http://www.thecarconnection.com/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:57:00 +0000 http://static.hgmsites.net/site-icons/site-logo_40070_s.jpg http://www.thecarconnection.com/ en http://www.thecarconnection.com/rss http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/dodge_durango_2012 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/dodge_durango_2012 The Basics: The big Dodge Durango SUV has some Mercedes-Benz GL-Class genetics baked into its rugged form. It's significantly less expensive, of course, and for those that still need the big towing and seating of a more traditional sport-ute, it's one of the best choices available. For 2012 it returns with just a few changes, competing with the...]]> Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:57:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072635_chryslers-ad-about-detroit-comeback-filmed-in-new-orleans http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072635_chryslers-ad-about-detroit-comeback-filmed-in-new-orleans If you watched yesterday’s Super Bowl, perhaps the most talked-about commercial was the “Halftime In America” ad run by Chrysler and starring Clint Eastwood. Against a gritty urban backdrop and scenes of middle-class America, Eastwood assured us things would get better. Detroit, he said, almost lost everything, but it's pulled...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:15:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/ford_fusion_2012 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/ford_fusion_2012 The Basics: The 2012 Ford Fusion marks the end of an era at Ford. After the Taurus lost the narrative in the mid-1990s, Ford's fortunes in the family-car segment faded--for a decade. The Fusion came along in 2006 and it's been a steadily growing sales success ever since, posting some of its best numbers this year even as Ford prepares a...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:33:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/land-rover_lr4_2012 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/land-rover_lr4_2012 The Basics: Land Rover's boxy, traditional-looking off-road-focused model was given a thorough refresh, a new engine, and other improvements a couple of years ago, gaining the name LR4 (replacing LR3). Now, the 2012 Land Rover LR4 gets a number of improvements inside, with its audio, connectivity, and navigation systems all updated. Visually, the...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072620_2013-mazda-cx-5-crossover-priced http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072620_2013-mazda-cx-5-crossover-priced Mazda has a lot riding on the success of its CX-5 crossover, which replaces the aging Mazda Tribute in the automaker’s lineup. Unlike the Tribute, which was nothing more than a badge-engineered Ford Escape, the CX-5 is an all new compact crossover that benefits from Mazda’s suite of SkyActiv technologies. Mazda will be fairly...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072618_2012-bmw-3-series-super-bowl-car-ads-tesla-model-x-car-news-headlines http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072618_2012-bmw-3-series-super-bowl-car-ads-tesla-model-x-car-news-headlines Today at High Gear Media, Toyota's issued a recall and we've driven the 2012 BMW ActiveE electric car. An Iowa man has been nailed for doing 188 mph--188 mph--and gas prices might be going up. All this and more in today's car news, right here on The Car Connection. We've taken our first drive of the new 2012 BMW 3-Series on U.S. soil. The Jeep...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072605_did-fords-f-150-fumble-to-the-chevrolet-silverado-during-super-bowl-xlvi http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072605_did-fords-f-150-fumble-to-the-chevrolet-silverado-during-super-bowl-xlvi If you watched the Super Bowl last night, you probably caught Chevrolet's ad for the 2012 Silverado pickup. Most saw it as a clever riff on the whole 2012/Mayan calendar/world-ending thing that's rumored to occur later this year. When the folks at Ford watched it, though, all they saw was red. The premise of the ad is simple: the apocalypse has...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/land-rover_lr2_2012 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/land-rover_lr2_2012 The Basics: Land Rover's place in history stems from a single vehicle, the Range Rover. That it's been able to stretch that into a brand, where HUMMER failed, is something of a major marketing achievement. And on the product side, it's done an admirable job dividing the sexy, five-star affairs--the Range Rover, Sport, and the new Evoque--from the...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:41:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072608_heavily-criticized-honda-civic-should-be-refreshed-by-fall http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072608_heavily-criticized-honda-civic-should-be-refreshed-by-fall Back in October, we told you that Honda was planning an early refresh of the much-criticized 2012 Civic. At the time, Honda execs expected the revamp to arrive in showrooms sometime in 2013 -- a full year ahead of schedule -- but according to a report in AutoNews, the tweaking has now been put into overdrive, and the refreshed Civic could debut...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072592_2011-toyota-rav4-recalled-for-airbag-flaw http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072592_2011-toyota-rav4-recalled-for-airbag-flaw Toyota has issued a recall of its 2011 Toyota RAV4 crossover over airbag concerns. According to a bulletin issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue stems from assembly of the SUVs’ side curtain airbags. After the airbag inflators’ initiators had the wrong propellant used in their production, one...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/ford_f-150_2012 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/ford_f-150_2012 The Basics: The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling full-size pickup line for more than three decades, and big improvements in the past three years have kept it at the top of its class for towing, gas mileage, and luxury and technology features. It's still true for the 2012 model year, with some more minor changes that maintain its place near the...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:22:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072596_chrysler-and-clint-eastwood-provide-halftime-pep-talk http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072596_chrysler-and-clint-eastwood-provide-halftime-pep-talk Most Super Bowl XLVI commercials followed the typical schtick, trying to outdo each other in flash and flesh; substance be damned. In stark contrast (and 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth entry notwithstanding), Chrysler spoke loudest by speaking softly--with a slight growl. Like previous Imported from Detroit ads with Eminem, this year’s message...]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/honda_insight_2012 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/honda_insight_2012 The Basics: When it was launched two years ago, the Honda Insight was pitched as the lowest-priced hybrid sold in the States. It's still inexpensive, but the 2012 Honda Insight suffers a bit in comparison to its stablemate, the Honda Fit. Both are five-door subcompact hatchbacks, but the highly flexible Fit has more room inside, gets real-world...]]> Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:30:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/subaru_legacy_2012 http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/subaru_legacy_2012 The Basics: Subaru completely redesigned the Legacy for 2010. While the core essentials remained—a horizontally opposed (boxer) engine lineup and standard all-wheel drive—it became a bit larger and roomier than before, with more luxury and refinement to boot. And with a new CVT automatic on base four-cylinder models, it's now the most...]]> Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000 http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072552_jeep-compass-and-patriot-replacement-delayed-until-2014 http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1072552_jeep-compass-and-patriot-replacement-delayed-until-2014 According to Automotive News Europe, the SUV planned to replace both the Jeep Compass and Patriot, has been delayed until 2014. Originally intended to go into production in 2013, the code-named B-SUV has been delayed so that Fiat can expedite engineering on its European products, like the Sedici compact. The delay also means a one-billion-Euro...]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:39:00 +0000