Sedans

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Hyundai Elantra 2012 takes another honor — North American Car of the Year

Another day, another award for Hyundai. And this time, it’s among the most prestigious honors. The Hyundai Elantra defeated the Volkswagen Passat and Ford Focus and was selected as 2012 North American Car of the Year. A jury of 50 independent North American automotive journalists evaluated each of the new cars introduced last year and chose the 2012 Hyundai Elantra at a news conference at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The honor marks Hyundai’s second win. The Hyundai Genesis was named North American Car of the Year in 2009. “Elantra speaks to the success of our recipe of bold design and great fuel economy,” said John Krafcik, president and chief executive officer, Hyundai Motor America. “In

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BMW 3-Series, 2012: Sixth generation sedan will match sibings' technology

Now 37 years old, the BMW 3 series in its sixth generation will debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) and for the first time will include the technology currently available in its 5 and 7 series siblings. That technology currently includes lane-departure warning system, night vision, a system to prevent the driver from falling asleep, and radar-based adaptive cruise control with collision-mitigating automatic braking. The 2012 3 Series is expected to be powered by a new family of aluminum four-cylinder petrol engines ranging from 135 to 245 horsepower. These will include new technologies such as variable intake and exhaust-valve timing, sequential turbochargers, and direct fuel injection. The 245 hp (183 kW; 248 PS) four-cylinder may be

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2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 Review: Baby Bentley Goes Pimpin’

First a disclaimer: I have always been a big fan of the baby Bentley Chrysler 300 styling from 2005. And I am still a fan with this second-generation 300 design. Ralph Gilles and team have taken an evolutionary approach to the new design, largely retaining the baby Bentley proportions and shape while adding to the aggressive stance of the original. The updated grille is tasteful and adds panache missing from the previous generation, and the headlight units with integrated LED daytime running lights add sophistication. The annoying gap at the intersection of the hood, grille and headlight on the previous generation is thankfully gone The result is a nicely updated version, although the car is slightly longer than the original

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Dodge Charger, 2012: Fast, powerful, high-performance bargain

Iconic muscle cars are making a comeback, as much-improved models. The 1960s Dodge Charger with Chrysler’s awesome Hemi V-8 is one of the most legendary muscle cars of the high-octane 1960s. The 2012 Charger SRT8 with a Hemi V-8 is more than comparable to that old Charger. In fact, the new $45,795 Charger SRT8 from Chrysler’s high-performance SRT group is a flat-out high-performance-car bargain that might be considered by some to be too hot for the street with its 6.4-liter Hemi V-8. While well-mannered, unlike the 1960s 425-horsepower Hemi, the new Hemi V-8 provides 470 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. That gives the car a 0-60 mph time of about 4.5 seconds, although it‘s a big 120-inch-wheelbase sedan that

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Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2012: Dyno Test Video

On a chilly December morning in Northern California, I brought a 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 to TPS Motorsports in Campbell, California for a couple of dyno runs on their Dynojet chassis dynometer. Truth was in the numbers as we dyno tested the Chrysler 300 SRT8 that claims 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque from Chrysler’s 6.4L HEMI powerplant. Power was measured at the wheels and the numbers were SAE corrected. Video and power output charts below document the results of our dyno test. After two test runs, maximum horsepower measured at the wheels was 411 horsepower. Maximum torque was 400 lb.-ft. with 80 percent of max torque being available at 55 mph. Generally, there is an 18 – 20

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Ford recalls Fusion, Milan models with potential faulty wheel woes

Ford has recalled about 129,000 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans from model years 2010 and 2011 and equipped with 17-wheels because the vehicles’ wheel studs could fracture and potentially fall off. The issue, as reported by Ford and on the website of the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) may be caused by steel wheel mounting pads or rear brake discs that have been incorrectly built and can’t properly support the wheel. In cases through September, one car’s front wheel fell off and five cars’ rear wheel dropped off, according to Ford and likely because of the stud issue. The recalled vehicles were built at the Hermosillo stamping and assembly plant in Mexico from April 2009 and from

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2012 Mazda3 Review: European styling, lower price, versatility

A car that combines flair with practicality has a good chance of being popular. The Mazda3 has long had European flair and is by far the automaker’s best seller in America, thanks to a clever combination of sportiness and practicality. The compact, front-drive Mazda3 comes as a four-door sedan or four-door hatchback in SV, Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and Mazdaspeed trim levels. List prices range from $15,200 for the base sedan to $24,000 for the hot rod Mazdaspeed3. Japan’s Mazda has been selling cars in volume here since the early 1970s, making Americans aware for the first time of the unique rotary engine, which initially powered its cars. But the automaker isn’t on lots of shopping lists. To partly help

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Honda Civic Natural Gas, 2012: Green Car of the Year

The 2012 Honda Natural Gas, which for the first time is nationally marketed and available in dealers throughout the United States, is the Green Car of the Year. The designated has been awarded yearly since 2005 at the Los Angeles Auto Show by the publication Green Car Journal. The cleanest running internal combustion vehicle certified by the EPA, the redesigned 2012 Civic Natural Gas is the fifth generation of the alternative fuel vehicle and the only assembly-line produced natural gas passenger model manufactured for sale in the United States. It runs on a clean fuel almost exclusively domestically sourced and priced about 30-50 percent less than gasoline. While averaging 38 highway MPGe, the Honda Civic Natural Gas is an Advanced

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2012 Acura TL Review: Grille makeover, new transmission for refined sedan

Now in its 17th year, the 2012 Acura TL continues the middle-age brand’s legacy while addressing the concerns of the high-end Honda line’s discerning fans. Acura owners are loyal, but they often complain about the awkward front end grille described by one reviewer as reminiscent of a giant bottle opener. This year, the front grille features a smaller insert that flows better with the overall design of the car. But there are also several other positive changes for the Acura TL, including: a six speed, automatic clutch transmission, ventilated seats, side mirror blind-spot detection and upgraded wheels. Key Takeaways Test car: the 3.7-liter, 24-valve V6 with 305 horsepower and all-wheel drive, in bronze metallic with a brown and black interior.

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2011 Dodge Charger Review: Modern, revatilized, still menacing

By Mary Ellen Ash The original Dodge Charger was a two-door muscle car that debuted in the 1960s and hits its peak popularity in the early 1970s. While the Charger’s appeal faded into the early eighties, the latest models have been revitalized and modernized for more diverse consumer tastes while still retaining aggressive styling from the Charger’s old glory days. The transformation has updated the 2011 Charger into a modern-day sedan while keeping its menacing exterior and powerful engine. The new Charger is ready to tear up the open road. Key Takeaways Test car: the Charger Rallye Plus in Blackberry Pearl, with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, 292 horsepower, 260 pound-feet and rear-wheel drive. $34,955 as tested, with destination; the SE

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Toyota Corolla, 2012: More features, improved electronics

The Toyota Corolla, the largest-selling car in history, has received upgrades in several 2012 models, including more features in the base L model and a new standard audio system for the LE and S grades. A year after a “refreshed design,” the Corolla L gains color-keyed power side mirrors as well as power windows with driver’s auto-down, power door locks and remote keyless entry. The Corolla LE adds standard 16-inch wheels and steering wheel audio controls. The sporty S model adds a double-stitch accent to its seats. The 2012 Toyota LE and S offer a new standard audio system. The head unit combines an AM/FM/CD player (including MP3/WMA playback). A USB port enables iPod connectivity, while an auxiliary input jack

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Toyota Camry SE, 2012: New look, more car (video review)

During a recent Toyota media launch at the Sonoma Mission Inn in Northern California, videographer Bruce Aldrich and I drove, among a caravan of other journalists, to Infineon Raceway for a full day of comparison driving: 2011 Toyota Camry models versus 2012 Toyota Camry models. With the 2012 models of the best-selling Camry, Toyota has resigned the sedan throughout the four-trim line-up. The improvements are immediately noticeable. Despite its popularity, Toyota has obviously prepared as other top-selling sedans, particularly the Hyundai Sonata, are making serious efforts to grab larger shares of the mid-size sedan marketplace.

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Hyundai Genesis, 2012: The most feared car in the world?

The 2012 Hyundai Genesis is one of the most feared cars in the auto industry. For a base price of $34,000 you get all of the luxury that once was the sole domain of car companies like Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. You also get a 333 HP engine that pulls like a steam locomotive. You also get all of the features usually associated with luxury cars including lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, heated and cooled driver’s seat, as well as heated passenger and rear seats. You also get soft leather over almost every surface with traditional French stitching. Roman Mica, contributing editor to TheWeeklyDriver.com and publisher of the The Fast Lane Car, www.tflcar.com, shares his opinion about the impressive 2012

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