Long one of our fuel economy kings, the Jetta TDI enters 2011 facing a few hurdles.
In our test of the redesigned gas-version with the 2.5-liter engine, we were particularly disappointed with the Jetta’s cheapness. We also found that its handling, steering, braking, noise, and interior fit and finish took several steps backwards from the [...]
Filed under: Cars on May 30th, 2011 | No Comments »
The Accent has long been at the bottom of the automotive food chain, the absolute cheapest car at the rental car counter. It had a decent ride but was slow and basic safety equipment, such as antilock brakes, was hard to find. Stability control wasn’t even offered and crash tests weren’t good.
Now manufacturers are paying [...]
Filed under: Cars on May 27th, 2011 | No Comments »
The Mazda5 is sort of an automotive Swiss Army knife; it packs a lot of function into a rather compact package. Mazda updated the 5 for the 2012 model year but it still feels an awful lot like the previous-generation car. That isn’t a bad thing as our previously tested 2010 Mazda5 scored very well [...]
Filed under: Cars on May 27th, 2011 | No Comments »
Understandably, Honda was conservative in redesigning the Civic line-up. After all, the Civic has long been near the top of the sales charts in the small sedan segment. Don’t want to mess with a winning formula… Still, given all of the fresh competition in this segment, some of Honda’s choices seem surprising.
For example, the [...]
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New- and used-car buyers are going online to research pricing, reliability information, user reviews, view photos, and more. Two-thirds (67 percent) of consumers plan to use the Internet to help with their next car purchase, including 83 percent of those shoppers under age 35 years and 77 percent of car buyers earning at least $50,000, [...]
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When we first reported on the Fuel Doctor FD-47 last December, we said the $50 to $60 device—which claims to boost fuel economy by as much as 25 percent—failed to deliver any benefit in our tests. The manufacturer challenged that conclusion, saying we should have used different test procedures and older vehicles. So we recently [...]
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Volkswagen announced pricing for the new Passat sedan will start at $19,995 for the base 2.5L model with a manual transmission. The lines version with automatic transmission adds another $2,700 to the MSRP.
The base model includes 16-inch steel wheels, climate control, power locks and windows, Bluetooth, steering wheel audio controls, and eight-way manual driver’s seat. [...]
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Consumers are clear on the two things they least like about buying a new car: the cost (30 percent) and the dealership experience (22 percent). In a recent survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, adult car owners said by a large margin that these are the two greatest turnoffs.
The survey is based [...]
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Memorial Day weekend is a great time to hit the road for the first trip of the summer season, but high gas prices may cause some travelers to reconsider. However, don’t let the pain at the pump put a damper on your plans. Here are some ways to save gas in your current vehicle.
Compare [...]
Filed under: Cars on May 27th, 2011 | No Comments »
Lower fuel costs are the primary reason for choosing a more fuel-efficient car, although a majority of consumers are also concerned about environmental factors and dependence on foreign oil. Plus, they crave the lower purchase price that often accompanies small, thrifty models. These are among the findings of a new survey by the Consumer Reports [...]
Filed under: Cars on May 27th, 2011 | No Comments »
