Automotive Reviews

2013 Dodge Dart Review: Romantic practicality

Is it a Dodge or is it an Alfa Romeo? Actually, it’s a little of both, although both automakers used to be worlds apart. After a long wait, Dodge has come up with a decent compact car—this time with the help of Italy’s Fiat-controlled Alfa Romeo. The new Dodge is the 2013 Dart model, which looks good, runs strong and is affordable. The front-wheel-drive Dart replaces the regrettable Dodge Caliber model and reminds us of just how international the auto world has become. For example, the Dart rolls on a lengthened and widened version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta platform and is given various modifications to make it suitable for U.S. driving. Alfa Romeo and Dodge? Strange partners, indeed. While

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Luxury Tata Nano on the horizon for $3,578

Car buyers in India with a limited budget want to buy inexpensive cars that don’t look cheap. At least, that’s why the Tata Nano LX has been developed. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Tata Motors Ltd., India’s fourth-largest auto maker and the owner of Jaguar and Land Rover, will offer a luxury Tata Nano with chrome trim, hubcaps and a stereo. Tata’s original Nano, introduced in 2009, hasn’t sold as well as the carmaker expected. It originally cost the equivalent of about $2,000. Tata Motors has laid off many workers and reduced its production of the Nano. Tata currently sells around 2,500 Nanos per month, about 25 percent of the car’s peaks sales month in April,

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2015 Tato Nano coming to U.S.?

The Tata Nano, marketed in its debut a few years ago as the world’s cheapest car, could also become in 2015 the cheapest mass-produced car available in the United States. Tata hasn’t announced a price for the vehicle nor specific details of dealerships or the exact configuration of the second generation of the Nano that will sold in the United States. But the price will be less than $10,000, according to Ratan Nano, the manufacturer’s chairman. “The Smart and the Fiat 500 have high sticker prices, and people buy them because they are small cars,” Tata told Automotive News. “But everyone knows you put a lot of money into it. We hope that the sub-$10,000 car has appeal.” The Nissan

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2013 Chrysler 300 Review: A bargain Bentley

Can’t afford a $200,000-plus Bentley? Then you might want to check out the latest Chrysler 300. The Chrysler 300 is aging, but the 2013 model is reminiscent of a $206,225 Bentley Flying Spur, if only because they have the same subdued elegant styling, an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. As with the British Bentley, the 300 has a great heritage—the 1955 C-300 was America’s first mass-produced 300-horsepower car. Of course, the latest 300 is far less costly than the exquisite Bentley. Prices range from $29,845 to $48,250. The 300 comes with standard rear-wheel drive (RWD) or, like the Bentley, with all-wheel drive (AWD). Both also have an eight-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode. The 300 is filled

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2014 Chevrolet Impala Review: Best Ever

Will the new Chevrolet Impala become “America’s Sweetheart” again? The full-size Impala was introduced as a top-line Chevrolet in 1958 and became so popular it was nicknamed “America’s Sweetheart” by 1965, when a huge number were sold. The redesigned 2014 full-size Impala is also a model Chevy can brag about. The full-size car market isn’t what it was in the 1960s, but there are a good number of auto buyers who want a full-size sedan with convenience and luxury features. Many are aging baby boomers who fondly recall the big 1960s American sedans. The new front-wheel-drive Impala should satisfy such folks as retirees, family hauling parents and businessmen taking clients to lunch or golf outings. It has the same solid

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2014 Hyundai Sonata Preview: Major makeover

The 2014 Hyundai Sonata will include more than 50 new or redesigned features, including exterior enhancements, safety technology, comfort and convenience additions. The 2014 Sonata GLS will also offer a greater value for money, with MSRPs beginning at $21,350 — an increase of $155 from 2013. Gas mileage for the 2014 Sonata is 24 mpg city/35 mpg highway with the standard six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC®. The Theta II GDI engine produces 190 horsepower and 179 lb.-ft. of torque. In the SE trim, which includes a standard dual exhaust, the engine delivers 192 horsepower and 181 lb.-ft. of torque. This high-tech, all-aluminum, 16-valve engine also features Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (DCVVT) and a Variable Induction System (VIS) for better

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Baby, you can drive (and own) Ringo Starr’s Facel coupe

Baby, you can drive (and own) his car. A rare 1964 Facel Vega Facel II owned by Ringo Starr will be auctioned by Bonhams auction house on Dec. 1 and is expected to sell for approximately $500,000. According to the Los Angeles Times, Starr purchased the deep burgundy two-door coupe at a car show in 1964. He paid the equivalent of $68,000 in today’s dollars and owned the right-hand-drive car for four years. Facel a French manufacturer, had a short tenure as a luxurious automaker of power classics compared to Rolls-Royce. It built around 2,900 cars. This Facel II is one of only 182 ever made, with only 26 of those sold with the right-hand-drive like Starr’s. The four-seat coupe

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CAR REVIEW: 2014 Volkswagen Jetta: spunky little sedan

Since its debut in 1979, the Volkswagen Jetta has steadfastly endured the ebbs and flows of the auto industry. It’s now a quarter-century old, a half-dozen editions into its legacy and enjoying a resurgence with the upgraded model for 2014. With competition in all car segments increasingly keen, VW for 2014 Jetta replaced the former 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder model with a 170-horsepower, turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder. The Jetta is the little sedan that could and continues to do so, which is why it’s VW’s best-selling car. With the engine change, the Jetta is now more versatile while maintaining its value pricing. The gas engine model (a diesel engine is optional) can now also run on E15 (a mix of gas and

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2014 Infiniti QX70 Review: New name, same class

Infiniti sometimes chooses odd names for its cars, including completely new name changes for 2014. Consider: What was the Infiniti FX in 2013 is now the 2014 Infiniti QX70. But the name changes, for whatever reasons they occurred, don’t matter. The 2014 Infiniti QX70, just like its predecessor, is the upscale brand’s five-passenger sport utility vehicle. And it’s as close to a sports car as an SUV can get. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2014 Infiniti QX70 is an oxymoron. My test model for the week was the 325-horsepower, 3.7-liter V6 edition, and it weighed nearly 4,500 pounds. But it was apparent from the first time in the vehicle, the standard definition of SUVs being utilitarian didn’t apply. The

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Rare 50-year-old Corvette set for pending Mecum Auction

A 1963 Corvette Sting Ray, one of only four ever made and given to automotive pioneer who brought the iconic sports car to the public’s attention, will soon be auctioned in Chicago. The Corvette, which features factory-customized side exhaust, is a longtime member of the Corvette Hall of Fame. The rare car, given to Harley J. Earl, will be among about 1,000 cars auctioned Oct. 10-12 by Mecum Auctions. Earl joined General Motors in 1928 and became the head of the GM design team before retiring in 1958. The 1963 Corvette will be auctioned in the final day of the three-day show. The auction will open at 8 a.m. daily with some of the auction broadcast live on Discovery’s Velocity

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2013 Toyota RAV4 Review: Updated, mature SUV

Some models just keep rolling along, while getting better all the time. One such model is the 2013 Toyota RAV4. The original crossover SUV, the fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 model shows Toyota has kept improving it since its debut in the mid-1990s. The smaller first RAV4s were noisy, underpowered and rough-riding. But they had decent utility and good fuel economy. Honda, which was Toyota’s main rival, soon got into the small crossover SUV arena with its CR-V. Others followed. Toyota has dropped the RAV4’s potent V-6 and third-row seat for 2013, and the top-hinged rear hatch finally replaces the clunky side-swinging cargo door. The nicely shaped cargo area has a low, wide sill for fast loading, and cargo room is especially

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Rent a Tesla? It’s cheap at $500 per day compared to a Ferrari

Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Porsche Audi and Mercedes-Benz are “dream cars,” to rent. At least that’s how Hertz describes its rental program of top-end cars that now will include arguably the most unique vehicle in the top echelon lot — Tesla. Hertz, Enterprise and other rental car agencies are now offering limited Tesla Model S models with different battery sizes in selected Southern California locations. Like Hertz, Enterprise has a special name for its high-end fleet. The Tesla is in the agency’s Exotic Car Collection. “The Tesla Model S is a new luxury sedan that is transforming the way the public looks at electric vehicles,” said Adam Belsky, Enterprise’s group sales and marketing manager for the Exotic Car Collection in

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Tesla seeks autonomy (for once) with driverless car

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, doesn’t stay out of the automotive spotlight long. In addition to his innovative, expensive sports cars and a plan to soon drive one across the United States, the controversial entrepreneur is now joining other carmakers with a plan for a Tesla driverless car. Musk said recently Tesla is planning to manufacturer a car capable of running on “auto-pilot” within the next three years. Several other carmakers and Internet monolith Google have announced plans for similar cars. Telsa’s autonomous car, according to Musk, could have 90 of the driving responsibility controlled by the vehicle’s computer system. A completely autonomous car would take longer to develop, Musk told The Financial Times newspaper. Tesla would built the

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2013 Ford Fusion Review: Gets sporty, flirts with luxury

Redesigned for 2013, the Ford Fusion is firmly positioned in the midsize sedan market — the most prevalent and most competitive segment in the auto industry. Available in three trims, the 2013 Ford Fusion is a four-door, five-passenger offering. Like several of its many competitors, the Fusion was also previously firmly planted in the world of pedestrian vehicles. Not any more. It’s now in a segment chock-full of cars hard-to-beat. They’re fairly priced and offer high quality in comfort and equipment with comprehensive standard equipment lists and plenty of option packages. In its new design, the 2013 Ford Fusion goes the front of the handsome line. The front grille is more pronounced and it’s meshed stylishly with a slightly wider

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Best Used Cars: Volkswagen Beetle, 2003 GLS Convertbile

No one forgets their first car. For me, it was a 1962 Volkswagen Bug. With my own savings, I bought it from family friends in 1972 for $500. It was beige, in near-pristine condition, had a four-speed stick shift, the original Blaupunkt AM/FM stereo radio and chrome front and back bumpers. The VW insignia shield, a rare decal near the front trunk handle, was intact. I drove the car everywhere and washed and waxed when it didn’t need cleaning. I learned how to change the oil and adjust the valves, which to this day is the full extent of my mechanical knowledge. (Editor’s note: We’re visiting our archives to review cars once new and now well-suited for best buy status

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Best Used Cars: 2012 Honda Civic

Introduced 40 years ago as a two-door model and soon after in a three-door hatchback, the 1972 Honda Civic included a basic AM radio, heater, foam-cushioned plastic trim, two-speed wipers, and painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut cap. A lot has changed in four decades. Now in its ninth generation and its first redesign since 2006, the 2012 Civic showcases one of the best-selling cars in history at its best. Like all Honda models, the 2012 Civic is available in numerous configurations with gasoline, hybrid and natural gas variations. The gasoline-engine lineup includes a sedan, coupe and two Si performance versions. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Like driving a Volkswagen Beetle or Toyota Corolla, test driving a Honda

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