Automotive Reviews

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General Motors raises 2014 Corvette Stingray price

The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the car often known as America’s sportswear, just got more expensive. General Motors has announced the base price of the sports car just went up by $2,000, from $51,000 to $53,000. The manufacturer has also increased the price for the Stingray convertible by $2,000. It now costs $58,000. In addition, the price of the Z51 performance option package went up by $1,200. It now costs $4,000. The Z51 package adds larger wheels, performance tires and special aerodynamic features, among other things. “The consumer demand for Stingray has far exceeded our expectations, particularly for the Z51 package,” GM spokesman Monte Doran said. The Corvette was completely redesigned for the 2014 model year and has won a number

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2014 Ford Escape Review: Sporty, utilitarian

Switching from a sporty car to a more practical crossover vehicle doesn’t have to be disappointing. The 2014 Ford Escape compact crossover sheds the previous generation’s boxy look and blends slick styling, decent utility and sporty driving. The Escape is among Ford’s top-selling smaller trucks and comes with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). All versions are four-door hatchbacks with rear-door openings that should be a little wider for easier entry and exit. All ride on a 105.9-inch wheelbase and have a fairly long 178.1-inch length. The turning circle is 39 feet, which isn’t great but is decent for most urban parking. List prices range from $22,700 to $30,850. Rivals include the Chevrolet Equinox, Jeep Patriot, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda

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Peugeot unveils hybrid air engine with 125 mpg

It’s not the first time the idea of a modern car running on compressed air has emerged.  But it’s a recent first and this time it’s Peugeot. The french automaker has introduced a concept car that features a new Hybrid Air engine system which combines both a traditional petrol engine with compressed air. The new engine system is capable of running only on air for 80 percent of its driving time. As a result, fuel economy is estimated at 125 miles per gallon. The Hybrid Air system is expected to be installed into some existing models like the Peugeot 208 and Citroen C3, available only in Europe. According to a Peugeot press release, this is how the compressed air system

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2014 Chevrolet SS Review: Muscle car, family sedan and fast

The 2014 Chevrolet SS, a new car for the U.S manufacturer but assembled in Australia, is a five-passenger, full-size sedan with muscle car overtones. It is Chevrolet‘s first rear-wheel drive V8 sedan available to the general public in 17 years since the fourth-generation Chevrolet Caprice and the seventh-generation Impala SS. The vehicle was unveiled during Speed Week in Daytona Beach, Florida, in February 2013 and became available in the United States last June. A 6.2-liter V8 engine with 425 horsepower, rear-wheel driver and a six-speed automatic transmission powers it. The Weekly Driver’s Test Drive The new Chevrolet SS is among the few vehicles The Weekly Driver has driven in 2014 that attracted instant attention. Because it’s a new vehicle for

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2014 Toyota Tundra Review: Spacious, lots of stuff, lousy mileage

Manufactured since 1999, the Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup restyled for the first time in seven years for its 2014 editions. It’s offered in five grades: SR, SR5, Limited and premium grades Platinum and “1794 Edition.” Three cab styles, two-door Regular Cab, four-door Double Cab and four-door CrewMax are all available in 4×2 and 4×4. The Weekly Driver Test Drive I first drove the new Tundra at a regional press preview last fall in Cle Elum, Wa. On that occasion, I drove the CrewMax 4×4 Limited for only an hour through several small Northwest cities. More recently, during my week’s usual test drive, I had the same model. The new Tundra features an integrated hood, tightened surfaces and new

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2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Review: Thrifty, sleek, quiet

Volkswagen is an old hand at selling diesel-engine cars in America, having offered them in the 1970s and 1980s. Many VW auto diesel owners loved them, although the automaker’s latest diesel is far advanced from the old ones. Volkswagen has made its top-selling Jetta sleeker, larger, roomier, quieter and more refined for 2011, and the automaker’s four-cylinder turbodiesel engine makes the 2014 Jetta TDI model especially attractive. Auto diesel engines long have been popular in Europe, partly because of extra-stiff fuel prices. I easily cruised at 100 m.p.h. on a high-speed German autobahn during the media introduction of the 2010 Volkswagen Golf with no apprehension about running out of fuel despite driving long distances. Chevrolet now even offers its small

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2014 Toyota Venza Review: Wagon? SUV? All good

The 2014 Toyota Venza, like its older siblings, is positioned uniquely. It’s neither a wagon nor a true sport utility vehicle. Rather it’s a crossover with the all-wheel drive functionality like a wagon, cargo room like an SUV and the characteristics of a near luxury sedan. The result is a combo-car with a combo name. Plenty of theories abound what Venza means, including the Spanish translation, Conquer. Toyota says the vehicle’s name is a compilation of the words Venture and Monza, the Italian racetrack. It all makes sense, since the Venza is a compilation of car styles and sizes. Refreshed last year, the Venza has only a few minor changes for 2014. There are fewer available color combinations and slight

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2014 Ford Focus Review: Euro-styled fuel sipper

Now 15 years old and in the third year of its third generation, the Ford Focus remains strong in the highly competitive compact field. The 2014 edition is much the same as last year’s model. The only significant change is a new Sport Appearance Package for the SE trim level. It includes sport cloth seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and an available rear spoiler. Early in its tenure, the Focus reached annual U.S. sales of more than 286,000. The numbers slipped sharply with the second generation to 160,000 in 2009. But with the third generation restyle and upgraded edition, sales are steadily reverting to the car’s early life success. The Weekly Driver Test Drive With a sleek

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Toyota woes again: 1.9 million Prius models recalled

Toyota’s massive problem with recalls dating to 2009 has continued. The Japanese manufacturer is recalling 1.9 million hybrid Prius cars globally for a software issue that could cause the vehicle to stall. Toyota Motor Corp. said 997,000 Prius cars in Japan, 713,000 in North America, another 130,000 in Europe and the rest in other regions are being recalled for a problem in the software to control the hybrid system. No accidents or injuries have been reported related to the problem. The software could cause transistors to become damaged, causing warnings lights to go off, driving power to be reduced or the car to stop. The recalled vehicles were manufactured between March 2009 and February 2014. Toyota has recalled more than

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2014 Mazda3 Review: Driving fun, high efficiency

The redone 2014 Mazda3 shows the automaker keeps coming up with improved Euro-style models. It’s sharper-looking, has more interior room and features sparkling fuel economy. The Mazda3 is by far the Japanese automaker’s best-selling model in America, and more than 3.5 million have been sold globally. The new compact, front-drive Mazda3 has the styling and enough new features to attract more buyers. The re-engineered European-style Mazda3 has several trim levels. List prices range from $16,945 to $26,495. It comes as a four-door sedan and especially useful four-door hatchback. (Why automakers call a four-door hatchback a “five-door” is a mystery to me. Have you ever see anyone enter a car through the hatch area?) The new, roomier Mazda3 is a third-generation

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2014 Mitsubishi Mirage Review: Thrifty hatchback for tight budgets

Mitsubishi has come up with an affordable fuel-sipper. The 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback sedan is rated as the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid gasoline car in its class sold in the United States if equipped with its continuously variable automatic (CVT) transmission. That should be impressive enough to get the thrifty or those on tight budgets interested in this subcompact, which has been sold overseas since 2012. The Mirage’s estimated highway economy with its CVT is an impressive 44 miles per gallon, while the city number is 37. The Mirage also comes with a five-speed manual gearbox. Estimated figures with the manual are 42 highway, 34 city. The Mirage should be especially appealing to young buyers with only a small to moderate

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2014 Toyota 4Runner Review: Ruggedly defines SUV

The 2014 Toyota 4Runner continues to define the original meaning of a sport utility vehicle. It’s a long-established favorite among off-road SUV enthusiasts. Unlike crossovers largely best suited for road use, the 4Runner is more versatile. With a redesign that features a rugged new exterior and increased comfort and convenience interior upgrades, the 4Runner is fine on the road. But it’s equally comfortable on off-road treks. Versatility, in fact, is the 4Runner’s strongest attribute. New model year owners have choices: a rear wheel 4×2, part-time 4×4 or a full-time multi-mode 4×4 with a locking center differential. All models are equipped with a 4.0-liter, 270-horsepower V6 teamed to a five-speed ECT-i automatic transmission. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Previewed in a

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2014 Toyota Camry Review: Reliable like a good friend

Approaching its 35th birthday, the Toyota Camry is the top-selling car in the United States. The 2014 edition extends the current generation and will likely continue the midsize sedan’s reputation. It’s a dependable four-door machine that does a lot right albeit without fanfare. In 11 of past 15 years, the Toyota Camry has surpassed more than 400,000 sales annually. Buyers get a comfortable, efficient and not-too-complicated vehicle. It’s not the fastest or the most handsome. It doesn’t have the best fuel economy or the best performance. But the Camry does most things right and very little wrong. Which is what many consumers want — strong transportation, a good on-the-road companion that doesn’t cause any trouble and is loyal. It’s like

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2014 Toyota Corolla Review: Roomier, still reliable

The Toyota Corolla may be with us forever, judging by its past performance. The Corolla has the reputation as among the world’s most reliable, durable cars. There’s no reason why the 11th generation 2014 Corolla can’t maintain it. With some 40 million (and counting) Corollas sold globally, this front-drive compact is considered the world’s best-selling car. Actually, it’s the world’s top-selling nameplate. That’s because other automakers have changed the names of their entry models through the years, while Toyota has wisely kept the Corolla nameplate. That, although the car has undergone many changes while keeping its quality, durability and affordability. Toyota had to make major changes to its 11th generation Corolla because its sales have been pressured in the past

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2014 Lexus LS 460 Review: Posh, sporty, fast

Luxury sedan buyers who look only at German or American luxury models shouldn’t overlook the 2014 Lexus LS 460. The posh sedan makes long-distance highway cruising feel as if you’re in a private jet. It’s plenty fast and luxurious as it swallows open roads, especially with its available air suspension. The Lexus LS 460 turned the luxury car scene in America upside down when introduced in 1989. Few felt that a Japanese car producer could build such a thing. Many considered you somewhat of a chump if you bought a Mercedes-Benz—then the most prestigious mass-produced luxury car—because the Lexus LS was priced lower and was far more comfortable for traditional luxury car buyers than a Mercedes. Even Cadillac owners opted

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2015 Ford F-150 Preview: Lighter, stronger, faster

The 2015 Ford F-150 pickup truck, the country’s top-selling vehicle for 32 consecutive years, was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show as lighter, strong and with a greater towing capacity than its predecessor. With a stronger, high-strength steel backbone and high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloys, the new F-150 is approximately 700 pounds lighter than the 2014 edition. The weight reduction will allow the Ford F-150 to haul and tow more, accelerate quicker and stop in a shorter distance. As the best-selling truck in the United States for 37 straight years, the 2015 Ford F-150 will also have a host of new features. A 360-degree camera, eight-inch productivity screen with new truck apps and trailer hitch assist are among the

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