December 2016

Drivers to welcome New Year with higher gas prices

(December 30, 2016) Retail gas price averages have increased 28 of the past 30 days and prices have moved higher by fractions of a penny since Friday. The national average for regular unleaded gasoline currently sits at $2.29 per gallon, which is five cents more than one week ago, 16 cents more than one month ago and 29 cents more year-over-year, according to AAA.

Ford F-Series Super Duty customers want high-tech features, luxury

(December 26, 2016) DEARBORN, Mich. — Customers now expect more than superior capability from their trucks. They demand more technology to get the job done quicker and easier. Three months into its launch, the all-new 2017 Super Duty’s smart technology features drove total nameplate sales up 24 percent and retail sales up 33 percent for November.

Holiday travel to reach highest level on record according to AAA

(December 23, 2016) ORLANDO, Fla. — More than 103 million Americans — the most on record — are expected to travel for the year-end holidays, according to AAA. This represents a 1.5 percent increase, or 1.5 million more people traveling, compared with last year. This comes despite one fewer travel day this holiday season.

New-vehicle sales poised to set record according to J.D. Power

(December 22, 2016) DETROIT — With a strong close to the year, total new light-vehicle sales in 2016 are expected to reach a record 17.5 million vehicles, surpassing the previous high set in 2015 by 5,000 units, according to a forecast developed jointly by J.D. Power and LMC Automotive.

Retail sales in 2016 are forecast to close at 14.1 million units, a 1.2% decline from 14.2 million units in 2015, but still will be the sixth-highest retail sales year in history.

Gas prices continue steady climb nationwide

(December 20, 2016) National pump prices have risen for 20 of the past 21 days, rising a total of 11 cents during this span. The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline sits at $2.24 per gallon, which is the highest mark since October, according to AAA.

Monday's average is three cents more than one week ago, nine cents more compared to one month ago and 24 cents more than the same date last year. Prices continue to rise due to market expectations of tighter availability following the announcement of an OPEC deal to cut oil production that is scheduled to start in January.

Data shows it's getting harder to find a cheap used pickup

(December 17, 2016) CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — CarGurus, a car shopping site, has released a study tracking the gap between the prices of used pickup trucks and that of other body styles. The data shows the average price of a used pickup for sale today is now 22% higher than it was four years ago, significantly outpacing the overall CarGurus Used Car Price Index, which is up only 1% over the same period.

Study finds major reservations about autonomous driving

(December 16, 2016) MUNICH, Germany — A new study finds a majority of German car drivers (59%) consider autonomous driving technology immature and refuse to hand over control to the vehicle. However, original customer voices on the internet analyzed by Consline AG show that first-hand experience with driving assistance systems significantly increases the acceptance of autonomous driving — systems like adaptive cruise control or lane assist — not only reduce stress in traffic jams they also increase trust in the technology and reduce the perceived accident risk.

AutoGravity launches car financing app in California

(December 14, 2016) IRVINE, Calif. — AutoGravity, a FinTech pioneer on a mission to transform car financing by harnessing the power of the smartphone, has unveiled a mobile app with personalized tools that lets consumers in California finance any new car in four easy steps.

Based here, AutoGravity was founded by an international team of digital natives and industry veterans seeking to meet the growing demand for a smartphone-based car-financing experience.

Gas prices on the rise thanks to OPEC's announced cutback

(December 13, 2016) The national average for gasoline has increased for 14 days in a row following the OPEC oil production agreement on Nov. 30. Today’s average of $2.21 per gallon is up three cents per gallon on the week and two cents per gallon on the month. The national average is up 20 cents compared to the same date last year, according to statistics compiled by AAA.

Kelley lists 10 best car deals for December

(December 13, 2016) IRVINE, Calif. — For the everyday car shopper in search of a great new-car deal as dealerships continue their year-end selldown, the experts from Kelley Blue Book have compiled their list of the 10 best lease, financing and cash back deals for new vehicles available in December from a variety of auto manufacturers.