Compact Car

TORRANCE, Calif., June 10, 2009 -- Scion announced today that its final limited-production vehicle for 2009, the xD Release Series 2.0 (xD RS 2.0), will be available at dealer showrooms later this month.The 2009 xD Release Series 2.0 comes exclusively in Electric Wasabi green exterior paint and is also distinguished ...    Read more

SEATTLE, June. 12, 2009 – Following the successful launch of the all-new, widely acclaimed 2010 Kia Soul urban passenger vehicle in Miami earlier this year, Kia Motors America (KMA) today launched the all-new 2010 Kia Forte compact sedan in Seattle.The Emerald City, known for its innovation and creativity, provides the ...    Read more

I am deeply impressed with the 2010 Kia Forte. But will Americans agree with me? The vehicle is solid, all the more surprising that it's brand new for the brand and we drove pre-production models. (The production models had better matching inserts on the door interiors and center console). Fit ...    Read more

Driving the Kia Forte was a pleasant and smooth experience. The Forte comes in three trims: the base LX, the EX, and the SX. All vehicles are equipped with bluetooth, SIRIUS and Kia's famous ten year warranty as standard. Both the LX and the EX come available with a 2.0 ...    Read more

When the all-new Hyundai Sonata debuted in 2005 as a 2006 model, the vehicle was hailed as a game changer by both the press and the consumer. Now Kia aims to do the same with the Spectra-replacing Forte compact sedan. I test-drove the Forte up in Seattle, Washington, this week ...    Read more

The Volvo S40 1.6D DRIVe featuring the new Start/Stop technology has scooped the top honour and been named Green Car of the Year at the prestigious 2009 What Car? Green Car Awards.The ceremony took place at London City Hall on Monday night and the award was handed over by Boris ...    Read more

The Ford Focus is getting a coupe and it's wearing a hallowed American car name of Capri. So how come it's only going to be sold in Europe? Per Auto Express: ...    Read more

Who says that nature can’t power the automobile? A new company called Zero Pollution Motors certainly didn’t, and its choice of power is...air.The company is manufacturing cars that run on compressed air and a conventional engine. The cars work by plugging into a wall outlet. The electricity allows an onboard ...    Read more

If you live out here in SoCal (Southern California), you know that MINI Coopers are a dime a dozen. MINI, apparently, has heard cries for more individuality and responded. Behold: the MINI Cooper S 50 Camden. Per 4WheelsNews: ...    Read more

Call it hokey, contrived, or whatever you want, but it seems Ford's "Fiesta Movement" has been a success from a publicity standpoint. Although in the past few weeks, the theft of one of the Movement's loaner vehicles got the web all a-Twitter. Probably not exactly the publicity Ford was looking ...    Read more

Motor Trend had a chance to check out the upcoming Chevy Cruze, General Motors hot "compact" car to compete against the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit and, possibly, the Ford Fiesta. Per the magazine: ...    Read more

Vienna. When fashion and music come together at the Life Ball, the upshot is bound to be unique and compelling. This year the spotlight will be on the new Life Ball MINI in Katy Perry style, courtesy of American designer double-act The Blonds. For fans hoping to own this ...    Read more

05/13/2009 - GREENSBURG, Ind. - Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC (HMIN) today began production1 of the environmentally responsible, natural gas-powered Civic GX, at its plant in Greensburg, Indiana. HMIN associate Alonzo Miles of Indianapolis drove the first Civic GX off the line in a special ceremony at the plant. The ...    Read more

Auburn Hills, Mich., May 12, 2009 - Two Chrysler LLC vehicles are on AutoPacific’s survey of the most highly recommended vehicles. According to the survey released today, owners of the Dodge Nitro and the Jeep® Wrangler enjoyed their vehicles enough that they would recommend them to a friend or relative.“We ...    Read more

While Hyundai may be trying to go upscale in the U.S. with the debut of the Lexus-competing Genesis, the Korean automaker apparently hasn't forgotten its roots in providing inexpensive vehicles. The car market is India and the target in question is the Tata Nano, currently the least expensive cars in ...    Read more

Ready for a return of a classic?BMW has jumped, as with the rest of the auto industry, on the compact/subcompact/microcar bandwagon. In doing so, the automaker reached into its past and pulled out the Isetta as inspiration for its future fuel-sipper.The last BMW Isetta rolled out around 1962. Per ...    Read more

Whether it’s off to Vegas to get married, recreating a historic event or turning their Fiesta into an ice cream truck, the Fiesta Movement “agents” are off and running on their first “mission.” Having completed immersion events about the Movement and their new Fiestas, the agents are ready to generate ...    Read more

IRVINE, Calif., May 4, 2009 – Kia Motors America, Inc. (KMA) today announced the 2010 Kia Soul urban passenger vehicle has been named “Best Value” in the Writer’s Choice Awards for the 2009 Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) Spring Challenge. One of only seven vehicles honored in this year’s list, ...    Read more

The all-new 2009 Nissan cube® goes on sale today at Nissan dealers nationwide, sporting an engaging asymmetrical exterior design, socially oriented lounge-style interior, a powerful and fuel-efficient 1.8-liter engine, six standard air bags, a full catalog of innovative accessories, a starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)* of $13,990 and one ...    Read more

Munich/Vienna. When fashion and music come together at the Life Ball, the result will always be something fascinating and unique – the new Life Ball MINI created in Katy Perry style by American designer duo The Blonds.MINI is supporting the Life Ball for the ninth year in succession in 2009. ...    Read more

Many people that know me will tell you I'm a walking contradiction. I swing between wildly different choices and feelings about things. Not that I'm fickle, but I have a fondness or affinity for seemingly very different, and seemingly opposing philosophies or products. Case-in-point. I am an unabashed car enthusiast. ...    Read more

The fun-to-drive Scion tC brings youthful style and upscale refinement to the sporty subcompact segment and enters the 2010 model year with one new exterior color, Nautical Blue Metallic which replaces Blue Ribbon Metallic. tC continues to bring value to the Scion lineup with its generous standard content and EPA ...    Read more

Car enthusiasts love Mazdas. Thus it was no surprise that a rendering of the MINI-competitor Mazda1 compact garnered rave reviews from the car press. Per TMR: ...    Read more

Despite the recession, look for Volkswagen to become a major player in the U.S. and potential competitor to Toyota as General Motors continues to retreat into its niche market. Per egmCarTech: ...    Read more

Now that General Motors has formally announced that its Pontiac brand is joining the late, lamented Oldsmobile, speculation is turning to the Pontiac Vibe. For those just joining us, the Vibe is a joint project with Toyota, which produces a similiar vehicle, the Toyota Matrix. Both are manufactured under the ...    Read more