Car News

Breaking news about the cars and trucks you drive.

Chevrolet Volt Granted California HOV Access in 2012
The primary benefit of buying a green car is its gas savings. But it seems that there are other advantages too. One being federal tax credits and another is high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane access. While HOV lanes were initially designed for vehicles carrying more than one passenger, you can now fly solo in California and other states if you have a special permit for electric and hybrid cars. This significantly ...

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Chevrolet Asks Dealers to Buy Cruze Rivals
Considering the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze as your next new car? Be prepared to test drive the competition -- General Motors is asking 3,000 dealers to buy its rivals and allow shoppers to sit behind the wheel, back-to-back. Chevrolet Product Marketing Director, Margaret Brooks, says the company is “encouraging its dealers to  buy the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic so prospective Cruze buyers can immediately measure the difference between its ...

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Ford Introduces Explorer-based Police Car
If you thought Ford was going to let Dodge have all of the fun with sirens and flashing lights, think again. Instead of using a sedan packed with a ton of horsepower, Ford has changed its focus for the police car. The all-new Ford Explorer joins the Taurus in its police vehicle line up. Although the Police Interceptor Utility looks like an Explorer with fancy paint and some bright lights, ...

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NHTSA Investigates Stalling Engines in 2009 VW Jetta TDI Models
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating  reports of stalling in the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI that may soon lead to a recall. “Although only a handful of complaints have come into the NHTSA, a greater number of owners in various forums like VW Vortex, TDIclub.com, and VWDiesel.net have reported the same thing: a loss of power and then the engine cuts out,” reports Autoblog. To date, only ...

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NHTSA Investigating 2011 Hyundai Sonata for Steering Issues
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into the 2011 Hyundai Sonata’s steering system. Depending on what the investigation reveals, the all-new Sonata -- which has only been on the market for a few months -- may be recalled. Autoblog explains: “NHTSA has received reports that cite problems with either a separation of the upper universal joint in the intermediate steering shaft assembly. The result is ...

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2011 Buick Regal Named IIHS Top Safety Pick
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has named the 2011 Buick Regal a “2010 Top Safety Pick” among large cars for good performance in front, side, rollover and rear test and electronic stability control. According to an IIHS press release, the Buick Regal is the seventh General Motors vehicle to earn the prestigious rating since the IIHS began a new roof strength test for rollover crashes. “In this test, ...

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Will Your Car Earn a Decent Grade?
Cars with good fuel economy appeal to shoppers who want to save money and reduce carbon emissions. However, comparing fuel economy across a range of vehicles has always been a hassle -- until now. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued two trial labels for electric, alternative-fuel and gasoline-powered vehicles that will make it easier for consumers to comparison shop based on energy consumption and environmental impact. “Both proposed label ...

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Recall Alert: 1998-2003 Ford Windstar
Ford has voluntarily recalled 575,000 1998-2003 Ford Winstars for issues related to real axel corrosion. The recall only applies to Windstar models registered in certain states. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “corrosion can weaken the real axel, making it susceptible to torsional stress. Corrosion and stress can lead to cracks, which if undetected, can propagate and result in a complete fracture of the axle.” Interestingly, the ...

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Electric Cars: More Expensive to Own than Gasoline Models?
One of the big selling points of electric vehicles is that, while they cost more upfront, over time you can save money, since you’re not buying gas. New analysis is questioning that math. The BBC writes that “over three years, electric cars could be more expensive to run than their petrol equivalents.”  What’s surprising is where the figures come from: Mitsubishi, which is getting ready to launch its own electric ...

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Your Car Wants to Feel Pretty
Any woman (or drag queen) can tell you that a set of falsies (eyelashes, that is) can do wonders for your looks.  Now your car wants in on the action. Autoblog reports, “A company named Carlashes hopes to cash in on the whole "car as face" theme by offering big, curly headlamp eyelashes that would make Betty Boop jealous. Seriously. This aftermarket glamification is apparently available for $24.95, but that's ...

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Hydrogen Tanks at Fueling Station Explode
Oh, the humanity. While hybrid and electric vehicles have been taking off, automakers have also been working on hydrogen-powered cars. Hydrogen is a plentiful resource and, in cars with hydrogen fuel cells, the only tail pipe emission is water vapor.  A major hurdle to bringing hydrogen cars to market, however, is convincing the buying public that they’re safe.  Clearing that hurdle may have just gotten a little harder. The Rochester, ...

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Ford's Fiesta Put on Hold, Again
The 2011 Ford Fiesta launch has been off to a rocky start. After an initial delay due to a storm damaging railroad tracks in Mexico -- where the Fiesta is produced, the Fiesta has been halted again due to an undisclosed quality issue. According to Reuters, “[A] spokesman said Ford is checking several thousand Fiestas built over the past month before they will be released to dealers for sale to ...

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Recall Alert: Garmin Nuvi Under Fire
Automakers aren’t the only ones having issues with their products. Garmin International is recalling approximately 1.3 million Nuvi GPS units worldwide because they’re overheating and causing cars to catch fire. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall affects certain model “GPS products sold for use as aftermarket equipment and sold and installed as original equipment in certain passenger vehicles.” Brands affected include: Volvo, Volkswagen, Suzuki, Smart, Land ...

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Recall Alert: 2005-2008 Toyota Corolla/Matrix
Earlier this week, we reported that the NHTSA has heightened its investigation into cases involving stalling engines in certain model Toyota Corollas and Matrixes. Now a full-blown recall has been announced. Toyota says that it will be recalling approximately 1.13 million 2005-2008 Toyota Corolla and Matrix vehicles sold in the U.S. The Matrix’s sibling, the Pontiac Vibe -- produced during the same years -- is also involved in the bundled ...

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One in Five U.S. Drivers Admits To Drinking And Driving
In a shocking study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one in five U.S. drivers admits to drinking and driving. According to the NHTSA, this means “as many as 17 million people, have driven drunk at least once during the past year.” These findings have been released in tandem with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s campaign that targets getting drunk drivers off of the road. “The law ...

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Ford Fiesta Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick
Setting a new precedent for the automotive industry is the highly-ranked 2011 Ford Fiesta. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the 2011 Ford Fiesta a Top Safety Pick. It performed well in a roof strength test and earned a score of “Good” (the highest possible) in front, side, rollover and rear crash protection tests. IIHS says that “no other minicar the Institute has tested has earned top ratings ...

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Hybrids to Feature Sci-Fi Sound FX
One of the reasons why hybrid cars appeal is because they’re silent. However, if federal regulators have their way, hybrids will no longer be able to glide past pedestrians unheard due to complaints from the National Federation of the Blind. In Japan, buyers of the Toyota Prius will soon have the option to outfit their vehicles with a pedestrian warning system -- which will give the vehicle a very distinct ...

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Dodge Unveils 2011 Charger Police Car
If you thought Ford’s Taurus SHO-based police car was something to fear, wait until you get a load of the all-new 2011 Dodge Charger Pursuit. Modified for ultimate police-chase performance, the Charger Pursuit features a host of upgrades not available on the standard Charger. Autoblog explains, “Naturally, this Charger has been modified to be better suited for police duty, and includes things like heavy-duty anti-lock brakes, front and rear stabilizer ...

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NHTSA Heightens Investigation into Stalling Toyotas
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is taking a deeper look at reported cases of stalling in Toyota Corollas and Matrixes. “U.S. safety regulators have stepped up their investigation into complaints of stalled engines on Toyota Corolla sedans and Matrix hatchbacks, but government officials stopped short of announcing a recall,” reports the Associated Press. The Associated Press states that the NHTSA is investigating two possible causes of the problem: ...

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3 million Jeeps Investigated for Fire Risks
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into three million Jeep Grand Cherokees over concerns that faulty fuel tanks could cause fires in crashes. “The probe covers 1993-2004 Grand Cherokees and is in response to a petition filed in October by the Center for Auto Safety,” reports the Detroit News. “In its request for a federal investigation, the center contends the plastic fuel tank's placement, behind ...

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