The grey 2010 Chevrolet Cruze is back with us again! It almost feels like I own this car, having driven it twice before, once for the initial review and once as a courtesy car from GM when they took away our Malibu long-termer for a week. This time, we’re getting to keep this car for an entire month, during which time we’ll settle down and play with its features further and explore its fuel economy capabilities. And just in time for Eid too.
While some say that car sales are picking up around the world, the recession is busy taking names and beating up stragglers in the automotive marketplace. Manufacturers are keen on cutting models that are underperforming in terms of sales, either because demand has subsided or because they were niche models in the first place. Here is a list of eight good cars that have either been confirmed for cancellation soon or have rumours circling in the media about their demise.
Just launched in the UAE, the Korean-built Renault Fluence is a new-for-2011 model that competes in the compact segment in terms of price, features, performance and general demeanour. It is a rather underwhelming car, as most cars are in this segment, but it has one ace up its sleeve. A longer-than-average wheelbase means it is more spacious than many others in the compact class.
We figured we were done with how the 2011 Hyundai Accent will look, when the Chinese-market Hyundai Verna was launched this April at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show. However, it seems Hyundai is introducing multiple variants of that car in different markets. The Hyundai “RB Concept” was just launched at the 2010 Moscow Auto Show, looking very showroom-ready, and destined for local production and sale in Russia. It is possible that this is the car that will reach the GCC as the Hyundai Accent.
The Toyota Corolla, quite possibly the most popular car in the world, is being recalled in the U.S. over engine stalling issues. So far, the recall is only for 2005 to 2008 models built in the United States.
The European-spec Lexus IS has been facelifted, but with no real mechanical changes. However, the changes are so minor that we’re hard-pressed to figure out what they are.
At least some local reports suggest that about 70% of all cars in the UAE are Toyota-branded models. As far back as 10 years ago, we read stories that the Toyota Corolla was the top-selling car in this country, and it still might be. So what can word-of-mouth do for a car? Apparently, 90% of all cars in the impoverished state of Afghanistan are Toyota Corolla models, all imported and many as old as 20 years.
Renault has launched the new Latitude midsize sedan model in its continuing bid to become more mainstream rather than quirky. The Latitude’s world debut was at the 2010 Moscow Auto Show, and will be built in Russia for their local market, but the car is already on sale in Korea as the Samsung SM5, and it is this Korean one that will probably make it to the GCC eventually as a replacement for the Renault Safrane.
Piloting a heavily-modified 2010 Suzuki Kizashi, dubbed the Bonneville Special, editors for proper U.S. car magazine Road & Track drove it to a speed of 325.95 kph at this year’s Bonneville Speed Week at the U.S. Bonneville Salt Flats. Thanks to this publicity stunt, the barely-stock Bonneville Kizashi now hols the record for “Land Speed Record for the Blown Gas Coupe Category”, if that means anything. That’s Bonneville for you.
Mazda is recalling over 200,000 Mazda 3 as well as Mazda 5 minivan models from the 2007-2009 model years due to faulty power-assist steering pumps and pipes.