(July 23, 2015) WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — The safety-related technologies that manufacturers are increasingly equipping their new vehicles with are making those vehicles more appealing to their owners, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study released Wednesday.

(July 22, 2015) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Millennial car buyers opt to lease their vehicles at a higher rate than the overall car buying population, according to a new analysis from Edmunds.com. The finding suggests that millennials are more willing than older adults to sacrifice the long-term financial benefits of car ownership to get into bigger or more luxurious vehicles that are typically more affordable through leasing.

According to Edmunds’ analysis of car registration data provided by Polk, leasing has accounted for 28.9 percent of all new car purchases by Millennials (age 18-34) in 2015.

By Alina Comoreanu
WalletHub

(July 22, 2015) Speed kills. We have all been told that since driver’s education class, and yet America drivers routinely exceed the speed limit. Before you underestimate the danger of exceeding the speed limit, consider that in 2013, speeding was a factor in 29 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths. Speeding is costly, too.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that the annual economic cost to society of speeding-related crashes is $40.4 billion.

(July 22, 2015) GREENVILLE, S.C. — Michelin and Sears are celebrating 50 years in business together. In that half-century, Sears has sold more than 135 million Michelin tires, more than any other retailer.  Sears was also instrumental in bringing radial tires to U.S. customers in 1965, when it signed an agreement to sell Michelin Radial tires under the Allstate trademark, even before Michelin opened its first manufacturing sites in North America.

(July 21, 2015) WASHINGTON — Despite regional volatility, the national average price for regular unleaded gasoline has remained relatively stable over the past 30 days. Monday's average price of $2.76 per gallon represents the lowest average for this date since 2010 and is down nearly a nickel per gallon compared to the 2015 peak price reached on June 15 ($2.80), according to AAA's weekly report.

(July 21, 2015) IRVINE, Calif. — The experts from Kelley Blue Book, kbb.com, have assembled their list of the 10 best lease, financing and cash back deals for new cars available in July from a variety of auto manufacturers.

"This month's list of standout deals includes some smart fuel-sippers, a couple SUVs, full-size sedans and a pickup truck," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com. 

(July 21, 2015) LONDON — TomTom has announced the addition of navigable maps for 13 new countries. TomTom’s global map database now covers over 45.6 million kilometers and 4.3 billion people worldwide, and features full navigable coverage for 134 countries.

(July 20, 2015) DES PLAINES, Ill. — When General Motors introduced the Pontiac Firebird in 1967, it joined the growing field of "muscle cars" populated with nameplates such as the Ford Mustang and Dodge Charger both of which were scoring commercial success in the marketplace. 

But as today's new report shows, the Firebird was also a popular target for auto thieves with more than 250,000 of them reported stolen since they were introduced.

(July 17, 2015) ATLANTA — With summer gas prices at a five-year low and the economy going strong, shoppers looking for certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles on Autotrader.com flocked to trucks and big SUVs last month. These insights are the result of an analysis of Autotrader's Trend Engine data, which measures shopping activity on the site each month.

(July 15, 2015) DETROIT — For decades, auto dealer groups across the United States and Canada have made the case that the annual events they host — auto shows — are among the most effective ways to reach the car-buying public, offering what amounts to a one-stop, pre-shopping experience before they make a trip to a dealership.