ARLINGTON, Va. -- Tests of six 2008 U.S. minivans have found that minor crashes can cause severe damage, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Thursday.The crash tests aimed to show how well the bumpers were designed to resist impact. The Nissan Quest was the worst performer, sustaining $8,000 in damage."These minivans don't have the worst bumpers we've tested, but they still allow way too much damage in minor impacts. It's damage that consumers shouldn't ... [full story]

Touareg 2, the sequel, is out and ready to climb any mountain. After Volkswagen dropped off a 2008 Touareg 2 to be reviewed, I spoke with a company representative who said, "You'll want to take it off-road and up some really scary stuff to see what it's actually made of."   VW TOUAREG - Would you drive your new $40,000 Volkswagen Touareg 2 in rough terrain? It can be done. The Touareg 2 has some minor ... [full story]

Nissan has broadened its lineup and widened its appeal in the past year with several new four-cylinder offerings, including the compact Versa hatchback and sedan, a new Sentra sedan and Altima coupe. And now comes the five-passenger Rogue crossover.   NISSAN ROGUE ROAD - Nissan's new Rogue crossover is ideal for young families. Starting prices range from just less than $20,000 to about $22,000, but popular options can add up to $3,000 or more. CNS Photo ... [full story]

Five stars earned for frontal- and side-impact crash protection for Jeep Liberty, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Nitro, Dodge Caliber, Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Pacifica and Chrysler Town & Country AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The 2008 Jeep Liberty, 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2008 Dodge Nitro, 2008 Dodge Caliber, 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, 2008 Chrysler Pacifica and the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country received the U. S. government's highest safety ratings for frontal- and side-impact crash protection ... [full story]

LONG BEACH, Calif. - American Suzuki Motor Corporation, in partnership with Lifted Research Group, better known as L-R-G, and 2Wheel Tuner magazine, unveiled this week a fully customized 2008 Hayabusa sportbike at the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. Designed by L-R-G and built by Nick Anglada of Custom Sportbike Concepts of Winter Garden, Fla., the L-R-G Hayabusa blends the panache of one of the hottest ... [full story]

Subarus are built so well and have such refined interiors that sometimes I expect more from them.   TRIBECA - The Tribeca is Subaru's largest vehicle and can come loaded with the third-row bench, rear DVD and a navigation system. CNS Photo courtesy of Subaru. That's true of the Tribeca crossover. It gives the perception of a luxury vehicle, but without all the perks. And Tribeca is not inexpensive at $30,640 base and $38,440 loaded with the ... [full story]

Scion is replacing its two original models this fall, and although the new xB and xD are big improvements in nearly every way over the models they replaced, the greatest concern about them is, "Are they weird enough?"   SCION - The five-door Scion xD replaces the smaller xA. The redesigned xB is a foot longer and almost three inches wider than its predecessor. CNS Photo. When Toyota brought Scion into the automotive world in 2004, it ... [full story]

SAN FRANCISCO - Federal fuel economy standards did not properly assess global warming risks, a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled Thursday.In tossing the mileage standards for some sport utility vehicles, minivans and light trucks, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the new fuel economy rules also didn't include larger SUVs and trucks, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.The decision is a win for several environmental groups and 11 states that argued the ... [full story]

I've found the great American cruiser - and it's a Buick. And not even a sedan, but the Enclave crossover.   BUICK ENCLAVE - The Buick Enclave is an attractively styled family or business vehicle with high-quality fabrics, plastics and leather-trimmed seats, all assembled with care and attention to detail. Base pricing ranges from $32,790 to $36,900. CNS Photo courtesy of Buick. For those skeptics who still doubt the credibility and quality of an American-made vehicle, this ... [full story]

Los Angeles - Subaru debuts the all-new 2008 Impreza WRX STI today at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. The ultimate performance Subaru is powered by a 305-horsepower Boxer engine and features a new level of driver-selectable powertrain- and dynamic handling-control. The 2008 WRX STI is built exclusively as an aggressively styled wide-fender 5-door model with a design strongly influenced by the brand's competition heritage. -- All-New Platform with Competition-Inspired 5-Door Body -- 305-HP ... [full story]

Travelers this Thanksgiving are facing record high gas prices for November but that will not keep them from seeing friends and family this holiday.  AAA estimates that 38.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a modest 1.5 percent increase from last year’s 38.1 million travelers.                                               “This is the first time ever the average price of gas in Oregon has been higher than $3.16 a gallon in November.  But Thanksgiving ... [full story]

ARLINGTON, Va. -- The number of vehicles qualifying for the Top Safety Pick by a U.S. highway safety board more than doubled for 2008 models with Ford and Honda leading the way.Thirty-four vehicles earned the Top Safety Pick award given to vehicles that perform best in front, side, and rear crash tests, a news release by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Thursday. Ford and its subsidiary, Volvo, posted eight vehicles to the list ... [full story]

I folded back the top of a Venom Red 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 convertible, settled behind the wheel and headed for the highway. Six hundred horsepower is a terrible thing to waste.   DODGE VIPER - The 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 is ready to roll with a 600-horsepower, 10-cylinder engine. The new model introduces six-speed manual transmission, a beefed-up differential, hood louvers, new springs and more. CNS Photo By Earnie Grafton. I scanned the instrument panel to ... [full story]