Crossovers don’t really get my blood flowing. They’re useful, to be sure, and some even look decent, in a tall-hatch kind of way. But really, at the end of the day, they’re about functionality, not passion. Nonetheless, the sporty model in Kia’s crossover range, the 2011 Kia Sorento SX, nails the functionality and even manages to toss in a bit of…
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Are luxury-car shoppers feeling the recession in the same way everyone else is? Take a look at the boarded-up store fronts on Main St., then check out the country club parking lot, political contribution coffers, and luxury dealerships and you might feel differently. There’s a distinct division as well between the Miracle Mile auto malls and…
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Chrysler is on a roll with SUV designs, and though the Durango doesn’t quite hit the sweet spot the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee does, it’s not far off the mark. Sleek, smooth, and modern, the 2011 Durango’s look wraps what Dodge is pitching as a “performance-tuned” setup, and does it with three rows of seating. Performance SUVs are hardly a new idea…
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Kia is recalling certain Soul and Sorento vehicles from the 2010 and 2011 model years. According to a release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the vehicles have fault in their lighting system that could result in a fire. The issue centers around wiring harnesses supplied by JCI, which “may have been improperly soldered”. In…
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Fort Collins, Colorado has again been named America’s Safest Driving City, while drivers in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Dallas leave a lot to be desired—if you wish to avoid an accident, that is. So assesses Allstate Insurance Company [NYSE:ALL], in its annual America’s Best Drivers Report, which looks at collision frequency in the 200…
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by Sean Tucker Late summer is an excellent time to buy a car, if you’re willing to do your research, and this summer is better than most. By this time of year, virtually all car factories are pushing out 2011 models, but many of the outgoing 2010s are sitting unsold. Dealerships were battered by a terrible August. Sales were much slower than…
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Some of the phrases used in headlines this week, to describe August auto sales, have been brutal: “sales slowing to a crawl,” “taking a tumble,” or “struggling along” were just a few. But they’re pretty appropriate. “We saw the worst August in 28 years,” looking at sales altogether, assessed Jesse Toprak, VP of industry trends at the pricing…
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Whether it’s the rather bland looks or the underwhelming stats, the 2011 Lexus CT 200h hasn’t primed us for our first shot behind its wheel. Today’s announcement of four driving modes for the car doesn’t do much to change that, though we’re interested to see just how much sport can be added to the car with the press of a button. In addition to the…
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Dodge calls its 2011 Durango a “performance SUV.” Does that mean an SRT8 suffix is a-comin’? [MotorAuthority] We’ve driven the 2011 Kia Sorento SX–the one with the turbo–and it’s a big step up. If you’re short. It’s an SUV, after all. [MotorAuthority] Meanwhile, Kia’s recalling the Sorento and the perky 2010 Soul for fire hazards. Read this…
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It’s a fairly quiet week as far as car news goes, what with many folks trying to get in some last-minute R&R before the busy fall season kicks off. That makes it a perfect time for Porsce to launch a new marketing campaign that explores the automaker’s high-performance pedigree. The campaign in question is more about the Porsche brand as a…
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