16 Ski-doo E-tec Right Side Bottom Nosepan Panel Shroud 502007340 on 2040-parts.com

Volvo V40 Cross Country & V40 R-Design: Paris 2012

Volvo has revealed the V40 Cross Country and V40 R-Design at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, and both are convincing. The sporty take on the new V40 is the V40 R-design, a cosmetic update for the already good-looking V40 that manages to bolt on go-faster bits without wrecking the good lines of the normal V40. We would like to have seen the Volvo V40 R-Design get the sports suspension as standard, but Volvo obviously feel that most R-Design buyers want the looks rather than the more dynamic ride the sports suspension offers, so it stays as an option. And as the R-Design option is available across the new V40 range – from the D2 to the T4 – it’s probably the right decision.

Here's what's new in the Hyundai Genesis coupe

Hyundai has made a few tweaks to the Genesis coupe for the 2014 model, following a major redesign for 2013. The exterior stays the same, but the company has made a number of changes with the standard equipment, in addition to drivetrain and exterior options. Perhaps the biggest change to the Genesis coupe's drivetrain for the 2014 model year is a downshift rev-matching system, which has been standard for models equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Civic hybrid tests Honda's new strategy

Despite being the first to sell an electric-gasoline car in the United States and making hybrid technology a centerpiece of its fuel economy push, Honda Motor Co. has yet to have a hybrid hit. But the redesigned Civic Hybrid, launched April 20, is the first test of whether Honda's new strategy of tapping lithium ion batteries and, later, two-motor systems can break the streak.