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Toyota Wins BIG at Kelly Blue Book--KBB!
Kelley Blue Book presented Toyota with a total of
eight 2010 Best Resale Value Awards, including one as Best Brand for
resale value and three for placing in the Top 10 of all vehicles.
Here is a complete rundown of vehicles and categories:
While sticker price, fuel economy and safety features are often the deciding factors in a new-vehicle purchase, kbb.com experts suggest that consumers should also consider resale value when comparing vehicles. Following is a short Q&A that will help you understand this prestigious award:
What exactly is the Best Resale Value Award from Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com?
It recognizes vehicles expected to keep the greatest proportion of their original retail price after five years of ownership. These projections are based on the Kelley Blue Book Official Residual Value Guide-which is compiled by numerous automotive data researchers and market analysts-and used by financial institutions and the leasing industry. Certain low-volume and high-priced vehicles are excluded from consideration, except in luxury and high-performance categories. In addition to awarding the top overall brand and top luxury brand with best resale value, awards are presented in 16 vehicle categories and for the Overall Top 10 models.
What makes resale value important?
Buying a car or truck is a major financial decision for many households. Kbb.com experts say that depreciation can be the greatest expense incurred by drivers during the first five years of owning a vehicle. By choosing a vehicle that is likely to retain more of its value than others, the consumer helps keep the total ownership cost lower. Higher resale values also help nurture customer loyalty because the owner is in a better position to purchase a new Toyota in the future.
Does the Kelley Blue Book resale value indicate the exact price for a vehicle after five years?
No, it's an estimate/projection that consumers can use to compare vehicles. The actual resale value of a used vehicle depends on mileage, maintenance history and popularity of the vehicle, as well as a variety of market conditions and economic factors.
What does the Brand award for Toyota mean?
The award recognizes the vehicle brand with the best-projected resale value across the entire line of models. This honor will help boost customer confidence in the Toyota brand, affirm customer loyalty and promote repeat purchases.
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Here is a complete rundown of vehicles and categories:
- 2010 Toyota - Best Resale Value: Brand
- 2010 Tacoma - Best Resale Value: Mid-size Pickup and Top 10
- 2010 Highlander - Best Resale Value: Mid-size Utility Vehicle
- 2010 Sienna - Best Resale Value: Van
- 2010 Prius - Best Resale Value: Hybrid/Alternative Fuel Car and Top 10
- 2010 RAV4 - Best Resale Value: Top 10
While sticker price, fuel economy and safety features are often the deciding factors in a new-vehicle purchase, kbb.com experts suggest that consumers should also consider resale value when comparing vehicles. Following is a short Q&A that will help you understand this prestigious award:
What exactly is the Best Resale Value Award from Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com?
It recognizes vehicles expected to keep the greatest proportion of their original retail price after five years of ownership. These projections are based on the Kelley Blue Book Official Residual Value Guide-which is compiled by numerous automotive data researchers and market analysts-and used by financial institutions and the leasing industry. Certain low-volume and high-priced vehicles are excluded from consideration, except in luxury and high-performance categories. In addition to awarding the top overall brand and top luxury brand with best resale value, awards are presented in 16 vehicle categories and for the Overall Top 10 models.
What makes resale value important?
Buying a car or truck is a major financial decision for many households. Kbb.com experts say that depreciation can be the greatest expense incurred by drivers during the first five years of owning a vehicle. By choosing a vehicle that is likely to retain more of its value than others, the consumer helps keep the total ownership cost lower. Higher resale values also help nurture customer loyalty because the owner is in a better position to purchase a new Toyota in the future.
Does the Kelley Blue Book resale value indicate the exact price for a vehicle after five years?
No, it's an estimate/projection that consumers can use to compare vehicles. The actual resale value of a used vehicle depends on mileage, maintenance history and popularity of the vehicle, as well as a variety of market conditions and economic factors.
What does the Brand award for Toyota mean?
The award recognizes the vehicle brand with the best-projected resale value across the entire line of models. This honor will help boost customer confidence in the Toyota brand, affirm customer loyalty and promote repeat purchases.
Chevy Equinox - The compact crossover with great gas mileage, room for six
By Tom Strongman The Kansas City Star
Ed Peper, North American vice president of Chevrolet, said the new General Motors is "open for business and here to stay," as he recently introduced Chevrolet's 2010 Equinox to auto writers.
The second-generation Equinox, he said, will "redefine the compact segment."
Compact crossovers are a sensible choice for those who need seating for six or the ability to tow heavy loads. Target buyers are young couples, empty nesters and retired people.
The Equinox, which rides on the same wheelbase as its predecessor, comes in front- or all-wheel drive, with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a 3.0-liter V-6. There are four trim levels. Prices begin at $23,185 for the LS, $24,105 for the 1LT, $26,190 for the 2LT and $28,790 for the LTZ.
Anti-lock brakes, vehicle stability control and traction control are standard.
The Equinox is handsome. The signature grille is similar to that found on the Malibu and Traverse, and the profile is lean and clean. The greenhouse, or window area, is low and streamlined.
The big news, however, is that the 182-horsepower, 2.4-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder engine has a highway fuel economy rating of 32 miles per gallon. That's not only a 33 percent improvement over the previous Equinox, but it is better than the rating of its competitors. City mileage is 22 mpg. The all-wheel drive model is rated at 20 city and 29 highway. The front-wheel-drive model is capable of going 550 miles on one tank of gas.
A direct-injection 3.0-liter V-6 also is available. The V-6 is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway.
The four-cylinder performs well and is expected to be the engine of choice for about 70-percent of buyers due to its fuel economy. Throttle tip-in is a bit soft, and initial acceleration is not quite as lively as its competitors.
Each engine has its own specific six-speed automatic transmission.
Other standard features include six standard airbags, including side-curtain airbags and pelvic/thorax seat-mounted side airbags.
The Equinox is characterized by refinement. The design, fit and finish and quality of materials, especially inside, are easily the best in class. Wind and road noise are minimal.
Brushed silver accents highlight the well-designed cabin's instrument panel. The center stack contains flush-mounted buttons for the audio and climate-control system. Blue ambient lighting highlights the console and cup holders.
The steering wheel controls for cruise and audio have rotary knobs that can be rolled with a thumb, and they're simple and intuitive.
Rear-seat legroom is quite generous, thanks to the back seat that can be moved backward and forward 8 inches. Put the seat forward and it is easy for front-seat passengers to reach an infant in a child seat. Put it back, and the legroom is like a limousine.
One drawback is that the rear cargo area is a bit narrow, and the low roof means some large items, such as a bicycle, might not fit easily.
Options include Bluetooth phone connectivity, a rear-vision camera, programmable power liftgate, navigation system, premium audio, and a rear-seat entertainment system with two 8-inch LCD screens, one on the back of each front seat.
PRICE
I drove a 2LT with a rear-seat entertainment center. Its sticker price was $31,420.
WARRANTY
Three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
top
Ed Peper, North American vice president of Chevrolet, said the new General Motors is "open for business and here to stay," as he recently introduced Chevrolet's 2010 Equinox to auto writers.
The second-generation Equinox, he said, will "redefine the compact segment."
Compact crossovers are a sensible choice for those who need seating for six or the ability to tow heavy loads. Target buyers are young couples, empty nesters and retired people.
The Equinox, which rides on the same wheelbase as its predecessor, comes in front- or all-wheel drive, with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a 3.0-liter V-6. There are four trim levels. Prices begin at $23,185 for the LS, $24,105 for the 1LT, $26,190 for the 2LT and $28,790 for the LTZ.
Anti-lock brakes, vehicle stability control and traction control are standard.
The Equinox is handsome. The signature grille is similar to that found on the Malibu and Traverse, and the profile is lean and clean. The greenhouse, or window area, is low and streamlined.
The big news, however, is that the 182-horsepower, 2.4-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder engine has a highway fuel economy rating of 32 miles per gallon. That's not only a 33 percent improvement over the previous Equinox, but it is better than the rating of its competitors. City mileage is 22 mpg. The all-wheel drive model is rated at 20 city and 29 highway. The front-wheel-drive model is capable of going 550 miles on one tank of gas.
A direct-injection 3.0-liter V-6 also is available. The V-6 is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway.
The four-cylinder performs well and is expected to be the engine of choice for about 70-percent of buyers due to its fuel economy. Throttle tip-in is a bit soft, and initial acceleration is not quite as lively as its competitors.
Each engine has its own specific six-speed automatic transmission.
Other standard features include six standard airbags, including side-curtain airbags and pelvic/thorax seat-mounted side airbags.
The Equinox is characterized by refinement. The design, fit and finish and quality of materials, especially inside, are easily the best in class. Wind and road noise are minimal.
Brushed silver accents highlight the well-designed cabin's instrument panel. The center stack contains flush-mounted buttons for the audio and climate-control system. Blue ambient lighting highlights the console and cup holders.
The steering wheel controls for cruise and audio have rotary knobs that can be rolled with a thumb, and they're simple and intuitive.
Rear-seat legroom is quite generous, thanks to the back seat that can be moved backward and forward 8 inches. Put the seat forward and it is easy for front-seat passengers to reach an infant in a child seat. Put it back, and the legroom is like a limousine.
One drawback is that the rear cargo area is a bit narrow, and the low roof means some large items, such as a bicycle, might not fit easily.
Options include Bluetooth phone connectivity, a rear-vision camera, programmable power liftgate, navigation system, premium audio, and a rear-seat entertainment system with two 8-inch LCD screens, one on the back of each front seat.
PRICE
I drove a 2LT with a rear-seat entertainment center. Its sticker price was $31,420.
WARRANTY
Three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
G.M.?s new Chevrolet Camaro muscle car is winning over consumers
Amid the gloom of bankruptcy and a miserable market for new vehicles, G.M.'s new Chevrolet Camaro muscle car is winning over consumers looking for a little excitement in a bland landscape of look-alike sedans and watered-down sport utilities.
G.M. sold 9,300 Camaros during the month of June - more than either its entire Buick or Cadillac divisions could muster on their own.
And with G.M. expected to emerge Friday from bankruptcy as a newly constituted company, it is hardly surprising that the Camaro will play a starring role in the company's coming-out party and news conference at G.M.'s Detroit headquarters.
G.M.'s chief executive, Fritz Henderson, and new chairman, Edward Whitacre, plan to offer the Camaro as proof that a comeback is under way.
A product renaissance, of course, cannot be led solely by a retro-styled sports car that harks back to the horsepower hysteria of the 1960s. But in its short time on the market, the Camaro has brought some much-needed buzz to G.M. showrooms.
"You need excitement at G.M.," said Joseph Phillippi, a principal in the firm AutoTrends Consulting. "And you certainly need something new."
The latest edition of the Camaro is tapping into nostalgia some drivers have for the glory days of the American auto industry.
Its long hood, rakish grille and brawny fenders echo the powerful look of the Camaro in its heyday, when G.M., Ford and Chrysler turned out tire-squealing cars that defined Detroit.
While it comes with a big V-8 as an option, the base model has a 6-cylinder engine that gets 22 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving.
It is also priced for the mainstream buyer - about $23,000 for the base version, and up to $32,000 for the loaded V-8 model.
G.M. began taking orders for the Camaro last fall, and buyers put down deposits on 14,000 of them before the first one was built in March at its plant in Oshawa, Ontario.
"The cars are coming into the dealerships, getting cleaned up and then delivered to customers almost immediately," said Karen K. Rafferty, a Chevrolet marketing executive.
She said that G.M. had a six-day supply of Camaros nationally; 60 days is considered the norm in the industry.
That level of demand is rare these days, as automakers choke on unsold inventories in the worst market for new vehicles in the United States in more than 25 years.
It has been some time since G.M. could lay claim to having the hottest new vehicle on dealer lots.
The company's sales in the United States during the first six months of the year were down 40 percent, compared with 35 percent for the overall market.
G.M. has also suffered through an avalanche of negative publicity since it first appealed for financial help from the federal government last fall.
The company has been subsisting on government loans since January, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 1. By the end of the year, the Obama administration is expected to have spent $50 billion on rescuing G.M.
G.M. will be radically smaller as a privately held, government-controlled company. Four of its eight divisions, including Saturn and Pontiac, will be sold or closed, and several car and truck models will be discontinued.
With G.M. shrinking, hot products like the Camaro become more critical to its survival.
Chevrolet executives said the car was already providing a halo effect for more conventional Chevrolet products, like the Equinox and Traverse S.U.V.'s (now often called "crossovers" because they are lighter and more fuel-efficient than older sport utility vehicles).
"The car is bringing in people to the showrooms," Ms. Rafferty said. "They're looking at a Camaro, but they may end up buying a Traverse."
The car has also gotten a marketing boost from its featured role in the current blockbuster film "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."
It has been a long road back for the Camaro, which had its debut in 1966 but was dropped from G.M.'s lineup in 2002.
G.M.'s product comeback could get help from a decision by Robert A. Lutz, its long-time car czar, to stay with the company rather than retire at the end of the year. Mr. Lutz, an early supporter of bringing back the Camaro, is expected to announce Friday that he will remain with G.M. in an unspecified executive capacity, according to a person familiar with his decisions.
G.M. has consistently declined to reveal its sales targets for the Camaro, which ranked as the 13th-best-selling car in the country in June and outsold its traditional rival, the Ford Mustang.
G.M.'s senior executives are loath to make sales projections, particularly for a niche car like the Camaro that can fall out of favor just as quickly.
"We've been told rather strongly by top management not to put a number out there," said Terry Rhadigan, a G.M. spokesman.
But G.M.'s dealers are less reserved.
"Interest has been phenomenal," said Paul W. Doddridge, owner of Connell Chevrolet in Costa Mesa, Calif. "It's the best car they have come out with in years."
One of his first customers was Scott Wilbur, a 40-year-old elementary school principal who bought a silver V-8 Camaro in June.
Mr. Wilbur had not purchased a G.M. vehicle in a decade, and traded in his Honda Civic hybrid to buy the Camaro.
He even gave up his California-issued sticker to drive in hybrid-only carpool lanes to get behind the wheel of his new muscle car.
"I might not be as environmentally friendly, but at this point I don't mind waiting in traffic to drive this," he said.
Mr. Wilbur said the Camaro has improved his impression of G.M. to the point where he has put a deposit down on a Chevrolet Volt, the hybrid-electric model due out next year.
top
G.M. sold 9,300 Camaros during the month of June - more than either its entire Buick or Cadillac divisions could muster on their own.
And with G.M. expected to emerge Friday from bankruptcy as a newly constituted company, it is hardly surprising that the Camaro will play a starring role in the company's coming-out party and news conference at G.M.'s Detroit headquarters.
G.M.'s chief executive, Fritz Henderson, and new chairman, Edward Whitacre, plan to offer the Camaro as proof that a comeback is under way.
A product renaissance, of course, cannot be led solely by a retro-styled sports car that harks back to the horsepower hysteria of the 1960s. But in its short time on the market, the Camaro has brought some much-needed buzz to G.M. showrooms.
"You need excitement at G.M.," said Joseph Phillippi, a principal in the firm AutoTrends Consulting. "And you certainly need something new."
The latest edition of the Camaro is tapping into nostalgia some drivers have for the glory days of the American auto industry.
Its long hood, rakish grille and brawny fenders echo the powerful look of the Camaro in its heyday, when G.M., Ford and Chrysler turned out tire-squealing cars that defined Detroit.
While it comes with a big V-8 as an option, the base model has a 6-cylinder engine that gets 22 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving.
It is also priced for the mainstream buyer - about $23,000 for the base version, and up to $32,000 for the loaded V-8 model.
G.M. began taking orders for the Camaro last fall, and buyers put down deposits on 14,000 of them before the first one was built in March at its plant in Oshawa, Ontario.
"The cars are coming into the dealerships, getting cleaned up and then delivered to customers almost immediately," said Karen K. Rafferty, a Chevrolet marketing executive.
She said that G.M. had a six-day supply of Camaros nationally; 60 days is considered the norm in the industry.
That level of demand is rare these days, as automakers choke on unsold inventories in the worst market for new vehicles in the United States in more than 25 years.
It has been some time since G.M. could lay claim to having the hottest new vehicle on dealer lots.
The company's sales in the United States during the first six months of the year were down 40 percent, compared with 35 percent for the overall market.
G.M. has also suffered through an avalanche of negative publicity since it first appealed for financial help from the federal government last fall.
The company has been subsisting on government loans since January, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 1. By the end of the year, the Obama administration is expected to have spent $50 billion on rescuing G.M.
G.M. will be radically smaller as a privately held, government-controlled company. Four of its eight divisions, including Saturn and Pontiac, will be sold or closed, and several car and truck models will be discontinued.
With G.M. shrinking, hot products like the Camaro become more critical to its survival.
Chevrolet executives said the car was already providing a halo effect for more conventional Chevrolet products, like the Equinox and Traverse S.U.V.'s (now often called "crossovers" because they are lighter and more fuel-efficient than older sport utility vehicles).
"The car is bringing in people to the showrooms," Ms. Rafferty said. "They're looking at a Camaro, but they may end up buying a Traverse."
The car has also gotten a marketing boost from its featured role in the current blockbuster film "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."
It has been a long road back for the Camaro, which had its debut in 1966 but was dropped from G.M.'s lineup in 2002.
G.M.'s product comeback could get help from a decision by Robert A. Lutz, its long-time car czar, to stay with the company rather than retire at the end of the year. Mr. Lutz, an early supporter of bringing back the Camaro, is expected to announce Friday that he will remain with G.M. in an unspecified executive capacity, according to a person familiar with his decisions.
G.M. has consistently declined to reveal its sales targets for the Camaro, which ranked as the 13th-best-selling car in the country in June and outsold its traditional rival, the Ford Mustang.
G.M.'s senior executives are loath to make sales projections, particularly for a niche car like the Camaro that can fall out of favor just as quickly.
"We've been told rather strongly by top management not to put a number out there," said Terry Rhadigan, a G.M. spokesman.
But G.M.'s dealers are less reserved.
"Interest has been phenomenal," said Paul W. Doddridge, owner of Connell Chevrolet in Costa Mesa, Calif. "It's the best car they have come out with in years."
One of his first customers was Scott Wilbur, a 40-year-old elementary school principal who bought a silver V-8 Camaro in June.
Mr. Wilbur had not purchased a G.M. vehicle in a decade, and traded in his Honda Civic hybrid to buy the Camaro.
He even gave up his California-issued sticker to drive in hybrid-only carpool lanes to get behind the wheel of his new muscle car.
"I might not be as environmentally friendly, but at this point I don't mind waiting in traffic to drive this," he said.
Mr. Wilbur said the Camaro has improved his impression of G.M. to the point where he has put a deposit down on a Chevrolet Volt, the hybrid-electric model due out next year.
J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Initial Quality Study (IQS)
topGENERAL MOTORS FUTURE PRODUCTS GM unveils 2-year product plan around its four core brands
General Motors Co., trying to build confidence in the marketplace after
a stint in Bankruptcy Court, unveiled its two-year product plan today.
The highlights:
Chevrolet: A new small car, the Spark, will be positioned below the Aveo. The Volt plug-in hybrid is scheduled to arrive in November 2010.
? Buick: GM will rebuild the lineup with two new crossovers and two sedans smaller than the 2010 LaCrosse.
? GMC: A subcompact crossover is under study.
? Cadillac: A small model below the CTS is planned, along with a flagship to replace the DTS and STS. The CTS and the small model will get coupe versions.
During its 39-day bankruptcy, GM struck deals to sell the Saab, Hummer and Saturn brands. Pontiac is being killed this year.
What follows is GM's model-by-model plan for the remaining four brands for the 2010-12 model years. It was compiled from GM's presentation today and from company, supplier and industry sources. It will be published as part of our annual future product series in the August 17 print edition of Automotive News.
Buick's game plan: more style and vehicles
Here are highlights of Buick's product plans for the 2010-12 model years.
? Small sedan: Buick will market a compact car built on GM's global compact front-drive Delta platform. The platform will be shared with the Chevrolet Cruze and other GM models. Buick's model will have unique sheet metal and be slightly longer than the Cruze.
GM probably will sell the small Buick first in China as a 2011 model. The U.S. version is expected to be assembled in North America and marketed as a 2012 model.
Regal: Buick is resurrecting the Regal name for its version of the Opel Insignia, which it will get as a 2011 model.
The Insignia, Regal and 2010 Buick LaCrosse are based on GM's new global mid-sized, fwd vehicle platform, but the Regal and Insignia are 6.9 inches shorter than the 196.9-inch LaCrosse. The Regal is expected to be priced several thousand dollars less than the LaCrosse and offered only with a four-cylinder engine. The Regal is critical because GM expects the car to be the brand's top seller.
LaCrosse: GM is hoping the redesigned 2010 LaCrosse sedan will do for Buick what the Malibu has done for Chevrolet: raise transaction prices and sales volume. LaCrosse sales begin this month. The LaCrosse was developed on GM's new global mid-sized fwd vehicle platform.
GM sees this car as a key to Buick's renaissance. Prices start at $27,835, including transportation, and top out over $40,000. The LaCrosse will be Buick's flagship sedan when the Lucerne is discontinued.
Lucerne: The Lucerne will be discontinued in the next year or two because of poor sales.
? Small crossover: GM will offer Buick a small crossover developed on its next-generation global Gamma platform. That platform will be shared by the redesigned Chevrolet Aveo and other vehicles. The crossover is expected to appear in the 2012 model year.
? Compact crossover: Buick will get a version of the Saturn Vue, with a restyled front that will make it look like a Buick. The car will debut next year as a 2011 model. A plug-in hybrid will be added in 2011.
? Enclave: GM plans to freshen the Enclave for the 2012 model year. The Enclave is not in line to get a hybrid version because GM cannot fit the powertrain into the current model.
Cadillac aims to sell small, medium and large luxury
Here are highlights of Cadillac's plans for the 2010-12 model years.
? Small Cadillac: A small, entry-level Cadillac is expected for the 2012 model year. The car would be developed on GM's new global, rear-drive Alpha vehicle platform and positioned below the CTS. A hybrid version is being considered.
? CTS: The CTS added a wagon this year, called the Sport Wagon. A coupe is coming in the 2010 model year.
The next-generation CTS will be smaller and lighter, debuting in the 2013 model year or later.
DTS: Production will end in 2010 or 2011.
? XTS sedan: The 2012 XTS sedan will replace the DTS and STS.
GM's new global mid-sized, fwd vehicle architecture will be adopted for Cadillac. That architecture is used for the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, Opel Insignia and other vehicles. The platform for the Cadillac model will be widened 2.0 inches. GM executives determined that the interior would be too narrow to compete with the BMW 7 series or other luxury sedans.
The XTS -- if the name is kept -- will be approximately the same size as the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-class sedan. All-wheel drive is expected to be optional or standard on the Cadillac; the final decision has not been made.
GM revealed a picture of the XTS at a dealer meeting. One dealer described it as "a smaller, more efficient package. It'll be glamorous and good value at the same time."
STS: Production is expected to end around 2011.
? Plug-in hybrid: GM unveiled the Converj concept at the Detroit auto show in January. It is uncertain whether the vehicle will go into production.
? SRX: The redesigned 2010 SRX is smaller than the previous generation, seating five instead of seven. Weight was reduced, and fuel economy was increased; a V-8 no longer is available. The 2010 SRX was developed on a blend of GM's fwd Theta and global mid-sized vehicle platforms, called Theta Premium. The previous SRX was rwd. A freshening is expected for the 2013 model year.
? Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT: The Escalade family's future is on hold until GM determines how the new corporate average fuel economy regulations will affect GM's full-sized GMT900 truck program. The current Escalade model line is likely to continue into the 2011 model year, maybe 2012.
GM's next-generation trucks could appear in the 2013 or 2014 model year. Which Cadillac models if any will remain on the full-sized truck architecture has not been decided.
One option under review is extending the front-wheel-drive Lambda vehicle platform to develop one or two Escalade models, possibly for the 2012 or 2013 model year.
Chevy promises attractive small cars, crossovers
Camaro: The 2010 Camaro landed in dealerships this spring. A convertible, originally intended as a 2011 model, was pushed back to the 2012 model year because of problems with the roof supplier and GM's cost constraints. Now that GM has some operating cash after emerging from bankruptcy, insiders say, it will try to pull the convertible back to the 2011 model year.
A Camaro freshening is expected for the 2014 or 2015 model year.
? Corvette: Production of the next-generation Corvette, internally called C7, is expected to start in April 2012 for the 2013 model year. The front-engine layout will be maintained.
? Volt: GM's plug-in hybrid is on target for a November 2010 launch. GM plans to build only 200 to 400 cars in November and December 2010, as 2011 models. The production target for 2011 is about 10,000 Volts. A price approaching $45,000 is estimated.
A plug-in hybrid can charge its battery from the power grid, reducing the need for gasoline.
The Volt will share a fwd vehicle platform with the Chevrolet Cruze and Orlando and other GM vehicles.
? HHR: GM will discontinue the retro-styled wagon at the end of the 2011 model year.
GM is closing the Shreveport, La., plant that assembles the Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups in 2012. Sales have been disappointing for both vehicles. The Colorado and Canyon redesigns originally had been expected for the 2012 model year.
? Silverado 1500: GM put its full-sized pickup and SUV plans on hold when gasoline prices soared in the summer of 2008. Later, the tougher CAFE regulations were announced. GM's full-sized truck plans are expected to be made final in six to nine months. The delay means the next-generation pickups likely will be pushed back to 2013.
? Silverado 2500, 3500: The re-engineered heavy-duty pickups have been pushed back from the 2011 model year to the 2012 model year or later. One issue is how "heavy duty" will be defined in the new CAFE regulations.
? Express: No significant changes are expected in the next three years.
? Orlando: The 2012 Orlando is a small, seven-passenger crossover developed on the same platform as the Chevrolet Cruze. The Orlando will be powered by a four-cylinder engine and priced less than the Equinox.
? Equinox: The Equinox was restyled and re-engineered for the 2010 model year. Sales began in June. The previous generation offered only a V-6 engine, but the redesigned Equinox comes with a 2.4-liter, direct-injection, four-cylinder engine. The V-6 is optional. GM is counting on the more fuel-efficient engine to be a key selling point.
A freshening is expected for the 2013 model year.
? Traverse: No major changes are planned for the 2010-12 model years.
? Tahoe, Suburban: The full-sized SUVs were scheduled to be restyled and re-engineered for the 2012 model year. But GM put its full-sized SUV and pickup plans on hold when gasoline prices soared in the summer of 2008 and light-truck sales plummeted. Since then, the higher corporate average fuel economy regulations were announced, requiring an automaker's fleet average to be 35.5 mpg by 2016.
GM's plans for full-sized truck are expected to be made final in six to nine months. The next-generation trucks may appear in the 2013 or 2014 model year.
Several plans are being considered. The Tahoe may be dropped, or the next generation might be developed on the lighter fwd Lambda platform. The platform is used for the Chevrolet Traverse and three other crossovers.
The Suburban could survive sharing the Silverado platform because the SUV is used for a variety of commercial applications.
? Mid-sized pickup: A mid-sized, all-wheel-drive pickup developed on the fwd Lambda platform might replace the Avalanche. The vehicle would target Honda Ridgeline shoppers who need towing capacity but do not need a big body-on-frame truck. Timing has not been determined.
? Avalanche: The Avalanche will be killed by the 2013 model year because of poor sales, those familiar with GM's plans say. Through June, GM sold just 7,130 Avalanches, down 61.0 percent from 2008.
? Colorado: A global compact pickup platform is being developed by GM do Brasil. It is unclear whether GM will sell a pickup from that platform here as an import, will assemble it in North America or will abandon the compact pickup segment in the United States.
top
Chevrolet: A new small car, the Spark, will be positioned below the Aveo. The Volt plug-in hybrid is scheduled to arrive in November 2010.
? Buick: GM will rebuild the lineup with two new crossovers and two sedans smaller than the 2010 LaCrosse.
? GMC: A subcompact crossover is under study.
? Cadillac: A small model below the CTS is planned, along with a flagship to replace the DTS and STS. The CTS and the small model will get coupe versions.
During its 39-day bankruptcy, GM struck deals to sell the Saab, Hummer and Saturn brands. Pontiac is being killed this year.
What follows is GM's model-by-model plan for the remaining four brands for the 2010-12 model years. It was compiled from GM's presentation today and from company, supplier and industry sources. It will be published as part of our annual future product series in the August 17 print edition of Automotive News.
Buick's game plan: more style and vehicles
Here are highlights of Buick's product plans for the 2010-12 model years.
? Small sedan: Buick will market a compact car built on GM's global compact front-drive Delta platform. The platform will be shared with the Chevrolet Cruze and other GM models. Buick's model will have unique sheet metal and be slightly longer than the Cruze.
GM probably will sell the small Buick first in China as a 2011 model. The U.S. version is expected to be assembled in North America and marketed as a 2012 model.
Regal: Buick is resurrecting the Regal name for its version of the Opel Insignia, which it will get as a 2011 model.
The Insignia, Regal and 2010 Buick LaCrosse are based on GM's new global mid-sized, fwd vehicle platform, but the Regal and Insignia are 6.9 inches shorter than the 196.9-inch LaCrosse. The Regal is expected to be priced several thousand dollars less than the LaCrosse and offered only with a four-cylinder engine. The Regal is critical because GM expects the car to be the brand's top seller.
LaCrosse: GM is hoping the redesigned 2010 LaCrosse sedan will do for Buick what the Malibu has done for Chevrolet: raise transaction prices and sales volume. LaCrosse sales begin this month. The LaCrosse was developed on GM's new global mid-sized fwd vehicle platform.
GM sees this car as a key to Buick's renaissance. Prices start at $27,835, including transportation, and top out over $40,000. The LaCrosse will be Buick's flagship sedan when the Lucerne is discontinued.
Lucerne: The Lucerne will be discontinued in the next year or two because of poor sales.
? Small crossover: GM will offer Buick a small crossover developed on its next-generation global Gamma platform. That platform will be shared by the redesigned Chevrolet Aveo and other vehicles. The crossover is expected to appear in the 2012 model year.
? Compact crossover: Buick will get a version of the Saturn Vue, with a restyled front that will make it look like a Buick. The car will debut next year as a 2011 model. A plug-in hybrid will be added in 2011.
? Enclave: GM plans to freshen the Enclave for the 2012 model year. The Enclave is not in line to get a hybrid version because GM cannot fit the powertrain into the current model.
Cadillac aims to sell small, medium and large luxury
Here are highlights of Cadillac's plans for the 2010-12 model years.
? Small Cadillac: A small, entry-level Cadillac is expected for the 2012 model year. The car would be developed on GM's new global, rear-drive Alpha vehicle platform and positioned below the CTS. A hybrid version is being considered.
? CTS: The CTS added a wagon this year, called the Sport Wagon. A coupe is coming in the 2010 model year.
The next-generation CTS will be smaller and lighter, debuting in the 2013 model year or later.
DTS: Production will end in 2010 or 2011.
? XTS sedan: The 2012 XTS sedan will replace the DTS and STS.
GM's new global mid-sized, fwd vehicle architecture will be adopted for Cadillac. That architecture is used for the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, Opel Insignia and other vehicles. The platform for the Cadillac model will be widened 2.0 inches. GM executives determined that the interior would be too narrow to compete with the BMW 7 series or other luxury sedans.
The XTS -- if the name is kept -- will be approximately the same size as the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-class sedan. All-wheel drive is expected to be optional or standard on the Cadillac; the final decision has not been made.
GM revealed a picture of the XTS at a dealer meeting. One dealer described it as "a smaller, more efficient package. It'll be glamorous and good value at the same time."
STS: Production is expected to end around 2011.
? Plug-in hybrid: GM unveiled the Converj concept at the Detroit auto show in January. It is uncertain whether the vehicle will go into production.
? SRX: The redesigned 2010 SRX is smaller than the previous generation, seating five instead of seven. Weight was reduced, and fuel economy was increased; a V-8 no longer is available. The 2010 SRX was developed on a blend of GM's fwd Theta and global mid-sized vehicle platforms, called Theta Premium. The previous SRX was rwd. A freshening is expected for the 2013 model year.
? Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT: The Escalade family's future is on hold until GM determines how the new corporate average fuel economy regulations will affect GM's full-sized GMT900 truck program. The current Escalade model line is likely to continue into the 2011 model year, maybe 2012.
GM's next-generation trucks could appear in the 2013 or 2014 model year. Which Cadillac models if any will remain on the full-sized truck architecture has not been decided.
One option under review is extending the front-wheel-drive Lambda vehicle platform to develop one or two Escalade models, possibly for the 2012 or 2013 model year.
Chevy promises attractive small cars, crossovers
Camaro: The 2010 Camaro landed in dealerships this spring. A convertible, originally intended as a 2011 model, was pushed back to the 2012 model year because of problems with the roof supplier and GM's cost constraints. Now that GM has some operating cash after emerging from bankruptcy, insiders say, it will try to pull the convertible back to the 2011 model year.
A Camaro freshening is expected for the 2014 or 2015 model year.
? Corvette: Production of the next-generation Corvette, internally called C7, is expected to start in April 2012 for the 2013 model year. The front-engine layout will be maintained.
? Volt: GM's plug-in hybrid is on target for a November 2010 launch. GM plans to build only 200 to 400 cars in November and December 2010, as 2011 models. The production target for 2011 is about 10,000 Volts. A price approaching $45,000 is estimated.
A plug-in hybrid can charge its battery from the power grid, reducing the need for gasoline.
The Volt will share a fwd vehicle platform with the Chevrolet Cruze and Orlando and other GM vehicles.
? HHR: GM will discontinue the retro-styled wagon at the end of the 2011 model year.
GM is closing the Shreveport, La., plant that assembles the Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups in 2012. Sales have been disappointing for both vehicles. The Colorado and Canyon redesigns originally had been expected for the 2012 model year.
? Silverado 1500: GM put its full-sized pickup and SUV plans on hold when gasoline prices soared in the summer of 2008. Later, the tougher CAFE regulations were announced. GM's full-sized truck plans are expected to be made final in six to nine months. The delay means the next-generation pickups likely will be pushed back to 2013.
? Silverado 2500, 3500: The re-engineered heavy-duty pickups have been pushed back from the 2011 model year to the 2012 model year or later. One issue is how "heavy duty" will be defined in the new CAFE regulations.
? Express: No significant changes are expected in the next three years.
? Orlando: The 2012 Orlando is a small, seven-passenger crossover developed on the same platform as the Chevrolet Cruze. The Orlando will be powered by a four-cylinder engine and priced less than the Equinox.
? Equinox: The Equinox was restyled and re-engineered for the 2010 model year. Sales began in June. The previous generation offered only a V-6 engine, but the redesigned Equinox comes with a 2.4-liter, direct-injection, four-cylinder engine. The V-6 is optional. GM is counting on the more fuel-efficient engine to be a key selling point.
A freshening is expected for the 2013 model year.
? Traverse: No major changes are planned for the 2010-12 model years.
? Tahoe, Suburban: The full-sized SUVs were scheduled to be restyled and re-engineered for the 2012 model year. But GM put its full-sized SUV and pickup plans on hold when gasoline prices soared in the summer of 2008 and light-truck sales plummeted. Since then, the higher corporate average fuel economy regulations were announced, requiring an automaker's fleet average to be 35.5 mpg by 2016.
GM's plans for full-sized truck are expected to be made final in six to nine months. The next-generation trucks may appear in the 2013 or 2014 model year.
Several plans are being considered. The Tahoe may be dropped, or the next generation might be developed on the lighter fwd Lambda platform. The platform is used for the Chevrolet Traverse and three other crossovers.
The Suburban could survive sharing the Silverado platform because the SUV is used for a variety of commercial applications.
? Mid-sized pickup: A mid-sized, all-wheel-drive pickup developed on the fwd Lambda platform might replace the Avalanche. The vehicle would target Honda Ridgeline shoppers who need towing capacity but do not need a big body-on-frame truck. Timing has not been determined.
? Avalanche: The Avalanche will be killed by the 2013 model year because of poor sales, those familiar with GM's plans say. Through June, GM sold just 7,130 Avalanches, down 61.0 percent from 2008.
? Colorado: A global compact pickup platform is being developed by GM do Brasil. It is unclear whether GM will sell a pickup from that platform here as an import, will assemble it in North America or will abandon the compact pickup segment in the United States.
Chevy works on Volt's engine sound
Noise, feel are areas being tweaked, chief engineer says
The Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid touted as a high-tech image-changer for General Motors, recently passed a milestone when Andrew Farah, the car's chief engineer, drove the first prototype of the production version. He said GM engineers are working to reduce road and wind noise and tweak the sound of the drivetrain. Farah spoke with Automotive News Staff Reporter Richard Truett about the Volt's progress toward its November 2010 production date.
What is it like when you step on the accelerator with the engine running? Since it is not connected to the wheels, it must be a strange sensation.
You get immediate response from the foot pedal - I am reluctant to call it the throttle because it is not, in the traditional sense. But you get immediate response because the Volt is always driven electrically. You don't even notice the difference there. The gasoline engine's rpms then follow. The engine, not being directly connected to the foot, is one of the things we continue to tune. We don't want it to be discomforting to people. There is an expectation of what happens when you put your accelerator to the floor in the way the car sounds and feels. We've got the feel. We've got the feel of a sports car. The sound part and the way the engine plays into that perception is one of the areas we have to work on.
How is the noise, vibration and harshness?
Realistically, we still have some work to do. During my ride, I was very pleased with the first steps. It was great. We are using a liquid applied sound deadener that allows us to put sound where we want it to be. We have packaged-in sound suppression items in the front of the dash and glass. We are going to make final calls on how much of that to execute.
But the decisions have been made on how you want the car to sound, right?
We want the EV portion of the ride to be exactly that. We are not looking for the wind noise to be objectionable. Our biggest concerns are wind noise and road noise, mostly conducted road noise. Those are the things we are shooting for. Do we want it to be Cadillac library quiet? We aren't sure we want it to be that quiet. It might be disconcerting.
You've got the powertrain in the right chassis and with the right body and interior. How did the packaging of the car work out?
Well, first everyone likes to say that everything can be done on the computer. It can't. We did have some interference with the instrument panel that we didn't expect. It was a minor one, but still unexpected. We all kind of scratched our heads and said, "How did that happen?" We made a little change, and off we went.
Here's a car with a full electric powertrain and a gasoline engine. Does it feel heavy?
Here's the thing to remember: When you put the battery in, it actually lowers the center of gravity of the car. There are a thousand reasons why heavy is bad, but a few why it is good. And so we are getting those advantages of the good heavy, and the disadvantages we are managing. When it comes to the ride and handling, I won't tell you that there are no detriments, but I will tell you that we are taking the best of the advantages.
What testing still needs to be done?
This is really just the beginning of all the final tuning. We are at the 50 percent point. Fundamentally, we've got everything directionally correct, but now we've got all the tuning yet to do.
top
The Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid touted as a high-tech image-changer for General Motors, recently passed a milestone when Andrew Farah, the car's chief engineer, drove the first prototype of the production version. He said GM engineers are working to reduce road and wind noise and tweak the sound of the drivetrain. Farah spoke with Automotive News Staff Reporter Richard Truett about the Volt's progress toward its November 2010 production date.
What is it like when you step on the accelerator with the engine running? Since it is not connected to the wheels, it must be a strange sensation.
You get immediate response from the foot pedal - I am reluctant to call it the throttle because it is not, in the traditional sense. But you get immediate response because the Volt is always driven electrically. You don't even notice the difference there. The gasoline engine's rpms then follow. The engine, not being directly connected to the foot, is one of the things we continue to tune. We don't want it to be discomforting to people. There is an expectation of what happens when you put your accelerator to the floor in the way the car sounds and feels. We've got the feel. We've got the feel of a sports car. The sound part and the way the engine plays into that perception is one of the areas we have to work on.
How is the noise, vibration and harshness?
Realistically, we still have some work to do. During my ride, I was very pleased with the first steps. It was great. We are using a liquid applied sound deadener that allows us to put sound where we want it to be. We have packaged-in sound suppression items in the front of the dash and glass. We are going to make final calls on how much of that to execute.
But the decisions have been made on how you want the car to sound, right?
We want the EV portion of the ride to be exactly that. We are not looking for the wind noise to be objectionable. Our biggest concerns are wind noise and road noise, mostly conducted road noise. Those are the things we are shooting for. Do we want it to be Cadillac library quiet? We aren't sure we want it to be that quiet. It might be disconcerting.
You've got the powertrain in the right chassis and with the right body and interior. How did the packaging of the car work out?
Well, first everyone likes to say that everything can be done on the computer. It can't. We did have some interference with the instrument panel that we didn't expect. It was a minor one, but still unexpected. We all kind of scratched our heads and said, "How did that happen?" We made a little change, and off we went.
Here's a car with a full electric powertrain and a gasoline engine. Does it feel heavy?
Here's the thing to remember: When you put the battery in, it actually lowers the center of gravity of the car. There are a thousand reasons why heavy is bad, but a few why it is good. And so we are getting those advantages of the good heavy, and the disadvantages we are managing. When it comes to the ride and handling, I won't tell you that there are no detriments, but I will tell you that we are taking the best of the advantages.
What testing still needs to be done?
This is really just the beginning of all the final tuning. We are at the 50 percent point. Fundamentally, we've got everything directionally correct, but now we've got all the tuning yet to do.
The End of "Good Enough for Chevy"
Motor Trend - First Drive: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
The End Of "Good Enough For Chevy"
By Mike Connor
Chevrolets at their best offered "more than expected." This separated the revolutionary 1955 Bel Air from its popularly priced rivals at Ford and Plymouth. It defined the first two generations of Chevelles and the downsized 1977 Caprice. But as GM moved into the troubled 1980s and '90s, the clarion call at Chevrolet became "Good enough for Chevy." This sad phrase steered product planners, designers, and engineers into producing a generation of Chevrolets that were little more than segment placeholders, something to give the brand a presence in a category.
The original Equinox embodied this attitude to the hilt. On paper the specs were on target: a standard V-6 and automatic transmission, independent suspension, and discs at all four corners along with a roomy, reconfigurable interior for five. Dynamically and aesthetically, the vehicle was far less than the sum of its parts. Following in the path of a series of upgraded Chevrolets (the Malibu and GMT900 full-size trucks), the 2010 Equinox has eschewed the good-enough-for-Chevy attitude and has become a transformed crossover in the process.
After a deep-dive into the compact-crossover segment Chevy came to significant revelations. First was that owners of these vehicles appreciate and seek refined, comfortable products. Buyers told Chevy V-6 engines are not a high priority. Most important, Chevrolet decided if it was going to play in the CR-V, Escape, and RAV4 sandbox it must try to beat the best.
Of course, manufacturers have claimed this countless times in the past. Starting with the architecture of the first Equinox, the stage was set for another case of overpromising and underdelivering. Overall width is up a fraction over an inch and vehicle length has been shortened an inch. Powertrain offerings were rethought and both the old-fashioned "high-value" 185-horsepower, 3.4-liter OHV V-6 and the modern "high-feature" 264-horsepower, 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 are no longer offered. The Equinox Sport has been axed along with the 3.6.
Instead, a 182-horsepower direct-injected 2.4-liter DOHC I-4 is standard in all Equinox models and a 3.0-liter direct-injection version of the high-feature DOHC V-6 making the 3.6's 264 horsepower is available on LT and LTZ trim levels. Either engine is available with front or all-wheel drive and GM's six-speed automatic is standard across the board. The 3.0 in a front-drive Equinox is estimated at 18/25 mpg, 1 mpg better than the 3.6 in city and highway mileage.
When mated to the I-4, a driver-selectable "eco mode" is added to the six-speed automatic, which allows the torque converter clutch to lock up at lower speeds and changes shift points to improve fuel economy. The result is a front-drive compact crossover estimated to deliver 22 mpg in the EPA city cycle and 32 mpg highway. That beats the Ford Escape Hybrid's number, making the 2.4-liter Equinox the segment highway fuel economy leader.
Government 5-star and IIHS "good" crash ratings were a program target from the outset and base curb weight is up over the previous model. However, improved impact performance doesn't tell the whole story of the 110-pound mass rise.
With its interior of amusingly grained hard plastic, the original Equinox was a real boom box inside. Playing for segment leadership rather than mere participation made silencing the 2010 Equinox a gilt-edge priority. GM employed Active Noise Cancellation for the first time on any of its production vehicles. The system (on 2.4-liter models exclusively) employs two microphones to detect low-frequency sounds in the cabin and then uses the car's audio system speaker, including the subwoofer when fitted, to generate canceling sound. The noise-cancellation system also allowed engineers to drop the idle speed of the I-4, which yielded about 0.1-mpg-better fuel economy. Further noise mitigation is attained through the use of laminated acoustic glass for the windshield and front side windows as well as triple seals on all four doors. Additionally, the level of interior materials is significantly upgraded to the point where the Equinox cabin is measurably better than Chevy's own Malibu. Yes, there are still some large hard-plastic components, but they've been moved out of the driver's primary touch zones or have been covered with soft (or soft-touch) trim. Compare interiors side by side with the chief competition, Ford Escape, Jeep Liberty, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Toyota RAV4, and the Chevy eats 'em up and spits 'em out.
Climbing into an AWD 2.4-liter Equinox LT during a rainstorm, we almost hot cranked the ignition. The engine was running, but the sound of rain falling on the sunroof drowned it out, and its idle didn't vibrate through the toe-pan, seat, or steering column. And the triple door seals, acoustic glass windshield, and front-door windows have pretty much eliminated -- eliminated -- A-pillar, wiper, and mirror-patch wind noise at speeds up to about 65 mph.
According to Chevrolet, the front-drive 2.4-liter Equinox is good for a 0-to-60-mph time of 8.7 seconds. The V-6 shaves nine-tenths off that time.
Setting the I-4 Equinox transmission into Eco Mode doesn't significantly change the driving experience when puttering around. Even though the converter clutch engages a lower speed, there's no appreciable added roughness. The Eco Mode's revised shift points are not quite so transparent. At part throttle, acceleration becomes more leisurely, not to where the Equinox feels doggy, but apparent enough to a sensitive driver. The majority of drivers in the segment would be hard-pressed to feel the slight decrease in performance.
To the enthusiast, discussing vehicle dynamics in this segment seems irrelevant. If you're looking to carve up a canyon road in a CR-V rather than a Civic, for example, you've got one strange set of priorities. With that in mind, the 2010 Equinox is a less than optimal choice for said twisty driving than a Cobalt SS. But when the road becomes more challenging than a thoroughfare, the Equinox will do nothing untoward or dangerous unless provoked by a madman. The base P225/65R17 all-season Michelins are optimized for reduced rolling resistance and good tread life. They become the "fusible link" when pushing the Equinox very hard, giving the driver plenty of audible notice before they let go of the road in complete frustration. The ride/handling compromise has been biased in favor of comfort and predictability, the segment rule. Compliance and road isolation is the order of the day for driver comfort and reduced cabin noise. Cars with the optional P235/55R19 Hankooks generate considerably more tire sound than those equipped with 17- or 18-inch rubber.
Power steering with the V-6 is a hydraulic system, while the I-4s get a new rack-mounted electric power-steering system. Steering feel is noteworthy for a direct-acting electric rack, better than some electronically controlled hydraulic systems.
The 2010 Equinox LS carries a base MSRP of $23,185, with power driver's seat, tilt and telescope steering column, power windows and locks, air conditioning, and alloy wheels among the standard equipment. Mid-range 1LT model starts at $24,105, adding privacy glass, roof rails, and an electronic compass. Higher-end 2LT further adds auto climate-control A/C, Bluetooth, USB connection, rearview camera, foglights, and upgraded audio with steering-wheel controls, and starts at $26,190. The topline $28,790 LTZ throws in a memory seat and mirrors for the driver, heated leather seats, sonar rear park assist, exterior chrome package, and power tailgate. Pricing may be the biggest news of all since a 2010 Equinox LS undercuts the previous version by a hefty $1825. The mid-range 1LT carries an MSRP $905 less than that of the 2009 base version.
With the 2010 Equinox, Chevrolet has a product that genuinely outperforms its best competitors in the areas of NVH, accommodation, and fuel economy. That it does so with better content and more than competitive pricing marks a return to the "more than expected" philosophy that brought about Chevrolet's postwar golden age. Just as important as how it performs in the market, the Equinox should be the final nail in the coffin of the jaded GM concept of "Good Enough for Chevy."
top
The End Of "Good Enough For Chevy"
By Mike Connor
Chevrolets at their best offered "more than expected." This separated the revolutionary 1955 Bel Air from its popularly priced rivals at Ford and Plymouth. It defined the first two generations of Chevelles and the downsized 1977 Caprice. But as GM moved into the troubled 1980s and '90s, the clarion call at Chevrolet became "Good enough for Chevy." This sad phrase steered product planners, designers, and engineers into producing a generation of Chevrolets that were little more than segment placeholders, something to give the brand a presence in a category.
The original Equinox embodied this attitude to the hilt. On paper the specs were on target: a standard V-6 and automatic transmission, independent suspension, and discs at all four corners along with a roomy, reconfigurable interior for five. Dynamically and aesthetically, the vehicle was far less than the sum of its parts. Following in the path of a series of upgraded Chevrolets (the Malibu and GMT900 full-size trucks), the 2010 Equinox has eschewed the good-enough-for-Chevy attitude and has become a transformed crossover in the process.
After a deep-dive into the compact-crossover segment Chevy came to significant revelations. First was that owners of these vehicles appreciate and seek refined, comfortable products. Buyers told Chevy V-6 engines are not a high priority. Most important, Chevrolet decided if it was going to play in the CR-V, Escape, and RAV4 sandbox it must try to beat the best.
Of course, manufacturers have claimed this countless times in the past. Starting with the architecture of the first Equinox, the stage was set for another case of overpromising and underdelivering. Overall width is up a fraction over an inch and vehicle length has been shortened an inch. Powertrain offerings were rethought and both the old-fashioned "high-value" 185-horsepower, 3.4-liter OHV V-6 and the modern "high-feature" 264-horsepower, 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 are no longer offered. The Equinox Sport has been axed along with the 3.6.
Instead, a 182-horsepower direct-injected 2.4-liter DOHC I-4 is standard in all Equinox models and a 3.0-liter direct-injection version of the high-feature DOHC V-6 making the 3.6's 264 horsepower is available on LT and LTZ trim levels. Either engine is available with front or all-wheel drive and GM's six-speed automatic is standard across the board. The 3.0 in a front-drive Equinox is estimated at 18/25 mpg, 1 mpg better than the 3.6 in city and highway mileage.
When mated to the I-4, a driver-selectable "eco mode" is added to the six-speed automatic, which allows the torque converter clutch to lock up at lower speeds and changes shift points to improve fuel economy. The result is a front-drive compact crossover estimated to deliver 22 mpg in the EPA city cycle and 32 mpg highway. That beats the Ford Escape Hybrid's number, making the 2.4-liter Equinox the segment highway fuel economy leader.
Government 5-star and IIHS "good" crash ratings were a program target from the outset and base curb weight is up over the previous model. However, improved impact performance doesn't tell the whole story of the 110-pound mass rise.
With its interior of amusingly grained hard plastic, the original Equinox was a real boom box inside. Playing for segment leadership rather than mere participation made silencing the 2010 Equinox a gilt-edge priority. GM employed Active Noise Cancellation for the first time on any of its production vehicles. The system (on 2.4-liter models exclusively) employs two microphones to detect low-frequency sounds in the cabin and then uses the car's audio system speaker, including the subwoofer when fitted, to generate canceling sound. The noise-cancellation system also allowed engineers to drop the idle speed of the I-4, which yielded about 0.1-mpg-better fuel economy. Further noise mitigation is attained through the use of laminated acoustic glass for the windshield and front side windows as well as triple seals on all four doors. Additionally, the level of interior materials is significantly upgraded to the point where the Equinox cabin is measurably better than Chevy's own Malibu. Yes, there are still some large hard-plastic components, but they've been moved out of the driver's primary touch zones or have been covered with soft (or soft-touch) trim. Compare interiors side by side with the chief competition, Ford Escape, Jeep Liberty, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Toyota RAV4, and the Chevy eats 'em up and spits 'em out.
Climbing into an AWD 2.4-liter Equinox LT during a rainstorm, we almost hot cranked the ignition. The engine was running, but the sound of rain falling on the sunroof drowned it out, and its idle didn't vibrate through the toe-pan, seat, or steering column. And the triple door seals, acoustic glass windshield, and front-door windows have pretty much eliminated -- eliminated -- A-pillar, wiper, and mirror-patch wind noise at speeds up to about 65 mph.
According to Chevrolet, the front-drive 2.4-liter Equinox is good for a 0-to-60-mph time of 8.7 seconds. The V-6 shaves nine-tenths off that time.
Setting the I-4 Equinox transmission into Eco Mode doesn't significantly change the driving experience when puttering around. Even though the converter clutch engages a lower speed, there's no appreciable added roughness. The Eco Mode's revised shift points are not quite so transparent. At part throttle, acceleration becomes more leisurely, not to where the Equinox feels doggy, but apparent enough to a sensitive driver. The majority of drivers in the segment would be hard-pressed to feel the slight decrease in performance.
To the enthusiast, discussing vehicle dynamics in this segment seems irrelevant. If you're looking to carve up a canyon road in a CR-V rather than a Civic, for example, you've got one strange set of priorities. With that in mind, the 2010 Equinox is a less than optimal choice for said twisty driving than a Cobalt SS. But when the road becomes more challenging than a thoroughfare, the Equinox will do nothing untoward or dangerous unless provoked by a madman. The base P225/65R17 all-season Michelins are optimized for reduced rolling resistance and good tread life. They become the "fusible link" when pushing the Equinox very hard, giving the driver plenty of audible notice before they let go of the road in complete frustration. The ride/handling compromise has been biased in favor of comfort and predictability, the segment rule. Compliance and road isolation is the order of the day for driver comfort and reduced cabin noise. Cars with the optional P235/55R19 Hankooks generate considerably more tire sound than those equipped with 17- or 18-inch rubber.
Power steering with the V-6 is a hydraulic system, while the I-4s get a new rack-mounted electric power-steering system. Steering feel is noteworthy for a direct-acting electric rack, better than some electronically controlled hydraulic systems.
The 2010 Equinox LS carries a base MSRP of $23,185, with power driver's seat, tilt and telescope steering column, power windows and locks, air conditioning, and alloy wheels among the standard equipment. Mid-range 1LT model starts at $24,105, adding privacy glass, roof rails, and an electronic compass. Higher-end 2LT further adds auto climate-control A/C, Bluetooth, USB connection, rearview camera, foglights, and upgraded audio with steering-wheel controls, and starts at $26,190. The topline $28,790 LTZ throws in a memory seat and mirrors for the driver, heated leather seats, sonar rear park assist, exterior chrome package, and power tailgate. Pricing may be the biggest news of all since a 2010 Equinox LS undercuts the previous version by a hefty $1825. The mid-range 1LT carries an MSRP $905 less than that of the 2009 base version.
With the 2010 Equinox, Chevrolet has a product that genuinely outperforms its best competitors in the areas of NVH, accommodation, and fuel economy. That it does so with better content and more than competitive pricing marks a return to the "more than expected" philosophy that brought about Chevrolet's postwar golden age. Just as important as how it performs in the market, the Equinox should be the final nail in the coffin of the jaded GM concept of "Good Enough for Chevy."
HybridCars.com Gets 75.3 MPG in 2010 Toyota Prius
Seventy-five-point-three miles to the gallon! That was enough to win the 2010 Toyota Prius fuel economy competition that stacked 28 auto journalists against one another in Yountville, Calif. on Feb. 24, 2009. (The results were embargoed until today.) While it was a cheap thrill to score so high?that?s less remarkable than the average mileage for the group of journalists on the media preview drive: 69.9 mpg.
Of course, this level of fuel economy should not be expected for typical owners of the 2010 Prius. But the fact that it happened, and without applying any black magic or severe ?hypermiling? techniques, is amazing. The drivers took between 70 and 85 minutes, traveling on average between 27 and 29 miles per hour on the 33.8 mile course through Yountville and Napa?not including one outlier that took more than two hours. I drove with the slow traffic and let most cars pass me, but my pace was certainly within legal limits?and could represent the efforts of a reasonable but motivated fuel-conscious driver.
The only way that I kinda cheated was that I fully charged the battery in the 2010 Prius by stepping on the accelerator and the brake at the same time, before I started the course. This trick?which Akihiko Otsuka, the chief engineer of the 2010 Prius, who was on hand, taught me?essentially used the gas engine as a generator to recharge the hybrid battery (which was a bit sneaky and a completely stupid thing to do under normal circumstances).
The average score for the journalists was seven mpg higher than the mileage earned by Chief Otsuka, the man who led a team of 2,000 engineers to create the third-generation 2010 Toyota Prius. So, clearly, all of our scores were a bit rigged by our desire to ?beat the chief? as the competition was named. And yet, the auto journalists?folks who usually make their living by putting cars through high-speed paces?were able, with little effort, to get mileage off the charts. The official EPA numbers for the 2010 Prius are 51 in the city and 48 on the highway.
A Different Kind of Race
The reason that I was able to achieve 75.3 mpg?something I?ve never been able to do in the 2006 Prius that I have owned and driven for the past two-and-a-half years?gets to the core of the improvements in the new model.
Forget for a moment about the new Prius?s sharper more sporty design. Forget about the portfolio of new features, including telescoping steering wheel, adjustable seats, self-parallel parking, lane departure correction, moonroof with solar-powered interior cooling, and heated leather seats. And even put aside noticeable improvements in power, space and drivability in the new model.
The most critical and valuable improvement in the new Prius is the layout for the driver, most notably the dashboard display. The second-generation model, produced from 2004 to 2009, was all about the touchscreen monitor situated squarely between the driver and passenger seats?not at all in the line of vision for the driver. That monitor was required for everything from climate controls, stereo, navigation system, and for monitoring the energy use and mileage. The outgoing model?s graphics and animation indicating the flow of energy between batteries, motors, engine and wheels are, frankly, cheesy.
Great Mileage Within Reach
Otsuka and his team of engineers and designers made a brilliant move to abandon that approach by breaking out the primary driving functions into the three regions: the climate control right above the shifter, the audio a little bit higher up, and all the energy and mileage stuff tucked in just below the windscreen close to your line of vision toward the road.
The position of the old monitor, and the flatness of the dash from side to side, not only forced you to look at the middle of the dash, you had to reach for it. Instead, the 2010 Toyota Prius juts on in a bay of instruments that are much closer to your right hand. The design creates a convenient storage area near the floor between driver and passenger. Audio and air are also controlled on the steering wheel.
The Only Screen You Need
Toyota engineers also made the absolute critical decision to add a ?hybrid system indicator? with a horizontal bar to indicate your level of ?eco-driving.? Drive smooth and steady, and coast as much as possible, and the bar hugs left?exactly what you want. Slam on the gas and stomp on the brakes?sometimes necessary but mostly avoidable?and the bar shifts far right. Play the mileage game well and an ?eco? indicator goes on. (Sorry, we were unable photograph the screen while moving.)
Right next to this display is the instantaneous mileage display, a set of vertical bars. On my 75-mpg trip, I applied even pressure to the accelerator to keep the instant mpg toward the top bar. When I saw it rapidly fall, I took my foot off the pedal, coasted for a few seconds and watched it return to a full set of bars. Then, I gently reapplied by foot to keep my speed.
After finishing the loop, I complimented Otsuka on keeping the graphics very simple?no mood-ring shifting from blue to green like in the new Honda Insight and no digital leaves growing or robotic voices chiding me, like on Ford?s system. In response to my comment about the simplicity of the graphics, he doubled over laughing and pointed to me, as if to say, ?Absolutely.?
With sufficient energy in the hybrid batteries, the 2010 Toyota Prius reliably stays in all-electric mode up to 25 mph, and for nearly one mile.
Other reviewers might make more of the EV, eco, and power buttons?but that?s pretty straightforward. Use the ?eco mode? button as much as possible. Duh. And get into ?EV? as often as possible. If there is not enough juice in the battery, you will be warned about it, and you?ll need to wait until the regenerative braking does its thing. You can stay in EV mode up to 25 mph, but the very second you drift to 26 mph, you will be warned that you fell out of EV mode. That was a bit annoying. But I was able to stay in EV mode for several near-mile stretches through school zones and quiet country roads on the route?which was one of the keys to the 75.3 mpg score.
That?s about it, folks. The 2010 Toyota Prius provides all the comfort, space and power you need to get you and your passengers to where they need to go?and offers all the tools needed to break past the EPA estimate of 50 mpg. What else do you need in a hybrid?
Story from www.hybridcars.com
Published March 24, 2009
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Of course, this level of fuel economy should not be expected for typical owners of the 2010 Prius. But the fact that it happened, and without applying any black magic or severe ?hypermiling? techniques, is amazing. The drivers took between 70 and 85 minutes, traveling on average between 27 and 29 miles per hour on the 33.8 mile course through Yountville and Napa?not including one outlier that took more than two hours. I drove with the slow traffic and let most cars pass me, but my pace was certainly within legal limits?and could represent the efforts of a reasonable but motivated fuel-conscious driver.
The only way that I kinda cheated was that I fully charged the battery in the 2010 Prius by stepping on the accelerator and the brake at the same time, before I started the course. This trick?which Akihiko Otsuka, the chief engineer of the 2010 Prius, who was on hand, taught me?essentially used the gas engine as a generator to recharge the hybrid battery (which was a bit sneaky and a completely stupid thing to do under normal circumstances).
The average score for the journalists was seven mpg higher than the mileage earned by Chief Otsuka, the man who led a team of 2,000 engineers to create the third-generation 2010 Toyota Prius. So, clearly, all of our scores were a bit rigged by our desire to ?beat the chief? as the competition was named. And yet, the auto journalists?folks who usually make their living by putting cars through high-speed paces?were able, with little effort, to get mileage off the charts. The official EPA numbers for the 2010 Prius are 51 in the city and 48 on the highway.
A Different Kind of Race
The reason that I was able to achieve 75.3 mpg?something I?ve never been able to do in the 2006 Prius that I have owned and driven for the past two-and-a-half years?gets to the core of the improvements in the new model.
Forget for a moment about the new Prius?s sharper more sporty design. Forget about the portfolio of new features, including telescoping steering wheel, adjustable seats, self-parallel parking, lane departure correction, moonroof with solar-powered interior cooling, and heated leather seats. And even put aside noticeable improvements in power, space and drivability in the new model.
The most critical and valuable improvement in the new Prius is the layout for the driver, most notably the dashboard display. The second-generation model, produced from 2004 to 2009, was all about the touchscreen monitor situated squarely between the driver and passenger seats?not at all in the line of vision for the driver. That monitor was required for everything from climate controls, stereo, navigation system, and for monitoring the energy use and mileage. The outgoing model?s graphics and animation indicating the flow of energy between batteries, motors, engine and wheels are, frankly, cheesy.
Great Mileage Within Reach
Otsuka and his team of engineers and designers made a brilliant move to abandon that approach by breaking out the primary driving functions into the three regions: the climate control right above the shifter, the audio a little bit higher up, and all the energy and mileage stuff tucked in just below the windscreen close to your line of vision toward the road.
The position of the old monitor, and the flatness of the dash from side to side, not only forced you to look at the middle of the dash, you had to reach for it. Instead, the 2010 Toyota Prius juts on in a bay of instruments that are much closer to your right hand. The design creates a convenient storage area near the floor between driver and passenger. Audio and air are also controlled on the steering wheel.
The Only Screen You Need
Toyota engineers also made the absolute critical decision to add a ?hybrid system indicator? with a horizontal bar to indicate your level of ?eco-driving.? Drive smooth and steady, and coast as much as possible, and the bar hugs left?exactly what you want. Slam on the gas and stomp on the brakes?sometimes necessary but mostly avoidable?and the bar shifts far right. Play the mileage game well and an ?eco? indicator goes on. (Sorry, we were unable photograph the screen while moving.)
Right next to this display is the instantaneous mileage display, a set of vertical bars. On my 75-mpg trip, I applied even pressure to the accelerator to keep the instant mpg toward the top bar. When I saw it rapidly fall, I took my foot off the pedal, coasted for a few seconds and watched it return to a full set of bars. Then, I gently reapplied by foot to keep my speed.
After finishing the loop, I complimented Otsuka on keeping the graphics very simple?no mood-ring shifting from blue to green like in the new Honda Insight and no digital leaves growing or robotic voices chiding me, like on Ford?s system. In response to my comment about the simplicity of the graphics, he doubled over laughing and pointed to me, as if to say, ?Absolutely.?
With sufficient energy in the hybrid batteries, the 2010 Toyota Prius reliably stays in all-electric mode up to 25 mph, and for nearly one mile.
Other reviewers might make more of the EV, eco, and power buttons?but that?s pretty straightforward. Use the ?eco mode? button as much as possible. Duh. And get into ?EV? as often as possible. If there is not enough juice in the battery, you will be warned about it, and you?ll need to wait until the regenerative braking does its thing. You can stay in EV mode up to 25 mph, but the very second you drift to 26 mph, you will be warned that you fell out of EV mode. That was a bit annoying. But I was able to stay in EV mode for several near-mile stretches through school zones and quiet country roads on the route?which was one of the keys to the 75.3 mpg score.
That?s about it, folks. The 2010 Toyota Prius provides all the comfort, space and power you need to get you and your passengers to where they need to go?and offers all the tools needed to break past the EPA estimate of 50 mpg. What else do you need in a hybrid?
Story from www.hybridcars.com
Published March 24, 2009
GM, Ford gain in reliability
Consumer Reports magazine said several Detroit-made vehicles top foreign competitors…. the Chevrolet Malibu LTZ with the V-6 engine as the best American car
Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News
A new analysis by Consumer Reports magazine shows that two of Detroit's automakers -- Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. -- are making "real progress" against foreign rivals while Chrysler LLC continues to lag behind the rest of the industry.
The report, which is featured in the magazine's February issue, shows that Ford now offers several cars with reliability "on par with Japanese models" and says it is now "in front of the class."
Newer GM models also have performed well in Consumer Reports' testing, but the magazine said "the reliability of some still falls short."
The influential magazine has compiled a list of the best American automobiles based on data from its own testing and reader surveys. To be included in the ranking, a vehicle had to have at least average reliability and perform adequately in crash tests.
It ranks :
Chevrolet Malibu LTZ with the V-6 engine as the best American car,
followed by:
• Ford Fusion SEL (V6) and Mercury Milan Premier (V6)
• Lincoln MKZ
• Cadillac DTS
• Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable
• Ford Taurus X
No Chrysler vehicles made the cut.
The magazine called Chrysler's lineup "very disappointing with little promise on the horizon."
"Detroit has been lagging behind leading foreign automakers like Honda and Toyota for a long time, but forward-thinking leadership, better design and improved quality would do much to drive the recovery that we are all hoping for," said Rik Paul, automotive editor for Consumer Reports. "Despite the inconsistencies across model lines, there are still some top performers that get an 'A' from owners as well as our testers.
"All three automakers should benchmark future product against these winners."
The magazine goes on sale at newsstands today
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Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News
A new analysis by Consumer Reports magazine shows that two of Detroit's automakers -- Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. -- are making "real progress" against foreign rivals while Chrysler LLC continues to lag behind the rest of the industry.
The report, which is featured in the magazine's February issue, shows that Ford now offers several cars with reliability "on par with Japanese models" and says it is now "in front of the class."
Newer GM models also have performed well in Consumer Reports' testing, but the magazine said "the reliability of some still falls short."
The influential magazine has compiled a list of the best American automobiles based on data from its own testing and reader surveys. To be included in the ranking, a vehicle had to have at least average reliability and perform adequately in crash tests.
It ranks :
Chevrolet Malibu LTZ with the V-6 engine as the best American car,
followed by:
• Ford Fusion SEL (V6) and Mercury Milan Premier (V6)
• Lincoln MKZ
• Cadillac DTS
• Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable
• Ford Taurus X
No Chrysler vehicles made the cut.
The magazine called Chrysler's lineup "very disappointing with little promise on the horizon."
"Detroit has been lagging behind leading foreign automakers like Honda and Toyota for a long time, but forward-thinking leadership, better design and improved quality would do much to drive the recovery that we are all hoping for," said Rik Paul, automotive editor for Consumer Reports. "Despite the inconsistencies across model lines, there are still some top performers that get an 'A' from owners as well as our testers.
"All three automakers should benchmark future product against these winners."
The magazine goes on sale at newsstands today
JD POWER and ASSOCIATES: 2008 INITIAL QUALITY STUDY - LARGE MULTI ACTIVITY VEHCILE
Toyota Sequoia 
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CONSUMERS' TOP RANKED FOR 208 - edmunds.com
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Most exotics are hobbled by two significant flaws. The first is an exorbitant price tag. The second is a proclivity for being temperamental; these traits make many of these cars poor choices for those in search of a daily driver. Enter the Chevrolet Corvette. In addition to being a slice of pure Americana, this coupe offers world-class performance at a price that's thousands more affordable than others in its class. It also boasts the sort of rock-solid dependability that makes it an excellent choice for everyday driving. Consumers have expressed appreciation for the Corvette's impressive interior comfort and its head-up display. The car's distinctive styling also earns it a special place in many hearts. Then, of course, there's the prodigious power offered by its 6.2-liter and 7.0-liter V8s. Gushed one consumer: "Acceleration is instantaneous and onlookers are plentiful." Yep — that about sums up the Corvette's one-of-a-kind allure. | |
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When you're paying less than $15,000 for a new car, you're typically not expecting it to be particularly stylish or cool. But the 2008 Scion xD four-door hatchback breaks the small-car mold, offering plenty of flash to go along with Toyota-designed substance. The diminutive, yet distinctively styled xD is motivated by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 128 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque. This engine is a bit more powerful than most other models in this class, yet it still returns excellent fuel economy. As with other Scions, the xD is available with a long list of dealer-installed extras for those who want to personalize their car. It also can be had with a choice of advanced audio systems as well as a navigation system. There are a few downsides to the car — it's not as roomy as other subcompacts and its gauges can be hard to read — but overall the Scion xD is a solid choice for a small and inexpensive car. | |
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Offering a spacious, well-trimmed cabin, smooth and powerful performance and enough refinement to satisfy a Lexus fan, the Toyota Avalon had no trouble garnering big numbers. Impeccable fit and finish throughout and available premium features such as adaptive cruise control and heated/cooled seats further the impression that this is a Lexus wearing Toyota badges. | |
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Toyota's been a leading manufacturer of compact trucks for decades, and its current entrant in this segment, the Tacoma, is a worthy heir to Toyota's past pickups. Just ask our consumer reviewers, many of whom are loyal Toyota truckers, having owned and enjoyed multiple pickups from the Japanese giant over the years. Their comments on the Tacoma jibe with our own: They appreciate the ample power of the optional V6 and the efficiency of the base four-cylinder unit, and they're generally pleased with the Tacoma's pumped-up dimensions relative to its forebears. Refinement is another oft-praised virtue, as is Toyota's reputation for reliability, which evidently remains sterling in the compact truck segment. The few consistent complaints concerned stereo sound quality, fuel economy with the V6 and seat comfort on long trips. Overall, though, consumer satisfaction with the Tacoma reflects what we've been saying for years: that this is unquestionably one of the best trucks on the market. | |
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Vehicle price for each model was determined by using the lowest base MSRP (i.e., the lowest trim level without options) for which that model was available as of April 30, 2008.
LOWEST TRUE COST TO OWN Vehicles for October 2008 - edmunds.com
Have you ever wondered which new vehicles are the least expensive to own? We're talking about the vehicles not necessarily with the lowest purchase price, but with the lowest total ownership cost? Well, Edmunds.com's editors and data analysts decided to roll up their sleeves and figure that out.
We started by gathering all of the necessary data, and then used our proprietary True Cost to OwnSM (TCOSM) algorithms to estimate the five-year cost of owning each new vehicle currently in the market. The result is our list of those vehicles with the lowest overall ownership cost in their respective segments. A vehicle's competitive segment is determined by body type and the sales-weighted average MSRP of all styles within the model/body type combination.
For more information on how we calculate TCO, and the assumptions that we use, see our About TCO article.
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We started by gathering all of the necessary data, and then used our proprietary True Cost to OwnSM (TCOSM) algorithms to estimate the five-year cost of owning each new vehicle currently in the market. The result is our list of those vehicles with the lowest overall ownership cost in their respective segments. A vehicle's competitive segment is determined by body type and the sales-weighted average MSRP of all styles within the model/body type combination.
For more information on how we calculate TCO, and the assumptions that we use, see our About TCO article.
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2008 KELLEY BLUE BOOK BEST RESALE VALUE AWARDS - Overall Top 10
Chevrolet Corvette
Next to the high-dollar performance cars with which it is often compared, a brand-new Corvette qualifies as a bargain-basement value. Just as exhilarating four years and 50,000 miles down the road, the Corvette's historically high resale values are bolstered today by the car's ever-increasing refinement.
Scion tC
By delivering a certain sense of exclusivity for well under $20,000, Toyota's youth-focused Scion brand enters its fifth model year as an unqualified success. The sporty-looking tC coupe combines the lineup's most upscale interior appointments with its most mainstream styling yet still retains the Scion edge.
Scion xB
The 2008 xB is the successor to the rolling box that announced the arrival of the Scion brand. Now bigger, more powerful and less square, the 2008 xB continues to deliver the economical versatility that helped make the first model a sales success, albeit with less-radical styling.
Toyota Corolla
As a vehicle's successor nears, its projected resale values often decline to reflect the future appeal of the newer, presumably more desirable version. Yet the reliable, economical, venerable Toyota Corolla enters its sixth and final model year offering some of the best projected resale values in the industry.
The Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards recognize automakers' outstanding achievements in producing vehicles that best retain their value. Awards are presented to top vehicles within Kelley Blue Book's 11 vehicle categories, for Overall Top 10 vehicles across all categories and the brand with the best projected resale value across its entire line of vehicles.
The Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards recognize automakers' outstanding achievements in producing vehicles that best retain their value. Awards are presented to top vehicles within Kelley Blue Book's 11 vehicle categories, for Overall Top 10 vehicles across all categories and the brand with the best projected resale value across its entire line of vehicles.
2008 KELLEY BLUE BOOK BEST RESALE VALUE AWARDS - Best in Category
High Performance: Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Replace the standard Corvette's 430-horsepower V8 with a 505-horsepower V8---an engine hand-assembled by a single technician---and you've got what many consider the best of the best in American sports cars. The added power is managed by a reworked suspension that delivers improved handling with very little sacrifice in highway ride comfort.
Hatchback: Scion tC
By delivering a certain sense of exclusivity for well under $20,000, Toyota's youth-focused Scion brand enters its fifth model year as an unqualified success. The sporty-looking tC coupe combines the lineup's most upscale interior appointments with its most mainstream styling yet still retains the Scion edge.
Wagon: Scion xB
The 2008 xB is the successor to the rolling box that announced the arrival of the Scion brand. Now bigger, more powerful and less square, the 2008 xB continues to deliver the economical versatility that helped make the first model a sales success, albeit with less-radical styling.
Pickup: Toyota Tundra
While the previous-generation Toyota Tundra has proven to be one of the most durable pickups out there, its smaller dimensions and limited configurations hindered its acceptance into the full-size fraternity. The big, bold second-generation model, however, has had no such trouble barging its way into the big boys' party.
The Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards recognize automakers' outstanding achievements in producing vehicles that best retain their value. Awards are presented to top vehicles within Kelley Blue Book's 11 vehicle categories, for Overall Top 10 vehicles across all categories and the brand with the best projected resale value across its entire line of vehicles.
The Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards recognize automakers' outstanding achievements in producing vehicles that best retain their value. Awards are presented to top vehicles within Kelley Blue Book's 11 vehicle categories, for Overall Top 10 vehicles across all categories and the brand with the best projected resale value across its entire line of vehicles.
IIHS Top Safety Picks 2008
The Institute rates vehicles good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in high-speed front and side crash tests plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impacts. The first requirement for a vehicle to become a Top Safety Pick is to earn good ratings in all three Institute tests. Another requirement is that winning vehicles must offer electronic stability control. This requirement is based on Institute research indicating that ESC significantly reduces crash risk, especially the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes, by helping drivers maintain control of their vehicles during emergency maneuvers.
Nissan Murano
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2009 Nissan Murano: good performance in front, side, and rear tests and standard electronic stability control |
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Frontal offset test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Side impact test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Rear crash protection/head restraint ratings See results for all Nissan models |
Nissan Rogue
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2008-09 Nissan Rogue: good performance in front, side, and rear tests and standard electronic stability control |
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Frontal offset test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Side impact test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Rear crash protection/head restraint ratings See results for all Nissan models |
Scion xB
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2008-09 Scion xB: good performance in front, side, and rear tests and standard electronic stability control |
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Frontal offset test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Side impact test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Rear crash protection/head restraint ratings See results for all Scion models |
Toyota Highlander
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2008 Toyota Highlander: good performance in front, side, and rear tests and standard electronic stability control |
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Frontal offset test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Side impact test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Rear crash protection/head restraint ratings See results for all Toyota models |
Toyota Tacoma
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2009 Toyota Tacoma: good performance in front, side, and rear tests and standard electronic stability control |
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Frontal offset test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Side impact test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Rear crash protection/head restraint ratings See results for all Toyota models |
Toyota Tundra
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2008 Toyota Tundra: good performance in front, side, and rear tests and standard electronic stability control |
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Frontal offset test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Side impact test results Overall ratings shown; follow links for test details and component scores
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Rear crash protection/head restraint ratings See results for all Toyota models |
Legend for vehicle ratings: 
=Good 
=Acceptable 
=Marginal 
=Poor
Car and Driver 2008 10 Best Cars - 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
American muscle refined.
Continual development is the key to success for any automobile, and the latest Corvette makes an excellent poster car for that proposition. Back for its seventh-straight appearance on our 10Best roster, the Vette lists 22 significant updates for 2008, even though it received a major makeover three years ago—the evolution from C5 to C6.
We appreciate upgrades to the cockpit, particularly the spiffy (albeit pricey) new leather option, but the most salient improvements are dynamic in nature. For example, manual shift engagements are crisper, and clutch-pedal effort has been reduced. More important, steering feel, long a weak point on the Corvette’s score sheet, finally does a good job of connecting the driver with the front wheels, delivering the kind of tactile information critical to confident operation at high speeds.
Speaking of high speeds, the latest standard Corvette has more of that on tap than ever before, thanks to its new 6.2-liter LS3 V-8: 430 horsepower versus a mere 400 for the previous Vette. Over the course of its past six years as a 10Best Car, we’ve called the Corvette one of the world’s best high-performance buys, an assertion that continues to be true. Now even more so.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine; rear-wheel-drive; 2-passenger; 2-door roadster, 3-door hatchback, or 3-door targa
BASE PRICE: $46,110–$71,000
ENGINES: pushrod 16-valve 6.2-liter V-8, 430–436 hp, 424–428 lb-ft; pushrod 16-valve 7.0-liter V-8, 505 hp, 470 lb-ft
TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed auto with manumatic shifting, 6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 105.7 in
Length: 174.6–175.6 in
Width: 72.6–75.9 in
Height: 49.0 in
Curb weight: 3150–3300 lb
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 15–16 mpg
Car and Driver 2008 10 Best Cars - 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU
A no-excuses mainstream domestic sedan.
Back in the ’60s, Chevy Malibus were as affordable as they are today, but they were often found in the driveways of lavish homes. That’s because they were seen as competent, practical, and stylish. For the first time in decades, you can again say the same things about a new
This 2008 version has clean and elegant lines that stand out among family sedans that look dead boring or make do with contrived visual details. Inside, the
Under the hood comes the choice of a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine—one that’s quieter than the excellent four-cylinder in the Honda Accord—or a twin-cam, 24-valve V-6 with 252 horsepower. The
It all adds up to a
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $19,995–$26,995
ENGINES: DOHC 16-valve 2.4-liter inline-4, 169 hp, 160 lb-ft; DOHC 24-valve 3.6-liter V-6, 252 hp, 251 lb-ft
TRANSMISSIONS: 4-speed auto, 6-speed auto with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 112.3 in
Length: 191.8 in
Width: 70.3 in
Height: 57.1 in
Curb weight: 3400–3650 lb
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 17–22 mpg
THE ENVIRONMENT AND YOUR COMMUTE: CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?
Making a difference in our environment is as simple as driving a more fuel-efficient vehicle. That's why Chevy currently offers eight models with an EPA estimated 30 MPG highway or better.(1) Aveo Sedan, Aveo5, Cobalt, Cobalt XFE, Malibu Hybrid, and select models of Malibu, HHR, and HHR Panel all fall into the 30 MPG or better club.
A few things to think about: Malibu offers better highway fuel economy than any other midsize sedan.(2) Cobalt XFE offers best-in-class standard highway fuel economy with an EPA estimated 37 MPG highway. That's better than Toyota Corolla, better than Honda Civic.(3)
But it's a bigger story than just our cars. Looking for fuel efficiency, but also have a lot of people and gear to carry? With an EPA estimated 24 MPG highway, the all new Traverse offers the best fuel economy of any 8-passenger crossover.(4) Chevy Silverado offers the best V8 fuel economy of any full-size pickup,(5) and the full-size Tahoe SUV delivers best-in-class fuel economy.(6) New technology like Chevy's Active Fuel Management has played a role in achieving greater fuel economy. Active Fuel Management deactivates half the engine cylinders when they are not needed and seamlessly reactivates them when you need the extra power.
And there's more! Every 2008 Chevy car, half-ton truck and SUV is equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitor that automatically alerts you when your tire pressure is low. Properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by up to 3%.(7) Seems small, but if everyone in the U.S. had properly inflated tires, we could save millions of gallons of gas each year.
1 Based on EPA estimates and segmentation.
2 Based on 2008 GM Mid-Car Sedan segment and EPA est. 33 MPG hwy. (gas), 34 hwy. (hybrid). Excludes other GM vehicles.
3 Based on 2008 GM Compact Car 3-dr Coupe and Sedan segments. EPA est. 37 MPG hwy. for Cobalt XFE; Honda Civic 34; and Toyota Corolla 35. Excludes other GM vehicles.
4 Based on 2008 GM Mid Utility-Crossover segment and Traverse FWD with EPA est. MPG 17 city, 24 hwy. Excludes other GM vehicles.
5 2008 Silverado 2WD with available 5.3L engine has EPA est. MPG 15 city/20 hwy.
6 Based on 2007 GM Large Utility segment and 2008 EPA estimates. Tahoe 2WD with available 5.3L V8 has EPA est. MPG 14 city/20 hwy. Excludes other GM vehicles.
7 Source: fueleconomy.gov. All claims exclude other GM vehicles.
GM boosts production as clunkers drains inventories
General Motors Co. will increase North American production by 60,000 vehicles from earlier schedules through the rest of the year as it rebuilds inventories drained by the cash-for-clunkers program.
GM's planned third-quarter output will be 535,000 units, a 35 percent increase over second-quarter totals. Fourth-quarter production will be at least 20 percent more than the third, said Mark LaNeve, vice president of U.S. sales, during a conference call today.
"And it'll probably go up from there," he said. "Our dealers are clamoring for more vehicles in every segment."
GM has about 360,000 units in U.S. inventory, compared with about 1.3 million units at this time of year just "a few years ago," LaNeve said.
The reduction stems from industry sales running at 27-year lows and a shutdown of most North American production during GM's 39-day bankruptcy. The clunkers program, which began in earnest in late July, contributed to the industry's strongest sales performance of the year last month.
"We want to run lean, but we're way too lean right now and we're going to miss sales unless we put some production in," LaNeve said.
More shifts
GM is adding shifts to its CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, and its factory in Lordstown, Ohio. GM makes the Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain crossovers at CAMI and the Chevrolet Cobalt compact car in Lordstown.
The move will bring 1,350 employees back to work, GM said in a statement. It will also allow 10,000 workers across GM's North American plant network the opportunity for overtime, LaNeve said.
GM has put its plant in Arlington, Texas, on overtime this month. GM builds the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon trucks there. There will also be additional overtime in Fort Wayne, Ind., where GM assembles Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.
"We look for pickups to continue to accelerate along with a recovery in the housing industry and overall economy," LaNeve said.
GM will also keep its factory in Orion Township, Mich., running until the end of November rather than shutter it in mid-September as planned. GM makes the Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 there. The plant will be converted to make an unnamed small car in 2011.
GM also says there is increased demand for the Chevrolet HHR crossover and the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon small pickups.
Recently launched vehicles are selling well, he said. GM has just a 15-day to 20-day supply of the new Chevrolet Camaro sports coupe and about a 10-day supply of the Equinox. GM is also low on the Cadillac SRX crossover and CTS wagon and Buick LaCrosse sedans.
"We're adding 60,000 units to our production schedule," LaNeve said. "We're probably not done, but this is what we're ready to talk about today."
Volt plant to hire in 2010- $43 million being put into site by GM
The bulk of hiring for hourly jobs at GM's new battery pack assembly plant in Brownstown Township will begin early next year as the Detroit automaker prepares to launch the Chevrolet Volt in late 2010, the plant manager said Thursday.
GM officially announced Thursday it was investing $43 million into the 160,000-square-foot facility that will be used to assemble lithium-ion battery packs for the Volt and other extended-range vehicles.
"In many ways ... this is an engine plant or part of an engine plant for an electric vehicle," GM CEO Fritz Henderson told a crowd of community leaders gathered in the cavernous space that eventually will be filled with machinery and tools.
"It's fair to say the enthusiasm for the Volt has taken another quantum leap," he added. "The importance of this plant to GM can't be overstated."
Except for specialized battery machines and tools, GM is reusing equipment from other facilities. Production at the facility is to begin in the fourth quarter of next year, GM said.
The Michigan Economic Growth Authority has approved $115 million in battery-pack credits and $45 million in vehicle-engineering credits for three years for GM plus a state tax credit valued at $6.8 million over 20 years for the Brownstown Township project. GM also received project money from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The plant will be part of a wholly owned subsidiary of GM called GM Subsystem Manufacturing LLC.
GM says the plant will employ about 100 people. Plant manager Nancy Laubenthal was unable to say how many of those would be hourly workers but noted the bulk of the hourly hiring would begin at the beginning of next year. "They will be hired from outside the company," she said.
Sherrie Childers Arb, a GM spokeswoman, said GM is not ready to accept applications for the jobs and that details regarding hiring will be provided later.
The day's announcement was greeted enthusiastically by community leaders.
"The phrase 'new plant' isn't one that we're used to hearing these days," Michigan Lt. Gov. John Cherry said. "But this announcement is about more than just a new plant, it represents a new chapter for our auto industry and a new chapter for the state of Michigan."
The assembly facility is part of a broader strategy by GM to beef up its expertise in batteries.
While GM is buying battery cells from LG Chem, the automaker is investing in battery research and development. In June, GM opened a new battery lab in Warren and has partnered with the University of Michigan for research and development.
On Tuesday, GM said it estimates the Volt will get 230 m.p.g. in city driving based on draft methodology by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
top
GM's planned third-quarter output will be 535,000 units, a 35 percent increase over second-quarter totals. Fourth-quarter production will be at least 20 percent more than the third, said Mark LaNeve, vice president of U.S. sales, during a conference call today.
"And it'll probably go up from there," he said. "Our dealers are clamoring for more vehicles in every segment."
GM has about 360,000 units in U.S. inventory, compared with about 1.3 million units at this time of year just "a few years ago," LaNeve said.
The reduction stems from industry sales running at 27-year lows and a shutdown of most North American production during GM's 39-day bankruptcy. The clunkers program, which began in earnest in late July, contributed to the industry's strongest sales performance of the year last month.
"We want to run lean, but we're way too lean right now and we're going to miss sales unless we put some production in," LaNeve said.
More shifts
GM is adding shifts to its CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, and its factory in Lordstown, Ohio. GM makes the Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain crossovers at CAMI and the Chevrolet Cobalt compact car in Lordstown.
The move will bring 1,350 employees back to work, GM said in a statement. It will also allow 10,000 workers across GM's North American plant network the opportunity for overtime, LaNeve said.
GM has put its plant in Arlington, Texas, on overtime this month. GM builds the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon trucks there. There will also be additional overtime in Fort Wayne, Ind., where GM assembles Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.
"We look for pickups to continue to accelerate along with a recovery in the housing industry and overall economy," LaNeve said.
GM will also keep its factory in Orion Township, Mich., running until the end of November rather than shutter it in mid-September as planned. GM makes the Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 there. The plant will be converted to make an unnamed small car in 2011.
GM also says there is increased demand for the Chevrolet HHR crossover and the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon small pickups.
Recently launched vehicles are selling well, he said. GM has just a 15-day to 20-day supply of the new Chevrolet Camaro sports coupe and about a 10-day supply of the Equinox. GM is also low on the Cadillac SRX crossover and CTS wagon and Buick LaCrosse sedans.
"We're adding 60,000 units to our production schedule," LaNeve said. "We're probably not done, but this is what we're ready to talk about today."
Volt plant to hire in 2010- $43 million being put into site by GM
The bulk of hiring for hourly jobs at GM's new battery pack assembly plant in Brownstown Township will begin early next year as the Detroit automaker prepares to launch the Chevrolet Volt in late 2010, the plant manager said Thursday.
GM officially announced Thursday it was investing $43 million into the 160,000-square-foot facility that will be used to assemble lithium-ion battery packs for the Volt and other extended-range vehicles.
"In many ways ... this is an engine plant or part of an engine plant for an electric vehicle," GM CEO Fritz Henderson told a crowd of community leaders gathered in the cavernous space that eventually will be filled with machinery and tools.
"It's fair to say the enthusiasm for the Volt has taken another quantum leap," he added. "The importance of this plant to GM can't be overstated."
Except for specialized battery machines and tools, GM is reusing equipment from other facilities. Production at the facility is to begin in the fourth quarter of next year, GM said.
The Michigan Economic Growth Authority has approved $115 million in battery-pack credits and $45 million in vehicle-engineering credits for three years for GM plus a state tax credit valued at $6.8 million over 20 years for the Brownstown Township project. GM also received project money from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The plant will be part of a wholly owned subsidiary of GM called GM Subsystem Manufacturing LLC.
GM says the plant will employ about 100 people. Plant manager Nancy Laubenthal was unable to say how many of those would be hourly workers but noted the bulk of the hourly hiring would begin at the beginning of next year. "They will be hired from outside the company," she said.
Sherrie Childers Arb, a GM spokeswoman, said GM is not ready to accept applications for the jobs and that details regarding hiring will be provided later.
The day's announcement was greeted enthusiastically by community leaders.
"The phrase 'new plant' isn't one that we're used to hearing these days," Michigan Lt. Gov. John Cherry said. "But this announcement is about more than just a new plant, it represents a new chapter for our auto industry and a new chapter for the state of Michigan."
The assembly facility is part of a broader strategy by GM to beef up its expertise in batteries.
While GM is buying battery cells from LG Chem, the automaker is investing in battery research and development. In June, GM opened a new battery lab in Warren and has partnered with the University of Michigan for research and development.
On Tuesday, GM said it estimates the Volt will get 230 m.p.g. in city driving based on draft methodology by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency