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Displaying items by tag: auto - Page-18 | Japan Bullet

Acura Mdx Prototype Looks Great, Adds Type S To Portfolio

Acura MDX Prototype looks great, adds Type S to portfolio

The next-generation Acura MDX is here, almost. This three-row crossover you're looking at is technically being called the MDX Prototype by Acura, but it's about as close to production as any prototype can get.

And what a looker it is. Acura has followed up the slick TLX sedan with another attractive design. With the MDX now the best-selling Acura nameplate of all time, this one was even more important for Acura to get right. Just like the TLX, it benefits from a much longer dash-to-axle dimension, measuring in six inches longer than the outgoing MDX. The pentagon grille, and Chicane-shaped DRLs in the headlights now grace a much wider car. Acura gave this MDX a wider track and a three-inch longer wheelbase, both aiding in making it appear far more graceful and sporty.

2021 Honda Accord Review | Price, Specs, Features And Photos

2021 Honda Accord Review | Price, specs, features and photos

Honda takes the idea of a "mid-cycle refresh" of its cars rather literally, and sure enough, three years into what is likely to be a six-year lifespan, the current generation Accord sees a comprehensive round of updates. Yet, true to the company's norm, don't expect massive changes for the 2021 Honda Accord. The styling is updated, but even we're having a hard time telling the difference. The interior sees more infotainment features on more trims, while the various driver assistance systems have been updated and increased in number. There have also been some improvements made to throttle and brake response.

All of this should be welcome news, but it's really just a bunch of icing on what was an already delicious, well-iced cake. Despite some impressive new competitors in recent years, the Accord continues to shine as our top family sedan choice. It does virtually everything well. It has a huge interior, yet is responsive to drive. It's fuel efficient, yet all its powertrains, including that of the Accord Hybrid, provide punchy acceleration for the segment. It's also well-equipped, and should provide the long-term value that's become synonymous with the name Honda Accord. In other words, the best just got better.

Nissan's U.s. Loan Company To Pay $4 Million Fine Over Repossessions

Nissan's U.S. loan company to pay $4 million fine over repossessions

WASHINGTON — Nissan's U.S. lending arm agreed on Tuesday to pay a $4 million U.S. fine to settle a government agency's allegation that it improperly repossessed hundreds of consumers' vehicles.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) said that between 2013 and 2019, Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp (NMAC), a subsidiary of the Japanese automaker's North American unit, "wrongfully repossessed hundreds of consumers' vehicles despite the consumer having made payments" or taken other actions. Nissan must pay up to $1 million distributed to consumers subject to a wrongful repossession.

2021 Honda Passport Review | Price, Specs, Features And Photos

2021 Honda Passport Review | Price, specs, features and photos

The 2021 Honda Passport is quite obviously a Pilot that has had some inches and a row of seats lopped off its tail. Sure, it has a different grille, big black wheels, chunkier roof rails and extra ground clearance, but the similarities are impossible to miss. The interior design is literally identical.

So why bother considering this midsize SUV with three fewer seats? Well, you wouldn't be alone in pondering that considering the Passport sells in far fewer numbers than the Pilot does. However, we think that it generally makes sense. The Passport is roughly $2,000 less than a comparable Pilot (the base prices are nearly equal, but the Passport includes more equipment), and if you're unlikely to use that extra seating row, why bother lugging it around? The Passport still has a colossal amount of space in its second row and cargo area, while its smaller size improves its acceleration and sharpens its driving experience. We also think there's value in its quasi-rugged attributes, including its 8.1 inches of ground clearance and more functional roof rails. It's basically a Toyota 4Runner for those willing to sacrifice extreme capability for better efficiency and on-road handling. And, of course, being OK with the Pilot-in-hiking-boots look.

Toyota Gr Yaris Grmn Prototype Captured In Spy Photos

Toyota GR Yaris GRMN prototype captured in spy photos

New spy photos fresh from Germany give us yet another look at Toyota's upcoming subcompact hot hatch. While the Toyota GR Yaris is not destined for American showrooms, we're always happy to see Toyota hard at work developing enthusiast cars. Our spies speculate that this particular prototype may be a hardcore GRMN variant of the new baby rally car. 

This prototype boasts canards on its front bumper and an upsized rear wing, suggesting that it might be the GRMN variant, rather than the "basic" GR Yaris. GRMN stands for "Gazoo Racing Meisters of the Nürburgring," after all, so it makes all the sense in the world that Toyota's motorsports development specialists would take their prototype to its namesake road course. 

Nissan Prices 2021 Altima From $25,225 With No New Equipment

Nissan prices 2021 Altima from $25,225 with no new equipment

Nissan is paring down the midsize Altima lineup for the 2021 model year, eliminating some trim/engine combinations and effectively streamlining the remaining offerings, while also repositioning the sporty SR grade just above the SV (and below the SL) as it becomes the only variant available with the Altima's more potent turbocharged engine option.

The thinning of available trim combinations is by far the biggest news for the 2021 Altima. The 2.0-liter turbocharged, variable-compression engine is now exclusive to the SR trim, where previously it was also available on the loaded-up Platinum grade. All told, the adjustments eliminate three Altima variants: the aforementioned Platinum/VC-Turbo combination, the 2.5-liter Platinum with front-wheel drive and the base S model with all-wheel drive.

1985 Honda Crx Si Retro Review | Driving Impressions, Performance

1985 Honda CRX Si Retro Review | Driving impressions, performance

Autoblog wasn't around for the literal first drive review, but as they say, it's better late than never. Take a trip down memory lane in our latest retro first drive.

With automotive press launches curtailed, some manufacturers have taken to revisiting past glories, rolling out classics from their collections and making them available to drive. We've previously slipped behind the wheel of a ‘64 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, '67 VW Microbus and a pair of Hondas from 1999: a Civic Si and a Prelude Type SH. Now we're getting to dig a little deeper into the Honda museum vault in Torrance, Calif. with a turn in a 1985 Honda CRX Si.

Gymkhana Subaru Wrx Sti Revealed With Wild Design, Huge Power

Gymkhana Subaru WRX STI revealed with wild design, huge power

This black Subaru WRX STI is going to be the next fireball of a racecar to be featured in Hoonigan's Gymkhana video series. It's billed as the "wildest WRX STI ever" by Subaru, and we're not going to argue with that claim. Just look at it.

The raw carbon body looks like an actual cheese grater. You could throw a whole chicken at the front fender as it drives by and end up with shredded BBQ. Its hood-exit flame-spitting exhaust will even give the bird a nice char as it passes over the front of the car. And no, we can't see any flames in the photos here, but Subaru promises that it does produce fire. The wacky aero was apparently developed in a wind tunnel. And if you haven't guessed by now, this car was designed with zero restrictions for anything. It's not competing in any competition, so everything was optimized for the best possible performance.

2021 Honda Accord Gets Better Base Tech, Hybrid System Improvements

2021 Honda Accord gets better base tech, hybrid system improvements

The 2021 Honda Accord is getting some trim shake-ups, some refinements to the powertrain in its hybrid variant, and some minor styling updates to keep the midsize sedan fresh. 

On the styling front, you'll have to really squint to see the differences, which are effectively limited to the Accord's front bumper. The grille is a bit wider, and the accent lines reaching toward either side of the lower fascia from the fog lamps now take slightly different routes. Apart from that, you'd be hard-pressed to notice anything has changed. 

Junkyard Gem: 1996 Acura 3.5 Rl

Junkyard Gem: 1996 Acura 3.5 RL

Honda had a good sales run with the Acura Legend, the first of the luxury-marque spinoffs from well-known Japanese carmakers to appear on our shores, but times change and the RL replaced the Legend as Acura's flagship starting in the 1996 model year. Here's one of those first-year RLs, found in a Denver boneyard covered in decorations from the Rocky Mountain Rambler 500 road rally.