Ford C-Max hybrid roomy, economical

Fuel economy is a reason to buy the 2013 Ford C-Max hybrid crossover, but not the only reason. That matters because critics have questioned how close the C-Max's real-world gas mileage comes to its eye-popping EPA rating of 47 mpg in the city, 47 on the highway and 47 in combined driving.

Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ sporty coupes reviewed

Send in the clones. The virtually identical 2013 Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ make a mockery of the idea that a brand's identity matters.

What it's like to drive a $1.4M car

DETROIT — $1.4 million. 1,001 horsepower. Leather from cattle raised in special high-altitude pastures.

F-150 carries on proud family tradition

You think Michael Phelps was under pressure at the Beijing Olympics?

New Hyundai veers into luxury

If you can't build a great car, build a car with a lot of great stuff in it.

Audi pulls it all together with A4

The 2009 Audi A4 is the culmination of a 30-year strategy by VW's luxury brand, and it was worth the wait.

More stylish, less stingy

Riddle me this, Batman: When is a fuel-efficient subcompact not?

If Detroit hangs on, new models could keep factories going

DETROIT — In the auto industry's hour of darkness, General Motors and Ford will unveil promising new models vital to their survival at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.

VW Jetta diesel is Green Car of the Year

LOS ANGELES — The conventional wisdom that ultra-environmental vehicles must be either tiny and impractical or festooned with expensive hybrid technology got a kick in the teeth as the diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta TDI won the Green Car of the Year award Thursday at the Los Angeles auto show.

Lexus sedan has feel of road

Lexus built its reputation on the strength of its ability to develop cars as smooth and silent as an elevator, but the raucous 2008 IS-F performance sedan is the first vehicle from Toyota's luxury brand that's more entertaining and involving than pushing the button labeled "penthouse."

Chrysler widens appeal of its Dodge Ram

As bad news swirls around Chrysler, the 2009 Dodge Ram pickup arrives to remind us that the automaker is very good at some important things.

GM betting its future on design, technology

A handful of cars and trucks General Motors will introduce over the next eight years may determine whether the automaker survives to celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2108.

Spicy Cayenne hot enough for Porsche tag

Like a lot of car enthusiasts, I've always been ambivalent about the Porsche Cayenne.

You want cute? Get a puppy, forgo Fortwo

If you think the best part of any drive is the moment it ends, has Smart got the car for you.

Ford will be trendsetter with its capless fuel tank

I stopped traffic — not in a good way — the first time I had to refuel a car with Ford's nifty new capless gas filler.

Saab comes up smooth, powerful

It's past time that Saab earned its keep, and the brand's smooth and powerful all-wheel drive 2008 Turbo X sedan and station wagon are a good start.

Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen a winner

Somebody please remind me why the station wagon has been dismissed as uncool, the generic mom-mobile. The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen is an exciting and enjoyable compact car.

Toyota Matrix is roomy, gas-stingy

The 2009 Toyota Matrix XRS compact wagon arrived a year later than most people expected, but at the perfect time.

Redesigned Vibe for 2009 a practical, if noisy, choice

The 2009 Pontiac Vibe is an all-new replacement for the Vibe wagon that went on sale in 2002.

EX35 Infiniti model offers blend of an SUV with a sportier vehicle

Somewhere out there, somebody's dying to buy a nifty-looking sport wagon with the latest technical features. They couldn't care less about passenger space or practicality. They want style and distinction.

India's Tata on fast track with buy of Jaguar-Rover

GENEVA, Switzerland — The global auto industry will get a major new player, and Ford Motor Co. will lose a major distraction when Indian conglomerate Tata buys Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford in about two weeks.

Chevy SUV hybrid: high mpg and very high satisfaction

I'm convinced.

You may look at the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu and see an amazingly good midsize sedan at a terrific price.

Hybrid SUV may give GM some 'green' credentials

LOS ANGELES — Chevrolet's new campaign to establish itself as an environmentally friendly brand got an early endorsement when its Tahoe hybrid full-size SUV was named Green Car of the Year at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Thursday.

Focus' great Sync feature makes all the difference

With all due respect to Daimler's nifty Smart two-seater, the 2008 Ford Focus is the real smart car.

More-powerful Mini quickens pulse

Cuter than Lindsay Lohan with a puppy — and infinitely safer on the road — the all-new 2007 Mini Cooper S is nearly everything it should be.

GM says engine innovation could cut fuel use 15%

DETROIT — General Motors Corp. executives are touting a new engine technology that could cut fuel consumption up to 15 percent.

This Altima's the ultimate

DETROIT — Low-slung and lovely, the 2008 Nissan Altima coupe is the prettiest car from the brand's talented designers since the Murano and the 350Z debuted in 2002.