James Raia

Articles by James Raia

Live from the 2013 LA Auto: New cars, concepts, pretty women

Live video footage from the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.

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REVIEW: Maturity arrives for 2014 Kia Soul

Nearly a decade after the Honda Element debuted, the Kia Soul joined a few other brands in the car-in-a-box lineup in 2010. The niche group gained a lot of attention, good and bad, for their uniquely styled exteriors. But the 2014 Kia Soul is now maturely immersed in the auto scene. It’s no longer a novelty item, especially since gaining its first redesign. New this year is increased attention to the quality of the materials used in the interior as well as improved cargo space, now 61 cubic feet. The Kia Soul has always offered a hefty list of standard features, but also new for 2014 as options are a panoramic sunroof and an upgraded Uvo eServices package that includes

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Cars of the Tour de France, old and new

Bugatti, Citroën, Peugeot and Renault are current major car automakers in France. And with the exception of Bugatti, the French highways and country roads are often crowded with offerings from the other three carmakers now all more than 100 years old. Skoda, the Czechoslovakian carmaker, is the official car supplier of the Tour de France. But other than official race vehicles, Skoda models are scarce in the country, although, of course, not as scarce as Bugatti models. In the early years of the Tour de France, cars traveling with riders were loaded down with spare parts, not only for cyclists’ bikes but extra car equipment for the rugged journeys negotiating the snow-covered roads of the Alps and Pyrenees. Among its

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REVIEW: 2015 Lexus NX has wild, fun new look

The 2015 Lexus NX, the new entry level sport utility vehicle from the upscale division of Toyota, will debut in the United States in December in two versions. The NX stands for “Nimble Crossover.” It fits. The NX 200t has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The NX 300h hybrid will features a new transmission that splits the hybrid battery into two pods for better weight distribution. The result: a more efficient use of cabin space. Built on a Toyota RAV4 platform, the Lexus NX more resembles a sports car more than an SUV and both models of all-weather drive (AWD). Despite the similarity to its sibling, platform, the new NX lineup will be 90 percent new. The new factor is

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Rare Corvair once deemed unsafe now collectors’ car

The Chevrolet Corvair has a unique status in automotive history. It was named car of the year. It was once defined as unsafe at any speed. And it was the first American-designed, mass-produced passenger car to feature a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine. Produced in model years 1960 to 1969 and featuring an air-cooled rear-mounted flat-six engine, the Corvair was available in several trims including a two-door coupe, convertible, four-door sedan and four-door station wagon. The Corvair was also available as a passenger van, commercial van and a pickup truck. Tom Davenport of Sacramento, California, owns a 1964 Corvair convertible couple. He purchased the car from a relative three years ago and is the third owner of the now 50-year-old machine. In

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PREVIEW: 2016 Mazda Miata MX-5

The redesigned 2016 Mazda Miata MX-5, the fourth generation of the best-selling sports car in history, will debut simultaneously at three international events. In addition to debuts in Spain and Japan, the 25th anniversary of the Mazda Miata, will be unveiled Sept. 3 at an exclusive event in Monterey, California. The new Mazda Miata MX-5 debuted initially at this year’s New York International Auto Show in the form of an exposed SKYACTIV-CHASSIS. “We’re excited to make this official, to announce that the newest member of the MX-5 Miata family will be arriving soon,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). “Along with our colleagues around the world, we continue to celebrate the MX-5’s 25th anniversary and

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PREVIEW: 2015 Honda CR-V

Good news for sport utility vehicle enthusiasts. Honda is soon going to add a new SUV to its stable — the 2015 Honda CR-V. The redesigned model will include exterior changes to the doors, mirrors and trim levels. The back door’s rear glass has also been considerably restyled. Head lamps have been given LED lighting and the fog lights have been placed in the lattice. In addition, the 2015 Honda CR-V will have combination of 16-inch alloy and 17-inch steel wheels. The front fascia has been given an appearance of three chrome tubes that extend from one headlight to the other. Lighting at the rear extends all the way from the roof to over the door, and the bumper has

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2015 Audi A3: Handsome, quick, sporty

The new 2015 Audi A3 compact sedan is innovative and attractive, and it’s ideal for driving on tight city roads. It’s also reminiscent of Audi’s 1994 A4. With Audi’s trademark single frame grille and pearl white LED headlights, the A3 is an anticipated addition in the A-segment. Compared to 1 Series and B-segment models, A3 sedan’s wheelbase doesn’t look visually cramped. The result: a handsome exterior, low roof line and wide rear pillars. It’s as attractive as the Mercedes A- and B-classes, with the right tinge of sportiness. The Audi A3 Sedan is a car for Gen Y. The interiors are exquisite and elaborate. The furnishings are well-fitted with a finesse that can put its rivals to shame. The engineering

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2014 Volkswagen Tiguan: A lot beyond the name

Eight years after its debut as a concept car at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan retains the compact crossover vehicle’s unique status. It’s still largely unheralded, and it’s among the oddest named cars in the United States. The Volkswagen Tiguan concept debuted at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show to a fair amount of head scratching . . . “What’s a Tiguan?” The name (pronounced TEE-gwan) is a combination of the word Tiger and the German word “leguan”, which means “iguana.” The name is odd, for sure. But it won a naming contest in a German car magazine over more bizarre finalists: Namib, Rockton, Liger, Samun and Nanuk. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2014 Volkswagen

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Jerry Seinfeld back in cars getting coffee on Crackle

“Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” the contagiously funny show about nothing and everything all at once, has started its fourth season. The show has some changes, but it’s as if Jerry Seinfeld never missed a comedic beat during the show’s hiatus. The season opener features Seinfeld and Sarah Jessica Parker driving in her 1976 Ford Country Squire station wagon to Manhattan. The premise of the show is Seinfeld’s obsession with coffee and cars. It’s the most popular show on the Crackle network. There’s new static footage in Season Four, and the season opener begins with a clever exchange of why Seinfeld hates the car and why Parker is enamored with it. She likes the immense windows and space; He says

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2014 Ford Fiesta: Best car $17,500 can buy

Now in its sixth generation and two years away from its 40th birthday, the 2014 Ford Fiesta continues the subcompact car’s enduring legacy. The Fiesta is manufactured in a dozen countries and is third in sales for Ford, trailing the Escort and F-series trucks. The current generation Fiesta (Mark VI) was introduced worldwide in 2010, marking the car’s return to North America. More than 16 million Fiesta units have sold since its debut in 1976. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2014 Ford Fiesta is available as a four-door sedan and a four-door hatchback. Both are available in S, SE and Titanium trim levels. The high-performance ST model is available only as a hatchback. My weekly driver was the new

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2015 cars are here; best deals now on 2014 models

Models for 2015 cars and trucks in all shapes and sizes are steadily infiltrating the market. Which means it’s about the time when better prices may be available 2014 models. As edit and publisher of The Weekly Driver I’ve reviewed more than three-dozen 2014 models to date. And entry level sedans to luxury cars, sub-compacts to sport utility vehicles, the automotive industry has become increasingly competitive. So far this year, the Weekly Driver’s staff has contributed a few dozen other reviews and we’ve produced six independent videos. Videographer Bruce Aldrich, who edits and publishes, tahoetruckeeoutdoor.com, filmed and produced the videos. As the editor and publisher of theweeklydriver.com, I provided the narration for the videos. Contributing editor Dan Jedlicka, an auto

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World Cup, Hyundai have a good soccer marriage

Hyundai has had plenty of innovative commercials, particularly during Super Bowl telecasts. But the South Korean automaker may have outdone itself with a series of commercials for the World Cup soccer tournament. The first in a series of commercials shows a caravan of Hyundai vehicles on a pilgrimage to the World Cup in Brazil. The one-minute spot, called The Journey, briefly showcases the hotspots of the World Cup. Fans have painted faces and there are Brazilian players practice in the streets with impressive moves. There are children showing their emotional enthusiasm in anticipation of the globally popular event. There’s a huge gathering of fans watching the World Cup on a large outside television screen in Madrid, Spain, in a fan

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2014 Volkswagen Passat: Unheralded, worthy sedan

The 2014 Volkswagen Passat is a family sedan that for years has fallen into an odd category. It doesn’t turn heads via an overtly handsome exterior. And neither are its performance nor interior styling spectacular. But for more than four decades the Volkswagen Passat has done a lot right and little wrong. That places the car in a category among few family sedans, particularly those in the high $20,000 to low $30,000 range. It’s hard to find anything wrong with the car. The sixth and current generation debuted in 2011 and was named the 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year. The Passat has a unique position the auto industry. Despite its Tennessee assemblage, it’s the only European-engineered family sedan

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GM image enhancer: Test-drive a Cadillac, get $100

General Motors hasn’t been a beacon in the automotive industry recently. As such, the company is looking for new ways to market, like giving potential buyers $100 for test-driving a Cadillac. According to several automotive sites, the Cadillac promotion is simple. Customers would receive a $100 gift card after test driving a Cadillac. There are two “catches.” The new test-drive promotion is open to drivers over the age of 21 and who own a non-GM vehicle that’s newer than 2004. General Motors’ theory behind the promotion is simple marketing. The company believes potential customers will be so impressed with Cadillac showrooms (and the test drive), they’ll be more likely to buy a new vehicle. The $100 is delivered in the

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Remember me? Alfa Romeo set for U.S. return

Chrysler has awarded 86 Alfa Romeo franchises in the United States and Canada ahead of the Italian brand’s limited return of the Alfa Romeo 4C coupe later this year. The franchises are in 33 states, primarily in California, Texas and Florida, according to the automaker. Seventy-nine of the initial 82 franchises in the United States were given to existing Fiat dealers. The initial supply of Alfa Romeos will be limited. Only 1,500 Alfa Romeo 4Cs will be distributed in North America annually. A mid-sized Alfa Romeo sedan, based on the brand’s new Georgio architecture, is expected to debut in Europe in late 2015. But it won’t arrive in the United States until at least 2016. The two-seater already is available

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