Scanstrut M92698 Mast Mount M92698 on 2040-parts.com

BMW introduces diesel 2015 X3 before Chicago Auto Show

BMW's successful X3 SUV is getting new features for 2015, the company said on Wednesday before the Chicago Auto Show. For the first time in the U.S., a diesel engine will be offered on the midsized 'ute, as will a lower-cost rear-wheel drive model. The BMW X3 xDrive28d -- quite a mouthful -- will deliver 180 hp and a robust 280 lb-ft of torque using a 2.0-liter, TwinPower turbo diesel engine.

Honda looks ahead with new SUV

HONDA has unveiled a brand-new crossover SUV at the Tokyo Motor Show, scheduled to reach the UK in 2015. The compact-sized Vezel offers four-wheel drive and in Japan will come in petrol and hybrid models, although the 1.6-litre diesel is likely to feature in European specification. Combining the stance and driving position of an SUV but the design features of a coupe, the Vezel aims to compete with the increasing number of crossover vehicles that are winning sales from conventional hatchbacks.

Revealed: the popular city cars that FAIL a new crash test

It’s fair to say that drivers are pretty well protected in just about any new car on the market today. It’s rare for cars to get anything below the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests, and even the most basic of cars come with equipment like ABS and airbags as standard. But America’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has devised a new test, which involves a “small overlap front crash” – similar to a head-on crash but only the front corner of a car collides with a solid object.