Editorial archive

June 2011

Consideration for alternative powertrain vehicles still dogged by consumer doubts

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(June 15, 2011) NEW YORK (PRNewswire) — As the automotive industry continues to develop alternative powertrain vehicles, consumer consideration for these vehicles is on the rise. However, infrastructure, price, driving range and maintenance concerns continue to dampen enthusiasm about these technologies according to the 2011 AutoTECHCAST Study released by Harris Interactive.

Edmunds advises how to keep tire warranty from being voided

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(June 15, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Failing to maintain your tires properly is one of the easiest ways to have your tire warranty voided, reports Edmunds.com. In "Understanding Tire Warranties," Edmunds.com helps car owners recognize how to make sure that they're not burning money when they're burning rubber.

Deals available on some Japanese vehicles, TrueCar reports

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(June 14, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. (PRNewswire) TrueCar.com reports today that there are discounts available on certain Japanese vehicles and it may not be necessary to wait on a new-car purchase to get a decent deal.

Due to the March earthquake in Japan, consumers have been holding back on the purchase of new cars manufactured by Japanese automakers because of the impact declining supply may have on pricing and incentives, TrueCar reports.

Kelley Blue Book says fuel-efficient used-vehicle prices have peaked

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(June 14, 2011) IRVINE, Calif. (PRNewswire) — Kelley Blue Book's www.kbb.com today reports that after increasing close to 25 percent throughout 20 weeks of consecutive gains, values for fuel-efficient used vehicles have now peaked. 

For the first time since January, values for subcompact, compact and hybrid cars have started to decline in response to falling gas prices.  In fact, Kelley Blue Book analysts currently see values for some of these vehicles dip into the red for the first time since January. 

Students are free for the summer, and that's cause for concern

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(June 13, 2011) BOSTON (PRNewswire) — Summer is here and that's a cause for concern when it comes to driving, according to a teen driving study.

Teens are pouring out of the classroom and into their cars and a new study by Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) gives parents reason to pause before they hand over the keys to their newly freed young driver. 

India expected to become world's third largest auto market by 2020

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(June 13, 2011) NEW DELHI — India surpassed France, the United Kingdom and Italy to become the sixth-largest automotive market in the world in 2010, and it is expected to become one of the three largest automotive markets in the world by 2020, according to a special report titled “India Automotive 2020: The Next Giant from Asia,” released by J.D. Power and Associates today.

Cars.com names Hyundai Elantra 'Best Value: Price to Pump'

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(June 13, 2011) CHICAGO (PRNewswire) — Cars.com, an online resource for new and used car buyers, announced today that the 2011 Hyundai Elantra is the winner of its "Best Value: Price to Pump" award as the winner of its Under 20/Over 35 Shootout.

Web site names the unluckiest car makes in the UK

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(June 12, 2011) CARDIFF, Wales (PRNewswire) — Confused.com has revealed the unluckiest make of car in the UK by looking at 12 months' worth of customers quotes and finding out which make and model had the highest accident rates.

Consumer Reports names best — and worst — new cars for fuel economy

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(June 12, 2011) YONKERS, N.Y. — With high pump prices, Consumer Reports magazine says that the most effective way to cute your gasoline use is to buy a more fuel-efficient car. CR named the best cars for fuel economy of those recently tested by the magazine in its own real-world fuel-economy tests.

Also listed are the ones that got the lowest mpg in each class.

Auto prices on increase for both new and used vehicles

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(June 10, 2011) A big trend facing the auto industry recently has been the rising price of vehicles across the spectrum of new, used and CPO models, according to AutoTrader.com.

AutoTrader data from May shows that this trend is alive and well. The majority of vehicles across all of the most-searched lists showed increases in average asking price.