Saab has launched a feel-good promotion this holiday season, where the automaker will donate $50 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation each time a prospective customer test drives one of its cars before January 3rd. This is a low-cost way for shoppers to contribute to a worthy charity, while for Saab, it creates some positive buzz and gives the company a chance to showcase its line-up.
The process is simple: a licensed driver goes to a Saab dealership, completes a simple registration form, and test drives an all-new Saab vehicle. Saab with then donate $50 to Make-A-Wish, an organization that has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions by granting wishes since 1980.
Among the models worth checking out is the redesigned Saab 9-5, a model that signals the future for the brand under Spyker ownership.
Check the latest Saab deals, and learn more about Make-A-Wish. More...
Green is the automotive color for 2011, reflecting the fuel economy and emissions on today’s vehicles. Consumers are increasingly sensitive to both environmental and oil consumption issues, and they are definitely concerned about the green in their wallet. Consequently, fuel economy is a more prominent factor in purchases, but making a green choice doesn’t mean the same for all shoppers.
America’s highways pulse with diversity, reflecting our national sense of individuality, desire for freedom, and the multitude of purposes cars fulfill. For some shoppers, the right answer is a small, commuter car, while some businesses need a cargo van.
To help point you toward the most fuel-efficient vehicles in every category, we have reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) figures and present the list below. Diesels and hybrids dominate, with six-speed and continuously variable transmissions clearly playing a key role.
Scan the list to see which are the thriftiest cars in every class. Should you want more information, dig into our fact-filled new-car buyer’s guide and read our latest reviews. More...
Cars don’t just magically appear at your local dealership. They are designed, engineered, tested, and manufactured first—over the course of years and hundreds of millions of dollars. The whole process is rather amazing, giving the complexity of today’s autos and the rules and regulations they must satisfy. And one the most innovative models has just begun production, the Chevrolet Volt.
General Motors has captured the Volt manufacturing process on video, showing the robotic ballet and assembly conga line that transforms raw metal into an award-winning extended-range sedan. If you’re a fan of the “How it works” series on the Science Channel, you’ll enjoy this video. More...
The time for speculation has ended, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) releasing the official fuel economy figures for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. The new format window sticker shows 93 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) and 37 mpg overall. (See the Nissan Leaf window sticker.)
Being an extended-range vehicle makes rating and even interpreting Volt performance a tricky proposition. Because the Volt can operate strictly on electric power for 25 to 50 miles or be motivated by a gasoline-fueled engine, the window sticker represents both scenarios.
On pure electric power, the Volt’s energy consumption is calculated by on kWh, with the formula that 33.7 kWh equals the energy in one gallon of gasoline. The result is 93 kWh overall, or an estimated 36 kWh per 100 miles. Yes, it is an all-new automotive world, but this will be second nature in a couple of years.
Once the electricity has been drained, the Volt returns 37 mpg overall, or uses 2.7 gallons per 100 miles. So, even in its worst-case energy scenario, the Volt gets pretty good mileage. More...
Kia sees its all-new 2011 Optima a game changing car that will change perceptions of the brand and challenge expectations within the segment. Within its crisp, handsome, Euro-like body, it offers a finely crafted new interior. Under its hood are three new powerplants—a standard four, a lively turbo four and the company’s first-ever U.S.-market hybrid.
Based on an all-new midsize platform (shared with corporate cousin Hyundai’s equally eye-opening 2011 Sonata), it is longer, wider and lower than the Gen II Optima it replaces. Its distinctive new face features Kia’s signature “tiger-nose” tabbed grille flanked by wrap-around projector headlamps. Its sleek profile is enhanced from above by a chrome arc sweeping from the base of the A-pillar to the bottom of the rear window and from below by a pronounced shoulder line that flows into its sculpted rear flanks and flared wheel arches. It comes in base LX, mid-range EX and more athletic-looking SX trim levels.
Like its Hyundai Sonata counterpart (and unlike most other midsize entries), Kia’s 2011 Optima offers no available V6 but a choice of three all-new “Theta II” four-cylinder engines: a 200-hp 2.4-liter GDI (gasoline direct-injected) four, a 274-horse 2.0-liter GDI turbo four and a 206-hp (gas/electric combined) 2.4-liter hybrid. Only the base LX has a six-speed manual transmission, while all others drive through a six-speed automatic with “Sportmatic” shifting.
The standard four boasts 24/35 (city/highway) EPA mpg with the manual gearbox and 24/34 mpg with the automatic. The 2.0-liter turbo offers 22/34 mpg with automatic (only). The soon-to-come hybrid’s EPA ratings should equal the Sonata hybrid’s 36/40 city/highway and 38 mpg combined. More...
Hyundai rolled out its all-new, fifth-generation Elantra sedan today at the LA Auto Show with the bold promise that it would best the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla in fuel economy. Judging from the last few model Hyundai has introduced, clearly the automaker is throwing down the gauntlet and putting even the most established brands on notice. The Elantra is the fourth vehicle of seven that Hyundai had promised to launch in a two-year period.
The Elantra has a new 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 148 horsepower and 131 lb.-ft. of torque, replacing the previous 2.0-liter engine. The all-aluminum powerplant features continuously variable valve timing, variable induction, and electronic throttle control. It weighs in at 74 pounds lighter than the previous, less-sophisticated engine. Most Elantras sold in California, Oregon, and several Northeast states will be rated as Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (PZEV). Other Elantras will be classified as Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV).
The Elantra will be EPA-rated at 29 mpg city, 40 mpg city with either the six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. In contrast, the less-powerful Civic is rated at 26 mpg city, 34 mpg highway with a manual trans, and the Corolla is rated at 26 mpg city, 34 mpg highway.More...
