2014 Honda Cr-v Ex-l on 2040-cars

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Best sport sedans for 2022 and 2023

SUVs dominate the car industry at every size and price level, but some people still prefer the looks, and more importantly, the performance and comfort, of the traditional sedan. With a lower ride height, lighter weight and generally smaller size, they often are much more fun to drive, and can even be more comfortable. Sport sedans of course lean harder on the performance side of things, and are among the best options for sheer speed and fun, thanks to those inherent characteristics. We've rounded up the ones in the segment that do the sporty dance better than any others in 2024 to give you a handy guide when you're shopping for one of your own. You'll find a wide array of cars here including gas, electric and hybrid powertrains. They'll have manual and automatic transmissions and drive the front, rear or all four wheels. Technically a few hatchbacks have slipped in, but they're close enough in look and feel that we wanted to include them. And excluding them means you might miss out on some of the best-driving options available. You wouldn't want that, would you? Alfa Romeo Giulia Why it stands out: Punchy four-cylinder; astounding power from Quadrifoglio; light and nimble character; awesome shift paddlesCould be better: Clunky infotainment; sub-par switchgear Read our Alfa Romeo Giulia review We start this list with one of the most predictable inclusions: the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Yes, it's a stereotype that the Italian sport sedan is fun to drive, but the fact is, well, it is. The Giulia comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 280 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful four-cylinders in the segment. It's paired with a snappy and smooth eight-speed transmission and either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.  The engine is lively and torquey, if a little short of revs, and the chassis feels super-light. The steering is eager and the car jumps into corners. We also highly recommend getting a version with the enormous and superb aluminum paddle shifters that make clicking through gears much more entertaining. And on the topic of the interior, it's attractive, but the various switches and knobs feels a little cheap, and the infotainment system is clunky. Of course there's also the incredible Giulia Quadrifoglio at the high end. It gets a Ferrari-derived twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 making 505 hp, and it's rear-wheel drive only.

IIHS study finds minivans are unsafe for second-row passengers

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) updated its moderate overlap front crash test in late 2022, and it found that four minivans struggle to protect second-row passengers. The agency stresses that minivan manufacturers need to prioritize safety for the rear occupants. While the minivan is no longer a common sight in driveways across America, it remains relatively popular among buyers with kids and gear to haul around. The IIHS tested four models: the Chrysler Pacifica, the Kia Carnival, the Toyota Sienna and the Honda Odyssey. These vans were put through an updated test that places a dummy the size of a small woman or a 12-year-old child in the seat directly behind the driver. IIHS explains that, for a vehicle to earn a "good" rating, there can't be an excessive risk of injury to the head, neck, chest or thigh. None of the four minivans achieved that distinction; the Pacifica, the Carnival and the Sienna got a "marginal" rating, while the Odyssey scored a "poor" rating. IIHS also points out that, with the exception of the Sienna, these vans lack a seatbelt reminder for the second-row passengers. Chrysler Pacifica View 5 Photos "The restraint systems in all four vehicles leave the second-row occupant vulnerable to chest injuries, either because of excessive belt forces or poor belt positioning. That's concerning because those injuries can be life-threatening," said Jessica Jermakian, the IIHS vice president of vehicle research, in a statement. IIHS stresses, in spite of these results, the back seat remains the safest place for children to travel in. In the Sienna, the rear dummy "submarined" (or slid forward) beneath the lap belt while the shoulder belt moved toward the neck. In the Carnival and the Pacifica, the seatbelt put too much force on the dummy's chest. IIHS adds that, alarmingly, the Pacifica's side curtain airbag did not deploy during the crash test and that the forces exerted on the dummy's neck were high in the Carnival. In the Odyssey, the forces exerted on the head and on the neck were even higher, and the dummy's head came too close to the front seatback in spite of the seatbelt. On a brighter note, all four vans earned a "good" rating for front-passenger protection. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Chrysler Honda Kia Toyota Safety Minivan/Van IIHS crash test Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

April 2014: The ramping-up-for-summer edition

Americans appear to be gearing up for further increases in US gas prices, as green-car sales last month had their largest year-over-year gains of 2014. Domestic customers bought almost 56,000 hybrids, plug-ins and diesels in April, marking a 2.6 percent increase from April 2013. Plug-in sales were particularly strong, jumping 41 percent from a year earlier, as sales of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in and Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S battery-electric vehicles all showed gains. April's big winner among the automakers was Honda, moving 1,442 units of its newer Accord Hybrid And April's big winner among the automakers was...Honda? Yes, Honda, which has long operated in the advanced-powertrain shadow of fellow Japanese automakers Toyota and Nissan, came up big by moving 1,442 units of its newer Accord Hybrid. And while sales of the Civic Hybrid, CR-Z and Insight all fell, the Accord Hybrid drove Honda to boost its green-car sales by 78 percent from a year earlier to 2,839 units. Per usual, Nissan and Tesla also showed year-over-year gains. Nissan boosted Leaf sales by 7.8 percent to 2,088 units. And while Tesla won't release its first-quarter results until May 7, the California-based automaker would've increased Model S sales by 34 percent to 2,300 just by maintaining its fourth-quarter 2013 sales pace. Volkswagen and low-volume advanced-powertrain vehicle makers like Audi, Porsche and Daimler AG's Smart division also fared well in April. VW increased its diesel and Jetta Hybrid sales by 25 percent to 9,583 units. Audi's diesel sales quadrupled to 2,088 units. Smart sold 203 units of its newer Smart ED battery-electric vehicle. Such gains more than offset sales declines from General Motors, Ford and Toyota, though Toyota's April was less painful than previous months. GM's big mild-hybrid sales declines more than offset the 19 percent increase in Chevy Volt sales to 1,548 units and the sales of 491 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel vehicles. All told, GM's green-car sales declined 25 percent to 3,103 units. Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid sales doubled and C-Max Energi PHEV sales jumped 28 percent. Ford's green-car sales were down 12 percent to 7,554 vehicles. While Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid sales doubled and C-Max Energi PHEV sales jumped 28 percent, Fusion Hybrid sales were little-changed while C-Max Hybrid sales tumbled 50 percent to 1,586 units.