Automotive Reviews

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Hyundai Azera, 2012: Modern family showcases car's comfort in Academy Awards spot

In the second of the new 2012 Hyundai Azera commercials set for broadcast Feb. 26 during the Academy, the comforts of the car's interior are "examined" — from the owner's driveway. It's called Modern Life, and shows the husband of the family working in a frantic pace in the kitchen while his wife is relaxing in their new Azera in the driveway. The husband doesn't know his wife is the driveway, however. According to the carmaker, " the Hyundai Azera's interior surrounds you with an array of sumptuous amenities such as front and rear heated seats, ventilated power front seats with an adjustable driver seat cushion extension, ambient lighting system, available premium Infinity or Dimension audio systems and HD Radio

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Academy Awards: Hyundai takes starring role again at Oscars (video)

Hyundai, the automotive car sponsor for the Academy Awards for the fourth straight year, will have nine commercials broadcast during the Feb. 26 coverage of the Oscars on ABC. The Hyundai spots will include two pre-show ads and seven commercials during the telecast. Two of the commercials, directed by filmmaker Wes Anderson, will feature the new 2012 Hyundai Azera. The new Azera is expected to arrive at dealerships soon. The spots, “Modern Life” and “Talk to My Car,” focus on the car’s high-end features and connectivity system called Blue Link. Both commercials are reminiscent of Anderson’s movies including “Rushmore” and ”The Royal Tenenbaums.” The rest of Hyundai’s 30-second spots feature its Sonata Hybrid, Elantra, Equus, Genesis Coupe and Genesis R-Spec,

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Fisker Karma, 2012: 'The Most Interesting Car in the World?' (video)

Dan Neil, author of the automotive column Rumble Seat in The Wall Street Journal, is now also part of the publication's new video channel on YouTube call "Off Duty." Like the publication's print section of the same name, the new video component features lifestyle videos about music, fashion, and cars. Neil's first contribution is a test drive of the 2012 Fisker Karma — the $100,000, four-seat plug-in hybrid. Built in Finland, the Fisker Karma is partly-funded by U.S. taxpayers. Neil, who won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, describes the vehicle in glowing terms. But he also includes his usual share of criticism. In one passage of his print review, Neil writes: "Meet the world's most interesting car. Every square

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Fisker Karma, 2012: Six-figure, four-seat hybrid sports car turns heads

Your dream car may just have arrived. The stunning new 2012 Fisker Karma low-slung sedan looks like a futuristic experimental car. Moreover, it’s a “green” gas/electric plug-in model with a fairly long driving range. I found the Karma to be a head-turner at a media preview of it on a variety of Los Angeles area roads. No wonder actor Leonardo DiCaprio bought one of the first ones, following the old Hollywood tradition of stars driving the most coveted cars. The approximately $104,000 Karma feels solid as a rock and is beautifully assembled, inside and out, although the low front end can be damaged by moderately high curbs if a driver isn’t careful. And the standard eco-friendly dashboard material looks rather

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Volkswagen Beetle Turbo, 2012: The fat bug has a new image

Like the fat kid from Math Club who came to the high school reunion with something to prove, the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo wants everyone to do a double take and notice that it’s no longer the archetypal chick car. The new VW wants it to be OK for a guy to purchase it and visit the Starbucks drive thru. It wants it known the latest version of the Beetle has a turbo in it, and it means business. Doesn’t the now-flattened roofline says "I drink more beers than wine coolers" to you? After almost a decade of the New Beetle, VW has decided enough is enough. Cuteness overload has worn thin. The latest Beetle has visual cues that distinguish

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Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2012: Responsive, fun to drive compact

When I heard I was going to test drive a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, I had low expectations. I didn’t know it was going to be a GLI Autobahn Jetta, just a Jetta. And as someone much wiser has told me, having low expectations is the key to happiness in life. It's especially true with VW Jetta GLI Autobahn. It's a ton of fun and perfect for the daily comuting grind. The GLI is the range-topping Jetta, with its 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine pumping out 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft. of torque married to six -speed DSG automatic transmission. A six-speed manual is also possible, and I would have preferred it. Driving Impressions Having just tested the new Beetle Turbo,

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Ford Edge EcoBoost, 2012: Surprising performance, extra fuel efficiency

Placing a small 4-cylinder engine inside a mid-size SUV might seem like a bad idea, especially for power-hungry American drivers. Yet, this is exactly what Ford has done with the 2012 Edge EcoBoost mid-size crossover. Fortunately, this motor is an overachiever. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine features direct injection, twin independent variable camshaft timing, and a turbocharger that spools up to 16 psi of boost. Output is 240 hp at 5500 rpm and a healthy 270 lb-ft of torque from 3,000 rpm. The end result of this unusual arrangement is a surprising level of real-world performance. The beefy torque response makes for effortless everyday driving, and the engine is impressively smooth and quiet. If you didn’t know it, you’d never guess

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Subaru Impreza, 2012: sleeker styling, new engine, improved interior

Subaru once made small boxy, rather tinny front-wheel-drive cars with no visual appeal. Now look what it has done. The compact Impreza is the smallest model in Subaru’s auto lineup and is one of its most popular ones, with standard all-wheel drive. Faced with greater competition, it makes sense the fourth-generation Impeza has arrived as a much-improved 2012 model. Subarus long have been gotten high marks tackling tough New England winters, but the automaker has been striving for some time to make its vehicles more popular throughout the country. Major features include much-needed sleeker styling, with such things as a sharply raked windshield and crisp character lines. However, the low front end can be damaged by curbs and other such

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Ferrari sets sales record in 2011, new 12-cylinder model set for Geneva debut

The fluctuating economy didn't hurt Ferrari in 2011. In fact, it helped the Italy luxury carmaker establish two sales records, including the most vehicles it's ever sold in one year. Ferrari sold 7,195 cars globally in 2011, an increase of 9.5 percent from the 2010 previous record, 6,573. The record sales number translated into 2.251 billion euros ($2.63 billion) in sales, the first time Ferrari has surpassed two billion euros in sales in one year. Ferrari, owned by the auto giant Fiat, recorded record sales in the United States, Greater China region and in the Middle East in 2011. "We can only be satisfied with these results," said Luca di Montezemolo, the head of the Ferrari brand. was quoted as

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Nissan Maxima, 2012: Flagship sedan has sports car tendencies

Now more than 35 years since it origins as the Datsun 810, the Nissan Maxim is in its seventh generation as a full-sized sedan also marketed as a four-door sports cars. The Maxima name began in 1981 when the car was primarily built in Oppama, Japan. It manufacture transitioned to Smyrna, Tennessee, in 2004 and that's where it's currently built. The Maxima remains the flagship sedan of Nissan, with the 2012 edition receiving only minor changes from last year. The exterior adjustments include tweaks to the front grille and new 18-and-19-inch alloy wheel designs. The minor interior changes include newly designed knobs and dials and new color patterns for the cabin trim and gauges. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Like

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Infiniti G37 convertible, 2012: Stylish, efficient, confident coupe

Now in its fourth year, the Infiniti G37 convertible is the newest of the three body styles and is among five Infiniti G Series model trims. Largely unchanged from last year, the 2012 G37 convertible features a good selection of standard features: leather seating, rearview camera, navigation system with hard-drive music storage, XM Satellite Radio with real-time traffic data, an MP3-compatiable sound system and iPod connectivity Among the most efficient features is the door-mounted button to lower the roof. A Bose audio system is an option as is an advanced climate control system. The Weekly Driver Test Drive This is the Infiniti to drive on a country road in warm weather with the top down. But the testing Infiniti G37's

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Volvo S60 R, 2012: Sporty sedan with multi-national flair (video)

The Volvo S60 was introduced 12 years ago as the carmaker's first major departure in a few decades from its box-on-wheels reputation. Now in its second generation. the Volvo S60 2012 edition is offered in three trims, including the most-sports-car-like Volvo yet, the S60 T6 AWD R. The R means "R-Design Elements" and that translates into the car's sportiness with a handful of features — 18-inch alloy wheels to sport tuning and lower front and rear spoilers to the signature Volvo blue watch dial instrument cluster. That's a lot of numbers and letters for a model. But what the alphabet soup name means for potential buyers is 325 horsepower, a turbo-charged six-cylinder engine with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel

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Lexus, Toyota, Scion shine in 2012 J.D. Power dependability study

Paced by Lexus, which earned the No. 1 overall rating, eight Lexus, Toyota and Scion models captured segment awards in the 2012 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study Lexus is the number one nameplate improving by 23 fewer problems/100; Toyota is the highest ranked non-premium nameplate and tied for third place overall, improving by 18 fewer problems/100; Scion achievrd its highest ever position at fifth place, jumping 17 positions and improving by 55 fewer problems/100. Lexus was the highest ranking nameplate in the industry in the 2011 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study and earned more segment awards than any other premium brand. The Lexus IS won the entry premium car segment in the 2011 J.D. Power and Associates Automotive

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Kia releases illustrations of new flagship, rear-wheel drive sedan

Kia Motors has revealed the first official sketches of its all-new flagship sedan, Codenamed KH. It's expected to establish new standards for design flair in the large sedan segment. Based on the Hyundai Equus platform, the new model is Kia’s first rear-wheel drive sedan and combines innovative design with high-tech features. KH is among the company’s eagerly anticipated new models and will be launched in Kia’s domestic market in the first half of 2012. Soon-Nam Lee, Kia’s Director of the Overseas Marketing Group, says, “Our all-new flagship sedan integrates all of our key capabilities such as design, performance, high-tech features and infotainment into one striking model. According to Kia, the KH’s profile was a key focus for the design team.

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2012 Kia Rio, Optima get MotorWeek best subcompact, midsize honors

The 2012 Kia Rio and Kia Optima have been designated with Drivers' Choice Awards as the best subcompact and midsize sedan by MotorWeek at the Chicago Auto Show. The long-running television program recognized the Kia models for their performance, fuel efficiency and overall value. The Rio and Optima bring many convenience features to their respective segments, including Bluetooth wireless technology with steering wheel-mounted controls, USB and auxiliary input jacks and SiriusXM satellite radio capabilities with three months complimentary service. The annual MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Awards represent the editors' best automotive picks for a range of lifestyles. This year, a team of 15 judges comprised of MotorWeek's editorial staff, evaluated more than 150 cars, trucks and utility vehicles. Decisions are based

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Tesla Model X revealed: Fastback with wings, room for seven

Stealing some thunder from the Tesla Model S, even before it arrives at showrooms, was the reveal of the Model X at Tesla’s Los Angeles Design and Engineering offices. Fastback designs, such as the Audi A7, Porsche Panamera, and Acura ZDX, are becoming more popular with buyers. Tesla now has its own fastback model with a few differentiating features. In an attempt to make it minivan-easy to load the rear passengers and cargo, the aft "Falcon Wing" doors lift and fold upward, not unlike Ralph Macchio's arms during his celebrated crane kick at the end of The Karate Kid. Inside is room to fit seven full-size adults. In front is what some people would call a trunk, but Tesla calls

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