compact car
MINI Countryman To Get Rear Bench Seat Option
The MINI Countryman was originally offered with a 2+2 configuration that made it somewhat impractical for a significant portion of potential buyers, who need the fifth seat for whatever reason. MINI eventually decided to offer a fifth seat option in Europe, but has now decided that North Americans can have the option of a middle…
2012 Honda CR-V Delayed, Civic To See Limited Production
Honda will delay the launch of their next generation CR-V crossover due to continued production delays, and supplies of their 2012 Civic will also be delayed as Honda’s North American production continues to run at well below capacity amid the after effects of Japan’s natural disasters. In a letter to Honda’s dealers, U.S. executive vice-president…
Dodge Charger Super Bee, Fiat 500 Gucci Edition Confirmed
According to a tweet from Ward’s Auto, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionee has confirmed the existence of two new models in the pipeline, the Dodge Charger Super Bee and a Gucci-branded edition of the Fiat 500. The last generation Super Bee was mechanically identical to the Charger SRT-8, although it came in unique pastel colors and…
New York 2011: Chevrolet Sonic Z-Spec Live Photos
The Chevrolet Sonic actually looks like a good vehicle, and not just in relative terms to the outgoing Aveo that it replaces. In a classic case of misplaced good intentions, Chevrolet decided to take things up a level with their Sonic Z-Spec package, that combines questionable visual patterns with the color palette of a Creamsicle….
Mazda CX-5 Confirmed For Spring 2012, Mazda3 To Get 40 MPG, Diesel Confirmed
Mazda confirmed that their previously unveiled Minagi concept will go into production as the Mazda CX-5, a small crossover intended to slot beneath their mid-size CX-7 and full-size CX-9. The CX-5 will be the first Mazda vehicle to come with a full suite of SKYACTIV fuel-saving technologies, among them an all-new engine designed for maximum…
New York 2011: 2012 Hyundai Accent Debuts
The 2012 Hyundai Accent broke cover at the New York Auto Show on Tuesday, but Hyundai has previewed the car before, at both the Montreal and Toronto Auto Shows, with little fanfare or media coverage. The previous Accent was the kind of car that you bought out of necessity rather than desire, but the newest…
Honda Civic To Get Diesel By 2013
Honda will offer their Civic compact car with a new small diesel engine by 2013, but for now it looks like Europe and other markets will get it, with North America seemingly shut out. With a new Civic set to debut in world markets in 2012, Honda is mulling various options, with world markets set…
2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio Debuts Ahead Of New York Auto Show Reveal
Fiat has just released photos of their 500 Cabrio, the open-top version of their much-lauded 500 hatchback, a week ahead of its official debut at the New York Auto Show. Rather than a traditional convertible body style like the MINI Cooper, the 500 uses a retractable canvas roof panel that still retains the overall shape…
2011 Chevrolet Cruze With Detached Steering Wheel Caught On Video
While we reported on the recall regarding the Chevrolet Cruze and its defective steering wheel issue, we didn’t realize just how severe the problem was until we saw video of the defect, and the very real consequences it could pose. A Youtube user uploaded a video of one of the vehicles, which shows the steering…
Nissan Leaf Has Problems Starting, Air Conditioner Unit Blamed
The Nissan Leaf has been afflicted with problems starting, an issue which has apparently been identified as originating with the car’s air conditioning system. Nissan remains unsure whether this is a software glitch or a larger issue related to the physical part. The company won’t issue a recall, since the safety of the vehicle is…
Honda Plants Could Be Hit By Parts Shortage For Up To 90 Days
Honda plants in North America could be operating at well below capacity as a shortage of parts from Japan threatens to cripple the automaker’s output for as long as 90 days. Speaking with Automotive News, Honda’s executive Vice-President John Mendel estimated a 60 to 90 day slowdown, with 30 days being an optimistic forecast. Honda…
Mazda To Launch Minagi Concept, SkyActiv Engines At New York Auto Show
The New York Auto Show will be a big one for Mazda, as the company prepares 3 big unveiling that will pave the way for the company’s future on the engineering front. Mazda will show off the Minagi concept for the first time in North America and debut the refreshed 2012 Mazda3 in America (after its unveiling…
Chevrolet Volt, Cruze, Post Record March Sales
The initial slow start to the Chevrolet Volt rollout sped up in March with sales of more than twice the number than were sold in January and February combined. Sales of 608 Volts plus 321 in January and 281 in February now make 1,210 total. This is not a lot compared to 18,018 Cruzes sold…
2012 Kia Rio Sedan To Debut At New York Auto Show
Autoblog has revealed that the 2012 Kia Rio will make its debut at this April’s New York Auto Show, with an expected 1.4L 4-cylinder making 108 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque. Expected transmissions are a 6-speed manual and an automatic, rumored to be a 4-speed. The sedan will complement the hatchback previously revealed at…
2012 Ford Focus To Get 30 Mile Road Test Before Going To Showrooms
Determined to make sure the launch of their new 2012 Focus is flawless, Ford is road testing the first examples of the new Focus for 30 miles, an unprecedented length for a mainstream car. Ford will take a Focus from its Wayne assembly plant to a Dearborn test track for evaluation, and then a further…
Volvo To Lease C30 Electric Car For $2,100 Per Month
Volvo recently revealed that it is looking for 400 early adopters to test a prototype of its 24 kWh all-battery powered C30 Electric car. Better get in line early, because the limited range, practically hand-made vehicle will be leased for just $2,100 per month. Why bother with an every day C30 four-passenger, two-door hatchback, when the exotic…
2011 Volkswagen Jetta Recalled For Faulty Wiring
Volkswagen is recalling 71,403 2011 Jetta models due to a problem with the vehicle’s wiring. The issue affects the vehicle’s horn and anti-theft system, and Volkswagen said no injuries have been reported. Owners can check their vehicles build date to see if it falls within the specified range (March 2010 to March 2011) by checking…
Ford Suing Nissan Over Brazilian Bikini Girl Commercial
Taking shots at your competitors is nothing new in the advertising world, but North Americans generally see the kind of gentle ribbing that comes from restrictive libel laws and the preference for subtlety over braggadocio. Not so in Brazil, where Nissan ran a campaign for their Tiida small car (aka the Versa on our shores)…
Ford To Cut Back On Red And Black Paint Due To Supply Shortage
Ford is asking dealers to curtail orders of three shades of red paint, and one hue called “Tuxedo Black” due to difficulties sourcing metallic elements needed for the paint. The element, which is produced by a Japanese supplier, is unable to be produced to due damage resulting from the natural disasters that occurred in the…
Alfa Romeo MiTo, Fiat Punto, To Get TwinAir 2-Cylinder Turbo Engine
Fiat’s 900cc TwinAir 2-cylinder turbocharged engine, currently available in the European market Fiat 500, has won critical acclaim for its performance and use of advanced technology, and the motor will soon be available in both the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Fiat Punto. The TwinAir will superceed the current base engines in both cars, rated at…
2012 Nissan Versa Hatchback Spied In China
While the Nissan Sunny has already been previewed at AutoGuide, we just got out first look at the hatchback version of Nissan’s subcompact (known as the Tiida) thanks to a Chinese photographer who spied the car out in the open. The new hatchback looks like a Lexus CT200h mixed with Nissan’s familiar corporate styling cues,…
Mitsubishi i Grows In Size For U.S., More Suited To Highway Driving
Mitsubishi‘s diminutive i electric vehicle is undergoing some fairly substantial changes when it makes its debut on our shores, the most significant being a slight increase in length and a 5 inch bump in width, with the extra size added to help the car feel better during high speed highway driving. While Japanese drivers experience…
Hybrids And 4-Cylinder Cars In Demand Among Used Car Dealers
An old finance maxim states that “by the time you’ve read about it, it’s already too late”, but that hasn’t stopped used car dealers from eagerly snapping up any 4-cylinder or hybrid vehicle as gas prices continue to climb. With one dealer calling the sudden trend a “panic”, values of previously undesirable cars like the…
Chevrolet Cruze SS Being Developed By Holden
With the Chevrolet Cobalt SS being a critical (if not commercial) success, General Motors has been pushing for an SS version of their new Chevrolet Cruze small car, and the program looks like it’s a go, with much of the work being done by their Australian Holden division. While details are still preliminary, a more…
