Cars

2016 Acura ILX: Strong drive, good luxury value

The 2016 Acura ILX is the fourth year of the first generation of the upscale brand’s midsize, entry level luxury sedan. It has been refreshed this year with several interior and exterior updates, including a larger engine and additional safety features. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The updated base 2016 Acura ILX is available in six equipment levels, all with oddly cumbersome names. My weekly driver was officially called the 2016 Acura ILX Tech Plus A-Spec, a sport-oriented trim. For 2016, the Acura ILX updates include the dispatching of the previous standard 2.0-liter for a four-cylinder, 2.4-liter offering. It was previously optional. It’s matched with a 201 horsepower engine that provides 180 pound-feet of torque. Now also standard is an

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2016 Mazda 6: Watch out Honda Accord, Toyota Camry

It’s hard to believe the 2016 Mazda 6 marks the 14th year since the manufacturer replaced the Mazda 626 with its current midsize sedan. The current third generation debuted in 2013, and the new offering is packed with considerable improvements — particularly in the highest-level trim. The Weekly Driver Test Drive A five-passenger sedan, the Mazda 6 is offered in Sport, Touring and top-line Grand Touring trims, and my weekly driver was the latter. It has so many changes, how could it not be a new generation? For 2016, the Mazda 6 features revised front and rear styling, making it appreciably more handsome. The previous xenon headlights have been replaced with LED headlights and there’s a larger (7-inch) touchscreen interface

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2015 Honda Civic EX-L Navi: Most versatile new car?

The Honda Civic has been near or at the top of compact sedan segment for so long, maybe one day an upgraded trim or a new generation of the now 46-year-old vehicle will debut that just doesn’t hold up. But it’s not the 2015 edition. New competitors — Mazda3, Ford Focus and Kia Forte — offer increasing competition. But Honda keeps tweaking the Civic lineup, including this year’s addition of the mid-range SE trim. Now in the fourth year of its ninth generation, the Civic remains among the most successful automobiles in history. It’s is available as a coupe and sedan. And it’s offered in nearly a dozen trims and in three fuel choices — gas, hybrid and natural gas.

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PREVIEW: 2016 Mazda MX-5, lighter, better mpg

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 continues the legacy of the best-selling roadster in history. It’s been re-engineered and is being marketed as offering 25 percent improved gas mileage. Additionally, the 2016 Mazda MX-5 is lighter and quicker than its predecessor, according to the manufacturer. The new Mazda has an EPA-estimated 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway/30 mpg combined when equipped with the standard SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission. With an optional six-speed automatic the 2016 Mazda MX-5 is rated at 27 mpg city/36 mpg highway/30 mpg combined. The increased gas mileage averages, highlight the benefits of Mazda’s SKYACTIV technology, according to the carmaker. “SKYACTIV Technology is more than a catchphrase for Mazda; it’s a total effort to increase efficiency, improve performance, safety and

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Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, pistachios and cars

The upcoming Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao bout may be the most anticipated fight in boxing history. As such, exposure of both athletes has expanded beyond the boxing circles — and in far different ways. Pacquiao has a television commercial promoting pistachios. Mayweather is more flamboyant. He’s taken to social media to showcase his empire, including his vast collection of iconic cars. As a car collector, Mayweather isn’t in the same league as entertainers like Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld. But his choices are impressive, and certainly expensive, and easily attainable for anyone who happened to make $105 million in 2014. Mayweather likes to flaunt his cars and the other extravagant means of his life. In a recent Twitter image,

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Apple Watch: car tech craze or auto disaster?

The announcement of the Apple Watch was long anticipated. And if April’s release date materializes it will be interesting to observe the effects the Dick Tracy-like contraption to various industries — particularly the automotive world. The possibilities are vast. Will the media frenzy about the watch reflect an equal excitement about Apple stock? How will the new watch and its myriad functions change industry, the mainstream watch world to the ever-advancing infotainment systems and driving habits in the auto industry? Tim Cook, the Apple CEO said, among other features, the Apple Watch would soon feature Car Play. It’s the application Cook said every major car manufacturer has committed to use. It will allow the watch features to function via iOS

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2015 Dodge Challenger: Iconic Muscle Car Still Rules

Through three time frames dating to 1958, the Dodge Challenger has epitomized the American muscle car — big, heavy and powerful. Its legend continues in 2015 with seven revised trim levels ranging from 305 to 707 horsepower. The 2015 Dodge Challenger isn’t classified as a new generation, but its upgrades are so substantial it could easily be the debut of legendary car’s fourth generation. Among the changes, the five-speed automatic transmission has been replaced but with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Some of the trims have increased horsepower and a new grille has debuted that resembles the Challenger’s 1971 grille. The 8.4-inch touchscreen radio an navigation system and the keyless entry aren’t retro, of course. But the gauge cluster is also

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2015 Buick LaCrosse: Flagship sedan a success

General Motors has a lot invested in the Buick LaCrosse. It’s the carmaker’s flagship, full-sized sedan, and it has replaced some well-established styles, the Buick Century, Buick Regal and Buick Lucerne. Now in the sixth year of its second generation, the 2015 Buick LaCrosse offers several updates as it advances steadily into its second decade. It’s the brand’s best-selling vehicle in North America. Advanced technology and additional comfort highlight the updates for the 2015 LaCrosse. With the exception of the base model, the Onstar system now offers 4G LTE and WiFi, there are a rearview camera and four-way adjustable headrests as standard equipment. Further new technology in the infotainment system now includes the ability to read text messages and Siri

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2015 Honda Fit: New look, better mpg, same value

When it debuted in the United States in early 2006, the Honda Fit had already been an international star for five years in Japan. Its popularity then quickly also grew in Europe, Australia, South America and Mexico and it likewise moved to the top of the subcompact segment in the U.S. That success rate is not likely to change with the 2015 Honda Fit. After a year’s hiatus, the Fit is back. It’s been redesigned to face head-on increased competition in the segment. There’s more cargo room and there’s better gas mileage. And there are more standard features and more options, all further expanding the definition and expectations of an entry-level car. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Honda

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2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco: New design, better economy

A few years after its debut in South Korea, the Hyundai Sonata arrived in the United States in late 1988 as a 1989 model. Several generations later, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata has a new design in five trims and a hybrid model. The expanding lineup helps further establish the carmaker solidly into the mainstream. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is available in SE, Sports, Eco, Limited and 2.0T trims, and the unheralded hybrid model. My weekly test driver was the new Eco trim. It features a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder with 177 horsepower with a seven-speed automatic transmission, thus the Eco name. The transmission is basically an automated manual transmission, and it gets better gas mileage and

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2015 Honda Civic: Dependable transportation defined

Now in the fourth year of its ninth generation, the Honda Civic remains among the most successful automobiles in history. The compact, which debuted in 1972, is available as a coupe and sedan. And it’s offered in nearly a dozen trims and in three fuel choices — gas, hybrid and natural gas. The 2015 edition gains a trim level, but overall the Civic remains the same as the 2014 model as a coupe and sedan and in LX, EX, SE, EX-L and EX-L Navi (navigation) trims. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In its base LX model, the Civic is equipped with 15-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a one-piece fold-down rear seatback and cruise control.

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2015 Acura TLX: New luxury sedan battles icons

Call it consolidating and call it risky. But Acura has eliminated two of its popular sedans and created the 2015 Acura TLX. The five-passenger sedan fits in the middle. It’’s longer than the TSX, shorter than the TL, and it’’s now the only entry level luxury sedan in Honda’’s upscale nameplate’s lineup. The Weekly Driver Test Drive As Acura approaches its 30th birthday in the United States, the 2015 Acura TLX makes its debut as a midsized luxury sedan. It’s offered in three main trims, Base, Technology and Advance. The latter trims are primarily option packages included on the front and rear-wheel drive base model offerings. My Weekly Driver was the top-line 3.5-liter V6. It had 24 valves, 290 horsepower

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Cheapest 2015 Car in the United States? Smart ForTwo

The Smart ForTwo is the cheapest new 2015 car sold in the United States, just edging out the Nissan Versa and leading the only four new vehicles in the country this year priced at less than $15,000. The Smart ForTwo has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of of $14,020, about $300 less the Nissan Versa, the cheapest new car available in 2014. The vehicle’s manufacturer says of the Smart ForTwo Pure Coupe: “The pure coupe is everything you need and nothing you don’t — it’s smart in its purest form. You get the best of both worlds: 5-speed smart shift transmission with automatic mode (for fun), hill start assist, and it’s packed with lots of safety features such as eight

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2015 Lexus ES 350: Luxury sustained, value priced

The Lexus Elegant Sedan (ES) model debuted in 1989. Through its more than quarter century of upgrades, various trims and six generations it remains the standard in the entry level luxury sedan segment. The 2015 ES 350, first offered as a 2007 model, is now in the fourth year of its current generation. It features new upgraded upholstery, a standard touchscreen “Display Audio” tech interface and some optional technology upgrades. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Powered by a 3.5-liter, 24-valve V6 with 268 horsepower, the 2015 Lexus ES 350 is a midsize, five-seat luxury sedan. It’s front-wheel drive and has a six-speed automatic transmission. It’s available in one trim with several optional packages that further enhance an already extensive standard

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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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