2016
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In March we told you about a study of a small group of 2016 and 2017 Nissan Leaf models equipped with the larger, 30-kwh battery pack that had abnormal battery degradation. That study concluded that nearly four out of five of the larger battery packs examined lost cell capacity three times faster than earlier 24-kwh battery packs that were studied. This week, Nissan said it would issue a software update for the battery controllers to help stem the power loss. The software fix was reported by Clean Fleet Report. According to the report, the software fix addresses a known issue about the...
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Consumer Reports' view of Tesla Model X: 'fast but flawed'Consumer Reports cited numerous issues with the Model X in a recent review.
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla Model S P100D to get 0-60 time of 2.4 seconds via software update: Musk
Tesla will launch a software update to improve Model S P100D acceleration next month, Elon Musk says.
Stephen Edelstein -
2016-17 Toyota Prius hybrids recalled for emergency-brake issue
Certain Toyota Prius models are being recalled because of potentially-faulty emergency brakes.
Stephen Edelstein -
Nissan Leaf S quietly gets 30-kwh battery upgrade, higher price
For 2016, the model year just ending, the Nissan Leaf electric car got a larger-capacity battery for all but its lowest trim level. The Leaf SV and SL models this year have been fitted with a 30-kilowatt-hour battery, up from the previous 24-kwh capacity, that boosts their EPA-rated range from 84...
John Voelcker -
How fast IS a Tesla Model S P100D? How about 0-to-60 in 2.5 seconds?
DragTimes confirms Tesla's claim of 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds for the Model S P100D with Ludicrous Mode.
Stephen Edelstein -
The first time may have been a Pyrrhic victory. In April, an updated 90D emerged with a kinda, sorta 300-mile range and a new face. Tuesday, Tesla announced that a new 100-kilowatt-hour battery would deliver 315 miles on the EPA cycle and accelerate up to 60 mph faster than falling off the roof when equipped with Ludicrous mode. (About 2.5 seconds, to be exact.) This thing wins, hands down. Customers waiting on their 2016 Tesla Model S P90D Ludicrous can upgrade to the 100-kwh pack for an added $10,000, and the Model S P100D starts at $134,500 after tax breaks. Existing P90D owners can have...
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BMW 330e plug-in hybrid ads: no wait for Tesla Model 3 needed
The Tesla Model 3 electric car, which its maker says will launch late next year with 200 miles of range and a $35,000 price, has caused a few shock waves across the car industry. All the German luxury makers now have plans for their own 200-mile battery-electric vehicles coming in 2018 or later, at...
John Voelcker -
Is Toyota Prius hybrid simply passe now that plug-in cars are here?
The Toyota Prius faces increased competition from plug-in electric cars.
Stephen Edelstein -
Dodge Dart to die for good in September
The Dodge Dart four-door compact sedan was the first new vehicle created by the combined Fiat and Chrysler companies following the latter's 2009 bankruptcy and government-backed restructuring. Based on widened and lengthened underpinnings from a European Fiat model, it came together relatively...
John Voelcker -
2016 Nissan Leaf electric cars recalled for passenger airbag fault
Certain 2016 Nissan Leaf electric cars are being recalled to address an electrical fault in their airbag systems.
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla Model X 60D entry-level model arrives with 200-mi range
With Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] recently reviving the 60-kilowatt-hour battery option for the Model S, it was only a matter of time until the option was added to the related Model X. Tesla finally made it official on Tuesday when it announced the Model X 60D. The good news for potential buyers is...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
What if a car is launched, ever so quietly, and no one notices at first? Does it exist? Such existential questions are posed by the recent discovery that Nissan is now selling a hybrid version of its Murano crossover utility vehicle, as of the current 2016 model year. DON'T MISS: Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid 'No Longer Available,' Infiniti QX60 Twin Vanishes Too (Jul 2015) The news was reported by enthusiast publication Car and Driver, which gave the vehicle's specifications and noted that it had quietly appeared on Nissan's website without an official announcement. The enthusiast publication...
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2016 Chevrolet Spark preview
The 2016 Chevrolet Spark is a slightly larger, better equipped, and more stylish version of the smallest Chevy in brand's lineup. It succeeds a model whose unexpected sales numbers showed Chevrolet that there were buyers for a very small but up-to-date five-door hatchback minicar. However, with gas...
John Voelcker -
2016 Tesla Model S vs original: how do they compare in value?
I’ve owned my 2013 Tesla Model S for more than three years, and put 66,000 miles on it now. It still runs great, and it makes me happy every time I drive it. I plan to keep it for at least a few more years. But I can’t help occasionally peeking at the Tesla Motors online Model S...
David Noland -
2016 Nissan Sentra 1.8 SR CVT gas mileage review
The Nissan Sentra compact sedan has been with us since the 2013 model year, but it received a number of updates and new features this year. Nissan's goal was to keep the high-volume compact sedan in the running against the new and well-received Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, and Chevrolet Cruze...
John Voelcker -
Tesla adds two Model S 60 versions starting at $66K, still 200 miles or more
The Tesla Model S electric car has been offered in several versions over its five model years to date, with faster and longer-range variants getting the most attention. Today the Silicon Valley carmaker announced two new, less expensive versions of the Model S that start at $66,000. Both will offer...
John Voelcker -
Is Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV hurting Prius V wagon sales?
The 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is the sole mass-market crossover SUV that offers a hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive. That was a market pioneered by the Ford Escape Hybrid, in 2004, and one that Ford walked away from for 2013. It turns out that there seems to be a market for compact crossovers...
John Voelcker -
When you want to buy a Tesla electric car, and you've got four kids, there's only one choice on the market. That's the 2016 Tesla Model X six- or seven-seat SUV, and courtesy of an owner in just that situation, we've finally been able to spend a few hours driving the luxury crossover. Unlike other automakers, Tesla Motors almost never makes cars available to the media—so it took until last month for us to get behind the wheel. DON'T MISS: 2016 Tesla Model X - full review Our test vehicle was a black Model X P90D delivered earlier this year to an affluent suburban neighborhood in the...
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Tesla refutes owner claims of Model X 'sudden acceleration' before crash
It started with a post two days ago on the owners' forum on the Tesla Motors website. In it, an owner with the user name "Puzant" claimed that a five-day-old Tesla Model X electric SUV had accelerated out of control while parking. Yesterday, Tesla denied that claim, and issued a statement saying...
John Voelcker -
2016 BMW X1 quick drive review
It looks like a BMW, offers relatively sporty roadholding for an SUV, and delivers a quiet, solid ride. The 2016 BMW X1 is so cleverly proportioned, in fact, that many buyers will never noticed that it's actually a transverse-engined car with a front-wheel-drive base—the company's first. And...
John Voelcker -
Tesla Model X door-control software to be updated, Musk says
Given Elon Musk's habit of revealing snippets of information when he talks, electric-car advocates, owners, and industry analysts pore over any live event at which the Tesla Motors CEO presents. On June 1, the Silicon Valley carmaker held its annual shareholder meeting, which clocked in at a...
John Voelcker -
Consumer Reports confirms 2016 Toyota Prius 52-mpg rating
Consumer Reports confirmed the 2016 Toyota Prius hybrid's 52 mpg combined rating.
Stephen Edelstein -
GM big SUV buyers to get gift cards or protection plan for fuel-economy errors (updated)
GM says it will compensate owners who bought crossovers with inaccurate fuel economy on window stickers.
Stephen Edelstein
![2016 Tesla Model X P90D after crash while owner was parking [photo: owner 'Puzant']](https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/ibimg/hgm/2000x1125-1/100/555/2016-tesla-model-x-p90d-after-crash-while-owner-was-parking-photo-owner-prizant_100555656.jpg)
