James Raia

Articles by James Raia

Super Bowl commercials: Kate Upton shunned for Willem Dafoe, Usher in Mercedes Benz devil spot

Kate Upton is all the rage in her controversial Super Bowl commercial when she gives a few young guys a tip or two about washing a new Mercedes Benz. But the German automaker surprisingly leaves Upton with only a bit part in another, longer Super Bowl commercial. The top billing in this spot goes to Willem Dafoe, Usher and a classic Rolling Stones tunes. It’s a clever commercial. More of Kate Upton would have made it better. 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

Read more

Volkswagen Bug, 1965: A video review

Bill is the weekend butcher at Compton’s Market in East Sacramento. And just lik any passionate Volkswagen owner, he loves his 1965 VW Bug. He’s owned the car for 18 years and drives it to work 16-miles each way. Bill’s VW Bug has a long and varied history. The car’s been stolen and returned and it’s had a tree branch crush the hood. Bill parks the car in the front corner of the market, and it gets plenty of attention. Yet, the now 48-year-old Bug looks fine, so much so it’s won Best-in-Class three straight years at the Bug-o-Rama. While driving, Bill says he’s had people wave, take pictures and videos, and afford him extraordinary driving courtesy. And Bill has

Read more
,

How to buy the best used electric vehicle

It’s been about 15 years since hybrid and electric cars first entered mainstream global automotive market. Which means, led by the Toyota Prius, car buyers in the market for second- electric cars now have an expanding versatile selection. Toyota introduced the Prius in 1997 and its global sales have now surpassed four million, far exceeding all hybrid and electric sales combined. As a result, used Prius models, which now also include the Prius Liftback, Prius C, Prius V and Prius Plug-In Electric, are plentiful and logically a best choice among shoppers seeking a used electric car. There are plenty of parts and plenty of mechanics who know Toyota intimately. Of course, there are other choices. In 2011 more than 30

Read more
,

Honda Accord, 2013: Family sedan turned luxury car

Now approaching middle age, the Honda Accord has been among the top-selling cars in the United States for nearly 25 years. The first generation was launched on May 7, 1976 as a three-door hatchback with 68 horsepower, a 93.7-inch wheelbase and weighing about 2,000 pounds. For 2013, after several manufacturers began to match the Accord’s quality and offer better warranties, Honda acquiesced and debuted a complete redesign. Among a vast array of other attributes, the Accord now has a 109.4-inch wheelbase and weighs 3,559 pounds. The Accord, available in more than a dozen configurations and as a coupe and sedan, has come a long way, including the V6 Touring edition, my weekly driver. It features a 24-value, 3.5-liter, V6 with

Read more
,

Lexus ES350: A Weekly Driver 2012 Top 10

The Lexus ES 350 is in the wondrous midsize luxury class. It features tough competition among well-heeled vehicles ranging from the Buick LaCrosse to the Volvo S60 and the Acura TL to the Hyundai Genesis. For 2012, the Lexus ES 350 remains largely unchanged from the 2011 model, with one available trim. It’s a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 268 horsepower, 248 pound-feet of torque and has a standard six-speed automatic transmission. Without changes, Lexus must be confident in the Lexus ES 350, the high-brow sibling of a Toyota Camry. There was plenty of evidence for that theory during my weekly drive. Quick acceleration to substantial comfort to smooth driving, the ES 350 continues to hold its perennial position at top

Read more
,

Kia Optima Hybrid: A 2012 Weekly Driver Top 10

Twelve years after the Kia Optima debuted in the United Sates with little fanfare and few sales, the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid was unveiled at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show and was available to the public one year later. The 2012 Kia Optima and the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, nearly the same as the 2011 editions, use the same powertrain, combining a 2.4-liter engine with a six-speed automatic transmission, and a 30kW electric motor and lightweight lithium polymer batteries to produce a full gasoline-electric hybrid. Beyond a different badge, different disc wheels, a slightly lowered ride and side cooling vents, the Optima and Sonata are largely the same car. Combined, the hybrid siblings sold the second most hybrid units in

Read more
,

Infiniti G37 Coupe: A Weekly Driver 2012 Top 10

The Infiniti G Series dates to 1991, with the Infiniti Performance Line (IPL) debuting in the fall of 2010 with the 2011 edition of the G37 Coupe. The 2012 edition remains much same. The IPL version of the high performance luxury car features a retuned, more powerful engine, more aggressive body work, new wheels and better handling. Driving a luxury sports car, even one defined as a “entry level premium coupe,” attracts immediate attention. Further attention seemed to follow me during my test week, I think, because of the G37 IPL’s exterior color. The color is called Malbec Black. And while Infiniti can call its color what its wants, the color is not black. Rather, it’s a deep purple, with

Read more
,

Hyundai Sonata: A Weekly Driver 2012 Top 10

The Hyundai Sonata, a midsize family sedan, has steadily advanced in its highly competitive segment and is no longer a fringe alternative to the mainstream represented by the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. With its redesign in 2011, the Sonata had its most successful year (225,961 units sold). It was the first time a Hyundai model sold more than 200,000 units in a year, and the stellar year vaulted the Sonata into 11th on the season-end, best-selling list where Honda, Ford, Nissan and Toyota all had sedan entries. The 2012 Hyundai Sonata, therefore, largely remains the same as last year (why tinker with success?) with only a few updates. The new Sonata has a telematics service (Blue Link), a higher-resolution

Read more
,

Honda Civic Natural Gas: A Weekly Driver 2012 Top 10

Thirteen years after its unceremonious debut in California as the Civic GX, the rebranded Honda Civic Natural Gas vehicle turned age 1 in 2012 and it remains the only natural gas vehicle available nationwide. Honda initially marketed the car to government agencies and commercial users. But beginning in 2005 individual consumers could also lease the car. In the fall of 2011, the Honda Civic Natural Gas received its new name and was for the first time included nationally in Honda’s marketing campaigns. For nine straight years, the Honda GX and (and now the Natural Gas) have been rated first in the “Greenest Vehicle of the Year” by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. A decade ago, the EPA first

Read more

Honda Odyssey 2012: A Weekly Driver 2012 Top 10

The 2012 Honda Odyssey continues the 19-year history of the exceedingly popular family van. The current style — a larger and wider body, lower roofline and a more sleek and modern appearance — debuted at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. Despite is “van” status, the Odyssey is a powerful and performance oriented for its class. It features a 24-valve, 248-horsepower engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. Its has 0-60 mph acceleration in 7.9 seconds and comfortable seating for seven adults. I drove the five-door Touring Elite, the most expensive of five available trim levels. In addition to the vast list of standard equipment on the LX, EX and EX-L models, the two Touring trims offer a bunch more. The Touring

Read more

Acura TSX: A Weekly Driver 2012 Top 10

The 2012 Acura TSX is difficult categorize. It’s often cited as an entry level luxury sedan. But with its new option, a peppy six-speed manual transmission, and a Special Edition package, it’s also a sports car. Luxury sedan and sports car? That’s an oxymoron in the automotive industry. But with Special Edition package, even if only offered on the four-cylinder Acura TSX, it’s also an ideal description. The base TSX sedan and TSX Sport Wagon feature a long list of standard features: Automatic xenon headlights, 17-inch alloy wheel, foglights, heated outside mirrors, a sunroof, keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, an eight-way power driver seat with memory, a four-way power passenger seat, leather upholstery, heated front

Read more

Acura MDX: A Weekly Driver 2012 Top 10

Now in the sixth year of its second generation, the 2012 Acura MDX is the flagship midsize crossover Sport Utility Vehicle of Honda’s luxury brand. As the first crossover to offer third-row seating, it’s hard to view the modern MDX as a sibling of the Isuzu Trooper. But 12 years after its debut, the MDX (Multi-Dimensional Luxury) retains little resemblance to the long-gone utilitarian SUV beast of a relative. Instead, it’s firmly positioned as the top-rated vehicle in its segment. While hugely popular, SUVs aren’t for everyone. But the Acura MDX could easily sway car owners whose buying preferences are solely geared toward gas mileage and other economic considerations. But why would a solo owner or small family buy the

Read more

Audi A7, 2012: A Weekly Driver 2012 Top 10

Launched at the 2010 Paris Auto Show and then to the United States market in April 2011 at New York Auto Show, the 2012 Audi 7 marked the manufacturer’s return to the luxury hatchback segment. The three-door Audi 100 (1970) and the five-door Avant (1977) were Audi’s previous upscale hatchbacks — and a lot has changed in 37 years. A friend said the 2012 Audi 7 is at the forefront of a new car segment — or at least a new segment en vogue for the first time in 40 years. He called the new sedan a Luxury Utility Vehicle or a Sporty Utility Vehicle. After a week with the A7, I think my friend makes an astute point. With

Read more

The Weekly Driver: 2012 Top 10 Cars of the Year

For the sixth straight year, The Weekly Driver presents its top 10 cars of the year. Plenty of well-known auto sites announce best cars of the year lists at the beginning of the model year, which is sometimes still in the previous calendar year and sometimes before a car is available to the public. The Weekly Driver waits until the end of the calendar year. That makes more sense. It affords time to balance what might seem like a sure top-10 selection early in the year against cars reviewed at the end of the year. We admit in some instances, 2012 models were driven in late 2011. The Weekly Driver test drove 36 cars designated as 2012 models with full

Read more

Mitsubishi Lancer 2013: Status quo for enduring sedan

Since its debut in 1973, the Mitsubishi Lancer has endured as a small sedan sold nearly globally and with about a dozen different names. For 2013, the Lancer in North America is available in DE, ES, SE, GT, Ralliart and the high-performance Evolution trim. The non-performance models have largely stayed the same for the past several years. The 2013 slight differences include the SE trim level standard roof rack mounts. The Weekly Driver Test Drive My weekly driver was the Lancer SE, an upgraded trim with a 2.4-liter, 168 horsepower, Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. It also featured the new, standard roof rack mounts and an alloy wheel package. The Lancer’s standard chiseled exterior with its minor improvements

Read more
,

Review: Kia Soul 2013: funky, efficient car in a box

When the Honda Element debuted in 2001 it generated immediate fans and detractors with its auto industry shocker — a box on wheels. But more than a decade later, with the influx of vehicles like the Scion xB, Nissan Cube and Kia Soul, the Element has morphed into the mainstream. The Soul, meanwhile, has assumed the front-runner’s perch in the car-in-a-box mold. The Soul debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 2008 and was unveiled in March 2009 to North America. Now in its fourth year, the Soul still gets a fair share of looks because is doesn’t look like any other car. It’s now outselling the Cube and Scion combined because while still funky it also has a lot

Read more
Previous Next