the kitchen sink variety. The louder the engine, the smoother the drive, if it has four wheels, you can bet I’m checking it out.

I hope you look forward to reading this new column in 85086 Magazine, where I’ll be providing auto reviews that go beyond the mechanics and focus on specific details behind the wheel. I look forward to sharing with you stories on how it feels to be driving a car with over 500 horsepower, to providing you honest reviews of the latest minivan, to the latest auto news.

Photos by Mark Elias Media Services

I was recently invited to participate in the expanded full-day media drive and half-day ride-and-drive ALV Awards. The Valley event, during which over four dozen athletes and nationally recognized automotive journalists drove and voted on vehicles, is the only car-of-the-year program in the United States where athletes and journalists collaborate to determine which vehicles currently in production best meet the needs of buyers with active lifestyles.

“With 26 of today’s leading active lifestyle vehicles entered in the competition, the 2016 program was the most competitive to date,” says ALV of the Year Co-founder Nina Russin. “It was also one of the most exciting, thanks to our expanded media day that included off-road driving in the Butcher Jones recreation area and the Phoenix area debut of the 2017 Acura NSX super car as a special feature.”