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How VW's XL1 will make your next Golf lighter, faster and more frugal

VW will only build 250 examples of the XL1, its super-streamlined two-seater than scores a combined 314mpg thanks to its plug-in hybrid diesel engine, lightweight construction and low-drag design. Each punter will have to put up around €100,000 for the privilege of saving money on fuel – but don’t worry, because every car across the VW Group will benefit from the lessons learned, all by 2020. Is my next VW likely to be a hybrid?

Creature comforts now top car-shoppers' 'must-haves'

New technologies come with a learning curve, but once we tackle the initial challenge it's amazing how quickly new features become “must-haves.” From cars that unlock as we approach to those that keep themselves between the lines and a safe distance from what's ahead, we have already become accustomed to high-tech driving. So which features would most drivers refuse to live without? Surprisingly, it's the simplest creature comforts most people hold dear—at least for now.

2013 Honda Fit EV sales expand to East Coast

Honda is expanding leases of its Fit EV from the left-coast bastions of Oregon and California to the East Coast markets of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New York and New Jersey. Eco-minded East Coasters still can’t buy the car outright, but they’ll now be able to lease the electric Fit for three years at a cost of $389 per month. The Fit EV has a mpg equivalency rating of 118 and an EPA electric driving range of 82 miles.