(December 23, 2011) WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Consistent with their performance in November, new-vehicle retail sales continue to show strength, according to a monthly sales forecast developed by J.D. Power and Associates Power Information Network and LMC Automotive.

(December 24, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The Ford F-150 is the top-selling new vehicle of 2011, while the Honda Accord is the best selling used car of the year, reports Edmunds.com. Edmunds.com's review of 2011 car sales also found that the Nissan Leaf flew off dealer lots faster than any other vehicle this year, and that Saab offered the best discounts to consumers in 2011, even as the brand fought to delay its inevitable demise.

(December 22, 2011) COSTA MESA — The Kia Sorento and Chevrolet Equinox were the most researched cars on the NADAguides.com Web site's Consumer Market Interest Report for the third quarter of 2011.

This indicates a continued trend of interest gain for Korean and American models. The 2012 Sorento showed an increase of 215 percent in consumer interest in the third quarter  relative to the second quarter, placing it in the top spot.

(December 22, 2011) YONKERS, N.Y. — While earlier tests of the more-popular basic versions of the Honda Civic scored too low to be recommended, the sportier Si version has earned a notably higher rating from Consumer Reports.

As a result of these latest tests, Consumer Reports now recommends the Si version of the Civic because it scores high enough and its reliability rating is likely to be above average.

(December 22, 2011) LOS ANGELES — A majority of Americans believe new transportation projects should be paid for with user-fees instead of tax increases, according to a new national Reason-Rupe poll of 1,200 adults on cell phones and land lines.

The Reason-Rupe poll found that 77 percent of Americans oppose increasing the federal gas tax, while just 19 percent favor raising the tax, which is currently 18.4 cents a gallon.

(December 21, 2011) MIAMI — Out-of-towners who call Miami home will find getting there for Christmas this year an extra strain on the wallet. According to a new survey compiled by CheapCarRental.net, renting a car in Florida's southern tip over the Christmas period will cost visitors close to quadruple what they are used to paying.

(December 21, 2011) YONKERS, N.Y. — Cash-strapped consumers are delaying automotive maintenance at the potential cost of their safety. Forty percent of respondents to a recent Consumer Reports poll who are involved in repair decisions stated that they are postponing car maintenance or repairs on their primary vehicle.

This delay in servicing items such as brakes, tires, light bulbs, or other internal mechanical parts has consumers running the risk of larger, more costly problems down the road.

(December 20, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — An estimated 13.6 million new cars and trucks will be sold in 2012, according to a new auto sales forecast released Monday by Edmunds.com. The forecast anticipates a solid increase over 2011 new car sales, which could come in as high as 12.8 million vehicles when December comes to a close.

(December 19, 2011) CHICAGO — As Swedish automaker Saab nears liquidation, American Saab owners have good reason to be concerned, according to Joe Wiesenfelder, Cars.com executive editor and senior analyst.

Vehicle value is expected to take a hit, said Wiesenfelder. "Cars from a dead brand are perceived as less valuable, and perception becomes reality. 

(December 19, 2011) BETHESDA, Md. — Some holiday predictions are, tragically, very predictable. For example, more people are likely to die in alcohol-related traffic crashes during the holidays than at other times of the year.

Statistics show that during Christmas and New Year's, two to three times more people die in alcohol-related crashes than during comparable periods the rest of the year. And 40 percent of traffic fatalities during these holidays involve a driver who is alcohol-impaired, compared to 28 percent for the rest of December.