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Translogic 164: Driving the fuel cell vehicles of the 2014 LA Auto Show

The LA Auto Show is known for its environmentally friendly vehicle debuts. At last year's show, hydrogen fuel cell concepts from Honda and Toyota joined a lease-ready Hyundai Tucson FCEV to cast a green hue over the convention center. This year, automakers took us a step closer to a fuel cell future by offering drives of their hydrogen-electric hybrids. Translogic host Jonathon Buckley takes a ride in the Toyota Mirai, which is headed for production in 2016. He follows that with a spin in the Volkswagen Passat HyMotion and the Audi A7 Sportback h-tron quattro concept. Which of these fuel cell vehicles holds the most promise? Tune in to find out. Follow Translogic on Twitter and Facebook. Click here to subscribe to Translogic in iTunes. Click here to learn more about our host, Jonathon Buckley. LA Auto Show Audi Toyota Volkswagen Electric Translogic Videos la 2014 toyota mirai

Jonas wreaks havoc on auto industry

Many folks along the East Coast are still stuck at home from Winter Storm Jonas' brutal snowfall over the weekend, but the blizzard had some nasty temporary effects on the auto industry, too. Winter weather emergencies kept people from leaving the house, and that spelled trouble for factories and dealers. The terrible conditions in Washington, DC, even prevented the the Washington Auto Show from opening. General Motors, Toyota, and BMW had to close factories due to the weather. BMW cited concerns for its workers driving to the plant for canceling some Friday and Saturday shifts in Spartanburg, SC, according to Automotive News. Toyota closed its Georgetown, KY, factory on Friday, and GM shut down the second shift at its Bowling Green, KY, site for that day, too. Showrooms in the blizzard's path saw a massive drop in sales over the weekend because the customers weren't coming. Some affected dealers are now trying to make the best of a bad situation by offering potential buyers even deeper discounts to get them through the door, according to Automotive News. The piles of snow also mean hours of work for employees to clean off all the cars on the lot. The good news is that none of these issues should pose longterm problems. Weather reports don't show much snow for the East Coast in the coming days, which should allow the industry quickly to return to normal.

2015 Toyota Prius V gets updated looks and content

The Toyota Prius V is the most utilitarian member of the Prii family with a big jump in cargo space over the rest but maintaining the great fuel economy. For the 2015 model year, the company is giving the wagon an update with a big shift in front end styling and upgraded taillights to go with the revised look. Inside, customers also get a little new technology, as well. The biggest change up front is the reshaped headlights and new bumper that look almost identical to the recent restyling of the Prius + in Europe. Though, the latest parts might be a little polarizing and almost make the wagon look like it has gills at each corner. The top level Prius V Five trim also adds integrated foglights to the design and headlights with LEDs for the high and low beams. Toyota is offering three additional colors too: Attitude Black Metallic, Absolutely Red and Toasted Walnut Pearl. Inside, drivers can get a new, eight-way adjustable power driver's seat on some models, and there's now a 4.2-inch TFT screen situated between the gauges on the Three trim level and higher to display information like fuel economy, navigation instructions, climate control settings and more. The upper versions also get Toyota's latest Entune infotainment system with a 6.1-inch high-res touchscreen with navigation. Finally, the Advanced Technology Package on the Five trim now includes Lane Departure Alert and Automatic High Beams. Mechanically, the Prius V remains unchanged thanks to the same 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder hybrid powertrain with nickel-metal hydride battery pack pumping out 134 net horsepower. Fuel economy stays at 44 miles per gallon city, 40 mpg highway and 42 mpg combined. Despite the upgraded looks, the base 2015 Prius V Two is $75 cheaper this year at $26,675, plus $825 destination. Although, the top Five model is $540 more at $30,935 before destination. The latest model year should start hitting dealers in December; scroll down for all of the specs and pricing.