Jeff Zurschmeide
Former Contributor
Author/Co-Author of 172 articles
Jeff Zurschmeide is a freelance writer from Portland, Oregon. Jeff covers new cars, motor sports, and technical topics for a variety of newspapers, magazines, and online outlets. Additionally, Jeff is the author of eight published books on automotive topics, including photo histories of Portland International Raceway and Portland Speedway. His current automotive passion is divided between his 1976 Mini Cooper and his 1920 Model T Ford. His daily driver is a Mazda Miata, because duh.
First drive: 2016 Jaguar XF
Jaguar discarded the last of its Ford-owned heritage with the all-new 2016 XF sedan, and the new model shows us where Britain’s sports cars are going.
Ford unveils all-electric Mustang Mach-E
Ford is making a huge leap of faith, planting their most prestigious performance car badge on a vehicle that shares precisely none of the Mustang’s traditional first principles. It’s incredibly fast and supremely cool, but is it really a Mustang?
How GMC built a carbon-fiber truck bed that laughs at cinder blocks
From exotic Lamborghini sports car bodies to working pickup truck beds, carbon fiber construction is gaining popularity for its light weight and surprising toughness. GMC took Digital Trends behind the scenes at its Fort Wayne, Indiana factory where the new CarbonPro bed is made for the 2019 GMC Sierra pickup.
There’s finally a way to retrofit your old car with modern crash-avoidance tech
New cars routinely come with a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) designed to prevent or mitigate collisions. Several companies offer products designed to retrofit ADAS to older vehicles. They’re being tested on commercial vehicles, but could soon upgrade your existing personal vehicles.
Road Rave: Taking the guesswork out of public EV charging stations
Chargeway is a startup company with a bold idea: it wants to catalog every public electric car charging station in America, and use a free app to show you only the stations that match your car. It will also help you plan a road trip, and manage your accounts with different charging station providers.
Can electric motors finally make three-wheeled cars great?
Every few years, someone tries to sell a three-wheeled vehicle to Americans. Historically, it hasn’t gone very well. We’ve got our suspicions about why people don’t buy trikes, and they boil down to this: To compete as a car a vehicle has to work like a car, and a trike is just not a real car.
Fisker failed. But now the EV pioneer is ready for an epic redo
Digital Trends sat down with Henrik Fisker to detail his plans for an autonomous electric shuttle bus, a mass-produced affordable EV, the new Fisker E-Motion luxury sports EV, and his patented new battery design. We also asked about the lessons he’s learned and how they shaped his new plan.
How lidar technology is working to enhance trucking safety
If you’ve ever seen a semi-truck crash, you know it’s bad. Even highly trained drivers have to manage unpredictable traffic and weather conditions while piloting an 80,000-pound rig. Here’s how lidar technology companies are helping make trucking safer today with the human driver as a partner.
Why self-driving trucks will take over before self-driving cars
Instead of worrying about the safety of self-driving passenger cars, take a look at the trucking industry, where autonomous vehicles are now operating under controlled conditions, and which will likely be the first major rollout of level 4 autonomous technology.
How an Oregon man’s fight for traffic camera fairness reached a federal court
Red light cameras are big business for municipalities and the companies that install them. They generate millions in revenue for minimal costs, but there are some serious problems with the way the system works. One man is working to change that.
Why VW’s remarkable I.D. Crozz EV is only the the start of its electric plans
We took a behind-the-scenes look at the new VW electric car platform. VW is planning a whole series of vehicles based on this technology. It starts with a crossover SUV.
Watching Red Bull Global Rallycross is like witnessing a real-life Mad Max chase
Global Rallycross racing is brutal, fast, and over in about 5 minutes. That’s why we love it.
To understand America’s Jeep obsession, you’ve gotta get muddy
American's have loved Jeep for more than 75 years, but to get the appeal, you have to leave the pavement.
How the inside of your car goes from clay to leather and stainless steel
As children, many of us sketched ideas for outlandish cars on the back of our schoolbooks, but most of us tended to draw just the outside of the car. But just as much effort goes into a car’s interior, and maybe that’s more important in the final analysis, since that’s where we live.
Looking for a place to park? Grab your phone and try these apps
It was only a matter of time before parking went online. Whether you need a long-term secure storage or just a street space for an hour, a variety of parking apps are now available to get you the space you need.
As more EVs plug in, can our power grid step up? We ask the experts
As electric vehicles become part of the automotive mainstream, how will power companies handle the additional load?
Stop wasting gas in the city with the app that knows when traffic lights will change
EnLighten taps into your city’s traffic control system to know when lights will change, advise your speed accordingly, and save you gas and aggravation.
2017 Nissan Rogue Sport first drive
It’s no longer enough to have just one compact SUV in your lineup. Now you have to have larger and smaller compact SUVs if you want to compete for American buyers. Nissan has a strong contender in the new Rogue Sport. Their successful world-market Qashqai small SUV just got a green card.
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS first drive review
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS replaces the aging second-generation GLS as Mercedes’ premium three-row SUV. Mercedes claims the all-new GLS is “the S-Class of SUVs.” We put that boast to the test. It’s fair to say the GLS offers a competent interpretation of S-Class luxury, but what surprised us is what happened when the road ended.
Your car’s dusty diagnostic port is getting a whole new life outside the garage
With increasing connectivity, your next car will likely phone home to confirm that emissions are under control, automatically handle vehicle registration, and even pay for parking. Handy, but you’ll want to keep track of what’s being reported.
Is your EV actually powered by coal?
Where you live in America determines how your electricity is generated. If you’re considering buying or leasing a new electric vehicle to help reduce climate changing emissions, where you live has a huge impact on your carbon footprint. Read this before you flip the switch.
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class first drive review: Achievable Luxury
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class has been substantially redesigned, bringing in the latest in infotainment tech and advanced driver assistance. But more than that, this is an SUV that you will really love to drive.
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan review
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan is one of two compact SUVs that offer third-row seating. Additionally, the Tiguan provides a better driving experience than models by the best-selling economy brands at a slightly higher price. The Tiguan is a great choice for families who want a premium SUV without a big price tag.
2019 Nissan Kicks review
The 2019 Nissan Kicks is a subcompact crossover, but without the AWD pretensions of many small SUVs. Simply put, this is a next-generation hatchback that’s fun, useful, and affordable. There’s a lot to like here, and plenty of good reasons why the Kicks should be at the top of your test-drive list.
2019 Ford Fusion Energi review
The 2019 Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid can’t catch a break. Ford is planning to discontinue production next year, but looming tariffs could spell doom for an otherwise comfortable and very economically sensible sedan.
2019 Chevrolet Blazer first drive review
The 2019 Chevrolet Blazer is retro in name only. It's aimed at buyers looking for a mid-size, two-row SUV that offers seating for five passengers and plenty of space. The lineup consists of six different trim levels including an upmarket Premier trim, and an RS package that’s more than just paint and blackout trim.
2019 Audi Q3 first drive review
The 2019 Audi Q3 isn’t perfect, but it’s very good. This is a small SUV that you can use and enjoy every day. It’s small enough to take into the city without a worry, and big enough to haul your stuff and be comfortable. Most of all, it’s affordable. The Q3 really covers all the bases very well.
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt first drive review
The 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt is a serious performance car. Where most special editions are just vulgar paint and stickers packages, the Mustang Bullitt offers real performance enhancement that shows careful attention to detail by Ford’s engineers. It’s old school muscle with new technology.
It’s tough to buy a fully American-made car, but here’s 15 that come close
Once upon a time, it was easy to say whether a vehicle was American or an import, but not any more. Today, every major automaker is multi-national, or rather trans-national because the companies build cars in every major market where they are sold.
2020 Mazda CX-30 first drive review: Right-sized
Mazda's all-new 2020 CX-30 aims to fill a gap in the small SUV market. It's small, but not too small. It has premium features, but the price isn't outrageously high. Mazda hopes this will be the right fit for many buyers. Is it the right fit for you?
Behind the horsepower: Papadakis shares the secrets of his 1000hp Supra
A couple months ago, award-winning engine builder Stephan Papadakis gave himself a challenge: to get 1,000 horsepower out of the new Toyota-BMW B58 engine found in the 2020 Toyota Supra. We talked to Papadakis after his successful run to see what's next.
Hyundai shocks us with its mid-engined RM19 sports car concept
Hyundai revealed its all-new RM19 mid-engine racing prototype at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The latest idea from Hyundai’s performance N sub-brand carries a two-liter engine rated at 390 horsepower, and points the way toward future road cars. It’s not a production model, but we’re hoping it becomes one.