2016 Honda Fit: Hatchback shines as best car value in U.S.

Nearing its 10th year of availability in the United States, the Honda Fit is quickly accelerating its way toward the iconic stature of the Volkswagen Beetle and Toyota Corolla. More than five million units have sold in eight countries since the vehicle debuted in Japan in 2001. After a year’s hiatus, the 2015 Honda Fit was redesigned and featured a more aggressive and stylized exterior appearance for the debut of is third generation. It also featured more standard features, increased cargo space and better gas mileage. For the 2016, why mess with new success? Honda didn’t, and the new Fits

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2017 Volkswagen Beetle: Spry, sporty, vital at age 72

Picking the most recognizable vehicle on the road is endlessly fun. The engine growl of a Maserati heard from another zip code? The near-silent elegance and design of a Tesla? The off-the-hook, testosterone-loaded design of a Hummer? They’re all unique, worthy selections. But like it or not, the Volkswagen Type I, predominately known as the Beetle or Bug, gets the honor. With its high, severely rounded roofline, protruding fenders, distinct lights and overall bulbousness, the 72-year-old Beetle is alone in the auto industry. The VW’s weird pedigree — commissioned by Adolph Hitler in the 1930s to adopted by the Hippie

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The Weekly Driver Podcast, Episode 7, 1959 Volkswagen Bug

Every family has a car story. Bruce Aldrich, the co-host of The Weekly Driver Podcast, inherited a 1959 Volkswagen Bug his father who bought it new. Bruce has more than a 50-year history with the car. He’s the guest in this week’s episode, discussing the legacy of the historic Bug and how it influenced his upbringing and his close relationship with his father and family. Officially, the Volkswagen Beetle and Bug are the Volkswagen Type I. It’s arguably the most recognizable vehicle on the road with its high, severely rounded roofline, protruding fenders, distinct lights and overall bulbousness. It’s now

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So long, farewell to the Volkswagen Beetle

Say goodbye to the most iconic car ever made, the Volkswagen Beetle. A representative from the German automaker told a reporter from the publication Autocar during the Geneva Motor Show that it plans to stop production of the vehicle at the end of its current generation. Frank Welsch, the carmaker’s research and development leader, said, “two or three generations is enough now.” The Volkswagen Beetle is the fourth best-selling vehicle in history, trailing the Toyota Corolla, Ford F series pickup trucks and Volkswagen Golf. But the Beetle’s sales have waned in recent years, with reports the carmaker’s engineers have lost

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So long, Toyota Prius C; It’s been a good eight years

The Toyota Prius c, introduced in December 2011 as the carmaker’s least expensive and smallest hybrid, will likely be retired with the introduction of the 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. According to a report on Motor1.com, the little hatchback will be outdone in its well-touted economy by the new Corolla. Available in the spring of 2019, the EPA has already released the mileage estimates for the new Corolla, 53 mpg in city driving, 52 mpg on the freeway. The Prius c is rated at 48 mpg in city driving, 42 mpg on the highway Fuel economy for the 2020 Corolla Hybrid

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Toyota recall: CBS details Camry, Corolla and siblings production halt with dramatic video

The video features anchor desk and field correspondent reports and footage of two prominent accidents involving Toyota vehicles. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver

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Ray LaHood, U.S. Transportation Secretary, amends 'stop driving Toyotas' statement

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While speaking before a House Appropriation sub-committee on transportation, LaHood said, according to an Associated Press report, “Stop driving it. Take it to a Toyota dealer because they believe they have a fix for it.” LaHood was referring to the eight Toyota models, including the top-selling Camry and Corolla, that were recalled in late January because of the potential of a faulty accelerator pedals. But at the risk of causing further confusion among Toyota owners, LaHood has corrected his statement. He now advises owners of recalled Toyota cars to “Stop driving your car if it shows signs of having a

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Toyota Prius update: Brake complaints continue, U.S. government considers sanctions

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The turbulent times for Toyota Motor Corp. now include problems with the most world’s most popular hybrid — the Toyota Prius. Toyota has received more than 100 complaints in the U.S. and Japan about brake problems with the popular Prius hybrid. Less than two weeks ago, the Toyota Camry and Toyota Corolla, the carmaker’s top-selling vehicles, were among eight Toyota models involved in a recall of more several  millions vehicles with potentially faulty accelerator pedal. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received about 100 complaints involving the brakes of the Prius new model. Two involved crashes resulting in

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Toyota's rise to recall crisis: Reuters details carmaker's woes in timeline

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Reuters was the first to report the recall of the top-selling Prius this week and the news service has been on the competitive edge of the ever-fluctuating automotive industry story since 2000. With Toyota‘s recall now of nine of its vehicles, Camry to Corolla, Lexus to Prius, Reuters has posted a piece its calling: “Timeline: Toyota‘s rise and run-up to its recall crisis.” It begins in 2000 when it reports Toyota launched program known as “Construction of Cost Competitiveness for the 21st Century.” Its aim was to cut costs of 180 key car parts by 30 percent, saving nearly $10

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Toyota Corolla recall: Power steering complaints add to manufacturer's global troubles

Shinichi Sasakim, Toyota‘s quality control executive, says drivers may feel as though they’re losing control over steering. Reasons for the issue are unclear, by Toyota representatives say they’ve received 80 power steering complaints. Since its debut in 1966 and considering sales through 2007, more than 35 million Toyota Corollas have been purchased, one about every 40 seconds. In the past four months, Toyota has recalled more than 8.5 million vehicles globally, including the Corolla, Camry and Prius, due to sticking gas pedals, accelerator problems and faulty brake programming. Meanwhile, Toyota president Akio Toyoda said he does not plan to attend

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Toyota recall hearings: Akio Toyoda testimony key to carmaker's future

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According to a report on AOL Autos, what is expected to occur is that Toyoda will be asked four primary questions about the Toyota recall. 1. Why didn’t Toyota‘s quality-control measures prevent the problems that now affect millions of cars?; 2. How quickly will the automaker be able to bring in and fix those cars?; 3. Why was Toyota so slow to make the decisions to recall them?; 4. Did Toyota cover up any early knowledge about the defects, or put its finger on the scales of research meant to find problems with its vehicles? Toyota U.S. Chief Operating Officer

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Toyota incentive plan: lure back customers with five-year, zero percent financing on recalled models

The new incentives will start March 2 and continue through March. Toyota will offer zero-percent financing for 60 months on some 2010 model year vehicles, including its most popular Camry and Corolla sedans and other vehicles involved in the recalls that involved faulty accelerator pedals. Returning Toyota customers will also receive a complimentary two-year “Toyota Auto Care Premium Package” that includes oil changes and other maintenance services, in addition to cash rebates. Akio Toyoda, whose grandfather founded Toyota, spoke before the U.S. Congress last week in Washington. D.C., to address the recall of more than 8.5 million cars, including several

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Toyota fined maximum $16.4 million by NTHSA, largest in auto history

According to documents obtained from Toyota, NHTSA detailed in a press release the automaker knew some of its cars had sticky accelerator pedals since September 2009 and failed to notify the agency for more than four months. Under federal regulations, automakers are required to inform the agency within five days of determining a safety defect exists in one of its products. “We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations,” said Secretary LaHood. “Worse yet, they knowingly hid a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take action to protect millions of

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Ford Mustang, 1965 car review

Some argue a collectible car must have been built in fairly small numbers to make it exclusive, and thus more desirable and valuable. So how do they explain why the 1965 Ford Mustang is such a popular collectible? After all, it attracted a staggering 680,989 buyers after its early public introduction at the New York World’s Fair in April, 1964. The 1965 Mustang set an all-time record for first-year sales of any new model. Today’s auto market is too fragmented with different types of cars for a single model to ever get the wildly enthusiastic reception of the first Ford

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Audi TT 2011: fast, quiet and turns heads

Few of my test cars turn heads or draw compliments, but the bright red 2011 Audi TT coupe I drove attracted an unusual amount of attention. I expected stares I got from young guys, but was surprised when a middle-aged lady, who looked like the Toyota Camry type, glanced at the zoomy TT and said “Nice car!” The TT is offered in a variety of trim levels, including a top-line $50,000 convertible. But I tested the base, well-equipped $38,300 TT model, which should satisfy most TT buyers. The latest TT has minor styling revisions, including redesigned front and rear bumpers

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Tour of California: caravan of cars traverse the state

Beyond many of world’s best cyclists, including top Tour de France contenders, world titlists and Olympic gold medalists, the 800-mile Tour of California, like other cycling events, features a caravan of automobiles, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. An estimated 300 vehicles are traveling start to finish in sponsors’ cars, including Nissan, the co-sponsor of the RadioShack team, and Acura, the co-sponsor of BMC. Each starting and finish city also has its own law enforcement jurisdictions with a sizable array of police vehicles. The caravan of vehicles is nothing new to bike racing, but the sixth annual Tour of California this year

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