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

All used up: Pre-owned sales rise as consumers seek new-car alternatives

Used-car sales took a leap upward in April, and the trend is expected to continue at least until midyear as pent-up demand for affordable pre-owned vehicles jacks up at least one segment of the car marketplace. Sales of new cars continued an unabated slide toward what analysts say is a 30-year low in the United States, but used-car sales showed strength as buyers unable to finance new cars shifted their sights to less expensive used models. As a result, retailers such as the large Penske Automotive Group reported that despite an overall decline in sales in the first three months of 2009, improving used-car sales kept them in the black.

IIHS gives Camry, Prius v hybrid poor safety rating

Thirteen mid-sized cars have earned high marks on the insurance industry's newest frontal-crash test, but a pair of Toyota models tested fared worse than the rest. The so-called small overlap test involves crashing the front corner of a car into a barrier at 40 mph. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety devised the test to simulate a collision with a stationary object such as a tree or a utility pole.

Citroen DS3 Airflow (DS3 Convertibe) in 2013

Citroen DS3 will get a Fiat 500-style folding roof and be called the DS3 AirFlow As regular readers can’t have failed to notice over the last year or so, the Citroen DS3 is one of our favourite cars. In fact so good is the DS3 we gave it our ‘Best Car when you have to pay for it yourself Award’ in our round-up of the best cars of 2010. For a car based on the dreary – if competent – Citroen C3, the DS3 is a revelation.