Too bad that new you is not going to last. Apparently a full 40% of americans make resolutions (more than the 33% who watch the Super Bowl…)! And yet, only 71% of resolutions make it 14 days. By six months it is down to 46%, and in the end just 8% achieve their New Year’s resolutions over the course of a year.

You don’t need the flipping of a calendar to make changes in your life. If you want to change something about yourself, change the day you notice that thing you don’t like. By getting caught up in the January 1st phenomenon, you are lumping yourself in with those other 92% of resolutions that will fail. Each one you watch go down in flames will erode your willpower a little more, until that fateful day that you join them. Sucker.

But it is more than just your timing. You’re obviously reading this now and thinking, “well I don’t want to wait till April to change myself!” First off, stop shouting. Secondly, you need to get better about identifying what, exactly, you want to change and how you will achieve it. Vague goals beget vague resolutions. Make sure your change is SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Framed. That, young man, is a plan. The kind of plan you just might actually achieve.

But I’m here to tell you that even that good of a plan is not enough. You need all the help you can get from a new field of economics call Decision Architecture. This is the fancy-pants way of saying “how people decide things, and how to make them change in the way you want.” The ladies and gentlemen who have devoted their lives to this work have found that over time, willpower fades and fails. Period. Willpower is not an inexhaustible resource – it needs replenishment and support.

Think of your willpower like a wallet full of cash. You obviously want to waste as little of that cash as possible, so you need to make your decisions less reliant on your cash (willpower) and more reliant on other factors. Step 1) Make whatever change you seek the easiest choice, and what you are trying to get away from the harder one. You can do this by making the pain of a decision or indecision more immediate. Want to bike to work? Take the gas out of your car, and never put much in it when you actually need to drive. Want to quit smoking? Commit – publicly – to donate $1000 to the KKK if you ever smoke again.

The post Your Resolutions are Worthless appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

The front fascia stands out through the signature Infinity grille, which curves inward and the specific back swept, high intensity discharge Xenon headlamps. Situated below, a sleek air intake flanked by a pair of fog lamps keeps in line with the minimalistic styling approach, creating a very clean aspect.

The coupe-like figure, with the aggressive swoop of the roofline lends it a dynamic image, while other styling elements such as the roof spoiler, massive wheels and short overhang contribute to the overall charisma of the vehicle. The rear features backlights which mirror the front assembly and a pair of chrome coated exhaust tips as another symbol of the vibrant nature of the QX 70S. As part of the sport package, black chrome elements cover every exterior trim, from the grille to the 21 inch wheels with a silky finish.

In the interior, the QX 70S features black leather upholstery with purple contrast stitching for its seats, armrest, door panels and steering wheel – a subtle, yet highly effective design artifice that gives it extra flair. The technology in the dash is some of the best I have tested, with an incredibly fast and responsive MMI system that is almost as easy to use as a cell phone. The ability to quickly type out addresses, change stations, and control other aspects of the inside ride without the lag that is so common on other vehicles really impressed me.

Solid magnesium paddle shifters reside behind the leather wrapped, multifunction steering wheel, while matching metallic elements, such as the aluminium pedal assembly reinforce its status as one of the most driver oriented crossover SUVs on the market. Contributing to the darkened appearance, both the headliner and pillars are painted black. The driver’s seat gets 4 way power bolster adjustments and both front seats are climate controlled.

However, due to its dynamic styling, only the occupants sitting in the front enjoy ample space, as the arched roofline, together with the coupe proportions limits the head and leg room available in the back. The third row of seats is  out of the question, while the boot space also suffers; it is larger than what the outside figure of the car might lead you to believe, but unable to match the more expansive storing area of some of its competitors.

While luxury and a stylish exterior might come as standard, the ride quality leans to the firm side, making it a questionable day to day vehicle for someone with a family, for which comfort might come first. Also, as mentioned, the limited rear seating capabilities might make it less appealing than some of its rivals, even if that means renouncing the impressive looks.  Overall though, I fell in love with this ride.  It turned heads everywhere it went, and even if it wasn’t as fast as it could (or should) have been, it was an absolute joy to drive and experience. I want one despite the lack of legroom, and I know even tomorrow and the next day, it would still be turning heads.

The post The Visually Stunning 2015 Infinity QX 70 S appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

But that statement can’t be said for every vehicle out there, and while a few put up an amazing fight, I recently rediscovered that joy I felt in the 2002 in the 2015 Subaru BRZ Series.Blue.  And as I sit back and look at those words I just wrote, it’s hard for me to believe on premise, while in action, every word is the truth.

Before I start, I want to make a few things clear.  First off, the BRZ is not the most comfortable car for me.  It’s low, small, and the seats are designed to hug you tighter than your little cousin showing off his bear hugging skills.  I hit my head almost every time getting into that car, and getting out could only best be described as a graceful fall.  This is to no fault of the vehicle though as I am taller than the average owner of this vehicle, and maybe a bit older.  And definitely a lot less graceful.  Again, these issues are to no fault of the car or Subaru, and honestly became something I cared less and less about as I drove more and more.

Styling wise, this is one of the best looking, affordable vehicles on the road.  The curves of the body mixed with the sharp angles in the lights, wrapped in an STI package, just make this car a head turner from the start.  It is deceivingly small in nature, and while getting in and out is a bit difficult, there is plenty of space inside to not feel cramped and actually be able to stretch my legs out (something I can’t even say for the new 2015 Corvette, but more on that later).  It’s stance is a bit higher than I would like to see in styling, but it all made sense as a complete package.  I felt like I was looking at a true tuner’s car, something with so much potential for growth in terms of aftermarket, while also being a solid example strait from the factory.

But styling doesn’t affect the drive, and that’s what I fell in love with.  This is not the fastest car by any means, and even though a few tried to challenge me at lights based off the aggressive looks, that wasn’t where the BRZ shined by any means.  No, instead it was the corners that this little hot RWD ride would just shine through, eating up every twist and turn, staying firm to the road and barely letting in.  Its weight was enough to stay planted, and with the limited power, losing control of the rear end was more difficult than I would have thought.  The car wanted to drive the mountains, to climb its way to the top, and be a fun experience the whole time.  And again, it was not the fastest we could have done that drive in, but it was the one vehicle that kept asking for more, kept asking to go a little faster and hit that apex a bit harder. And every time we pushed, it was able to shine even more.

Even more impressive is the foundation of the BRZ.  This is a base vehicle, that while shining on its own, has so much potential, and Subaru knows that.  This vehicle is designed to be customized, to be built and improved upon.  The number of examples already out there on the market are astounding, with even our friends at Revvolution building their own, one off custom BRZ with the help of a slew of Colorado shops (article coming after it is complete).  As an enthusiast, someone who rarely leaves a vehicle stock, this excites me.  While part of me hopes that other manufacturers will catch on to this opportunity, I know that it wont happen, and I am okay with it.  This isn’t the standard Civic I remember seeing at every show growing up, the car that everyone seemed to build and modify with mixed results.  Instead this is a vehicle going in with a sense of style, drive, and excitement, looking for more pizzazz to add to the streets.

It’s not often that I leave a drive actually missing the experience.  It’s a feeling I rarely experience, and while The Dog set the standard for me in terms of that, the 2015 Subaru BRZ is the first new vehicle to match the excitement right out of the box.  The new standard has been set, and the challenge is open to the next manufacturer to deliver the simplicity and excitement found in this hot little ride.

The post Bringing Fun Back In the 2015 Subaru BRZ appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Fast forward a few years, and here I am driving the newest generation of this Acura SUV, and I can tell you the experience is all new.  I remember that older MDX, with the ever stiffening ride and horrible back seats, weird mess of technology and console switches, that while packaged neatly together felt a bit crude and outdated from the start.  That is not what sits in front of me with the 2015 model.  No, instead its a a flow in the dash, with curves and mixtures of materials, all surrounding two larges screens for technology interfaces.  While not a big fan of the double screens as they were not as intuitive to used as with other new cars, it shows the direction of the integration for future models from Acura.

On the outside, there is no mistaking this for another SUV as it bleeds Acura, and the lines have been softened from the more aggressive feel of the previous model.  The transition from outside to in is seamless with these new curves, and while the design isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, it feels right.  It is significantly more sleek compared to the previous models, and I must admit I enjoyed the semi-aggressive stance as I looked at it in my driveway.  Oddly enough, it became on of the more head-turning vehicles I have driven to date, especially in for my neighbors, as it is seen as an affordable luxury vehicle, a transition ride for many.

What’s great is that I might go on a limb to say that it is one of the more family focused luxury rides available as well.  With three rows of leather seating, a massive dual display overhead LED screen and wireless headphones, one handed 2nd row slide and folding, I couldn’t imagine a better fit for a family on the go.  Driving it, the comfort is a major improvement over previous generations, and the road noise was barely noticeable.  The suspension is a bit soft, as is the normal steering, but it’s not a sports car nor does it pretend to be one.  And driving it is a breeze, and even though it is a bit bigger than my personal vehicle, it feels easy to navigate the city streets, with parallel parking almost too easy. Granted, with the amount of technology slammed into this ride, that should be expected.

And that’s the part I don’t like about the MDX.  Yes, technology is great, but there is so much in this vehicle that it doesn’t all come together seamlessly.  The two touchscreens are not intuitive, and the navigation is outdated in design and function at best.  The cooled seats have the loudest fans I have ever heard in a vehicle, and to get the perfect settings for temperature inside was not the easiest.  Worst of all, transitioning radio stations was the most difficult to do while driving, and to make a station my favorite left me frustrated.  Maybe I wasn’t looking in the right manner, but the answers and user experience just wasn’t there.

But despite all that, I still found myself loving the drive.  The 2015 Acura MDX is an impressive ride, a major step forward for the model and the brand, and had my family decided to stick around and wait for it, I know it would have fit perfectly in the garage and lasted just as long as the first one.  And honestly, every time I see one of the road now, I miss driving it just a little bit more.  I might have to go as far as to say all in all, even with the misses in the technology and user experience, this is one of the best SUVs you can buy today, especially with a growing family.

The post A Step Forward With The 2015 Acura MDX appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.