New Cars: News, Information and Reviews
With the Smart ForTwo coming to the United States for the first time, we have heard many questions about this microcar’s safety than its fuel economy. How will its occupants fare in a collision? We now have some definitive answers regarding crash protection from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS); both organizations give the miniscule ForTwo decent marks. In April, the NHTSA conducted front- and side-crash tests on the redesigned 2008 model, awarding the car four stars for frontal protection for the driver and three for the passenger. In the side crash test, the agency gave it five stars, though flagged a safety concern because the driver door unlatched and...
Gas prices rise higher again this week. National retail fuel price averages Price Change from last week Regular gasoline/gallon $3.72 ↑ .11 Diesel fuel/gallon $4.33 ↑ .18 Regional regular gasoline prices Price Change from last week East Coast $3.71 ↑ .10 -New England $3.75 ↑ .12 -Central Atlantic $3.73 ↑ .09 -Lower Atlantic $3.69 ↑ .11 Midwest $3.74 ↑ .16 Gulf Coast $3.62 ↑ .11 Rocky Mountain $3.61 ↑ .12 West Coast $3.83 ↑ .03 -California $3.92 ↑ .02 Source: Energy Information Administration, 5/12/08
Americans are feeling pain at the pump, with gas prices continuing to soar. To adjust to the challenges posed by the rising cost of living, consumers are putting off vehicle purchases or buying smaller cars instead of more profitable trucks and SUVs. As a result, automakers are experiencing decreased sales and profits. One of the biggest losers: Chrysler. The company is trying to rebound from a disappointing April (sales were 23-percent below the same period last year) with its own economic stimulus plan: fixed-rate gasoline for new-car buyers. But is this really a good deal for the consumer? Chrysler is not the first to use gasoline as an incentive, and it isn’t the last, as Suzuki has stepped up to offer free gas for the summer...
In the ongoing battle over CO2 emissions limits in California, a group of car company executives from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers recently met with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to plead their case. They say the state should drop its proposed limits on carbon-dioxide emissions, which would effectively require cars to get better fuel economy. Since the federal government recently established higher fuel economy regulations, requiring cars to average 31.6 mpg by 2015, they say the California mandate is unnecessary and would result in a patchwork of fuel economy regulations across the nation. However, legally, there could be no "patchwork" of regulations, since California is the only state allowed under federal law to...
The last-generation Nissan Murano was a staff favorite here at the track. Many of us, having no real need for competitors with a third-row seat or big towing capacity numbers, listed it in multiple SUV Personal Picks. Indeed, we mentioned it so often that some of our editors thought we, ah, were mentioning the Murano a little too much. [‘Tis true-Ed.] But there’s a redesigned Murano now. Based on the Altima sedan, the 2009 Murano moves to the updated Altima platform, a car that now tops our family sedan ratings. The old Murano had a lot going for it, especially its sporty driving dynamics. However, fit and finish wasn’t a strong point (although it got better in a 2005 update) and the swoopy styling compromised visibility....
For our test group in the June 2008 issue, we drove small hatchbacks. These vehicles provide good fuel economy, practicality, and versatility. And one has all-wheel drive. The full road tests from the magazine have been posted at ConsumerReports.org, along with videos from our staff auto experts. These videos highlight our tests of each vehicle, plus they demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of each model. "Grand Openings" features the Mini Cooper Clubman, Saturn Astra, Scion xD, Subaru Impreza Outback Sport, Toyota Matrix, and Volkswagen Rabbit. Ratings for all small cars we have tested can be found with our dynamic New Car Selector tool. Check out the video of the Mini Cooper Clubman, plus see the rest of our hatchback...
Suzuki has announced that it will offer in-car navigation as a standard feature on the 2009 Suzuki SX4 Sport sedan and front-drive SX4 Crossover hatchback models. This is the first time a manufacturer is including integrated GPS navigation in an entry-level vehicle in the United States. The navigation system is based on the Garmin Nuvi 700 series portable navigation device (PND). The Suzuki version, called T.R.I.P (Travel, Real-time traffic, Information, and Play) will offer a 4.3-inch touch-screen display with preloaded maps and millions of points of interest (POI), such as restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and gas stations. Suzuki has customized the POI database by adding recommended destinations such as music venues, surf spots, and other...
After a lifetime of dear ol’ mother telling you what to do, how to behave, and where to go, Mother’s Day is an annual occasion to show your appreciation. This year, you might consider returning her maternal favors with a portable GPS navigation system. A recent visit from my out-of-state parents had me thinking that a basic, entry-level device would be money well spent. Between $150 and $200, you can find good, general-purpose GPS devices that are well-suited for occasional use, including the pink Garmin Nuvi 200 shown here. If Mom has a demanding commute or penchant for road trips, a model with a wide screen and spoken street names would no doubt be appreciated. In our online GPS buying advice and video, we detail numerous...
Elegant, exclusive, and expensive (ours is $61,900, with the 300-hp, 4.4-liter V8), the Range Rover Sport competes with other pricy (and gas thirsty) SUVs, including the Porsche Cayenne and BMW X5. How is such a luxurious guzzler fairing under our scrutiny? Are we ashamed to drive it in public, or does merely “arriving” in this prestige machine get us more attention than we deserve? Will the controls be any better than the cryptic ones in the last Land Rover we tested – the LR3, upon which the Sport is based – which we called “confusing [and] poorly located”? Read our first impressions from the logbook and find out if there’s much “sport” in the Range Rover Sport: "Without the...
Gas prices are mixed this week. National retail fuel price averages Price Change from last week Regular gasoline/gallon $3.61 ↑ .01 Diesel fuel/gallon $4.15 ↓ .03 Regional regular gasoline prices Price Change from last week East Coast $3.61 ↑ .01 -New England $3.63 ↑ .03 -Central Atlantic $3.64 ↑ .02 -Lower Atlantic $3.58 ↓ .01 Midwest $3.58 ↑ .01 Gulf Coast $3.51 Rocky Mountain $3.49 ↑ .02 West Coast $3.80 ↑ .01 -California $3.90 ↑ .01 Source: Energy Information Administration, 5/5/08
The other day I’m following a Honda Insight hybrid driving rather quickly down a hill. But as the hill flattens and we start climbing another hill, the little Insight slows down. As we approach an intersection, I see the light has just turned green and I’m sure we’ll make it. But we’re still climbing and the Insight is continues to shed speed. Finally, the light turns yellow and then red. But instead of stopping, the Insight drives right through the red light and continues puttering down the road. Was this driver driving slowly to be safety conscious? No. I was following one of the new breed of fuel-sipping fanatics that are menacing our roads. (And you know who you are!) The driver of the Insight was doing...
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Despite all the windows and mirrors, you can’t see everything around your car. Every vehicle has a blind zone immediately behind the rear bumper. It can be five feet, or 50 feet, depending on the car’s styling. In that space might lurk a toy, pet, or even a child. Within a vehicle class, the size of this blind zone can vary widely. We measure the blind zone behind our test vehicles and have recently updated that information on our Web site. In general, pickups and larger SUVs have longer rear blind zones than sedans. That’s not to say that all sedans are created equal; while a high rear deck improves aerodynamics and luggage space, it adds to the blind zone. Rear cameras are a powerful tool that allow you to see into that...
With cars, we have become quite accustomed to the 4-5 year product cycle. This pattern sees a new model introduced, a midlife update after 2-3 years, then the model is phased out or replaced by a new, larger, more powerful, and pricier car. But like other electronics, the fast-paced portable GPS navigation world is much different. There are now about 2-3 model cycles occurring each year, and the new models are typically sleeker, more feature packed, and sometimes less expensive than the models they replace. Since we have accelerated our test program during the past 18 months, we’ve seen new abilities and features continually emerging. Many of these features truly improve the breed, or at least show great promise with further...
For automakers to bring the innate fuel efficiency of a diesel engine with peppy performance and low emissions to the U.S. market, it required a national change-over to ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel, the development of precisely controlled engines, and extensive treatment of exhaust gases. With these goals accomplished, there is a wave of diesel-powered vehicles coming to America despite the price premium on diesel fuel. Mercedes-Benz has been leading the movement with its 50-state-legal "clean diesels" featuring "BlueTec" technology that mark the culmination of years of scientific research, powertrain engineering, and market preparation. The resulting BlueTec diesels burn cleaner than most gasoline engines and exhibit...
Gas prices continue their weekly rise. National retail fuel price averages Price Change from last week Regular gasoline/gallon $3.60 ↑ .10 Diesel fuel/gallon $4.18 ↑ .03 Regional regular gasoline prices Price Change from last week East Coast $3.60 ↑ .12 -New England $3.60 ↑ .11 -Central Atlantic $3.62 ↑ .13 -Lower Atlantic $3.59 ↑ .11 Midwest $3.57 ↑ .10 Gulf Coast $3.51 ↑ .09 Rocky Mountain $3.48 ↑ .06 West Coast $3.79 ↑ .05 -California $3.89 ↑ .05 Source: Energy Information Administration, 4/28/08