James Raia

Articles by James Raia

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LA Auto Show: On the way in a 2013 Toyota Prius c, #1

The 2013 Toyota Prius c, which joined the Prius family earlier this year, is among five finalists for Green Car of the Year honors at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Which means it made perfect sense to drive one to the show. Which is exactly what I’m doing. The easy-to-use navigation system in the Prius c (the lowercase “c” is for “city”) dialed in the route from my home in Sacramento to Los Angeles as 380 miles and the time en route as 6 hours and 4 minutes. The route is primarily south on Interstate 5. I left at 6:10 a.m. today and stopped at a truck stop rest area just north of Westley, about two hours into the trip.

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2013 Cadillac XTS: New sedan best Cadillac ever?

The all-new 2013 Cadillac XTS is a big front-wheel or all-wheel-drive sedan based on the Buick LaCrosse and upcoming Chevrolet Impala. It replaces Cadillac’s DTS and STS models and is arguably the best Cadillac sedan ever. The XTS is handsome, despite a stubby hood. Its clean, elegant design doesn’t have the many sharp angles and creases found on other Cadillacs. The uptown interior is deathly quiet. It has everything from comfortable seats and easily read gauges to soft-touch, high-quality materials, with either wood or metal. No cheap plastics here. The XTS stresses technology, luxury and prestige, with no pretensions to directly compete with stiffer German luxury-performance models. In short, the XTS is largely its “own man” and leaves Caddy models

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Mercedes-Benz 2013 GLK 350: Classic ride, style for newly designed SUV

Now in its third year, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK350, the German automaker’s smallest sport utility vehicle, received a makeover. Improvements include more horsepower, better acceleration, revamped power steering, a more elegant interior design and a handful of new standard and optional features. The exterior improvements include new headlights and front bumper, as well as LED taillights and running lamps. The rear has also been redesigned with shades of bottom-heavy family sedans of yesteryear. All improvements were warranted because the segment has plenty of competition, including luxury people mover stalwarts like the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Lexus RX350. The Weekly Driver Test Drive With its new a 305-horsepower direct-injection V-6, 34 horsepower from 2012, the improved Mercedes has a lot

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Nissan Versa keeps Cheapest Car in the U.S. title for 2013

It’s about five times more expensive than the Tata Nano, but the Nissan Versa maintains its unique position in the automotive industry. Including a $790 destination charge, the 2013 edition of the subcompact sedan is the cheapest new car in the United States with a beginning price of $12,280. The Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic all have entry level prices of less than $15,000. But the Nissan Versa retains its current status despite an increase of $1,100 from the 2012 model. The top-of-the-line 2013 Nissan Versa sedan starts at $17,380, including shipping, which places it higher than comparable models of key competitors from Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet and Honda. Nissan recently announced improvements for the updated 2013 Nissan Versa include a

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2013 best sedans: Ford Fiesta to Audi A8

Sedans are arguably the most competitive car segment, and the uniqueness of the Edmunds.com list for 2013 is that Toyota, which manufacturers the Camry and Corolla, both perennially among the top-10 selling cars in the United States, is not on the  recommended list in any sedan price category. None of the members of the Toyota Prius family of hybrid cars are on recommended sedan list, either, although Toyota products are listed in other recommended categories. Here’s the top-three in eight price categories for Edmunds.com, the online automotive information resource guide headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Under $15K Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent Under $18K Mazda 3, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus Under $25K Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Nissan Ultima Under

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Tad Burness, automotive historian, author, cartoonist dies at age 79

Tad Burness, creator of the iconic syndicated one-panel automotive illustration “Auto Album” has died of pulmonary heart failure at his home in Pacific Grove, California. He was 79. Burness, whose cartoon panel depicted unique cars and trucks, began his feature in 1966. It was syndicated for many years in newspaper automotive supplements around the country, including the Monterey County Herald and Sacramento Bee. “Auto Album” was also featured in four book collections. Burness was also the author of more than 20 other books on subjects ranging from classic cars to homes built in the 1800s. The first books Burness published were “Cars of the Early ’20s” in 1968 and “Cars of the Early ’30s” the next year. He also authored

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2013 Volkswagen Golf R: Turbo hatchback a smooth, powerful, fast gem

The new hot rod Golf R hatchback is for driving enthusiasts and is unchanged from its 2012 debut. Demand was strong for last year’s model, so Volkswagen said the R is being offered again in 2013 in limited numbers. The R is the heir to the 2004 and 2008 Golf R32 models. It’s up against formidable rivals such as the BMW X128i, Ford Focus ST, Mitsubishi Evo, Mazdaspeed3 and Subaru WRX STI . The Golf R’s turbocharged 2-liter four-cylinder is the most powerful Golf engine ever offered in the United States. It’s a gem that produces 256 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. The smooth engine features dual overhead camshafts, 16 valves, variable valve timing and direct fuel injection. Throttle

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Danica Patrick hits life’s obstacle course, divorce after 7 years of marriage

Danica Patrick, whose good looks and competitive, spirited personality brought new interest to IndyCar and NASCAR racing, has announced she’s getting a divorce from physical therapist husband Paul Hospenthal after seven years of marriage. Patrick announced the split on her Facebook page. “I am sad to inform my fans that after seven years, Paul and I have decided amicably end our marriage,” she said. “This isn’t easy for either of us, but mutually it has come to this. He has been an important person and friend in my life and that’s how we will remain moving forward.” Hospenthal and Patrick met while the latter was being treated by the former for a non-racing injury. The two were married in 2005.

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New Bugatti supercar pending: 1,600 horsepower, 0-60 mph in 1.8 seconds

Bugatti never rests on its new automotive masterpieces for long. Which is to say, the iconic carmaker is working on a lighter, faster car likely with 1,600 horsepower and 0-60 mph acceleration time of 1.8 seconds. According to an interview in AutoExpress with Jens Schlenburg, chief engineer for Bugatti, the automaker is considering using carbon fiber wheels to eliminate weight as one improvement component that will allow the car to achieve a maximum speed of 288 mph. Bugatti is also considering using a hybrid engine in its new car, according to the article. One obstacle: Hybrid engines are appreciably heavier than gas engines, providing a more difficult task of reducing the weight of the new car. The new Bugatti is

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LA Auto Show: Honda, Subaru, Toyota among 12 carmakers in new green technology showcase

The Los Angeles Auto Show for several years has been at the forefront of the automotive industry’s green car technology. The selection of the Green Car of the Year is a highlight of the year’s first major car show. But this year, under a new category, approximately 25 vehicles from a dozen manufacturers will participate in the Green and Advanced Technology Ride & Drive. The program will offer a preview and media test drive sessions of the latest in-car innovations and fuel-efficient vehicles. The participating vehicles will represent the latest evolutions of electric, hybrid, clean diesel and fuel cell. The latest driver assist platforms featured will include front crash mitigation, adaptive cruise control, radar-based object detection systems, blind spot monitoring

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Drivers often in the dark about difficulties on holiday nights

Holiday traffic often makes driving appreciably difficult. But driving at night during the holidays is usually even more difficult. In fact, nearly one of every three drivers reports tthey have difficulty seeing all or at least most of the time while driving in the dark. Eyecare experts warn against the potential pitfalls driving in the dark and offer tips to help alleviate problem while driving at night, particularly during the holiday. Consider: Common problems that affect nighttime driving: * Changing from seeing distance to near is difficult. A condition called night myopia makes it difficult for the eyes to focus on more than one thing; * When you look straight ahead, only the very center of your vision sees colots

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Fiat 500 electric, decked in orange/white, debuts at LA Auto Show

The Fiat 500e, electric edition of the Italian hatchback first rumored two years ago, will debut November 30 at the Los Angeles Auto Show with a unique orange and white theme. First shown as the Fiat 500 BEV concept at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, the zero-emissions Fiat 500 hatchback will go on sale in California in 2013 and other United States markets from 2014. The Fiat 500e is distinguished from its conventional petrol-powered sibling by its white lower front intake panel, unique side skirts, aero-enhancing alloy wheels and low rolling-resistance tires. The orange and white theme is reversed in the car’s interior, with the latter dominating the dashboard, center console, seats and door liners. A push-button gear selector and

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2013 Ford C-Max among Green Car of the Year finalists at LA Auto Show

The just released 2013 Ford C-MAX hybrid plug-in Energi  and its sibling hybrid as well as the Ford Fusion, Dodge Dart Aero, Mazda CX-5 and Toyota Prius are finalists for Green Car of the Year honors, a highlight of the pending Los Angeles Auto Show. The eighth annual award, which is presented to the car that best exemplifies leadership in environmental concerns, is the brainchild of the Green Car Journal. It will be announced Nov. 29, the second press day of the the show. In addition to the publication’s editorial staff, the panel selecting the winning vehicle includes the director of the Sierra Club, Jacques Cousteau’s eldest son, and noted auto enthusiast and collector Jay Leno. The Honda Civic Natural

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Acura to Subaru, BMW to Toyota among dozens of LA Auto Show world debuts

World debuts from Acura to Toyota and BMW to Subaru are among the nearly 50 vehicle unveilings at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the nearly two-week display of the automotive world’s best — electric vehicles to performance and luxury designs. Media days Nov. 28-29 will be followed by the public show, Nov. 30-Dec. 9, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The debut lineup also includes world firsts from U.S. manufacturers Chevrolet and Ford, as well as European automakers BMW, Fiat, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen. Asian carmaker debuts will also Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Nissan models. These debuts will highlight the latest in-car technologies, as well as continued fuel-efficiency with several hybrid, electric and alternative-fuel vehicles. Overall, there will be

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Toyota woes continue, 2.8 million Prius, Corolla models recalled

Toyota‘s ever-evolving, several-year run of recalls has two new chapters. Most notable is a steering problem that affects 670,000 Prius and Corolla models in the United States and 2.8 million units worldwide built between July 2001 and March 2009. Additionally, a separate recall, including 350,000 vehicles in the U.S. will fix water pump issues in hybrid vehicles. The faulty part issue may cause a knocking or rattling from the steering column intermediate extension shafts, and could cause a reduction in steering response. Toyota reported a handful of cases have been reported no accidents of fatalities have been reported. The carmaker stressed that even with the steering problem, the Prius and Corolla models affected are safe to drive. The recall affects

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2013 Ford C-Max: hybrid, plug-in hybrid offer vast mpg, car-like rides

The 2013 Ford C-Max is a five-door hatchback available as a hybrid and just released plug-in hybrid Energi the manufacturer hopes will infiltrate the dominance of the Toyota Prius in the green car market. Ford touts the C-Max as the most “car-like” of three top green car offerings the carmaker compared during a recent media briefing and brief drive in San Francisco. John Davis, a Ford spokesman, said during the debut presentation: “We want to people to feel like they are driving a normal car.” Davis compared the C-Max to the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt with specifics —  the vehicles’ cost prior to and after government rebates. (In California, the C-Max is also eligible for an additional rebate.)The respective

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