Vehicle History News - VehicleHistory.com Blog

The funky styled 2018 Hyundai Kona will be priced below some of its key rivals when it goes on sale next month. Hyundai announced Wednesday that the 2018 Kona will start at $20,450, thousands below the similarly quirky Toyota C-HR and about $500 less than the more...

The 8 best-performing cars of 2018

"Overindulgence is life. The rest is just details." We're paraphrasing here, but you remember those t-shirts that were all the rage in the 1990s. They made everyone into an enthusiast of some kind, at least for a few seconds. Here at The Car Connection, we're car...

Honda Passport to make a comeback as new crossover

Crossover and SUV shoppers will have another stamp to earn in their shopping passports next year. That's because Honda plans to revive the Passport nameplate next year for a new, Alabama-built crossover slotted between the company's compact CR-V and the mid-size...

Hyundai’s Genesis brand to launch its own dealerships

Genesis, Hyundai's nascent luxury marque, is striking off on its own with a standalone dealer network. Since Genesis' launch as a brand in 2016, its cars have been sold through some 350 Hyundai dealerships across the country. Those dealerships were told last week...

2019 Ram Laramie Longhorn Edition belts out country blues

Pickup truck-builder Ram has announced a Laramie Longhorn Edition of its 2019 Ram 1500 pickup that's dripping with western kitsch. The 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn builds on the rest of the Ram 1500 lineup unveiled less than a month ago at the 2018 Detroit auto...

Net neutrality for cars: BMW’s Apple CarPlay subscription could open Pandora’s box

Jeff Haas commutes to downtown Denver each morning from suburban Englewood, Colorado. The first thing he does? He plugs his Apple iPhone into his 2018 BMW 340i’s USB port. The central screen on the dashboard switches from BMW’s proprietary iDrive software to a page of...

Motorcyclist sues GM over crash with self-driving car

In a case that could potentially set a landmark precedent, a motorcyclist is taking GM to court for its role in a 2017 collision between the rider and a self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EV. The vehicle involved is part of GM’s self-driving Cruise Anywhere ride-sharing...

Here’s how a 25 cent gas tax increase could affect you

Last week, the United States Chamber of Commerce proposed a 25 cent increase in the so-called gas tax. The rise would represent a 135 percent increase over the current 18.4 cent tax, which was set in 1993. Since then, most states have raised their own fuel tax rates,...

Infiniti takes innovative approach to encourage orders for 2019 QX50

Infiniti is planning a novel reward system for customers of its 2019 QX50 crossover. The more people that place an order for one, the more "luxury gifts" QX50 owners will receive. There will be at least three levels of prizes, depending on the number of individuals...

2018 Hyundai Kona rated at 30 mpg–with a catch

The 2018 Hyundai Kona's outlandish styling isn't the only thing likely to grab buyers' attention when it goes on sale in the next few months. The EPA rates front-wheel-drive versions of the quirky, pint-size crossover at 30 mpg combined, but there's a big fuel-economy...

Ride-sharing may be driving people away from car ownership

Ride-share company Lyft has released an “economic impact” report for 2017, and it makes some bold claims. Most notably, Lyft says that nearly 250,000 of its customers gave up owning a car because of ride-share availability. Must of the report focuses on growth, with...

Nissan Titan performs well in latest IIHS crash-testing

The latest Nissan Titan serves as a reminder that automakers are starting to get serious about pickup truck safety. Certain 2017 and 2018 Titan Crew Cab trucks earned "Good" overall marks from the IIHS in the latest round of safety testing, the agency said Tuesday. In...

Chevrolet to sell redesigned 2019 Silverado alongside outgoing model

Chevy truck buyers will have two 2019 Silverado pickups to choose from later this year. The Detroit automaker plans to re-brand the current truck, which launched for the 2014 model year, as the Silverado LD. The redesigned truck that Chevy showed off at the 2018...

Ford looks to streamline crossover, sedan lineups

Buy a new Ford Escape in a few years' time and there's a good chance you won't need to do much more than pick the color you want at a price that suits your budget. The Detroit automaker said Tuesday at a conference put on by Deutsche Bank that it plans to reduce the...

2019 Infiniti QX50 priced at $37,545, undercuts key rivals

The 2019 Infiniti QX50 will be less expensive than some of its chief rivals when it goes on sale at the end of February. At $37,545, including a mandatory $995 destination charge, the QX50 is thousands less than key European luxury rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and...

2019 Toyota Avalon video preview

If you're going to have a flagship, it had better be your best and brightest. Enter the 2019 Toyota Avalon, which further blurs the line between mainstream and luxury. The 2019 Avalon is available with either V-6 or a hybrid engine options and it's still a large...

2019 Kia Forte video preview

There is big value in small sedans for new car shoppers. Few cars pack as many features with as much space, for such a low price. Now the 2019 Kia Forte adds a whole lot of style. The Forte raided the closet of its bigger brother Stinger for its looks. The Forte’s...

2018 VW Atlas sees price hike

Just days after it lowered pricing on its compact crossover, Volkswagen is doing the opposite for its largest and most expensive crossover. The 2018 VW Atlas sees a modest $250 price increase across the board. That stands in marked contrast to the price-slashing the...

The 11 most important cars of the 2018 Detroit auto show

This year, the Motor City was all about pickups. Each of the three domestic automakers took the wraps off of a new truck, promising more capability, more comfort, and lower fuel consumption. If we didn't know better, we'd think that Ford, Chevy, and Ram were sharing...

2019 Jeep Cherokee goes mainstream, turbocharged

The 2019 Jeep Cherokee addresses its controversial design head on with an updated fascia and rear end that bring it more in line with its siblings, both big and small. Along with a new turbocharged engine, Jeep’s middle child should be better to drive and less...

MotorAuthority on Vehicle History

Nissan Armada Snow Patrol ready to tackle any frozen tundra

Lotus planning two new sports car for 2020, then an SUV

2018 Jaguar E-Pace first drive review: small crossover with big ideas

Time flies: 10th anniversary editions of Lexus RC F, GS F coming this summer

2018 Subaru BRZ tS first drive review: less sideways, more stick

The Subaru BRZ has been focused on handling and fun since its introduction in 2011. Dynamic drivability comes naturally in a lightweight sports car, after all. For 2018, the STI-tuned Subaru BRZ tS sharpens its handling further—nearly to the point of leaving bare...

Waymo orders thousands of self-driving cars ahead of deployment in multiple US cities

Waymo is making huge strides in the race to develop a safe and robust self-driving taxi service. The Alphabet-owned company formerly known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project on Tuesday announced it was ordering “thousands” of Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids pre-fitted...

8 things you need to know about the 2017 Toyota Land Cruiser

The Toyota Land Cruiser is a dinosaur living in modern times. It roams the roads and off-road trails with zero regard for time marching on, and yet it retains its legendary status in the automotive landscape. For those who aren't intimately familiar with the Land...

VW Group holds on to title of world’s biggest automaker

The Volkswagen Group was the biggest automaker by volume in 2017 after its various brands delivered a combined 10.74 million vehicles, representing a substantial rise of 4.3 percent on 2016's total. It means the VW Group has now been the biggest automaker for two...

The Nissan Z may not be dead after all

Don't write the obituary for the Nissan Z just yet. A source at Nissan told Motor Authority on Monday that the current Z car will be updated to meet regulatory guidelines for safety, and while no successor has been confirmed "there's strong interest within the company...

Limited-edition Land Rover Range Rover SV Coupe to sacrifice utility for style

If BMW and Mercedes-Benz can do it, why can't Land Rover? The British SUV maker will add style and subtract utility from its legendary Range Rover with the Range Rover SV Coupe debuting in March at the 2018 Geneva auto show. Land Rover on Tuesday revealed a teaser...

Mercedes’ new MBUX infotainment system is like Google Assistant for your car

For years we have wondered why our cars' infotainment systems can't be as simple and smart as our phones. It took until 2018, but Mercedes-Benz has finally hit that target. The answer is called Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX for short), and it's the German...

Infiniti’s first electric car coming in 2021

Infiniti may have been one of the early pioneers of electrification in the luxury segment, having introduced the M35h hybrid sedan as early as 2010, but the brand has been slow when it comes to electric car technology, which is a bit odd since parent company Nissan is...

5 things to know about the 2019 Ram 1500

Behind the 2019 Ram 1500’s muted styling update lies a wholesale rethink of the full-size pickup. We’ve already previewed the Ram 1500, but we sat down at the 2018 Detroit auto show after the new truck’s debut with some of the automaker’s engineers and spokespeople to...

Marchionne: Ferrari SUV coming by 2020, will embody brand’s driving characteristics

Ferrari chairman and Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne assured loyalists that Ferrari's forthcoming SUV will behave and drive as a proper Ferrari should—and it's coming sooner than we expected. Auto Express reported on Tuesday that Marchionne plans for the Ferrari...

Ford pushes electric cars, new performance versions, more off-roaders

Performance vehicles—electric and gasoline—and more SUVs and crossovers are key for Ford's next few years, executives told investors Tuesday. Executive Vice President and President for Global Markets Jim Farley said Ford will streamline its small car lineup worldwide...

2018 Ford F-150 diesel video preview

Long haulers know that there's nothing quite like an oil-burner under the hood. The instant torque and long-legged nature of diesel trucks has endeared itself to heavy-duty buyers for a long time. But a diesel powertrain has escaped the most popular light-duty pickup...

2019 Hyundai Veloster N video preview

Hyundai has pulled off the surprise of the 2018 Detroit auto show, introducing the first North American member of its N performance line. The most-powerful Veloster ever, the N’s stats read like an enthusiast’s dream—a turbocharged 275-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder...

2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt video preview

Fifty years ago a car chase on the streets of San Francisco between a Mustang and a Charger made movie history—at least for gearheads. That movie was "Bullitt" starring the ultra-cool Steve McQueen. In the years since, Ford has released two special edition Mustang...

The best cars and trucks we saw at the 2018 Detroit auto show

The 2018 Detroit auto show was full of trucks, Mustangs, Jeeps, concept cars, technology, and SUVs. All of the Detroit Three had full portfolios of pickups as headliners, but each had its own take on mainstream utility. Take a walk with us through the show floor to...

Mercedes-Benz delivers 2.3M cars in 2017

It's been record sales almost across the board for luxury car brands in the past 12 months, and none have been doing it better than Mercedes-Benz. The Three-Pointed Star delivered a record 2,289,344 vehicles in 2017, an impressive 9.9 percent rise on the previous...

Green Car Reports on Vehicle History

New Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchback to spawn CLA sedan, EQA electric car

The Mercedes-Benz CLA compact sedan made a big splash when it first arrived as a 2014 model, complete with a much-discussed Super Bowl ad spot the previous year. The small, coupe-like sedan was built on the underpinnings of the smallest Mercedes on the market, the...

2018 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid winter gas mileage review

Nearly a year ago, we published a gas-mileage review on the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, the South Korean brand's Toyota Prius challenger. We saw 49.5 miles per gallon over 565 miles of driving. Now, we've tested the Ioniq Hybrid in more extreme conditions, on the cold,...

Plug-in electric car sales fall in Jan after year-end surge (further update)

While 2017 saw higher U.S. sales of plug-in electric cars than any previous year, expectations for 2018 sales are running even higher. The Chevrolet Bolt EV will be available in all 50 states for a full year, the new 2018 Nissan Leaf with a 151-mile range is now on...

2019 Jaguar I-Pace to debut before Geneva; cold-weather testing video released

Jaguar Land Rover was a relatively late arrival to the luxury electric-car game, revealing its plans in the form of a concept car only at the 2016 Los Angeles auto show. But it's now planning the launch of what will likely be the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace electric crossover...

Nissan and partners have now sold 540,000 plug-in electric vehicles

Of the 90 million or so new vehicles sold globally last year, plug-in electric cars made up only a tiny proportion, roughly 1 percent. But the auto industry works on long product cycles and buyers tend to be conservative, only changing the types of cars they buy if...

Used Fiat 500e electric cars outside California: is service an issue for buyers?

So you've always wanted to drive a battery-electric car, but you're a frugal and sensible shopper who's noticed that prices of used electric cars are remarkably low. And you always through the Fiat 500 was kind of interesting; the idea of a tiny three-door...

Chevy Bolt EV electric car range and performance in winter: one owner’s log

The arrival of the first affordable long-range electric car on the market has naturally led some owners to push the car in a way that they might not do with a plug-in car offering just 80 miles of battery range. The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, EPA-rated at 238 miles...

Porsche Mission E electric sedan buyers want, expect fast “Turbo Charging”

Possibly no German carmaker was more shocked by the emergence of the Tesla Model S in 2012 than Porsche. Each of Porsche's models was a top performer in its segment for power, handling, and features, and sold at highly profitable prices. Then came the Tesla Model S, a...

Looking at leases on 2018 Nissan Leaf electric car: how do they stack up?

This past Tuesday, the 2018 Nissan Leaf—an entirely redesigned second generation of the pioneering electric car—officially went on sale in the U.S. It's quicker and has more features than its predecessors, not to mention a significantly longer range: 151 miles...

2018 Nissan Leaf electric car gets 151-mile EPA range rating

When the 2018 Nissan Leaf electric car was unveiled last fall, the company said it would have a range of "140 miles or more." That had risen to "150 miles or more" by the end of last year, and now we have the final confirmed figure. The EPA combined range rating for...

NHTSA to investigate Tesla Model S on Autopilot that hit parked fire truck on freeway

Investigators from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are scheduled to examine the crash of a Tesla Model S that hit a fire truck parked on a California freeway. The driver claimed the Model S was operating with Tesla's AutoPilot functionality turned...

LAPD’s unused electric cars gather dust sitting in garage, but why?

Anyone who remembers the epic, metallic-tasting, technicolor smog in the Los Angeles Basin found into the 1990s understands why air quality matters there. While the worst of the uncontrolled tailpipe emissions have now been greatly reduced, and the air is cleaner, the...

Ford Model T: what was its fuel economy, really?

In a recent video posted to YouTube, environmental advocacy group The Sierra Club dialed up production values to call out Ford's lobbying efforts to roll back fuel-economy standards. The video showed a man getting into a modern-day Ford, starting the engine, then...

Why everyone leases electric cars rather than buying (and maybe you should too)

Leases are a minority of overall car sales in the U.S., though the numbers soar for pricier luxury vehicles versus the less expensive, plain-Jane vehicles that serve as daily transport for most drivers. That rule flips for electric cars: Most pricey Teslas appear to...

Changing tires on Chevy Bolt EV electric car: your range, grip, and noise may vary

One of the many tactics used by carmakers to boost efficiency in their vehicles is fitting low-rolling-resistance tires. Specially designed to reduce the energy wasted as heat from the friction between the tire and the road, these tires can boost efficiency by a few...

BMW says it can build electric cars and regular ones on same platforms: interview

As the auto industry plans more electric cars in higher volumes for the 2020s, one of the great debates is whether they will need to be designed from the ground up solely for battery power. Doing so allows designers to offer larger cabins due to the more compact drive...

What’s the right ratio of public charging stations to plug-in electric cars sold?

Electric vehicles still make up just a tiny slice of the vehicles on the road across the United States. Still, with impending regulations and more longer-range electric vehicles soon to arrive, governments far and wide recognize the need to encourage the installation...

Earth continues to warm fast; is climate change lost in political turmoil?

Mother Nature doesn't pay attention to politics. As a pair of articles in The Washington Post last week highlighted, climate change proceeds apace regardless of the daily news cycle. In other words, unless the U.S. and the world ramp up the pace of reducing...

More efficient gas engines as well as electric cars required to cut carbon emissions

As nations, automakers, and utilities contemplate how to tackle climate change in real terms, a perfect storm of competition is brewing that will—ideally—produce positive change for the rest of us. Automakers and electric utilities have been incentivized to build...

BMW will have 25 electric cars, plug-in hybrid models by 2025