Volvo XC60

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Ford Edge EcoBoost, 2012: Surprising performance, extra fuel efficiency

Placing a small 4-cylinder engine inside a mid-size SUV might seem like a bad idea, especially for power-hungry American drivers. Yet, this is exactly what Ford has done with the 2012 Edge EcoBoost mid-size crossover. Fortunately, this motor is an overachiever. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine features direct injection, twin independent variable camshaft timing, and a turbocharger that spools up to 16 psi of boost. Output is 240 hp at 5500 rpm and a healthy 270 lb-ft of torque from 3,000 rpm. The end result of this unusual arrangement is a surprising level of real-world performance. The beefy torque response makes for effortless everyday driving, and the engine is impressively smooth and quiet. If you didn’t know it, you’d never guess

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Volvo S60, 2012: Still sturdy, safe (and now) sporty after all these years

Introduced 12 years ago as the carmaker's first major departure in a few decades from its box-on-wheels reputation, the Volvo S60 is now in its second generation. The 2012 edition is offered in three trims, including the most-sports-car-like Volvo yet, the S60 T6 AWD R SR. That's a lot of numbers and letters for a model. But what the alphabet soup name means for potential buyers is 325 horsepower, a turbo-charged six-cylinder engine with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The R means "R-Design Elements" and that translates into the car's sportiness with a handful of features — 18-inch alloy wheels to sport tuning and lower front and rear spoilers to the signature Volvo blue watch dial instrument cluster.

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Volvo, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz dominate 2012 safest cars list

With its auto content, Forbes.com likes lists. Its current offering, like much of its other car content, is subjective — the safest 2012 cars. Infiniti, Mercedes-Benez and Volvo, with three selections, dominate the list. The subjectiveness of the list is not a criticism. It's subjective via the criteria used to make its choices, which, seem like the right criteria. One of the strongest considerations is the designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). For 2012, a total of 69 cars, 38 SUVs and three pickups made the non-profit's Top Safety Picks list, including 18 new recipients. To qualify as an IIHS Top Safety Pick, a car must garner top scores for performance in front, side, rollover and rear-end

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Mazda3 2011 awarded IIHS top safety pick rating

The 2011 Mazda 3 sedan/hatchback, after earning the top rating of good for roof strength in rollover crashes, qualifies as a Top Safety Pick among small cars by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). The Mazda3, which previously earned good ratings for front, side, and rear crash protection, is the manufacturer’s first car designated as a Top Safety Pick since the Institute made the criteria more strict by including a requirement for a good rating in the roof strength test. Two tests were conducted in order to rate the 4-door sedan and hatchback versions. The sedan’s roof withstood a force equal to 5.32 times the car’s weight. The hatchback’s roof withstood a force equal to 5.09 times its weight.

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Kia Optima joins elite club with top NHSTA safety rating

The 2011 Kia Optima has just joined an exclusive automotive fraternity. It’s the first Korean car and among only 13 vehicles awarded in 2011 a five-star rating under the recently revamped crash safety testing system conducted the National Highway Transportation Safety Administation (NHSTA). The midsize Optima, redesigned for 2011, achieved an overall five-star rating after attaining five stars in each of the ratings categories. Earlier this year, the Optima was a recipient of a “Top Safety Pick” award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The additional 12 vehicles earning five-star NHTSA ratings for 2011: Acura MDX, BMW 5 Series, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, GMC Sierra, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Volvo XC60 and

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Hyundai, VW share top 2011 safety institute honors

Hyundai and Volkswagen combined to earn 18 of 66 Top Safety Picks by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the independent nonprofit scientific organization dedicated to reducing the incidents on American highways. Hyundai and Volkswagen each had nine winning models, the most of any manufacturer. The IIHS introduced more difficult standards for 2010, adding roof strength to its criteria by testing protection in rollover crashes. “In just a year, automakers have more than doubled the number of vehicles that meet the criteria for Top Safety Pick,” said Adrian Lund, the Institute president. “That gives consumers shopping for a safer new car or SUV — from economy to luxury models — plenty of choices to consider in most dealer showrooms.

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Volvo maintains reputation for safety, innovation in 2011

Founded in 1927 in Gothenberg, Sweden, Volvo (Swedish for “I roll”) manufactures sport utility vehicles to sedans, coupes to compacts — all featuring the carmakers’ emphasis on safety. Volvo has introduced numerous new automotive technologies throughout its tenure, most notably laminated glass (1944), padded dash boards (1956), three-point safety belt (1959) central high-mounted stoplight (1986) and side impact airbags (1994). During the 1960s, the P1800 sports car debuted and Volvo received international attention when actor Roger Moore in the television series The Saint drove it. But the carmaker was also at the safety forefront during the decade when it introduced padded dashboards and energy-resistant front and rear seat crumple zones. In the 1970s, technology was again industry leading in Volvo

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BMW, Ford, Honda, Volvo, Toyota among cars gone to the dogs

More precisely, the AAA has selected its newest list of 11 cars in six lifestyle categories that dog owners prefer when transporting their pets. According to the AAA, 45 million households in the United States have a dog and more than 80 percent of dog owners take their best friend with them when they run errands or drive their cars for leisure. “There several vehicles with features that can help keep pets safe, comfortable and easy to clean-up after while also addressing other driver desires such as sportiness, adventure or luxury,” said John Nielsen, AAA National Director of Auto Repair and Buying Services. The AAA’s experts drove and reviewed hundreds of vehicles and compiled a list of their top car

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Edmunds.com unveils recommended cars, trucks for 2010

The guide contains Edmunds.com’s Top Recommended Vehicles — shopping lists for consumers interested in any market segment. Another section of the guide, What You Should Know before Buying, provides valuable segment-specific guidance no car shopper should miss. “You’re ready to buy a new vehicle, but how do you go about narrowing down the choices?” Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief of Edmunds.com asked. “Consumers can really use a friend in this overwhelming process; our buying guides give them the benefit of our extensive experience testing and researching every car on the market.” Here are Edmunds.com top recommended vehicles for 2010: Sedans Under $15,000 —- Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra Under $20,000 —- Mazda MAZDA3, Suzuki Kizashi, Ford Fusion Under $25,000 —- Honda

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Audi R8, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Volkswagen GTI among Market Watch cars of the year

Ron Amadon, an auto writer and morning news anchor on the MarketWatch Radio Network based in Washington, D.C., has just published his best-of-the-end-of-the-decade list. Details of how he selected his list aren’t provided, except the reviews are for the calendar year, not model year. Fun to drive is also a high priority. Best sports car: Audi R8. Simply the best Audi ever. Biggest surprise: Kia Soul, Nissan Cube. Auto styling goes cubist. Cars of the year: Hyundai Genesis Coupe and Volkswagen GTI. Best sedan: Hyundai Genesis. Smooth and solid at a good price. Best family value: Volvo XC60. Nowhere will you find a smoother, more refined ride. Best gas sipper: VW Jetta TDI. You will never know it is a

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Subaru tops all manufacturers in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2010 ratings

The other car manufacturers to do well in 2010 include: Ford and its subsidiary, Volvo, Volkswagen and Audi with five top picks, and Chrysler with four cars in the top categories. “With the addition of our new roof strength evaluation, our crash test results now cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes,” said Institute president Adrian Lund. “Consumers can use this list to zero in on the vehicles that are on the top rung for safety.” Toyota and its Lexus and Scion subsidiaries had a strong showing in 2009 with 11 winners but were shut out for 2010. Four other manufacturers whose vehicles have earned Top Safety Pick in the past didn’t have a qualifying vehicle for

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Volvo Awarded International Safety Honor

Volvo, the Swedish manufacturer known its durable and safety-oriented vehicles, has received an international award for its commitment to preventing accidents. Volvo’s in-house developed technology for avoiding low-speed collisions has been awarded the American “Traffic Safety Achievement Award” at this year’s World Traffic Safety Symposium in New York Volvo will be the first manufacturer to install its low-speed safety technology, called City Safety, as standard equipment in a vehicle. It will be available later this year in the XC60, the first Volvo with the feature. According to Volvo, approximately 75 percent of all collisions are at speeds less than 18 mph. In 50 percent of these collisions, drivers do not brake before the collision because of insufficient concentration. If the

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