Kln94 P/n 069-01034-0101 on 2040-parts.com

Kias are the least expensive to insure; Audi and Acura, not so much

The Kia Sedona tops the list, with the Mazda 5, the Ford Escape and the Hyundai Santa Fe right behind. No, it's not the “top cars least likely to be bought by enthusiasts” list, although it would fit. It's the list of the least expensive cars to insure.

Honda plans rapid-fire launch of 2012 Civics

Honda will take a hurry-up approach when launching its delayed Civic family in April. Unlike past Civic rollouts--which spread the debuts of model types and variations over months and even years--Honda will launch every variety of the 2012 Civic within weeks of each other, said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. The family includes a sedan and coupe, multiple engines, lithium ion hybrid and natural gas versions, and a Civic Si edition.

Better Place EV Battery Swap business goes bust

It seemed like a good idea: take the cost of batteries out of the cost of buying an electric car and instead charge EV owners to use ‘Battery Swap’ stations where depleted batteries could be swapped for fully charged ones in the time it takes to fill an ICE car with petrol. But it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong. Better Place – which partnered with Renault in 2009 to make the battery swap technology viable – has failed to find anyone to add to the $750 million already involved in the project and has filed for bankruptcy.