2014

Justin selects his top-5 parts under $500 for 2009-2014 F150s

In this episode of AmericanTruck’s (AT) “The Haul” YouTube Video Series, host Justin 
Dugan selects his favorite top-5 parts for under $500 for 2009-2014 F150s. Including parts from AT’s most popular categories like Truck Lighting, F150 Lift Kits, Exterior Accessories+ more, Justin’s Top 5 focuses on functionality while sprinkling in a few F150 exterior styling mods for good measure. Parts featured in this video: Barricade HD Bull Bar w/Skid Plate & 20-inch. Dual Row LED Light Bar, Textured Black, JLT, V3.0 Black Oil Separator Passenger Side, ReadyLIFT 2 in. Billet Aluminum Leveling Kit Anodized Black, Husky X Act Contour Front Floor Liners Black & TruShield Soft Rolling Bed Cover. American Trucks is regarded as one of the best, most reliable

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Elio Motors Timeline, 2014-2016: Plans, Promises, No Cars

In early 2014, The Weekly Driver reported on the ambitious plans of Elio Motors to debut about a year later an unnamed three-wheel vehicle conceived by company founder Paul Elio. The attraction was startling: the futuristic-looking contraption was touted as costing $6,800, and it could achieve 84 mpg. Further, the company promoted the vehicle as featuring an eight-gallon gas tank with a 672-mile range and a top speed of more than 100 mph. The small front-mounted engine in the Elio was promoted as 1.0 liter, with three cylinders and 70 horsepower. It would feature two seats, with an optional fold-down passenger seat for cargo space. In the nearly three years since Elio Motors received its first public notoriety a lot

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Ford paces pick-up dominance in 2014 vehicle sales

Paced again by Ford F-Series trucks, sales of cars and trucks increased by about six percent in 2014 from the previous year with about 16.5 million vehicles sold in the United States. The total vehicles sold marked the automotive industry’s best sales total in nearly a decade with the Ford F-Series accounting for 753,851 sales. The Ford F-150 sells about two-thirds of the popular trunk’s family of vehicles. Overall, sales of the Ford F-Series of vehicles fell 1.3 percent from 2013, but the ever-popular truck, which has led sales for nearly 40 years, was still the dominating top selection. Pick-up truck overall had a superior sales year in 2014. Beyond the Ford F-Series, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Ram pickup and GM’s

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VW Jetta TDI tops TheWeeklyDriver.com’s 2014 top 10

For the eighth straight year, TheWeeklyDriver.com has selected its top-10 cars of the year. Honda again leads the list with the three selections, followed by Chevrolet and Ford, each with two selections. The Honda Accord is the only vehicle to make the list every year. This is the first year we’ve picked a single automobile to top the list. It’s the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. It’s the most economical, best priced, best designed and best- performing car available in the United States for $25,000. As editor and publisher of TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004, I drove 49 cars this year to consider for the top-10 list. Most automotive publications pick their top choice early in the model year. I think it’s to

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2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid: Green Car of the Year

Now in its fifth year and second generation, the Ford Fusion Hybrid debuted with its twin, the Mercury Milan Hybrid, in March 2009. The Mercury Milan hybrid has been defunct since 2010. But the Ford Fusion Hybrid continues to improve and build larger audiences as a top choice in the gasoline-electric hybrid segment. The 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid includes small changes, but in major areas, the three trim levels remain the same as the inaugural second generation unveiled in 2013. The Weekly Driver Test Drive My weekly test vehicle was the top-line Titanium trim. It includes all of the features on the standard and optional list present on the SE trim. But it also adds: remote start, sport front seats

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2014 Ford Fiesta: Sporty, limited subcompact

Now in its seventh generation, the Ford Fiesta subcompact debuted in 1976 and is third all-time in the carmaker’s sales behind F-Series pick-up trucks and the Ford Escort. In the 2014 edition, the Fiesta is available in two body styles: a four-door sedan and a four-door hatchback. Both are available in S, SE and Titanium trim levels. The high-performance ST model, new for 2014, is available only as a hatchback. The Weekly Driver’s Test Drive Unveiled at 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Fiesta ST, a five-door hatchback — my weekly driver — is available only in North America. It was first publicly available in spring 2013 as a 2014 model. It features a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a

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2014 LA Auto Show: Tech madness; Youthful colors rock

As the first major international automotive industry gathering of the year, the LA Auto Show annually attracts a full spectrum of carmakers and automotive enthusiasts. The 2014 LA Auto Show, which recently ended at the Los Angeles Convention Center, offered the usual collection of entry level cars from Ford, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi and the like. And there were high-end automobiles from Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Porsche and Bentley. There were several themes in this year’s show, most notably connectivity and a retro approach to bright paint colors. Dozens of cars had global or North American debuts. And what’s an auto show without ambassadors — the attractive manufacturers’ representatives? The connectivity component of the show was a full day, the day prior to the

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Wild and crazy car colors at the 2014 LA Auto Show

Most car buyers play it safe when it comes to car colors. White is the most popular exterior color, followed by black, silver and gray. Boring, right? But many manufacturers, seeking to appeal to young buyers, also offer limited edition to full-fledged models with wild color patterns — Plasma Purple to Tangerine Scream and Bronze Fire to Sun Fusion. The new wild and wacky cars colors have been inspired for several reasons, according to several manufacturers’ brand representatives at the2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. “The new colors appeal to younger buyers and those young at heart,” extolled a young man whose company is about to introduce a limited edition two-tone Scion Tc dominated by the color Magma. A young woman

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2014 Kia Optima (hybrid): Sexy, economy, value

You need not look hard to find a sexy, practical sedan these days. If you want the looks of a costly Italian sedan and high fuel economy need look no farther than the 2014 Kia Optima Hybrid, which has few changes for 2015. The mid-size front-drive Optima sedan has made Kia a significant player in the U.S. market. The gas-electric hybrid version has helped things along. With racy styling, high fuel economy and reasonable prices, the Optima Hybrid seems as if you can have your cake and eat it, too. Changes for 2014 include front and rear fascia updates that increase aerodynamic efficiency, front LED lighting, newly designed and more aerodynamic 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels that reduce weight and

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2014 Cadillac ELR: What was GM thinking?

Four years after it debuted as a concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the 2014 Cadillac ELR hybrid was released to the public as General Motors’ latest effort to make its large powerful machines environmentally viable. From its long reputation as a big car acquired only after achieving big success (or to at least give that impression), Cadillac has steadily tried to re-position itself. There may still be older consumers who buy Cadillacs because their fathers and grandfathers did. But what exactly is the target market for potential buyers of the Cadillac ELR? The Cadillac ELR is plush and powerful, but it’s also a plug-in hybrid that, at first glance, and maybe even after a

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GM tough year continues, now 30 million recalls in 2014

General Motors has had a tough year. With its latest recall of Pontiac G8, Chevrolet Carprice and Cadillac models, GM has now recalled about 30 million cars in 2014. The latest recall includes about 60,000 vehicles. On certain Pontiac G8 and Chevrolet Caprice models, the vehicles “may experience unintended key rotation from the ‘Run’ to ‘ACC’ position if the driver’s knee interacts with the ignition key,” according to GM. The recalled Cadillacs have fuel pump issues, repairable at dealers. The Caprice model is a police vehicle. No injuries or fatalities have been reported from the latest recall. GM reported one crash. Despite the high profile of the ignition switch recall earlier this year which has been tied to at least

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2014 Toyota Venza: Versatile SUV drives like a car

In the past eight months, the 2014 Toyota Venza and I have become good friends. For one week on each occasion, I’ve had three test sessions with the crossover, sport wagon or small SUV — however the vehicle in properly designated. By any combination and by whatever its name means, the Venza is versatile. It’s a crossover with all-wheel drive, yes. But it’s compact and streamlined like a wagon. And it also has the characteristics of a daily driver sedan. The 2014 Toyota Venza has surprisingly strong acceleration. The result is a combo-car with a combo name. Plenty of theories abound what Venza means, including the Spanish translation, Conquer. Toyota says the vehicle’s name is a compilation of the words

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2014 Scion FR-S: Best sports car for $25,000?

Now in its second year, the 2014 Scion FR-S coupe is largely unchanged from the debut model. Additional padding has been added to door panels and center console, and there’s now a touchscreen audio system.But the Scion remains unheralded as an entry-level sports car — available only in the United States — and with an odd name that makes sense. The FR-S is the acronym of the car’s platform — Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Available in only one trim, the four-seat 2014 Scion FR-S features a 2.0-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine generating 200 horsepower. My weekly driver included a six-speed manual transmission. But there’s also a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters available. Standard equipment includes

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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: multiple trims The RAV4 looks sporty and comes in these trim levels: LE, XLE and Limited, with front-wheel drive (FWD)

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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 a now former curse? (Remember the Mercedes-Benz diesel sedans in the 1970s? They were loud and spewed a lot of

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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 anti-lock brakes to bite early and surely. So why hasn’t Lincoln offered a car such as the MKZ several years

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