Hatchback


LA 2009: Custom "Mazdaspeed2" tops the fun-per-pound charts in LA

As cool as some of those custom Ford Fiestas are at the LA Auto Show, these even tidier Mazda2 customs really jumped out at us. Okay, maybe not all of the concepts so much as the "Mazdaspeed2" you see above. The Active2 Surf and Active2 Snow barely registered when we saw this green and grey fun machine. Dubbed the 2Evil Special and not really an official Mazdaspeed2 at all, this concept blends weekend track car with urban commuter in just the right proportions. The other two concepts aren't quite as eye-catching as the 2Evil, but are fun ... Read more →

Ford accepting applications for Fiesta Movement 2

Ford finally unveiled the U.S. version of its B-Segment Fiesta yesterday at the LA Auto Show, and thanks to some clever marketing, the Blue Oval's newest small car is already well-known to ...

LA 2009: Audi A3 TDI named 2010 Green Car of the Year in diesel repeat

At the LA Auto Show this morning, the Audi A3 TDI was crowned the 2010 Green Car of the Year, wresting the title away from last year's winner, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Even though three hybrids ...

Best Buy Geek Squads to start testing Mitsubishi i-MiEV

While Mitsubishi didn't unveil any new vehicles at the LA Auto Show today, company president Osamu Masuko did announce the latest step in his company's plan to bring plug-in vehicles to North ...

UPDATE: U.S. bound Mitsubishi Colt will be an all-new global small car

Yesterday, we reported that Mitsubishi is bringing its small, B-segment Colt to our shores. And that's true, mostly. What we've learned between now and then is that Mitsu isn't bringing over the ...

LA 2009: Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition is sportier, less expensive 19 hours ago on Autoblog

So often, the tag of "Special Edition" comes with a not-so-special price increase. Fortunately for Subaru fans, the newly-introduced Impreza WRX STI Special Edition is actually less costly. At $32,995 it's actually $2,000 cheaper than the base price of the standard STI. Of course, buyers of ...

2011 Ford Fiesta priced from $13,320, special deal for reserving early 20 hours ago on Autoblog

Surprisingly, Ford decided to slip out U.S. pricing for its hotly anticipated 2011 Fiesta with no fanfare at all. No major announcements at the LA Auto Show, no wordy press releases... nothing. But, if you head on over to Ford's official page for the new Fiesta, you'll see that it starts at ...

LA 2009: Mini owns its inner Bulldog 20 hours ago on Autoblog

Mini may be many things, but stuffy they're not. When your business consists of selling tiny hatchbacks with sports car handling at a near luxury price, you really can't take yourself too seriously all the time. Mini ad campaigns have capitalized on that cheeky spirit to great effect. While at ...

LA 2009: Ford shows off some Fiesta possibilities 22 hours ago on Autoblog

While introducing the folks at the LA Auto Show to the American-market 2011 Ford Fiesta, Ford decided to go a step further. They didn't just show the production sedan and hatchback, they also showed off the possibilities the platform presents as well. They had four customized Fiestas on display, ...

BREAKING: Mitsubishi Colt is coming to America 1 day ago on Autoblog

Buried deep within Mitsubishi's (re)presentation of its PX-MiEV plug-in hybrid concept from the Tokyo Motor Show was a line about a global small car that Mitsubishi will be bringing to the US in 2010. That's it, one line. We didn't think too much of the announcement until Mitsubishi's Product ...

LA 2009: 2011 Ford Fiesta unveiled by agents of the Movement 1 day ago on Autoblog

We've been hearing about the 2011 Ford Fiesta for so long that it's hard to imagine that the U.S. version of the car was just officially unveiled today. We gave you all of the official details and photos late last night, but we can now give you our first live impressions of the North ...

LA 2009: Scion xB Release Series 7.0 limited to 2,000 copies 1 day ago on Autoblog

Just yesterday we shared with you some pics of and specs on the latest Scion Release Series, the xB 7.0. It's a tradition of sorts for Scion to come out with a new Release at the LA Auto Show. For this go-around, Scion seems to have been indulging in some fermented grapes, as the bloody thing is ...

LA 2009: Volkswagen shows off "Final Edition" New Beetle models 1 day ago on Autoblog

Signifying the end of what has been a long run, Volkswagen has introduced "Final Edition" models of the New Beetle coupe and convertible. Each will be limited to a run of just 1,500 units. Under the hood is VW's familiar 2.5-liter inline-fine (rated at 150 horsepower) sending power to the front ...

LA 2009: Mazda unveils North American spec Mazda2 for 2011 1 day ago on Autoblog

The 2011 Ford Fiesta may have been the big B-segment reveal last night, but Mazda has finally decided to bring its own compact runabout to North America, and it's based on the same architecture as it Blue Oval sibling. Originally launched in Europe, Japan, and Australia a couple of years ago, ...

LA 2009: Volkswagen Up! Lite Concept teases with practical, lightweight innovation 1 day ago on Autoblog

Volkswagen has just taken the cover off an all-new concept called the Up! Lite, a sinister looking diesel hybrid that gets (according to VW) 70 mpg combined. As in both City and Highway. Impressive, even if that only ends up being 90 percent accurate. In fact, should Volkswagen decide to green ...

Alfa Romeo previews stylish new Giulietta 1 day ago on Autoblog

It's been a long time in the making. It has changed names several times along the way. But it's finally here. Well, almost. It's the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, and it's coming to the Geneva Motor Show this March to coincide with its phased market launch across Europe next year to coincide with the ...

LA Preview: 2011 Ford Fiesta for America revealed, hits 40 mpg 2 days ago on Autoblog

The Ford Fiesta has proven to be a very successful small car wherever it's sold in the world. Ford has sold 12 million Fiestas over the vehicle's lifetime and the new-for-2009 model has moved half a million units already this year in Europe and Asia. It's a smash hit in spite of the fact that the ...

"Viridian Joule" picked as winner of Chevy Volt Paint Color Contest 2 days ago on Autoblog

The votes have been cast, the tallies tallied and the winner determined: Viridian Joule will be the official name of the silvery-green hue as seen on a slew of Chevrolet Volt marketing material for what seems like the last decade or so. So, um, what does Viridian Joule mean? We'll let the winner ...

REPORT: Initial Chevy Volt launch will be in select U.S. markets only 2 days ago on Autoblog

Undoubtedly, the 2011 Volt is one of the most hotly anticipated new model launches in Chevrolet's long and storied history, and it will likely be seen as a halo model of sorts for General Motors as a whole. As we experienced first hand when we slid behind the wheel of a preproduction Volt the ...

Spy Shots: Smart ForTwo+2 in the works? 2 days ago on Autoblog

Smart, the German-born automaker that revived the stagnant microcar market in the first place, has seen itself fall behind in the city car wars with Toyota's oh-so-clever iQ taking the top spot with its extra space for passengers and packages via its brilliant layout. What's more, new machines are ...

Scion unveils $18,320 xB Release Series 7.0, will debut in LA 2 days ago on Autoblog

As we've come to expect, Toyota will roll out a special edition Scion model at the upcoming LA Auto Show. As has typically been the case with these special editions, the xB Release Series 7.0 will sport a standard body kit and an unmistakable color palette inside and out. For numero 007, ...

REPORT: Audi intent on keeping upcoming A1 premium 3 days ago on Autoblog

After watching from the sidelines for years as arch-rival BMW found success with the Mini brand, Audi is finally gearing up to jump into the scrum with the new A1. But unlike the Mini One (which slots below the Cooper in overseas markets), Audi doesn't intend to target the budget market. ...

2011 Ford Fiesta gets another early reveal 3 days ago on Autoblog

The Fiesta Movement, Ford's campaign to introduce the little global Fiesta car to the U.S. market, kicked off at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year and will end this week during the LA Auto Show with, what else, a party. Oh, and the official unveiling of the 2011 North American version. We ...

REPORT: Ratan Tata again confirms hybrid Tata Nano 3 days ago on Autoblog

Once again, Tata chairman Ratan Tata has confirmed via the South Korean Maeil Business Newspaper that his company intends to launch a hybrid version of the Nano. While it's impossible to know for sure, we'd imagine that starting off with the World's Least Expensive Automobile may very well equal ...

Volkswagen Polo named 2010 European Car of the Year 3 days ago on Autoblog

It can be a bit overwhelming when every magazine and their various editions pick their own Car of the Year each annum. Fortunately, the Europeans have it together. Literally. Every year, seven of the continent's biggest car mags – each from a different country and in a different ...

Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt charges toward production 3 days ago on Autoblog

Three years ago this December we first walked into a Manhattan conference room for a background briefing on a new concept being developed by General Motors for the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. Earlier that year, the release of a documentary called Who Killed the Electric Car made the then largest ...

U.S. Fiesta unveiled early by Ford Canada? 3 days ago on Autoblog

Did our friends in the great, frostbitten north just jump the gun by half a week and reveal the 2011 North American Ford Fiesta ahead of its upcoming LA Auto Show debut? Boy we kinda hope not. Well, specifically, we hope the the little five-door fire cracker we've come to know and love (largely ...

New Buick Excelle debuts in China, sedan coming to America soon 3 days ago on Autoblog

Back in August, when General Motors gave the media a tour of its design studios to show off pieces of its upcoming lineup, one of the cars we saw was a compact four-door Buick sedan. That sedan was essentially a re-grilled and trunked version of the recently introduced Opel Astra, but GM did not ...

VW Gol: Brazilian proto-Impreza by VW? 4 days ago on Autoblog

The string of interesting and offbeat Volkswagens from the firm's Brazilian division is enough to fill a coffee-table book. The SP2, for example, is one of the prettiest variations ever laid atop Type III mechanicals, one that many die-hard Volks-fans in the United States have never heard of. ...

Spy Shots: Mini working on diesel "S" versions of Cooper, Clubman? 8 days ago on Autoblog

Spy shooters posted outside Mini's testing facility in Germany snagged a duo of prototypes heading out for testing, but something seemed amiss. Both models -- a standard Cooper and a mildly camo'd Clubman -- sported the tell-tale exterior elements found on the S versions, specifically a ...

Renault introduces Twingo Gordini R.S. hot hatch 8 days ago on Autoblog

A few weeks back, Renault announced plans to revive the classic Gordini badge for its new high performance variants and now, the first model has been unveiled. Based on the automaker's smallest model, the Renault Twingo Gordini R.S. should prove to be mighty quick, with a 133 hp 1.6-liter engine ...

REPORT: Mitsubishi considering gasoline-engine MiEV 9 days ago on Autoblog

Mitsubishi already plans on selling its little MiEV electric car in the U.S. within the next 18 months, and it appears that we may get a gasoline powered version of the roomy micro car as well. Automotive News is reporting that Mitsubishi is mulling the idea of putting petrol power in charge of ...

Quick Spin: Nissan Leaf the tip of mass market EV spear 9 days ago on Autoblog

Nissan has gone into a back room, pulled out its Ouija board and decided that the time is right to make a huge bet. The Japanese automaker, along with its partner Renault, wants to be the world leader in pure electric vehicles. Even though you can go buy an Altima hybrid right now, the company ...

Bentley working on new sub-Continental shooting brake and crossover? 9 days ago on Autoblog

Bentley has just supplanted the Jurassic-era Arnage with the new Mulsanne, which in turn will breed replacements for the Brooklands and Azure. A new Continental range is on the way as well. But according to a new report from Automobile Magazine, the crew from Crewe isn't content simply ...

LA Preview: Subaru WRX STI Special Edition headed for U.S. showrooms 9 days ago on Autoblog

For U.S. Subaru enthusiasts, it has long seemed like the folks at Fuji Heavy forgot that we might be interested in special-edition WRX models too. New hotted-up variants of the all-wheel-drive hero car have been released in the UK and elsewhere on what seems like a monthly basis, but here in ...

SAIC-owned MG launches MG 6, first all-new car in 14 years 10 days ago on Autoblog

The last new MG was the MGF sportscar way back in 1995, and oh, what a difference 14 years makes. The MG6 is the first new MG by the company's new owner, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC), and they've chosen a four-door liftback for their coming out party. About the size of a VW ...








Autoblog Podcast #155: 'Twas the night before LA...

Chris, Dan, and Editor Paukert go over some LA Preview action and quietly whoop it up on the podcast.

 
 

Featured Galleries

  • 2010 Range Rover Sport Autobiography
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  • LA 2009: 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition
  • LA 2009: 2011 Ford Mustang V6
  • LA 2009: 2010 Porsche Boxster Spyder
  • LA 2009: Scion xB Release Series 7.0
  • LA 2009: 2011 Ford Fiesta
  • LA 2009: 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  • 2011 Mazda2
  • 2011 Toyota Sienna
  • LA 2009: 2011 Toyota Sienna
  • LA 2009: 2011 Mazda2

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