Automotive News

,

Google speeds ahead, launches car insurance business

Google has confirmed a longstanding rumor. It has entered the car insurance business with the launch of Google Compare for Auto Insurance. The comparison-shopping sites allow consumers to compare rates from different insurance providers. If a consumer searches Google for “car insurance the comparison of rates will appear. The new service will debut initially for California residents only. But Google said other states will soon be added to the service. According to USA Today, Consumers who enter in this search query will see a small, gray questionnaire appear, asking for their zip code, and other information about their vehicle. If they choose to fill that out, Google will return a comparison unit listing insurance premiums, provided by its insurance advertiser

Read more

2015 Dodge Challenger: Iconic Muscle Car Still Rules

Through three time frames dating to 1958, the Dodge Challenger has epitomized the American muscle car — big, heavy and powerful. Its legend continues in 2015 with seven revised trim levels ranging from 305 to 707 horsepower. The 2015 Dodge Challenger isn’t classified as a new generation, but its upgrades are so substantial it could easily be the debut of legendary car’s fourth generation. Among the changes, the five-speed automatic transmission has been replaced but with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Some of the trims have increased horsepower and a new grille has debuted that resembles the Challenger’s 1971 grille. The 8.4-inch touchscreen radio an navigation system and the keyless entry aren’t retro, of course. But the gauge cluster is also

Read more

2015 Lexus ES 300h: Redefines luxury, hybrid marriage

The sixth generation of the Lexus ES series was unveiled at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. The upscale best-selling sedan for the first time included the ES 300h or hybrid edition. For 2015, the ES 300h remains largely the same as last year’s model, with a few exceptions. The upholstery quality has been improved and there are also a half-dozen technology upgrades, including a standard touchscreen display audio tech interface. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The ES 300h includes a hybrid powertrain that matches a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with an electric motor powered by a battery pack that combined generates 200 horsepower. Like all Lexus vehicles, the ES 3o0h ideally defines what makes the upscale carmaker. It’s a

Read more

Five great cars in five great movies

Cars are movies stars. Who can forget the Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger? How about the 2003 remake of the Italian Job with the three Mini Coopers bouncing up and down all those Italian streets during the heist scenes? Cars scenes are seemingly part of nearly every fantasy movie or a film with a love story theme. A 1962 Volkswagen Bug was the lead character in the Love Bug. A Ford Futura concept was made into the Batmobile in Batman. There are too many great and not-so great cars in movies to count. But here are five famous cars in five famous movies, beginning with TheWeeklyDriver’s favorite. French Connection (1971) The film includes arguably the most intense car chase in

Read more

Safety Still Not Top Priority For Car Buyers

New car buyers purchase vehicles for many reasons — reliability to comfort, status to gas mileage. Safety isn’t at the top of the criteria list, but it’s became increasingly more important for consumers and manufacturers. In its 2014 Initial Quality Studies, safety is seventh among the top-10 reasons why car buyers choose a specific vehicle model, according to J.D. Power, the global marketing research company. Two years ago, safety was only the 10th most important reason for new car buyers to purchase vehicles. Although some car review publications offer safety scores, two national organizations, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) are the most prominent. The government and IIHS ratings evaluate different

Read more

Driverless Cars? Let’s Slow Down In High Tech Fast Lane

Autonomous vehicles, commonly known as driverless cars, have been portrayed in futuristic movies for years. And dating nearly 100 years, automakers have experimented periodically with various vehicles not needing drivers. But what once was Hollywood fantasy is now on the not-too-distant horizon. Directors’ imaginations could be the daily driving reality for soccer moms and traveling salesmen. In recent years, major carmakers — BMW to Volvo to Toyota — and technology monoliths like Google have ramped up their driverless car research. They’re testing driverless technology at least in part via new legislation in several states allowing the testing of autonomous cars on public roads. The new driverless technology, most notably unveiled in prototypes by Audi and BMW at the 2014 Consumer

Read more

Range Anxiety? No need to worry

Not too many years ago, the term range anxiety might pertain to a golfer who’s nervous on a driving range or rancher uncertain about spending time on an open range. But with an increasing number of auto manufacturers offering electric options, range anxiety is a major reason why car buyers have been wary of switching from gas-powered vehicles. It’s the fear of running out of power and stuck miles from the nearest charging station. According to a survey conducted by the Consumer Electronics Association, the industry trade organization in Arlington, Va., 71 percent of respondents said range anxiety is a concern when considering purchasing an electric vehicle. And it’s warranted. With more than a dozen mainstream manufacturers offering electric-only vehicles,

Read more

2015 Acura TLX: New luxury sedan battles icons

Call it consolidating and call it risky. But Acura has eliminated two of its popular sedans and created the 2015 Acura TLX. The five-passenger sedan fits in the middle. It’’s longer than the TSX, shorter than the TL, and it’’s now the only entry level luxury sedan in Honda’’s upscale nameplate’s lineup. The Weekly Driver Test Drive As Acura approaches its 30th birthday in the United States, the 2015 Acura TLX makes its debut as a midsized luxury sedan. It’s offered in three main trims, Base, Technology and Advance. The latter trims are primarily option packages included on the front and rear-wheel drive base model offerings. My Weekly Driver was the top-line 3.5-liter V6. It had 24 valves, 290 horsepower

Read more

Elio sputters again, production now in 2016?

The future of Elio Motors and its founder’s vision for a gas-thrifty, inexpensive three-wheel vehicle has taken another detour. And this time, even a diehard believer in the product is uncertain of its future According to KSLA, a television station in Shreveport, La., where the pending car’s manufacturing plant is located, Paul Elio says the company is $240 million short of the funding necessary to begin production. Elio believes the company can now begin production in the first half of 2016. But he could not predict a date. The television station has an interview with Eddie Chavez, a retired General Motors employee who spoke with Elio and then expressed his combined disappointed and remaining hope with the television station. The

Read more
,

Cheapest 2015 Car in the United States? Smart ForTwo

The Smart ForTwo is the cheapest new 2015 car sold in the United States, just edging out the Nissan Versa and leading the only four new vehicles in the country this year priced at less than $15,000. The Smart ForTwo has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of of $14,020, about $300 less the Nissan Versa, the cheapest new car available in 2014. The vehicle’s manufacturer says of the Smart ForTwo Pure Coupe: “The pure coupe is everything you need and nothing you don’t — it’s smart in its purest form. You get the best of both worlds: 5-speed smart shift transmission with automatic mode (for fun), hill start assist, and it’s packed with lots of safety features such as eight

Read more

GM ready to jolt Tesla with new Bolt

Pull over, Tesla. The Chevrolet Bolt wants to pass. At least General Motors hopes that’s the case with its all-electric Bolt concept car debuting at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Bolt, the sibling of the Chevrolet Volt, has a 200-mile range as a pure electric car, according to GM, and it ould be available to the public in 2017. The Volt is “an extended-range electric,” meaning it also has a backup gas engine. The second-generation 2016 Volt will also be shown at the North American International Auto Show. According to a report last week in the Wall Street Journal, the Bolt will be priced in the $30,000 to $35,000 range after incentives, including a $7,500 federal

Read more

Elio Motors’ woes continue with hometown doubts

Even some of the hometown crowd in Louisiana is beginning to doubt the future of the much-touted and much-maligned Elio. According to a report on the website of KSLA, a television station in Shreveport, La., where the Elio manufacturing plant is located, at least one former proponent of the three-wheel vehicle is now skeptical. Elio Motors initially announced in early 2013 it would build their 3-wheeled cars in Shreveport. Local government officials approved a massive allocation of funds to support the project. But delays, not progress, have been the norm. The company was expected to start production in summer of 2014. Now, the production start date has been pushed to the end of 2015. According to the station’s report, 38,177

Read more

2015 Lexus ES 350: Luxury sustained, value priced

The Lexus Elegant Sedan (ES) model debuted in 1989. Through its more than quarter century of upgrades, various trims and six generations it remains the standard in the entry level luxury sedan segment. The 2015 ES 350, first offered as a 2007 model, is now in the fourth year of its current generation. It features new upgraded upholstery, a standard touchscreen “Display Audio” tech interface and some optional technology upgrades. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Powered by a 3.5-liter, 24-valve V6 with 268 horsepower, the 2015 Lexus ES 350 is a midsize, five-seat luxury sedan. It’s front-wheel drive and has a six-speed automatic transmission. It’s available in one trim with several optional packages that further enhance an already extensive standard

Read more

VW Jetta TDI tops TheWeeklyDriver.com’s 2014 top 10

For the eighth straight year, TheWeeklyDriver.com has selected its top-10 cars of the year. Honda again leads the list with the three selections, followed by Chevrolet and Ford, each with two selections. The Honda Accord is the only vehicle to make the list every year. This is the first year we’ve picked a single automobile to top the list. It’s the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. It’s the most economical, best priced, best designed and best- performing car available in the United States for $25,000. As editor and publisher of TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004, I drove 49 cars this year to consider for the top-10 list. Most automotive publications pick their top choice early in the model year. I think it’s to

Read more

2015 Lexus RX 350: Best in class SUV

How does an automaker come up with a best-selling vehicle? The four-door Lexus RX 350 five-seater is arguably the first midsize luxury crossover SUV and long has been the top-selling Lexus vehicle. The 2015 RX 350 comes in various forms, including the hybrid gas/electric RX 450h, but we’re concerned only with the RX 350 here. Lexus figures main rivals to the RX are the formidable Acura RDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Cadillac SRX, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Infiniti QX70, Lincoln MKX and Mercedes-Benz M-Class. A “crossover SUV?” Yes, indeed, because most hardware for the RX 350 comes from the Toyota Camry — notably a four-camshaft, 24-valve 3.5-liter V-6 with 270 horsepower. (Lexus is Toyota’s luxury division.) The smooth V-6 allows quick

Read more

Air bags woes prompt expanded Honda recall

Seven months after it began as a regional issue, pressure by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has expanded a current regional Honda recall nationally because of faulty driver’s side airbags. According to the NHTSA, the air bags, made by Japanese supplier Takata Corp., can explode with too much force. As a result: metal shrapnel be can forced into the passenger compartment. The Honda recall list was posted on the NHTSA ate last month. It includes: 2001 – 2007 Honda Accord; 2001 – 2005 Honda Civic; 2002 – 2006 Honda CR-V; 2003 – 2011 Honda Element; 2002 – 2004 Honda Odyssey; 2003 – 2007 Honda Pilot; 2006 – Honda Ridgeline; 2003 – 2006 Acura MDX; 2002 – 2003 Acura TL/CL;

Read more
Previous Next