Archive for October, 2009
Colorado Gives Massive Tax Credit on Hybrids
Posted on 28. Oct, 2009 by admin.
A new tax break in Colorado will give state residents a credit on their 2009 income taxes for up to 85% of the difference between the cost of an alternative fuel or hybrid vehicle and a comparable one that runs on regular fuel, according to Fox News.
How does that translate into actual savings? It means that you could buy the north-of-$100,000 Tesla Roadster electric sports car for almost 40% off — potentially a $42,083 discount. That’s almost reasonable. Buy a 2009 Lexus LS 600h and you’ll catch a $20,000 break (starting MSRP: $106,035). The credit can also be used on lower-priced vehicles such as the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius.
The deal lasts through Dec. 31, which means green-car fans will have to figure out how to move to Colorado quickly.
Whoa! Colorado Residents Get $42G Refund on Tesla Roadster (New York Daily News)
Continue Reading
Review: Lexus HS250h
Posted on 28. Oct, 2009 by admin.
Every luxury car make seems compelled to explore how low it can venture in the American market without hopelessly devaluing the brand. Mercedes no longer offers the C-Class hatchback Coupe and has shied away from offering the A- and B-Classes in the United States. BMW hasn’t offered a semi-affordable four-cylinder [...]
Read more
Continue Reading
3-D GPS Maps to Help at Difficult Intersections
Posted on 28. Oct, 2009 by admin.
Have you ever come to a highway intersection and found it difficult to tell which real-world road you want to take — even with GPS?
Navteq, a digital map and traffic data provider, plans to help drivers navigate the most difficult intersections by rendering them in 3-D. The image appears as animation but mimics what the driver sees through the windshield, including roads signs, overhead passes and other real-world objects.
For 2,000 of the U.S.’s most confusing intersections and 8,000 worldwide, Navteq’s software will switch from a flat map to 3-D and highlight the correct lane. It will provide the visual cues that are most useful to people in the midst of an uncertain split-second decision, according to the company.
Navteq calls these 3-D renderings “Motorway Junction Objects.” The company has not announced when the service will become available on GPS units.
GPS System Offers 3-D, Without the Glasses (Wheels)
Continue Reading
Reader Review of the Week: 2010 Lexus HS 250h
Posted on 28. Oct, 2009 by admin.
“Hybrid Convert” from Fontana, Calif., spent 20 years in two different luxury cars. When it came to his next purchase, he wanted to increase his fuel economy and decrease his carbon footprint. This led him to Lexus’s high-end hybrid, the 2010 HS 250h. Despite some disappointment with the car’s performance, this is one driver whose very name explains how he feels about his purchase. Read the full review of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, and then write a review of your own vehicle here.
“I have had my two previous luxury cars for 10 years apiece, so when I wanted to get a new car, I was mainly interested in a luxury car that provided better mileage. The HS 250h is a great choice for that but clearly is not as luxurious, quiet or performance-oriented as my previous car. As long as you understand that this is a car with a smaller wheelbase and is a less performance-oriented car, then your experience with the HS 250h will be great.
“I have had the car for about two weeks. The car with the color I wanted was only available in the Premium model with the Technology Package. The mileage has been better than expected. I have been averaging slightly better than the EPA reported mileage so far in a mix of highway and city driving. It uses regular gas, which is nice.
“The Technology Package has lots of bells and whistles — more than I think I really need — but it will be fun to play with when I get all the features figured out.
“Even though this is a smaller car than I am used to, I feel safe with the safety features included. It can seat five passengers, but the rear seat with three adults is tight. Some might object to the pricing, but you are paying for the “Lexus” name as well as the “green” factor.
“Overall, this car is what I expected, and I’m happy with my purchase.”
2010|Lexus|HS 250h
Continue Reading
Consumer Reports’ Most and Least Reliable Cars
Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by admin.
Earlier we wrote about automakers’ overall rankings in Consumer Reports’ annual survey. Now, we’re tackling which models ranked highest and lowest among the 1.4 million vehicles surveyed. The big winner is Ford, and it’s not because they had the most vehicles with above average reliability. Consumer Reports says the company has a “world-class” lineup in terms of reliability, with 46 out of 51 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles scoring average or above-average reliability ratings.
In comparison, GM’s now four brands — Buick, Cadillac, Chevy and GMC — had 20 out of 48 models with average scores and just one, the Malibu V6, with above average scores.
Last year, Chrysler had no vehicles breaking the “average” barrier, but this year the new Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck earned a place among the middle of the pack. However, a third of the company’s lineup scored much worse than average, the lowest rating given.
You can look up the full list of ratings if you’re a CR subscriber here. We list the most and least reliable models by category below.
Small Cars
Most Reliable: Honda Insight
Least Reliable: Nissan Versa sedan
Family Cars
Most: Toyota Prius
Least: Chrysler Sebring/Dodge Avenger
Luxury Cars
Most: Infiniti M35 (RWD)
Least: Jaguar XF
Sporty Cars, Coupes and Convertibles
Most: Lexus SC
Least: Chrysler Sebring convertible
Wagons and Minivans
Most: Toyota Venza
Least: Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan
Small SUVs
Most: Honda CR-V
Least: Saturn Vue (V6)
Midsize SUVs
Most: Toyota FJ Cruiser
Least: Jeep Commander
Luxury SUVs
Most: Mercedes-Benz GLK
Least: VW Touareg
Large SUVs
Most: Toyota Sequoia
Least: Chevy Suburban 2500
Pickups
Most: Toyota Tundra
Least: Chevy Colorado
Continue Reading
Gas Prices Jump 17 Cents in a Month
Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by admin.
The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has risen quickly in the last month, jumping from $2.50 per gallon a month ago to just over $2.67 as of today, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.
The past week has seen an especially sharp spike as prices leapt 10 cents from $2.57 in just seven days.
The lowest average prices can be found in Tucson, Ariz., at $2.24 per gallon, while the highest are in Anchorage, Alaska, at $3.25.
Gas Prices Up 17.8 Cents Nationwide (Associated Press)
Continue Reading
Consumer Reports Recommends All Full-Size Half-Ton Pickups
Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by admin.
Looking for a new half-ton pickup? You can rest easier: Every full-size half-ton pickup is “recommended” by Consumer Reports, according to its 2009 Annual Car Reliability Survey released today.
The reliability scores of the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra 1500 and Dodge Ram 1500 4×4 pickups have improved enough to earn CR’s Recommendation.
The full list of recommended full-size trucks includes:
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 5.3-liter V-8
- Dodge Ram 1500 5.7-liter V-8
- Ford F-150 5.4-liter V-8
- GMC Sierra 1500 5.3-liter V-8
- Nissan Titan 5.6-liter V-8
- Toyota Tundra 5.7-liter V-8
In midsize pickups, Asian brands rule without challenge from American small trucks. The full list of recommended compact and midsize trucks includes:
The full list of recommended compact and midsize trucks includes:
- Honda Ridgeline V-6
- Nissan Frontier V-6
- Toyota Tacoma V-6
CR only recommends vehicles that have performed well in its tests, have at least average predicted reliability based on the Annual Auto Survey, and performed at least adequately if crash-tested or included in a government rollover test.
[Source: Consumer Reports]
Continue Reading
Consumer Reports’ Top 10 Automakers
Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by admin.
Today, Consumer Reports released the results of its annual car reliability survey, which includes more than 1.4 million vehicles. This is one of the most important publications of the year for consumers interested in a car’s reliability. There were few surprises in terms of which makes are most and least reliable, with Scion maintaining the top spot. Porsche, Saab, Suzuki and Pontiac saw the biggest gains while Lincoln and Mini took the biggest hits. Check out Consumer Reports full report if you’re a subscriber. We list the top 10 most and least reliable automakers below.
Top 10 Most Reliable Automakers
1.
Continue Reading
Select GM Models to Get Wi-Fi
Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by admin.
GM will offer dealer-installed Autonet routers in select SUV and truck models. This comes a year after Chrysler began offering the same service.
The installation will cost $500 as well as $29 a month for 1 GB of service (service cuts out if you surpass 1 GB). The signal reaches up to 150 feet around the vehicle, but there will be no encryption so beware of Wi-Fi leeches.
Chrysler was the first automaker to offer Autonet routers in its vehicles over a year ago, and Volkswagen jumped on board this August, offering router docking stations in the Routan minivan.
Autonet installations will be available starting this month, but you can also order it from GM’s accessories website. Keep in mind, this is only an option in the “new GM” lineups of GMC, Chevy, Buick and Cadillac.
Source: GM
Continue Reading
Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Porsche Panamera
Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by admin.
A Porsche hatchback? The incongruity of that phrase is enough to send fans into a fainting spell. Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley is willing to give the 2009 Porsche Panamera a shot nevertheless (we know, what a rough gig). Hanley put the Panamera through its paces. To find out if this outside-the-box luxury car can convert skeptics, check out his full review.
2010 Porsche Panamera Review
