Volvo C30, 2013: Cool look, safe ride got Swedish retro hatchback extinct quickly

The Volvo P1800ES is arguably the coolest and most unheralded sports cars from the 1970s. It’s still around and without too much difficulty could be mistaken for the current Volvo C30. The current version has also been discontinued, which means 40 years from now it will look as hip and the P1800ES, now also in its 40s. Both have the unique-to-the-industry tapering roofline and glass hatchback. Volvo has always been known for industry-leading safety features. But the Volvo C30, introduced in 2008, is several steps away. It’s a perceived sports car, and it never sold particularly well. The 2013 edition

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Ford F-150, country’s best-seller, facing NHTSA scrutiny for power failure

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The Ford F-150 pickup truck, the best-selling vehicle in the United States, is under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration scrutiny. The NHTSA has opened preliminary investigation into 400,000 of the perennially popular trunks from 2011-2013 for acceleration problems. The NHTSA has received 95 reports of incidents of reduced engine power during hard accelerations in 2011-2013 Ford F-150 trucks equipped with 3.5-liter gasoline turbocharged direct injection engines. Some complaints allege unexpected sharp reductions in engine power during hard accelerations at highway speeds, such as attempted merging or passing maneuvers. NHTSA said Ford has issued three technical service bulletins related to intermittent

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Drivers feign poor vision to police officers most often to escape tickets

Car websites compile creative lists — best used car buys to most expensive sports cars and most family friendly cars to best cars for pets. Arguably the most creative list compiled in recent memory is the list compiled about driving habits, specifically the excuses given when drivers get tickets. The website Insurance.com earlier this year polled 500 licensed drivers age 18 older and older and their approach to negotiating with a police officer after being stopped for a violation. The most common excuse given by motorists was the inability to see the sign that  prohibited their just committed infraction. In

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2013 Nissan Pathfinder: best family affair on wheels

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There was a time when categorizing a car as a “family car” translated into “boring car.” But that generalization, once well-founded, is now long gone. With 2013 models, including the top-rated Nissan Pathfinder, a new definition is particularly necessary. Family cars are great for families and some great family cars, like the Honda Odyssey and Honda CR-V, are so versatile, they’re ideal for families of one, too. Kelley Blue Book (KBB), the esteemed vehicle assessment site, likes car lists and one of its best annual lists is its Best Family Car list. The editors at KBB have selected the 2013

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2013 Toyota Corolla: still a desirable, economical compact sedan

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The 2013 Toyota Corolla continues the solid reputation of all Corollas, first sold in America in 1968. The front-drive compact Corolla is arguably the world’s top-selling car. Corolla rivals have come and gone, but they currently include the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Mazda 3. A sporty Corolla has been offered on and off during the past decade with a larger, more powerful four-cylinder. But it’s never fit the Corolla’s economy car image and thus has never sold very well. It’s gone for 2013. The refined 2013 Corolla likely will be the last version of the latest generation

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Top art deco cars from The Great Gatsby era, Buick to Corsair

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GearPatrol.com is a compelling website with a compelling motto: “Spirt of Adventure, Passion For Gear.” One recent post, Ten Great Art Deco Cars, features stunning images and succinct, informative descriptions of cars long gone and some that only existed as concepts. Two of the cars featured in post, a 1948 Timbs Buick Streamliner and the Phantom Corsair, a concept, were particularly stunning were included in a timely connection with the current movie The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Describing the Buick Streamliner, the site writes in part: A mechanical engineer named Norman E. Timbs designed and built this sleek number

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Car loans offer used car financing alternative

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A car loan is normally a personal loan that incorporates fixed monthly payments over a fixed term and with a fixed interest rate. They are widely available from finance companies, direct lenders, banks and building societies. If you’re wondering how to finance a second-hand car purchase, let carshop.co.uk/car-finance talk you through one method – a car loan. How do they differ from Higher-Purchase agreements? Unlike hire purchase agreements, car loans are generally “unsecured” which means the finance is not secured against the car you have bought.  As such, you and not the finance company are the legal owner of the

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Acura RLX, 2014: Odd-looking luxury sedan elegant, plush, pricey (video)

What should a consumer expect from a car with a starting point of just under $50,000? That’s the beginning price of 2014 Acura RLX, the new medium-sized Acura luxury sedan. The Acura RLX replaces the RL as the carmaker’s top sedan, and it’s firmly positioned against a few heavy-hitters — the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Lexus GS 350. Like its rivals, the Acura RLX has a lot to offer with a variety of trims, powerful engines and enough plushness and superior touches to make it hard not to like. For starters, it has a 3.5.-liter V6 with 310

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Driving the Tour of California #4: Divine navigation the way to go in 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

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The first few days of the Amgen Tour of California involved only 10-mile round-trip treks from San Diego to Escondido, a welcome respite from the nearly 500-mile pre-race trek from Sacramento. But the multiple-hour treks returned for stages 2 and 3 and they reiterated my appreciate for the navigation system in the 2013 Santa Fe I’m driving for two weeks and for an estimated 2,000 miles. As previously mentioned, the Digital Navigation System in the Santa Fe is arguably the best I’ve used in the 10 years I’ve been reviewing cars. It has an eight-inch screen and offers a clear

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Review: 2013 Lexus LS 460 pricey luxury sedan refined with more luxury

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Lexus turned the luxury car market upside down in America when it introduced its big LS 400 luxury sedan in 1989. Suddenly, it seemed as if you were a sap if you bought a Cadillac or Mercedes instead of the Lexus LS. It was especially true in trend-setting places such as Beverly Hills — although Lexus had no luxury car track record in America and came from Toyota, which had still had a definite economy car image. Along with the LS 400, Lexus introduced a new, smaller, less expensive Lexus sedan. Called the ES250, it was clearly a thinly disguised

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John Lennon’s rare Ferrari and his first ticket to ride set for Bonhams auction

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Nearly five decades since John Lennon received his first driver’s license and purchased his first car, a 1965 Ferrari 330GT, the former Beatle’s classic sports car will be featured at Bonhams auction July 12 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. Lennon, who owned the classic Ferrari for about three years, paid slightly more than $10,000 for the new right-hand driver Ferrari and drove it for about 20,000 miles. Now restored to its original status, the Ferrari is expected to sell for between $275,000-$340,00 as one of only 500 330GT of its type built. According to Bohhams, the car

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Driving the Tour of California #3: Arriving in Los Angeles madness in a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

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The final stretch of my drive from Sacramento to San Diego for the start of the Tour of California took me over the steep, winding Grapevine into the hectic nature of the Los Angeles basin and finally to San Diego. How anyone can maintain their stress level commuting in the Los Angeles area on either Highway 101 or the 405 is beyond me. I’ve driven both highways in recent years at different times of the day, and it’s always madness. Unlike the aggressive driving in Europe in which drivers also have skill, many Southern California drivers appear to be motivated

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Ford pick-ups from 2008 investigated for faulty steering

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Ford is perennially the top-selling pick-up truck in the United States, but two models of the 2008 lineup are being investigated for faulty steering gear boxes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is opening a preliminary investigation into 340,000 Ford F250 and F350 Super Duty trucks from 2008 after several reported crashes. According to the NHTSA, five complaints alleging an internal failure of the steering gear box resulting in a complete loss of steering control and resulted in the the driver crashing the truck into a parked car at 20 miles per hour. A second report said failure of

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2013 Toyota Avalon: Redesigned as sleeker, lighter Lexus twin

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The revamped 2013 Toyota Avalon sedan is a far cry from the first Avalon, which debuted for 1995 as a stretched, roomy version of the Toyota Camry with a front bench seat (remember those?) and a column shifter. Toyota called it the “most American of Toyotas,” and it was sort of a Japanese Buick. The plain-looking, front-drive Avalon eventually was upgraded with such things as improved styling for 1998 and a larger V-6 for 2005. But as late as 2011 it still had a soft suspension and floaty ride, with small steering corrections needed during turnpike crosswinds and pavement changes.

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Driving the Tour of California #2: It’s time for The Grapevine in a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

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It’s nice to have friends who know cars. One friend who owns a Corvette and has rebuilt vintage Triumphs likes to look at the engine of every car I drive, even when there’s often not much to see since they’re often covered. Another friend always asks about the weight of cars since he’s a pilot and such matters are important. Another friend is keen on sound systems and other friend immediately notices the design and material quality of interiors. This friend, who owns a Subaru Outback and a vintage Volkswagen bug, took one look at the 2013 Santa Fe I’m

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Driving the Tour of California #1: On the way to San Diego in a Hyundai Santa Fe

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Hyundai‘s expanded lineup in recent years has received vast praise for its value, warranty and workmanship. It all adds up to increased visibility and sales for the South Korean manufacturer in the madness of the ever-complex auto industry. Arguably the most competitive auto segment is the growing SUV and crossover market, where Hyundai‘s Santa Fe is an emerging option. I’ll be reviewing the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe (Limited) for the next two weeks during the Tour of California. The professional bike race is now in its eighth year and features Tour de France-caliber riders, Olympians and world titlists from many

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