Driving the Chevy Volt isn't special, and that's good

We've had our first taste of the drive system under development for General Motors' pioneering Chevrolet Volt, piloting a test mule based on the Chevrolet Cruze at the company's Warren (Mich.) Technical Center, and it left us hungering for more. Yes, it's an electric car, but mostly, it's a car--one you could imagine driving every day without feeling as if you were engaged in a lab experiment. Frank Weber, vehicle line executive for the Volt, gets his nose out of joint if you call the drive system a hybrid.

Mercedes-Benz GLA stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

The Mercedes-Benz GLA compact crossover is making its European debut at the firm’s home motor show, Frankfurt 2013, and it’s aiming to take on the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 in the up-market small SUV sector. Being based on the firm’s A-Class hatchback is a good way to start, too, with decent, efficient engines, plenty of premium quality and some striking styling to boot.

2013 Mazda MX-5 Facelift on the way

A mildly revised Mazda MX-5 for 2013 will be launched later this year with a new nose and tweaks to the brakes and throttle systems. It’s probably a bit of an exaggeration to call the 2013 Mazda MX-5 a facelift. In truth, it’s only really getting a slightly modified nose.