2014 Volkswagen Passat 2.0l Tdi Sel Premium on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ford Mustang Mach-E fails Sweden's moose test

The infamous moose test has claimed another casualty. This time it's the Ford Mustang Mach-E AWD Long Range, which was tested in an electric four-way alongside the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Skoda Enyaq iV (an electric utility vehicle closely related to the Volkswagen ID.4 that is sold in the United States). According to the Swedish testers at Teknikens Varld, Ford's electric car not only failed to hit the speed necessary for a passing grade, it didn't perform well at slower speeds, either. To pass the outlet's moose test, a car has to complete a rapid left-right-straight S-shaped pattern marked by cones at a speed of at least 72 km/h (44.7 miles per hour). The test is designed to mimic the type of avoidance maneuver a driver would have to take in order to avoid hitting something that wandered into the road, which in Sweden may be a moose but could just as easily be a deer or some other member of the animal kingdom elsewhere in the world, or possibly a child or car backing into the motorway. Not only is the maneuver very aggressive, it's also performed with weights belted into each seat and more weight added to the cargo area to hit the vehicle's maximum allowable carrying capacity. The Mustang Mach-E only managed to complete the moose test at 68 km/h (42.3 mph), well below the passing-grade threshold. Even at much lower speeds, Teknikens Varld says the Mach-E (which boasts the highest carrying capacity and was therefore loaded with more weight than the rest of the vehicles tested in this quartet) is "too soft in the chassis" and suffers from "too slow steering." Proving that it is indeed possible to pass the test, the Hyundai and Skoda completed the maneuver at the 44.7-mph figure required for a passing grade and the Tesla did it at 46.6 mph, albeit with less weight in the cargo area. It's not clear whether other versions of the Mustang Mach-E would pass the test. It's also unknown if Ford will make any changes to its chassis tuning or electronic stability control software, as some other automakers have done after a poor performance from Teknikens Varld, to improve its performance in the moose test. Related video:

VW Jetta and Golf family earn IIHS TSP+ [w/video]

Volkswagen is the latest manufacturer to add vehicles to the growing list of cars, trucks and SUVs certified as Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The non-profit has awarded its highest safety ranking on the 2016 Golf and Jetta families. Earning a TSP+ rating, while increasingly common, is still a challenge for automakers thanks to IIHS' strict testing regime. Vehicles must net "Good" ratings – the highest grade available – in the moderate overlap, front, side, roof, and head-restraint tests, while also scoring an "Acceptable" rating on the notoriously tricky small-overlap test. On top of that, the automated crash-prevention systems need to be rated as either "Advanced" or "Superior." For 2016, the Jetta, Golf, and their performance variants retained 2015's "Good" ratings across the board, while also receiving an "Advanced" crash prevention rating, thanks to the new-for-2016 Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking systems. "This year's Top Safety Pick+ awards demonstrate Volkswagen's longstanding commitment to vehicle safety and the development of innovative technologies," Mark Barnes, VP of Sales for VW of America, said in the attached statement. "Our available driver assistance systems and safety features show Volkswagen's commitment to introduce systems that were once only seen on high-end luxury and premium vehicles, such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Departure Warning." Scroll down for the official press release from VW and video of the crash test (and yes, that's a 2015 shown in both the lead image and video – the only difference between the two years was the availability of more advanced crash-prevention systems). This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2016 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF, GOLF SPORTWAGEN, GOLF GTI AND JETTA EARN A 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK + RATING FROM THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY Aug 12, 2015 Herndon, VA — Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced that the 2016 Volkswagen Golf 4-door, Golf SportWagen, Golf GTI 4-door, and Jetta models, when equipped with the optional Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist) system, have been awarded 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee teases return with a Countach

Unless you have an intense aversion to Jerry Seinfeld, it's hard not to find something to like about his show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. After all, the series combines funny people telling often hilarious stories while riding in ridiculously cool vehicles. The trailer for the sixth season is now online, and based on this tease, this definitely looks worth watching no matter what part of the videos interest you. Of course, it's the automotive portion that really grabs us, and Seinfeld has quite a fleet to showcase for season six. The trailer shows off a Lamborghini Countach, a '57 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible, a classic Volkswagen Beetle in the green and white German Polizei livery, a Morgan, an Aston Martin DB5, and a Ferrari 308. On the more humorous side of things, the guest list at least includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jim Carrey, Steve Harvey, Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher and upcoming host of The Daily Show Trevor Noah. Season six of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee premieres on Crackle on Wednesday, June 3, at 11:30 PM ET.