Another variant of the HR-V achieved a maximum 5-star rating due to the fitment of a seatbelt reminder for the front passenger, a prerequisite for five stars in the region’s safety-testing program....More
Ann Arbor’s Mcity test track includes four traffic lights, an underpass, metal bridge deck, gravel roadways and parking spaces that are angled, perpendicular and parallel. Efforts are under way to open a similar but larger facility nearby in Ypsilanti....More
Located on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, Mcity is a $10 million 32-acre (13-ha) test track with roundabouts, bike lanes, a tree canopy and 4-way intersections to simulate small-town traffic situations.
The Maxima spot featuring the Wiz Khalifa spot of the same name generated a commanding 1.3 million earned online views, making it the only ad in the group to break a million....More
All of the leading domestic brands – Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, Daihatsu and Nissan – reported declines during the period. The biggest 6-month backslide from like-2014 was by low-volume manufacturer Mitsubishi, down 27.0%....More
The Roland Berger consultancy calls its 2025 forecast optimistic, meaning hybrid sales growth in the U.S. and Europe will depend on strict emissions and fuel-economy regulations and large investments in battery-recharging infrastructure....More
The summer’s negotiations will play out under external conditions not witnessed in decades. The companies are healthier than ever, and the UAW has the legal right to strike....More
New engines from Toyota and Honda, transmissions from Aisin and hybrid systems from several suppliers were among the highlights from the Japan exhibition....More
The Open Europe think tank says U.K. car exports could face EU import tariffs of up to 10% following a potential Brexit, impacting EU-oriented volume manufacturers such as Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall. Premium automakers would be less affected....More
Highlights from the Ward’s 10 Best Interiors Ceremony held during the WardsAuto Interiors Conference on May 13, 2015 in Detroit, MI. WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter announces the winners and calls auto maker representatives to the stage to accept their honors....More
Honda thus far is the only automaker to win Green Label certification that indicates all of its vehicles have passed environmental regulations that cover production processes, uses and disposal as well as resource-management efficiency....More
A Toyota Thailand executive says the year-to-date sales downturn shows the economy has not fully recovered and both residential and business customers remain cautious about investing and spending. But he says the June outlook is stable....More
The automaker is prepping for a new generation of eco-friendly models, including a battery-electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid due by 2018 in the U.S....More
Production for the home market climbed 11.1% last month, raising the 4-month total 19.4% to 135,445 units, but export orders fell 7.6% to leave output through April down 7.0% at 395,060....More
The Japanese automaker upgrades its infotainment offerings with more featured navigation from specialist Garmin, as well as song-rewind and station-mix capabilities from SiriusXM....More
Bosch hosted its biennial International Automotive Press Briefing this week at its test track in Boxberg, Germany, for more than 300 journalists from 40-some nations. The afternoon was spent test driving (or riding in) up to 40 vehicles, including the VW XL1 concept, a self-driving Tesla Model S and a Porsche 918 Spyder.
Toyota’s 1.2L 4-cyl. mill, the second in the automaker’s new downsized engine lineup, was introduced in Japan as an option for the Aurus in April and is being launched this month on an unspecified model in Europe....More
The automaker is making a big play in trucks with the new Pilot, just-launched HR-V small CUV and a planned return next year of the Ridgeline pickup. But how much that will shift its mix away from cars remains to be seen, a top executive says....More
Honda’s 3-row CUV is all-new for ’16, but despite a more powerful V-6 and excellent automatic transmission, feels like a step backward as several interior elements are cheapened....More
If FCA, Ford, GM and Nissan had achieved the same rise in the WRI ranking as Honda and Toyota, the four automakers collectively would have posted an estimated $2.02 billion higher operating income in 2014....More
An industry spokesman says automakers are confident they will reach their 310,000-unit sales target for the full year as volume is expected to grow in coming months....More
When I climb inside a new vehicle I want to be soothed not perturbed, but too often when I look up I’m staring at some craggy fastener that never should be seen....More
