Refreshed Fiat 500 Hits The Streets

FIAT has released the refreshed version of its popular 500 supermini. The car boasts style, comfort and technological enhancements for 2014 A key new feature is the market-first seven-inch digital instrument display, which is said to combine cutting-edge technology without disrupting the trademark aesthetics of the cabin. Standard on 500S and Cult models, the layout of the speedometer, rev counter and trip computer will be familiar to existing 500 fans, but the centre of the display - which contains a digital image of the car - can be configured to show various trip computer readouts, such as distance travelled, instant fuel consumption and range.

Audi A3 is the 2014 World Car of the Year

The Audi A3 (pictured) is the 2014 World Car of the Year The New York Auto Show is the place where the World Car of the Year winner is announced, so with the show now underway comes the news that it’s the Audi A3 that’s grabbed the gong for the best car in the world in 2014. It’s the second time Audi has won the award – the Audi A6 won in 2005 – and probably holds up a mirror to the changing face of the world’s car landscape; more compact, ‘Premium’ cars are now the most favoured buy. But really, the Audi A3 isn’t just a single car.

Classic vs. Modern, Part One: Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 or 2012 Kia Rio SX

A recent 220-volt shock administered by the $23K-plus window sticker of a loaded Ford Fiesta rental car made me think about what the same dollars would buy in a classic car, and what the relative cost of ownership would be. My favorite matchup doesn't even require as much coin as said fully accessorized rental Fiesta. The 2012 Kia Rio SX carries an as-tested-by-Autoweek price of $20,745.