Automotive Reviews

CAR REVIEW: 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer: Enduring Mediocrity

The 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer continues the enduring legacy of the compact sedan. It’s now 41 years old. The Lance is rarely mentioned first and often mentioned among the least favorite options for compacts in a car segment with more than 40 options, including perennial favorites like the Honda Civic, Ford Fiesta and Mazda3. But the Lancer has endured. During its first 35 years ending in 2008, more than six million Lancers were sold worldwide by nearly a dozen different names. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Available in five trims, including the top-line, performance-oriented Ralliart and Evo models, my test drive for the week was the GT edition. 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer. Images © James Raia/2013 The base model includes a good

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CAR REVIEW: 2014 Kia Cadenza: A star is born

The Kia Cadenza, known as the K7 in its native South Korea where it debuted in 2009, was unveiled in the United States in early 2013 as a 2014 model. It replaced the short-lived, unheralded Kia Amanti as the carmaker’s flagship sedan. The 2014 Kia Cadenza joins the Hyundai Genesis and Hyundai Equus as the trio of South Korean luxury cars sold in the United States. Hyundai owns Kia, and the Cadenza shares a platform with the Hyundai Azera, although the Cadenza is sportier than its cousin. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The Weekly Driver picked the Kia Amanti as among its top-10 Cars of the Year in 2008. It wasn’t a popular choice, but I appreciated the car as

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CAR REVIEW: 2014 Ford Fiesta: Racy fun

The sporty 2014 Ford Fiesta lets you bring the kids along. The fun-to-drive, European-styled, economical Fiesta has what many want from a subcompact four-door hatchback or sedan, although its rear seat is only comfortable for children. New for 2014 is an Aston Martin-inspired grille and new hood that fronts a slick body. (Ford once owned Aston Martin.) The Fiesta comes as a four-door hatchback or four-door sedan with a variety of engines—from a fuel-stingy new three-cylinder to a hot new turbocharged four-cylinder. The new Fiesta is offered as front-drive S, SE and Titanium models. You can get a four-door hatchback or sedan, but the new front-drive ST hot rod model comes only as a four-door hatchback. The sedan is 173.5

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2014 Toyota Highlander (with video)

Toyota has announced United States pricing for the third-generation 2014 Toyota Highlander, including the gas-electric hybrid version of the midsize SUV debuting at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show. Available in four grades – LE, LE Plus, XLE and Limited – the 2014 Highlander starts from $29,215, which means a $195 increase over the model its replaces. All gasoline Highlanders will come equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, except for the LE grade which can also has a 2.7-liter four-cylinder unit. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the new Highlander LE will range from $29,215 for the LE FWD four-cylinder to $43,590 for the Limited AWD V6 with the Platinum package. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid limited will range from

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CAR REVIEW: 2013 Ford Fusion: Euro flair

The all-new Ford Fusion sedan with its sharp European styling and turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engines likely surprised foreign sedan rivals such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. The solid-feeling Fusion is essentially a four-door family sedan, but radiates European flair because it steers, handles and brakes much like a foreign (or American) sports sedan. And the ride is supple. If you want a family sedan with pizzazz, the turbocharged EcoBoost Fusion might be for you. The Fusion has been such a hit that it’s unchanged for 2014, except for several new color combinations and the addition of a 1.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine with (a projected) 178 horsepower—the same rating as the current 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder but with

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CAR REVIEW: 2014 Honda Accord: still on top

It’s hard to image the Honda Accord when it debuted in 1976. It was a small two-door hatchback with little to show for itself. Fast-forward to 2014 and the Honda Accord is a stalwart, a well-equipped family sedan perennially among the country’s top-selling cars. After a redesign last year, the Honda Accord, now in its ninth generation, remains much the same as the 2013 model. But buyers now have additional choices. The Honda Accord hybrid has been re-introduced after a several-year absence. And a Honda Accord plug-in electric has been introduced in a limited edition. The additions of the new models add to the already vast offering of available Accords at price prices ranging from less than $23,000 to approaching

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2014 Cadillac CTS gets Car of the Year honors again

For the second time in six years, the Cadillac CTS has been named Car of the Year by Motor Trend, defeating seven other finalists in the 1.1 million circulation magazine’s strenuous testing procedures. In addition to the Cadillac CTS, finalists this year were: BMW 4 Series; Chevrolet Corvette; Jaguar F-Type; Kia Forte; Mazda 3; Mazda 6; and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Ed Loh, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, said in a statement judges were impressed by the sedan’s “responsive powertrains, smooth ride and sporty handling.” The  second-generation CTS sedan also received the car award in 2008. The 2014 award was announced as then new Cadillac is about to debut at dealerships. To become one of seven finalists in this year’s competition, 22 all-new or

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CAR REVIEW: 2014 Dodge Durango, roomy, sporty

The sporty, practical 2014 Dodge Durango is an SUV/crossover based on a stretched version of the unit-body platform of the award-winning Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is a really good start. The new Durango looks better with a different, rather sinister-looking front end and revised rear styling with Dodge’s race-style LED taillight design. It has a new responsive eight-speed automatic transmission with a segment-first rotary shifter and efficient paddle shifters for manual operation. The automatic replaces one offered with either five or six speeds. The updated interior has a new instrument panel. A third row 50/50 split seat that’s suitable for adults, at least on short trips, accompanies supportive front bucket seats and second-row seats, which fold and tumble for more

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Ferrari LaFerrari: Fastest Ferrari and it’s a hybrid

Unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show in March, the LaFerrari is a limited production hybrid sports car built by Ferrari. The LaFerrari is the first hybrid from Ferrari, providing the highest power output of any Ferrari while decreasing fuel consumption by 40 percent. Only 499 units will be built and each will cost more than $1.6 million. LaFerrari’s mid rear mounted V12 Internal Combustion Engine has a 6.3 liter engine capable of 789 horsepower. But it’s supplemented by a 161 horsepower KERS unit (called HY-KERS). It provides short bursts of extra power. The new Ferrari also has a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission and is rear-wheel drive. Top speed is 220 mph and with 0-60 mph in just under three seconds.

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Review: 2014 Toyota Corolla: Sporty redesign shines

Even the most successful car in history has to eventually change with the times. Meet the 2014 Toyota Corolla. Just in time for the sale of the 40th million iconic compact sedan, the redesigned 11th generation has been unveiled. Available in L, LE, L Eco and S models (and a few variants), the 2014 Toyota Corolla joins the Avalon, Camry, 4Runner and Tundra with new designs for 2014. The new Corolla models continue the sedan’s enduring legacy while competitors like the Ford Focus, Kia Forte, Honda Civic and Mazda 3 continue to gain larger audiences. Like other editions of the Toyota Corolla through the years, the 2014 models maintain a constant theme — value. The MSRP ranges from $16,800 for

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CAR REVIEW: 2014 Nissan Versa Note: Roomy, good value

The Nissan Versa debuted in 2007 and it’s firmly in the mix with a good chunk of quality sub-compacts in a highly competitive segment. For 2014, the Nissan Versa Note is the hatchback version of the Versa sedan. The Weekly Driver Test Drive My weekly driver was the Nissan Versa Note’s top-line SV trim. It adds a lot to the base model and makes the entry-level machine an appreciably more attractive option in its segment. As examples, the SV trim adds keyless remote entry, power locks and windows, upgraded and more cloth upholstery, a six-way adjustable driver seat, a driver-side center armrest, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, silver/chrome interior and exterior accents and Bluetooth phone connectivity. My SV

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2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith: Powerful, fast, menacing ghost

The 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith, named after the Scottish word for Ghost, was unveiled in March at the Geneva Auto Show. It debuted at dealerships in the United States in October and further added to upscale wonderment of the prestigious brand. The Wraith, which continues the carmaker’s signature of naming cars after spirits (Ghost, Shadow and Phantom are other examples) is the most powerful and fastest Rolls Royce ever built. Its specs are impressive: 624 horsepower; 0-60 mph, 4.4 seconds; top speed, 155 mph. It’s a 6.6 liter, 48-valve, twin-turbocharged V12 with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s also a two-door, four-seat coupe and weighs 5,380 pounds. The name Wraith also has the connotation as a threatening ghost, the idea of which

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NEW CAR REVIEW: 2014 Volkswagen Beetle shines

The Volkswagen Bug has endured many name and design changes since it debuted in the Unites States in 1949. With the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle R-Line, another chapter in the carmaker’s legacy as one of the top-10 best-selling cars in history has begun. The new limited edition is the most upscale and most powerful Beetle to date. The Beetle as a sports car isn’t quite accurate. But for 2014, the upscale trim features a larger turbo-charged engine, new front fascia, a metal dash plate and a host of R-Line, sporty badging throughout the car. The styling is not only more sporting, it’s more masculine than the 2013 Beetle Turbo. The squared-off steering wheel is leather wrapped and there are easy-to use

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BEST — — USED CARS: 2011 Honda CR-V

Now a teenager and offered in its third generation, the Honda CR-V remains one of the country’s most popular compact sport utility vehicles. It debuted in Japan in 1995, arrived as a Chicago Auto Show display in 2006 and debuted in United States dealerships in 2007. A decade later, the CR-V overtook its toughest competitors in sales, even the segment leader Ford Explorer. It became the country’s top-selling SUV with more than 219,000 sold units. The Ford Explorer had been top-ranked for 15 consecutive years. The CR-V hasn’t reached its 2007 sales total since, but it still remains a favorite with annual U.S. sales of around 200,000. (Editor’s note: TheWeeklyDriver.com is now 10 years old. We’re visiting our archives to

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NEW CAR REVIEW: 2014 Land Rover: Less weight, more sport

The new Land Rover Range Rover Sport fits perfectly in the best country club parking lot, but is like a mountain goat when driven off road. For 2014, the Land Rover Range Rover has been redesigned to be the fastest, most agile ever. That’s largely because it’s shed a whopping 800 pounds. Most automakers strive to cut just a fraction of that weight loss for better performance and fuel economy. The Sport still is no lightweight at 4,727 to 5,093 pounds, and you can feel the weight when driving rapidly through tight curves or making quick moves. But it’s a lot more fun to drive than its predecessor. The old Sport’s body-on-frame construction is gone, replaced by an aluminum unibody

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Kaiser-Darrin: Odd, elegant sports car in demand

I’ve been fascinated by the Kaiser-Darrin for the past several years. It looks unlike any other sports car. Its prototype debuted in 1952 and it was available in dealerships two years later Built from fiberglass, the Kaiser-Darrin is both odd-looking and elegant. It has odd-shaped front grille, sliding doors and its was the second carmaker after Nash to have seat belts. The 1954 Kaiser-Darrin also had bucket seats, full sports-car instrumentation, a floor shifter and cost $3,668, slightly more than the newly arriving Corvette. The buying public was at first enamored by the Kaiser-Darrin. It had a standard three-speed manual overdrive transmission and got 30 mpg delivered 30 mpg. Even though the Kaiser-Darrin had a top speed of about 100

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