Ford Fiesta

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Top-10 cheapest cars in the United States, all less than $16,000

Since the average price of a new car in the United States is just under $30,000, what can a consumer except to purchase with a budget of $15,000 or $20,000? Some might say what’s a good cheap car? Others might look at it as buying a good car at a good price. Turns out, for whatever reason, the options are plentiful. Seven U.S. and international manufacturers combined offer 10 cars all with a base price of less than $16,000. Based on the average transaction price, including the MSPR, taxes, license, factory rebates and dealer discounts, 10 U.S. and international manufacturers combined to offer 10 cars priced at less than $18,000. The cheapest car available nationwide is the Nissan Versa with

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Nissan Versa keeps Cheapest Car in the U.S. title for 2013

It’s about five times more expensive than the Tata Nano, but the Nissan Versa maintains its unique position in the automotive industry. Including a $790 destination charge, the 2013 edition of the subcompact sedan is the cheapest new car in the United States with a beginning price of $12,280. The Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic all have entry level prices of less than $15,000. But the Nissan Versa retains its current status despite an increase of $1,100 from the 2012 model. The top-of-the-line 2013 Nissan Versa sedan starts at $17,380, including shipping, which places it higher than comparable models of key competitors from Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet and Honda. Nissan recently announced improvements for the updated 2013 Nissan Versa include a

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2013 best sedans: Ford Fiesta to Audi A8

Sedans are arguably the most competitive car segment, and the uniqueness of the Edmunds.com list for 2013 is that Toyota, which manufacturers the Camry and Corolla, both perennially among the top-10 selling cars in the United States, is not on the  recommended list in any sedan price category. None of the members of the Toyota Prius family of hybrid cars are on recommended sedan list, either, although Toyota products are listed in other recommended categories. Here’s the top-three in eight price categories for Edmunds.com, the online automotive information resource guide headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Under $15K Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent Under $18K Mazda 3, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus Under $25K Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Nissan Ultima Under

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2014 Ford Fiesta by the numbers: 1 liter, 3 cylinders, 40 mpg, 123 hp

The 2014 Ford Fiesta, which will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show, will feature the smallest engine sold in the United States a — a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder with EcoBoost. Currently available in Europe and described by one car review site as “tiny enough to fit into an airplane carry-on bag,” the new Ford Fiesta will go on sale in the U.S. at an yet-to-be announced date next year. According to a report on GreenCarReports.com, the new Fiesta will have 123 horsepower and 148 lb-ft. of peak torque at 1,400 rpm. Ford didn’t quote projected gas-mileage ratings, but it did say the 1.0-liter EcoBoost in the 2014 Fiesta would get the highest gas mileage rating “of any non-hybrid

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Consumer Reports tabs hatchbacks as most reliable car segment

In addition to its yearly offering of best values in different price classes and fuel efficiency, Consumer Reports’ recent lists of best and worst cars included the category of most reliable vehicle by segments. The list makes sense for car buyers not shopping by social status or brand loyalty but in more general terms — the reliability of vehicle segments. It’s not true in every instance, but in many cases the vehicles among the country’s most fuel efficient segment is the same segment that’s the most reliable — hatchbacks. And how ironic? Consumer Reports in general terms reports the more expensive the vehicle segment, the less reliable the segment. In the new Consumer Reports listing, fuel efficient hatchbacks were overwhelmingly

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Nissan Juke, 2012: Looks funny, drives fast, best buy small SUV crossover (video)

Introduced to the North American market at the 2010 New York Auto Show, the Nissan Juke is another in the ever-evolving series of unique-looking crossover vehicles with equally ever-evolving names. With the 2012 edition, the Juke remains the same as its 2011 debut edition — a turbocharged 1.6-liter, 188-horsepower 4-cylinder with a continuously variable automatic transmission. Nissan calls the Juke "The Bold Urban Sport Cross." The Weekly Driver Test Drive Like some of its rivals, including the Kia Soul and Scion xB, the Nissan Juke gets immediate attention. One national reviewer said its distinctive exterior is reminiscent of a "horned lizard." Another critic said it was stil in its "larval stage." The Juke's fans call it sporty. During my test

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Kia Rio, 2013: Versatile subcompact offers great fuel economy, value

The sub-compact segment in the United States is competitive, with every carmaker offering an entry as gas prices rise. But how does a manufacturer break from the pack and impress target buyers? Several dimensions standout — performance, ride quality, fuel economy, driving dynamics, options, styling, price. With the 2013 Kia Rio, the carmaker is concentrating on style, fuel economy, price and value. Driving Impressions Squeezing 138 HP and 123 lb-ft torque out of a 1.6L four cylinder engine with direct fuel injection, the Rio is competitive against the Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit and Chevy Sonic. Sink your foot to the floor and the Rio does what's expected: a slow ramp-up of power. It won't win drag races, unless it’s against

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Toyota Yaris, 2012: Better looks, but still basic, no-frills machine

The redesigned 2012 Toyota Yaris looks better, inside and out, and is more refined. But it still is just basic, no-frills transportation. The subcompact Yaris was introduced for 2007, when gas prices were rising. That helped give it a good start. But that was five model years ago, an eternity in the increasingly competitive small economy car market. This second-generation Yaris is longer and lower, with a stretched wheelbase. But it continues with a small 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine weak on highways, where it must work hard for even mediocre 65-75 mph passing maneuvers. The four-speed automatic transmission, although responsive, is several speeds short of being modern. The car should have a six-speed automatic. As for the standard five-speed manual transmission,

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Mazda2, 2012: keen handling lightweight among top sub-compacts (video)

The sub-compact car segment is increasingly popular among buyers on tight budgets and interested in saving money on rising fuels cost. The 2012 Mazda2 joins the Chevy Sonic, Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio as top offerings in the class. A year after Mazda introduced the third generation of the "2," the 2012 edition remains the same. It's a 100-horsepower, 1.5-liter, four-cylinder entry level sedan with a a five-speed manual transmission standard or a four-speed automatic optional. Videographer Bruce Aldrich (www.tahoetruckeeoutdoor.com) produced this video and The Weekly Driver (James Raia) provided commentary. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.

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Hyundai Accent, 2012: New generation improves sub-compact leader

With the sub-compact car segment increasingly popular, Hyundai redesigned the entry level Accent for 2012. It's the fourth generation of South Korean manufacturer's smallest family member since its debut in 1995. The new Hyundai Accent sheds the bland, underachieving reputation of many entry-level machines. It was a wise move by Hyundai, considering the category is chock-full of quality cars — the Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Mazda 2, Kia Rio and new Chevy Sonic The new Accent includes a more powerful and efficient engine, a new four-door hatchback body style and an upgraded interior. Available as a sedan or hatchback, the new is three inches longer, includes a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine and is available with a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual

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2012 Toyota Prius C gets vast praise as economic hybrid with surprising performance

The Toyota Prius C, the fourth model in the Prius family, is the shortest, narrowest, lightest and thus most fuel efficient of the hugely successful carmaker's hybrid lineup. The gasoline engine in the Prius has been reduced from 1.8 liters of displacement in the original Prius to 1.5 liters, and its dual electric motors are also smaller. Combined, there's only 99 horsepower in the Prius C, while the original Prius has 135 horsepower. The C in the Prius C, according to Toyota, translates to "city," and it's being promoted as a new urban option with superior economy. It makes a lot of sense as fuel prices continue to rise and lower purchase prices in cars continue to attract more buyers.

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Chevrolet Sonic, 2012: Supple ride in automaker's best-ever economy car

The new 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is the best subcompact car the manufacturer has produced. But, looking at Chevy history, that may not be saying a lot. Its tinny, troublesome 1970s Vega is still remembered by many as being one of the worst small cars from Detroit. However, it’s a different auto world now. The Sonic is derived from General Motor’s German Opel Corsa and provides larger-car refinement and driving kicks. The front-drive Sonic replaces the lackluster Aveo and is Chevrolet's newest small car, although it feels larger inside than it looks from the outside. The Sonic is among the new crop of small, upscale U.S. cars. American automakers have finally learned how to make money with small family cars. Formidable

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Hyundai joins rare auto club of seven with 1 milion yearly sales in 2011

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra has received its share of accolades. But it likely has just received its most significant honor — the lofty 1 million yearly sales plateau. According to a report on Forbes.com, when the final tallies are totaled the 2011 Hyundai Elantra will be the second-highest seller globally in 2011 with about 1.01 million units sold. The Toyota Corolla, sold under different nameplates throughout the world, remained the top worldwide seller, with about 10,00 more units sold in 2011 than the Hyundai Elantra. While reaching the 1 million in sales yearly total, the Hyundai Elantra joins six other vehicles that have also sold more than 1 million units in one year — Ford Model T, VW Beetle, Chevrolet

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Hyundai, Toyota shine among TheWeeklyDriver.com's 2011 Top-10 Cars

TheWeeklyDriver.com had its most successful year in 2011. We posted plenty of car news and automotive trends articles, and we incorporated a good supply of independently produced videos to complement the approximately 100 vehicles we reviewed. As editor and publisher of the site, I reviewed 29 cars and trucks in 2011. I drove more than a dozen other vehicles at press launches for several automakers, and I want to thank the nearly dozen manufacturers I worked with in 2011 for their continued support. Thanks also to Michael Dobrin Public Relations, Page One Automotive and STI Fleet, for their continued logistics and manufacturer liaison assistance. In July, I traveled to the Tour de France for the 13th time. There's no better

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Ford, Honda steadily advancing in green car market

Ferrari and Rolls Royce are even entering the alternative fuel vehicle segment. But green cars still represent a small, controversial and slow-growing percentage of country's yearly auto sales. The Toyota Prius hybrid earlier this year surpassed one million sales in the United States since its debut in 2001. But in 2011, through sales ending in October, the Prius was only the 12th best-selling car in the United States with about 120,000 units purchased. Regardless of the slow adoption rate, industry enthusiasm remains. In mid-December, Exxon Mobile, in its annual energy outlook prognosis, predicted half of new cars by 2040 would come equipped with some form of alternative propulsion system — hybrid to electric, fuel cell to natural gas. The energy

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Fiat 500 receives low NHTSA crash safety rating

The 2012 Fiat 500, the rekindled iconic Italian sub-compact that reappeared in the U.S. market earlier this year, has been shunned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with only a three-star rating for crash safety — a rare low mark. The little two-door Fiat 500 scored four stars in both the frontal and rollover crash tests, but its lowly mark occurred in the side impact crash test. After faring well in the side barrier rating part of the side crash test, scoring five stars, the Fiat 500’s limited rear protection was only two stars out of a possible five for protecting a female rear seat passenger seated behind the driver in a 35-40 mph side-impact crash. The only

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