Or perhaps more accurately, which of these popular SUV’s turned my crank the most after spending back-to-back weeks with them: the Acura RDX or Mazda CX-7? 

It sports a new set of clothes and a grown up demeanor, but is the TSX still Acura’s bad boy, the little sedan with attitude?

The Bottom Line

The all-new 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet replaces last year’s A4 as Audi’s four-seat convertible in residence. Even so, the convertible A5 shares many of its mechanical bits with the A4 sedan and wagon, including its 211 horsepower 2-liter turbocharged engine. Shared styling with the A5 Coupe makes the Cabrio a real looker whether the soft top is up or down—but is it as good to live with as it is to look at? Read on.

Just a friendly reminder not to forget this 525-horsepower, $170,000 (roughly) roadster over here. It’s the red one, in case you were wondering. While you’re undoubtedly a concerned eco-citizen, focused only on driving cars that make the planet a better place to live, do take caution not to limit your appetite for Audi’s presence at the L.A. Auto Show to its “green machines,” like the Green Car of the Year, the 2010 Audi A3 TDI, or its other diesel offering, the Q7 TDI.

TechnoFile.com
Avid bicyclists, environmentalists, or weenies who don’t want to work hard may want to check out OHM bicycles, power-assisted units that certainly made the ordeal of bicycling easier for this sedentary writer/weenie.
OHM bills itself as the premium brand of power-assisted bicycles and claims to offer the only power-assisted bikes equipped with the patented “BionX” torque sensor. It’s a technology they say responds automatically to the way the rider pedals, providing a smooth, natural sensation – even, supposedly compensating if one of your legs is pedaling more strongly than the other.

Bill Reinert, the head of Toyota’s (NYSE ADR: TM) advanced powertrain research, stated that his company does not forsee the electric vehicle becoming the standard in the industry in the short-term future.

On the strength of its bold styling, interior quality and athletic handling, the Cadillac CTS sedan has been a sales success, and now its model line is expanding. For 2010, the sedan is joined by a CTS Sport Wagon, which nearly doubles the sedan’s cargo space and adds $3,000 to its base price. Often cited as Exhibit A in the case for GM’s ability to build a world-class car, the CTS is indeed exceptional, but a few performance and quality shortcomings dampen our praise of the new wagon.

The 2009 LA Auto show is now well underway and we have already seen a number of cool cars, such as the two BMW MINI concepts that we mentioned this morning. However, another car that needs a mention is the 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe. The car will enter production in just a couple of months.

Media servers are becoming popular in this age of wireless home networks, delivering audio and video content from a computer or the Internet to whatever device you may want to use, within reason.

I usually use such devices to stream music, because most of the videos I watch are on Blu-ray and no matter how much hype you hear about downloads taking over, there are still bandwidth and file compatibility issues. I admit reluctantly to accessing YouTube and its ilk for some casual viewing sometimes, but media servers are increasingly playing back music in other rooms of my house.

A new headlight promises to lead you to true enlightenment, while an interesting new wireless sensor could contribute to making your home a safer and more secure place.
The headlight, from General Electric, is claimed to put out 90 percent more light on the road than GE’s standard halogen headlight. Called the Nighthawk Platinum, GE says they emit clean, white light for better visibility “So drivers can drive with confidence,” according to their press materials.

The General Motors has launched the news mini car in india. The Car is ‘Chevrolet Beat’ . The Beat has 1.2 litre petrol engine. The Beat is available in three variants and lowest variant is Rs 3.34 lakh and highest will cost Rs 3.94 lakh.

The Chevrolet Beat has following features :

* Variants include the mid tier LS, the top end LT and the low end PS.
* ABS and Airbags in LT version
* The Car is priced cheaper to its competing models
* The 1.2 litre engine is the main highlight of beat
* The car will be soon launched worldwide.

General Motors did the North American unveiling of its new (for America) Chevy Cruze. The General says that the Cruze is a “Popular global car refined for America”. Whether that flies with the U.S. car buying public remains to be seen, but what is known is that the Cruze will supposedly get up to 40 mpg highway, and will also feature a new family of small-displacement engines, including an Ecotec 1.4L 4 cylinder turbo.

For most people, the initials “HD” have everything to do with the fidelity of their television sets, and nothing to do with automobiles. But to any Texas rancher—and a huge portion of full-size pickup buyers elsewhere in the country—those two letters represent a term that separates the men from the boys in the pickup world: Heavy Duty. The HD pickup game has stepped up in might and intensity during the last decade, with a three-way race between the Dodge Ram HD and its only rivals, the Ford F-Series Super Duty and the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra HD twins. Fittingly, Dodge lured us into the heart of the Lone Star State—San Antonio, specifically—to sample its new Ram 2500 and 3500 HD trucks where they’re appreciated most.

Talk about making a fuel of yourself. The Dodge Dakota midsized pickup is a heavy duty beast that for 2008 is capable of driving right past the gas pump – and straight to the ethanol one.

When it comes to having fun in a Mustang, you don’t absolutely need a V8 engine.

Okay, an “eight banger” does up the oomph ante substantially, but with today’s six cylinder engines now putting out power that was once reserved for eight or more cylinders, it’s amazing to see just how quickly you can go from zero to “Oops, sorry Officer” in a V6.

Six cylinders also offer the advantage of generally using less gasoline than eight, so there’s not only the initial savings you can achieve by buying the more “entry level” engine, but the ongoing costs at the pump. 

Ford’s new little delivery van really does “deliver the goods”, as it were.

Depending on the type of business you own, the Transit Connect might be just what the doctor ordered. It’s small for such a vehicle and the fact that it doesn’t offer a huge amount of power may limit its practicality, but for what it is, it’s very good. 

Anyone who remembers the Honda CRX fondly will probably find a soft spot in his or her heart for the new CR-Z sport hybrid.
Honda bills the CR-Z as “the world’s first sport hybrid” but, first or not, what really matters is that this is a nifty little car, cute as a bug’s ear, fun and efficient – and priced reasonably to boot.
For what more could anyone ask?

Honda invited a gaggle of writers including me to a special introduction of the car in Edmonton, Alberta, timed to coincide with the Honda Indy Edmonton, which made for a wonderful and exciting long weekend. Before hanging out at the race, we were given the opportunity to drive the CR-Z on a variety of roads and even on a large karting track they’d taken over for the purpose.

Well, if you smashed in the front and rear ends you might call it an “Accordion,” but perhaps more relevant is the new Accord Crosstour, a crossover/SUV-type beastie that raises Honda’s immensely popular car to new heights.

The rather bulbous-looking Accord Crosstour may be an answer to a question few have asked: How do you make a highly functional, if stylistically-challenged, vehicle even more functional – and stylistically-challenged? Honda has done this by creating a vehicle that works well, is nice to drive and which lets you haul more stuff than you can in a garden variety Accord.

The 2010 Jeep Patriot is mechanically similar to both the more softly styled Jeep Compass and the more carlike Dodge Caliber, but the Patriot gets boxier, chunkier styling that both looks better and is more functional than either of its platform-mates.

When you’re driving around in an SUV, it’s a good bet that you’re not going to get the best mileage numbers. My test drive of the 2009 Jeep Liberty just happened to fall on Earth Day, which made me even more aware of its 15/21 mpg city/highway rating.

TORONTO, - Lexus Canada today announced that it intends to conduct a voluntary safety campaign of approximately 520 2003-2007 Model Year LX 470 vehicles to address a steering shaft condition. No other Lexus vehicles are involved in this campaign.

Lexus has determined that the construction of the steering shaft on involved LX 470s is such that the snap ring on the shaft may disengage when the vehicle experiences an unusually severe impact to the front wheels, such as striking a deep pothole. If the snap ring becomes disengaged and the steering wheel is then repeatedly turned to the full locked position, the steering shaft may disengage over time. Lexus Canada is not aware of any accidents related to this condition.

It’s the Lexus HS 250h, the luxury car maker’s first four cylinder model, and at heart it’s a luxury hybrid. It’s also a very nice car that would undoubtedly be easy to live with.

And it’s so green, regardless of which color you order it in, that it could drive you nuts. Not only is it supposed to sip gas (Lexus claims a mileage rating of 41.3 mpg or 5.7L/100 km, though I never got that), but it’s also supposedly equipped with an interior that’s nearly one third populated by “sustainable ecological plastics” whatever the heck that’s supposed to mean.

They’ve upgraded its looks and features a bit for 2010, but at heart the Mazda CX-9 is the same big SUV it has been since its introduction. And that’s a good thing.

Not a lot needed to be changed. Heck, my chief complaint is that they still use red illumination on the instruments, and that is not only about as minor a beef as you can have, but whether or not it’s even a beef at all is something clearly in the eye of the beholder.

You certainly can’t accuse Mazda of false advertising for using “Zoom-Zoom” as their slogan.

The phrase captures the Mazda driving experience beautifully, whether you’re behind the wheel of the RX-8, MX-5 Miata, the CX-7 and CX-9 crossovers or, the topic of this piece, the little Mazda 3.

The previous 3 was a huge success for Mazda. According to them, it sold nearly 1.8 million vehicles in over 100 countries since its 2003 launch and won more than 90 automobile awards, including the 2004 “Canadian Car of the Year”. 

An all-new, four-seat Mercedes-Benz E Class convertible will be unveiled next month at the Detroit Auto Show and go on sale in the United States about mid-year.

Essentially a soft-top version of the new E Class coupe, the rear-wheel-drive convertible will have two new features that will make it comfortable for top-down motoring throughout the year.

Over at Mercedes-Benz, they take their flagship S-class very seriously. As the halo car for a brand represented by a star, the S had better shine pretty bright in its segment—a segment full of customers who are as diverse as they are discriminating. 

Front-wheel drive is a funny thing. When originally introduced during the Thirties in the Cord 810 (then later in the awesome supercharged 812) and the Citroën Traction Avant, FWD was hailed as a major breakthrough, a wondrous technological innovation that allowed for lower ride height and greatly increased passenger space. 

Back in November 2008 we posted some news about the 2010 Nissan Cube, which included U.S. specs and photos. This was followed with news about Nissan Cubes and Clarion’s MiND device in July 2009, so today we thought it’s about time we updated you.

With the Nissan Cube release in the UK this January, the reviews have been flowing. The popular Parkers site – car reviews and news - has taken a first look at the Nissan Cube, although they quickly point out that different versions of the Cube have been on sale in Japan for over 10-years.

Driving a Porsche 911 is like having nary a “Carrera” in the world. Or something like that.

The 911 Carrera is a rear-engine curiosity in a world of front and mid-engine competitors, and it has been around in one form or another for the better part of half a century. Yet rather than being past its prime, the 911 gets better with age as Porsche refines it continually, forcing ever better performance from its six cylinder engine, upgrading its other components as the state-of-the-art improves. 

Mark Hinchliffe road tests and reviews the 2010 Porsche GT3 at its Australian preview, prior to it arriving here next year.

Owners of the current Porsche GT3 can breathe easy despite the next-generation GT3 arriving on the scene in January.  The coming model has minimal styling differences, ensuring that the previous model doesn’t dramatically drop resale value.

Sports cars are a blast during good weather, and it might surprise you to learn they can even be a hoot after Old Person Winter has come a-calling.

That fact was driven (no pun intended) home to me during a wintry week I spent recently with a Porsche Boxster, a pretty basic model of Porsche’s entry level sports car on which the only real options of substance were Bi-xenon headlights (which should be standard) and the seven speed PDK double clutch auto/manual transmission I’ve grown to appreciate greatly.

When James Dean set out to a race in Salinas, California, on that fateful morning of September 30, 1955, he and his beloved Porsche 550 Spyder were already viewed by many as icons. Of course, in years to come, iconic status would be cemented for both Dean and Porsche, with the German company becoming known as the quintessential sports-car manufacturer. So on our maiden voyage with Porsche’s newest, lightweight 2011 Boxster Spyder—said to be a successor to the 550 Spyder, as if there really could be such a thing in modern times—it seemed only fitting to ditch the planned press-trip route and hustle from Carmel, California, to the Dean memorial in Cholame, some 150 miles distant.

While the name Saab is also associated with cool jet fighters such as the Gripen, when it comes to the Saab 9-3 Aero sedan, the Swedish manufacturer’s automotive offerings are far more down to earth.

The Saturn Astra, according to a radio commercial in my neck of the woods, is the top selling car in Europe.

Really? It’s certainly not a “disAstra”, but the bestselling car of any sold in all of Europe? I don’t get it. 

Subaru Canada, Inc. (SCI) is thrilled to announce that sales of its lineup of Subaru symmetrical full-time All-Wheel Drive vehicles have set a new record for November as well as a new milestone in company history. Total sales climbed to 2,567 units, up 15.9 percent over last November. These record-breaking results also catapulted Subaru over the 25,000-unit mark, making 2010 the best year in company history with still another month left to continue the momentum. Year-to-date sales are up 20.7 percent, fortifying Subaru Canada’s position as the fastest growing Japanese manufacturer in Canada for 2010. 

Subaru Canada, Inc. is pleased to announce enhancements to the popular lineup of Forester compact SUVs for the 2011 model year. Changes to the Forester range from the practicality of improved fuel economy from the new naturally aspirated engine to a new navigation/audio system with detachable touchscreen for Foresters equipped with the 2.5X Limited Package and 2.5XT Limited model.

The 2011 Forester continues to be available in a range of trim levels that offer something to just about every customer: Forester 2.5X, 2.5X Convenience Package, 2.5X Touring Package, 2.5X Limited Package, and the top-of-the-line turbocharged 2.5XT Limited.

LOS ANGELES, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) debuted today the second-generation Toyota RAV4 EV at a news conference at the Los Angeles Auto Show.  A total of 35 vehicles will be built for a demonstration and evaluation program through 2011, aiming at market arrival of a fully-engineered vehicle in 2012.  The fully-engineered vehicle will have a target range of 100 miles (160 kilometres) in actual road driving patterns, in a wide range of climates and conditions. 

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) named the 2011 Toyota Sienna as the Best New Minivan in the 2011 Canadian Car of the Year Awards following rigorous testing during the annual TestFest for the Canadian Car of the Year Awards competition. 

When the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada named the GTI as its 2010 Canadian Car of the year, I didn’t agree. I thought it should have gone to the Porsche Panamera, because it was a completely new car – as opposed to the GTI’s being merely another generation of a long-running vehicle – and it had represented a bigger risk for its company.

Obviously, my opinion means little in the grand scheme of things, and once I had stopped blubbering in frustration I waited impatiently for my turn with the GTI to come so I could get some quality seat time in it.

My love affair with Volkswagen’s current product line continues with the 2010 Jetta sedan and wagon. Heck, if I were French, I’d simply look at the car’s flanks, say “Jetta door!” and be done with it.

Of course that doesn’t make for much of a column, let alone a decent pun.

TORONTO, Volvo Cars of Canada Corp., (VCCC) announced the start of its upcoming Naughty Volvo Tour and Event to launch the All-New 2011 Volvo S60. The Naughty Volvo Tour will stop at three major cities across Canada, starting in Montreal, QC, July 22 and 23, opening in Toronto, ON, July 26 to 28, and simultaneously in Vancouver, B.C., July 26 and 27. A Special “Night of Naughty” will be the featured event in Toronto’s Distillery District the evening of July 26. 

Before I give you my impressions of Volvo’s newly-redesigned crossover, I’d like to correct some misinformation I disseminated in my piece on the Mazda Tribute a few weeks ago.  I wrote that it has disc brakes on all four wheels, which isn’t true: it has front discs/rear drums. I apologize for this sloppy reporting – though on the other hand it also helps to make my point that it’s time the Tribute were dragged into the 21st century.