Three 2011 Pickups Rated For Safety: Silverado, Ram, Tacoma
The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 still look like very good bets for the safety-conscious, while the 2011 Ram 1500 could cause some hesitation depending on how you read the ratings.Those observations come from the latest group of results released from the federal government's crash-test program; that group included several pickup models—the first pickups, in fact, to be tested and rated under the new procedures.
GM's full-size trucks—the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2011 GMC Sierra 1500—did reasonably well in this latest round of testing, with five-star results for side impact and four stars for frontal impact and rollover. Side tests in particular were absolutely stellar, with top scores in the driver front-seat and passenger rear-seat side-barrier measurements as well as a top five-star score in the new side pole test.
The 2011 Dodge Ram earned just two stars in the frontal crash category, and while it managed impressive five-star results in the side barrier test, it got a low, low rating of just one star in the side pole test—with the NHTSA noting that the driver door intruded, with the door panel striking the dummy, with a higher likelihood of spinal injury.
Despite that, the 2011 Ram earned five stars in side protection, as the side pole test—which was just introduced and simulates a side impact into a tree or pole—doesn't yet figure into the overall score.
The mid-size 2011 Toyota Tacoma was also tested, with results that fall in the middle. It earned three stars for frontal crash (with a low two-star score for a smaller female-size passenger) and five stars for side crash, though it did earn a respectable four stars in the new side pole test.
As part of a revised safety ratings program, NHTSA plans to test 55 vehicles for the 2011 model year, and a number of results haven't yet been released.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
The TCC List: The 7 Most Important Recalls Of the Decade
Safer driving starts with a driver's skills, but it also begins with the vehicle itself--one that's engineered and manufactured to operate in a predictable, reliable way.
When the best-laid plans of car companies go awry, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gets involved. As part of its mandate, the NHTSA patrols repair and crash records for vehicles to find flaws and defects. When it decides a vehicle isn't safe to operate, due to a mechanical defect, it issues a recall.
And sometimes, seeing the writing on the wall, car companies issue their own "service actions"--a recall in some ways, but less legally severe than an official NHTSA mandate.
The long history of car recalls has saved thousands of lives, and tarnished some nameplates in the process. Ford's Pinto fell victim to its own design flaws, called out by the safety agency.
Sometimes, companies have turned around recalls in their favor. In its early days, Saturn recalled its first cars and not only offered loaner vehicles, but also picked up and returned owners' cars as a sign of its committment to customer service. The Ford Focus endured nine recalls in its first few years on the market, spurring the company to increase its quality across the board--and today its lineup is among the most reliable, according to many surveys.
The list of recalls from the past decade includes some whoppers--and some smaller ones that had a greater impact on the carmakers involved. Not exclusively the biggest recalls on record, the seven most important car recalls and service actions of the past decade start with a duo from the very recent past:
2009: Toyota floor-mat and accelerator-pedal recallsA dramatic expansion of its lineup had elbowed GM aside, but Toyota's legendary attention to quality had suffered in its race to become the world's largest automaker. A string of recalls ended the decade with a thud. The most notorious included its halo vehicle, the hybrid Prius, and its Lexus brand, too. In two separate actions, Toyota recalled 4.3 million vehicles in the U.S. for loose floor mats and another 2.3 million vehicles for sticking accelerator pedals. Its golden reputation dented, Toyota lost its automatic recommendation from Consumer Reports for a time, and may have lost up to 200,000 sales as a result.
(more...)Over 192,000 Chevrolet, GMC, Isuzu Pickups Recalled For Child Seat Anchor Issue
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced a recall of over 192,000 General Motors and Isuzu midsize pickups because the top child seat anchors aren't accessible and there are no instructions in the owner's manual on how to do so. Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon models from 2004-2011 are affected, along with 2006 model I-280 and I-350 pickups and 2007-2008 I-290 and I-370 pickups.
The inclusion of the Isuzus in the otherwise GM-only recall is because the Isuzu pickups were built by GM at its Shreveport, Louisiana plant.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 225 is the regulation violated by the non-compliant child seat anchor system. The problem affects pickups with regular or extended cabs equipped with 60/40 split bench front seat and no rear seats.
GM's solution is to cut a hole into the back panel trim cover to allow access to the top child seat anchor. GM hasn't yet notified affected owners, but if you own one of the vehicles listed above, you can contact GM via its Owner Center website.
[NHTSA]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Frugal Shopper: No, Hybrids Don’t Cost More To Repair And Maintain
Hybrids like the 2011 Toyota Prius cost more to repair and maintain, right?It would seem, given all the additional technical complexity and computational wizardry in hybrids, that they would. And it's a myth that's certainly made the rounds among backyard mechanics. But it hasn't proven true. With the oldest Toyota Prius models now more than ten years old, and hundreds and thousands of Prius models on U.S. roads (and about 900,000 sold), there's no rush on replacement batteries, no rash of Priuses needing costly powertrain components replaced. They've proven surprisingly...bulletproof.
Battery replacement hasn't shown to be the issue that it was feared to be, either. Many of those oldest Prius models are beyond 150,000 miles and still using their original nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Though the full cost of replacing the battery pack still roughly $3,000, a number of specialist shops have emerged that are willing to do it for a bit less—or to soften the blow on older or collision-damaged models, repair the Prius' pack by replacing only one or several of its cells.
In an era when $3,000 is about the starting price for a good automatic-transmission rebuild—or the cost of a couple other major repairs to the front end, or air conditioning—that doesn't sound so horrible.
Repairs might cost more, but they're less frequent
A study last year, by an insurance-claims analysis firm, found that repairs to the Prius cost about 8.4 percent more than equivalent repairs on other models. In that same study, vehicles such as the Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid only cost slightly more than their non-hybrid counterparts, so much of this due to the lack of used and aftermarket parts.
Of course, ultimately, the Prius has shown that it needs to be repaired less often than many other compacts, and that's one of the keys to its ownership-cost savings.
Also, brake pads tend to last longer, as regenerative braking from the powertrain helps them out, and in theory, the electric motor system helps spare the ol' gasoline-burner, so you might be able to go longer between oil changes.
Less to insure, too
Hybrids typically cost less to insure, too—mainly because of the more mature driver profile they attract. For instance, in an Insure.com survey last year, the Prius cost $1,300 on average, while the national average was $1,871. A Toyota Corolla even cost a bit more, at $1,400. In addition to hybrid-exclusive parking and commuter lanes in some regions, it's another plus of hybrid ownership.
According to the ownership-costs experts at Vincentric, the Prius II (or Prius Two as it's now termed for 2011) has an MSRP of $22,800 and a market price of $21,666. Over five years, the Prius will cost just $1,406 in repairs and $1,868 in maintenance. On average a small compact sedan costs $1,557 in repairs and $2,304 in maintenance. On average, vehicles cost roughly $1,800 to repair and about $2,600 to maintain, so the Prius is definitely more affordable in those respects.
While repairs and maintenance (as well as insurance) are clearly less, Vincentric found over five years, because of their much higher initial price, you're still paying more for a hybrid. The average price premium for a hybrid was $8,298 while the average fuel-cost savings was $2,364 over five years—with the vehicle driven 15,000 miles annually—and a 2010 Toyota Prius will cost $3,227 more to own than a 2010 Toyota Corolla. That's including the fuel-cost differential of $2,364.
So while hybrids might cost less to fuel up—and, surprisingly, less to maintain and repair as well—choosing one, like the 2011 Toyota Prius, is still the green way to go...but not necessarily the most frugal choice.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2011 Dodge Grand Caravan: First Drive
Along with most of the Chrysler lineup for 2011, this year's Grand Caravan pitches headlong into the rejuvenation fad. Not that it didn't need a tightening here, a mini-lift there, a spa weekend most everywhere (and mostly for its plasticky, creaky cabin), but the Grand Caravan's always been a fundamentally sound package.
It's only recently--since the new version arrived in 2008--that it's undercut itself with a cost-cutting interior. That's been gutted this year, and with a new drivetrain plan that includes the new Pentastar V-6, the massaged minivan greets a slew of new competitors nose-on. It's an interesting footnote: for 2011, every new minivan for sale in the U.S. gets a moderate to complete makeover, from the Kia Sedona's light updates to the complete overhaul of the new Nissan Quest, Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey.
Let's start with how it looks, because with the Odyssey's new lightning-bolt sideview and the Sienna's tarted-up swagger--not to mention the Quest's overt Flex cues--the Grand Caravan suddenly seems more boxy than ever. There's an honesty about its shape that didn't play as well three years ago, when this Grand Caravan replaced the old egg-shaped one. Going from truly handsome to truly, er, space-efficient still doesn't give the Grand Caravan the gorgeousness that no driver expects from a minivan--but the new, small touches are nicely faired into the one-box canvas. The headlights round down into suggestiveness, the crosshairs grow on the grille to military grade, and the re-faired skirts and bumpers drum up a little curiosity, especially on the new R/T version. The taillamps are LED sprays dubbed the "ring of fire" by Dodge; they mimic those in the new Charger, and sound a little unfair to Johnny Cash.
Moving inside through the front hinged doors, the Caravan's playspaces have ditched the gross-grain plastics for something more suitably adult. From the sliding side doors back, not much has changed--it's still crayon-and-vomit-proof--but facing the senior family members is an uncluttered, upgraded dash with better materials all around. That's with the exception of the cloth upholstery: the Grand Caravan will be Chrysler's sub-$30,000 minivan, and the "premium" cloth interior isn't the top-grade equal of the plastics and metallic trim surrounding it. It's a little fuzzy, a little vintage-80s Korean--and leather's only an option on the top two trim packages.
(more...)Auto Sales Shaping Up For A Strong November, Year-End
Looking at the auto market, there's some very good economic news. Auto sales are expected to continue their surge in November and are on the road to a stronger annual finish than had earlier been anticipated.Because of rising demand as well as a "slew of new products that will be hitting the marketplace," the pricing intelligence firm TrueCar adjusted its 2011 sales forecast up to 12.7 million units—corresponding with the level predicted by J.D Power last month—significantly higher than many analysts had been predicting just a few months ago.
Many of those new products they're referring to are high-volume models, including the 2011 Ford Explorer and the 2012 Ford Focus—as well as the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, which we'll soon be driving.
TrueCar is predicting that total U.S. light vehicle sales will be at 868,283. That's up 16 percent from November of last year and up nine percent from October 2010.
Compared to last month, retail sales are down nine percent, but they're up almost 17 percent versus November 2009.
That amounts to something of a rejuvenated fleet market during November—as, perhaps, fleet operators picked up leftover 2010 models at a deep discount.
All automakers but Toyota are predicted to post higher sales this November than November 2009—with Hyundai/Kia sales up a whopping 45 percent and Ford sales up more than 28 percent. However all major automakers will likely sell fewer vehicles this month than last. Versus October, TrueCar anticipates Chrysler sales will be down 17.5 percent, while Toyota and Hyundai/Kia will drop nearly ten percent.
Incentive spending has risen a little bit, though, at an industry-average $2,712; that's up slightly from last November and up six percent from last month.
Hyundai and Kia are spending the least on incentives—just $1,801 per unit—while Chrysler is still sweetening the deals with more than $3,450 per vehicle, on average, to keep the metal moving. GM wasn't far behind, at $3,350 per vehicle.
[TrueCar]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2011 Dodge Journey: First Drive
In the two years since the Dodge Journey first showed up in showrooms, Chrysler's been through a couple of near-death moments. For all its turmoil with the private-equity crowd and the bankruptcy courts, Chrysler's now churning out a heavily revamped line of 2011 vehicles that includes a Journey with a new powertrain offering, retuned handling, and a striking new interior.
It needs them, because while competitors like the Mitsu Endeavor have fallen into obscurity, the Journey's been met with a few very capable new competitors. The Subaru Outback is one, but the vehicle with the Journey right in its Dodge crosshairs is the Georgia-built 2011 Kia Sorento.
We flew to Napa to sample seven new Chrysler vehicles in all, and the Journey made a better lunch date than in the past. In part, it's because so much is carried over. From our first Journey drive back in early 2008, we found the Journey's packaging, sheetmetal and some of the flexibility features right on target with the audience in mind--those crafty new families who need an "everything" car. What it didn't have was a cabin we'd want to sit in, or a modern six-cylinder drivetrain worth our extra dollars.
Most of those shortcomings are fixed in the 2011 Journey. A quick walkaround doesn't reveal a lot of newness outside. It's still a wagon with some overt SUV cues, like the squared-off corners, pronounced fenders, and straightforward grille. Those ribs are thicker and meatier, which always has to be a check in the "better" column, even if you're not talking Dreamland BBQ.
What's been tossed on the junk heap--where it always belonged--is the old dash, with its funny, tilted, squared-off gauges and sheeny, brittle plastics that brought back bad memories of the Omni hatchbacks. Open the door and a vector of metallic trim guides you around all the suave finishes and tight fits of the new interior. The sculpting of the center stack doesn't entirely match with the cut-tube gauges and blocky geometrics of the steering wheel, but they play nice with each other--and so do the big LCD screen (on some versions) and the no-fuss climate controls that ride above or below that rollercoaster of bright trim. The new dash does carry over lots of contact with front-seaters' knees, but it gut-checks the cheap feeling entirely.
(more...)2011 Hyundai Elantra Preview
By the looks of it, Hyundai has rolled out yet another overachiever in its 2011 Hyundai Elantra.That's certainly not a bad thing in a class that's been stagnating in recent years; automakers figured out that people want the basics in compact sedans, like air conditioning, cruise control, and the like, but above that, they were pretty much just pulling their punches. Anonymous exteriors, boomy interiors, and skimpy feature sets prevailed, along with fuel economy ratings that really aren't much better than those of mid-size cars.
And then with the last generation of the Elantra, something interesting happened: by nearly all accounts, the Elantra emerged ahead of the Corolla in most respects. And this year, residual value experts ALG have even rated the Elantra at the top of its class, above the Corolla and Civic—confirming that, five years down the line, they think the Elantra will be worth the most.
The new 'Fluidic Sculpture' exterior has the same curvy sheetmetal and prominent rising beltline crease as the 2011 Hyundai Sonata sedan, as well as the very swept-back headlights, yet thanks to a little more sharpness and angularity at the front—in the air dam and fog lamps, especially—the design just has a crisper look. Big 17-inch wheels (only on upper trims, we suspect) and flared fenders also help give the design a little more pop. And the sleekness of the whole design isn't just a trick for the eyes; Hyundai says that the coefficient of drag is a very low 0.28—even slightly lower than that of the Chevy Volt.
The Elantra's interior bears a likeness to the Sonata's cabin, though with slightly more sci-fi look. It looks like it might combine some of the best of cockpit-style layouts with more open ones, as it pinches quite narrow up at the top for more knee room. The nav and sound system controls are up high, along with the nav screen, while climate controls are just below. Nice, round analog gauges sit directly ahead of the driver, as well as a set of steering-wheel controls. Instrument panels have a two-tone look, with hazy metallic trim.
Standard on the Elantra is a new 1.8-liter 'Nu' four-cylinder engine, with variable valve timing, making 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque; that's pretty much par within this class, but fuel economy is much better than average, at 29 mpg city, 40 highway for both automatic and manual-transmission models. The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco gets an EPA rating of 28 mpg city, 42 highway, but other Cruze models get 22/35 or 24/36. A new six-speed manual gearbox is standard, while a new lighter-weight six-speed automatic is available—and we should note because it means more with small engines, has one more gear than the Honda Civic and two more than the Toyota Corolla.
With a 106.3-inch wheelbase and 178.3-inch overall length, the 2011 Elantra approaches mid-size in exterior dimensions. The new Elantra is big inside, too; at 95.6 cubic feet of passenger volume, its cabin is large enough to be officially mid-size—slightly larger than that of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, and significantly larger than Civic or Corolla. Just as in the Sonata, it appears from initial pictures that seats are more generously padded and bolstered; and while the Elantra has been made lower, headroom has been maintained. Hyundai notes that it even beats the Acura TSX, Nissan Maxima, and VW Passat CC when looking at total interior volume (cabin plus trunk). And the Elantra's cargo space itself is larger than all other cars in this class except for the Cruze.
Hyundai has left no safety equipment on the table with the 2011 Elantra. It's all included: stability control and anti-lock brakes with Brake Assist, as is a new Steering Effort Assist system that helps steer you back toward stability and control in a skid. Front seat-mounted side airbags are also standard, as are front and rear side-curtain bags.
Although Hyundai hasn't released a full feature set yet, a 172-watt, six-speaker sound system with iPod/USB and aux-in, along with satellite radio, is standard, while options include a 360-watt system. Touch-screen navigation is available even on the base Elantra GLS, and the nav system incorporates real-time traffic and the suite of XM Data services. A sunroof, leather upholstery, and push-button start are on the options list. The new Elantra will also offer a segment first: heated rear seats. It's the sort of feature set that we'd normally have to step up to a luxury brand to get.
Elantra prices will start at $14,630 (excluding $720 destination) for base 2011 Elantra GLS models, up to $21,980 for top-of-the-range Premium models.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Subaru, Honda, Infiniti Top ALG Residual Value Awards
If you're thinking of getting a new Subaru, here's one more pro to put on the list: some of the strongest resale values in the business.ALG, a respected authority for residual values and depreciation data, and the leader for establishing the residuals that are used to determine new-car leasing rates, has named Subaru its top-rated brand for 2011.
That's great news for Subaru and Subaru shoppers, as quiet simply, the better a vehicle rates in residual value, the less it will cost to lease, and even if you buy, ownership costs are likely to be lower over the long run, as you'll get more money on trade.
Subaru edged out Honda, which ranked a strong second place. Mazda ranked third among mainstream brands.
"The sustained high quality of Subaru's products, as well as its consistent message about the benefits of all-wheel drive, continue to inspire a remarkable loyalty among its customer base," said Raj Sundaram, the company's senior VP. "This has allowed Subaru to achieve strong sales growth without relying on heavy discounting or fleet sales, which is another key to its ranking atop the mainstream brands again this year."
Honda has two winners: its Honda Fit, in the Sub Compact Car category, and the new 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan. Nissan was also a high achiever, both the Maxima (Fullsize Car) and GT-R (Luxury Sports Car) garnering the best residual values in their segments.
Among luxury brands, Infiniti ranked at the top and was significantly improved from last year. ALG pointed to the strong foundation the G35 sedan has given the brand, as well as the QX56 SUV, which it noted is priced lower than rival models. Acura was the second-place luxury brand, followed by Lexus.
Hyundai ranked in the Residual Value Awards for the first time for its Elantra, which topped the Compact Car category—likely surpassing longtime high-achievers such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.
ALG noted that domestic brands still aren't leading many segments; the Ford F-Series Super Duty remained the only domestic-brand winner for the second year in a row.
Here's the complete list of 2011 winners:
Sub Compact Car: Honda Fit
Compact Car: Hyundai Elantra
Midsize Car: Subaru Legacy
Fullsize Car: Nissan Maxima
Sporty Car: MINI Cooper Countryman
Alternative Powertrain: Volkswagen Golf TDI
MPV: Honda Odyssey
Compact Utility: Subaru Forester
Midsize Utility: Subaru Outback
Fullsize Utility: Mazda CX-9
Midsize Pickup: Toyota Tacoma
Fullsize Pickup: Ford F-Series Super Duty
Near Luxury Car: Acura TL
Luxury Car: Lexus LS 460
Luxury Sportscar: Nissan GT-R
Luxury Alt-Fuel: Mercedes-Benz E 350 BlueTec
Luxury Compact Utility: BMW X3
Luxury Midsize Utility: Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Luxury Fullsize Utility: Infiniti QX56
[ALG]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Toyota Best In Fleet MPG; Ford Claims Most Improved, Best In Class
While Toyota still ranks at the top in fuel economy across its passenger-car fleet for the 2010 model year—led by vehicles like the 2011 Prius—Ford Motor Co. [NYSE: F] is moving on up. Ford says that from 2004 to 2009, its fleet-average fuel economy improved more than any other automaker; it posted nearly double the improvement of top rivals.A few weeks ago, the federal government released its periodic Summary of Fuel Economy Performance, indicating that Ford still officially has middle-of-the-road fuel economy figures according to the federal government's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) calculations. But it's actually much better than that, now with four 40-mpg vehicles for the 2011 model year—more than any other full-line automaker, it says, with the likes of these segment leaders:
- 2011 Ford Fiesta - 40-mpg highway with the dual-clutch automatic
- 2011 Ford Mustang - 31-mpg highway with the 305-hp V-6
- 2011 Ford Ranger - 22/27 mpg, the best of any pickup
- 2011 Ford F-150 - best in class mpg for V-6 and V-8 engines
- 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid - best mileage of any SUV
In addition, next year Ford plans to introduce more fuel-efficient EcoBoost engine options to both the F-150 and Edge. The 2012 Ford Focus is also expected to be rated up to 40 mpg.
Passenger cars for 2010 are expected to have a CAFE of 27.5 mpg—as has been required since 1990—while light trucks need to have a CAFE of 23.5 mpg.
Admittedly, CAFE isn't a straightforward measure of fuel economy either. There are a number of CAFE exceptions—including a 1.2 mpg credit for flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs).
That said, it's expected that the industry will average 29.2 mpg over model-year 2010, including 33.7 mpg for passenger cars and 25.1 mpg for light trucks; that's well ahead of the federal standard, but in anticipation of tighter standards being phased in, leading up to a 34.1-mpg average in 2016.
To help you take the pulse of where automakers are in their attempts to green their fleets, here are CAFE ranking lists for each category for 2010:
Import Cars (27.5-mpg requirement)
Toyota 44.4
Honda 40.9
Kia 36.6
Hyundai 36.0
Mazda 34.5
Suzuki 34.5
GM 34.0
Volkswagen 32.9
Nissan 32.5
Mitsubishi 31.7
Subaru 29.7
BMW 28.7
Ford 27.6
Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) 26.9
Porsche 25.7
Lotus 24.5
Jaguar 23.8
Spyker 19.5
Fiat (Ferrari and Maserati) 18.0
Domestic Cars (27.5-mpg requirement)
Tesla 346.8
Toyota 36.4
Nissan 34.8
Honda 34.7
Ford 32.3
Mazda 31.4
GM 30.6
Chrysler 28.0
Light Trucks (23.5-mpg requirement)
Hyundai 30.0
Subaru 29.9
Mitsubishi 28.3
Honda 26.9
Mazda 26.6
Suzuki 26.3
Toyota 26.0
Kia 25.7
GM 25.4
Volkswagen 25.2
Nissan 24.9
Chrysler 24.1
Ford 24.0
BMW 23.6
Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) 21.5
Porsche 20.5
Land Rover 18.7
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
