James Raia

Articles by James Raia

2016 Fiat 500X: Little SUV has faults, but rules the road

Four years after the Italian carmaker return to the United States, the 2016 Fiat 500X joins the little car family as its first subcompact crossover. It combines the traits of its motoring siblings, the 500 and 500L, with an elevated driving position and several upgrades. Like some of its siblings, the Fiat 500X is also among an increasing number of vehicles with more interior space than it appears from the outside of the car. It’s a subcompact SUV, surprisingly spacious and possessing a spunky personality. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The Fiat 500X is available in five trims, including my weekly driver, the top-line Trekking Plus. It features a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder, front-wheel drive engine that produces 180 horsepower. It’s matched

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2017 Kia Sorento: Underdog SUV warrants bigger market

While vying for a market share against the well-touted Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Highlander, the unheralded 2017 Kia Sorento counters with equally high overall marks. It has an extraordinary list of standard features and industry-best safety ratings. The Sorento was redesigned in 2016, so this year’s model is largely a continuation of the new generation except for a few technology tweaks. The midsize SUV is available in L, LX, EX, SX and SX Limited (SXL) trims. The SX and SXL include the other trims’ features and several upgrades: The SX features heated seats and steering wheel, push-button start and a power liftgate. My weekly driver was the top-line SXL trim with all-wheel drive and a third row of seats.

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2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata: One size fits all for iconic roadster

The tall, lanky guy getting into the car parked next to mine contorted his frame into a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. I unfolded my body to exit another MX-5, the same year and color. Both vehicle’s rag tops were down. “You’re a tall guy for a small car,” I said during the parking lot exchange. ”Yeah, I’m 6-4, but it’s worth every second of it,” he said, as we both smiled while acknowledging our twin vehicles. And so it is for enthusiasts of the little, lightweight sports car that can. Like aficionados of muscle cars, pick-up trucks and minivans, MX-5 fans are as passionate as the owners in any car segment. For the past quarter century or so, no vehicle

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2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD PRO: Ruggedness defined

Toyota likely has the most varied lineup of pickup trucks. The offerings expand again with the 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD PRO, the compact’s sixth available trim in extended or double crew cabs. The Tacoma TRD PRO returns after a one-year absence. My test vehicle included the optional 3.5-liter V6 with 278 horsepower and a six-speed automatic transmission. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Despite its emphasis on off-road responsibilities and possibilities, my test week with Tacoma TRD PRO was road-driving mode only. Scooting around in mud and up, down and all around on fire roads would have been invigorating. But a week in a 4×4 workhorse pickup on the road is a good thing, too. It takes a truck like the

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Automotive technology overload can ruin your day

The Interstate 680 South and Highway 24 West interchange in Walnut Creek, California, is a manic maze. It’s often a showcase for drivers’ worst behaviors. You can drive it a thousand times, prepare for a safe move to the proper lane and still face peril. The freeways’ designs don’t help. Rather, the awkward connection between the roads often prompts motoring lunacy. Cars cut across lanes at the last second and merging traffic from freeway ramps isn’t given proper access. But there’s a still a potential positive in the chaos. However hectic the traffic gets, modern automotive technology can help, except for when it doesn’t. Such was the case recently while approaching the 680 South to 24 West traffic mess in

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LA Auto Show: Hydrogen cars, electric vans and a gold-gilded rarity

The LA Auto Show is an annual automotive sensory overload. It’s all new cars and trucks, technology innovation and, in recent years, an increasing focus on hybrid, electric and other alternative fuel vehicles. This year’s show is no different. With new focuses on custom and vintage vehicles in the “garage” (basement), the future of autonomous vehicles, and the usual offering of global and North American debuts, there’s a lot see across the automotive spectrum. Including a full day’s schedule on Thanksgiving, the 2016 LA Auto Show will continue through Nov. 27 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Video produced by Bruce Aldrich (www.tahoetruckeoutdoor.com) Here are five highlights from this year’s show: 2017 Chevrolet Bolt — With a 238-mile range, the

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LA Auto Show: New technology, global car debuts

The LA Auto Show has a unique position in the automotive industry. It’s annually the first major new car showcase of the season, but it’s held at least one calendar year behind the model years of debuting vehicles. The oddity is representative of the industry at-large. New car models were once almost always announced in late summer or early fall. Now, with increased competition, many 2017 vehicles have been available for months. They’re released when manufacturers believe the timing is right to best challenge rivals. At the Los Angeles show, scheduled Nov. 14-27, including three media-only days, 2017 and 2018 models will be unveiled. But how vehicles will operate and interact with our lifestyles as far into to the future

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2017 Toyota Yaris iA: New start for stellar subcompact

What a short, odd life it’s been for the Toyota Yaris iA and Yaris, formerly the Scion iA and the Scion iM. The sporty entry-level sedan and five-door hatchback were introduced as 2016 models. But when Scion abruptly folded 13 years after it debuted, only a few vehicles survived and were absorbed into the Toyota lineup. For 2017, the former Scion iA is now the Toyota Yaris iA. The Scion iM is just the Yaris. Key Takeaways Formerly the Scion iA, renamed after Scion’s 2016 shutdown: Toyota absorbed the Scion iA into its own lineup when the youth-oriented brand folded after 13 years. Mechanically identical, new badge and grille. Mazda-sourced platform beneath the Toyota badge: The Yaris iA is essentially

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Original Honda N600 restored, honors brand’s success

With its perennially top-selling Fit, Civic, Accord, and CR-V, it’s easy to appreciate the Honda lineup. Consistency rules. But not every Honda offering has been a success and some models, like the Civic Natural Gas and Crosstour, while innovative, failed. But perseverance counts in the automotive industry, and there’s at least one Honda enthusiast who’s thrilled to share his experience and passion for Honda. Tim Mings, a Los Angeles-based mechanic, and his team restored a 1969 Honda N600, the first Honda sold in the United States, star in video series, “Serial One.” The 12-part documentary chronicles the step-by-step renovation of the N600. It’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is 1000001. https://youtu.be/ETI5FGAUeos The series finale showcases the restored “Serial One” and revisits

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2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Top roadster keeps getting better

In April this year, worldwide sales of the Mazda MX-5 Miata surpassed one million since the two-seat roadster debuted in 1989. The 2017 MX-5 Miata continues the tradition of the little sports car that can. The MX-5 Miata was re-designed for 2016, but exterior and interior tweaks for 2017 keep the roadster’s current competitors (including offerings from Nissan, Mini, and BMW) searching for ways to infiltrate the little wonder’s dominance. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata advances via a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with 155 horsepower. After losing about 200 pounds from the 2015 model to last year, the Miata’s acceleration improved. It now achieves the standard 0-60 mph test in 6.2 seconds. Offered in Sport, Club

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2017 Hyundai Elantra: New design, best buy compact

In the debut year of its sixth generation, the 2017 Hyundai Elantra maintains the carmaker’s firm position among top economically priced compacts. The newly designed sedan is offered in three trim levels: SE, Eco and Limited. The SE model is standard with 15-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories, height-adjustable front seats, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 60/40-split folding rear seatback. There’s also a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio and a CD player. Key Takeaways Sixth-generation compact with three trims: SE, Eco, and Limited. Each targets a different priority — price for SE, fuel economy for Eco, features for Limited. Eco trim returns 35 combined mpg on a 1.4L turbo: The 128-horsepower turbo paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission

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Look at a bigger picture for buying a new car online

SPONSORED CONTENT Is it a surprise online sales of almost all products are about to surpass physical store sales? Probably not. The convenience of online shopping is hard to beat because we can look through thousands of offers without leaving home. And while some purchases still require you to look at them physically, many don’t. But there’s a problem. Although we have such a great access to so many different products, goods and items, we are still bound by our misconceptions and lack of knowledge. It’s particularly true when shopping for a car online. The Problem With Buying A Car Online You may be looking for a new vehicle straight from a manufacturer’s dealership, or you may want a used

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2017 Bentley Mulsanne: Classic sedan, royalty for all

Highway 128 in Northern California often winds through manicured vineyards and rolling open terrain decorated with gnarly old oak trees. It’s a road ideally suited for a warm day’s drive in a small, lightweight vintage sports car, convertible top retracted. But it’s just as delightful navigating the same twisting, narrow two-lane road in a 2017 Bentley Mulsanne Speed. It’s a 6,000-pound luxury furnished apartment on wheels. It’s about the same size as one of the trendy new tiny houses infiltrating the national landscape. But those don’t yet have a 2,200-watt, 19-speaker symphonic-quality sound system or chilled champagne flutes snuggly stored in the back seat wet bar. And they don’t have tires that might provide inferiority issues for monster truck owners,

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2017 Acura RDX: Hefty price, best compact SUV

Largely unchanged from its massive makeover last year, the 2017 Acura RDX remains among the premier compact luxury sport utility vehicles on the market. Now a decade old, the Acura RDX required few, if any, changes from the success of the 2016 model. A year ago, a new grille, new headlights and taillights and several additional features were added to the standard equipment list. This year, there are a few new exterior paint colors offered and a few discontinued. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Available in 10 trims, the 2017 Acura RDX features a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 279 horsepower. It’s matched to a six-speed automatic transmission, and my test vehicle had the optional all-wheel drive. It also featured

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2016 Honda Civic Coupe: Wild design, wild color, nearly perfect

Imagine a 2016 Honda Civic being an automotive hipster. It’s now in its mid-40s, but with a redesign inside and outside, the perennially top-selling coupe and sedan have gained a lot of attention with the new look and optional wild exterior paint colors. The Honda Civic is also among the most versatile cars in the industry. It’s available as a coupe or a sedan and in 10 trims, five in each model. While further moving away from its once stodgy reputation as driveable box with four wheels, the 2016 model has a sharp-edged appearance and a sloping roofline. Its overall European style resembles the appearance of appreciably higher-priced vehicles. It’s no longer just a fall-back car for buyers seeking basic

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2016 Lexus RC 200t: Redefines entry level luxury sports car

For its sophomore year, the 2016 Lexus RC includes two new models. The 200t features a turbo-charged, four-cylinder engine with rear-wheel drive. The all-wheel-drive RC 300 employs a 3.5-liter V6. Regardless of models, the 2016 RC lineup is categorized in the entry level luxury coupe segment. It’s a strong marketplace where BMW and Audi usually get top billing, followed by worthy offerings from Cadillac, Acura and Infiniti. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2016 RC200t is a head-turner and a keen driving machine, particularly considering the exterior color of my test vehicle (Atomic Silver) and its F Sport trim. It adds Lexus‘ Adaptive Variable Suspension, 19-inch wheels and a limited-slip differential. The exterior paint color is the most attractive of

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