Is 75 miles enough range for the Fiat 500e? (review)

Editors' note, June 13, 2013: We've updated our review to include the EPA estimated range alongside our observed values and adjusted our evaluation of the pricing to compensate for available incentives.

It's the end of my first day behind the wheel of the 2013 Fiat 500e and the little Italian hatchback is parked curbside in front of my San Francisco apartment. Chirping the alarm as I walk away, I can't help but marvel at how ordinary the electric car looks. Unless you note the missing tailpipe, there's not much to distinguish the 500e from the other … Read more

New Nissan Sentra integrates Google local search

As I saw previously with the new Altima model, Nissan has taken to a strategy of offering its customers more for the money, in this sense "more" being larger vehicles, bucking a trend in the industry toward smaller cars. The 2013 Nissan Sentra, the newly updated seventh generation of a once compact car, qualifies as midsize under EPA classifications.

The Sentra SL model delivered to CNET was the top trim model, but its base price still came in at just under 20 grand. For that money, the Sentra offered a roomy cabin and a surprisingly large trunk, a … Read more

Kia Sorento lets you set steering response

Looking like a pill bug, the squat body of the 2014 Kia Sorento hides seating for seven, an economical engine, and an easy driving character, making it the perfect mobile bunker for the modern suburban family. The Sorento fits squarely into the class of crossover vehicles replacing the minivans and SUVs that once sat in every suburban driveway.

Inside, the Sorento made me feel safe and secure with its thick sides and small windows, a seeming appeal to that strain of American paranoia leading to gated communities and an irrational fear of home invasions. A vast panorama sunroof seems to … Read more

New BMW X5 makes navigation, apps standard

BMW used to make even iPod integration an option, but those days seem to be over. The new X5 will come standard with many tech features, from a USB port and navigation to BMW Apps, which integrates social media running on an iPhone with the car's dashboard.

Exterior changes reflect evolving BMW design language, and give the vehicle looks similar to the X1. Aerodynamic changes include something BMW calls Air Curtains, which funnel air into, then out of, the wheel wells. LED fog lights will come standard on the new X5, while adaptive LED headlights are optional.

BMW will … Read more

The new Subaru Forester watches the road

Usually, I prefer a fast car on a twisty road, but the 2014 Subaru Forester changed me. When I took the wheel, its sheer sensibleness infused me with a Zen-like patience for other cars traveling at tourist mph, and those drivers who take a second to realize that the light just changed to green.

The Forester's practical interior space, economical 2.5-liter four-cylinder, and all-wheel drive turned all of my aggressive driving behavior to jelly. I suddenly had visions of living in a suburban house, with the Forester parked next to a Prius in the driveway.

Sensible. Practical. As … Read more

Big Jag pampers its driver, terrorizes pedestrians

The 2013 Jaguar XJ is an imposing car, but in Ultimate Black paint, the XJ is also subtle and understated. It's a handsome ride that garners smiles and nods from those whose eye it catches, but largely doesn't attract a lot of attention when prowling the streets. The Jag's stealthy nature is probably why nearby pedestrians were so startled when a weird quirk of the fuel-saver system prodded the big cat into angry snarls.

The stub-nosed front end features lots of chrome brightwork and a pair of angry feline headlights. When viewed in profile or from certain … Read more

Chevy sets Spark EV price below 20 grand

Forget pricey Teslas; Chevrolet announced pricing for its Spark EV model at $27,495. If a buyer qualifies for the full federal tax credit of $7,500, that price drops to $19,995.

The Spark EV goes on sale in June but will be limited to California and Oregon. California owners will be able to apply further credits up to $2,500. Oregon may be less friendly, as the state considers charging electric car owners a special per-mile tax.

Chevrolet's announcement also notes that dealers can offer lease deals for $199 per month, and that the Spark EV will … Read more

The new Pathfinder mixes SUV and minivan capabilities

Nissan's Pathfinder started life as a truck-based SUV, then went to unibody construction in a subsequent generation, becoming a crossover before there were crossovers. That generation was followed by a truck-based model, which gained a little off-road cred. With the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder the pendulum swings back to a crossover design, striving to retain its backcountry capability while adding all the comforts of a minivan. With the Platinum Premium package, Nissan even throws in a rear-seat entertainment system.

What Nissan really attempts with the Pathfinder is to be all things to all people. This effort is, for the most … Read more

GM exec: Apps coming to select cars later this year

LAS VEGAS -- General Motors is eager to get its slice of the app pie.

Mary Chan, head of the global connected consumer unit for GM, told CNET that apps would come to select cars in the second half. The initial set of apps will be per-determined by the company, will be available for download, and will make up the early stages of its in-car app store. More importantly, GM will also debut an app framework in these cars that will enable the download of future apps.

With the proliferation of the app market in mobile devices, GM -- and … Read more