Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
Honda's sub-£20,000 Super-N city EV borrows the simulated-gearbox trick from Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N at a third the price. Specs, range, and why Americans miss out.
Read moreThe 2025 Subaru WRX tS stands as the most capable and focused WRX ever sold in North America. Priced at $46,875 including destination, this “tuned by STI” variant combines STI-developed suspension, upgraded Brembo brakes, and aggressive summer tires with the WRX’s proven 271-horsepower turbocharged boxer engine. For enthusiasts who have been waiting for Subaru to deliver something closer to the discontinued WRX STI, this is not an STI. It does not have more power. But it might be exactly what you need. What tS Means The lowercase “t” and uppercase “S” stand for “tuned by STI,” referring to Subaru Tecnica International, the motorsport division founded in 1988 that brought Subaru three World Rally Championships and 47 WRC wins. This naming
Read moreThere’s a new King of the ‘Ring. Honda’s legendary Civic Type R, a long-time fan-favorite for its extraordinary performance in a small package, captured the fastest lap for front-drive production vehicles at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife. Honda dethroned the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R with a 7:44.881 lap time. Unfortunately for U.S.-based fans of the Civic Type R, the model that contested the 12.93-mile “Green Hell” isn’t the same as the vehicle currently on sale in the United States. The record-setting Honda is the Type R “S” which boasts a lighter curb weight and other performance upgrades is exclusive for left-hand-drive European markets. Honda ditched air conditioning, parking sensors, cargo net hooks, navigation hardware and a variety of other equipment which
Read moreAfter 51 years, 11 generations and approaching 28 million in sales, the Honda Civic remains among the most enduring and dependable vehicles. It’s available as a coupe, sedan and hatchback and in Si and Type R high-performance options. It’s offered in Sport, Touring, LX, EX and Sport trims and it ideally defines its name’s origin. The Civic’s moniker means “a car created for citizens and cities.” Civics are everywhere, albeit with a caveat. What once defined the needs of citizens in cities is no more. And the vehicle, classified in its tenure as both a subcompact and compact and with the multiple personalities as a family sedan a zippy sports car, may have lost its way. Six years ago, the
Read moreAs we do periodically throughout the year, on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast co-host Bruce Aldrich and I get caught up on the automotive industry news. There’s always a lot happening, and our topics cover a wide range. First, car names can mean a lot toward the success or failure of an automobile. We found a recent list on a prominent auto site that lists the top-25 worst car names in history. The list comes to mind with the not-too-long-ago naming of the pending new Ferrari sport utility vehicle. It will be called the Purosangue. Ferrari, of course, has long been associated with horses and its “Prancing Pony” logo. The new Ferrari is named after the word
Read moreThe Los Angeles Auto Show has lots of bright lights and bling, concept cars and customized cruisers from yesteryear. It’s the annual first major industry showcase uniquely held at the end of the calendar year. Global debuts of the newest Aston Martin, Hummer and Porsche are fine. Concept cars are great, although many may never be made for consumers. The latest electric vehicle innovation are the industry’s future. But much was made of the Bollinger, Byton, Canoo and Elio and none have been manufactured. The 115th The Los Angeles Auto Show will be held Nov. 18-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Charge Cars, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, ElectraMeccanica, Fiat, Genesis, GMC, Hummer, Hyundai, INDI EV, Jaguar,
Read moreThirty-eight car nameplates offer manual transmissions for their 2020 models, Aston Martin to Volkswagen. Truck enthusiasts who like to shift gears have far fewer choices. In fact, only two manufacturers, Toyota and Jeep, offer a manual transmission in their fleets. Here’s the full list of cars with manual transmissions, either as standard or optional equipment, for the 2020 model year: Aston Martin Vantage, BMW M2, BMW M4 (all body styles), Chevrolet Camaro (all body styles), Chevrolet Spark, Dodge Challenger, Fiat 124 Spider, Ford Mustang (all body styles), Shelby GT350, Genesis G70, Honda Accord, Honda Civic (all body styles), Civic Si (all body styles), Civic Type R; Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Elantra (GT hatchback only), Hyundai Veloster, Veloster N, Hyundai
Read moreA small percentage of the car-buying public still enjoys the mechanics of driving. But manual transmissions are increasingly rare. Meet the 2017 Honda Civic hatchback sport. Honda decided this year to make its perennially top-selling compact more versatile, via an imported hatchback. The 10th generation of the sedan, manufactured in England, is available with a six-speed manual transmission. While the efficiency of continuously variable transmissions has simplified driving and Honda is at the automotive forefront with its version, the carmaker also appreciates tradition. Thirty years ago, about 25 percent of new cars sold in the United States featured manual transmissions. Today, it’s less than five percent. The Civic debuted in 1972 and it’s perched between the Honda Fit and the
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