Cars.com – Page 22 –

MSRP: $25,795; gas mileage (city/highway -- combined mpg): 35/40 -- 37
Efficiency-cost rating: 1.43

A newcomer on the hybrid scene, the Sonata Hybrid falls 2 mpg short of the Ford Fusion Hybrid in combined city/highway mileage, but its lower price gives it an efficiency-cost rating of 1.43 over the Ford's 1.38. For comparison, the most efficient gas-only Sonata with an automatic transmission is rated 1.27, making this hybrid one of the models that provides true gains over the car on which it's based.

Best 2011 hybrid cars for the money

August 18, 2019 at 11:44 a.m.

Hybrids usually get better gas mileage than conventional cars, but they also cost more ? usually a lot more. To determine if the added cost is worthwhile, we divide the...

Better engines, bit by bit

August 18, 2019 at 11:44 a.m.

Automotive engineers save time and money working on a computer screen instead of by hand. Mike Levine of Pickuptrucks.com tells how it works at GM's Powertrain Engineering Development Center. Get...

Debunking myths fueled at the gas pump

August 18, 2019 at 11:43 a.m.

The next time you fill up at the pump, you'll want to make sure that you don't fall for these myths. Save money, time and pointless worrying: These are common...

Fantasy racing: The ‘Cars 2’ lineup

August 18, 2019 at 11:43 a.m.

Pixar's "Cars 2" is filled with new characters that should look familiar to race fans. The film's World Grand Prix storyline features faces that take inspiration from real racing series....

Photos: The ultimate city car

August 18, 2019 at 11:43 a.m.

You know all too well what it's like to shoehorn yourself into a tight parallel-parking spot, squeeze between Dumpsters and delivery trucks, or witness your bumpers accrue a patchwork of...

MH: Winner I'm a little tired of the way Volkswagen teases car buyers now and then with the release of a Microbus-inspired concept, but I can't help but like the Bulli. It's small enough that it could get good fuel economy with the right drivetrain but offers good passenger room. Bite the bullet and build it, VW — or quit toying with us.

JW: Winner My work here is done; Mike said it all perfectly. The only difference this time is that the Microbus-inspired concept is smaller, and the time is right for a small van — especially one that looks better than the Mazda5 and upcoming Ford C-Max.

DT: Winner Two rows of bench seats are about the only practical part of this concept, but I want one nonetheless. The glass ceiling creates an airy cabin so the dark-red interior isn't overwhelming. Then you have the amazing iPad integration — better than most built-in multimedia systems we see — and the bedlike floor the seats can fold into. Concept ideas I want to see in reality, and there's no reason they can't be.

KM: Loser I remain dubious of touch-screen controls, iPad or otherwise, in a moving vehicle. (Cars.com's own Chevy Volt, and at least three Ford and Lincoln products, are Exhibits A through D.) The Bulli is otherwise impressive, but I feel compelled to issue a protest vote here. Like Mike said, Volkswagen needs to build something already, or stop the teasing.

Concept cars: New York Auto Show winners & losers

August 18, 2019 at 11:43 a.m.

Few concept cars debuted at the New York auto show, but editors Mike Hanley, David Thomas, Kelsey Mays and Joe Wiesenfelder trekked the show floor to see them up close,...

MH: Loser
The Taurus SHO is more distinct for 2013, thanks to a new grille, but the styling changes for the regular sedan are overly subtle. Solidifying my thumbs-down is the addition of MyFord Touch, a touch-sensitive technology that's not ready for primetime.

KM: Loser
The Taurus' interior remains tighter than its massive exterior suggests, and it also remains too difficult to see out of. The onus is on Ford to prove its touch-panel technology works; readers have written in complaining of it, and we agree.

JW: Loser
What they said. I can't abide the touch-pad controls. Yes, that's enough to disqualify the whole car, which otherwise looks good. The current SHO leaves me cold, too.

DT: Loser
One step forward, two steps back is how I'd describe the changes to the Taurus. I like the new grille and interior enhancements, but if you're putting that multimedia system in the cramped confines of this behemoth sedan I don't want to be inside for the ride.

Winners & losers: 2011 New York Auto Show

August 18, 2019 at 11:43 a.m.

The New York International Auto Show was squarely focused on fuel-efficient small cars ? and rightly so, with gas prices steadily on the rise. Automakers didn't completely forget about horsepower,...

New headlights and a hexagon grille make the revised 2013 Ford Taurus sedan look slightly more menacing, while the performance-oriented SHO trim gets a deep mesh grille bisected by the bumper that looks like an exaggerated version of Audi's signature nose.

2013 Ford Taurus up close

August 18, 2019 at 11:43 a.m.

Car shoppers will have to wait until 2012 before they can buy the 2013 model revealed this week, which features a slate of upgrades. Taurus will continue to be built...

My hunch is Mercedes carved out a little more space than before. The old SLK had limited legroom; the 2012 model's dimensions remain the same 42.5 inches, but at 5-foot-11, I had enough room for a full leg extension to the brake pedal, and then some, after motoring the driver's seat all the way back. I can't vouch for headroom (it's up 0.1 inch, according to press specifications) because the roof was powered down.

Short of its AMG variant, the outgoing SLK was more a luxury droptop than a legit sports car. Its successor may not alter that mission — but thanks in particular to the overhauled cabin, it might succeed at it better.

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK: Up close

August 18, 2019 at 11:43 a.m.

The New York auto show marks the roadster's official stateside introduction. At a Manhattan dealership's unveiling of the A-Class concept, Cars.com's Kelsey Mays checked out a top-down SLK. Related: 2012...

Cars.com testers talked to J.D. Power & Associates to see which SUVs consumers cross-shopped with the Chevrolet Equinox and the Hyundai Santa Fe. They came back with this list: Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, Kia Sorento, GMC Terrain and Dodge Journey.

Subaru Forester and Nissan Rogue merited inclusion because of their sales popularity, and a handful didn't make the cut due to a lack of sales. We allowed only one SUV per automaker, so GM had to pick either an Equinox or a Terrain.

The best SUVs for $29,000

August 18, 2019 at 11:43 a.m.

Cars.com tested nine of the most popular sport-utility vehicles for the best combination of ride, room, family-friendly features and handling. Video: $29,000 SUV ShootoutGet the full story: The $29,000 SUV...

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