Cars

NEW CAR REVIEW: 2014 Fiat 500L defines sporty versatility

Three years after Fiat re-introduced its vehicles to the United States via the 500 compact, it’s now unveiled the 2014 Fiat 500L for Lounge and for large.  It’s a five-door compact hatchback wagon with a lot of character, innovation and a unique design. Fiat isn’t the first manufacturer to experiment with car conformity. Nissan has the Cube. Kia has the Soul. Scion has the xB. And even MINI has strayed from tradition in recent years with the Countryman, its compact wagon. The Fiat 500L is more than two feet longer than its more well known sibling. It’s equipped with a 1.4-liter, 160-horsepower turbo-charged, four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. The Fiat 500L is also among an increasing number of

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NEW CAR VIDEO REVIEW: 2014 Fiat 500L

A lot of cars, even from different manufacturers, look the same. But in recent years, Nissan, Kia, Scion and MINI have all strayed from the usual conformity of car styles. And now the 2014 Fiat 500L has joined the non-conformists. Nissan has the Cube. Kia has the Soul. Scion has the xB. And even MINI has strayed from tradition in recent years with the Countryman, its compact wagon. The 2014 Fiat 500L is not as outrageous, but it’s a five-door compact hatchback wagon with a lot of character, innovation and a unique design. The Fiat 500L is more than two feet longer than its more well-known sibling. It’s equipped with a 1.6-liter, 160-horsepower turbo-charged four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic

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Top-10 cars in 2013 no one is buying

Competition in the auto industry is ever-intensifying. Or at least it seems that way. As a result, more vehicles have become better cars and fewer cars are outright bad. But how fast cars sell or don’t sell is a good indicator of what cars customers want and don’t want. New cars in 2013 have spent an average of 62 days at a dealership before being sold, according to the statistics of the car site, TruCar.com. The 10 slowest-selling cars so far in 2013 have all remained at a dealership for more than 100 days before selling. It doesn’t mean the slow-selling cars aren’t quality new cars. Seasonal sales factor into the equation and a brand with a new generation pending

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid: 50 mpg

The Honda Accord Hybrid, with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $29,155, will use a gasoline-electric powertrain to achieve an EPA rating of 50 mpg city, 45 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined. The 50 mpg standard is a milestone and it leads the mainstream sedan segment against primary hybrid competitors, the Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion and Hyundai Sonata. And it’s only 1 mpg behind the Toyota Prius — the country’s dominant best-selling hybrid. The new Honda Accord Hybrid, scheduled to go on sale in late October 2013, is closely related to the 2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid, announced earlier this year. Its 1.3-kWh battery is smaller than the plug-in’s 6.7-kWh battery, which has a 13-mile all-electric range. The plug-in

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CAR REVIEW: 2014 Chevrolet Impala: Best Ever

Will the new Chevrolet Impala become “America’s Sweetheart” again? The full-size Impala was introduced as a top-line Chevrolet in 1958 and became so popular it was nicknamed “America’s Sweetheart” by 1965, when a huge number were sold. The redesigned 2014 full-size Impala is also a model Chevy can brag about. The full-size car market isn’t what it was in the 1960s, but there are a good number of auto buyers who want a full-size sedan with convenience and luxury features. Many are aging baby boomers who fondly recall the big 1960s American sedans. The new front-wheel-drive Impala should satisfy such folks as retirees, family hauling parents and businessmen taking clients to lunch or golf outings. It has the same solid

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2014 Toyota Corolla: New 12th edition icon debuts at $16,800

The Toyota Corolla, the best-selling car in history, has more competition than it once had. Which is at least one reason why the 2014 Toyota Corolla will offer, according to the manufacturer, a “dramatically elevated design, efficiency and renowned Toyota quality at an extremely attainable price.” The 12th generation of the car dating to its debut in 1966, the 2014 Toyota Corolla is available in four grades: L, LE, S, and the new LE Eco grade. The Corolla lineup offers a vehicle for broad range of customers, from the familiar value-minded to shoppers seeking a more premium compact car. The 2014 Toyota Corolla will have a starting MSRP of $16,800 for the L grade with a new 6-speed manual transmission.

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Chevrolet Impala, 2014: The legendary sedan returns

What does a manufacturer do with a middle-aged car that was once the best-selling car in the country but has fallen on lean times in recent years? In the instance of the Chevrolet Impala, introduced in 1958, the car could simply fade away. Or, the carmaker could continue to honor the badge. That’s what General Motors did with the 10th generation 2014 Impala. The iconic Chevy will likely not return to its heydays, like in 1965 when more than 1 million Impalas sold in the U.S. But the 2014 model has a tremendous amount to offer. General Motors describes the car as “the reestablishment of a popular, enduring and iconic nameplate with a new outlook on style, comfort, efficiency and

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Honda Accord Hybrid, 2014: 49 mpg

The enduring Honda Accord will likely expand its popularity this fall with the debut of the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid that will achieve a predicted 49 mpg. Scheduled for delivery to dealers in the United States in October, the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid will be a close sibling to the Honda Accord gas model. The differences: hybrid badge, LED running headlights, a blue-accented grille, a spoiler and a more aggressive wheels. The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid will be available in three options in its two-motor drive: EV, Hybrid, and Engine. In EV mode, in low speeds and medium to high cruising speeds, the 2014 Accord Hybrid will utilize its lithium-ion battery to run the car on electricity. The hybrid mode

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2014 Toyota Corolla: New look, better gas mileage

Since it’s the best-selling car in history, look for continued keen marketing when  2014 Toyota Corolla is soon completely unveiled. In the meantime, the carmaker is steadily leaking details of the Corolla. And it takes the entry level vehicle at least as seriously as the debut of any of its cars — the Camry to the Prius to the Tacoma pick-up. The next generation of the Corolla, the 12th since the car’s debut in 1966, has slowly and steadily been leaked onto the Internet in stages. The front end was recently teased with a few images. And now images of the rear end have also surfaced. 2014 Toyota Corolla Has Aggressive Styling According to various media reports, the 2014 Toyota

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Ford C-Max hybrid, 2013: Can it challenge Toyota Prius clan?

Ford touts the 2013 C-Max as a hybrid that drives and looks like a “real car.” The marketing approach is a direct shot at the Toyota Prius, which despite its immense popularity still has plenty of detractors. The Prius still has a futuristic-looking exterior and it drives like . . . a hybrid. A decade after its debut in Europe, Ford unveiled the C-Max in the United States in the fall of 2012 as the carmaker’s hybrid-only line. It’s available as a gas-electric hybrid and the Energi, a plug-in hybrid. It’s not available in a gas-only model. Ford’s goal is simple: It wants to infiltrate the long-standing dominance of the ever-expanding Prius family. Ford is onto something with the C-Max.

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Drivers feign poor vision to police officers most often to escape tickets

Car websites compile creative lists — best used car buys to most expensive sports cars and most family friendly cars to best cars for pets. Arguably the most creative list compiled in recent memory is the list compiled about driving habits, specifically the excuses given when drivers get tickets. The website Insurance.com earlier this year polled 500 licensed drivers age 18 older and older and their approach to negotiating with a police officer after being stopped for a violation. The most common excuse given by motorists was the inability to see the sign that  prohibited their just committed infraction. In fact, more than 100 respondents claimed poor vision. According to the survey results, more than two-thirds of the respondents who

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Ford Taurus Ecoboost, 2013: Fuel stingy, surprisingly powerful

I expected the large, sleek 2013 Ford Taurus sedan with its turbocharged 2-liter “EcoBoost” four-cylinder to be lazy. But it turned out to have strong acceleration and sparkling highway fuel economy for such a big guy. It wasn’t all that long ago a 2-liter four-cylinder engine in an American car was found in small economy autos and provided lackluster performance, especially outside town. A V-8 was needed if you wanted good performance on freeways and highways. Even a V-6 was a big step up from a four-cylinder, which was at home in small, light foreign sports car such as the MG or Alfa Romeo. The new Taurus EcoBoost four-cylinder has 240-horsepower and actually kicks out more torque (270 pound-feet vs.

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Honda Civic Si, 2013: Coupe or sedan, it’s a sports car (video)

With the 2013 Honda Civic Si, there’s no transmission choice. The coupe and sedan only have a six-speed manual transmission option, which is a good thing. It further complements the once basic, competent Civic in its transition into its current sports car-like coupe or sedan. My weekly driver was the 2-door, 4-seat coupe. In addition to 17-inch wheels, the re-tweaked Civic has a new front grille, a new rear design and a host of other more subtle upgrades, including better-constructed seats. The more handsome sculpted design is matched with a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder, 201 horsepower engine. Driving the 2013 Civic is surprising since its personality — handling to acceleration — is more like its upscale relative, Acura. Which makes a lot

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Ford announces special edition package for 2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

Ford announced its F-150 SVT Raptor, one of the stablemates in the country’s best-selling vehicle lineup, will have a new optional Special Edition package that will complement the existing Luxury Package. The upgrade will include a Ruby Red Metallic exterior color and box-side graphics. Interior upgrades include Brick Red seat bolsters with black inserts and cloth honeycomb highlights, console top finish panel, and center stack and door panel appliqué accents. The 2014 F-150 SVT Raptor Special Edition, which will go on sale in the of 2013, will also be available in Tuxedo Black Metallic. The Raptor has found an enviable niche in full-size pickups, with sales up 14 percent in 2013. More than 13,000 Raptors were sold in 2012. Since

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Mazda CX-5, 2014: More power, same clean, efficient style, ride

Now in the second year of its debut generation, the 2014 Mazda CX-5 continues the carmaker’s third-time’s-the-charm good fortune. The compact, five-passenger sport utility vehicle follows the not-too-successful Tribute and CX-7, and it’s proven popular in a crowded segment with its modern look, clean styling, efficiency and economy. The Mazda CX-5 debuted as a 2013 model at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2012. For 2014, there are only minor tweaks to the car’s first year with increased horsepower in the top-two trims, a collision warning system option and advanced radio technology services. The Weekly Driver Test Drive One week after test-driving a high-tech, high-priced, ill-conceived BMW crossover, the 2014 Mazda CX-5 arrived just in time. I test drove

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Kia Optima, 2014: Style, substance, affordability

Kia Motors America debuted a vastly updated 2014 edition of its popular Optima, the fast-growing four-year-old midsize sedan, at the New York International Auto Show. Available in LX, EX, SX and SX-Limited trims, the 2014 Kia Optima arrives with updated front and rear fascias, retaining the vehicle’s dynamic and sporty proportions. The Optima’s new premium amenities and convenience options make Optima an even more competitive option in the competitive mid-size sedan segment. The 2014 Optima is expected to arrive in Kia retail showrooms in the third quarter of the year, and pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date. The 2014 Optima cements the model’s status as a trailblazer of combining style and substance in an affordably priced

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