Focus speeds ahead of Civic Published: Wed, Aug 24, 2011 The highly anticipated, redesigned Honda Civic LX, whose predecessors have often been Consumer Reports' highest-rated small sedans -- as well as Top Picks in five of the last 10 years -- now scores too low to be recommended by the leading automotive testing organization. The redesigned Civic LX's score dropped a... Read More

Kia Sportage outpoints Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and Nissan Juke Updated: Fri, Feb 25, 2011 The redesigned Kia Sportage outscored the new Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and the Nissan Juke in Consumer Reports' latest tests. The vehicles were part of a test group comprised of three small vehicles that straddle the line between hatchbacks and SUVs. All three received a Very Good road test score. In... Read More

Hot new design on Volvo C30 gives 2011 hatchback cool look Updated: Fri, Apr 9, 2010 Arriving with a flash of Orange Flame Metallic paint, the 2011 Volvo C30 is a fireball of dynamic styling, making the introduction of a new flaming orange paint even more appropriate for Volvo's debut of the C30's brilliant new exterior design. Emphasis on the exterior changes are focused up front, as the... Read More

Bricklin SV-1 Updated: Fri, Apr 9, 2010 A fiberglass-bodied hatchback with a rumbling V8, pop-up headlights and "gull-wing" doors sounds like a high-performance exotic that can't miss. However, the car in question is the Bricklin SV-1, a quirky, yet affordable-for-the-time Canadian-built coupe that lasted less than two years before disappearing under... Read More

From hybrids, technology, new vehicles and the environment, to saving money at the pumps. Updated: Fri, Apr 9, 2010 Ferrari unveils a hybrid, but it won't be available for years: Ferrari unveiled a hybrid model of its 599 at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, a car that uses all-wheel drive and kinetic-energy recovery technology rather than a conventional battery-electric system. KERS, as it is called, uses braking energy to... Read More

2011 Ford Fiesta Updated: Fri, Mar 5, 2010 It was the 2009 the Los Angeles Auto Show and there were a lot of new vehicles unveiled and introduced, but mostly just glitzy presentations. One particular car stood out and I had already had a brief preview of it – the 2011 Ford Fiesta. The Ford Fiesta is a very fuel-efficient little car that has already... Read More

Golf tops among small hatchbacks Updated: Thu, Feb 18, 2010 Two freshened versions of the Volkswagen Golf scored impressively in Consumer Reports' most recent tests of small cars. The diesel (TDI) and conventional versions are now CR's two top-rated vehicles in the small hatchback category. Small cars are a sensible choice for buyers looking to save on fuel costs, who... Read More

2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart Updated: Fri, Feb 5, 2010 I recently had a new 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer for a test drive. But this was no ordinary Lancer. This was a Sportback Ralliart model, complete with enough racing features to provide an exhilarating drive. There were a few downsides, however. Mitsubishi has their Lancer EVO, which is fairly popular and performs... Read More

Volkswagen Rabbit Updated: Wed, Sep 23, 2009 The challenge for Volkswagen was far from simple. Create a new, still-popular and more modern follow-up to one of the most successful automobiles of all time: the Beetle. A tough act to follow, but the result was the Rabbit, a ground-breaking invention that raised the import bar several notches. It's a car whose... Read More

2009 Nissan Cube Updated: Sat, Jul 18, 2009 For a few days in late March, I attended a Press Preview of the Nissan Cube. What is the Cube? It is one of those little boxy, attention-attracting, inexpensive vehicles like the Toyota xB or the new Kia Soul. There used to be a song called, “It’s Hip to be Square.” Cavemen figured out that round stones... Read More

Shift! Updated: Fri, Jun 26, 2009 Electrifying its future: Chrysler doesn't exactly have a reputation for having the most fuel-efficient lineup in the industry, but the Michigan automaker hopes to change that with a proposed $448 million plan to spur the development of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles. Chrysler submitted three different plans... Read More

2006 Hyundai Accent: What's not to like about a roomy small car that piles on the features while tempering the scourge Updated: Wed, Apr 5, 2006 The market for small cars is steadily expanding and Hyundai's regenerated Accent is ready to cash in on this growing trend. The entry-level automobile segment has been relatively stable in the past few years while luxury cars, sport-utility vehicles and those hard-to-describe machines that combine elements of both... Read More

2007 Volkswagen GTi: It's the car Volkswagen has been waiting for for years. Was it worth the wait? The verdict will put a smile on your face Updated: Wed, Apr 5, 2006 In San Diego, Calif. The car that began the whole "hot hatch" genre is back. Not as lithe and cat-like as the original, but the turbocharged 2007 Volkswagen GTi packs some serious muscle on a larger and more mature body. After several versions of so-so models, the fifth generation GTi returns to the original... Read More