News: 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric Coming with BIG Battery
At this week’s New York Auto Show, the Korean automaker presented the U.S. production model of the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric with an estimated 250-mile driving range on EPA test cycle.
Flash Drive: 2018 Nissan Leaf
I sampled two new LEAFs at the annual Western Automotive Journalists Media Days event. I grabbed it for the first drive of the day, 23+ miles that included some freeway, some in-town, and some open road travel, including the climbing the winding Laureles Grade in Monterey County.
News: Nissan IMx Electric CUV One of Eight New EVs
Nissan pledged to maintain its leadership in electric vehicles as the automaker outlined plans to launch eight new EVs and hit annual sales of 1 million electrified vehicles by March 31, 2023. The eight new EVs will come on top of Nissan’s current offerings, the Leaf and eNV200 van. One will be the all-electric crossover based on the Nissan IMx concept, while four of the new EVs will be directed to China.
Personal: Mazda MX-5/Miata–My Indulgence
Sometimes, a car has a special place in your heart, and even if it’s powered by petroleum, you have to get some time behind the wheel. The Mazda MX-5 Miata is mine.
News: 2019 Ford Fusion Energi Gains EV Range And Safety Tech
The 2019 Ford Fusion Energi doesn’t receive any mehcanical updates, but the plug-in hybrid gets a battery capacity boost that gives it a longer electric-only driving range of a projected EPA rating of 25 miles.
Comparison Test: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas V6 SEL Premium 4Motion vs. Atlas 2.0T SE
Designed for the American market, the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas lives up to its name–it’s big, which is a good thing if you need to seat up-to seven people.
News: Ford Does the Electric Slide
Ford Future was on show this week—its cars and trucks are getting electrified. The subtext was: Ford is not going to be left behind, but the company is also not going to step away from its cash cow pickups and SUVs.
Road Test: 2018 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid
No mincing words here: the 2018 Kia Niro PHEV is a near perfect small wagon/crossover. The fuel economy is stellar, even if yours is closer to the EPA estimate than our test results.
Road Test: 2018 Lexus LC 500h
The 2018 Lexus LC 500h is an extremely attractive and desirable car, and earns mileage numbers more like its modest cousin, the Toyota Corolla.
Road Test: 2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack
The 2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack is a worthy competitor to the other CUV wagons on the market today. The build quality is solid, power is smooth, but a bit buzzy at higher RPMs, and the transmissions are flawless.