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Nissan Quest under investigation for inaccurate fuel gauges

After receiving 12 complaints in the last 14 months, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun a preliminary investigation into a fuel gauge issue with the 2007 Nissan Quest. Drivers have reported that the fuel level gauge will show there's gas in the tank when there actually isn't - in two cases, the digital distance-to-empty gauge indicated more than 70 miles of remaining range - and it will stall out.
This is the second time the 2007-model-year Quest has been involved in the same fuel gauge issue. In 2010 Nissan recalled seven models, including the Quest, from the 2005-2008 model years because of faulty fuel readings. The 12 vehicles in this latest complaint could have slipped through the cracks then, but we'll find out more when NHTSA updates its progress with the investigation into the estimated 37,656 units.

Mitsubishi off-road Delica van, outdoorsy Outlander variant planned for US market

If you haven't been paying attention, you may be surprised to hear that Mitsubishi has been doing fairly well in the United States over the last several years. Once a mid-major (to borrow a college athletics term) program here in the States, the automaker's stagnating lineup and lack of vehicles with clear desirability — once you got past the hardcore Lancer Evolution series, at least — led to declining sales figures through the 2000s. The brand's more recent resurgence, led by the latest Mitsubishi Outlander and Outlander PHEV, which it co-developed with fellow Japanese partner Nissan, first began around the year 2018, says Mitsubishi North America President and CEO Mark Chaffin. "Momentum 2030 will build on that, setting the stage for new powertrains and vehicles being introduced, new dealerships being opened, and new technologies being developed to make the shopping and ownership experience faster, easier and more enjoyable." "New powertrains and new vehicles" are always keywords that pique the ears of automotive enthusiasts, and Mitsubishi seemingly has some solid stepping stones in the works to continue gaining momentum in the crucial American market, with trucks, crossovers and multi-purpose vehicles that could offer some truly interesting entries into segments the automaker hasn't dipped its toes in decades. One particular potential vehicle of interest is, oddly enough, a passenger van, which appears to be shown in the middle of the line-up preview photo below. But we're not talking about a run-of-the-mill minivan. According to dealership employees present at Mitsubishi's Momentum 2030 program cited by Automotive News, the van would take inspiration from the D:X Concept that we openly loved after its introduction in Tokyo last year. The van would reportedly maintain its rugged credentials — perfect for the growing number of Americans who embrace off-road lifestyles like camping and overlanding — and feature a plug-in hybrid powertrain. We can't imagine some of the concept's far-out features like a front glass panel to see the ground ahead or a dashboard and steering wheel setup that moves with the driver's door making it into production. The three-row, six-passenger seating arrangement and true off-road tuning on the other hand are likely items for the final product.

Dongfeng-Nissan surprises with Viwa Concept EV for Venucia

Nissan has a joint venture in China with Dongfeng to make passenger vehicles, and last year the two companies created a sub-brand called Venucia that aims to roll out five cars by 2015. With the gasoline-engined D50 and R50 and a pilot program for the E30 electric car already out, this little orange beast, the Viwa EV concept, could point the way to a future offering.
Looking like a Chevrolet Spark that spent the weekend raving in Ibiza, the Venucia Viwa EV aims to be reliable, practical, efficient and accessible all in one package. Beyond the practical bit, defined as, "packaged with a compact body for easy driving," Venucia hasn't said how any of those other qualities are achieved. In fact, it hasn't even divulged the specifics of the electric powerplant. However, it does say that it will be developing more EVs under the guide of "China's new energy vehicle policy."
You can get a little more info about it in the press release below, or discover the little peach in the high-res gallery above.