Editorial archive

May 2018

Hands on the wheel: Consumers remain wary of self-driving car safety

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By Autolist.com

(May 31, 2018) A majority of U.S. car buyers do not believe self-driving or autonomous vehicles are safer than those driven by humans, according to the latest study by Autolist.com. The survey also found that many consumers feel safer knowing there’s a human driver able to take control during self-driving tests. However, consumers generally do not think self-driving vehicles should be tested on public roads.

AAA: Teen-driver involved crashes kill 10 people a day during summer

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(May 31, 2018) WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than 1,050 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver in 2016 during the 100 Deadliest Days, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That is an average of 10 people per day — a 14 percent increase compared to the rest of the year, according to data analyzed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Gas prices hold steady through holiday weekend as crude price plunges

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(May 30, 2018) Over the long holiday weekend, the national gas price average has held steady for five days at $2.97, signaling that prices may be stabilizing as we head into June. This development comes as crude oil prices start to fall following some of the highest prices in three-years, according to AAA.

“At the start of the holiday weekend, reports indicated that OPEC may raise production levels to help ease global supply concerns. The announcement immediately brought down the price of crude – which has dropped nearly $3/bbl since Thursday,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson.

Auto sales expected to be up in May on strength of SUVs, trucks

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(May 29, 2018) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Edmunds forecasts that 1,565,683 new cars and trucks will be sold in the U.S. in May for an estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 16.7 million. This reflects a 16 percent increase in sales from April and a 3.5 percent increase from May 2017.

"The summer selling season is off to a healthy start," said Jeremy Acevedo, Edmunds manager of industry analysis. "Despite rising gas prices, shoppers are clearly demonstrating their confidence in the strength of the economy as they continue to seek out larger, more expensive vehicles."

Hyundai, Lexus top Autotrader's 10 Best Certified Pre-Owned programs

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(May 25, 2018) ATLANTA — Shoppers interested in buying a new car may discover their top picks are outside their budget, and purchasing a used car is an option, but the vehicle's reliability and potentially high maintenance costs could be a concern. As a good compromise, buyers should take a closer look at shopping a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle, which is a lightly used model with a manufacturer-backed warranty, and often comes with a big discount from the new price.

From subcompact to sedan — How the Honda Civic has changed

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(May 25, 2018) A new, downloadable ebook shares more than 40 years of Honda Civic history covering the evolution of the Civic through 10 generations, from the affordable, subcompact of the early 1970s to the current high-performance trim level. The team at HondaPartsOnline.net researched and developed this free download to celebrate the enduring popularity of Honda’s economical and reliable Civic.

GasBuddy predicts summer travel to plunge due to higher gas prices

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(May 24, 2018) BOSTON — Rising gas prices have put a crimp in travel plans this summer as more Americans are planning staycations instead of hitting the road, according to GasBuddy’s 2018 Summer Travel survey.

According to the annual survey, only 58 percent said they will take a road trip this summer, a 24 percent decrease from last year, while 39 percent cited high gas prices for impacting their summer travel decisions, compared to 19 percent in 2017.

Kelley Blue Book names its '10 Coolest Cars Under $20,000'

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(May 24, 2018) IRVINE, Calif. — While the average new car on the road today costs more than $35,000, there are still plenty of vehicle options available at a more affordable price, without sacrificing on comfort and style. The expert editors at Kelley Blue Book name the 10 Coolest New Cars Under $20,000 for 2018, proving you can find a dynamic and less expensive vehicle that still turns heads.

The Mazda3 takes the No. 1 spot on this year's list and has been named a Kelley Blue Book Coolest Car every year of the vehicle's 15-year existence.

Autotrader names Hyundai top CPO program for non-luxury cars

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(May 23, 2018) FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — Hyundai was named the Best Non-Luxury Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Program by Autotrader for 2018, helping customers to make reliable choices when selecting a certified pre-owned vehicle. Experts at Autotrader recognized Hyundai CPO vehicles as the top choice for used car shoppers, noting its leading manufacturer warranty coverage, low deductible and transferability.

“If you’re shopping for a mainstream vehicle, look at Hyundai, it has one of the best warranties in the entire automotive industry,” said Brian Moody, executive editor for Autotrader.

Study by AAA shows American trust in autonomous vehicles slips

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(May 22, 2018) ORLANDO, Fla. — Following high-profile incidents involving autonomous vehicle technologies, a new report from AAA’s multi-year tracking study indicates that consumer trust in these vehicles has quickly eroded. Today, three-quarters (73 percent) of American drivers report they would be too afraid to ride in a fully self-driving vehicle, up significantly from 63 percent in late 2017.