Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Campaign to tackle used car faults

A NEW INITIATIVE by the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) to help the public avoid the dangers of buying a used car has been launched. It comes after research by the TSI that shows a half of all used cars show up with a fault within a month of being bought by a new owner. In the past 12 months, the TSI has received 84,000 complaints about used cars.

New options make Prius pricey

High-tech features and luxury options will push the redesigned Toyota Prius into new territory--namely, $30,000-plus. The 2010 Prius hybrid will offer options found on luxury cars: systems that automatically park the car in a parallel parking space and slow the vehicle when a crash is likely. But Toyota is aware of a new competitor--the 2010 Honda Insight, a hybrid that is a little smaller and expected to be less expensive than the Prius.

Mazda refines lineup with SkyActiv technology

It turns out Mazda isn't simply shooting for the sky. Rather, the protagonists of Zoom-Zoom driving dynamics are taking an active approach to the brand's DNA: Put it all together: it's called “SkyActiv,” and Mazda is billing the suite of technologies as the pillars of its way forward. Much of these features--which enhance future products in nearly all areas, including engine, transmission and chassis--have already been revealed.