Upscale Mazda3 is offered as a sedan or hatchback. Small car models are dwindling in numbers as consumers continue to move to crossovers. For the remaining players, including the Mazda Mazda3, offering distinct features is important if customers are to be won to the segment, let alone the marque. The … Read more
The parade of cars is shrinking, but small cars remain in demand. Low prices. Smart styling. Fun driving. These are among the chief attributes you’ll find, at least in some models. Once again, Hyundai proves its mettle by offering a full line of small cars, including sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks. … Read more
If you take heed to various Internet reports, you may think that new car ownership is far beyond your reach. Indeed, in May 2019, Kelly Blue Book reported the average transaction price for a light vehicle (passenger vehicle) was $37,185. But the average transaction price can be certainly misleading, as … Read more
The new vehicle market has certainly turned as consumers are shopping for crossovers and trucks in far greater numbers than they are for cars. Indeed, approximately seven in 10 new passenger vehicle sales are categorized as light trucks (SUVs, vans, and pickups), according to the Auto Alliance. But what … Read more
N Line performance comes to Hyundai. Hyundai offers the compact Elantra in sedan and hatchback body styles, the latter known as the Elantra GT. For 2019, the first “N Line” model arrives, this one serving as the top trim for the GT. The N Line replaces the GT Sport, but … Read more
Throughout the long reign of the Ford Mustang, several different platforms have underpinned this iconic pony car. Probably the least popular was the Mustang II, which shared the same platform supporting the lowly Pinto, a subcompact model. The Pinto was a poster child for 1970s-era crappy car design, although the … Read more
All-wheel drive comes to Mazda’s compact hatchback and sedan. The Mazda3 hatchback adds available all-wheel drive, perhaps setting the framework for Mazdaspeed to return. Mazda is a small player in a world of large car manufacturers, but its presence outstrips its size. The company is best known for mainstreaming the … Read more
The 2020 Kia Soul marks the start of this model’s third generation. The Kia Soul is a runaway hit for this Korean manufacturer, a cult favorite with the youth. Kia has long used a team of anthropomorphic hamsters to market the Soul, a boxy model that has outlasted the competition. … Read more
Pity poor Fiat. This Italian automaker returned to the U.S. market in 2011 after a long absence, but soon found customer’s tastes had already begun to move away from cars to crossovers. Even with the introduction of a tiny 500X crossover a few years later, Fiat demand has never met … Read more
The Kia Stinger makes good on its performance credentials. Is it a hot hatchback or perhaps it is a fastback sport sedan? No matter how you define it, the all-new 2018 Kia Stinger is unlike anything we have ever seen from this wonderfully unpredictable Korean brand. Sure, the large Kia … Read more