Cars used to be simpler...
Most Health & Wealth Bulletin readers have owned cars with manual transmissions... gasoline engines... and buttons and knobs on their dashboards. Many of you likely still do.
Lots of people are thrilled about electric cars and sharp-looking touch screens. And nearly everyone is delighted to have their car change gears automatically.
But if you feel like new cars have become a sea of interchangeable high-tech blobs, good news: Some old-school features aren't gone forever.
Last week, I (Brady Holt) took the day off from editing Doc Eifrig's newsletters to attend the Washington Automotive Press Association ("WAPA") Rally... an annual event for D.C.-area car reviewers like me.
The WAPA Rally offered test drives of about two dozen cars from 11 auto brands... from Kia to Lexus.
Today, I'll discuss some of the cars I drove – starting with one from the old days...
When I was 5 years old, my best friend's mother bought a new 1994 Acura Integra... While this little hatchback managed to squeeze in four preschoolers for our morning carpool, its size made it an unlikely family car.
Still, the Integra's appeal transcended its spec sheet. It wasn't big or fast, but it was a beautifully built sporty car. As Car and Driver magazine wrote at the time...
Plop yourself onto the pared-down frame of the driver's seat, buckle up, and drive off and the car's real virtues seep relentlessly through the fingertips, the seat of the pants, and the soles of the feet, steadily infiltrating your mind with subtle but unequivocal messages of quality.
Today, lots of folks judge cars based on size, speed, and screens. At the WAPA Rally, I drove four different three-row SUVs that had big digital displays and at least twice the horsepower of a 1994 Integra.
But I also drove this 2026 Acura Integra, a five-door compact hatchback...
Today's Integra is bigger and higher-tech than the 1994 model. It has modern safety features and a touch screen. But compared with most modern cars, it's a small, simple, high-quality machine.
The Integra's 9-inch screen is smaller than most, and it still has a full complement of easy-to-use buttons and knobs. The one I drove even had a six-speed manual transmission (an automatic is also available).
Like in 1994, the Integra is a premium version of the Honda Civic. The Civic has most of the same qualities, plus an optional fuel-sipping hybrid powertrain. But for someone craving something a little fancier than the Civic, the Integra still delivers quality and driving pleasure without big, flashy screens or a super-high price.
The 2026 Acura Integra is priced from $34,795, including a mandatory destination charge.
Another old-school ride at the WAPA Rally was the new 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpack...
Some folks have fond memories of pint-size imported cars like the 1994 Integra. By contrast, the Charger recalls the glory days of massive American coupes and sedans. For both its style and its size, there's nothing else like it today. Take a look...
The Charger Sixpack comes standard with a 420-horsepower six-cylinder engine. Or you can upgrade to a 550-horsepower version of that engine. It'll dust the 200-horsepower Integra while also offering more space to stretch out inside.
Some readers might recall that I drove a different Charger at last year's WAPA Rally – the electric Charger Daytona. After the Daytona found few takers, the Sixpack hit the market with a gas engine.
Now, even the gas-powered Charger hasn't been a huge sales hit.
For plenty of people, expensive, supersized sedans belong in the past... The Charger is more than 17 feet long. That's a foot longer than a Toyota Camry and nearly 2 feet longer than the Integra I drove.
Also, the 2026 Charger costs $51,990 and up. The one at the WAPA Rally hit $67,160.
What's more, to other people, the new Charger isn't old-school enough. They're calling for a V-8 engine – like the Charger had from 2005 to 2023 – instead of its new turbocharged six-cylinder engine. (Just this week, news broke that the Charger may get a V-8 option again next year.)
But even today, if you're tired of all the sensibly shaped crossover four-cylinder SUVs, see if the long, low, wide Charger with its snarling speed scratches your itch.
And since it's a liftback (like the Integra), it even has a bit of an SUV's cargo-hauling capability. A fellow journalist at the event stuffed 31 pumpkins into the back.
Most of the cars at the WAPA Rally were more typically modern. But a couple of them also circled back to a few traditional qualities.
For example, the redesigned 2026 Subaru Outback pulled its climate controls out of the touch screen... and restored its collection of buttons and knobs. You no longer need to tap through a menu to turn on the seat heaters or recirculation mode. That's a welcome upgrade to this safe, comfortable, rugged five-passenger crossover.
And the redesigned 2027 Volkswagen Atlas restored a knob for audio volume, which it had dropped a few years ago. You do need the touch screen for just about everything else, but that's still progress for this posh but competitively priced three-row SUV.
Now, for those folks who like modern advances, the WAPA Rally showcased plenty of cars with those qualities. There were roomy SUVs... fuel-sipping hybrids... decadent luxury cars... and super-speedy and efficient electric vehicles...
But if you've ever complained that all cars have become dull digital experiences, you can still find new cars that meet more classic tastes.
For even more coverage of the newest cars, check out my Car of the Month section in each issue of Doc's Retirement Millionaire newsletter... Existing subscribers can access all my past reviews, plus my top picks for the year.
If you don't already subscribe and want access to Doc's monthly stock picks, health advice, and personal-finance tips, click here to join.
The latest issue just hit yesterday, recommending a beaten-down "dividend king" with a history of recovering from short-term setbacks... breaking down the three dietary supplements Doc actually takes... and sharing my review of the $26,000 Kia Seltos SUV.
Where do you stand on new cars' modern advances? Let me know: feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com.
What We're Reading...
- Something different: Colorado's $2.5 million tow-truck crime ring.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Brady Holt with Dr. David Eifrig
October 15, 2026