David Thomas's Profile

U.S.-Built Nissan Leaf Gets Mileage, Sales Jolt

Nissan is getting a lot of mileage out of its decision to move production of the 2013 Leaf to the U.S. from Japan — not just in terms of fuel economy improvements but in sales figures as well. The EPA... Continue reading

Posted 6 hours ago at KickingTires

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2014 BMW 5 Series: What's Changed

Most significant changes: New diesel engine and standard navigation Price change: Most 5 Series are up $1,200 to $1,700 compared to 2013 On sale: August 2013 Which should you buy, 2013 or 2014? Those who want navigation can get it... Continue reading

Posted 9 hours ago at KickingTires

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Why I Drive the 2013 Honda Civic Like a Hybrid

Our long-term Honda Civic has only been in our fleet for a few months, but I've already racked up several weeks' worth of drive time in it. Besides the fact that it is a very capable commute car with a... Continue reading

Posted 11 hours ago at KickingTires

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Hyundai Plans Tucson Fuel-Cell for 2015

Automakers have been making and breaking fuel-cell vehicle promises for years, and now Hyundai is jumping into the fray with the Tucson Fuel-Cell Electric Vehicle. The automaker is joining the Energy Department, gas suppliers, hydrogen and fuel-cell businesses and other... Continue reading

Posted yesterday at KickingTires

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Recall Alert: 2005-08 Maserati Quattroporte; 2008 Granturismo

Maserati is recalling 7,438 model-year 2005-2008 Quattroporte and 2008 Granturismo vehicles due to faulty tie rod assemblies, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The handful of model-year 2008 Alfa Romeo 8Cs sold in the U.S. are also affected.... Continue reading

Posted yesterday at KickingTires

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2013 Audi RS 5: Photo Gallery

Cars.com's test cars are parked amid a vast sea of vehicles in a multistory parking tower; Audi's RS 5 was easy to spot with its unmistakable LED headlights, aggressive grille, carbon fiber accents and Sepang Blue pearl paint. Likewise, its... Continue reading

Posted 4 days ago at KickingTires

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2014 GMC Sierra Testing Proves Tailgate Up Is More Efficient

GMC says the 2014 Sierra spent more time in the wind tunnel with fuel efficiency becoming more important. Continue reading

Posted 5 days ago at PickupTrucks: News

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Porsche Reveals An Itsy Bit of News on 918 Spyder Plus Photos

Porsche introduced the world to its Spyder Concept way back in March 2010 — a time when electric vehicles were thought to be the near future for everyone. The idea of Porsche putting a plug-in hybrid powertrain into its halo... Continue reading

Posted 5 days ago at KickingTires

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Several Compact Crossovers Fail IIHS' Small Overlap Test

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's newest test — frontal small overlap — is pretty tough to ace. The agency recently performed the test, meant to simulate a crash of a vehicle's front corner into another vehicle, a tree or... Continue reading

Posted 5 days ago at KickingTires

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2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: First Look

Competes with: BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 Looks like: A longer, lower, wider S-Class with a more athletic-looking front end and curvier body Drivetrain: 455-hp, twin-turbocharged 4.7-liter V-8 and eight-speed automatic Hits dealerships: September 2013 MSRP: TBD If it wasn't... Continue reading

Posted 6 days ago at KickingTires

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NTSB Recommends Lowering BAC to .05

In all 50 states, driving with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or higher, which reflects the percentage of alcohol, by volume, in the blood, means you're legally drunk — but the National Transportation Safety Board is fighting to... Continue reading

Posted 6 days ago at KickingTires

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GM Borrows Nissan's NV200

Nissan's NV200 van will wear a new brand badge in 2014. General Motors and Nissan announced today that the NV200-based Chevrolet City Express will go on sale in the fall of 2014. Nissan will manufacture the small cargo van, and... Continue reading

Posted 7 days ago at KickingTires

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Study: Romance, Road Trips Go Hand in Hand

For the more jaded among us, the notion of road tripping with a spouse conjures echoes of shrill-voiced admonitions like, "You're driving too fast!" or "I told you to take the northbound exit!" A recent study conducted by love-and-relationship website... Continue reading

Posted 7 days ago at KickingTires

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Legislation Would Ground Recalled Rental Cars

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators last week introduced a bill that would prohibit rental-car companies from renting or selling vehicles with an open manufacturer's recall. The legislation, the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013, is... Continue reading

Posted May 13, 2013 at KickingTires

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Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Buick Enclave

The Enclave's combination of good looks outside and roomy comfort inside won over Cars.com reviewer Joe Bruzek. Buick's three-row crossover was redesigned for 2013 with flashier exterior styling and upgraded cabin materials. While it's not the most luxurious crossover in... Continue reading

Posted May 13, 2013 at KickingTires

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Toyota Corolla's $1,999 Wheels Make Little Sense

That's right, folks: compact car shoppers can outfit the thrifty 2013 Toyota Corolla with $1,999 worth of upsized alloy and rubber. The Corolla, a vehicle with no optional high-performance engines and a suspension that can rock a baby to sleep,... Continue reading

Posted May 13, 2013 at KickingTires

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Sorry, Spocks; Mercedes-Benz CLS550 Handles Golf Clubs Just Fine

By now you, and 1.8 million other people, have seen the humorous Audi S7 commercial on YouTube featuring past and present "Star Trek" Spock actors Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto. It's a great ad that cleverly shows the rivalry between... Continue reading

Posted May 8, 2013 at KickingTires

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What's the Most Affordable Compact Sedan?

Car shoppers want a long list of features in a new car, even if that car is a compact sedan that starts around $16,000. That starting price usually doesn't include what many consider "must-have" features — chief among them an... Continue reading

Posted May 8, 2013 at KickingTires

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Recall Alert: 2002-2003 BMW 3 Series

An airbag recall that impacted millions of Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda vehicles worldwide in April has expanded to German carmaker BMW. Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the recall of 42,080 BMW 3 Series models from the... Continue reading

Posted May 7, 2013 at KickingTires

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Spy Photos: U.S.-Bound Chevy Colorado

The upcoming Chevy Colorado looks to be a nearly complete in these images but looks don't tell the whole story. Continue reading

Posted May 7, 2013 at PickupTrucks: News

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PickupTrucks.com: 2014 Chevy Silverado Adds High Country Trim, Texas Edition

Aiming to compete with premium trim packages offered on Ford and Ram pickup trucks, Chevrolet has introduced the High Country package and Texas Edition on the 2014 Silverado. High Country offers exterior flourishes like unique colors, chrome inserts, projector headlamps... Continue reading

Posted May 6, 2013 at KickingTires

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2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible Video

Coupe and convertible body styles plus three engine choices make the redesigned-for-2012 VW Beetle a versatile vehicle. If you pick the convertible, however, you'll be opting for style over practicality and even driving fun, says Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays. The... Continue reading

Posted May 6, 2013 at KickingTires

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2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S: First Look

Competes with: 2014 Audi R8 5.2, 2014 Nissan GT-R Looks like: A 911 with swollen rear fenders Drivetrain: 520- or 560-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder; seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission; all-wheel drive Hits dealerships: Late 2013 The new 2014 Porsche 911... Continue reading

Posted May 3, 2013 at KickingTires

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Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Honda Crosstour

Ambivalence abounds in our review of the 2013 Honda Crosstour. Cars.com reviewer Kristen Varela finds the five-seat hatchback's newly restyled exterior eclectic, to put it kindly — she calls it "some crazy experiment from a chop shop." Somehow, though, that... Continue reading

Posted May 3, 2013 at KickingTires

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Teen Driver Deaths Up as Summer Approaches

As the nation heads into the deadliest driving period of the year for teens — between Memorial Day and Labor Day — we do so amid some unsettling statistics: Teen driving deaths are on track to increase for the second... Continue reading

Posted May 3, 2013 at KickingTires

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