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The Drive
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Mazda Exec Says Sports Cars Still ‘Critical,' and Not Just Miata
The latest car news, reviews, and features. The 2026 Mazda CX-5 is just a few hours old, and if the previous generation is any indication, this redesigned model will sell like hotcakes for years to come. While that's good news for the Japanese automaker's balance sheet, what enthusiasts really want to know is what the future holds for Mazda sports cars. In conversation with Stefan Meisterfeld, VP of Strategic Planning for North America, The Drive learned that Mazda still considers sporty, fun-to-drive cars 'critical' to its business—and from the sounds of it, there may be room in the lineup for a sports car other than the venerable MX-5 Miata. 'We want to serve different customers with different solutions, with different wallets and functional needs, and emotional needs,' Meisterfeld told The Drive . 'So the MX-5 and then sports cars in general will remain a critical component of this. 'The Miata is very near and dear to all of us. Our engineers will never give up on this heritage, and clearly, this is very important. We will continue to offer the Miata, and we will continue to look into new interpretations. The sports car heritage that we have as a brand is very, very important for us,' added Meisterfeld. Blue Fish Productions for Mazda While Meisterfeld isn't exactly hinting, let alone promising a new sports car, it's worth highlighting that he precisely referenced 'MX-5 and then sports cars in general' as two different buckets, per se. Like most brands out there, Mazda has to think hard about where to invest its capital, and creating new or refreshing existing crossovers and SUVs will always be the safest bet. The current CX-30, CX-50, CX-70, and CX-90 are big players in the most important (and competitive) passenger vehicle segments. However, the sedan and hatchback versions of the 3 don't quite replace the void left by the old RX-8 and Mazdaspeed variants. 'The business is mostly around the crossovers, but all of these crossovers also have some elements of our core driving DNA that is basically embodied by the MX-5,' said Meisterfeld. At the end of the day, Meisterfeld isn't wrong about the brand's SUVs possessing that Mazda driving DNA that makes them some of the most entertaining to drive, but if sports cars are truly critical to Mazda, then hopefully we'll have news on that front soon. Got a tip? Email us at tips@
The Drive
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Dear Dodge Dart Owners: My Bad
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Last week, I wrote what seemed like a mundane news story about the Dodge Dart. For those who missed it, the feds are opening an investigation into whether a previous transmission shifter bushing recall actually fixed the problem it was designed to address. Dry stuff, really, but it passed for news in a traditionally not-so-newsy week, and to liven things up a bit, I may have taken a shot or two at the now-discontinued FCA compact, and then signed off by dressing up our normal tip solicitation just a tad: 'Of the 299,000 supposedly still out there, there might be six or seven that aren't rotting away in somebody's alleyway. ' ' Got a Dodge Dart that actually runs? Let us know at tips@ ' Welp, contrary to my flippant remarks, there really are more than just a few running Darts left in the wild, and as it turns out, quite a few of their owners read The Drive . And in defiance of all conventional Internet wisdom—not only did many of you actually read all the way to the end, but you took that bit of rhetorical flourish to heart. Over the course of the holiday weekend, Dart owner after Dart owner deposited a fresh email in our inbox, and most (though not all) of them heaped praise on their cars. Seriously, where are you all hiding? And you're all just so darned nice —too nice to treat my playful sniping as an act of hostility. Here's a sampling of the notes we received: Here's Noah to kick things off: Hello! I just finished reading Byron Hurd's piece on the Dodge Dart's faulty shifter cable. Funny enough, I don't remember ever receiving a previous recall notice and I haven't had any issues. I do perform all the maintenance myself and my Dart runs like a champ! I will keep this in mind and keep a lookout for any recalls! Have a Happy Independence Day!!! Niclas, a fellow orange-car connoisseur writes: Boy do I have a Dodge Dart. One from 2016 and two from way back in the day(older than me). It a 2016 with about 130,000 miles on it. And thank goodness it's not a lame automatic. It's seen better days. But she gets me from point A to point B and sometimes to C. I actually drove 1000 miles to get it. It was the closest one. Had to be a Dodge. Had to be a manual and most of all it had to be ORANGE. Thanks Lawrence writes: I bought a 2013 Dodge Dart new, still driving it. It's been in the shop 3 times. 2 for recalls (TCM and shifter bushing) 3rd time for a wheel alignment(maintenance). The car currently has 109768 Kilometers. It has the 1.4 turbo motor with the DDCT transmission. I had to adjust the wastegate, which I believe there is a bulletin for it. The vehicle is amazing on fuel on the highway, almost 1000 k to a tank. I replaced the rear brake pads this spring as the backing plates was rusty due to our winters. So far it's been a great reliable vehicle. It also has the rare Laguna blue paint (see photo) Robert seems to know the secret to keeping his son's Dart on the road: I wanted to email in about my 2013 Dodge Dart. It still runs fine and I have 170,000 miles on it now. I've even passed it down to my son who's started driving this summer. Let me know if you have any questions. I did experience the shifter cable failure but fixed it on my own. Roy's experience has been flawless: Best car I've ever owned. In the last almost eight years I've owned it I have only had 1 engine code for a sensor and of course the recalls. Which never gave me any issues. I only got them done for the sake of it being a recall. Better than average gas mileage at 26 City and 30 plus highway mpg. I haven't even had to replace the brakes yet. Michael's hasn't, but he's getting by: I have a 2013 Dodge dart that is experiencing those problems but it hasn't gotten to the point where it has been rendered useless I actually like the car for the most part I got a 6-speed 2013 Dodge dart SE manual. But Stephanie loves her 2016, and also included a pic. Blue Dart owners roll deep! Hello, I hope you're doing well. I've had my dart for 6 years now and I still love it. I have put it in the shop a couple of times but not until the last 6 months, the fuel pump went out and my motor mounts had to be replaced. Granted I hit a curb going pretty fast and knocked out the shifting linkage on my own and had that repaired in 2021. When i put it in the shop though, they did say I must be one of the lucky ones since mines done good overall. 2016 Dodge Dart GT. And we have another orange Dart owner here, Howie, who took a chance on one and had it pay off: I have a 2014 dart gt, 2.4l with a 6 speed manual. Crazy fun to drive and its General Lee orange. My wife wants to put the 01 on the doors and a flag on the roof. Only put a clutch and starter in it. Third owner, bought it with 121000 and currently at 172000. I bought as a commuter car to keep miles off of my Silverado. The first Dodge I've ever owned and I'm 51. It's all quiet on the Mopar front at Celia's: I own a 2015 Dodge Dart & it's still running. Read the article about the recall. Chris echoes that sentiment: I have a Dodge dart. 2014. It has over 100,000 miles on it. I have had very few problems with it. And then there's Mike, who couldn't be happier: hello, I have owned a dart since 2014 bought new. I have 135000 miles on it and had 0 issues. it is the Gt and it's peppy, 30 mpg and still in great shape, only 1 small rust bubble on the door. I love driving it and wish they still made them. I commute to work 60 miles a day 1 way and still enjoy this car. just wanted to share. A reader going only by auto_erotica might be the single most dedicated Dart owner on the planet: purchased a 2013 Dodge Dart Limited with the 1.4L and six-speed manual in December 2013 – the first year of the reissue. Still have it, still runs, is my daily driver, and I still love it. Yeah, it's a Dodge – has Dodge problems all day long. The 1.4L is from the Fiat 500 and is seriously overclocked in the Dart. I got a fight with the dealer (John Elway in Greeley, CO) when it was around 30K miles because the engine felt 'off'. It ran, but I just felt like it was having an issue. Finally got the dealer to take it in and keep it for a few days….they kept it for about a month and replaced the engine. They were kind enough to give me a nice loaner car in the meantime. It's had several recalls for stupid stuff, including needing the clutch cylinder replaced; and I really hate those heckin' low-sidewall-profile tires. Those damned tires – get a leak, flat in a minute. Always the sidewall, always requires a replacement. I will NEVER have a car with those *tty low-profile sides again. Brake Calipers are tempermental. Electronics flake out – Cruise Control will randomly crash, requires an engine-off restart Boost gate error trips, especially in hot weather – I watched a Youtube video and opened the waste gate a bit – about half of what the video suggested. Indeed it did help. But I need to go ahead and open it like the video suggested to see if that fixes it 100%. Paid a garage to replace the timing belt because you have to disassemble the whole front-right-end of the car to get at it. That's pure bullshit. But I purchased a (used) 2010 Mazda CX-9 for my wife, and that maintenance nightmare is far worse. Learned my lesson there…. But it's fun to drive with the manual and the turbo. Their official MPG is a wet dream. I drove it like a dead grandma when it was new and it never got the 40+ highway they claim. In 2013, it had the best set of safety and convenience features of any car in its price range. Seat heaters, a heated steering wheel, giant-ass display for the backup camera, this was heckin' sweet! I will drive it 'til it drops dead. Then I will revive it and drive it some more. MOPAR = My Old Pig Ain't Runnin' is still true. By far, the most surprising note came from The Drive 's very own Adam Ismail. He no longer has a Dart (running or otherwise), but I asked him to share his story anyway. He writes: So, I was still in college and I was coming out of a two year Focus lease…this was 2014 I wanna say. My family was a Chrysler family, unfortunately, and my dad wanted me in something new. My parents never wasted money except on bad new cars. He was interested in the Dart because they were practically giving them away back then, which should have been a red flag. Ultimately I had a 2.4 auto—basically the GT in every way except no leather or sunroof. It honestly was a decent car for the money but it was so thirsty, and so heavy. And the suspension was easily the worst of any small car I've ever experienced. That guy who said he blew so many tires on his Dart, I fully believe him because the same thing happened to me. Astonishingly hard ride, and those heavy 18-inch stock wheels with zero sidewall didn't help things at all. After three years I sold it and got a Fiesta ST which was a great decision. Of course I'm grateful to my parents because they paid for the Dart and I was able to put that toward the first car I bought with my own money, but yeah, not the choice I would've made. Given that Dodge sold 300,000-some-odd Darts, it really shouldn't surprise me that so many of them are still on the road, nor that one of our very own staffers had a Dart story to share. Still, to say that we've been impressed by this response would be an understatement. Kudos to all of you, and thank you for your feedback! It was, top-to-bottom, absolutely delightful to read. Got a controversial compact and a strong opinion about it? Let us know at tips@ or contact the author directly at byron@
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Hertz's new AI scanners charge renters instantly, even for tiny scratches
The Hertz rental car company, along with its Dollar and Thrifty affiliates, are rolling out AI-powered vehicle inspection scanners that scan your rental car as it exits or enters the rental lot for damage. The motivation here, clearly, is to improve rental fleet maintenance and introduce some objective data to a damage-reporting process that, traditionally, has been pretty subjective. But barely two months into the scanners' initial deployment at real-world Hertz facilities, there's already a problem. The skinny of it is a Hertz customer, Patrick, rented a Volkswagen from Hertz out of the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, which is actually the first location to implement the scanners, reported The Drive. Patrick later returned the car, albeit with a one-inch scuff on the driver's side rear wheel. Apparently, "minutes" after putting the vehicle through the scanner, he said received a damage charge for the curb rash: $250 to repair it, $125 for "processing," and an additional $65 for an "administrative fee." In total, the charge was for $440. Ouch, that's a lot of scratch — and fast It's not clear what typical Hertz repair costs are, or how quickly human-scanned damage turns into a repair estimate and charge for a customer, but the company defines the processing and administrative fees as "the cost to detect and estimate the damage that occurred during your rental" and "cover[ing] a portion of the costs [Hertz incurs] as a result of processing your claim," respectively, according to The Drive. We also figure that a human eyeing a rental for damage, inputting any such damage into a company system, and that system generating a repair charge estimate would surely take longer than a process seemingly automated end-to-end and initiated immediately upon the rental car's return. To put things into perspective, a professional curb-rash repair job typically costs between $100 to $250 per wheel. Heck, an entirely new wheel (the rented VW appears to be a late-model Jetta, based on the pictured wheel at The Drive) might even be price-competitive with the repair estimate given to Patrick, given its list price is a little over $500. Patrick claimed if he agreed to the terms and paid within two days, Hertz would give him a $52 discount. Or he could get a $32.50 discount if he paid within a week. Patrick told the outlet he wanted to speak to someone and ask about the charge. Though the Hertz website is able to connect customers with live chat agents, it doesn't seem as though the same can be said of the apps just yet; they're only able to flag a claim for later review. Patrick followed company prompts and sent an email, though a response can take up to 10 days to appear. The discount is only good for seven days, remember. As of Monday, June 23, Patrick has not paid the charge, telling The Drive: "Saving $30 to accept responsibility is not worth it." What can be done? Following this, MotorTrend has reached out to company reps to ask what Hertz is doing to make live agents more accessible to customers in the face of more automation in the rental process. We also asked if rental prices and rental repair costs were higher for customers who rent from locations that employ the scanners, as compared to those who rent from locations without them. On the record, a Hertz spokesperson responded, "The vast majority of rentals are incident-free. When damage does occur, our goal is to enhance the rental experience by bringing greater transparency, precision and speed to the process. Digital vehicle inspections help deliver on that with clear, detailed documentation that is delivered more quickly, as well as a more technology-enabled resolution process.' On the other hand, say you pick up your rental car at the start of your trip and you forget to take photos or overlook an existing bit of damage. The scanners could ensure you aren't falsely charged for dings that were already there. You're free to depart the rental lot without having to worry; ditto when returning the car — you can walk off without stress that you missed something when initially picking up the car, and (if true) confident you didn't add any patina to the car during your rental. Hertz announced its use of the AI scanners back in April. It's partnered with Israeli ex-defense and current AI vehicle inspection system company, UVeye. The scanners can measure treadwear and provide a 360-view of a car's undercarriage, body and glass. Rather than have a human come out and do a visual inspection, the scanner can do it consistently and more frequently. UVeye claims its system increases damage detection accuracy by five times. Hertz plans to implement 100 UVeye scanners at its approximately 1,600 United States airport locations by the end of 2025. It touts "transparency" as one of the main advantages its customers can expect from the tech, though it remains to be seen how transparent things remain when customers invariably require a live human to speak with to dispute the findings. To note, this is the same company that has left a rental desk unmanned for six hours, attempted to charge a customer $10,000 despite an unlimited mileage policy, attempted to charge a Tesla customer for gas, and settled for $168 million after falsely accusing hundreds of customers of stealing its cars — some of which led to innocent people getting arrested, charged with felonies, and jailed. Hertz filed for bankruptcy in 2020 but left bankruptcy after just a year when travel rebounded in full force. It was able to offload more than $5 billion in debt and invest in buying cars for its fleets and modernizing technology. Photos by manufacturer
Miami Herald
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Hertz car rentals could get a lot more expensive
Just like everything else from groceries to apartments these days, car rentals are much more expensive then they used to be. In the last decade, the price of a car rental has gone up by 29.2%, per data from Nerdwallet. Although they're not as high as they were in 2021, the year after the pandemic, you can still expect to fork out a chunk of cash if you're in need of a rental. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Where you rent the car also matters when it comes to how much you'll have to spend. Miami was the best deal as of 2024 ($377.07 for a week-long rental) among cities with large, heavily traveled airports, while New York, Chicago, and Seattle had the highest rates ($590-$624). Consumers who are used to renting cars on work trips or who travel frequently for leisure will be all too familiar with the process of having the vehicle photographed before and after to document its condition in case it's damaged during the rental duration. Related: Hertz absorbed a massive loss after electric vehicle fire sale Now, Hertz (HTZ) is introducing a new documentation process that will be less time-consuming, which seems like a boon for the consumer and the rental company alike. But according to some customers, it can also come with an unexpected new fee that could add hundreds to your bill. Earlier this year, Hertz partnered with an Israeli tech company called UVeye to introduce a new way to check the condition of car rentals when they depart and return to the rental lot. The system is called Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI) and uses AI technology to capture the data. Hertz says it enhances the rental experience by providing clear, detailed documentation of the vehicle condition. The customer is then able to view before and after photos taken via an app. That all sounds like it would be a time-saver - but some Hertz customers report being charged additional fees for small defects that they deem unfair. According to a customer who rented a car from Hertz at the Atlanta airport and spoke with The Drive, the DVI detected a one-inch scuff on the driver's side rear wheel when he returned the vehicle. Within minutes, the customer was slapped with a charge: $250 for the repair, $125 for processing, and another $65 administrative fee, totaling $440. Related: Dave Ramsey has blunt words for Americans buying a car The customer was also notified that he could get a $52 discount on the fee if he agreed to the terms and paid within two days, or a $32.50 discount if he paid within a week. When he tried to speak to a customer service agent, he was redirected to a chatbot. While Hertz gave a statement to The Drive saying that "the vast majority of rentals are incident-free," the company did not answer when asked whether damage-related fees are higher when renting vehicles from Hertz stores that use UVeye scanners versus ones that don't. Hertz is aiming to implement the scanners at 100 of its roughly 1,600 U.S. airport locations by the end of 2025. Hertz also owns several other rental car companies, including Thrifty, Dollar, and Firefly. TheStreet has reached out to Hertz to find out if the DVI will be used at these as well. UVeye revealed the partnership with Hertz in April 2025, saying, "Hertz is setting a new standard for vehicle maintenance and fleet management in the rental industry, and we're thrilled to partner with them," said UVeye CEO Amir Hever. Hertz has also drawn past customer criticism for its practices. In 2022, the rental car company faced claims that it falsely accused 364 people of stealing its vehicles. Some of the accused were arrested, charged with felony, and in some cases served time in prison. In December 2022, Hertz announced it would pay $168 million to settle the claims. Hertz has also faced other struggles. In the last four years, the car rental company has been through five different CEOs. It also filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2020, but re-emerged in June 2021 after a restructuring process. Related: Amazon aims to crush Elon Musk's Robotaxi The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Miami Herald
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
This Rolls-Royce Model is Attracting Way Younger Buyers
Back in 2010, the average age of a Rolls-Royce customer was 56. A decade and a half later, that number has dropped significantly. Your first instinct might be to lay blame at the feet of a still-exploding tech field, but you'd only be half right. In fact, the reason Rolls-Royce customers are starting to skew younger may be because the brand made the controversial jump to electrification. That's right - the all-electric Rolls-Royce Spectre is leading the charge and dropping the average age of Rolls-Royce customers like a stone. According to an interview with The Drive, the Rolls-Royce Spectre is attracting a new kind of buyer. President of Rolls-Royce North America, Jon Colbeth, claims that the average age of someone buying a Spectre as their introduction to the brand is just 35 years old. It's part of the reason that the current average age of a Rolls-Royce customer hovers around 42 years old - nearly 15 years younger than it was well, fifteen years earlier. "Tech is important to youthful clients," Colbeth told The Drive. "That's why the Spectre has resonated with those looking to buy their first Rolls-Royce." The new technology, materials, and design are central to the age changeup, Colbeth continues, but the Spectre's success story extends further than just attracting younger buyers. It's also finding a lot of new buyers, which is arguably a more important figure to look at. Rolls-Royce's President says that 40 percent of people purchasing a Spectre are completely new to the brand. As a reminder, the Spectre Black Badge - not something Rolls originally had in mind for the EV - is the most powerful Rolls-Royce model ever. It launched earlier this year, bringing an incredible 659 horsepower and 792 pound-feet of torque, new 23-inch wheels, new options, and new paint finishes to what was already an attractively styled and super exclusive luxury coupe. One takeaway from the Spectre's impact on Rolls-Royce is that hope may not be lost for brands that have largely built their reputations around the combustion engine. Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, and others find their identity inextricably tied to their combustion engines. That's a party Rolls-Royce and its iconic V12 engines would definitely have been invited to, if not hosting. The brand's success with the Spectre clearly illustrates that electrification is a valid path forward for almost any brand. While old buyers may leave, new buyers are seemingly excited and ready to join the queue. Rolls-Royce claims that the Spectre was "the most requested Rolls-Royce model in Europe last year and the second most demanded globally" in 2024. Incredibly, it also notes that the model boasted the "second-highest level of Bespoke content per motor car" in the brand's portfolio. Electrification is unfolding for Rolls-Royce at an explosive level that no one really saw coming. Driving the average customer age down tells volumes about the brand's staying power, too. Small design tweaks that have kept the brand instantly recognizable, combined with excellent powertrains and continued excellence in materials and presentation, have ensured the Goodwood automaker is here to stay before and after electrification. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
