Opinion

A little over a year ago, I wrote a blog post about how manufacturers should strive for an ideal benchmark combining performance, fuel efficiency and value in a single package. My formula was 300/30/30...300 horsepower, 30 miles per gallon highway, for under $30,000. Well, starting with the 2011 ...    Read more

Toyota continues to be in hot water concerning the fiasco of unintended accelerations. Yes, it came up with a fix -- either a floor mat or gas pedal replacement -- but apparently the fix wasn’t, well, a fix say car owners. The U.S. Department of Transportation has been receiving ...    Read more

As the world’s auto industry works its way out of the Great Recession, U.S. manufacturers still have a long way to go, according to Consumer Reports Magazine.The magazine’s best values: Small Car -- Honda Fit Family Car -- Toyota Prius IV Wagons/minivans -- Hyundai Elantra Touring Small SUVs -- Subaru ...    Read more

I stated, in my review of the 2010 Acura TL, that it's a nice compromise between for those who like sporty, yet luxurious, vehicles. The TSX, though, definitely takes sides. The TSX is the "sportster" of the Acura sedan lineup, and the new V-6 engine adds to that impression. ...    Read more

TORRANCE, Calif. (Feb., 2010) – Lexus ranked highest in customer satisfaction among luxury brands in the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Customer Service Index (CSI) StudySM. Lexus achieved an overall CSI score of 837 on a 1,000-point scale, 24 points above the segment average.The Lexus brand also led in four ...    Read more

The Baby Boom generation, those of us who were born between 1945 and 1963, has pushed American economics for more than, well, a generation. You might say that the boomers made the US a prosperous country because of the sheer number of them and the fact that they had money ...    Read more

IRVINE, Calif., February, 2010 – After recently announcing its 15th consecutive year of increased market share, best quarter and sales month ever, and the all-new 2011 Kia Sorento CUV, Kia Motors America (KMA) is proud to announce its Borrego SUV has been recognized as a “Best Bet” by The Car ...    Read more

Ford Motor Company is climbing onboard the electric bandwagon. At the Geneva Motor Show, Ford announced that it will offer two new hybrids, a plug-in hybrid and two all-electric vehicles to Europe by 2013. These vehicles will be in U.S. Ford dealer showrooms by 2012.The first of the vehicles ...    Read more

The Detroit News recently reported that a group of FBI agents had raided three auto parts suppliers who service Toyota. According to the U.S. Justice Department, the raids concerned an international investigation into possible anti-competitive practices by electronics components suppliers.The companies raided include the U.S. headquarters of Yazaki ...    Read more

DEARBORN, Mich., March 1, 2010 – Ford Motor Company's actions to reduce the amount of energy used to manufacture vehicles and support its U.S. operations have earned it the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's coveted 2010 ENERGY STAR Award for the fifth consecutive year.The 2010 ENERGY STAR Award for Sustained Excellence ...    Read more

Nissan has been named a 2010 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for outstanding energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.Nissan’s accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 18, 2010.“Nissan is leading the fight against climate ...    Read more

Credit data provider TransUnion said that the number of customers who are at least 60 days past due dropped 6 percent during the fourth quarter of last year.It is believed that auto loan delinquencies are improving because of more favorable terms on the loans and deals for new cars in ...    Read more

Before the late 1990s, cars were relatively simple. They relied on mechanics. A wire that goes from here to there controls this. Pressure on the brake worked actually; wires, rods, and other physical things attached to one another served the gas pedal.But since then, the automobile has become a very ...    Read more

Any time someone does something radical with an established product, there's bound to be controversy. That's how I feel about all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata. As a member of the press, I had been aware how the Korean company has been "reinventing" itself to a more premium brand with the still ...    Read more

The recent recall of millions of Toyota vehicles due to an unintended acceleration problem shook the international auto industry to its core. Thus, the NHTSA, which is mandated as the safety organization that is supposed to keep the automakers in line, is considering a recommendation that all automakers include a ...    Read more

Remember back in 2008 when Tata Motors of India acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from the Ford Motor Company? While it was considered a bold move that brought the company recognition on the international stage, it also brought some ridicule because Jaguar and Land Rover were losing money for ...    Read more

We have been reporting that the ethanol industry was taking a major hit from the recession. Production plants were closing down. Construction of plants were stopped. Investors seemed to have lost interest in ethanol. Environmentalists slammed the alternative fuel because corn is used, for the most part, to make ...    Read more

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb., 2010 – Ford Motor Company added to its leading number of five-star crash test-rated vehicles as the 2010 Lincoln MKT earned top ratings for frontal and side-impact crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Lincoln's three-row luxury crossover previously earned a 2009 "Top ...    Read more

We have all heard of the “insanity defense.” But now, due to Toyota’s recall problems, there may be a new defense for people accused of causing an accident. It’s called the “Toyota Defense”. In 2006. Koua Fong Lee was driving a 1996 Toyota Camry when he said his car had ...    Read more

DEARBORN, Mich. Feb., 2010 – What does Ford Motor Company have in common with Google, Apple, and Amazon? Ford shares a spot with them on Fast Company’s Top 10 list of “Most Innovative” companies in Mobile technology, and becomes the first automaker to ever be recognized in the category. “This ...    Read more

Honda prides itself on its automotive technology, and its Acura lineup makes many of the latest tech toys standard. Standard in the TSX includes USB jack (compatible with iPod/iPhone), AUX audio mini-jack, and Bluetooth for cellphones and the like. The V-6 version (which I drove) included noise cancellation which dampened ...    Read more

When it became apparent that General Motors would keep Opel, the German government was not happy. It had promised aid in the form of loans should the sale take place. But after GM's announcement, Germany withhold said aid, fearing the automaker's restructuring plan would cause the closing of many plants ...    Read more

March 2, 2010 - - The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced that for the second consecutive year the Toyota Corolla compact sedan and Scion xB have each earned “Top Safety Pick” awards. The “Top Safety Pick” is the highest safety designation awarded by the IIHS. To qualify ...    Read more

For more than a year now, we have been blogging about the benefits of algae as a source of biofuel. It seems that the little critters consume carbon dioxide as they produce biofuel. Moreover, they can be accommodated in ponds on land that can’t be used for farming. Even the ...    Read more

Whether on their own or through encouragement from corporate, Toyota dealers in the United States are complaining about the treatment the Japanese automaker is getting from the U.S. government.There are reports that more than 150 Toyota dealers visited Washington to talk to law makers on Toyota’s behalf. Many feel that ...    Read more