2014
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About 5,000 2014 and 2015 Smart ForTwo models are being recalled.
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Honda Insight Hybrid: The Least-Wanted Car In America?
Automakers and their dealers know that when a vehicle is updated, redesigned, or discontinued, the last lagging examples of the old model may sit on lots for months, perhaps even years. So it appears to be with the Honda Insight, the subcompact mild hybrid hatchback that the company discontinued...
John Voelcker -
2014 Mercedes B-Class: Best Electric-Car Lease Deal Available?
An unadvertised incentive could make Mercedes' electric car the deal of the moment.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Mitsubishi Mirage Six-Month Update: Great MPG, Great Fun
It happens so quickly: They learn to crawl, and then walk, and before you know it, you're helping them do their first oil change in their first new car. A little more than six months ago, I contributed an article on my car shopping experiences with my daughter Priscilla. Those ended with her...
John Briggs -
Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid: Missing In Action, Or Just Slow-Selling?
The Nissan Pathfinder crossover utility vehicle seems to be doing well for Nissan, following its 2013 reinvention as a seven-seat family vehicle rather than the tough truck-based 4x4 that had previously defined the Pathfinder name. There's one model of the Pathfinder, however, that seems to be...
John Voelcker -
2014-2015 Toyota Prius V Wagon Recalled For Airbag Sensor Issue
Toyota is recalling certain 2014 and 2015 Prius V hybrid wagons to fix an improperly-calibrated airbag occupant classification system.
Stephen Edelstein -
Mercedes-Benz is recalling certain E-Class, GLK-Class, and M-Class BlueTec diesel models.
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The Passion Of The Tesla: One Owner's (Unprompted) Paean
People who buy new cars generally like and enjoy them during the first months or years of ownership. Many Tesla owners, however, seem to love their cars with a deep, abiding, even overwhelming passion. This is one such story. A longtime personal friend and his partner recently acquired a 2014 Tesla...
John Voelcker -
BMW i3 Sales Slow In Germany; Will They Hold Up In States?
Over its first six months of U.S. sales, the 2014 BMW i3 electric car--with or without its innovative optional range-extending engine--has done quite well in the sales charts. In each of the last three full months (August through October), BMW sold more than 1,000 i3s, giving it the highest...
John Voelcker -
Cheapest Electric Car, Under $10K: Only For Tesla-Hating Car Dealers
A 2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car can be had for under $10,000, but only after some complicated math.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Tesla Model S: Killing 3 Versions, 2 Colors, Some Options
In an effort to simplify its assembly process and boost production rates, Tesla Motors has streamlined its 2014 Tesla Model S electric-car lineup and eliminated several variants. Specifically, the California carmaker will no longer offer its P85 and P85+ performance versions in rear-wheel-drive...
David Noland -
2014 Infiniti Q50, Q70 Hybrids Recalled Over Transmission Housing Issue
Infiniti will recall 817 hybrid sedans over potentially-fragile transmission housings.
Stephen Edelstein -
Last week, while the press and Tesla owners were entranced by the introduction of the dual-motor Tesla Model S P85D with all-wheel drive, Tesla quietly changed the listed horsepower ratings for all three single-motor versions of its Model S electric sport sedan. Since their introduction in 2012, the 60-kWh, 85-kWh, and P85 performance versions of the Model S have been listed as having 302, 362, and 416 horsepower (225, 270, and 310 kilowatts) respectively. DON'T MISS: Tesla Reveals 'D' All-Wheel-Drive Model S, 'Autopilot' Feature But when Tesla's website configurator was revamped last week to...
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Tesla Reveals 'D' All-Wheel-Drive Model S, 'Autopilot' Feature
In the end, the online rumors proved to be largely accurate. Last night, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk revealed an all-wheel-drive version of the Tesla Model S electric luxury car--known as 'D'--whose most powerful P85D version will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds. DON'T MISS: Tesla...
John Voelcker -
BMW i3 Faces VW e-Golf, Mercedes B-Class Electric Cars In New Reviews
Opinions differ on how the BMW i3 compares to more-conventional electric cars.
Stephen Edelstein -
BMW i3 Electric-Car Incentives: Highest On The Battery-Only Model
In just five months, more than 3,100 BMW i3 electric cars have been delivered to U.S. buyers. That's a fast pace out of the box, and it indicates that BMW is serious about plug-in electric cars in a way that many other major automakers aren't. But to keep that pace going may require what car...
John Voelcker -
Tesla Model S Adds 'Speed Assist,' Lane-Departure Warning
Tesla adds two safety systems to the Model S electric car.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 BMW i3 Lease Deals Appear: $369/Month For Electric Car
It's a pretty standard part of the car-launch cycle: The earliest buyers pay sticker price or more, and then the discounting starts to set in. Accordingly, with the BMW i3 electric car on the market for five months now, we're starting to see more aggressive marketing on the part of dealers. One...
John Voelcker -
Autonomous vehicles have become a hot talking point in recent years, as major firms like Google continue high-profile development of the technology. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] has also expressed an interest in recent years, and now tells Nikkei that the firm could introduce self-driving technology in the next three years. Musk says that full auto-pilot technology will appear within a "five- or six-year time frame", but some aspects of the technology would appear in the lower-priced Model 3 electric sedan due in three years time. Tesla will develop the system and software...
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2014 Toyota Prius V: Hybrid Wagon Ultimate Guide
The Prius name has been around since the very first Prius sedan back in 1999, but for quite a while Toyota's flagship hybrid was a single-model range. The Prius C subcompact and Prius V changed that, and we've put together a guide on the latter to help you make the right decision when choosing your...
Antony Ingram -
2014 MINI Cooper: Gas Mileage Review With 3-Cyl Engine + Manual
The 2014 MINI Cooper hardtop is the first entire, top-to-bottom redesign of the iconic British minicar. In its base form, with a new 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual gearbox, it runs a bit more than $20,000 and is rated at 34 mpg combined. But it's longer, wider...
John Voelcker -
2014 BMW i3 REx 38-HP Range Extender Vs. 14,000-Foot Mountain: Who Wins?
Steep climbs are the enemy of electric car drivers. While modern electric vehicles are more than capable of powering up a hill, with ample torque, the effect on a car with limited range can be significant. It's less of a problem with a range-extended electric vehicle like the 2014 BMW i3 REx, but a...
Antony Ingram -
Has Tesla 'Proved Electric Cars Are Better' If Public, Industry Don't Know It Yet?
When industry analysts, financial analysts and the motoring press have all lavished praise on a car, there's a fair chance it's a pretty good car. That's the case for the Tesla Model S electric car, particularly as two market analysts from Credit Suisse have seen fit to provide a point-by-point...
Antony Ingram -
Tesla In Deal To Build 400 Charging Stations In China
The Chinese market has become vital for many global automakers. For some, it's a haven of high sales numbers to offset struggles in markets like the U.S. and Europe. To others, like Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA], it's a way to promote your product to a vast and growing marketplace. Tesla has made a big...
Antony Ingram