In a case that is separate from its scandal over cheating on U.S. Volkswagen said in November it had also found "unexplained inconsistencies" in the carbon dioxide emissions from up to 800,000 vehicles. FILE - In this Sept. 23, 2015 file photo the silhouette of visitor pictured next to the logo of German car manufacturer Volkswagen AG at the International Motor Show IAA in Frankfurt, Germany. Shares in Volkswagen jumped 6 percent on the news. 2.2 billion) on top of the costs incurred in the scandal over the nitrogen oxide emissions-cheating. No technical modifications to vehicles will be needed, so that cost "has not been confirmed," Volkswagen said Wednesday. Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority ordered after Volkswagen's announcement last month that the CO2 emissions of the models in question be measured anew, and the government said it was sticking to that. Transport Ministry spokesman Ingo Strater said. FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2015 file photo a giant logo of the German car manufacturer Volkswagen is pictured on top of a company's factory building in Wolfsburg, Germany.
I've driven some gorgeous rides and some hideous ones, but this is probably the most boring-looking car that I've reviewed all year. Call it "understated" or "timeless" all that you want, Volkswagen, but even in Tornado Red, the the slab-sided VW Jetta just looks like a lump on wheels with headlamps. I'm of a similar mind when it comes to this 2014 Volkswagen Jetta SE's performance: it's not bad, it's not great. It's just competent. If the SE were a flavor of ice cream, it would be vanilla. Most people don't really get excited about vanilla ice cream, but it's still ice cream, so it's not like anyone complains much, either. As a lover of both cars and ice cream, I was determined not to judge this scoop by its plain flavor -- after all, vanilla can be downright delicious when done right. However, after living with the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta SE with Connectivity for a bit, I'm convinced that there are more flavorful trim levels to be found farther up the Jetta's line.
2016 Kia Optima The new Optima features a refined design and a new, mid-tier turbocharged 1.6-liter engine. 2015 BMW 435i Gran Coupe The Gran Coupe combines everything you need in a sedan with the flexibility of a liftback. 2015 Hyundai Sonata The budget friendly Sonata now features a more mature design. 2014 Toyota Avalon The former 'Granny Camry' has grown into a high-tech sedan and is now one of my favorites in this segment. 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Easily the best looking car in this class, the 2016 Malibu also packs a significant tech punch. Our SE model doesn't feature navigation or advanced infotainment, just a single-line, monochrome RCD 310 standard audio system. Audio from its six speakers sounded merely OK. A-pillar-mounted tweeters give this system better clarity than the four-speaker rigs that you'll find in many vehicles in this price range, but only just so. If you really care about what the music coming out of the stereo sounds like, you'll want to look upmarket. VW's own amazing Fender audio system, for example, is worth more than a cursory listen.
We live in an age where vehicle performance and affordability are not exclusive to one another. The mildly updated 2015 Mazda3 is a perfect example of this era we live in. The fast lines and athletic stance of the Mazda3 convey this compact is a driver鈥檚 car. After spending significant time helming the top-spec鈥檇 Mazda3s Grand Touring model, it can be said it drives just as sporty as it looks. The 鈥渟porty appearance backed by performance鈥?theme continues inside the vehicle. 90,000 Jaguar XJ recently tested. Probably the coolest 鈥渨ow鈥?feature that comes standard on all Mazda3 trim levels is the Active Driving Display. While a Technology package can be ticked on the optional equipment configurator, our tester did not come equipped with the safety-focused suite. Equipment like blind spot monitoring and crash avoidance are just some of the package features. 1,790), which includes a front air dam, door mirror caps, rear hatch spoiler, rear bumper guard and side sill extensions.
The MAZDA CONNECT infotainment system is a much-needed improvement over the previous system the manufacturer used to offer. An intuitive, 7-inch touch screen sits atop the center stack, with a jog wheel located on the center console capable of controlling the system. Bluetooth streaming is further enhanced by a full suite of apps, not limited to favorites such as Aha, Pandora and Stitcher. The Mazda3 is in a competitive segment. Sparring with the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and Hyundai Elantra GT鈥攋ust to name a few鈥攎ight make you wonder what makes this auto different. If you鈥檙e a driver鈥攜ou know, the kind of person who goes out for a jaunt when you want to relax鈥攖hen this is the car to consider. A light clutch and gear stick endear themselves to everyday livability, while the car鈥檚 adeptness at negotiating uneven S-turns handedly build confidence. A compliant, yet just stiff enough, rear multi-link suspension assists with soaking up bumps and accelerating past encroaching big rigs. It does it all with not two, but five doors and 20.2-cubic feet of cargo area (47.1 cubic feet with the rear seats down). For good reason, it鈥檚 no secret the newer Mazda vehicles are a favorite by many automotive journalists across the U.S. The compact is an enthusiastic drive and possible to obtain on a scribe鈥檚 budget. Are there other six-speeds you can obtain for around the same price point with the comparable content? Sure. But none of them are both this fun and practical to drive.
