For 2019, Honda is trying to bring more refinement to its subcompact crossover. Not only does the model receive new technologies, but it also gets a revised CVT, additional sound deadening for a quieter cabin, and an updated all-wheel-drive system with better performance in low-traction conditions. Prices for the 2019 Honda HR-V start at $21,515, up $850 from the 2018 model.
The base LX now comes standard with halogen projector headlights, LED daytime running lights, and a redesigned cupholder. Other standard goodies include a 5-inch infotainment screen, LED taillights, steering wheel audio controls, rearview camera, and driver-side seat height adjustment. Notably, the six-speed manual is gone from the lineup, so all models now come standard with a CVT.
After the LX, Honda has added a new Sport trim, which includes black trim, 18-inch wheels, a black headliner, active noise cancellation, and sport pedals. Variable gear ratio electric power steering comes standard on these models and [...]
FCA has named Mike Manley as the company’s new CEO with the sudden and unexpected news of a health crisis for Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne.
Manley, 54, takes over the job immediately, initially as interim chief until an emergency board meeting can make the succession official. It is a move that was not supposed to be announced or take effect until next year when Marchionne planned to retire. Marchionne was also CEO of Ferrari which had been spun off of FCA. Ferrari said Louis Camilleri, former chairman of Philip Morris International, will take over as CEO.
Mike Manley, former Jeep chief and current FCA CEO Marchionne developed complications following surgery in Italy and his health took a turn for the worse, making the corporate news necessary. Marchionne is 66 and was recovering from a shoulder injury.
“With reference to the health of Sergio Marchionne, FCA communicates with profound sorrow that [...]
Having 707 hp on tap is plenty for a street car, but nowhere near enough to hang in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Car class. As such, the 2019 Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat NHRA Funny Car packs more than 10,000 hp. The drag racer inspired by the Charger Hellcat makes its competition debut at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, this weekend.
“Our job at Mopar is to put the best race car underneath our drivers and keep them winning. We know this new body, developed in collaboration with the Dodge//SRT brand and Don Schumacher Racing, will do just that,” said Pietro Gorlier, FCA parts and service head in a statement. “The changes made to this new Funny Car body will improve on-track performance and help us carry on the Mopar brand’s long tradition of success at the dragstrip.”
Driver Matt Hagan of Don Schumacher Racing [...]
Dedicated readers closely following my career (Hi, Mom! Thanks for reading, Grandpa!) will no doubt recall I recently returned our previous Car of the Year, the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Normally, trading a hatchback for a sedan would be no cause for commotion; but our latest Car of the Year and my new assignment, the 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia, is about as different from the Bolt in concept and execution as you can get.
One of the prevailing arguments in favor of the Giulia in our Car of the Year deliberations was the way it makes you feel. Most cars on the market check boxes, and some make an inordinate amount of practical, logical sense, but not many truly make you smile just going down the highway. As enthusiasts, that speaks to us.
Naturally, then, you might expect we’d order up a rip-snortin’ Giulia Quadrifoglio for our yearlong test. [...]
Rumor has it that the traditional four-door sedan is in the throes of a prolonged death spiral, squeezed into irrelevance by crossovers on one end and EVs on the other. But apparently Genesis hasn’t gotten the memo. Although its own SUVs are right around the corner, the 2019 G70 comes ready to stake a claim in the still-breathing entry sport luxury sedan market on its own terms.
It’s a risky yet necessary gamble on the part of Genesis, which launched about three years ago as a standalone luxury brand above parent company Hyundai. With the G70, Genesis is aiming straight for the middle of a crowded pool filled with German and Japanese competition.
The G70 looks to stand out by straddling a line between athleticism, refinement, and elegance. As if that weren’t enough, the Genesis also tries to deliver an authentic character, as well. So in reality, it’s [...]
