School
University of New Hampshire
Expertise
Modern Classics, DIY Wrenching, Manual Transmissions
- Niel's first job out of college was working on the S197 GT500 at Ford with SVT.
- He has driven on unlimited portions of Germany's autobahn... in a minivan.
- His kids have yet to stump him in the ongoing game of Name That Car while on the road.
Experience
Niel traces his automotive roots to a dad and grandfather who were car guys. After a childhood spent reading his dad's Car and Driver magazines, Niel started working on family cars in the driveway through high school and into college. Favorites included a 1984 Golf, a 1989 Starion, and a 1990 Cherokee. It led to a degree in mechanical engineering and then to an early career in vehicle dynamics at Ford. These days that lifelong car enthusiasm has translated to a career writing about just about any vehicle under the sun.
Education
Niel has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Hampshire.
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Ditch your car keys, grab a helmet, and leave the gridlock behind. Running errands just got way more fun, all while eliminating traffic and costly gas bills.
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The 2026 Subaru Solterra addresses most of the criticisms that followed the early models. It's a meaningful improvement, but not a perfect one.
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If you're shopping for a new EV in 2026, the good news is you still have options. The cheapest ones start well below what many buyers might expect.
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