February 2011

Hyundai Sonata most-shopped vehicle in January

(February 28, 2011) FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — Hyundai Sonata, the game-changing midsize sedan with its emotional ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design and all four-cylinder engine lineup, was the most-shopped vehicle in January according to data from Compete, a company that provides insights for automotive marketers.

Petroleum Institute puts a 'don't buy' on two motor oils

(February 27, 2011) METUCHEN, N.J. (PRNewswire) — The Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) issued Consumer Alerts on two passenger car engine oils Friday that are currently on the market. The oils are Liberty Gold Plus SMO 5W-30 Motor Oil and Bullseye Automotive Products High Mileage 10W-30 Motor Oil (SC/CC).

Toyota answers questions about latest floor mat recall

(February 27, 2011) Customer frequently asked questions for Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX floor carpet cover recall that occurred this past week.

1. Which models are affected by the recall?
 
Lexus is recalling approximately 372,000 2004, 2005, 2006 and early 2007 model year Lexus RX 330, RX 350 and RX 400h vehicles.

Toyota market share falls, but February sales continue upward trend

(February 26, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — This month's new car sales (including fleet sales) are expected to be approximately 937,000 units, a 20.1 percent increase from February 2010 and a 14.4 percent increase from January 2011, according to Edmunds.com.

Kelley Blue Book picks its Top 10 Family Cars of 2011

(February 25, 2011) IRVINE, Calif. (PRNewswire) — The editors from Kelley Blue Book's www.kbb.com have named their Top 10 Family Cars of 2011. In this annual list, the kbb.com editors recommend what they feel are the very best of the best vehicles for families this year, highlighting specific important attributes for each car and detailing why it made the list.

Camaro ZL1 named by consumers top new production car at Chicago Auto Show

(February 24, 2011) CHICAGO (PRNewswire-USNewswire) — Consumer voters proclaimed their favorites in five categories in the Chicago Auto Show's sixth annual "Best of Show" balloting.

In voting conducted over the 10-day public run of the nation's biggest auto show, winners in the contest's five categories were:

Current gas price hikes don't measure up to recent history

(February 24, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The biggest one-day gain for oil prices in more than two years this week may focus more of America's attention on rising fuel costs, but the price increases at the pump are not yet as dramatic as other jumps in the last few years, according to an economic analysis by Edmunds.com.

Since September 2010, average monthly gas prices have risen 45 cents to $3.21 (February month-to-date), an increase of 16.4%.

Kia, Chrysler get most 'buzz' from Super Bowl ads

(February 23, 2011) Advertising during the Super Bowl can deliver huge returns for brands and are as closely watched as the game itself. So who wew the big winners among the auto companies running ads on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 6?

You Gov BrandIndex, a company that measures brand preception worldwide, has calculated the winners based on "Buzz score" a month prior to the Super Bowl compared to the "Buzz score" two days after the Super Bowl.

RVers avoid state campgrounds where prices have been jacked up

(February 22, 2011) As state budget deficits grow, one way to add a few additional dollars to the coffers is to jack up charges for the most basic campsites. Or so it seems. But according to the following commentary in RVBusiness, higher rates are driving away most recreational vehicles.

New-Vehicle retail selling rate in February expected to increase from January

(February 20, 2011) WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — February new-vehicle retail sales are expected to remain strong, despite being a historically slow time of year for vehicle sales, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which gathers real-time transaction data from more than 8,900 retail franchisees throughout the United States.