Nearly half of young drivers have talked on a handheld phone while driving

(May 9, 2012) YONKERS, NY — While the vast majority of young drivers aged 16-21 agree that texting, using smart-phone apps, or accessing the Internet while driving is very dangerous, nearly a third — 29 percent — admitted in a Consumer Reports survey that they had, in fact, texted while behind the wheel in the past month.

Gas engine downsizing to have major impact, European analysis concludes

(May 9, 2012) LONDON — Engine downsizing, which has been a major trend in European diesel engines over the past decade, is poised to have a major impact on gasoline engines, which will witness the trend that diesel engines did in terms of engine downsizing and turbocharging 10 years ago. This trend will also have a positive impact on the demand for technologies supporting downsizing such as turbochargers and variable valvetrain.

AAA study: Cost of owning, operating a vehicle in U.S. up 1.9 percent

(May 8, 2012) ORLANDO, Fla.,  — AAA has released the results of its annual "Your Driving Costs" study revealing a 1.9 percent rise in the yearly costs to own and operate a sedan in the U.S. The average cost has risen 1.1 cents per mile to 59.6 cents per mile, or $8,946 per year, based upon 15,000 miles of annual driving.

Top 10 under-appreciated vehicles as determined by Cars.com

(May 7, 2012) CHICAGO — The editors at Cars.com today released its list of the top 10 most under-appreciated cars currently on sale.  According to the editors, these are all vehicles that should be flying off dealer lots but for some reason have been neglected by car shoppers.

Edmunds offers car buyers advice on avoiding 'yo-yo financing'

(May 6, 2012) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Car shoppers should make sure that their financing deals are completely set before driving away from the dealership in a new or used car, advises Edmunds.com. The recommendation aims to minimize exposure to "yo-yo financing" when a consumer takes possession of a vehicle before the financing process is complete.

Summer road trips can still be affordable

(May 5, 2012) ST. LOUIS — American families take an average of 4.5 trips every year. This year, it might be harder to do that, since the most recent Travel Price Index rose 3.6 percent year over year. This is primarily a result of rising gas prices, but lodging is getting more expensive, as well.

Average auto incentives hit lowest levels since 2005

(May 4, 2012) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Incentive spending on new car sales in April hit its lowest level in almost seven years, says Edmunds.com. Edmunds  reports that the average True Cost of Incentives (TCISM) per vehicle in April was $2,071, the lowest average spend since automakers spent an average of $1,962 in October 2005.

The top 10 most versatile cars under $20,000 — NADAguides picks 'em

(May 3, 2012) COSTA MESA, Calif. — With gas prices rising, NADAguides has identified the top 10 most versatile vehicles under $20,000 that take value and feature sets into account. New car shoppers in the market for fuel-efficient models that provide more than just the basic equipment will find a diverse list of vehicles that are feature rich and offer versatility for real life needs while staying within economical-minded budgets.

Aging vehicles, increased inventory and lower gas prices to boost auto sales

(May 2, 2012) McLEAN, Va. — While automakers reported mixed results for U.S. new-car and light-truck sales in April, Paul Taylor, chief economist of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), highlighted several factors that are expected to boost sales over the next several months.

"Modest economic growth and declining gasoline prices, low interest rates, more leasing options and aging vehicles that need to be replaced will likely result in higher auto sales over the next several months," Taylor said.