Honda Odyssey woes return with second massive recall

The Honda Odyssey is among the most versatile vehicles in the automotive industry. Now, about 800,000 units of the popular mini-van in the United States dating to 2011 are being recalled because of a second-row seating issue The voluntary recall covers Odysseys from 2011-17 model years. The issue: A release lever for repositioning the outer second-row seats may not latch properly, causing the seats to slide forward or backward without warning. The company will notify owners of affected minivans. Dealers will install additional brackets and springs to resolve the problem for free. Customers can call Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138

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Behind the Scenes of the 2024 Kia EV9 Super Bowl Commercial

This Super Bowl season, Kia is set to enchant viewers with a 60-second commercial for the all-new 2024 Kia EV9. The commercial is designed to showcase the EV9 as a beacon of hope and a source of power to illuminate the lives around us. To examine the making of the commercial, Michael Kahn, Publisher at The Weekly Driver conducted an exclusive telephone interview with Russell Wager, Vice President of Marketing at Kia America. Wager shared behind-the-scenes insights, revealing the creative process and strategic thinking that went into the making of the “Perfect 10” commercial. Featuring the collaborative track “Wish I

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New, sportier 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid shines in crowded segment

Introduced in 1976 as a three-door hatchback, the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid moves the iconic vehicle closer to its 50th birthday as among the automotive industry’s most reliable cars. It’s been the country’s top-selling signature family sedan for decades. The 2023 Honda Accord marks the debut of the car’s 11th generation. It’s also the start of the fourth generation for the Accord Hybrid, and it’s three inches longer than the previous model. The new length means more back-seat legroom and it’s part of the car’s substantial overhaul. Cargo space is also a strength for the sedan at 16.7 cubic feet.

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American Suzuki joins legion of former carmakers, files for bankruptcy

Citing poor sales, vast competition and bad exchange rates, the California-based American Suzuki Motor Corp. will end its U.S. auto business and file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. While continuing its motorcycle and marine engine business units, Suzuki, which began its U.S.-based business in 1985, will making models such the Samurai, Sidekick SX-4, XL-7, Vitara, Grand Vitara and its most expensive model, the Kizashi. Suzuki Japanese parent company, Suzuki Motor Corp., is not filing for bankruptcy, the company said, while adding the American company, which has about 245 U.S. dealers, will honor customer warranties; “While the decision to discontinue new

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Super Bowl commercials: Suzuki, dogs exchange sled for hip ice trip in Kizashi

Suzuki, following Volkswagen and Chevrolet, has premiered its Super Bowl commercial well in advance of the Feb. 5 football game that also serves as television's most expensive day of commericals. The one-minute Suzuki commercial, like Volkswagen's, features dogs, and it's entitled "Sled." The ad, which emphasizes the premium features and unique all-wheel-drive prowess of the 2012 Kizashi sport sedan, marks the second consecutive year Suzuki will advertise during the Super Bowl. In 2011, the brand featured its popular "Wicked Weather" spot during the big game. Volkswagen recently coninuted in Stars Wars theme commericals, this time with dogs barking the famous

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Nissan Altima woes return, 2 million recalled

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The Nissan Altima, once the Japanese manufacturer’s best-selling vehicle, is increasingly doomed. Nissan recently announced the recall of nearly two million midsize cars in the U.S. and Canada to fix a nagging latch problem that may allow the hood to fly open while cars are moving. The latest recall covers nearly 1.9 million Altimas and includes cars from the 2013 through 2015 model years that were recalled earlier. It’s also been expanded to 2016 through 2018 model years. Nissan‘s latest recall covers nearly 1.9 million Altimas and includes cars from 2013 through 2015 model years, previously recalled. Nissan Altima recalled

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Volvo S60 T6, 2013: Sporty all-wheel drive T6 offers sedan at its best

The five-cylinder 250-horsepower 2013 Volvo T5 sedan I tested was very good. But I soon found the hotter S60 T6 AWD R-Design sedan almost felt like a different car. In fact, the S60 T6 AWD R-Design model is arguably the best high-performance Volvo ever. Both the Volvo T5 and T6 models have slick, virtually identical styling. But the S60 T6 AWD R-Design has a more potent six-cylinder engine. It also has a sport chassis, larger brakes and standard all-wheel drive, besides sportier interior and exterior features. A turbocharged 3-liter 300-horsepower six-cylinder is available for the 2013 S60, which has a

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2022 Volvo XC60 worthy wagon as steady as steady gets

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Now in its early teens, the Volvo XC60 is the Swedish manufacturer’s best-selling vehicle in the United States and globally. The luxury compact sport utility vehicle reached its tenure-best last year, with sales of about 41,500 in this country. The Volvo XC60’s second generation was introduced in 2017 as a 2018 model. The carmaker describes the 2022 model as the most significant upgrade since. Changes are aplenty. Exterior styling improvements include: subtle differences in the front and rear-end designs, new exterior color options and new wheel designs. Mechanically, a mild-hybrid powertrain is new and optional. The infotainment center has been

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Volkswagen plan to fix diesel emission issue rejected

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has rejected Volkswagen‘s plan to fix its pollution-spewing 2.0-liter diesel cars. The vehicles are equipped with software that allows them to emit up to 40 times legalll allowable pollution. The CARB said VW’s proposed fix was not adequate or fast enough, according to a report from Reuters and several other media organizations. The agency said it would continue its investigation as well further discuss with VW new potential solution. Only the proposal to fix 2.0-liter diesel engines, the most common affected, was rejected. The proposal for fixing the 3.0-liter diesel engines also affected, is

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Ford preparing to shut down Mercury?

Mercury sales have been hard hit during the recession, although the brand had a 20 percent increase in sales for the one-year period ending at the end of April.  Overall, Ford sales for the same 12-month time frame were up 26 percent. Mercury currently offers just four models: Grand Marquis, Mariner, Milan, and Mountaineer. No new products have been announced, and both the Grand Marquis and Mountaineer are not expected to return next year. Ford in recent years has also sold Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo. As such Ford Motor Company may soon have only two brands: Ford

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Introducing the 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ-V, Its Quickest Model Ever

Cadillac introduced the 2026 LYRIQ-V on Tuesday, marking the brand’s first all-electric entry into its high-performance V-Series lineup. The LYRIQ-V boasts impressive performance figures and advanced technology, positioning it as a formidable competitor in the luxury electric SUV segment. The LYRIQ-V is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system producing an estimated 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain enables the vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 3.3 seconds when using the Velocity Max feature, making it the quickest Cadillac ever produced. Key Specifications of the 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ-V: Feature Specification Powertrain Dual-motor AWD Horsepower

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2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Car Review

Fast, rugged rally race cars are designed to go flat out on almost impossibly demanding back roads. While popular in Europe, few Americans know professional rally competition exists, although foreign automakers long have built cars to compete in that sport. In America — mostly a stick-and-ball sport country — the Indianapolis 500 and maybe the Daytona 500, particularly in the South, are the only mass-attraction auto races. Subaru’s street version of a rally car, the Impreza WRX, arrived for 2002. The first versions were bare-bones and marginally comfortable, but a kick to drive. They became more comfortable for American driving

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PREVIEW: 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid, priced lower

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The fifth and newest addition to the Honda Accord electrified vehicle lineup will debut March 23 when the 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid is unveiled at dealerships at a lower price than the previous model. The Accord Hybrid, sibling to the 2018 North American car of the year, will have a starting price of $25,990, including its $890 destination fee. The price reflects a $4,505 price drop from the 2017 model, according to Honda. The Accord Hybrid lineup now comes in five trim levels: Hybrid, EX (new), EX-L, EX-L Navi (new), and Touring. The newest Accord has an estimated gas mileage

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Super Bowl commercials: Fangs, blood and exploding vampires showcase Audi S7

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Few cultural curiosities are bigger than Twilight or the fascination with all things vampire. Even Audi likes the world of fangs and blood and evil, and it's featuring the vampire theme in its Super Bowl commercial for the Audi S7. In the one-minute video, the driver of the Audi arrives at the forest campfire with a supply of blood in the driver's seat. But after he parks the car and his friends begin to greet their friend, daylight — the curse of vampires — appears from the Audi's front lights. One at a time, the vampires "explode." The commercials is

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2022 Acura RDX (Special Edition)

The 2022 Acura RDX, marketed with “refined exterior and interior styling, a dramatically quieter cabin and a retuned suspension,” will debut Sept. 26 at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (California). A hand-crafted, limited-production 2022 RDX PMC Edition will be available at launch. Each 2022 RDX PMC Edition will be adorned in Long Beach Blue Pearl paint with Orchid Milano leather interior, both colors shared with the electrified 600-horsepower NSX Type S supercar. With production limited to just 200 units, it will be Acura‘s most exclusive PMC Edition yet. Each of the vehicles will be individually numbered with a

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2020 Nissan Titan: new, improved, still struggling

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Nearly 20 years ago, someone decided on the not-so-keen idea of naming a full-sized pickup truck after a mythological Greek god. It’s been a curse for the Nissan Titan. Perennially low-selling in the country’s best-selling vehicle segment, the Titan has had only two generations since 2003 and none since 2016. The Titan had the poorest sales of any mainstream full-sized truck last year, losing nearly 38 percent of its share from a year earlier. Refreshing the truck for 2020 was the least Nissan could after only 31,000 Titans were purchased last year. The brand finished an unlucky 13th and at

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