The 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon may be the perfect car for a cross-state trip chasing a professional bike race. As contributing editor and videographer Roman Mice details, that’s exactly how The Weekly Driver is reporting on the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. The inaugural event, Aug. 22-28, featuring 17 teams and the top-three finishers in this year’s Tour de France, covers 518 mile in seven days. Driving throughout Colorado, including well-known cities, Aspen to Vail to Denver, the Acura TSX advanced throughout the mountains as comfortable wagon. It appears it likes the challenge of chasing the riders of the 2011
The redone 2011 Saab 9-5 Saab can hold its own with top European sports/luxury sedans. The Swedish automaker once had a reputation for being a capable but offbeat (by U.S. standards) outfit with a distinguished aircraft design background. I once roared across Sweden in a new Saab turbocharged model on a media trip and toured the plant where Saab built jet fighter airplanes. General Motors bought part of Saab years ago, then purchased the entire outfit —leaving it pretty much alone during most of its ownership. That allowed Saab to continue making cars considered out of the mainstream by many
The reasonably priced second-generation 2012 Nissan Versa Sedan offers good value. While lively, it’s no thrill. It just provides solid basic, comfortable transportation. Nissan is mainly aiming the new Versa Sedan at single 25-29 year-old college graduates with no children. However, Nissan said at a preview of the car in Seattle the new car also should appeal to older buyers on budgets who want a roomy, economical compact car. The front-drive Versa looks more aerodynamic than distinctive. But it has clever, more-efficient packaging. Automakers strive to make new editions lighter. But the new Versa sedan is fully 150 pounds lighter
The aggressive, blunt styling of the Acura TL has given way for 2012 to a smoother, more mainstream look. The nicely built car’s controversial front “beak” is gone, replaced by a reshaped fascia with a smaller grille. The rear also has been revised, with new bumpers, reshaped taillights and a thinner trunk edge. The car’s front overhang has been reduced, which helps give the car a lower, wider appearance. Adding to a sporty look are prominent dual exhaust outlet tips and body color door handles. The TL is a sleek four-door sedan offered with front-wheel drive or Acura’s advanced “Super
I recently was in the left front seat of an older Subaru Forester at highways speeds, but with no steering wheel in front of me. Not to worry. I was in Australia, where the steering wheel is on the right side and vehicles are driven in the left lane. My daughter was at the wheel. I recently tested a 2011 Forester four-door small SUV (or “crossover,” if you will) after returning to America. This third-generation Forester, which was new for 2009, is appreciably larger in every dimension than the last generation model, with a roomier back seat. It’s styling is
There are enough versions of the revamped, roomier, fuel-stingy 2012 Civic coupe and sedan to satisfy many small-car buyers, but most Civics have little personality. Some rivals are more fun to drive. That’s a step backward, at least as far as driving enthusiasts are concerned. At one time, the front-wheel-drive Civic was a lively Japanese car with a European feel. It was a kick to drive. Most of the new ninth-generation models feel generic. On the other hand, they’re very accomplished and deliver high fuel economy — not to mention good resale value. But only the latest $22,205-$22,405 Civic Si
Twelve years after it re-introduced the Beetle, Volkswagen has announced pricing for the third-generation of its classic “people’s car.” The new 2012 “21st Century” Beetle will start $18,995, offering a more muscular design that honors the Beetle’s past with revisions that offer a stronger, more powerful coupe. Unlike the other options in its segment, few vehicles offer consumers the heritage and character of the Volkswagen Beetle. “Cross shoppers might consider the Mini Cooper or Fiat 500,” said Jesse Toprak, VP of Industry Trends and Insights at TrueCar.com, but “most consumers looking to purchase the Beetle are already determined to buy
The Mercedes-Benz 2011 four-passenger CL550 coupe I tested from the automaker’s CL-Class line is a throwback to the grand Mercedes coupes of decades ago. That was when Mercedes engineers were given a pretty free hand to design the automaker’s large sedan and coupe models, complete with thick double-pane side glass. Those big powerful cars thus were superlative and majestic. Although heavy, they were fast and had no serious competition in America, where they were overqualified for most U.S. driving — and for most U.S. drivers, who were accustomed to soft U.S. luxury cars. The new CL550 coupe is the entry
The 2013 Ford Taurus, which debuted at the recent New York International Auto Show, delivers better fuel economy, more technology, design refinement, improved craftsmanship and enhanced driving dynamics. The new Taurus is the first car in Ford’s North American lineup to offer the advanced 2.0-liter EcoBoost(TM) engine, combining a turbocharger with gasoline direct injection. It is expected to deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of at least 31 mpg. Providing plenty of power, the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine will deliver an estimated 237 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft. of torque. The standard Taurus 3.5-liter V6 is projected to deliver unsurpassed fuel efficiency among
Chevrolet introduced the 2013 Malibu ECO, the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in its 100-year history, at the recent New York International Auto Show. It features eAssist “light electrification” technology engineered to deliver an estimated 26 mpg in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway without compromising performance. The ECO is based on the 2013 Malibu sedan, which will be sold in nearly 100 countries on six continents. Sales of the new Malibu begin with the ECO model in the United States in early 2012. The Malibu LS, LT and LTZ trim level offerings join the ECO in summer 2012.
The Chevrolet Volt has been selected ahead of the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition and the Nissan Leaf as the 2011 World Green Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show. To be eligible for the 2011 World Green Car* award, a vehicle had to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2010 and ending May 30th, 2011. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology
Despite vast promotions and bright, constant media spotlights, Chevy and Nissan are not the only new green players. Tesla, the Bay Area-based manufacturer, debuted its all-electric, super-quick but limited production Roadster in 2006. About 2,000 Tesla Roadsters with a 244-mile range, have been sold worldwide. And the Tesla’s less expensive, estimated $50,000 S sedan will be available next year with three range options. Automakers carefully choose when and how they debut new models, although most often it occurs at various auto shows around country throughout the year, The buzz for hybrids and electric vehicles was particularly prevalent at the Detroit
The 2011 Kia Optima has just joined an exclusive automotive fraternity. It’s the first Korean car and among only 13 vehicles awarded in 2011 a five-star rating under the recently revamped crash safety testing system conducted the National Highway Transportation Safety Administation (NHSTA). The midsize Optima, redesigned for 2011, achieved an overall five-star rating after attaining five stars in each of the ratings categories. Earlier this year, the Optima was a recipient of a “Top Safety Pick” award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The additional 12 vehicles earning five-star NHTSA ratings for 2011: Acura MDX, BMW 5
The rakish 1963-64 Studebaker Avanti was among the most daring 1960s American cars, a modern masterpiece with totally unique American styling that even top exotic Italian auto stylists wouldn’t attempt to do. The Avanti had advanced safety features, when no U.S. automaker particularly gave a darn about safety. Such features included a built-in roll bar, padded interior and door latches that became structural body members when closed. Performance? An Avanti with a supercharged V-8 was one of the fastest 1960s autos. A supercharged model hit 168 mph, while a modified version reached 196 mph — a staggering speed for a
The new compact Chevrolet Volt hatchback sedan is the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle with extended range. It’s the most radical General Motors high-volume car since the 1960s Chevy rear-engine Corvair, which was virtually buried by the then-new conventional Ford Mustang. The front-wheel-drive Volt is the most mass-produced aerodynamic car Chevrolet has made to get maximum fuel efficiency. One aerodynamic trick is giving the car a phony grille. Air is fed to the engine compartment via an “under-grille” scoop below the bumper. The futuristic aerodynamic 1960s Studebaker Avanti used the same type of air induction. Still, the Volt drew few
The Volkswagen XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle (SEV) concept, unveiled at the Qatar Motor Show, features pioneering construction techniques, an advanced plug-in hybrid drivetrain and innovative packaging. The result is an estimated 260 mpg, a benchmark for vehicle efficiency. Powering the XL1 is a compact 800cc TDI two-cylinder common rail diesel engine developing 47 hp. It’s linked to an electric motor producing 27 horsepower, resulting in a total of 74 horsepower. It’s a modest output, but more than sufficient considering car weighs only 1,753 pounds. The TDI engine is linked to an electric motor and a seven-speed DSG gearbox with an
We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. We do this to improve browsing experience and to show (non-) personalized ads. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.