A sale is a sale, right? Well, at least in the automotive world, that’s not entirely true. A sale to a regular consumer is, generally speaking and for a number of reasons, much more attractive to an automaker than a sale to a fleet company (sales to companies or the government, for instance).
With that in mind, it’s not surprising to hear America CEO John Krafcik tell Automotive News that his company is looking to cut its fleet sales in half to about 32,000 units while simultaneously increasing retail sales by 100,000. If Hyundai manages to achieve those goals, it would post a 10-percent sales increase in 2012.
If you hear the pejorative “chick car,” what comes to mind? ? ? Would you believe neither made Inside Line’s list of 2011 models with the highest percentage of female ownership? No. 1, with 57.9-percent female ownership was the . Considering the female dollar is sought-after, it’s probably too bad that Volvo decided to for 2012.
That means No. 2, the with 56.9 percent, could take the top spot for 2012. Or maybe the at No. 3 with 56.4 percent. We’re also kind of wondering how the new will fare this year.
No. 4 is another VW that shouldn’t surprise. The cute has been a perennial favorite among the ladies. It was No. 1 , but as we know, the newer, more aggressively styled Beetle is enjoying among the guys. No. 5? The , of all things.
Here’s how the rest shake out according to Inside Line:
Top ten 2011 models with the highest proportion of female buyers
Mazda’s new compact crossover is coming out of the gate strong, with the garnering generally good reviews that include . Now, can tout a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, as well. The CX-5 snagged “Good” ratings across the board, including front, side, rollover and rear crash tests.
The CX-5 joins its stablemate, the , on the 2012 Top Safety Pick list, which is growing rapidly. Just in the small SUV class that the CX-5 is categorized in, eight models are now listed, including the , , (with optional side torso airbags), , , and .
Click to read the full press release from Mazda, as well as watch the CX-5’s IIHS crash testvideo.
Mazda’s attractive and fun-to-drive goes on sale this month, and the automaker’s North American arm has just announced that it will be priced from $20,695 (*not including $795 for destination). That’s a higher base price than competitors like the , and , but the CX-5 boasts some of the best driving dynamics in the segment, not to mention the .
That $20,695 price point refers, of course, to the CX-5 Sport with the (remarkably good) six-speed manual transmission. Opting for the six-speed automatic will set you back an additional $1,400, and if you want to add all-wheel drive, be prepared to dish out another $1,250. Moving up, Touring models with either front- or all-wheel drive start at $23,895 and $25,145, respectively, and are only available with the six-speed automatic gearbox. Lastly, the range-topping Grand Touring comes in at $27,045 (FWD) and $28,295 (AWD), and with the $1,325 technology package added to the GT trim, you’ll be looking at $29,620 for a fully loaded CX-5.
The 2013 CX-5 uses Mazda’s brand new 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G gasoline engine, along with a host of other weight-saving technologies. We’ve driven the CX-5 on two different occasions, and while we’re quite impressed with the steering, manual gearbox and suspension, we wish interior refinement were a bit better. Still, is positioning the CX-5 as the enthusiast’s small crossover, and we’re inclined to agree. for Mazda’s official pricing release.
Want to buy a when it hits dealer lots in ? You might be out of luck. Unless, that is, you reside in New York or California, as those are reportedly the only two states that are in line to receive retail deliveries of the electrified Focus before the end of 2011.
Spring 2012 is now the official arrival time for the rest of us who live in the that will get the Focus Electric. Those markets includeAtlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh Durham, Richmond, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson and Washington, D.C.
David Finnegan, Ford’s electrified vehicles marketing manager, is being reported saying:
For the first few months of production, we will be concentrating on California and New York. Our dealers in those areas will be the first to have their retail orders scheduled and receive the Focus Electric. We will be rolling out to the remainder of our initial markets starting in Spring 2012.
Heck, even Ford’s “Go gas-free” Focus Electric promo ad reads “Coming spring 2012.” It doesn’t get much more official than that.
originally appeared on on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our .
The national average price of gasoline has hit exactly $4 a gallon, approximately a dime below its all-time high. According to a Lundberg Survey of fueling stations released on Sunday, pump prices rose 12 cents over the past two weeks. On July 7, 2008, the national average price of gas soared to $4.114 a gallon, a record-setting high, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy.
If you’re hunting for bargain gas, and willing to drive to get it, then Tucson, AZ offers you the lowest average price among cities surveyed at just $3.62 a gallon. Meanwhile, drivers in Chicago suffered the most, having to dish out an average of $4.50 for a single gallon of the go-juice.
The U.S. Department of Energy will release its weekly survey of diesel and gasoline prices on Monday afternoon. Who’s willing to bet that prices will have come down by then?
made news recently when . Now, the program is officially under way.
If you purchase a Hyundai vehicle at an authorized dealership, in 24 or 48 months time you can trade that vehicle back in for a new Hyundai and the dealer will honor the agreed-upon future value of your trade-in. Should your car be worth a bit less due to the changing market, you will still receive full value. However, should your car be worth more, then you will receive the increased value to put towards the price of a new Hyundai.
A study released by TrueCar.com revealed that 7.4 percent of buyers in 2010 were women, a 2.2-percent rise over the previous year. and also saw an increase in purchases by females, with Rolls climbing from eight percent to 9.3 percent and Ferrari going from 5.1 percent to 6.4 percent.
Those increases take the number of ladies who buy exotics from next-to-nothing to very small, but an increase is an increase. TrueCar doesn’t offer an explanation as to what may have caused the uptick. Got any ideas? Leave ‘em in the ‘Comments’ below.
Overall, the survey showed that females are far more likely to buy an inexpensive and practical car than males, who are much more likely to opt for big, brawny cars. According to the study, the top 10 cars that sold more than 50 percent of the time to women were the New Beetle, Spectra, , Volkswagen Eos, Entourage, S40, , , and the . Surely you saw some of those coming…
Conversely, the list for men was far less practical (excepting pickup trucks, of course) and far faster. It included the , Sierra, , , , , Ford Ranger, Tundra, and the . Well done, men – that’s not a bad lookin’ list right there. Check out more details and commentary in the press release .
Joey and Chandie Lawrence help you pick out a new car – Click above to watch the video
Shopping for a new car (or truck, for that matter) in a crowded segment can be a bewildering task, especially when you’re talking about mid-size SUVs and crossovers. There’s a plethora positioned under the 30-grand mark, and most of them have comparable features and specs. So which one to choose?
Our friends over at Cars.com recently assembled a selection of nine such vehicles – the , , , , , , , , and – and pitted them against each other. Now you may be thinking, Really? A Journey against a Sportage? What gives?
True, they’re vastly different vehicles, but Cars.com arrived at its selections through a different kind of methodology. They checked with J.D. Power & Associates to find a median price – $29k – and then let the automakers choose which of their products to field in the test. Then they assembled a panel of testers, including members of their own editorial staff, plus Chris Woodyard of USA Today, Brian Robinson from MotorWeek and – wait for it – Joey Lawrence. Yes, he of Blossom and Melissa & Joey fame. Whoa!
So what did the B-list celeb (along with his wife Chandie and two daughters) and his auto-journo fellow jurists select? Hit the source link to find out, but we’ll give you a hint: we listed them above by score from 1st to 9th. Bonus: for a video featuring Joey and Chandie.
Hyundai Curb Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
’s Curb concept moves the automaker’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language in a more youthful direction. While we’ve seen plenty of urbanized concepts and production vehicles that use the traditional box-like design pioneered by the original , Hyundai chose to create something substantially more curvaceous and sleek. “We wanted the Curb to be urban tough without looking like a Brink’s truck,” Hyundai’s designer, Jason Brown, says.
The basis for the Curb’s powertrain is Hyundai’s new 1.6-liter Gamma inline-four, though the addition of a turbocharger means output is boosted to around 175 horsepower. Combined with a dual-clutch transmission, the Curb is efficient enough to achieve around 30 miles per gallon in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. That power runs to the ground through a large set of 22-inch five-spoke wheels wrapped in Michelin tires with a custom saffron-colored tread pattern. Funky, yes, but definitely fitting for an urban concept car.
Other forward-thinking exterior design elements include exhaust vents that open to reveal a bike rack, a pop-up roof rack and a third rear access door for easier ingress and egress to the rear seats.
The interior features a large acrylic screen that allows information to be passed between all of the passengers inside the Curb, and a heads-up display provided by Continental shows navigation information as well as screens for the cameras used in place of side mirrors. Saffron interior accents compliment the tire tread, and three-holded A-pillars increase the driver’s cornering visibility. Hyundai’s new is used to keep owners connected with their electronic systems at all times, as well.
It’s all very funky and hip, and we’d like to see this sort of design come to live as a sub- urban utility vehicle. for Hyundai’s official press release and stay tuned for live images direct from the floor.
Hyundai Curb concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
has announced that it is bringing a new crossover concept – the Curb – to the 2011 Detroit Auto Show next week. We only have two teaser shots of the new CUV, and while the big wheels and overly swoopy lines are concept car-spec through and through, we won’t rule out the possibility of a sub- crossover coming down the pipeline in the next few years. The has been given the typical not-gonna-happen future-tech layout, but it is indeed eye-catching and definitely draws our interest.
The Curb concept will be rolled out on Monday, January 10, and we’ll be on hand to bring you the full suite of details and photos live from Cobo Hall. In the meantime, you can check out both teaser images in high-resolution glory in the gallery below.
2011Hyundai Sonata 2.0T – Click above for high-res image gallery
It should hardly come as news to anyone reading Autoblog that is in the midst of a hot streak. New models are coming out left and right, the automaker’s quality is reaching new heights and there are no signs of slowing down. So while the automaker’s momentum isn’t news, its sales numbers are: For the first time in its history, the Korean manufacturer has broken the 500,000 unit sales barrier in the States.
The hottest item for Hyundai this year? The aforementioned Sonata, of which 183,102 have been sold. The Sonata is followed by the and Sante Fe with sales of 120,924 and 70,082 respectively.
This is Hyundai’s 25th year in the United States and its sales are way up for the year. Sonata sales are up 64 percent over last year while the has exploded – up 145 percent – and the has gained 37 percent over its prior year sales.
IIHS small car bumper crash tests – Click above for high-res image gallery
As you’re likely aware, all cars must pass strict federal guidelines in order to be sold in America, and those regulations include specific bumper heights. What you may not know, however, is that trucks and SUVs aren’t required to meet the same guidelines as passenger cars. Factor in the huge numbers of SUVs and crossovers that are sold each year and you begin to see why can cause major problems.
Perhaps the best way to illustrate this conundrum is by way of a photo gallery, which the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has so thoughtfully provided. As is the Institute’s custom, it has gone ahead and crashed a small sedan head-to-head into a typical SUV from the same automaker at low speeds (10mph). The results are conclusive, and they mean big repair bills for the owner (or, naturally, their insurance company) of the smaller car. Despite the modest velocities, repair estimates ranged from $850 to a whopping $6,015.
Of the seven pairs of vehicles damaged-for-a-cause in this round of low-speed testing, the and performed the best, with bumpers that actually overlapped by more than two inches. By way of contrast, the and performed the worst. Says Joe Nolan, the Institute’s chief administrative officer:
The RAV4’s so-called bumper is really just a stamped piece of sheet metal supporting the bumper cover. So instead of engaging a strong bumper, the striking Corolla hit the spare tire mounted on the RAV4’s tailgate. The spare isn’t designed to absorb crash energy, so it damaged the Corolla’s hood, grille, headlights, air conditioner, and radiator support and crushed the RAV4’s tailgate and rear body panels.
Ouch. For a complete visual understanding of all the carnage, be sure to check out our high-res image gallery below. And for more explanation on each pair’s results – including the and , and and and – click past the break for the official press release.
2011 Hyundai Elantra – Click above for high-res image gallery
The 2011 may have been one of ’s worst-kept secrets. Aside from releasing a , the Korean automaker in the form of the Avante, the version destined for Hyundai’s home market. Last week, we told you about the new sedan’s ability to achieve , and finally, we now have the official images and details about the Elantra bound for the U.S. And we must say, it’s quite a looker.
Hyundai has made quite an impression with its “fluidic sculpture” design language, most recently with the updated crossover and sedan. The new Elantra’s design is tied to the rest of the family with its strong side character lines, wraparound taillamps and hexagonal grille. We can’t wait to see what it looks like in deep red or black.
, the 2011 Elantra will be powered by an all-new 1.8-liter inline-four that produces 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. Curiously, Hyundai has not seen fit to utilize its new 1.8-liter mill with direct injection, but the automaker’s North American CEO, John Krafcik, tells us not to rule out the addition of GDI direct injection on future versions of the Elantra. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, the Elantra will return a ultra-respectable 28 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. Hyundai says that 40 mpg is attainable on the full range of Elantra trims, unlike the and upcoming which need to be optioned a certain way to achieve such a lofty fuel economy figure.
Official trim levels and pricing specifications will be released closer to the sedan’s official debut at the later this week, and we can expect the Elantra to arrive at dealerships before the end of the year. In the meantime, scroll through our high-res gallery below to see the new Elantra from all angles.
Mummbles Hyundai Equus – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ten years ago, when came to for the first time, it did so with and models with wacky appliques. Now, like Jay Z, they’ve rolled up Big Pimpin’ with three luxocruisers dressed and dropped by the likes of Rhys Millen, Mummbles, and DUB magazine.
The Mummbles Marketing steed, nicknamed the “Elegant Equus,” has had its outside, inside, wheels, brakes, suspension and engine reworked. Among the extensive changes are an SPA turbo for the V8 with an S-Max intercooler and wastegate, as well as a Nitrous Express kit blowing out through a Magnaflow system, an Air Lift digital air suspension, Wilwood brakes hiding behind 22-inch Equip E10 wheels, while inside there are gunmetal and burgundy custom leather interior, glowing gauges, and Junction Produce curtains all around.
Rhys Millen is offering an , the third year he’s worked with Hyundai to show something off. A more subtle option than either of Hyundai’s other big horses, Millen’s gone for carbon fiber and blue satin outside on 21-inch HRE wheels with RMR brakes, thirty more ponies under the hood with the RMR air intake, while ostrich leather provides the… goosebumps… inside atop embroidered seats.
As for DUB – well, you know full well what they did: mesh, chrome, 24-inch TIS wheels, “D” logos, nine more speakers plus a couple more amps, blacklights, and DUB edition Monster energy drinks in iced coolers, all drenched in gloss black and matte charcoal. Be honest: you’d have been disappointed with anything else. Find them all in the gallery of high-res photos below.
Motor Trend has been around since 1949, and during that time it has handed out a fair share of awards to various automakers and vehicle models. More recently, the print publication has gone online by way of its web site, Youtube page and various social media networks. One network in particular has stuck a chord with the buff book and it’s choosing to leverage the power of Facebook to of its 2011 Sport/Utility Vehicle of the Year award.
M/T has been steadily rolling out its top 15 contenders, with the announcement of the winner to be made on October 19th, 2010 at 12:01 a.m EST. Why Facebook?
“We want to foster a two-way dialogue with our audience,” said Angus MacKenzie, Editor In-Chief of Motor Trend, “and Facebook was the next logical step to engage our community even further.”
A pool of 50 U.S. and Canada-based automotive journalists from various news outlets has cut down the list for the 2011 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards to 14 possible winning vehicles in each category.
Among the manufacturers, , /, , and lead with the most nominations, and the lists run the gamut from the inexpensive (Ford Fiesta, Mazda2), to the sybaritic (Audi A8, Jaguar XJ, Porsche Cayenne), to the groundbreaking (Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf).
Car
Truck
Dodge Durango
Ford Explorer
Jurors will cull each list down further in December, and the finalists will be displayed when the winning car and truck are announced at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
What car and truck do you expect to win? Check out our galleries of the finalists below, then to place your vote for the car and truck you expect to win. If you like, you can also drop your fellow commenter a line as to what vehicle you’d most like to see take home the heavy hardware.
(*Full Disclosure: Author is a member of the NACTOY voting jury)
Hyundai ix20 – Click above for high-res image gallery
’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language may be doing wonders on North American-spec and , but this same design language will make its way across the automaker’s entire worldwide lineup over the next few years. We’ve seen it previewed in the next-generation and , and now Hyundai has released some preview images of its new ix20 small MPV, set to debut at this year’s . At first glance, it looks like a teeny-tiny ground-bound Tucson. It’s cute, if a bit angry-looking.
We’ll have to wait until the Paris show opens up before we get the full details on the ix20. For now, Hyundai is only saying that its new MPV will offer class-leading fuel economy, low C02 emissions and the latest in active and passive safety technologies. Follow the jump for the full details in the press release.
2011 Hyundai Sonata – Click above for high-res image gallery
It seems that is having a very similar problem to in its home market. Overseas customers can’t get enough of its products, but buyers at home are rather ho-hum. Just as Buick is huge in China, Hyundai models are selling like gangbusters in North America and Europe. However, in South Korea, Hyundai sales have dropped for three months in a row. Interestingly, sister brand is seeing robust sales for its just introduced K5 ( in the U.S.) and with total volumes up by 49 percent compared to 2009.
Lack of fresh product is blamed for the 1.2 percent decline at Hyundai, although the new and were launched just last Fall. Hyundai has several new products coming in August with the new and as well as the new coupe (or whatever it ends up being called), and those new models may spur an increase in domestic sales.
Volkswagen New Beetle – Click above for high-res image gallery
Men, take note: According to a new survey from research firm TrueCar, the Volkswagen New Beetle is (still) the ultimate car for women. Apparently, its combination of cute-as-a-button looks and affordable pricing make the reborn Bug a total hit with the fairer sex.
This data was determined not by some silly woman-on-the-street clipboard survey, but rather by looking at the registrations of more than 13 million vehicles over the past two years. We could have saved them quite a bit of work if they wanted to know that the New Beetle was a chick car, but whatever. There was some other interesting info gleaned from the research, including the revelation that 64% of all cars are registered by men despite the fact that there are more women (at 51% of the population, just a tad) than men in America.
Rounding out the top five vehicles that scored well with the mono-chromosomed gender were the , , (saw this one coming) Volkswagen Eos and Volvo S40.
