Toyota Corolla, Honda Fit among top-5 cars less than $20,000

For several years, the average price of a new car in the United States has hovered around $30,000. But it wasn’t too many years ago when the $30,000 plateau was the starting point of entry level luxury vehicles. But what if the average new car buyer can only afford to spend $20,000? Are there new 2015 vehicles with price tags of $20,000 worth purchasing? In a word, yes. Family sedans to entry-level sports cars to manufacturers whose models are among the best-selling in history — all have quality new vehicles available with starting prices of less than $20,000. And they’re,

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2016 Kia Sorento: Underdog SUV gains on Toyota, Hyundai

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With increasing competition among sport utility vehicles, the 2016 Kia Sorento is nearly all new to keep up with the pace. It’s been re-styled inside and outside. It’s slightly bigger in most dimensions and there are lots of new high-tech options. And there’s also versatility with three different engine options. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Available in five trims and in five and seven-seat configurations, the 2016 Kia Sorento is arguably the most versatile midsize SUV in the marketplace. My test vehicle was the topline SXL or Limited. It’s among the V6-powered Sorentos with seven-passenger only seating in three rows.

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60 Minutes, Mercedes-Benz steer driverless cars

In its segment on driverless cars, 60 Minutes showcased the latest technology being hotly pursued by numerous automakers, most notably Mercedes-Benz and Audi. With Bill Whitaker as the segment host and Mercedes-Benz engineer Alex Hilliger von Thile as the “driver” the duo took a spin in a Mercedes F015. It’s the futuristic-looking prototype the German carmaker is testing as car that does the driving — on a pre-programmed course. The sleek Mercedes-Benz had a lot newfangled equipment: As the segment detailed: * Any passenger can control the car from any seat, two of which can face forward or backward; *

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New Bugatti Chiron: 0-60 mph, 2.0 seconds, $2.5 million

A decade ago, the Bugatti Veyron set the standard for supercars. Now the iconic carmaker is attempting to reclaim its former top perch with the Bugatti Chiron. While vehicles like the Porsche 918 Spyder and McLaren P1 have come into prominence, the Bugatti Chiron will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2016 with numerous upgrades from its current sibling. The more powerful Bugatti is expected to have direct injection and electrically-powered turbochargers. It’s reportedly also going to feature 1,500 horsepower and 1,100 pound-feet of torque. The current Veyron is an 8.0-liter, 16-cylinder motor in a W configuration and

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Tesla debuts super fast $130,000 gullwing SUV

After nearly two years of delays, Tesla has unveiled its $130,000 sport utility vehicle Model X with the electric carmaker’s owner claiming it’s the “safest, fastest and most capable sport utility vehicle in history.” Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla, debuted the vehicle at the company’s factory in Fremont, California, and also gave keys to a handful of new customers. According to the Tesla website, the Model X can seat seven adults and accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds. There’s also an option for the standard 0-60 mph test in 3.2 seconds with Tesla’s

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Ford recalls 375,000 cars, trucks, including F-150

Ford Motor Company has issued five safety recalls and one safety compliance recall in North America on a diverse group of vehicles dating to 1998 and totaling about 375,000 vehicles. The recalled vehicles range from 18-year-old from Ford Windstar vans to some models of the 2016 Ford Fusion. Here are the details: 1998-2003 Ford Windstar — About 340,000 units have been recalled for rear axle inspection for a potential issue with a previous safety recall repair. The risk is the combined effects of corrosion and stress that can lead to cracks and fracture. The previous recall repair involved installing a

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Buying a new or used car? Buyer beware

Buying a car for the first time can be intimidating. From the disreputable reputations of salespeople to the realities of financing fine print, how does a buyer know if they’re making the right choice? There’s plenty of advice available. Many industry experts are wise, cultivating years of data from buyers’ experiences. But other “experts” may lead a buyer toward a vehicle with their own financial gain as the top priority. Used cars have more potential issues, but first-time new car buyers should take note. The auto industry continues to collectively improve its products. There’s more competition, so carmakers have improved

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2016 Mazda CX-5: Versatile, sporty, fuel efficient

The Mazda CX-5 replaced the Mazda Tribute and Mazda CX-7 in 2012 as a 2013 model, and it has succeeded quickly in the popular compact SUV segment. For 2016, the Mazda CX-5 has been refreshed with minor interior and exterior upgrades, including improved materials quality, additional insulation and an improved technology interface. There’s also improved and additional equipment in option packages. Some former options, including Bluetooth and audio connectivity, are now standard to keep up with improved compact SUV offerings from other manufacturers. The Weekly Driver Test Drive With its new features and options and its availability in three trims

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Pope Francis goes climate big in small way with Fiat 500

The frugality of Pope Francis is not a new topic. But when the pontiff disembarked the plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sept. 22 he showed the world audience another example of his preferred lifestyle. He chose a black Fiat 500L in which to ride from the airport into Washington, D.C. The Fiat 500L, which has a base price of just under $20,000, was dwarfed by numerous blacked-out SUVs in the Pope’s motorcade. But for his first visit to the United States, Pope Francis was simply continuing his preferred method of travel. During his papacy, Pope Francis has

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Volkswagen CEO Winterkorn quits in emissions scandal

Martin Winterkorn, the CEO of Volkswagen, resigned Sept. 23, one day after the manufacturer acknowledged 11 million Volkswagen-made cars have software that dupes official emissions tests. “I am shocked by the events of the past few days,” Winterkorn said in a statement. “Above all, I am stunned misconduct on such a scale was possible in the Volkswagen Group.” The announcement came less than one week after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the car company put software in diesel cars that turns emissions control systems off when the car isn’t undergoing official tests. Volkswagen is faced with several fallouts, investors

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Volkswagen emissions scandal affects 11 million cars globally

The software Volkswagen used to cheat on official diesel engine emissions tests affects 11 million cars globally dating to 2009, the carmaker and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have announced. The EPA, which unveiled its findings on Sept. 18, reported it found wide variations in emissions from VW cars that use a “defeat device” to fool emissions tests. The EPA also announced it’s ordering VW to issue a recall for about 482,000 VW and Audi cars that have 4-cylinder turbo diesel engines. The cars being recalled are equipped with software that detects when an official emissions test begins — and

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Janis Joplin’s psychedelic Porsche set for Sotheby’s auction

The 1965 Porsche 356C 1600 Cabriolet that Janis Joplin drove as a daily driver throughout California will be part of the RM Sotheby’s exclusive “Driven by Disruption” sale in New York City on December 10. The vintage sports car is described by an auction representative as, “without question one of the most important Porsches of all time.” Joplin purchased the Porsche in September 1968, but she decided the original Pearl White finish was slightly too conservative. She engaged Dave Richards, a friend and roadie with her band, Big Brother and the Holding Company, to customize the car with a kaleidoscopic

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Porsche goes electric to chase Tesla dominance

Porsche, the sports car manufacturer well-established in performance and craftsmanship, is now seeking to establish a market to counter the dominance of Tesla in the luxury electric car segment. Porsche recently unveiled its first electric concept, the Mission E, at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Observers commented it looked like a futuristic version of a Porsche 911. The German carmaker said the four-door Mission E will be able to drive approximately 310 miles on a single charge. Porsche said the model should take 15 minutes to charge to about 80 percent of its capacity. The Tesla currently requires about 30 minutes

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2016 Honda Civic gets sporty

Honda has introduced, via YouTube, the 2016 Honda Civic sedan, the 10th generation of the enduring compact car. The sedan trim is among several new Civic models that will debut in the fall of 2105. The coupe, high-performance Si models, a 5-door hatchback and the first Civic Type-R model for the U.S. market will also be unveiled later this year as part of the new chapter in the Civic’s 43-year history. The 2016 Honda Civic will feature two all-new engines – including the first application of Honda turbo engine technology in the U.S. These powerful and fuel-efficient new engines combine

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2016 Acura MDX: More technology, comfort for luxury SUV

Although it’s not a new generation, the 2016 Acura MDX has several updates from its one-year-older predecessor. The new edition of the luxury sport utility vehicle has a nine-speed, push-button automatic transmission and a revised all-wheel drive system. A frameless rearview mirror and several technology features are also new. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The three-row, seven-passenger Acura MDX feature a 3.5-liter, 290-horsepower with the aforementioned nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, but my weekly driver featured the optional all-wheel drive. There’s a lot of competition in luxury SUVs and buyers can make diverse choices. With the Acura MDX,

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VW made $600 car for China, but did world’s cheapest car vanish?

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A new cheap single-seat car, introduced several years via a prototype, was scheduled for release recently China and would have made the Tata Nano, the not-too-long ago world’s cheapest car, seem expensive. Made in Hamburg, Germany, and shown only to Volkswagen stockholders in secrecy, the unnamed vehicle was said to 4,000 Yuan or the equivalent of $600. That’s about one-third of the cost of the original Tata Nano, the India-made vehicle that debuted via much publicity in 2009. (But has anyone heard anything further about arguably one of oddest-looking vehicles in history?) The new vehicle, built in Germany, was predicted

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