Would you buy a K-Car? It's probably not what you might think. So-called kei cars (or K-cars) are popular in Japan because of their tax exemptions and parking advantages. In this segment created more by regulation more than demand, they're limited to about 134 inches in length (more than two feet longer than the smart fortwo) and 58 ..

Just last week, General Motors announced plans to speed up repayment of billions in loans from the U.S. government. Technically, the company's fast-track, $1 billion-per-quarter payback schedule doesn't kick in until December, but GM is getting a head start on things by returning $140 million right now. The cash comes from a $2.5 billion loan ..

If you're one of the 33.2 million Americans planning to drive to grandma's, the in-laws, or the local outlet mall this Thanksgiving/Black Friday holiday, be prepared for three things: lots of traffic, lewd postprandial stories from Uncle Ted, and unpleasant numbers at the pump. Gas prices have ticked down a couple of cents in recent weeks, but ..

The next-generation version of the Suzuki Swift, due out next year, isn't quite a sure thing for the U.S. market; but we've been told it's been engineered this time with federal regulations in mind. If the 2011 Suzuki Swift does come to these shores, it would take on the growing segment of sporty subcompacts, including the 2011 Ford Fiesta, ..

General Motors fans were dealt a major blow yesterday when another of the company's brand sales collapsed -- this time, the sale of Swedish marque Saab to Koenigsegg Group AB. A member of the Swedish government says that GM will continue to seek out a buyer for the beleaguered brand, but whether Sweden or GM truly believes that is a matter for ..

Toyota announced today that it would recall 3.8 million of its vehicles to replace the accelerator pedals, to alleviate once and for all any chance of uncontrolled acceleration from the pedal being trapped by ill-fitting floor mats. While it develops new pedal designs, Toyota will have its dealers shorten the pedals on affected vehicles, ..

Since at least 2007, advocates for the blind have been concerned about the lack of noise from hybrids running in electric mode. The imminent arrival of all-electric cars like the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and the 2012 Nissan Leaf has only raised their level of alarm. Now General Motors has announced that the engineers developing the 2011 Volt will ..

As millions of people travel to New York to celebrate the start of the holiday season, Jeep will take over the city's famous Times Square on Thanksgiving Day with videos on the electronic billboards on the NASDAQ and Reuters buildings at 43rd Street and Broadway and 43rd Street and 7th Avenue as part of a massive new advertising ..

Mercedes Benz today announced the availability of a new display technology that allows driver and passenger to see two totally separate programs from the same screen, at the same time. The technology has been around for a while but it's only now making its North American debut, which is planned for next week's 2009 Los Angeles Auto ..

While the all-new 2010 Kizashi sedan is earning Suzuki some well-deserved attention, we can't forget that SUVs are what Suzuki has really built its name on in the U.S.  Vehicles like the Samurai, Sidekick, and Vitara forged a path for Suzuki as the producer of sturdy, compact, off-road-capable, and sometimes-eccentric (X90) SUVs. The vehicle ..

Two adjacent Southern California cities have been competing for the factory where Tesla Motors will build its all-electric 2012 Model S luxury sports sedan. Now, a pair of local papers have scooped the automotive press and broken the news: Downey beats Long Beach. Downey Mayor Mario Guerra told the Downey Patriot that the deal is "99.9 percent ..

Remember when HBO and Cinemax used to offer free weekends, just to show non-subscribers what they were missing? Well, General Motors' OnStar has taken half a page from that playbook: this Friday, OnStar will provide free turn-by-turn navigation -- but only to current subscribers. Presumably, the goal is to get folks enrolled at OnStar's Safe ..

Hyundai has risen from barely-noticed econo-car maker to winner of the North America Car of the Year with the Genesis Sedan, but what of little sister Kia? They've been hard at work improving their image, too, and one of their next steps will be the replacement of the Amanti sedan. The Kia Cadenza unveiled in South Korea today is pegged to ..

Although combustion engines will remain a part of the car mix for several decades to come, it seems pretty clear that electrics are the way of the future. And while many will be sad to see gas engines go the way of their fuel source (i.e. the dinosaur), there are many things we won't miss about 'em -- like all those moving parts that tend to ..

Back in June, Mitsubishi unveiled the production version of its i-MiEV battery electric vehicle. The curious-looking five-door hatch went on sale in Japan six weeks later at a retail cost of ¥3 million ($33,800). It runs off a 16 kWh lithium ion battery, which powers an electric motor for about 100 miles per charge. At the time of the ..