By David Boldt
MyCarData

(November 29, 2023) LOS ANGELES — To most mainstream media, automotive topics are invariably reduced to either Tesla or, more recently, the UAW and its industry-wide strike. Happily, there’s more going on in the business than Elon Musk or the battle for a sustainable wage. These are transformative times for the auto industry, and while the return to urban zip codes and the rise of ride services have rendered automobile ownership an option, many still rely on their cars, trucks and SUVs to navigate life.

Lexus tops J.D. Power Residual
Value Awards for 4th straight year

(November 24, 2023) TROY, Mich. — As new- and used-vehicle prices continue to rise, the resale (or residual) value of those vehicles has never been more important to consumers, according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. ALG Residual Value Awards.  For a fourth consecutive year, Lexus received the brandaward for best premium brand, while Honda received the award for best mass market brand for a third consecutive year. Three marques — Honda, Lexus and Toyota — were each recognized with four model segment winners.

(November 22, 2023) GasBuddy, a leading fuel savings platform, has released the results of its annual Thanksgiving Travel Survey, revealing that more Americans plan to hit the road for the holiday. Forty-one percent of respondents said they plan to take a road trip this year, an 8% increase from 2022. Additionally, the national average price of gas is projected to drop to $3.25 per gallon, saving Americans nearly $1.2 billion during holiday travel compared to last year.

This year’s holiday forecast
a 2.3% increase over last year

(November 21, 2023) WASHINGTON, D.C.  — AAA projects 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. This year’s Thanksgiving forecast is an increase of 2.3% over last year and marks the third-highest Thanksgiving forecast since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000. The top two years were 2005 and 2019, respectively.