2014
-
There aren't many cars like the 2014 Fiat 500L on the market today. It's a tall wagon, not a crossover, because all-wheel drive isn't available. And it shares only a name and an engine with the much smaller Fiat 500 minicar that reintroduced the Fiat name to the U.S. market after a long hiatus. It's 28 inches longer, for one thing. But the 500L turned out to be a capacious little wagon that may suit a small family wanting something a little different--and more fuel-efficient--than their neighbors' predictable compact crossovers. MORE: 2014 Fiat 500L review Our black-and-white 500L arrived...
-
New Models Of Mazda 3 Widen Green Options, But Not For U.S.
In the motor industry, as in investments: Never put all your eggs in one basket. Mazda certainly isn't, demonstrating both hybrid and compressed natural gas (CNG) versions of its recently-unveiled Mazda3 compact at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. Though the CNG version isn't likely to appear in the...
Antony Ingram -
2014 BMW i3 Electric Car: Why California Set Range Requirements, Engine Limits
The 2014 BMW i3 electric car, which we drove last week, is generating intense interest among both plug-in proponents and BMW fans. Among other things, it's the first car in the world offered with an optional range-extending engine, at an increased cost of $3,850. MORE: 2014 BMW i3: First Drive Of...
John Voelcker -
2014 Jeep Cherokee, More Fuel-Efficient Crossover, Now En Route To Dealers
The 2014 Jeep Cherokee returns significantly better fuel economy than the Liberty it replaces.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Toyota Prius Liftback Starts At $24,025, Same As Last Year
The 2014 Toyota Prius Liftback will cost the same as a 2013 model.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 BMW i3: First Drive Of BMW's Radical New Electric Car
You may have read stories lately that suggest the BMW i3 is the first luxury competition for the Tesla Model S electric car. It’s not. You may also have read that it’s the first range-extended car to go head to head with the Chevrolet Volt. It’s not. In building its first...
John Voelcker -
AT&T will support the many Model S functions that rely on wireless Internet connections.
-
2014 Range Rover Hybrid: Drive Reports Emerge For Diesel-Electric SUV U.S. Won't Get
Land Rover hasn't exactly cultivated a reputation for environmental friendliness over its history. While its products have always been adept at forging through the wilderness, it could be argued that its engines, rather than its tires, have done the most damage to the natural world. Still...
Antony Ingram -
2015 Chevrolet Impala To Be Offered As Bi-Fuel Model With Natural-Gas Tank
Natural gas has so far made little impact in the automotive sector, at least when it comes to passenger vehicles. As new extraction techniques such as fracking increase domestic supply of the gas, that could change--and Chevrolet will become the second manufacturer to sell a production passenger...
Antony Ingram -
South Park Doesn't Think Too Highly Of The Tesla Model S (Or Maybe It Does)
You can say a lot of things about South Park -- it's crude, it's offensive, it's predictable -- but you can't accuse creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone of being clueless about pop culture. Given the topics that the show covers, the duo are obviously big news junkies. And thanks to South Park's...
Richard Read -
BMW Ponders Production Boost For i3 Electric Car After High European Demand
High demand isn't something experienced by many automakers selling electric cars, but then BMW is a little different from many automakers. It's fair to say you could put its badge on pretty much anything and it would sell on reputation alone--but with the i3, its first full production electric...
Antony Ingram -
2014 Mitsubishi Mirage: 40-MPG Minicar Gas Mileage Test
Do you miss your old three-cylinder Geo Metro? If so, Mitsubishi has a new car just for you. The 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage five-door hatchback minicar has the highest fuel-economy rating of any non-hybrid on the market. The EPA rates it at 40 mpg combined (37 mpg city, 44 mpg highway) when fitted with...
John Voelcker -
The 2014 BMW i3 electric car is one of the most radical new vehicles on the planet. And the innovation comes in many different facets of the car. There's its shape, which is tall and somewhat van-like--unusual for a BMW. Its styling introduces a new design language for BMW's 'i' series of plug-in electric cars, and has received mixed reviews. The body is made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), a material so strong that no center pillar is needed between the two doors. The running gear is housed in an aluminum rolling chassis that contains the lithium-ion battery pack in the floorpan...
-
2014 Cadillac ELR Priced At $75,995, In Showrooms By January
The 2014 Cadillac ELR will hit showrooms in January with a base price of $75,995.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Chevrolet Malibu Start-Stop System: How It Works (And Why It Has 2 Batteries)
The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu's 2.5-liter engine matches the pricier Malibu Eco's hybrid drivetrain for fuel economy.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid Price Cut By $2,000 To $4,600
The 2014 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid is the latest of many plug-in cars to get a price cut.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 BMW i3 With Range Extender Priced At $46,125, Or $3,850 More
Adding the small range-extending engine to the 2014 BMW i3 battery-electric minicar will increase the price by $3,950, the company announced this evening. The standard 2014 BMW i3 electric car starts at $42,275 including delivery, before any Federal, state, or local incentives. BMW had announced...
John Voelcker -
2014 Honda Accord Hybrid: First Drive Report
Does the all-new 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid really get 50 miles per gallon? And does it drive as well as a regular four-cylinder Honda Accord? To cut right to the spoiler: yes and yes. For some shoppers who already know and like the Accord, that might honestly be enough—once they run the...
Bengt Halvorson -
The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid has no transmission. To be more precise, there's nothing in a form we'd normally recognize as a transmission—no conventional automatic transmission, no automated dual-clutch system, no belt-and-pulley continuously variable transmission (CVT) either. There's no torque converter, either—not even a drive clutch to slip the engine from a standing start. Enough about what the Accord Hybrid doesn't have; here's what it does have: In addition to a lean four-cylinder engine, there are twin electric motors (each purposed and configured differently), a compact...
-
Corvette Stingray Gets 29 MPG (Highway), But Only With A Clutch Pedal
With the 2014 Corvette, buying a stick-shift nets one mpg in all categories.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Chevy Silverado Pickup Gas Mileage Rises For Largest V-8 Engine
The 2014 Silverado equipped with the 6.2-liter V-8 posts significant mileage improvements over last year's model.
Stephen Edelstein -
First Car Sold With CCS Fast Charging Now Delayed To December
GM has pushed back the CCS fast-charging option on the Chevrolet Spark EV until the end of the year.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid Priced From $26,820
Subaru's first production hybrid goes on sale later this year.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Chevrolet Cruze: Gasoline, Diesel, Now Natural Gas (Bi-Fuel Conversion)
Cruze buyers will soon be able to choose from three fuels, but one of them requires an aftermarket conversion.
Stephen Edelstein