2016 Honda Civic gets Car of the Year honors in Detroit

The perennially best-selling Honda Civic, manufactured since 1972 and in its 10th generation, was named 2016 North American Car of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Volvo XC90 took top truck honors. Both models are repeat winners. The Honda Civic won the best car award in 2006. The Volvo XC90 claimed Truck of the Year in 2003. Repeat Honor For Honda Civic It was the third time since the awards were launched in 1993 domestic automakers were shut out Honda swept the awards with the Civic and Ridgeline winning in 2006. Land Rover and

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2017 Preview: Honda Ridgeline Longer, wider, innovative

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The 2017 Honda Ridgeline was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit with the pickup’s versatility, capability and comfort emphasized. Designed, developed and manufactured in America, the Ridgeline will be available to he public on a yet-to-be announced date in the first half of 2016. Honda is promoting the midsize pickup as having the “largest, most versatile cabin.” It’s touted as the “only 4-foot-wide flat bed space in the midsize pickup segment, along with payload capacity rivaling top competitors.” Powered by a 3.5-liter, direct-injected i-VTEC™ V-6 engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, the Honda Ridgeline will

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Elio Motors counters NHTSA rule with spirited retort

Elio Motors reacted quickly to Internet reports that a pending legislation from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) could further delay the production of the highly marketed and often delayed debut of its three-wheel, 84 mpg vehicle. According to the accounts, the NHTSA has introduced a proposal to change its regulations related to three-wheeled vehicles. If enacted, Elio could face increased costs and further be delayed in its latest debut prediction of the unique-looking vehicle. Via Elio’s spokesman, Paul Elio, the company’s founder and CEO, released the following statement: “Elio Motors remains committed to engineering our vehicle to the

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Could pending NHTSA rule mean Elio Motors is doomed?

Elio Motors has faced many obstacles, financing to missed deadlines. But it could now be faced with its toughest adversary — the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Elio has touted is three-wheeled, two-seat car and its projected 84 mpg for a few years. But if the NHTSA prevails, the futuristic-looking vehicle won’t be able to be classified as a motorcycle and thus will not circumvent the stricter safety and efficiency regulations that govern cars. As such, Elio would face increased costs and could further delay the expect the first production the vehicle until 2017 — if not indefinitely. Elio

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Volkswagen may buy back your dirty diesel

If you own a Volkswagen with a diesel engine affected by the recent emission scandal, the German carmaker may buy back your car. A German newspaper has reported Volkswagen Group “assumes it will have to buy back about 115,000 cars in the United States,” according to Reuters. Volkswagen officials have been working with U.S. regulators to come to an agreement about how best to fix the nearly 600,000 diesel vehicles in the U.S. discovered to illegally include software that misrepresents the emissions levels. The devices helped some of Volkswagen Group’s cars pass emissions tests in a lab but allowed the cars

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Gas Mileage Averages Climb But New Rules Loom

It’s still a decade away, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and federal government a few years ago mandated a pending regulation. By 2025, new vehicles sold in the United States will be required to attain a combined 54.5 mpg. The automotive industry is improving, with a few surprising improved gas mileage averages in performance-oriented cars. But there are also disappointing mpg results, particularly among expensive sedans and sports cars. In one recent tally, the EPA reported new cars sold in 2013 averaged 24.1 mpg. That was more than 5 mpg more than new cars sold in 1995 averaged. Consider

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2016 Honda HR-V: Compact SUV adds to brand’s legacy

The 2016 Honda HR-V, the newest and smallest of the manufacturer’s successful lineup of sport utility vehicles, debuted last year. It joined the increasingly competitive subcompact SUV segment that includes newly en vogue vehicles like the Nissan Juke, Mazda CX-3 and Fiat 500X. The Honda HR-V (Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle) also joined the Honda CR-V (Compact Recreational Vehicle), and the Honda Pilot in the manufacturer’s SUV lineup. The Honda Element, a fourth SUV option, ceased production a few years ago. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Available in three trims, my weekly driver was the top-line EX-L. Like all Honda vehicles it

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President Obama smooth, Seinfeld sputters in Corvette

Congratulations to Jerry Seinfeld for cruising around the White House driveway with President Obama in a 1963 Corvette Stingray. It was the opening episode of the seventh season of the clever program “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee.” It only could have gone worse if the car didn’t start. Like Seinfeld’s comedy act and his longstanding television program, the mini-series on the Crackle network is about nothing except if you like vintage cars, comedians, coffee and the relationship Seinfeld has with his comedian friends. It’s often brilliant, but it wasn’t this time. President Obama may like Seinfeld, but he doesn’t appear

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Parking in Los Angeles is a pain, but there’s relief

Major metropolitan cities can be a source of constant frustration for daily commuters and tourists. As the country’s second-largest metropolitan area after New York, Los Angeles has more than its share of transportation problems. Parking in Los Angeles is among the most troublesome issues. In addition to often futile searching, the cost of  public parking in downtown Los Angeles is prohibitive. The issue is also not likely to be resolved soon since the population of Los Angeles metro area increased by nearly 3.5 percent from 2010 to 2014, according the U.S Census Bureau. But Los Angeles, like other large and

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TheWeeklyDriver.com names Best 12 Vehicles of 2015

For the ninth straight year, TheWeeklyDriver.com has selected its Best 12 Vehicles of the Year. Ford, Honda and Hyundai each have two vehicles on the 2015 list, which this year has expanded from the usual top-10 list to a dozen selections. As editor and publisher of the TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004, I fully reviewed 38 cars and trucks with 2015 model years. I also drove a half-dozen other cars briefly at manufacturer preview days. This year’s list has expanded to a dozen vehicles for one simple reason: Manufacturers keep making better machines. For the first time since the end-of-the-year list began,

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Fiat-Chrysler woes continue with Jeep, Dodge recall

Several types of Jeep sport utility vehicles as well as a Dodge Durango model totaling 570,000 units from 2011 and 2012 have been recalled for fire risks in two campaigns linked to problems with vanity mirror wiring and a low-pressure hose. The two brands’ problems are another dubious occurrence for Fiat Chrysler. Earlier this month, the manufacturer agreed to pay another $70 million in fines for failing to report vehicle crash deaths and injuries since 2003.   The recall includes: 477,000 2011-2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation

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President Obama, Jerry Seinfeld to cruise White House

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, the car, coffee and comedy show that gave the television network Crackle its first prominent show, will have its highest profile guest to begin its seventh season, President Obama. The season debut, taped in early December at the White House, will feature host Jerry Seinfeld picking up President Obama at The White House in a 1963 Corvette Stingray Split Window Coupe. According to several media outlets, the Seinfeld and President Obama will drive loops around the famed resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. President Obama to Appear on Dec. 30 In previous episodes of the limited

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2016 Kia Optima further challenges Accord, Camry

Since its debut in 2000, the Kia Optima has made steady, small progress to loosen the dominance of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in the midsize sedan market. With the debut of the fifth generation 2016 Kia Optima, the South Korean upstart can no longer be considered a fringe offering for the budget-minded car buyer. While sharing the platform of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata, the 2016 Kia Optima features a host of new exterior and interior design offerings, including a new trim, the 1.6T or turbocharged inline four-cylinder. The new model is also slightly longer, wider and taller than

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Ford recalls 318,000 new trucks and old sedans

If you own a 2016 Ford truck or a 13-year-old Ford Crown Victoria it could be among the 318,000 varying vehicles the manufacturer has recalled for a host of reasons. Headlight failure linked to 11 crashes is the reason Ford has recalled 313,000 Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis units from 2003 to 2005. The light module’s solder joints could crack and interrupt power to the headlights and thus increase the risk of crash at night. The Ford Crown Victoria was often used as a police vehicle or taxis before the automaker phased it out in 2011. The U.S. National

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2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Lighter, faster, more fun

A guy in a shopping center parking lot looked over at me and said, “Nice car.” He then pointed to his identical 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata parked about 50 feet from my test vehicle. “You’re taller than I am,” I replied. “Is it hard for you to get in and out of the car?” “I’m 6-4 and it is, but it’s worth it,” the guy responded. And so it is for Mazda MX-5 enthusiasts. The best-selling roadster in history has a new generation for 2016 and it’s among the most talked about vehicles in the industry. The Weekly Driver Test

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Google, Ford new driving force in driverless cars?

The ever-advancing quest to be at the front of the pack in the self-driving car industry has taken another intriguing turn with the report Google and Ford are establishing a partnership. According to a report on Yahoo Autos, the two iconic companies’ partnership will be announced at the Consumer Electronic Show, scheduled January 6-9, 2016 in Las Vegas. Google has been experimenting with driverless cars for several years. Dozens of the pod-shaped vehicles are commonly seen on on public roads in Mountain View, California, and in Austin, Texas. The two cities are Google hotbeds, the former location is the technology

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