Toyota Corolla

2018 VW Golf SportWagen: humble, proud, best in class

Throughout its long history in the United States, Volkswagen has manufactured two of the most recognizable cars in history, the VW Beetle and the VW Van. It also makes the Golf, and it’s arguably the most understated vehicle on the road. The Golf’s humble exterior and simple, efficient interior define its personality. It’s about as far-removed from its individualistic siblings as possible, and that’s its appeal. It’s no-nonsense and versatile. And it’s the best-selling VW in history and third on the all-time global sales list behind the Toyota Corolla and Ford F-150 series trucks. Key Takeaways 170-hp 1.8-liter turbo across all trims: The SportWagen carries the same engine as the rest of the Golf family, paired with either a six-speed

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Genesis cruises past Audi, tops Consumer Reports’ best car list

Genesis, the newcomer luxury brand from Hyundai, has accelerated past Audi and is now top-rated by Consumer Reports in its annual ranking of automotive brands. Audi was ranked No. 2, followed by BMW, Lexus and Porsche in the top 5. The remainder of the top 10 in order: Subaru, Kia, Tesla, Honda and Toyota. The magazine’s annual report card ranks brands based on road and safety tests, owner satisfaction and reliability. Lexus stood out in the rankings more for its reliability and standard advanced safety features than its road test scores, which often have trailed rivals. The magazine reported every Audi model tested, which totaled eight in the latest survey period, and every Genesis tested, just two models, are all

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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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The Weekly Driver Podcast, Episode 7, 1959 Volkswagen Bug

Every family has a car story. Bruce Aldrich, the co-host of The Weekly Driver Podcast, inherited a 1959 Volkswagen Bug his father who bought it new. Bruce has more than a 50-year history with the car. He’s the guest in this week’s episode, discussing the legacy of the historic Bug and how it influenced his upbringing and his close relationship with his father and family. Officially, the Volkswagen Beetle and Bug are the Volkswagen Type I. It’s arguably the most recognizable vehicle on the road with its high, severely rounded roofline, protruding fenders, distinct lights and overall bulbousness. It’s now 72 years old. The VW’ has a weird legacy. It was commissioned by Adolph Hitler in the 1930s as “The

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2017 Volkswagen Beetle: Spry, sporty, vital at age 72

Picking the most recognizable vehicle on the road is endlessly fun. The engine growl of a Maserati heard from another zip code? The near-silent elegance and design of a Tesla? The off-the-hook, testosterone-loaded design of a Hummer? They’re all unique, worthy selections. But like it or not, the Volkswagen Type I, predominately known as the Beetle or Bug, gets the honor. With its high, severely rounded roofline, protruding fenders, distinct lights and overall bulbousness, the 72-year-old Beetle is alone in the auto industry. The VW’s weird pedigree — commissioned by Adolph Hitler in the 1930s to adopted by the Hippie movement in the 1960s and 50 more years — further defines the car’s improbable legacy. It’s the second best-selling car

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2017 Kia Forte5: Unheralded hatchback shines tough segment

The 2017 Kia Forte5 is the hatchback trim of its more well-known sedan sibling. It’s reminiscent of the short-lived, defunct Volkswagen station wagon squareback that debuted in the late 1960s and ceased production six years later. The VW squareback was underpowered and quirky, but more than 350,000 were manufactured before its demise in 1974. Loyal followers liked the sizable cargo area, drivability, and versatility. The VW’s motto was, “Is it a small sedan that’s a station wagon or a station wagon that’s a sedan?” While similar is concept — a wagon-style cargo area in a sedan, the 2017 Kia Forte5 is far superior to its distant relative with a different name. But like the rest of its current family, it

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2017 Toyota Corolla: Enduring sedan keeps getting better

The 2017 Toyota Corolla marks the enduring sedan’s 51st year. Through 11 generations, the former econobox-on-wheels has lifetime worldwide sales of 43 million through last year. Since 1997, when it surpassed the Volkswagen Beetle, the Corolla remains the best-selling car in history. A new generation arrived in 2012, with yearly updates since. In 2016, Toyota began to offer a limited special edition to celebrate the car’s 50th anniversary. While competition remains intense, the 2017 Toyota Corolla keeps up with new safety and driving improvements, some not standard on luxury sedans. A rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure intervention and adaptive cruise control are now standard on all models. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The compact sedan market may be

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2017 Kia Forte worthy compact option beyond Honda, Toyota

The 2017 Kia Forte is the 10th year of the South Korean compact. It’s among the best of several cars in different segments trying to find a market against some of the country’s long-standing, best-selling vehicles. Matched against the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus, Volkswagen Jetta, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda3 and others, the Forte remains unheralded. It’s in the sixth year of its second generation, but for 2017 has a restyled exterior, including more modern crafted headlights and taillights. Available as a sedan in LX, S and EX trim levels, the Kia Forte also has a hatchback variant, the Forte5, in LX, EX and SX trims. The two-door Forte Koup was discontinued after the 2016 model. For my test vehicle,

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2017 Volkswagen Jetta: enduring sedan holds its own

Now in the seventh year of its sixth generation, the Volkswagen Jetta is approaching its 30th birthday as a little sedan that can. For 2017, the Jetta receives a few upgrades, most in improved technology. New are a rearview camera on all trim levels and driver assistance features on lower trims. There’s also an updated infotainment system with a USB connection to replace the former cable connection. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The Jetta hybrid and diesel have been discontinued for 2017, leaving four trims — S, SE, SEL and GLI. The SEL trim, my weekly driver, included many of the lengthy lists of the standard features on the lower trims and added or upgraded many areas. A 1.8-liter turbocharged,

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2017 Mitsubishi Lancer: Goodbye, you’ve had a good life

Say hello to the 2017 Mitsubishi Lancer and wish it farewell. Overshadowed for years by perennial favorites and fast-charging newcomers, the 2017 model is the compact car’s last year. With plans to stop Lancer production in August, Mitsubishi will continue to emphasize its popular sport utility vehicle and crossover lineup. Key Takeaways Final model year for the Lancer nameplate: Mitsubishi ended Lancer production in August 2017, closing the book on a compact sedan nameplate that had been in continuous production since 1973. Sales collapse preceded the discontinuation: Just 14,304 units sold in 2016 against segment rivals moving 300,000+ annually. The gap made the business case untenable. 148-horsepower 2.4L four with available all-wheel drive: Mitsubishi’s All Wheel Control (AWC) system is

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Ford F-Series trucks, siblings dominate 2016 sales

The number is staggering — 17.4 million new cars and trucks were purchased in the United States in 2016, dominated by sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks. The Ford F-Series again paced the industry surpassing 800,000 in sales and about 250,000 more than the runner-up Chevrolet Silverado. Twelve of the top-20 best-selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2016 were either SUVs or pickup trucks. The reason: a combination of versatility and lowering gas prices. The sale of pickups has increased for years. Only six manufacturers are represented in the marketplace, but the combined sales were more than 2.2 million. The 2016 car market had two surprising results. Compact-car sales fell 6.1 percent in 2016 and midsize vehicle sales fell 11.2

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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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2018 Toyota Camry: Watch the debut live from Detroit

When you sell more than 400,000 units of a car in a year, you get to have bravado. That’s how and why the 2018 Toyota Camry is just a tease — for now. The carmaker has announced the new edition of the best-selling car in the United States for many years will be unveiled in January at the 2017 North American International Auto Show, often called the Detroit Auto Show. Toyota’s only preview image of the new Camry is a close-cropped, three-quarter low-angle rear view. Sure, it’s a partial view. But it appears the usually conservatively styled sedan has been modernized. While the Toyota Camry had a long reign in its top-selling perch, its sales have decreased more than nine

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2017 Hyundai Elantra: New design, best buy compact

In the debut year of its sixth generation, the 2017 Hyundai Elantra maintains the carmaker’s firm position among top economically priced compacts. The newly designed sedan is offered in three trim levels: SE, Eco and Limited. The SE model is standard with 15-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories, height-adjustable front seats, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 60/40-split folding rear seatback. There’s also a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio and a CD player. Key Takeaways Sixth-generation compact with three trims: SE, Eco, and Limited. Each targets a different priority — price for SE, fuel economy for Eco, features for Limited. Eco trim returns 35 combined mpg on a 1.4L turbo: The 128-horsepower turbo paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2017 Toyota Corolla goes bold at 50

The Toyota Corolla, the best-selling car in history, keeps rolling along — and quite well. Now celebrating 50 years and with more than 43 million sold, the anniversary will be designated with refreshed styling and a new safety system. The manufacturer has also introduced a 2017 Toyota Corolla SE 50th Anniversary Special Edition model limited to 8,000 units. The 2017 Toyota Corolla gets a sportier look. There’s a new front grille and LED headlamps. The L, LE and LE Eco grades gain Bi-LED headlamps, while complex-LED headlamps come standard on SE, XSE and XLE grades. With the base L model adding a back-up camera, that feature is now standard across the Corolla line. Redesigned 16-inch wheels are standard on the

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Toyota makes trucks cleanly, quietly, quickly in Texas

During a recent visit to the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas (TMMTX), the 2.2-million square foot, 2,000-acre facility 17 miles south of downtown San Antonio, my notion of the workplace environment of automobile manufacturing plants was shattered. The sweatshop image I’ve viewed in movies and read about in tragic examples of worker exploitation was replaced by modern, efficient, environmentally savvy city of state-of-the art technology. It’s a factory where machines and humans co-exist in a healthy, constantly moving indoor environment. Toyota calls the plant where about 200,000 Toyota Tacoma and Tundra trucks are manufactured per year a campus. It’s an appropriate moniker. The facility has 7,200 employees, the majority of whom rotate day and night shifts in two-week intervals. Employees are

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