Archive for October, 2014
5 Ugly Cars We Love
2003 Honda Element
If we learned just one thing from the Grumpy Cat web-meme phenomenon, it’s that beauty is but one of many points of attraction. What was it about Facebook’s favorite feline that motivated half the planet’s population to share and repost its image?
The winning article from the June 2013 issue of Collectible Automobile®.
An article about the restoration of a 1950s General Motors show car has won a writing award for Collectible Automobile® magazine, Consumer Guide® Automotive’s companion publication devoted to motoring history.
Consumer Guide’s test Chevrolet Impala arrived in topline 2LZ trim. With destination, our test car came to $38,690.
2015 Chevrolet Impala 2LZ V6
Class: Large Car
Miles Driven: 182
Fuel Used: 9.0 gallons
Driving mix: 80% city, 20% highway
One and Out: The 2008 Saturn Astra
Too little, too late? Imported from Europe, the Astra was meant to help lift the Saturn brand upmarket.
By now, you know the story. In a post-apocalyptic haze, driven by Wall Street pundits, the UAW, and the federal government, General Motors killed three brands in one fell swoop. Just like that, Hummer, Pontiac, and Saab were transformed from viable sales channels to discount retailers, peddling their remaining inventory in limited variations and at steep discounts.
First Spin: 2015 Toyota Yaris
Toyota’s subcompact Yaris receives a number of updates for 2015, including freshened styling.
For 2015, the Toyota Yaris gets a mid-cycle refresh that includes an exterior styling facelift, reinforced body structure, retuned suspension, and a freshened interior. The current-generation Yaris debuted for the 2012 model year, and started to feel rather old quickly against an influx of impressive new subcompact-class competitors such as the Chevrolet Sonic and Hyundai Accent.
What can you buy for $250 a month?
Cars are expensive. If you own a car, or cars, you don’t need me to remind you how much you’re shelling out monthly for your wheels. For those not in the know, the average transaction price of a new car is now about $32,000.
With 185-horsepower on tap, the Buick Riviera S Type was the 3rd most-powerful American car of 1980.
American muscle got the short shrift in 1980. As a result of the Summer Olympics embargo of 1980, America’s strongest athletes didn’t compete in Moscow, leaving most of the medals to be claimed by the Russians.
Test Drive: 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C
Consumer Guide’s test Alfa Romeo 4C came to $57,395 including destination charge.
2015 Alfa Romeo 4C
Miles Driven: 140
Fuel Used: 4.8 gallons
Driving mix: 55% city, 45% highway
When Chrysler Corporation rolled out its redesigned big car for 1979, it did so without including a Plymouth in the lineup. New for 1979—though arguably not new enough—were the Dodge St. Regis, replacing the Royal Monaco, and the Chrysler New Yorker and Newport, the latter of which was intended to be the affordable big car in Chrysler/Plymouth showrooms.
Consumer Guide’s test Volkswagen Jetta TDI arrived in SE trim. With destination charge, our Jetta came to $25,995.
2015 Volkswagen Jetta TDI SE with Connectivity
Dates tested: 10/13/2014 – 10/20/2014
Miles Driven: 253
Fuel Used: 6.4 gallons
Driving mix: 60% city, 40% highway
