Acura has what you might call a Lincoln Problem. Just as Ford is trying to jump-start its dead-in-the-water lux division (Ford sells more Mustangs in a year than Lincoln sells cars) Acura is trying to become more than a purveyor of really nice Hondas. That’s harsh – but it’s reality, insofar as how buyers...
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If GM’s board had simply hired away the entire management team at Hyundai back in ’08 – and fired everyone at the Renaissance Center in Detroit – it would saved taxpayers a lot of money. Those guys – the Hyundai guys – know what they’re doing. One brilliant design after the next. It’s almost...
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Minivans – traditional minivans – are becoming scarce. GM and Ford don’t even make them anymore. That leaves Chrysler (Town & County – and its lower-rent Dodge sibling, the Caravan – which is also re-sold by VW as the Routan), the Honda Odyssey, Toyota’s Sienna – and the Nissan Quest, subject of this write-up....
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Cue ’80s-era Queen… another one bites the dust. Another V-6, that is. The 2014 Mazda6 – all-new – is now also four-cylinder-only. The good news is the new “SkyActiv-G” four is stronger than the old four – 184 hp vs. 170 last year. It is also a much peppier performer (0-60 in about 7.5...
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The Kia Rio I just spent a week driving around is an extremely fuel-efficient little car – one of the very best in its segment, actually. And not just on paper, either. Out in the real world, in real-world driving, it lives up to its EPA billing: 30 city, 40 highway. I averaged 32.2...
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The obvious often isn’t until someone makes it so. For instance, adding a real-sized rear door to a sporty coupe – as Hyundai has done with the Veloster. Much better than one (or even two) quarter-sized rear doors, as in cars like the old Saturn Ion – and more recently, the Mazda RX8. It’s...
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Last week, a huge (3.4 million vehicle) recall was announced – problems with the air bags people are forced to buy. According to news reports, a manufacturing defect involving the chemical propellant that inflates the bags could result in an affected vehicle’s air bag not deploying properly during a crash – or not deploying...
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Function matters – but form does, too. Especially when you’ve got a choice. Full-size minivans, for instance, sold in big numbers . . . until less stodgy-looking (and driving) alternatives – same-size (or almost same-size) crossovers – came on scene. Today, some of the biggest names in the business don’t even sell a traditional...
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The two-door layout might just do it. Buyers who in past years would probably have never considered a Kia or Hyundai – much less a Ford or Chevy – over a car as blue chip as the Honda Accord now frequently do consider it. Toyota’s got the same problem as far as the Camry....
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Here’s the most important thing to know about the just-updated 2013 BMW X3: Despite pressure from our Dear Leaders in DC to make more fuel-efficient engines, BMW isn’t building less powerful engines – as many others are doing. In fact, the X3′s new standard engine – a 2.0 liter turbocharged four – is stronger...
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