2016

2016 Chevrolet Cruze: new edition offers plenty

Now eight years old, the Chevrolet Cruze has been redesigned for 2016 and further adds to the long list of competition in the compact sedan market. The new Cruze has a more masculine exterior appearance with a split front grille and it’s slightly longer than its predecessor. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Key Takeaways Completely redesigned second-generation Cruze: Split front grille, slightly longer body, and a more masculine exterior mark the first all-new Cruze since the nameplate launched in 2008. 153-hp 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder: All trims use the same turbocharged engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Premier trim tested replaced the outgoing LTZ name. 34 mpg combined on regular gasoline: EPA ratings of 30 city / 40 highway

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2016 Honda Civic: sales jump for new sporty icon

It’s no surprise when pickup trucks sell well, but joining the perennially top-selling vehicle for honors in the first half of the year is the 2016 Honda Civic. The 10th generation of the compact is well on its way to 200,000 units sold this year and has achieved a 10.7 percent increase in sales from one year ago in June. So far this year, the Civic has improved monthly sales of 43 percent in January, 32 percent in February, 22 percent in March, 23 percent in April and 2.7 percent in May. The 2016 Honda Civic, which The Weekly Driver reviews HERE, has sold at a nearly 20 percent rate increase in the first six months of this year compared

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2016 Lexus NX 300h: Luxurious, efficient, pricey

Now it its second model year, the 2016 Lexus NX 300h continues from its debut last year without major changes. The luxury compact crossover is rare in its segment. Its only competition is the Audi Q5 hybrid. The Weekly Driver Test Drive A gasoline-electric hybrid, the 2016 Lexus NX 300h features a 2.5-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder gasoline engine matched with two electric motors supplied with a nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The marriage produces 194 horsepower. Like all Lexus vehicles throughout the high-end lineup, the Lexus NX has a substantial standard technology and safety equipment list equaled by a similarly sized list of options. Standard features include: Satellite radio, HD Radio, an eight-speaker audio system, a USB port, Siri Eyes Free, a

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2016 Lincoln MKX: Luxury defined, tech overload

The redesigned 2016 Lincoln MKX fits ideally into a new, expanding automotive segment — vehicles hampered by technology overload. The sport utility vehicle has a detection systems so sensitive, it just doesn’t know when to shut up. It’s all for safety, of course. But while cornering after ignition or advancing in reverse, warning sounds abruptly blast when the vehicle is seemingly within a block of animals, curbs, trees, buildings, parked cars or passersby. It’s the same on the open road. Maneuver to change lanes and you get an ear full even if the situation seems safe. Detection systems help prevent potential catastrophe. But the sound sensors on the new Lincoln are super sensitive, loud and can create the potential for

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2016 Honda Civic: Is new model best car on the road?

Now in its mid-40s, the Honda Civic remains one of most popular vehicles in the automobile industry. For 2016, the Civic has been redesigned inside and outside and is available as a coupe or sedan and in 10 trims, five in each model. The redesign further moves the Civic away from its once stodgy reputation as drivable box with four wheels. The 2016 model has a sharp-edged appearance, a sloping roofline and a overall European style that resembles the appearance of appreciably higher-priced vehicles. It’s no longer just a fall-back car for buyers seeking basic transportation at a value price. The Weekly Driver Test Drive As one of the best-valued cars around, the 2016 Honda Civic is also among the

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2016 Lexus RC F: Luxury sports car rules the road

Now in its second model year, the 2016 Lexus RC F is the third vehicle in the Toyota luxury brand’s performance-oriented lineup, and it has plenty to show for itself. The Lexus RC F has aggressive styling, 19-inch wheels, quad exhaust tips and a carbon-fiber roof panel. The engine is a naturally aspirated 467-horsepower 5.0-liter V8. It has Brembo brakes, more aggressive suspension tuning and is rear-wheel drive. While marketed as a four-passenger coupe, the rear seats, like on many sports cars, are best served by children or petite adults. With the driver’s seat adjusted for anyone, 5-foot-9 or taller, there’s little room leg room. My test vehicle, which had a base price of $62,805, also had nearly $15,000 in

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2016 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T: efficient family sedan defined

Redesigned last year, the 2016 Hyundai Sonata has only a few minor changes from 2015, and it remains an increasingly popular family sedan in one of the most competitive segments in the automotive industry. New standard items for 2016, include: A seven-inch touchscreen except on the top-line range-Limited 2.0T (which continues to have an 8-inch screen). Both systems feature smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A rearview camera and automatic headlights are now also standard on all trims. An automatic emergency braking system debuts on the Limited 2.0T and the full lineup has had its suspension tweaked for improved handling. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2016 Hyundai Sonata is marketed as a five-passenger sedan, but it’s better

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2016 Lexus IS200: New luxury sedan gives BMW pause

The 2016 Lexus IS200 is a new vehicle, replacing the IS 250 as the upscale brand’s entry level luxury sedan. It features three models, including a more fuel-efficient 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, turbo-charged engine with 241 horsepower. The Weekly Driver Test Drive My weekly driver test drive was the Lexus IS200t with the F Sport Package. Lexus is known for its generous list of standard features, among other qualities. The new IS lineup in no exception. Standard equipment across the line includes: 17-inch wheels (18-inchers on the IS 350), xenon headlights, LED running lights/foglights/taillights, heated exterior mirrors, a sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, a manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, eight-way power front seats with driver

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2016 Lexus GS-F Review – Tech and Software

Lexus is manufacturing only 2,000 units of the 2016 Lexus GS-F. It’s a luxury sports sedan for a niche market. Still, I was curious about its the software and technology. Is it it any different from the standard Lexus Enform suite of apps? How does it stack up for ease of use and phone integration? Taking the vehicle through the proverbial tracks, I video’d the different features and processes to give a better picture of how it all works. Sure, the vehicle is fast, turns quickly, has some sort of horse powering the engine. But what about Bluetooth and navigation? Does the vehicle bring anything else noteworthy to the table? I walked through the Bluetooth connection and setup process. And

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2016 Lexus GS-F: Luxury sedan, sports car attitude

The 2016 Lexus GS-F is a new vehicle. It joined the upscale carmaker’s lineup as a luxury sedan hopeful of providing competition for well-entrenched, performance-oriented stalwarts like the Mercedes-Benz AMG, BMW “M” division and Audi RS models. Marketed as four-door, five-seat sedan, the new Lexus leans more toward an awkward term (at least for purists) of four-door sports car. It’s designed and performs like a roadster, but it’s a luxury sedan and it’s all that defines the segment — a plush, well-designed interior and a refined, handsome exterior. The Weekly Driver Test Drive As a five-passenger sedan offered only with rear-wheel drive, the 2016 Lexus GS-F is a luxury vehicle by any definition and its standard equipment list is a

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2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: Improved underdog

It’s been 13 years since the Mitsubishi Outlander joined the sport utility vehicle segment. Different trims joined the lineup in three generations, but nothing has drastically changed, including in the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. Tte Outlander replaced the Montero and the former has improved with each generation and trim. Mitsubishi has diligently attempted to penetrate the stronghold Honda, Mazda, Toyota and Ford have in the segment. But the Outlander, despite some good features, remains an underdog. The Weekly Driver Test Drive It’s been two years since I last drove a Mitsubishi Outlander and now I’ve driven two within a few months and they’re largely the same. This time around, it’s the smaller Sport model and the compact crossover’s top-end 2.4

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2016 Honda Pilot: New inside, out for top-level SUV

Now in its 14th year, the Honda Pilot has finally come of age. It’s always been Honda’s largest sport utility vehicle, with the word utility translating into big, boxy and boring. With Toyota, Hyundai and others offering increasingly strong competition, the 2016 Honda Pilot is in the first year of its third generation. It’s sleeker, lighter, more attractive inside and outside and has an array of new standard and optional features. The Weekly Driver Test Drive As a three-row SUV, the 2016 Honda Pilot is available in five trims, including my weekly driver, the top-line Elite. It’s the only trim with seven-passenger capacity, one less than its stablemates. The reason: Among many nifty features, the Elite has second-row captain’s chairs

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2016 Toyota Highlander (Hybrid) poised, pricey

The Toyota Highlander hybrid debuted in the United States in 2005, five years after the gas model. The idea was to help ease a major concern among potential sport utility vehicle owners — lousy gas mileage. It worked. As a holdover from last year’s top-rated offering, the 2016 Toyota Highlander hybrid is a three-row, midsize SUV. It’s powered by a 3.5-liter V6 and three electric motors that combine for 280 horsepower. It features a continuously variable transmission and is standard with all-wheel drive. Seven-passenger seating is standard, too, with two captain’s chairs in the second row and a 60/40-split bench in the third row. The Weekly Driver Test Drive My test vehicle was the Limited Platinum trim, the higher level

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2016 Chevrolet Malibu: Still riding the sedan wave well

Now in the fourth year of its eighth generation, the Chevrolet Malibu dates to 1964. And like other vehicles with long histories, the Malibu has come a long way since it was named after the surfing-oriented city along the California coastline. The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, however, is much the same as last year’s model, but it’s without a few items. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine is no longer available and xenon headlights and a few other more minor equipment features have been discontinued. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The midsize sedan segment is among the most competitive in the industry, dominated by Japanese vehicles and vastly improved competitors from South Korea. So where does the Chevrolet Malibu, now more than 50

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2016 Yukon Denali: Big, badass, defies logic

The 2016 Yukon Denali includes a host of new technology, safety and convenience upgrades, further embellishing the already massive and plush sport utility vehicle. The GMC Denali lineup debuted in 1999 as full-sized SUVs to compete against the Lincoln Navigator unveiled one year earlier. The addition of the top-line Yukon badge began in 2001. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Where do you start with a 6.2-liter, 420-horsepower V8 with 20-inch wheels, an onyx-colored exterior, an equally dark interior and dark-tinted side windows? The 2016 GMC Yukon (XL) resembles a hearse on steroids. More importantly, the Denali not only looks menacing, it’s intimidating to drive — at least at first. Its length (18 feet, 8 inches), width (6 feet, 8 1/2

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2016 Scion iM: Say hello, bye to worthy budget hatchback

The Scion iA and its sibling, the Scion iM, are new vehicles for 2016 and soon they’ll be gone. The Scion iA is a sporty entry level sedan; the Scion iM is a five-door hatchback. The duo was manufactured, like all Scions since the brand debuted 13 years ago, to appeal to millennials. But it didn’t work to the company’s expectations. And now some of the brand’s offerings will be discontinued, while others will be absorbed and continued in the Toyota lineup. The Scion iA and iM are among models that will be transferred to Toyota. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The Scion iM is a four-cylinder, 16-valve, 1.8-liter, 137 horsepower, five-door hatchback with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

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