Marc Carter
2009 Acura RL Awarded IIHS "Top Safety Pick"
The redesigned 2009 Acura RL has received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety pick award. In order to qualify for the award a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute's front, side, and rear tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. The 2009 RL improved in the rear crash tests in which the...
All-New VW Golf GTI and R Variant Coming Next Year
VW officially unveiled the all-new VVW Golf a few days ago, but said nothing about the GTI and R32 models. Well we now have so more details about the high-performance versions of the Golf or Rabbit as we know it in the US. According to Autocar the GTI variant of the Golf will be released shortly after the Golf launches...
Honda is Considering Bringing More JDM Models to the US
Ford has been making headlines lately due to its plans to bring several of its popular European models to the US in the near future. Now it looks like Honda is reportedly also looking at a similar plan that could bring some of its models in Japan to the US as well. Honda has several fuel-efficient vehicles in Japan that...
Honda's New Hybrid Will be Unveiled this October and Gets up to 60mpg
Honda is going to take the wraps off its first all-new Hybrid only model since the Insight, this October. The New Dedicated Hybrid Vehicle, as its known internally is going to start under $20,000. It was originally rumored that the new vehicle could revive the Insight name, but according to Honda insiders the name will not be used. The new...
2009 Toyota RAV4 Gets a Few Changes and More Power
Toyota has officially unveiled the changes to the RAV4 line for the 2009 model year. The biggest news is that the base 2.4L has been upgraded to a new 2.5L 4-cyl that puts out 179 horsepower and 172 lb-ft. of torque (versus 166 horsepower and 165 lb.-ft. of peak torque). The engine is mated to a new 4-speed automatic and...
2009 Toyota Yaris 5-Door Starts at $13,305
Toyota has officially released the specs and pricing for the 5-door version of its popular Yaris subcompact. The base Yaris 5-door starts at $13,305 and the S version starts at $15,125. The Yaris also gets anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, driver and front passenger front side airbags, and front and rear side curtain airbags standard. For those of us...
Revised 2009 Honda Ridgeline Revealed on the Web
The changes and upgrades to the 2009 Honda Ridgeline have been revealed a little early thanks to the web. On the outside the new Ridgeline gets a new grille that is not unlike the Pilot's, new front bumper and lights and new tailights. The revisions to the interior include a revised HVAC, steering wheel and the addition of Bluetooth and...
Infiniti G37 Sedan, G37 Convertible and G37x Coupe Confirmed
Nissan has finally confirmed what many of us have been waiting for the Infiniti G lineup. The 2009 G35 sedan gets a new name, G37 thanks to the 3.7L 328 horsepower engine it now shares with the coupe. There will also be a new all-wheel-drive version of the G37 coupe dubbed the G37x. The big news for the coupe is...
Spy Photos: Acura's Newest Crossover Caught Testing at Night
Spy photographers recently caught up with what appears to be an new Acura crossover. The vehicle in these spy photos appears to be sized between the current Acura RDX and MDX. The crossover is heavily camouflaged but it's obvious that its sporting Acura's new controversial (bottle opener) grille. It also has a steeply raked windshield. This could be Acura's answer...
2009 Ford Flex Receives 5-Star Front and Side Impact Crash Test Rating
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given the all-new 2009 Ford Flex a 5-star front and side impact crash test rating highest, its highest possible score. The 5-star rating means its now rated higher than the Toyota Highlander. The Flex also performed well in the rollover tests by receiving a 4-star safety rating. “Flex safety is built on a...
