Editorial archive

October 2017

Kelley lists10 best new-car deals for October

Tags:

(October 14, 2017) IRVINE, Calif. — As automakers begin introducing new 2018 models, you can snag a great deal on their 2017 counterparts. The expert editors at Kelley Blue Book have compiled a list of their top 10 lease, financing and cash back deals for new models available through October 2017, with at least half of the spots devoted to leases under $200 per month and several cash back offers exceeding $4,000.

Canadian study finds fewer young men are driving cars

Tags:

(October 12, 2017) MONTREAL — Whether they're environmentally conscious, fans of the collaborative economy, prefer to take public transit or want to spend their money on other things, regardless of the reasons, 16-24 year-olds have little interest in owning a car. This is reflected in the 14% drop in insured vehicles among young men in this age group over the past five years.

The trend is strongest, however, among younger men, those between 16 and 20 years of age, with a 20% drop in the number of insured vehicles in Quebec, Canada.

It's a truck! A crossover! A truck! No, it's the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder

Tags:

By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(October 11, 2017) A few years back I had a friend who said the reason she had bought her Pathfinder was because she had decided that if she was going to buy an SUV, she wanted a real, truck-based SUV with body-on-frame construction, not one of the new unibody crossovers that were just coming onto the market.

Stains happen — Chevy Equinox designed with easy-cleaning materials

Tags:

(October 10, 2017) DETROIT — People turn to social media to share experiences and track the latest trends in fashion and design. So does Chevrolet. When working on the 2018 Equinox’s interior, the design team crafted a comfortable, fashion-forward interior with features and materials developed for easier everyday use.

Gas prices on steady one-month decline

Tags:

(October 10, 2017) Motorists are paying on average six cents less for a gallon of gasoline on the week with all states seeing prices at the pump either drop or hold steady. Today’s national gas price average is $2.49, which is 18 cents cheaper than a month ago, according to statistic compiled by AAA.

With the latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) report measuring gasoline demand at 9.2 million barrels a day, down 281,000 barrels a day from the week prior, retail gas prices are showing steady promise of returning to pre-hurricane rates.

Manheim reports third quarter used vehicle prices at all time high

Tags:

(October 7, 2017) ATLANTA — The third quarter is one for the record books thanks to an especially active hurricane season, with wholesale used vehicle prices having increased 2.77 percent in September. The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index — a measure of wholesale prices adjusted for mix, mileage and season — came to a reading of 134.9, which was a record high for the fifth consecutive month and a 6.3 percent increase from the same time in 2016.

New-car sales spike in Houston as shoppers quickly replace vehicles

Tags:

(October 5, 2017) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Houston-area shoppers who are buying replacement vehicles for those lost in Hurricane Harvey are being a bit more pragmatic, according to new automotive finance data from Edmunds.

The average new-car down payment was $4,432 in Houston in September, up 18 percent compared to last month and up 24 percent compared to September of 2016. Additionally, the average monthly payment for a new car in Houston dropped to $571 in September, a 4 percent decline from September of last year and the lowest average monthly payment since July 2015.

New-car prices level out; up slightly year-over-year

Tags:

(October 3, 2017) IRVINE, Calif. — The analysts at Kelley Blue Book today reported the estimated average transaction price (ATP) for light vehicles in the United States was $34,861 in September 2017. New-car prices have increased by $144 (up 0.4 percent) from September 2016, while remaining flat from last month.

"Transaction prices were up very slightly in September, reflecting the industry's trend of slowing demand for new vehicles," said Tim Fleming, analyst for Kelley Blue Book. 

National gas price average holds steady; highest prices in two years

Tags:

(October 3, 2017) At $2.55, the national gas price average is just two cents cheaper on the week and the most expensive pump price seen at start of October since 2015, when motorists where paying $2.29 for a gallon of unleaded, AAA reported today.

“When fall arrives, motorists expect gas prices to be cheaper than they were in the summer. That’s just not the case this year,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson.

2017 Hyundai Ioniq — A traditional hybrid that doesn't act like one

Tags:

By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(October 2, 2017) I have never been a big fan of the Toyota Prius, no matter what version (Prius Hatchback, Prius C, Prius Prime, or Prius v Wagon) you are talking about. When they first came to the U.S. 17 years or so ago, I ran a few numbers and immediately thought, “Wow. You're going to have to drive a lot of miles to make up in savings on gas what you are paying in up front costs.”