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Honda Fit Shuttle Introduced In Japan, Available As Hybrid
Honda of Japan gets a new people schlepper with a familiar name. The Fit Shuttle is a mini MPV that will get two distinctively different powertrains: a VTEC gasoline engine, and a hybrid. The i-VTEC engine is Honda’s familiar 1.5-liter 4-banger, which is good for nearly 44 miles per gallon—same as the Fit. The hybrid…
Are Minivans Still Popular Today?
Do people still buy minivans? That’s what Polk Research wants to find out. With a common aversion to minivans that lies somewhere between stubbing a toe on furniture and ebola, it’s interesting to see that from last year, minivan sales have actually gone up. From a nice, even 3 percent of light vehicle sales in…
Ford C-Max To Be Sold As Hybrid Only
Ford will sell its C-Max minivan as a hybrid model only, in an effort to further compete with hybrid offerings like the Toyota Prius V, Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, which are all offered in 5-door bodystyles. The C-Max will come only in a 5-seater configuration, with hybrid and plug-in hybrid variations offered. Ford originally…
Next-Gen Chrysler Minivan to Gain AWD
The only automaker that currently offers an AWD minivan is Toyota, but that is about to change says Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne. In a recent product briefing Marchionne indicated that the next-generation Chrysler minivan (the Town & Country) will gain all-wheel drive. Nearly a decade ago Chrysler did offer an AWD version, but it…
Toyota Hands Over Development Clout to U.S. Operations
Toyota is taking product development authority away from Japanese bosses and putting it in the hands of North American executives as part of a larger change aimed at fixing quality control issues that hurt the automaker’s reputation last year. Until now, vehicles produced and designed and developed in North America had to be approved by…
Citroën C3 Picasso Brakes From Passenger Seat, Recalled For Defect
Citroën was once the company bizarre enough to dabble in hydraulic suspensions, power steering, and swiveling headlights before anyone else. It’s good to see that legacy of damn-it-all innovation carry through to today, where the Gallic carbuilder has mounted the brakes in the passenger side. Not on purpose, anyway. Turns out that the C3 Picasso…
Toyota Prius V Still On Track for Fall U.S. Delivery
Reports of the Toyota Prius V’s delay have been greatly exaggerated. According to the company, the Prius V is on track for a U.S. fall debut, after all. The Prius V had been previously reported to be delayed across all markets, due to the Japanese earthquake. But a brief note from Toyota USA’s Torrance, California…
Honda Airbag Recall Expanded to Include an Additional 833,000 Vehicles
Honda’s recent airbag recall in North America is a growing problem for the auto maker. The recall, which affect 2001 to 2003 model Honda and Acura vehicles, is related to a faulty airbag module that might have been replaced by a defected service part, when the original driver’s airbag was changed. This latest recall notice…
Toyota Vietnam Recalls 66,000 Cars Due To Whistleblower
Toyota‘s Vietnamese division has been left red-faced after obfuscating the seriousness of a recall for their export-market Innova minivan, with Toyota being forced to recall nearly 10 times as many vans as they initially claimed. Despite flaws the the braking system, wheel alignment bolts and the seats, Toyota claimed that only 8,830 cars would need…
2011 Honda Odyssey Recalled for Sticking Front Windows
Honda has announced it will recall 2,800 of its new Odyssey minivans to replace the windows on both front doors. The recall affects only 2011 model year versions of the Odyssey due to glass that can become detached from the mechanism that moves it, causing it to become stuck either open or closed. No injuries…
Minivans Piling Up At Chryslers Windsor Plant As Relations With Transporter Company Allied Break
If you just ordered a new Chrysler minivan, you could be waiting some time before you get it. No, it’s not due to a production delay, but instead due to a dispute with their trucking company. Allied Systems Holdings, the carrier company that is responsible for taking vehicles out of the Windsor factory is in…
2011 Honda Odyssey Recalled for Super Strong Wiper Motor, Weak Wiper Linkage
Issuing its second recall in as many days, Honda has announced it is taking steps to replace a potentially faulty front wiper linkage rod on the 2011 Odyssey. The recall affects 33,341 vehicles where the wiper linkage could be bent if the wiper motor is turned on, but the wipers themselves are frozen to the…
Volkswagen Bulli Microbus Concept Headed to Production
Remember the retro-tastic Bulli from Geneva? If not, then this link should refresh your memory. Well, Volkswagen research and development boss Ulrich Hackenberg says it wasn’t just a snazzy show concept—the company plans to put it into production, under the MDS (modular design system) platform. The platform, previously known as the MQB, will enter production…
2011 Dodge Grand Caravan Gets $1,000 Discount for New $23,995 Base Price
Dodge has announced a cut to the base price of the 2011 Grand Caravan minivan, reducing the MSRP by $1,000 on the entry-level Express model. At just $23,995 the refreshed Grand Caravan is now the cheapest minivan on the market. In addition, the Mainstreet model is $250 cheaper and priced at $25,745. For 2011 the…
Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Bulli Is A 21st Century Microbus
In Germany, the Volkswagen Microbus was affectionately known as the “Bulli”, proving that terms of endearment and the German language aren’t always compatible. While Volkswagen had a false start with their Microbus concept in 2001, the same idea is back 10 years later, and it manages to be even more contemporary while still providing Baby…
Volkswagen Says ‘NO’ To NASCAR, And ‘Not Decided’ On The Future Of Routan Minivan
When Volkswagen announced a few years ago, that they would give Chrysler the contract to build a minivan based on the Town and Country,it took auto fans by surprise. Afterall, in Europe, VW has its own minivan, a vehicle that was previously sold here in one form or another as the Eurovan. The Routan was…
Chicago 2011: Dodge Caravan R/T: Gents your ‘man van’ has arrived
Will the R/T sell? It’s difficult to say at this point, but there’s no question that despite Chrysler being the volume leader in the minivan market, the segment as a whole has been struggling for years.
Dodge Grand Caravan R/T ‘Man Van’ to Debut at Chicago Auto Show
Dodge will unwrap the ‘Man Van’ tomorrow at the Chicago Auto Show, a testosterone-infused version of its Grand Caravan family hauler. Officially billed as the Grand Caravan R/T, the new model is scheduled to arrive at dealers this Spring and is designed with a more masculine approach. The actual goal of the vehicle isn’t entirely…
Nissan Quest Minivan Hits Dealers With $27,750 Base Price, New Ad Campaign
The commercial is designed to highlight how parents can manage their busy lives with the new Quest, via one touch technology, permanent rear storage and an ‘intelligent’ climate control system that’s designed to block out unwanted smells from inside the van.
Nissan to Launch Mazda5 Rival, Supplied by Mazda
These days Mazda doesn’t have a lot going for it and it’s not often that the automaker makes the headlines. But this story just proves what thinking outside the box can do. More than five years ago Mazda axed its low-selling minivan and debuted the Mazda5 – a smaller van based on the compact Mazda3…
Will Moms Ever Think Minivans are Cool?
Soccer moms sometimes get a raw deal because of the vehicle of choice. But it’s not like they have much of a choice – a minivan is the best-equipped vehicle to haul their aspiring David Beckhams to games and practices. It’s time to stop mocking the soccer mom, and automakers are setting out to make…
Ford Windstar Recalled Again; 425,000 Models Affected for Rusting Front Subframe
Ford has announced a recall for 425,000 of its 1999 to 2003 Windstar minivan models as a result of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The issue surrounds a rust problem with the front subframe, that could fracture, which Ford says could result in a steering issue (although considering the structural…
2012 Suzuki MR Wagon is the World’s Cutest Box on Wheels
Suzuki has been struggling with its car division in North America, and sales in 2010 were particularly poor. However, in its home market of Japan, the brand does quite well, thanks to tiny run-abouts like this new MR wagon. The MR wagon fits under the kei-class category in Japan, which in English would mean, ultra…
Kia Drops Borrego, Rondo From U.S. Market
Kia‘s Rondo small minivan and Borrego SUV have been dumped from the U.S. lineup, ostensibly after slow sales forced Kia to cease importation. Although originally reported by Automotive News, Kia declined to comment on the matter. The Borrego was never a strong seller in the U.S., although the large SUV, along with the Rondo small…
