Hyundai Sonata

TheWeeklyDriver.com’s 2017 Best Cars of the Year

TheWeeklyDriver.com presents its 11th annual best cars of the year list. For the past two years, we selected 12 vehicles instead of 10 because we couldn’t decide what cars to leave off the lists. The selection was more clear-cut this year, so we’ve again chosen 10 vehicles. Volvo is the only manufacturer with two vehicles on the 2017 best cars list. Bentley, Genesis, Honda, Kia, Lincoln, Mazda, Volkswagen and Toyota are also represented. As editor and publisher of TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004, I reviewed 38 cars and trucks in 2017 model years for at least a week. Most of the vehicles I drove in the calendar year; some 2017 models in 2016. I also drove at least a half-dozen other vehicles

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Honda dominates TheWeeklyDriver.com’s 2016 Best Cars List

For the 10th straight year, TheWeeklyDriver.com is selecting its top vehicles of the year. In 2015, we included 12 vehicles instead of 10 on the end-of-the-year list. And we’re doing the same this year. Honda has four cars on the list, the Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Honda Fit and Honda Odyssey. Toyota is represented by the Toyota Avalon Hybrid and Toyota Sienna. Lexus also has two cars on the list, the Lexus IS 200t and the Lexus RC-F. Kia, Lincoln, Mazda and Scion are also represented. As editor and publisher of TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004, I reviewed 38 cars and trucks in 2016 model years during the 2016 calendar year. I also drove several other vehicles briefly at manufacturer preview days.

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2016 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T: efficient family sedan defined

Redesigned last year, the 2016 Hyundai Sonata has only a few minor changes from 2015, and it remains an increasingly popular family sedan in one of the most competitive segments in the automotive industry. New standard items for 2016, include: A seven-inch touchscreen except on the top-line range-Limited 2.0T (which continues to have an 8-inch screen). Both systems feature smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A rearview camera and automatic headlights are now also standard on all trims. An automatic emergency braking system debuts on the Limited 2.0T and the full lineup has had its suspension tweaked for improved handling. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2016 Hyundai Sonata is marketed as a five-passenger sedan, but it’s better

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2016 Chevrolet Malibu: Still riding the sedan wave well

Now in the fourth year of its eighth generation, the Chevrolet Malibu dates to 1964. And like other vehicles with long histories, the Malibu has come a long way since it was named after the surfing-oriented city along the California coastline. The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, however, is much the same as last year’s model, but it’s without a few items. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine is no longer available and xenon headlights and a few other more minor equipment features have been discontinued. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The midsize sedan segment is among the most competitive in the industry, dominated by Japanese vehicles and vastly improved competitors from South Korea. So where does the Chevrolet Malibu, now more than 50

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Good Housekeeping debuts Best New Cars list

Good Housekeeping, the magazine whose testing institute has evaluated products and presented the Good Housekeeping Seal of approval since 1909, has unveiled its inaugural “Best New Cars” for 2016. The new list was compiled in conjunction with Car and Driver, the renowned automobile publication. The two publications’ collaboration narrowed 160 vehicles to 41 across four categories; eight winners: Compact, Sedan, Eco and Crossover. Then, the engineers from the Good Housekeeping Institute logged 2,000-plus miles on real roads, assessing performance, safety features, family friendliness, price, infotainment systems, usability, storage and intuitive design. Here are the winners, announced January 11, 2016 at North American International Auto Show in Detroit: Compact Mazda3 S 5-Door Grand Touring (2015): Swift acceleration gives this car a

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TheWeeklyDriver.com names Best 12 Vehicles of 2015

For the ninth straight year, TheWeeklyDriver.com has selected its Best 12 Vehicles of the Year. Ford, Honda and Hyundai each have two vehicles on the 2015 list, which this year has expanded from the usual top-10 list to a dozen selections. As editor and publisher of the TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004, I fully reviewed 38 cars and trucks with 2015 model years. I also drove a half-dozen other cars briefly at manufacturer preview days. This year’s list has expanded to a dozen vehicles for one simple reason: Manufacturers keep making better machines. For the first time since the end-of-the-year list began, our list includes a pick-up truck. For the 2014 list, we selected a single top vehicle, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

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2016 Kia Optima further challenges Accord, Camry

Since its debut in 2000, the Kia Optima has made steady, small progress to loosen the dominance of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in the midsize sedan market. With the debut of the fifth generation 2016 Kia Optima, the South Korean upstart can no longer be considered a fringe offering for the budget-minded car buyer. While sharing the platform of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata, the 2016 Kia Optima features a host of new exterior and interior design offerings, including a new trim, the 1.6T or turbocharged inline four-cylinder. The new model is also slightly longer, wider and taller than its predecessor. And there’s more interior legroom and headroom and more cargo space. It’s a family sedan with a hint

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2016 Chevrolet Volt named Green Car of the Year

Five years after it won for the first time, the Chevrolet Volt has been named the Green Car of the Year for the second time. The 2016 edition was honored at the Los Angeles Auto Show in the 10th edition of the award presented by the Green Car Journal.The Chevrolet Volt was given the award in recognition of improvements to every aspect of the extended-range hybrid that debut in 2011. In presenting the award, judges note the Chevrolet Volt for its: “sleek and sporty design, more energy-dense batteries, new electric motors, and quicker acceleration.” The Chevrolet Volt has a more efficient 1.5-liter engine-generator that creates onboard electricity to power the Volt’s motors for a total 420 miles.The Volt beat a field of finalists

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Hyundai paces top-8 best new car warranties

Hyundai claims it offers “America’a Best Warranty” throughout its lineup of vehicles, the entry level Accent to the top-line Equus. It’s hard to argue with the claim. Hyundai’s bumper-to-bumper warrant is five years or 60,000 miles. The powertrain warranty covers up to 10 years or 100,000 miles. Hyundai adds a seven-year unlimited-mile anti-perforation warranty. It covers rust and corrosion from interior and exterior body panels of the original sheet metal. And there is also a five-year, unlimited-mile, 24-hour roadside-assistance service including battery jump-starts, flat-tire changing, lock-out assistance and towing. Finally, the battery in hybrid Hyundai vehicles has a lifetime warranty. All Hyundai warranty details are transferable to future vehicle owners except the powertrain warranty. The new owner gets a five-year, 60,000-mile

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Toyota Prius, Chevy Volt green car of the year finalists

The pioneering hybrid Toyota Prius and the second generation of the Chevrolet Volt have been selected among five finalists for the 2016 Green Car of the Year. The 11th annual award will be presented as per tradition on November 19 as a preamble to the LA Auto Show. The Green Car Journal, which debuted the award in 2005, has selected the Audi A3 e-tron, Honda Civic Hyundai Sonata as well as the Prius and Volt. According to the publication, and increasing number of vehicle models are considered for the Green Car of the Year program each year, a reflection of the auto industry’s expanding efforts in offering new vehicles with higher efficiency and improved environmental impact. “This is the strongest

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Mazda3, Pontiac Vibe among best used cars for under 10K

Consumer Reports has plenty to say about new cars and trucks, but it also has some practical advice for buyers seeking the best used cars on tight budgets. It’s compiled a varied (and sometimes surprising) list of its top-10 best used cars for under $10,000. The publication recommends several criteria while searching for a good used vehicle. The more important: good reliability, stability control, the newest used car you can afford, buy from a reputable seller and seek the car’s past history.   Here’s what Consumer Reports writes about two of its choices, followed its top-10 list of best used cars to buy for under $10,000. 2008 MAZDA 3 The excellent Mazda 3 is one of our favorite small cars

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2015 Hyundai Sonata: Luxury attitude, value price

The last generation Hyundai Sonata solidified the midsize sedan’s place into the industry mainstream. The new and expanded 2015 Hyundai Sonata lineup further positions the Korean manufacturer as a strong competitor against the Honda and Toyota monoliths. The new Sonata design, which features a more refined exterior and larger cabin, is offered in five trims and as a hybrid model. An Eco trim with a 1.6-liter turbocharged, four-cylinder engine is among other changes for 2015. The Weekly Driver Test Drive After recently reviewing the Eco trim Hyundai Sonata, I knew mostly what to expect from the  Sport 2.0T trim. It combines many of the features on less costly trims with a substantial list of upgrades. Here’s the rundown: Standard equipment on

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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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VW Jetta TDI tops TheWeeklyDriver.com’s 2014 top 10

For the eighth straight year, TheWeeklyDriver.com has selected its top-10 cars of the year. Honda again leads the list with the three selections, followed by Chevrolet and Ford, each with two selections. The Honda Accord is the only vehicle to make the list every year. This is the first year we’ve picked a single automobile to top the list. It’s the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. It’s the most economical, best priced, best designed and best- performing car available in the United States for $25,000. As editor and publisher of TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004, I drove 49 cars this year to consider for the top-10 list. Most automotive publications pick their top choice early in the model year. I think it’s to

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Toyota Camry: Top sedan through the years

Since its humble debut nearly 32 years ago, the Toyota Camry has been a hit. It wasn’t touted much, but soon after it replaced the Toyota Corona, the public responded. As such, with impressive quality, comfortable ride and durability, the Camry has been near the top or the top-selling sedan in the United States for more than 25 years. It’s been the sedan sales leader for the past 12 years. While impressive, Toyota made several surprising changes across all trims for the 2015 Camry, available at dealers since September. The changes include: a stiffer body, new grille, softer interior materials, new controls and, according to the manufacturer, about 2000 new parts. The surprise is that Toyota also revised the now

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2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport 2.0T: Refined, well-equipped

The ultracompetitive mid-size sedan market heats up with the addition of Hyundai‘s new 2015 Sonata Sport. It’s been given a more refined design, inside and out, to draw additional mid-size sedan buyers. This seventh-generation front-wheel-drive Sonata swaps the previous model’s ultra-sporty look for a more conservative one. However, this four-door sedan has a purposeful shape, with a coupe-like roofline and horizontal lines in the rear that underscore the car’s width and give it a planted (spell “road-hugging”) look. Hyundai likens the styling to an athlete in a well-tailored suit. The new Sonata has a stiffer body structure, better ride quality, less noise, vibration and harshness and advanced safety and convenience features. A revised multilink rear suspension design enhances responsiveness, handling

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