Tony Stewart criminally cleared in Kevin Ward’s death

Tony Stewart, the controversial race car driver known for his aggressive style and fiery temper, will not face criminal charges in Kevin Ward Jr.’s death, a grand jury in New York has decided. Disrtict Attorney Michael Tantillo in Ontario County, N.Y., announced there was no basis for criminal charges. Stewart was racing Aug. 9 in the Empire Super Sprints Series at a half-mile dirt oval in Canandaigua, N.Y., on the night Ward was killed. Ward and Stewart were battling for position midway through the feature race, and Ward hit the outside wall and spun with a flat tire. Upset with

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2014 Toyota RAV4: sporty, versatile compact SUV

Toyota believes in keeping a good thing going. The Toyota RAV4 was the first compact crossover when introduced in the mid-1990s and soon became a hit because it was carlike, practical and economical. It also carried Toyota’s revered name. The fourth generation RAV4 four-door hatchback arrived for 2013 as a significantly redesigned and improved model, so the 2014 model includes just a few new options. Minimal changes are planned in the 2015 RAV4. New items for 2014 include an Entune Audio lineup and a Technology Package option with Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic and Lane Departure Alert. Toyota RAV4:

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Top 5 fastest cars on the planet

The fastest car in the world? Doesn’t it seem like every niche, top-line manufacturer is always seeking the top designation? The current leader since February is Hennessey, but the achievement occurred with an asterisk. The Hennessey Venom GT achieved a top speed of 270.49 mph (435.31 km/h) at the Kennedy Space Center on the Shuttle Landing Facility’s 3.2-mile runway in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Feb. 14. The “record” run was in a single direction, and since only 16 of the Hennessey models have sold to (30 is the minimum for record consideration), the massive speed achievement doesn’t qualify as the

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2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: Best car for $25,000?

The Jetta is the best selling Volkswagen and the main reason is its versatility. It’s available in about 40 configurations and trims, including the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. It’s the diesel edition of the mid-size sedan. It features a 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder matched with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission and 140 horsepower. The Weekly Driver’s Test Drive In the 10 years I’ve written The Weekly Driver coumn, I’ve driven the Volkswagen Jetta TDI several times and each time I’ve been perplexed. Why isn’t this version of the Jetta more popular? Is the stigma against diesel engines strictly based

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2015 Honda CR-V unveiled, debuts October 1

A week away from its official unveiling, a glimpse of the 2015 Honda CR-V has been unveiled via one image and an uninformative brief press release from the Japanese automaker. In its press release, the redesigned Honda CR-V is described: “A new aggressive and bold appearance with unique Honda style portends the significant enhancements made to the 2015 CR-V. Going on sale October 1, complete information on the newest version of the best-selling SUV in America will be available September 30.” As the best-selling crossover in the United States, the Honda CR-V, had its best sales volume in 2013 with

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The 2014 Lincoln MKZ: Strong luxury car contender

Maybe you’d rather have a Lincoln. The 2014 Lincoln MKZ sedan turns heads, and it’s been a long time since this automaker has built a car that does that. MKZ is part of Lincoln‘s attempt to put it on the lists of more luxury car buyers. It has the looks, ride and handling to make it competitive with some Cadillacs and foreign luxury car models. Steering is sharp, an adaptive suspension makes the ride comfortable, and the car handles as well as some top-line European and Asian luxury sports sedans. The brake pedal has a good feel and causes the

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10 Best Cars Gone to the Dogs

Traveling with the family dog in the car is great. But some carmakers make it easier and safer than other manufacturers to travel with an animal. A blanket in the back of a station wagon can still work with a calm dog. But it’s not really safe if a driver is forced to stop suddenly. And arguably the bigger the dog, the more difficult it is to accommodate the family pet on a vacation or just on a trio the veterinarian or the local park. Fortunately for all parties involved, an increasing number of carmakers understand. It’s a good thing,

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Easy Rider fantasy? No problem for $1 million

The chopped motorcycle ridden by Peter Fonda in the iconic 1969 movie “Easy Rider” is for sale and could attract a selling priced of more than $1 million. The auction house Profiles in History told The Associated Press the motorcycle will go on Oct. 18 online and at its gallery in Calabasas, California. The seller is Michael Eisenberg, a California businessman who once co-owned a Los Angeles motorcycle-themed restaurant with Fonda and “Easy Rider” co-star Dennis Hopper. Eisenberg bought the bike year from Dan Haggerty, perhaps best known for his roles in the “Grizzly Adams” TV show and movies. Haggerty

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Best new cars for about $20,000

The average price of a new car in the United States is about $30,000. Doesn’t that still seem like a lot? What if the average car buyer can only afford around $20,000 on a new car? Are there new cars with price tags of $20,000 that are worthy purchases? In a word, yes. Family sedans to entry-level sports cars to manufacturers whose iconic cars are among the best-selling cars in history all have models available for about $20,000. And they’re, without doubt, some worthy automobiles. Here’s a list and a synopsis of two of out favorite cars among the 10

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What’s in a badge? Everything for carmakers

By any name — badge, emblem, insignia, logo, nameplate — whatever symbol a car manufacturer uses to market and showcase its vehicles means a lot in the automotive industry. Some car badges are globally recognizable, while other a far less well known but remain distinguished among collectors and automotive insiders. A car badge is some ways is no different from a badge on a law enforcement officer. In different ways, it means the same thing — authority. The three-point star of Mercedes-Benz means the authority of the open road and Germany engineering. The Leaping Jaguar is unmistakable as the symbol

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Michael Schumacher rests at home with police assist

The media didn’t want to leave former race car driver Michael Schumacher alone in his home near Lake Geneva, so Swiss policemen have been detailed to ensure the legendary race car driver is allowed to recover in peace. According to a report on AutoWeek.com, Schumacher returned home this week after eight months of hospitalization in France and Switzerland following a ski accident. The report detailed that “swarms” of photographers and television crews gathered at Schumacher’s home in Gland, Switzerland. The mass assemblage of media apparently included a Russian news agency seeking to establish a live stream outside the Schumacher’s home.

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2015 Honda Fit: New best subcompact?

It looks like Honda has hit another bases-loaded home run with its new 2015 Honda Fit. The feisty subcompact was love at first sight to many when it arrived for 2007. It was affordable, economical, nicely sized and — importantly — fun to drive. The redesigned 2015 Fit four-door hatchback tops the first and second-generation Fit models and doesn’t cost much more than the 2014 Fit. List prices for the more refined LX, EX and top-line EX-L models range from $15,525 for the base LX with a new six-speed manual transmission to $19,800 for the better equipped EX-L with a

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Five Best Factors to Consider When Purchasing Car Insurance

By Zev Goldstein Legendary comedian Don Rickles once quipped, “Show business is my life. When I was a kid, I sold insurance, but nobody laughed.” You know as well as I do that the car insurance business can be no laughing matter. Between the increased cost premiums and the seemingly endless number of possible companies we could insure with, it can be difficult to handle. Here are some useful tips to help you choose the best car insurance: Determine a Good Coverage Level Sometimes, coverage choices are already made for you. For instance, your state already mandates legal minimum coverages

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PREVIEW: 2016 Mazda MX-5, longer, lighter

With events held simultaneously in California, Spain and Tokyo, the 2016 Mazda MX-5 was unveiled Sept. 3 as a lighter, more angular fourth generation of the best-selling two-seat roadster in history. Introduced 25 years ago, the Mazda MX-5, formerly known as the Miata, had reached total production of 940,000 units in July to correspond to the car’s 25th anniversary. The Mazda MX-5, which is expected to go on sale next year, is also expected to make its North American debut at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, Mazda didn’t

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Joan Rivers, comic, Dodge spokeswoman, dead at 81

Throughout her long and often raunchy career, Joan Rivers maintained the ability to laugh at herself. She even did so as a spokesperson for what seemed out of character — promoting Dodge. Rivers, who died Sept. 4 at the age of 81, didn’t know anything but full-speed ahead. She ripped celebrities. She told dirty jokes. She had more plastic surgery than Tammy Faye Baker. And in this 30-second commercial for Chrysler, she compares the car’s leather to the leather on her face. Rivers could be polarizing. Her humor was funny, biting, and often cruel. Johnny Carson helped make Rivers famous,

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2014 FIat 500: Proud little Italian subcompact

Since the FIAT 500 returned to the United States four years ago for the first time in about 30 years, I’ve driven at least a half-dozen of the little cars. They’re fun to drive and they have a refreshing amount of attitude as little engines that can. The FIAT acronym stands for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, with Fiat as the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy and ninth largest globally. The FIAT acronym does not stand for “Fix It Again, Tony,” the infamous, harsh definition. Owners of FIATs seemingly love to complain about their cars, but they often buy more than

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