Here's the Thing

Jeep Renegade named 'Car of the Year' in Brazil

(November 6, 2015)  São PAULO — The Jeep Renegade was named the 2016 Car of the Year in Brazil by Autoesporte magazine (Editora Globo) as part of the most prestigious automotive industry awards in Brazil, which has been hosted annually by the magazine since 1966. The award was presented in a ceremony on Wednesday night at Villa Verico in São Paulo.
 

Automotive loan balances grow more than 53 percent since 2010

(November 4, 2015) SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Experian Automotive today announced that outstanding automotive loan balances reached its highest level — $968 billion — in the third quarter of 2015, growing by more than 53 percent since the post-recession low in 2010. According to Experian's most recent State of the Automotive Finance Market report, this increase also marks a $98 billion increase from the previous year.

New-car transactions prices rise more than 1 percent in October

(November 3, 2015) IRVINE, Calif. — The analysts at Kelley Blue Book kbb.com today reports the estimated average transaction price (ATP) for light vehicles in the United States was $34,023 in October.  New-car prices have increased by $458 (up 1.4 percent) from October 2014, while climbing $233 (up 0.7 percent) from last month.

"Transaction prices continue to rise with several segments besting the industry average in terms of growth, including full-size SUVs, high performance cars, mid-size trucks and vans," said Akshay Anand, analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

New child car seat system monitors baby, alerts parents

(November 2, 2015) ST. LOUIS — Driver's Little Helper, a new stand-alone smartphone-enabled car seat system, will monitor and alert parents and caregivers if a child leaves the car seat, if the temperature inside the car gets too hot or cold, or if a child is left in the seat for several minutes after the vehicle has stopped moving.

Available for iPhone and Android devices, the app communicates with a sensor inside the car seat to send the phone alerts.  If the driver doesn't respond to the alerts, the system can be configured to send messages to other designated contacts.  Driver's Little Helper, which retails for $80, can be used on any car seat.

Hyundai achieves 10 million sales in America

(October 29, 2015) FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — Hyundai marked a monumental milestone this week, selling its 10 millionth vehicle in the United States. Having started in 1986 with a single nameplate, reaching 10 million sales is a significant achievement that showcases the success of Hyundai’s continually expanding lineup.

“The United States has been a key region of focus for nearly three decades, and this landmark achievement comes after years of accelerated growth and the strategic rollout of our product line,” said Derrick Hatami, vice president of national sales, Hyundai Motor America.

Study: Gen Y satisfaction with auto insurance claims low, but improving

(October 27, 2015) WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — While satisfaction with the auto insurance claims process is lower among Gen Y — also known as “Millennials”— claimants than among their older counterparts, their satisfaction is improving, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study released today.

Toyota and General Motors lead in 2015 Motorist Choice Awards

(October 25, 2015) — Automotive industry research companies IntelliChoice and AutoPacific have announced the winners of the 2015 Motorist Choice Awards. Winning vehicles came from 13 different brands and 10 different manufacturers. Toyota had the most wins and General Motors dominated in the truck segments.

Edmunds predicts October sales volume to be best since 2001

(October 23, 2015) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Car shopping destination Edmunds.com forecasts that 1,424,568 new cars and trucks will be sold in the U.S. in October for an estimated Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) of 17.8 million. The projected sales will be a one percent decrease from September 2015, but an 11.5 percent increase from October 2014. Edmunds projects that the sales volume and SAAR will be the biggest for an October since 2001.

Kelley: VW diesel vehicle prices decline nearly 16 percent

(October 22, 2015) IRVINE, Calif. — Kelley Blue Book, kbb.com, today reported that average auction prices, along with new-car shopping activity on KBB.com, for Volkswagen diesel vehicles have declined four weeks after the diesel emissions issue was announced.

The average auction price for Volkswagen diesel models dropped by nearly 16 percent since the news broke of the emissions crisis. The average auction price for the brand's gasoline-powered vehicles declined by 2.9 percent.

Regional volatility easing, gas prices fall for 10 straight days

(October 20, 2015) WASHINGTON — The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline has fallen for 10 consecutive days, reaching Monday's price of $2.26 per gallon. The new average is a low unseen since February 2015, and represents a savings of 55 cents per gallon compared to the 2015 peak price of $2.80 on June 15, AAA reported Monday.