Editorial archive

July 2016

Resources limited? Kelley Blue Book lists 10 best used cars under $8,000

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(July 29, 2016) IRVINE, Calif. — While today's new cars are jam-packed with the latest tech features and forward-thinking styling, they also are now more expensive than ever, with the average price of a new car currently at $33,801.  Many people shudder at the thought of a large monthly car payment, and most average American car shoppers cannot afford to buy a brand-new car outright, resulting in a sizable market for affordable used cars. 

July new-car sales will bounce back to 17.5 million SAAR, Kelley predicts

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(July 29, 2016) IRVINE, Calif. — New-vehicle sales are expected to decrease 1 percent year-over-year to a total of 1.5 million units in July, resulting in an estimated 17.5 million seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), according to Kelley Blue Book.  Following a weaker-than-anticipated sales month in June, Kelley Blue Book expects new-car sales to bounce back to the mid-17 million SAAR range in July, helped by a strong Fourth of July weekend, increased incentives and continued growth in leasing.

Porsche ranks highest in J.D. Power APEAL Study for 12th consecutive year

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(July 28, 2016) DETROIT— Porsche ranked highest in the annual J.D. Power APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) Study released on Wednesday. It was the 12th straight year that Porsche has ranked number one. General Motors received six segment-level awards and Hyundai garnered five. BMW and Volkswagen AG picked up four each.

Survey: 8 In 10 consumers would be wary of automaker that had been hacked

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(July 26, 2016) NEW YORK — Automakers are investing heavily in autonomous and connected-car technology, increasing potential for cyber-attacks against vehicles.  However, failure to prevent a vehicle hack could be devastating to their brands and the bottom line with 82% of consumer respondents saying they would be wary or never buy from an automaker if they had been hacked, according to the 2016 KPMG Consumer Loss Barometer study.

Despite vehicle advances, break downs at record high

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(July 25, 2016) ORLANDO, Fla. — Despite advances in vehicle technology, including maintenance reminders and other dashboard alerts designed to mitigate roadside trouble, AAA rescued a record-breaking 32 million drivers in 2015, with more battery, flat tire and key problems than ever before, a new study shows.

Vehicles fewer than five years old in particular experienced a higher proportion of tire and key-related issues than older vehicles, suggesting that the trend toward eliminating the spare tire and moving to electronic keyless ignitions may have unintended consequences.

Nissan Rogue leads Kelley's 10 best new-car deals for July

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(July 22, 2016) IRVINE, Calif. — For shoppers on the lookout for a hot new-car deal to kick off summer within the increasingly popular SUV market, the experts from Kelley Blue Book kbb.com have assembled their list of the 10 best lease, financing and cash back deals for new vehicles available in July 2016 from a variety of auto manufacturers.

Tesla, GMC top brands in Auto Pacific's 2016 Ideal Vehicle Awards

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(July 21, 2016) TUSTIN, Calif. — Tesla was named the most ideal brand overall and GMC won the Most Ideal Popular Brand in the 2016 Ideal Vehicle Awards conducted by automotive research and consulting firm AutoPacific.

The 2016 awards are based on responses from over 65,000 owners of new model year 2015 and 2016 vehicles across all major manufacturers. Surveyed after 90 days of ownership, respondents were asked what changes they would make to their car or truck in 15 key categories, including ride and handling, interior storage, safety features, power and acceleration and technology.

Used vehicle depreciation rate increases in June

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(July 19, 2016) MCLEAN, Va. — Wholesale prices of vehicles up to eight years in age fell by 2.4 percent in June compared to May. The dip met the expectations of analysts at NADA Used Car Guide.

While monthly depreciation was the most recorded in 2016, Jonathan Banks, executive analyst at NADA Used Car Guide said, "This June's performance was only slightly worse than the average 2.2 percent decline for the same period over the previous four years."

Gas prices drop to 12-year low for July

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(July 19, 2016) The national average for regular, unleaded gasoline has fallen for 35 out of 36 days to $2.21 per gallon and sits at the lowest mark for this time of year since 2004, according to AAA's weekly report. Gas prices continue to drop in most parts of the country due to abundant fuel supplies and declining crude oil costs.

Motorists want insurance discounts in return for not using their cellphone

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(July 18, 2016) LONDON — Demonstrating a growing intolerance of mobile phone use at the wheel, a survey of 1,314 automobile insurance policyholders found that consumers want to be rewarded with lower premiums for not using their smartphone while driving. Sixty percent think avoiding any type of mobile phone use — including both text and calls — should be a top factor used by insurers in offering lower premiums.