Editorial archive

October 2020

2021 Hyundai Venue SEL — Practical and surprisingly roomy

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By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(October 8, 2020) We first drove the Hyundai Venue when it was all new for 2020, and was introduced to the media in Miami. We came away from that first introduction more than impressed with Hyundai’s smallest and least-expensive SUV that slots below the excellent subcompact Kona.

Average new-vehicle price up 2.5% year-over-year

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(October 8, 2020) IRVINE, Calif. — The valuation analysts at Kelley Blue Book have reported the estimated average transaction price for a light vehicle in the United States was $38,723 in September. New-vehicle prices increased $940 (up 2.5%) from September 2019, while raising $23 (up 0.1%) from last month.  

"New-car transaction prices have climbed year-over-year, but remained flat for the past few months," said Sara Richards, an analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

Jeep back in the pickup market with award-winning Gladiator

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By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(October 7, 2020) MIAMI — It didn’t take long for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator pickup truck to make an impression. First shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in late fall of 2018 and launched the following spring of 2019 as Jeep’s first truck since 1992, the Gladiator earned 2020 North American Truck of the Year honors at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

But that’s not what my neighbor called it when it showed up in my driveway recently.

Average down payment for new vehicles up in third quarter

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(October 6, 2020) SANTA MONICA, Calif. —  Consumers in the market for a new car during the pandemic aren't shying away from making bigger down payments than usual. According to the car shopping experts at Edmunds, the average down payment for a new vehicle climbed to $4,457 in the third quarter, compared to $3,891 last quarter and $4,045 a year ago.

Edmunds data also shows that the average transaction price (ATP) for new vehicles rose significantly in the third quarter. Edmunds estimates that the ATP in Q3 climbed to $39,303, compared to $38,893 last quarter and $37,207 in Q3 of 2019.

National gas price average at cheapest October start since 2016

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(October 6, 2020) At $2.18, the national gas price average is at the cheapest start to the month of October since 2016. That average is the same as a week ago, four cents cheaper than the start of this past September and nearly 50 cents cheaper than last year. The national average held on the week as demand was mostly stable at 8.5 million barrels a day despite gasoline stocks increasing by 700,000 barrels.

RVshare finds this year more families planning road trip for holidays

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(October 1, 2020)  RVshare, a peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace, predicts more people will be road tripping to visit relatives for the holidays this year. According to RVshare's Holiday Travel Sentiment survey, almost half of respondents (47%) plan on traveling to visit family with more than two-thirds (68%) reporting they will be traveling by car or RV.