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March Sales Begin like a Lion, Thanks to Toyota, GM Incentives |
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Friday, 12 March 2010 00:00 |
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Fresh Toyota and General Motors incentives boosted the U.S. auto market
in early March to the fastest sales pace this year, the auto data Web site Edmunds.com
said late Thursday. According to Automotive News, in the first eight days of March,
the U.S. seasonally adjusted annualized sales rate was 12.5 million units, said
Edmunds.com senior analyst Ray Zhou. That's the highest level since the Cash
for Clunkers surge in August 2009. “Generous incentives from GM and Toyota
have stimulated this boom,” Zhou said. “But I anticipate that it
will cool off and the month will end with a SAAR in the low 11 millions.” Toyota
Motor Sales U.S.A. on March 1 launched an incentives push offering 0 percent
financing, subsidized lease rates and, for repeat customers, two years of free
maintenance. GM matched that. With the incentives, the U.S. market share for
Toyota's brands – Toyota, Scion and Lexus – jumped to 16.8 percent
in early March from 12.8 percent in February. Its daily retail sales rate in
early March rose about 71 percent from February's. Toyota's incentives make it
the big winner so far for two reasons: It initiated the offer, and people recognize
that the company's troubles make it ready to deal, said Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy
Anwyl. Click here for more on what Toyota is doing to stimulate the auto
industry. |
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Review: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Raises the Bar for Rivals |
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Friday, 12 March 2010 00:00 |
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According to James R. Healey at USA Today, Hyundai wants the redesigned 2011 Sonata to change the midsize, family sedan segment.
It does take some daring steps: For one, it's not so midsize anymore, not by
the government's definition of full size, which is 120 cubic feet of passenger
and cargo space added together. Sonata, at 120.2 cubic feet, squeaks into full
size, as has Honda's Accord (120 cubic feet) since its last redesign. Two, Sonata
offers only a four-cylinder engine. No more V-6 that Sonata used to offer as
an option, and that rivals still do. Hyundai's U.S. CEO John Krafcik is certain
that small, high-tech four-cylinder engines are the future, and he wants Hyundai
there now. He wants the brand to be inarguably the highest-mileage car company
in the U.S. Three, Sonata is rated a commendable 35 miles per gallon on the highway,
vs. 31 mpg and 32 mpg for the Accord and Camry fours. But the around-town rating
of 22 mpg for the Sonata is little or no better than the others.Click here for photos of the redesigned Hyundai Sonata. To read Healey’s entire review on the standards the Sonata
sets for the rest of the industry, click here. |
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Most Value-Packed Cars |
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Monday, 08 March 2010 00:00 |
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Most
Value-Packed CarsForbes has compiled its list of the most valuable vehicles on
the road today. To determine the most value-packed cars of 2010, the publication
first evaluated the five-year total cost of ownership for all models sold in
the United States. Five-year costs of ownership include adjusted MSRP and five-year
totals for fuel costs, maintenance, repairs, average national insurance rates,
depreciation, interest, opportunity costs, and taxes. Forbes then isolated
the two models in each segment with the lowest costs of ownership, further
eliminating any among the top pairs that weren't selected by Consumer Reports
as a "Recommended Pick" for 2010. Recommended Picks are models that have average
or better predicted reliability and that meet Consumer Reports' safety standards;
they also had to have performed well in accelerating, braking, handling, comfort,
and other user-oriented tests. Most of the cars on Forbes’ list are international. Volvo's $39,200 S80 and Lexus' $39,025 RX350 are the standouts, each meeting Forbes’ list
criteria: standard leather interior on at least one trim level, satellite radio
and Bluetooth capability, advanced airbag systems, cruise control, AWD, and
remote keyless entry. But they go above and beyond that. Click here to check out Forbes’ full list of value-packed
cars. Click here to read in-depth analysis on the best values on the
block. |
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Review: Acura Back on Track with 2010 MDX |
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Monday, 08 March 2010 00:00 |
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Scott Burgess at The Detroit News writes that despite his misgivings with some
recent Acura vehicles, his experience test-driving the 2010 Acura MDX reminds
him how good this brand can be. This seven-passenger crossover is a blast to
drive with its super-handling all-wheel drive and comfortable and well-designed
interior. Click here for a picture of the MDX. The MDX provides the luxury
appoints you'd expect in a premium brand, surprisingly good road manners, and
lots of attention to detail inside and outside the vehicle. The exterior is simple
and straightforward with chunky lines along the side of the grille. Acura has
done a nice job with the narrow headlights that seem to flow right out of the
grill. For the 2010 model year, Acura tried to toughen up the MDX's looks and,
overall, succeeded. The MDX has an athletic stance. All of the lines seem to
be drawn parallel to the ground to create a very stable look. The extra thick
D-pillar in the back may make looking out more difficult from the third row,
but it adds to the dramatic curves cut by the windows. More importantly, the
MDX rides and drives the way you'd expect an Acura to roll. Click here for Burgess’ entire review of the Acura MDX. |
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Best Cars for Commuters |
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Friday, 05 March 2010 00:00 |
Forbes
set
out to identify the very best vehicles for commuters. They found that low- to
mid-priced vehicles using hybrid or diesel power in four-cylinder engines are
the best bets for drivers looking simply to get from A to B without a lot of
distraction in between. To make their list of the ten best commuter cars, Forbes examined
all 2010 new vehicles on sale in the United States, paring down the group by
selecting only those labeled by Consumer Reports as "Recommended Picks" this
year. The 10 vehicles with the best combination of highway fuel efficiency, legroom
and headroom made the list. Several finalists - the
$19,500 MINI Cooper and $21,150 MINI Cooper Clubman, among others - landed
in the top 10 by virtue of their generous cabin room and substantial fuel efficiency.
Several diesels also made the list. Besides their enviable efficiency (42 mpg
and 47 mpg on the highway, respectively, after Consumer Reports tests), the $22,254
Volkswagen Golf TDI and $22,830 Volkswagen Jetta TDI offer features that make
a commute more enjoyable - including touch-screen navigation and satellite radio. For
Forbes’s complete list of the ten best cars for commuters, click here.
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