I had a nickname for the Toyota Corolla once. Back in my days as an overly judgmental prepubescent teenage boy, I used to call Toyota’s honest economy car the “Crapolla.” Growing up in an affluent North Jersey neighborhood in the ‘90s, everyone and their mother had a Bimmer, Benz, or even a Bentley. If you […]

The European Commission is said to be investigating several automotive companies over possible antitrust violations relating to the sale of auto parts. According to Germany’s Der Spiegel, Renault, Nissan, PSA, Jaguar Land Rover and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles have all been placed under government scrutiny for possible price fixing. The report claims the manufacturers may have colluded to elevate the value of certain auto parts by as much as 25 percent.

Assuming the report is accurate, that would make this the EU’s second major automotive cartel investigation in the last two years. (Read More…)

As parent Fiat Chrysler gets to work bringing its Italian luxury marque out of the doldrums of 2018, pushing the brand past the botched Levante launch and its poorly thought-out grouping with Alfa Romeo, electrification and utility vehicles are top of mind.

FCA believes fresh product and a new brand boss focused on its success will help Maserati regain its financial and sales footing. One of those products aims to excite, while simultaneously placating the green crowd and those unwilling to give up a gasoline engine. (Read More…)

While the 2019 fuel forecast calls for temperate prices at the pump, Goldman Sachs claims we could be in for a brief surge this spring.

Global oil production is expected to take a sizable hit next month. Saudi Arabia, along with the rest of OPEC, has been limiting production to prop up prices. Meanwhile, Venezuela is having trouble across the board. The nation’s ongoing political crisis has resulted in a steady decline in oil production since 2013, and U.S. sanctions effectively made doing business with Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA, an impossibility overnight.  (Read More…)

As though we needed more proof that Hyundai Motor Group’s luxury arm has the Germans in its crosshairs, Genesis has placed an extended-wheelbase version of the G90 on the Asian market. Called the “Limousine Prestige,” the South Korean marque’s new model is a clear attempt to move in on Maybach’s territory.

While most agree that Genesis has done a rather good job of delivering legitimate lavishness at bargain prices, the addition of a limo will undoubtedly force it be held to a higher standard. Thankfully, this seems like the right car for the job. Whereas the G70 is focused on delighting the driver, the brand’s larger sedans sacrifice sportiness to make more room for comfort — a fair trade, especially considering it used to be the go-to formula for all reputable luxury vehicles before low-profile tires became the norm.  (Read More…)

Even those with even the slightest passing interest in Hollywood movies know that the Oscars were doled out last night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Films are fine, but anytime a screenplay involves copious (and sometimes gratuitous!) volumes of cars, well, gearheads like us tend to sit up and take notice.

Never mind Best Actor or Best Screenplay. What’s your pick for Best Car?

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When you look at a Kia Soul, you likely peg it for just what it is – a boxy, utilitarian commuter vehicle. You wouldn’t expect it to be a blast to drive, or full of coddling luxury materials and content. Sometimes, what you see really is more or less what you get. This is one […]

For a brand that probably once caught the eye of Woodrow Wilson, there’s a late adolescent feeling to Cadillac’s current existence that belies its century-long history. Having run away from mom and dad to find itself among the towers of Manhattan, General Motors’ luxury division is heading home for a rest — newly matured, a new mentor in tow, and packing a couple of extra crossovers.

Completing the makeover, Cadillac tossed its “Dare Greatly” tagline in the trash, debuting new messaging during its Oscar night ad campaign. But does the new campaign “Rise Above” the criticisms flung at its predecessor? (Read More…)

Truth be told, North American Honda plants do build the lion’s share of Civics sold in the region. However, last week’s announcement of the impending closure of the automaker’s sole UK facility means a 100-percent locally sourced crop of compacts in the future. (Read More…)

I had just returned from driving the 2020 Kia Soul in San Diego (review forthcoming later today) when Kia fulfilled a promise made to the media via a note in my inbox.

The pricing info that wasn’t ready for our drive event was now live.

While most of the pricing is in line with what one expects of a boxy compact commuter, if you fancy the GT Turbo, be prepared to pony up.

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If you’re a European car manufacturer in the middle 1980s, what do you do when Tercels and Excels and Justys make your value-priced econobox seem too expensive in North America? If you’re Volkswagen, you call up your Brazilian operation and start building Americanized versions of the VW Gol, successor to the Type 1 Beetle in the South American market.

Here’s a very early example of the first-year Fox, found in a Denver-area self-service wrecking yard. (Read More…)

Focusing primarily on the U.S. market sometimes leads to a skewed view of what the average global consumer demands in their driveway, but not always. Broader trends don’t respect geographical boundaries; interest in light trucks doesn’t stop at the border.

As American buyers increasingly demand more additions to their high-riding vehicle buffet, the same call can be heard in other markets. And, just as Americans took home more electric vehicles (thanks, Tesla) in 2018, the segment recorded significant growth in places you’ve never visited.

However, the world still loves the Ford F-150. No change there.

Let’s take a global peek at last year’s buying decisions. (Read More…)

You wouldn’t know it, but that’s a heavily refreshed 2020 Volvo XC90 staring back at you from the header image. Good thing the grille still carries a Volvo badge.

Okay, the tweaks made to the SUV’s front fascia are milder than chain restaurant salsa, but the changes to the Swedish brand’s largest vehicle for 2020 are more than skin deep. For the upcoming model year, Volvo rolls out the first of its B-badged vehicles. What’s B? It signifies the presence of a kinetic energy recovery system designed to boost fuel economy by up to 15 percent. (Read More…)

With the eighth-generation Porsche 911 having made its debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, we anticipated waiting months for the automaker to start rolling the high-horsepower variants. Up until now, we’ve seen the Carrara S, 4S, and their convertible counterparts. But we didn’t expect to see the 992 Turbo until the fall.

However, it appears that one Porsche enthusiast managed snag a candid photograph of the Turbo without the manufacturer’s knowledge, spreading the image all over the internet.  (Read More…)

It’s nice to love the car you own. Feeling that passion and excitement each and every time you slip behind the wheel; experiencing the sheer exhilaration of squeezing every last drop of performance from your magnificent new steed. As a Cruze owner, I know these sensations all too well.

Sometimes, being your car’s biggest fan means becoming a de facto spokesperson for the brand, and with that role comes the need to position your vehicle’s builder above all others. With that in mind, we ask whether you can point out anything wrong with the following Tesla review. (Read More…)