Love That New-Car Smell? Your Body Doesn't

An environmental group has released the findings of its annual study on automotive toxic materials, and the news isn't good for 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport owners.

Mitsubishi's compact SUV was rated the worst for toxic materials in the cabin, according to tests by the Ecology Center, a non-profit group based in Ann Arbor, Mich. The center found higher levels of contaminants such as bromine, chromium and lead in the Outlander Sport's seats, plastic parts and center console. Other offenders on the list include the 2011 Chrysler 200 and the 2011 Kia Soul.

2012 Mitsubishi i Delivered to First U.S. Retail Customers

Gas-free motoring options are expanding in 2012. Mitsubishi's first all-electric car, the i, is now finding its way to retail customers. The four-door hatchback first went on sale in Hawaii last month, and Mitsubishi is now rolling it out at West Coast dealerships. Customers in California, Oregon and Washington were the first in the continental U.S. to take delivery of the i.

The i (formerly called the i-MiEV) seats four and draws power from a 66-horsepower electric motor and 16-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The EPA lists a 62.3-mile driving range, but this number varies based on city and highway driving. Mitsubishi estimates charging time at 22 hours on a 120-volt outlet and seven hours on a Level 2 240-volt charging station.

The 2012 Mitsubishi i starts at $29,125; the $7,500 applicable federal tax credit brings the price to $21,625. But how much does it cost to drive? The EPA lists an annual fuel cost of $550. It uses the national average electricity rate of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour and an annual driving range of 15,000 miles to calculate the i’s operating costs. 

Mitsubishi plans a gradual rollout for the i, with nationwide availability by this summer.

Recall Alert: 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Mitsubishi is recalling 21 model-year 2012 Outlander Sport compact SUVs for faulty turn-signal levers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles were built from Nov. 9 through Dec. 16. In some vehicles, the turn-signal lever’s auto-cancel function may not work. If this happens, the turn signal may indicate a direction the car no longer intends to travel, increasing the risk of a crash.

Mitsubishi has not yet provided an owner notification schedule, but dealers will inspect and replace faulty turn-signal levers for free. Owners can call Mitsubishi at 800-222-0037 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Mitsubishi i Electric Car to Go on Sale Six Months Early

Mitsubishi is moving up its nationwide rollout of its 2012 Mitsubishi i electric car by six months to compete better with the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus EV and Honda Fit EV. The rollout, which was scheduled for December 2012, will happen by July, company President Osamu Masuko told Automotive News.

The 2012 i, formerly known as the i-MiEV, began shipping to initial markets on the West Coast last month, with the first retail sales beginning this month. Mitsubishi recently raised the EV’s price to $29,125 before launch, a $1,135 increase. Regardless, it remains the most affordable mainstream EV available.

The Leaf is now available in 30 states, and its nationwide rollout will be finished by March. The Focus EV just launched in three initial markets, with 15 more coming in 2012. The just-announced Honda Fit EV will come next summer to California and Oregon and to the East Coast in early 2013.

Toyota Camry Most Stolen Car

The Toyota Camry was the most stolen new passenger car in 2009, according to the most recent information provided by the National Crime Information Center, a government agency that is part of the FBI.

Out of all the Camrys produced in 2009, about 781 were stolen. Keep in mind that the Camry was (and is) the best-selling passenger car. So the fact that it leads the list isn't remarkable; in fact, the rate at which it was stolen was nearly half the national average. 

This Season's Best Tailgating Cars

Everyone knows we’re huge football fans here at Cars.com. We are an official sponsor of ESPN’s Saturday College Football, we’re just minutes from Soldier Field, and our staff has a long-running fantasy football league (with a certain editor taking the crown repeatedly.)

Tailgating is one of the best parts of going to a football game. You’re wearing your favorite team’s gear, grilling good food, talking to friends and probably throwing around a ball or bean bag.

But what about the cars that need to serve as more than transportation? They have to haul your tailgating gear and often do double duty as a place to sit. Here is our list of the top tailgating machines for the 2011-12 football season.

2012 Honda Ridgeline

There has never been another feature more tailored for tailgating than the watertight trunk under the bed of the Honda Ridgeline (above). Sure, the Ridgeline is an aging platform that hasn’t taken off with the traditional truck buyer, but it is a great tailgater. It can carry five people in comfort, and once you get to the parking lot and open that huge cooler, your neighbors will be struck in awe. Jaws will drop. You’ll be the king of the tailgaters.

Mitsubishi Raises Price on Electric Car Before It Arrives

Mitsubishi has decided to raise the price of its electric i, formerly known as the i-MiEV, to $29,125. That’s a $1,135 increase.

Mitsubishi said it had to raise the price by about 4% because of “unforeseen changes in market conditions.” The price of the up-level SE trim increases by $1,135, too, now starting at $31,125. Despite the increases, the i will remain the most affordable electric car when it goes on sale early next year, undercutting the 2012 Nissan Leaf by $6,075.

The Cold Zone Package and the Premium Package, which includes a navigation system and the DC quick-charging port option, keep the same pricing.

The i will initially be sold in West Coast states this fall, and more markets will be added gradually with the goal of hitting all 50 states by November 2012, Mitsubishi says.

Continue reading below for more pricing details:

2011 Sales Remain Down for Chrysler, Toyota, Lexus and More

We're halfway through 2011 and a handful of automotive brands are standing out, but for all the wrong reasons. Because 2010 was such a poor year for car sales, sales growth in 2011 was supposed to be automatic. After six months, however, Acura, Infiniti, Toyota, Lincoln, Chrysler, Lexus and Smart are reporting falling sales compared with the first six months of last year.

Without the PT Cruiser and without any SUV, Chrysler's lineup features just three nameplates, the 200 and 300 sedans and the Town & Country minivan. Midsize sedan sales — that's the 200 and its predecessor, the Sebring — reached 34,851 through June, up from 21,365 last year. But sales of the 300 haven't taken off with the introduction of the 2011 redesigned model. Sales of the big sedan are down 34% so far this year. In contrast to the rising sales of its Dodge Grand Caravan twin, the Town & Country is off by 24% this year, a loss of nearly 15,000 sales for Chrysler. Also gone are 3,589 PT Cruiser sales; Chrysler pulled the plug on the offbeat car.

2012 Mitsubishi i EV Bests Nissan Leaf's "Fuel" Efficiency

Mitsubishi announced that its small electric vehicle, the Mitsubishi i, has achieved an EPA fuel-efficiency rating of 112 MPGe. That number beats the Nissan Leaf’s 99 MPGe and makes the Mitsu the most fuel-efficient car tested by the EPA.

For folks who aren’t familiar with the recently coined measurement, MPGe stands for miles per gallon gasoline equivalent. It’s supposed to translate the energy consumption of alternative-fuel vehicles into relatable terms.

At a more granular level, the i (previously known as the i-MiEV) is more fuel efficient in the city than on the highway; the same is true for the Leaf. The i gets 126 MPGe in the city and 99 MPGe on the highway. Real-world electric range is estimated at 62 miles, more than 10 miles less than the Leaf, the EPA says.

Since the Mitsubishi i is significantly smaller than the Leaf, the latter remains the most environmentally friendly midsize car.

The Mitsubishi i goes on sale in select markets this fall, with a starting price of $27,990 before federal tax breaks. A nationwide rollout is scheduled for November 2012.

Related
Mitsubishi i Electric Car To Start at $20,490
Mitsubishi i-MiEV: First Look

AAA To Offer Mobile EV Charging

AAA is ready to start assisting electric car owners who run out of juice on the road, according to the motor club. It showed off a fully functioning electric-vehicle mobile charging unit at a conference for electric vehicles held last week.

The mobile charging unit will come with a Level 2 charger and a faster Level 3 charger, which can be used on the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i MiEV. The fast charger is designed to work with quick-charging systems compatible with the CHAdeMO protocol, and on the Leaf, it can charge the electric car to about 80% capacity in as little as 30 minutes.

AAA hasn’t released any additional information on service prices or charging time; we can’t imagine they’ll have a service person wait eight hours as you charge your Leaf on Level 2 charger.

Nissan provides complimentary towing for Leaf owners who run out of battery power, but not a quick-charge service.

More information on the mobile charging unit will be released next month, and the motor club plans on putting the unit into service later this summer. Five more units will come to California, Florida, Washington and other states by August, according to Fast Company.