Miscellaneous

Toyota release details on some new fines charged to it by the Department of Transportation and the NHTSA. Earlier this year, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that Toyota could receive a second penalty for other infractions related to the timeliness of recall notifications. It turns out however, that Toyota actually ...    Read more

Chrysler has recently released details on its new No-cost Maintenance Plus plan. Good for three years or 36,000 miles, the maintenance plan could help Chrysler keep incentives down for its high-end SUVs which currently includes the Durango Citadel and the Journey Lux. The plan is worth $1100, Chrysler says. The ...    Read more

Ford released additional information on its upcoming crossover, the U.S.-bound C-Max. Don't let the C-Max name fool you: this isn't quite the five-seat, four-door C-Max sold abroad. Instead, the C-Max name is being recycled for what Europeans refer to as a Grand C-Max. Both vehicle ride upon Ford's global ...    Read more

Honda has recently announced pricing on the 2011 Acura ZDX, which starts at $46,505, or $150 more than the 2010 model. All ZDXs continue to use Acura's 3.7-liter V-6 making 300 horsepower and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Super Handling All-Wheel Drive and 19-inch wheels come standard on every ...    Read more

Honda has issued a recall of 35,984 of its Passports SUVs built between 1998 and 2002. The automaker discovered that excessive roadway salting has on cars as a number of Passports built between 1998 and 2002 are showing signs of excessive corrosion in the rear suspension. This corrosion could cause ...    Read more

Hyundai has announced pricing on its Sonata hybrid sedan. The 2.4-liter inline-four finds itself matched with an electric traction motor and power is sent through a six-speed automatic transmission. Combined output is 206 horsepower and 193 pound-feet of torque, and an all-electric drive speed of up to 62 mph is ...    Read more

General Motors will be issuing the new year in next month with letters to all 2011 Cadillac SRX and certain Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain owners. The Problem? The automaker has discovered a seatbelt defect on certain SUVs that could cause the seatbelt buckle to fracture in the event of ...    Read more

Electric vehicles produce no audible sound, and many hybrids can operate with virtually no noise at low speeds. While blind pedestrians rely on audible indicators of traffic patterns, those of us who see also use sound to navigate. The implementation of sound on electric and hybrid vehicles will help pedestrians ...    Read more

Mercedes-Benz delivered its first F-Cell hydrogen-powered B-Class vehicle earlier this month. "I'm thrilled to be driving a vehicle that I believe represents the future of environmentally thoughtful transportation," Vance Van Petten, executive director of the Producers Guild of America, said. "Not only does it have zero emissions, but it also ...    Read more

Think, a Scandinavian EV firm, has been in the business since the 1990s and recently invested a great deal of capital to establish a production site in Elkhart County, Indiana. Well, the first Think City electric vehicles built in the United States have been sold and delivered. The City car ...    Read more

At this year's LA Auto Show, Honda unveiled its Fit EV. The automaker recently announced it is launching an electric vehicle demonstration program in conjunction with the city of Torrance, California, Google, and Stanford University. "The goal of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program is to more fully understand the ...    Read more

Nissan has issued pricing details of its Versa compact vehicle. First, Versa sales are up 17.6 percent through the end of November. From December onward, there are moderate price increases on all 2011 Versas but the most basic 1.6 sedan, which has a starting price of $9990 before adding destination. ...    Read more

Earlier last week, the first shipment of 300-plus Volts were put on transport trucks and sent to the initial launch markets of California, New York, Texas, and Washington D.C. Well, one owner has picked up his Volt already. Jeffrey Kaffee, a retired airline pilot from New Jersey, is going down ...    Read more

From the Chevy Silverado winning Motor Trend's Truck of the Year to Mitsubishi adding hybrids, EVs to its future lineup, here's some of the latest news from the autosphere: ...    Read more

Honda is recalling 143,083 2007 and 2008 Fits in the U.S. According to the automaker, wiring harnesses for the headlamp control switch may have been misrouted during assembly, which could potentially wear the plating on connnectors for the low-beam circuit after extended use. If this happens, the connector could overheat ...    Read more

BMW has issued details the changes for its 1-Series coupe and convertibles for 2012. the 128i Coupe and Convertible's front fascia have lost the more conservative look of their predecessor. The lower fascia is re-sculpted and the foglight housings have been redone. Tucked towards the outer edge of the ...    Read more

Chrysler is recalling approximately 367,350 vehicles of its MY 2008 Town & Country minivan. According to the automaker, a faulty grommet at the heating and air conditioner drain could cause a water leak. As a result, this leak could trigger a short in the airbag circuit, causing the airbag telltale ...    Read more

VW has issued a recall on its 2007-2009 Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit, Jetta; and 2006-2010 New Beetle. The issue is that certain models may be equipped with a windshield washer fluid reservoir that sports a small plastic tab. This tab could chafe against a fuel supply line, potentially creating a fuel leak. ...    Read more

Chrysler sources have now confirmed to Automobile Magazine that new SRT-8 models are in the works. While Chrysler reps wouldn't specify which models exactly, it isn't hard to put the pieces together. Check the link above to find out which models may be getting the SRT8 treatment.

Chrysler has issued a recall on over 76,000 of its MY 2010-2011 (formerly Dodge) Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks. According to Chrysler, certain trucks, built between March 2009 and October 2010 may have inadequate venting in the power steering reservoir cap. As a result, brake pedals could be slow to ...    Read more

Toyota has released pricing details on its latest luxury hybrid, the Lexus CT 200 compact hatchback. The entry-level hybrid carries a starting price of $29,995. That includes a keyless entry system, Bluetooth, 17-inch alloy wheels, USB/iPod connectivity, a six-speaker sound system, and three driving modes (Normal, Sport, and Eco). If ...    Read more

Honda has released details on its Acura RL, flagship of the Acura brand. Sheetmetal-wise, the 2011 RL's new snout is less bulbous than that of its predecessor. New 18-inch alloys are perched in the wheelhouses and house special technology to quiet road noise. No other cosmetic changes have been made.The ...    Read more

Nissan released published pricing information on its 2012 NV vans which are expected to reach dealerships early in 2011. The full-sized cargo haulers will be priced from a reasonable $25,570. Note that prices include $980 in destination fees. The $25,570 price puts buyers into a base NV 1500 S. Customers ...    Read more

Production of the 2012 Focus four- and five-door has already begun, though sales don't begin until early next year. Thus, Ford has invested $550 million in its Michigan Assembly plant to be the U.S. home of gas-powered, electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The plant, in addition to some of ...    Read more

Hyundai has revealed the first sketch of its i40W or Sonata estate (wagon to you yanks). The renderings show a vehicle with a front end that looks awfully similar to the 2011 Elantra sedan. The lower fascia of the two cars differs and the general proportions appear to be consistent ...    Read more