Sedans
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At next week's Detroit Auto Show, VW will take the wraps off a concept car that previews a new and more fuel-efficient version of its mainstream Passat mid-size sedan. The Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion Concept features a direct-injected and turbocharged 150-horsepower, 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 lb-ft of torque. It powers the front wheels through a DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission. The concept car is said to return gas mileage of up to 42 mpg on the highway cycle, though Volkswagen didn't specify all three components of an EPA rating. DON'T MISS: Norway's Electric Cars...
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2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid: Plug-In To Replace Hybrid
Contrary to published reports, no plug-in Porsches were sold in the U.S. last month. Whether the first one is handed over late this month or early next month--we'll know by Friday, January 3--the company is taking an unusual step with its 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid. The German prestige maker...
John Voelcker -
Life With Tesla Model S: Electric-Draw Vampire Slain, At Last
This started out as a feel-good article about another great experience I had with Tesla's extraordinary service program. But it morphed into a detective story that apparently solves the mystery of why my 60-kWh 2013 Tesla Model S still suffered a significant "vampire" power drain, even after...
David Noland -
Is The 2015 Honda Fit Sedan India's Just-Launched Honda City?
We know what the all-new 2015 Honda Fit hatchback will look like; that car was unveiled in Japan last July, and then went on sale in September there. But have we now seen what the sedan model of the 2015 Fit will look like as well? Yesterday, Honda Cars India unveiled the latest version of the...
John Voelcker -
2013 Honda Civic EX Automatic: Gas Mileage Advice To Reader
Sometimes we get letters from readers asking for advice, or criticizing our reports on gas mileage. We're always happy to hear their experiences--but a bit of perspective is sometimes needed. Reader Marcus Witte recently sent us the following note (we've edited it slightly for clarity): Your review...
John Voelcker -
Green Car Reports' Best Car To Buy: 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
For 2014, our fourth annual Green Car Reports' Best Car To Buy award goes to the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid. This new model of the redesigned Honda Accord sedan introduced last year is comfortable, quiet, stylish--and delivers real-world fuel economy from 40 mpg to as much as 52 mpg. And that's...
John Voelcker -
Even conventional gasoline cars--no plugs, no hybrids, no turbos--can be green. And we've long been looking forward to the debut of the 2014 Mazda 3, an all-new generation of the compact hatchback and sedan that have always been among the more rewarding cars to drive in the segment. With Mazda's new SkyActiv engine and design technology, we expected the new 2014 Mazda3 to be among the most fuel-efficient (non-hybrid) compacts on the market. Previous drives in two earlier Mazda vehicles that use new SkyActiv powertrains--a CX-5 and an earlier 2012 Mazda 3--showed us that unlike high-rated cars...
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Green Car Reports' Best Car To Buy Nominee: 2014 Chevy Cruze Diesel
The 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel is a somewhat daring car, and one that diesel fans have been urging a U.S. maker to sell for years, if not decades. It's the first diesel-engined passenger vehicle sold by General Motors since 1986, and it's a fully modern car with the latest in emissions control...
John Voelcker -
Who's Still Buying Brand-New Fisker Karmas, And Why?
The 2012 Fisker Karma remains a stunning car, regardless of its range-extended electric powertrain. While the struggling-though-not-yet-bankrupt company remains in limbo, with a purchase reported but not yet confirmed, it hasn't built cars since July 2012. MORE: 2012 Fisker Karma - full review The...
John Voelcker -
Life With Tesla Model S: Pushing the Range Limits In 60-kWh Car
In the eight months I've owned my 60-kWh Tesla Model S, I've never had occasion to drive it more than 120 miles, comfortably within the car's EPA-rated 208-mile range. The phrase "range anxiety" was not in my lexicon. But last week, I got an invitation from Don Sherman, Technical Director of Car...
David Noland -
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 -
First Tesla Model S Fire Caused By Collision With Road Debris
It had to happen sooner or later: a fire in a Tesla Model S. And indeed, as first covered by Jalopnik, Tuesday's fire in one example of the luxury electric sedan outside Seattle, Washington, generated a remarkable amount of media coverage. Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] issued a statement on the accident...
John Voelcker -
What kind of hybrid car do you want to buy? Poll the automakers about what kind of hybrids they think will sell, and one answer comes back. The sweet spot for hybrids, as their model lineups show, is mid-size sedans--both mainstream and now increasingly luxury makes. Consider the lineup of available hybrid sedans for sale in the U.S. during the 2013 and 2014 model years: BMW ActiveHybrid 5 Ford Fusion Hybrid (and Energi plug-in hybrid) Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Kia Optima Hybrid Lexus ES 300h Lexus GS 450h Toyota Camry Hybrid There's also the Toyota Prius liftback, the original model in the...
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Tesla Model S Electric Car Available From Hertz As Rental Car
Always wanted to drive a Tesla Model S? Well, now you can now rent one. The wonder car from Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] will be offered for rental from Hertz in (very) select U.S. markets, as part of the company's "Dream Cars" program. Right now, the Model S all-electric luxury sedan is only available...
Stephen Edelstein -
California Car Dealers Slam Tesla For Website Pricing Tricks
State and national auto-dealer groups have been battling Tesla Motors for four years now. The dealers want to stop Tesla from selling its electric cars directly to buyers, and are working to change state laws so Tesla will have to conduct all sales through independently-owned third parties--which...
John Voelcker -
2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Priced From $29,945, On Sale Oct 31
The 2014 Accord Hybrid will be priced slightly higher than other midsize sedan hybrids, but it will also have class-leading fuel economy.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Mazda 3 Sedan Live Photo Gallery: 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show
The all-new 2014 Mazda 3 was revealed at the end of June, but only as a five-door hatchback--the model that will be the mainstay in Japan and Europe. Now we've had our first look at the 2014 Mazda3 four-door sedan in person; it was displayed at last week's Frankfurt Auto Show. The pictures show the...
John Voelcker -
Life With Tesla Model S: Three Days Of Service Nirvana
A few months ago, some minor glitches in my 2013 Tesla Model S were fixed at the Tesla service center in White Plains, New York. It was a perfectly satisfactory experience, pretty much like any other service visit: Drive to the shop, read magazines for a couple of hours, get the car back, drive...
David Noland -
Have you ever wondered what a mid-size hybrid sedan would be like if it had the ride and handling of a Sixties Cadillac: big, soft, and wallowy? If so, Toyota has an answer for you, assuming you're willing to travel to Japan. All told, Toyota makes 23 different hybrid passenger vehicles for its various markets--many of which we never see in the United States. One of those is the Toyota Crown Royal Saloon Hybrid, a large, traditional, rear-wheel-drive four-door sedan sold in Japan and a few other countries. The Crown occupies a special place in the Japanese car market, in which fully...
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2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec: First Drive
While there are a number of new diesel models for 2014, diesels are nothing new for Mercedes-Benz. Yet at first blush, making the most fuel-efficient model in the lineup—the one that packs a new four-cylinder diesel—the entry point for mainstream luxury shoppers could be seen as a...
Bengt Halvorson -
Five 40-MPG Mid-Size Sedans You Can Buy Today
Imagine it's 2025 and the full impact of tougher gas-mileage regulations has taken effect. That year, it's easy to buy a mid-size sedan--perhaps even something a bit larger--that returns 40 mpg in regular use. Here's the thing, though: For 2013, there are already a handful of sedans that do that...
John Voelcker -
Bi-Fuel Mercedes-Benz E-Class Runs On Natural Gas, In Germany
While electric cars get a lot of press, electricity is hardly the only way to power vehicles without using gasoline. Discussion of natural gas as a vehicle fuel is rising again, in part due to huge supplies coming online in North America. Now Mercedes-Benz has launched its latest vehicle powered by...
John Voelcker -
Life With Tesla Model S: Owner's Report After 5,000 Miles
It's now been more than five months and 5,000 miles since I took delivery of my 2013 Tesla Model S. The four-year wait after I put down my deposit in 2009 created a huge burden of pent-up hopes and expectations. With the initial glow of ownership now dulled by the daily routine of real-world...
David Noland -
Do Tesla Model S And Porsche Panamera Plug-In Hybrid Compete?
In less than a year, the Tesla Model S has created a new category of car: the electric luxury sport sedan. But with impending launches by two experienced, prestigious German luxury brands, will Tesla find the Model S facing new competition among wealthy buyers who like plugging in to drive? We just...
John Voelcker