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Hybrid Cars
Saturday, 18 May 2013 15:25
It's been a couple of years since the mid-size Hyundai Sonata went through such an extreme transformation that it could have been marked by a name change. The smooth, rakish, daring design makeover that the Sonata received for 2011 (in sharp contrast to the staid wallflower it had been before) still turns heads—and if imitation...
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The 2013 Volvo XC90 is the most dated design in the current Volvo lineup. But you'd probably never know it in seeing this model from the outside; in looking at its equipment list; or in driving it versus recently updated competitors. In fact, the XC90 is more feature-packed than ever and is a great family pick, seating up to seven...
The Chevrolet Impala has been caught in a time warp. New in 2004, but even then a revamp of an existing platform, it's been riding on fleet sales for more than a decade, while the competition--Azera, Avalon, Taurus, and 300--have been getting stronger, and growing their followings. For 2013, the Impala keeps its pace unchanged...
You may have seen the tall, boxy Ford Transit Connect in taxicab guise, or gussied up to ferry your plumber or pet sitter on their daily rounds. Chances are the Turkish-built cargo van isn't that common a sight as a carry-all for families on the go--though Ford does sell a version for that purpose. The Transit Connect Wagon returns for...
The 2013 Dodge Dart gets Chrysler back into the compact sedan game, and it does so with more than a little attitude and rakish design. Instantly distinctive on the road, the new Dart is one of the roomiest entries among compact four-door sedans. Dodge will offer three engines, three gearboxes, several trim levels, and a host of...
With just a touch-up or two to its list of features, the Ford Edge returns for the 2013 model year as one of the more spacious five-seat crossovers on the market, with one of the more fuel-conscious powertrains offered in its class, and some of the heaviest-hitting luxury and technology features of any crossover vehicle, period. One of...
Acura has had a hard time building and maintaining a brand identity over the past decade. Itself unsure of whether it should strive for "Tier 1" luxury status or position itself as a near-luxury, high-tech brand for up-and-coming professionals and hip retirees, its product has reflected this lack of direction. The 2013 ILX continues...
Once known and revered for its affordable rear-wheel-drive sporty coupes, Toyota, along with the rest of the industry, largely abandoned the layout in favor of more fuel- and packaging-efficient front-drive cars. That's finally come to an end, through the company's Scion and Subaru brands, with the introduction of the 2013 FR-S and...
Mostly unchanged for the 2013 model year, the Lincoln MKX charges ahead with a solid mix of luxury fittings and performance that lift its game above the closely related five-seat Ford Edge. The major update for this model year, in fact, is in firmware--a big revision of the MyLincoln Touch system that streamlines its screens, making it...
Almost a decade ago, the first modern Bentleys reinvigorated the marque, taking the line from the days of the dusty Arnage and Azure and catapulting it into the world of celebrity with the chic Continental GT coupe and GTC convertible, and the companion Flying Spur sedan. With awesome performance, all-wheel drive, and unimaginable...
The 2012 Ford Focus Electric is the company's first modern battery-electric car, and as such, is hands down the greenest vehicle the company offers. But unlike its closest competitor, the Nissan Leaf, the electric Focus will be available only in small numbers in certain markets. The Focus Electric is an adaptation of Ford's Focus...
After a year out of commission, the 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser rejoins the automaker's lineup without much news to report. It's still a huge SUV with a huge pricetag, huge off-road talents and a huge appetite for fuel--personality traits that put it in direct conflict with Toyota's carefully groomed, green-tinged appeals to mainstream...
In the full-size pickup-truck market, it's all about payload and towing and vast stretches of spread-out space. There's not much room for a truck that tries to deliver carlike seating and a truck bed in as little overall length as possible. The road's littered with failed examples, from the Explorer Sport Trac to the Ridgeline to the...
The 2013 Infiniti JX marks the first time the Japanese brand has sold a seven-seat luxury crossover not based on a full-size truck. As such, the JX sits solidly in a larger market segment than the performance-oriented FX series or the large, V-8-powered QX56. The 2013 JX competes directly with the Acura MDX, which has pretty much owned...
The Ford Escape has been a fixture on the American automotive landscape--in part because it's been around for eleven years in essentially the same form, and in other part because that form looked very much like the time-honored, first-generation Ford Explorer. All that changes without much visible regret with the 2013 Escape, the new...
For 2013, the Smart ForTwo continues to be the smallest car on U.S. roads, at less than 9 feet long. For the first time, though, it has a close competitor, the Scion iQ. And the presence of a new minicar, almost as short and easy to park as the Smart, unfortunately brings the flaws of the aging ForTwo into stark relief, no matter if...
Volkswagen's "four-door coupe," the CC, has fulfilled its purpose in the automaker's lineup--adding more intrigue, fashion sense, and interest, as well as more luxury, above the more ordinary Passat, while not pushing quite (but almost) into luxury pricing territory. And for 2013, the CC, which roughly parallels the Passat sedan but is...
The boxy 2013 Ford Flex wagon isn't just fashionable; it's one of the better picks for a cross-country trip; and for carrying six adults out for the evening; and for busy moms; and for all of an afternoon's ill-advised IKEA purchases. Catch our drift? While the Flex looks like a vehicle that must have some sort of deal-breaking...
The 2013 Mazda CX-5 is the company’s first all-new crossover utility vehicle in several years. It replaces the discontinued and low-volume Mazda Tribute (a lightly modified old-style Ford Escape) and the CX-7, which is slightly larger but has no more interior room and considerably worse gas mileage. Aimed right at the heart of...
The only 2013 Chevrolet Corvette model officially announced thus far is the Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition, a limited-production model that pairs the 7.0-liter (427 cubic inch) LS7 V-8 engine with the standard Corvette Convertible chassis. The 505-horsepower 427 Convertible is a celebration of the historic model of the same...