2017

2017 Mazda6: Major family sedan rival for Honda, Toyota

As the best-selling vehicle in the manufacturer’s lineup, the Mazda6 is part of arguably the most competitive car segment — family sedans. For 2017, the 16th year of the vehicle, the Mazda6 continues its strong market position. It’s a performance-oriented option among iconic more tradition rivals like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion and Nissan Altima. The Weekly Driver Text Drive Equipped with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower, the 2017 Mazda6 has a six-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration seems peppier than the car’s specs, largely because of the sport-oriented tuning and responsive steering. While technically a family sedan, the Mazda6’s sporty persona is further exemplified by its cornering precision and lack wind and road noise at all speeds.

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2017 NEW CAR PREVIEW: BMW to unveil lineup in Detroit

BMW will offer a varied new selection of vehicles, including the world debut of the 2017 5 Series sedan as well as the M Performance and plug-in hybrid electric iPerformance variants January 9 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The BMW X2 Concept, a compact Sports Activity Vehicle first unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September, will make its North American debut. With the introduction of the 530e iPerformance, BMW now offers a family of plug-in electric hybrid vehicles including the 330e iPerformance, the 740e xDrive iPerformance,  X5 xDrive40e iPerformance as well as the i3 and i8. The world debut of the 5 Series sedan will be represented in Detroit by the 2017 540i, and the

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2017 Auto Trends: Driverless shuttle Olli, no more shifts

You’ve coordinated an outing with friends or a business meeting with colleagues at a restaurant. Parking options are limited. Perhaps alcohol will be served, and supplies or equipment are needed for the occasion. The best solution: Phone Olli. Call it an autonomous chartered shuttle, a friendly neighborhood mobility solution or forward-thinking transportation. The 12-passenger vehicle with the unusual nickname is at your disposal via a smartphone app. It will transport the group to its desired location and back — without human navigation Unveiled in June by Local Motors, an Arizona-based innovation company, the autonomous electric vehicle utilizes the integration of cognitive computing. The advanced technology includes IBM Watson Internet of Things (IoT) for Automotive. It improves the passenger experience and

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2017 Acura MDX: Enduring SUV gets a new look

It hardly seems like the Acura MDX has been around for 17 years. But while competition has increased with the ever-expanding popularity of sport utility vehicles, the mid-size luxury crossover has retained its strong pace among three-row SUV options. Honda, which manufacturers Acura via its luxury nameplate, states the MDX was the first and current best-selling three-row SUV in history. More than 700,000 had sold by the end of 2014. The 2017 Acura MDX faces strong competition from Lexus, the best-selling luxury crossover SUV, as well as Audi, BMW, Porsche, and Volvo. The Acura has the same platform as its cross-brand rival, the Honda Pilot. But the Pilot seats eight. While remaining the same generation, the new MDX is substantially

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2017 cheap cars abound, average new car price climbs

The average price of a new vehicle in the United States has increased for several years. It’s now more than $31,000. But quality new cheap cars are readily available, too. Pushed by competition in the automotive industry, improved safety and technology innovation, there’s and abundance of new cars available for, most for about half the price of the average new car price. Personal preferences vary, of course. And recently a list compiled by Car and Driver details the diversity of the country’s 10 cheapest 2017 new cars. Here’s the list, cheapest to the most expensive among the cheapest. The prices listed are for base trims. 1. Nissan Versa S, $12,855 2. Mitsubishi Mirage ES, $13,830 3. Chevrolet Spark, $13,875 4.

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2017 Bentley Bentayga: Plush, Powerful, Fit For A Queen

Two friends recently joined me for a weekend morning drive to breakfast in a 2017 Bentley Bentayga. One buddy wore a fedora for the occasion, the other a touring cap. Another friend dressed up for a lunch meeting. It wasn’t for the restaurant’s stature, but for his passenger’s role in the plush sport utility vehicle. (All images © Michael Kahn, https://www.mklibrary.com) Bentley does that to people. It’s the manufacturer of cars for royalty, including the Queen of England’s 2002 limousine. It’s the original car author Ian Fleming selected for his James Bond character to drive while wearing his custom-tailored suits. Beyond its elegance, Bentley has won the 24 Hours of LeMans six times. Key Takeaways Fastest SUV ever built when

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2017 Volvo S90: New luxury sedan trumps German rivals

Imagine a Swedish-built sedan trying to infiltrate the luxury market dominated by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi? Welcome the 2017 Volvo S90. The new flagship replaces the Volvo S80 as a slightly wider and longer offering. Its sleek exterior design features take Volvo further past its former reputation. It’s no longer a manufacturer of sturdy but stodgy vehicles only at their best Scandinavian winters. Offered with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine, the Volvo S90 is offered in T5 and T6 models. The latter was my weekly driver, and it’s the more powerful with 316 horsepower while utilizing the turbocharger and supercharger. Both models have eight-speed automatic transmissions, with the T5 front-wheel drive and the T6 all-wheel drive. As expected in luxury

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2017 Kia Sorento: Underdog SUV warrants bigger market

While vying for a market share against the well-touted Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Highlander, the unheralded 2017 Kia Sorento counters with equally high overall marks. It has an extraordinary list of standard features and industry-best safety ratings. The Sorento was redesigned in 2016, so this year’s model is largely a continuation of the new generation except for a few technology tweaks. The midsize SUV is available in L, LX, EX, SX and SX Limited (SXL) trims. The SX and SXL include the other trims’ features and several upgrades: The SX features heated seats and steering wheel, push-button start and a power liftgate. My weekly driver was the top-line SXL trim with all-wheel drive and a third row of seats.

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2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata: One size fits all for iconic roadster

The tall, lanky guy getting into the car parked next to mine contorted his frame into a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. I unfolded my body to exit another MX-5, the same year and color. Both vehicle’s rag tops were down. “You’re a tall guy for a small car,” I said during the parking lot exchange. ”Yeah, I’m 6-4, but it’s worth every second of it,” he said, as we both smiled while acknowledging our twin vehicles. And so it is for enthusiasts of the little, lightweight sports car that can. Like aficionados of muscle cars, pick-up trucks and minivans, MX-5 fans are as passionate as the owners in any car segment. For the past quarter century or so, no vehicle

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2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD PRO: Ruggedness defined

Toyota likely has the most varied lineup of pickup trucks. The offerings expand again with the 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD PRO, the compact’s sixth available trim in extended or double crew cabs. The Tacoma TRD PRO returns after a one-year absence. My test vehicle included the optional 3.5-liter V6 with 278 horsepower and a six-speed automatic transmission. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Despite its emphasis on off-road responsibilities and possibilities, my test week with Tacoma TRD PRO was road-driving mode only. Scooting around in mud and up, down and all around on fire roads would have been invigorating. But a week in a 4×4 workhorse pickup on the road is a good thing, too. It takes a truck like the

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2017 Toyota Yaris iA: New start for stellar subcompact

What a short, odd life it’s been for the Toyota Yaris iA and Yaris, formerly the Scion iA and the Scion iM. The sporty entry-level sedan and five-door hatchback were introduced as 2016 models. But when Scion abruptly folded 13 years after it debuted, only a few vehicles survived and were absorbed into the Toyota lineup. For 2017, the former Scion iA is now the Toyota Yaris iA. The Scion iM is just the Yaris. Key Takeaways Formerly the Scion iA, renamed after Scion’s 2016 shutdown: Toyota absorbed the Scion iA into its own lineup when the youth-oriented brand folded after 13 years. Mechanically identical, new badge and grille. Mazda-sourced platform beneath the Toyota badge: The Yaris iA is essentially

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2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Top roadster keeps getting better

In April this year, worldwide sales of the Mazda MX-5 Miata surpassed one million since the two-seat roadster debuted in 1989. The 2017 MX-5 Miata continues the tradition of the little sports car that can. The MX-5 Miata was re-designed for 2016, but exterior and interior tweaks for 2017 keep the roadster’s current competitors (including offerings from Nissan, Mini, and BMW) searching for ways to infiltrate the little wonder’s dominance. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata advances via a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with 155 horsepower. After losing about 200 pounds from the 2015 model to last year, the Miata’s acceleration improved. It now achieves the standard 0-60 mph test in 6.2 seconds. Offered in Sport, Club

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2017 Hyundai Elantra: New design, best buy compact

In the debut year of its sixth generation, the 2017 Hyundai Elantra maintains the carmaker’s firm position among top economically priced compacts. The newly designed sedan is offered in three trim levels: SE, Eco and Limited. The SE model is standard with 15-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories, height-adjustable front seats, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 60/40-split folding rear seatback. There’s also a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio and a CD player. Key Takeaways Sixth-generation compact with three trims: SE, Eco, and Limited. Each targets a different priority — price for SE, fuel economy for Eco, features for Limited. Eco trim returns 35 combined mpg on a 1.4L turbo: The 128-horsepower turbo paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission

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2017 Bentley Mulsanne: Classic sedan, royalty for all

Highway 128 in Northern California often winds through manicured vineyards and rolling open terrain decorated with gnarly old oak trees. It’s a road ideally suited for a warm day’s drive in a small, lightweight vintage sports car, convertible top retracted. But it’s just as delightful navigating the same twisting, narrow two-lane road in a 2017 Bentley Mulsanne Speed. It’s a 6,000-pound luxury furnished apartment on wheels. It’s about the same size as one of the trendy new tiny houses infiltrating the national landscape. But those don’t yet have a 2,200-watt, 19-speaker symphonic-quality sound system or chilled champagne flutes snuggly stored in the back seat wet bar. And they don’t have tires that might provide inferiority issues for monster truck owners,

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2017 Acura RDX: Hefty price, best compact SUV

Largely unchanged from its massive makeover last year, the 2017 Acura RDX remains among the premier compact luxury sport utility vehicles on the market. Now a decade old, the Acura RDX required few, if any, changes from the success of the 2016 model. A year ago, a new grille, new headlights and taillights and several additional features were added to the standard equipment list. This year, there are a few new exterior paint colors offered and a few discontinued. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Available in 10 trims, the 2017 Acura RDX features a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 279 horsepower. It’s matched to a six-speed automatic transmission, and my test vehicle had the optional all-wheel drive. It also featured

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2017 Toyota Corolla goes bold at 50

The Toyota Corolla, the best-selling car in history, keeps rolling along — and quite well. Now celebrating 50 years and with more than 43 million sold, the anniversary will be designated with refreshed styling and a new safety system. The manufacturer has also introduced a 2017 Toyota Corolla SE 50th Anniversary Special Edition model limited to 8,000 units. The 2017 Toyota Corolla gets a sportier look. There’s a new front grille and LED headlamps. The L, LE and LE Eco grades gain Bi-LED headlamps, while complex-LED headlamps come standard on SE, XSE and XLE grades. With the base L model adding a back-up camera, that feature is now standard across the Corolla line. Redesigned 16-inch wheels are standard on the

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