Small
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Last year, Nissan sold almost 330,000 Rogues in the U.S., making it by far the brand's most popular model. For 2017, the compact crossover utility vehicle has added a new model, a hybrid that competes with the very successful Toyota RAV4 Hybrid—of which 44,000 were delivered last year. We recently spent four days and almost 380 miles with the hybrid Rogue, to see if its fuel economy lives up to its EPA ratings. DON'T MISS: 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid: Gas Mileage Review (Feb 2016) We also wanted to see how the Rogue Hybrid compared to the RAV4 Hybrid we tested 11 months ago. In the Toyota...
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2017 Ford Focus Electric preview
The 2017 Ford Focus Electric has been one of last electric cars remaining in the current model year for which we haven't had information. Now Ford has released a few specifications, and a photo of a 2017 Focus Electric window sticker sent by a reader fills in more of the gaps. The good news: after...
John Voelcker -
Mazda diesel to arrive fall 2017, it says, in new CX-5 crossover (updated)
The 2017 Mazda CX-5 compact crossover is an entirely new design, Mazda says, although you might not see it at first glance. The small Japanese maker unveiled the new generation just four years after it launched the vehicle that now represents fully one-quarter of its global sales volume. But the...
John Voelcker -
Hyundai Ioniq Electric car to get 200 miles of range 'soon'
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric will get a range increase to keep pace with competition.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Toyota Corolla: first drive of updated compact sedan
The Toyota Corolla has been almost the default compact sedan among North American buyers for what seems like decades now. In good years, more than 350,000 are sold to retail and fleet buyers in the U.S., and they're part of the automotive landscape in even the reddest states of the union. The...
John Voelcker -
The 2017 Honda CR-V compact crossover utility vehicle was unveiled today, featuring more fuel-efficient powertrains, evolutionary styling ... and a volume knob for the radio. That latter detail may seem minor, but widespread complaining about the lack of such a knob was one of the few criticisms of the otherwise well-received new Honda Civic last year. Honda's presenting the new CR-V as a vast upgrade over its hugely popular—if slightly dowdy, in our view—predecessor. DON'T MISS: 2015 Honda CR-V: Gas Mileage Test Of Updated Crossover SUV The lines of the new CR-V aren't...
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More VW court misery: Jetta Hybrid braking suit won't be arbitrated
A lawsuit related to the Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid won't go to arbitration.
Stephen Edelstein -
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid discontinued for 2017 model year
The Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid is being discontinued after just three model years.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Nissan Rogue Hybrid: better prospects than Pathfinder, Murano for small hybrid SUV?
As predicted several years ago by a now-departed member of the Nissan product team, the third of three hybrid SUVs has rolled out. The 2017 Nissan Rogue Hybrid is the smallest of the three, and the company seems to be somewhat more optimistic about its prospects. Last year's 2016 Murano Hybrid...
John Voelcker -
What it took to buy an electric car in Texas: the good, the bad, and the ugly
Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to locate and purchase or lease a Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid somewhere in the heart of Texas oil country. Hoping to make Tom Cruise proud, I accepted the mission. But first, a bit of perspective: in 2005 I had set out to purchase a Mercury Mariner...
John Voelcker -
Why I leased a 2017 Chevy Volt (in Texas) to replace a Volvo
Texas is the land of pickups and SUVs, of oil wells and full-day drives from your Texas home to Grandma’s Texas home. Your everyday driver had better be your highway car, because every drive involves a highway. I’ve owned every size of SUV, from Chevy Suburban to Toyota Land Cruiser to...
John Voelcker -
Almost no U.S. car buyers sit down at their kitchen table and kick off a chat by saying, "Honey, we need to buy a city car." The only exceptions are those in a handful of crowded cities like New York and San Francisco, for whom a very short car that is easy to park may take priority. But as sales of the tiny two-seat Smart ForTwo have shown over several years, that's a minimal market at best. DON'T MISS: GM Won't Fund CCS Fast-Charging Sites For 2017 Chevy Bolt EV The rest of the U.S. tends to buy larger cars, increasingly crossover utility vehicles that offer lots of cargo volume behind...
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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 -
Some 2015-2016 Ford Focus Electrics recalled for pinion-shaft problem
Certain Ford Focus Electric models are being recalled because they may lose power while driving.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco gas mileage road-trip report
Road trips are an integral part of the American myth, with writers from de Toqueville to Jack Kerouac setting out to experience the variety and beauty of the huge country. Vehicle launch events, on the other hand, are heavily scripted—with pre-set drive routes often designed to highlight a...
John Voelcker -
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 -
Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid pulled from VW's U.S. lineup in 2017
Volkswagen released details on its 2017 lineup for the U.S. yesterday, including the launch of its crossover-like Golf Alltrack wagon, some new Beetle versions, and greater availability of electronic safety systems across more models. But one entry in the VW lineup was missing. Volkswagen's William...
John Voelcker -
The Ford Escape has been a hugely popular small crossover SUV since its 2001 debut, and after a quick drive in the updated 2017 model, we're reminded why. While it's not the most capacious entry in the segment, the driving experience is more rewarded and the interior quality remains top-notch even in the current generation's fifth year. The 2017 Ford Escape gets a new face and additional technology features that keep it current and, to our eyes, clean up the looks. DON'T MISS: 2017 Ford Escape Debuts With New Look, More Tech We were never big fans of the front end on the 2013-2016 Escape...
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Buick Verano to die as yet another small sedan gives way to SUVs
The Buick Verano compact sedan will end production in October.
Stephen Edelstein -
Volvo will build compact electric car in 2019, along with larger model
Volvo will build electric cars based on its two main vehicle platforms.
Stephen Edelstein -
2016 Mini Cooper Clubman gas mileage review
We're fond of Mini Coopers around here. The little British cars are fun to drive, often produce smiles from others, and in their latest incarnation, are considerably more fuel-efficient than they used to be. We've already tested the third-generation Mini hardtop in both its three-door and the new...
John Voelcker -
2016 Chevy Cruze gas mileage beats even previous Eco model
The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze achieves a best of 30 mpg city, 42 mpg highway, 40 mpg combined.
Stephen Edelstein -
2016 Dodge Dart lineup cut to 3 models as small sedan simplifies
The 2016 Dodge Dart lineup gets streamlined midway through the model year.
Stephen Edelstein