Driving the little van that could. Cars, trucks, utility vehicles and vans have come and gone, but there has been nothing quite like the 2014 Nissan NV200 Cargo Van that was a recent weekly driver. For one thing, the compact Nissan was the first model supplied by a manufacturer’s commercial … Read more
Innovative seat belts provide enhanced crash protection. Nearly five years have passed since Auto Trends first shared news about Ford’s inflatable safety belt technology. This writer called the technology “nifty” in recognition of the innovative thinking and engineering behind this important safety device. Over the intervening years, Ford has introduced … Read more
Brembo seeks a boost in market share. If you are an automotive enthusiast, then you are familiar with the Brembo name. The Italian company is one of the world’s largest brake manufacturers, with its red, black or silver painted brake calipers supplying high-end OEMs including Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Citroën. … Read more
The battlefield for small cars is an intense one with numerous compact and other small models available to entice first-time car buyers. Honda has its Civic, a compact model that competes with the Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus for customers. On the subcompact level is the … Read more
Pedestrian safety report points out problems, outlines solutions. As a driver, you are very much aware of what other drivers are doing while on the road. You also take note of motorcycles and bicycles, giving them enough room to share the road. Pedestrians are another concern, especially young children that … Read more
The Hyundai Sonata is not the best selling vehicle in the midsize segment. That honor belongs to the Toyota Camry. 2014 Hyundai Sonata Limited As a matter of fact, the Sonata trails the Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and the Ford Fusion. And at present, it is running neck and … Read more
Lack of capitalization delays the Elio dream. Paul Elio has been busy lately promoting Elio Motors, a company he founded with plans to build a $6,800 three-wheeled vehicle in Louisiana. Following a brief appearance on Fox Friends late last month, Elio announced that Pep Boys would serve as its official … Read more
New 2015 models on the way. The Big Three automakers continue to fight back in a wide open US market. GM remains the market leader, but Ford and Fiat Chrysler continue to boost market share in various segments, sometimes at the expense of each other. For 2015, all three automakers … Read more
And don’t touch our smartphones! American consumers are not about to give up their cars despite the rise in popularity of car sharing services such as Zipcar. A Jan. 2014 study conducted by MRY with Whitman Insight Strategies and released this month surveyed 1,000 people across the United States, evenly … Read more
Audi offers five crossover/wagon models and will soon add a sixth when the Q3 joins the line up later this year. The Volkswagen Group luxury brand has been enjoying record sales of late with its Q5 crossover and A4 sedan leading the way. The largest crossover in the mix is … Read more
Tire safety and your car. Tire-related crashes contribute to more than 11,000 accidents and kill at least 200 people each year according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To assist consumers with selecting and maintaining their tires, the NHTSA has introduced its TireWise safety campaign, covering topics ranging … Read more
Chiseled sport luxury coupe gets a proper send off. End of a production run: 2015 Cadillac CTS Coupe V-Series. Say good-bye to the Cadillac CTS coupe. Or at least its current iteration. The final model year for the current CTS coupe is 2015, a model that is one generation behind … Read more
The Volkswagen Golf may not be the most profitable model in the VW arsenal, but it is the most popular vehicle built by this German manufacturer. Some 40 years and 30 million models later, the North American market will soon get what the Europeans are currently enjoying: the seventh generation … Read more
Infiniti has changed its model naming convention by assigning a “Q” or a “QX” to precede the two-digit name for every vehicle that it sells. The “Q” precedes every car model, the “QX” designation is for its utility vehicles. Thus, a 2013 G Coupe is now a 2014 Q60 and … Read more
For the 2015 model year, the Chevrolet Impala will get a new model. No, it will not be a coupe or wagon variant, instead this model line will receive its very first compressed natural gas (CNG) option. The new model goes on sale in Fall 2014, one of just a … Read more
Buy a new car and the dealer may urge you to trade in your old car. Unless you have plans to keep it or give it to someone else, the dealer’s offer may be a tempting one. Then again, if you choose a private party sale you stand to make hundreds … Read more
There are countless ways to customize a 4×4: lifts, tires, shocks, light bars, armor – and that isn’t even touching on what you can do under the hood. With many modifications, a cursory Google search will turn up some ideas on the best build for a specific type of wheeling. … Read more
Ford expands its product line yet again. With much fanfare, Ford production workers at the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri, started production of the 2015 Ford Transit on Wednesday. The Ford Transit is a large van, one that the automaker expects will help Ford claim a larger slice … Read more