Late Thursday the US Senate passed the $106 billion war appropriations bill which had previously been passed by the House of Representatives.  Included in the bill was a $1 billion provision called “cash for clunkers.”  This money is earmarked to give to US consumers who purchase new fuel-efficient cars within the next few months. The [...]

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says the 2009 Audi Q5 is among the safest vehicles on the road. The IIHS–an insurance industry-funded testing body that crash-tests new vehicles–says the 2009 Q5 earns “good” ratings in all three of its tests. The agency uses front-end, side-impact and rear-impact crash tests to assign ratings to [...]

Kyle, our high-school correspondent, spends a lot of time driving himself among classes, sports events, and the other commitments in a heavily scheduled teenager’s life. And often it’s not just him in the car. Remember the old days of riding around with your friends? Kyle does his share of carpool duty for friends, so accommodation [...]

It’s official. Tesla is a legitimate automaker. The electric car company is recalling 345 Roadsters because of an under-torqued rear hub flange bolt, which could become loose, resulting in poor handling and a rubbing noise from the back of the vehicle. The other possible consequence of this loose bolt according to the National Highway Traffic [...]

Ford’s 2010 Mustang has earned five-star ratings in a series of government-mandated crash tests. The new ‘Stang earned the five-star marks for both driver and passenger in front and side impact tests, as well as in a rollover test. According to the National Highway  Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Mustang was awarded five stars in [...]

It’s long been tradition that big cars have big engines. But fuel-economy standards (in the US) and carbon emissions limits (in Europe) mean that even the big cars of tomorrow will have to use far less gasoline than they do today. One way they’ll get there is by radically downsizing the engines. Yes, diesel, hybrid, and [...]

Every so often, the notion of “sudden acceleration” rears its ugly head. We’ve just countered the latest case on AllAboutPrius.com, but it’s worth remembering the grandaddy of all such cases–and the damage it did. In November 1986, the CBS news show 60 Minutes aired a dramatic segment that skewered Audi’s largest sedan, then called the [...]

In response to a faulty fuel sensor control module, GM is recalling 13 of its 2009 models.  Among the 27,188 vehicles affected are the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, the GMC Yukon Hybrid and the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the faulty module can result in a variety of engine problems, [...]