calc.exe is now open source; there’s surprising depth in its ancient code

Enlarge (credit: jakeandlindsay) Microsoft’s embrace and adoption of open source software has continued with the surprising decision to publish the code for Windows Calculator and release it on GitHub under the permissive MIT license. The repository shows Calculator’s surprisingly long history. Although it is in some regards one of the most modern Windows applications—it’s an […]

Outdated and Outpaced: 2018 Subaru Legacy in Depth

– Subaru is fortunate to be one of the small group of carmakers that enjoy a cultlike following. Unlike most of them, however, Subaru won that status without a comprehensive lineup of exceptional performance cars. Yes, the thin sliver of car buyers who are enthusiasts have long embraced Subaru’s rally-inspired WRX models, but the Japanese […]

The Whole Package: 2018 Ford Escape Tested in Depth

– Small crossovers may be practical, but they’re not exactly exciting. Drive several in a row, as we often do during days of testing or as car shoppers might on a particularly exhausting Saturday afternoon, and they can blend together. Many in this compact-SUV class suffer from numb handling, unenthusiastic acceleration, and cheap-feeling interior materials. […]

2018 Nissan Pathfinder Tested in Depth: Right Down the Middle

– If you were to blend all of today’s three-row crossovers into a single, entirely average concoction, the Nissan Pathfinder would be the result. Although its nameplate evokes its off-road heritage—the original Pathfinder was a tough, truck-based four-wheel-drive sport-utility vehicle—the current model is a pleasant enough family bus with seven seats and a comfortable ride […]

2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata in Depth: Four-Wheeled Fun in Its Purest Form

– Strip away all the technological complications of a modern car—and the weight that comes with it—and add in a playfully tuned rear-wheel-drive chassis, a rev-happy engine, and a crisp-shifting manual transmission, and you have a recipe for driving enjoyment that’s refreshingly pure. The Mazda MX-5 Miata offers precisely that. Available as either the classic […]

2018 Toyota RAV4 in Depth: Dull Dynamics Outweighed by Practicality and Value

– As one of the original compact crossovers with roots dating back more than two decades, the RAV4 continues to be one of the most popular choices in the Toyota showroom. It is hard-earned popularity: the RAV4’s spacious cabin, straightforward controls, and the added perk of advanced standard active safety tech such as automated emergency […]

2018 Jaguar F-type Tested in Depth: Beauty and Brawn

– Some people drive cars for the thrill of it—the mind-body-machine connection, the adrenaline rush that accompanies excessive speed, the whoosh of fallen leaves as they spin into a cyclone in the rearview mirror. Some people drive cars because they want everyone else to know how much car they can afford. The Jaguar F-type sits […]