Category Archives: Toyota

JD Power: Ford rises, Toyota slumps

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Ford, Toyota

JD Power has released the results of their annual Initial Quality Study, and the results have fallen largely in line with the auto industry headlines as of late.

Ford was the big winner, breaking the top five in initial quality for the first time, and earning top marks in class for its Mustang, Taurus, and Focus models. Ford was the only of Detroit’s Big Three Automakers not to accept government bailout money and has since turned its business around.

In addition, this year’s study marks the first time that domestic brands collectively performed better than imports. That wasn’t good news for Toyota, who, in the wake of much-publicized recalls, fell from 6th to 21st in the rankings.

JD Power surveys hundreds of thousands of owners of new vehicles for their study, which measures how a car performs in its first few months of ownership. The study is considered by many experts to be indicative of the long-term quality of a vehicle, which could have effects on how these cars are eventually perceived on the used market.

And while the new Toyotas may be facing trouble, those who want to save off the cost of a new vehicle can still find reliable used Toyotas from pre-owned dealers.

Edmunds lists “true cost to own”

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Posted in Auto Loans & Financing News, Honda - DO NOT USE, How To, Toyota

Those who are shopping for a used car might be wary of any repair costs that can be associated with vehicles that have a high mileage. To help shoppers, the auto website Edmunds has awarded the top cars in each class and price range that boast the cheapest “true cost to own.”

Edmunds compiles “true cost to own” data based on an algorithm that considers a variety of factors, such as predicted repair costs. It broke down the results according to the size and model of the vehicle as well as the price.

Honda and Toyota were the big winners, with five and four cars in the lineup, respectively. Honda won awards for the Fit, Accord, CR-V, Ridgeline and Inisight. Toyota won for the Tacoma, Sienna, and Yaris coupe and sedan. The two brands also had luxury cars make the list, with Honda’s Acura MDX and Toyota’s Lexus IS 250.

That’s good news for anybody considering a used Honda or Toyota, as they will be happy to know that their used car purchase likely will not cost them much money down the road.

Other winners included the BMW 1 Series, Ford Shelby GT500, and Nissan Cube.

Pickup sales pick up

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Posted in Ford, General Auto News, Honda - DO NOT USE, Toyota

Dealers across the country are reporting an increase in pickup sales, a sign that the economy is recovering because Americans aren’t as worried about gas prices and small business are buying the vehicles to transport goods.

Sales of pickup trucks hit 151,000 last month, a whopping 19 percent increase over last year, according to the Associated Press. Many of those sales were full-size models, popular vehicles among contractors and builders.

John Blevins of Kentucky recently bought a Ford F-150 XL for his heating and air company. It was a purchase he had been putting off for awhile.

“In the last two to three years, we downsized quite a bit,” he told the news source. “We were holding off on buying anything new because we didn’t know what was going to happen.”

Pickups are useful vehicles for their safety, towing capacity, and large storage space. Small business owners who are interested in purchasing a pickup for their company would do well to look at used models such as the Ford F-150, Honda Ridgeline, and Toyota Tundra. Buying used can save the company money while also providing it with a reliable vehicle.

SUVs at a crossroads

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Posted in Ford, General Auto News, Nissan, Toyota

With sales dwindling and crossovers becoming increasingly popular, the traditional sports utility vehicle is facing an uncertain future, but fans of the vehicles can find deals on older models by shopping on the used car market.

According to MSN Auto, the traditional SUV has struggled amid worries about fuel economy and a shrinking customer base. In addition, crossover vehicles – smaller models based on passenger car platforms, are usurping SUV’s spot as the most popular seller.

That doesn’t mean automakers are abandoning the SUV, however. Ford recently redesigned its flagship SUV, the Explorer, to address concerns about fuel economy. The new Explorer gets 25 mpg and runs on a modified car body, but its exterior is all-truck.

Traditional SUV fans may also want to look at models like the Toyota 4Runner and Nissan Pathfinder.

Utility sales (crossovers and SUVS) currently account for 28 percent of the total car market, but crossovers make up 77 percent of that.

However, there was a time when SUVs dominated the landscape, and for memories of that, drivers should look no further than the used car market.

Drivers who want the traditional off-roading capabilities along with the extra space should shop the used car dealers for the classic models of just a few years ago. While these cars once fetched a high price, their dwindling popularity has caused many used car dealers to offer significant savings.

More cars get “Top Safety Pick”

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Posted in Audi, Ford, General Auto News, Honda - DO NOT USE, Hyundai, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has recently unveiled nine more cars for its prestigious “Top Safety Pick” award. The IIHS tests every new model in several tests to earn the award, and the car must perform well in each test in order to qualify.

This year’s awards added a new test for roof strength, which is important in rollover situations, according to the Chicago Tribune. In addition, the cars must pass 40-mph frontal crash tests, side crash tests, and rear crash/whiplash tests, as well as be equipped with an electronic stability control system.

Ford picked up awards for its Ford Fusion and Flex, as well as its luxury Lincoln MKZ and MKT. The Audi A4 and Hyundai Tucson were also recent winners.

The tests take some time, so the winners are released in waves. Previous 2010 model award-winners include the Honda Civic and Element, Mercedes E and C Class and Toyota Corolla and Avalon.

The IIHS has done the tests since 2006 and keeps archives of all the winners by model year on their website. Drivers searching for a used car can use this as a resource to ensure that their next purchase is of the highest quality.

Searching for efficiency with the midsize crossover

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Posted in Chevrolet, Ford, Honda - DO NOT USE, Nissan, Toyota

SUVs are a handy way to transport cars full of kids or luggage quickly and easily. For those who don’t need off-roading capabilities, a midsize crossover is the perfect fit.

When purchasing an SUV, one important consideration is fuel economy. SUVs have a reputation for being gas guzzlers, but new technology and the smaller size of crossovers has improved efficiency, according to Edmunds.

In this class, the Ford Edge and Honda Crosstour lead the way with 18 city/27 highway miles per gallon. City drivers may consider the Toyota Venza, which trades one mpg on the highway (26) for one in the city (19). The Nissan Murano gets 18 in the city with 23 on the highway, while the Chevy Equinox posts 17/25, although they are a bit roomier than the others. All of the cars feature 6-cylinder engines.

Car buyers should balance their desire for efficiency with their need for space and features. The Ford Edge has a slight, well, edge, over the competition, as it has just undergone a complete redesign for 2011, according to the Detroit Free Press.

With the new Ford Edges being introduced, drivers can search the used car market for any 2010 Edges that dealers were unable to sell. They can also find deals on all the cars mentioned above.

Big Three post big gains in May

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Chrysler - DO NOT USE, Ford, Nissan, Toyota

As a further sign that the economy is beginning to recover, Detroit’s Big Three automakers: GM, Chrysler, and Ford, all posted big gains in the month of May over the same time last year. With consumer confidence returning and Americans making car purchases that they may have held off on in the wake of the economic downturn, consumers should remember that they can purchase many of these cars for considerably less at used car dealerships or auctions.

Ford gained the most, with a 20 percent increase over previous years’ totals. Ford is in good shape, as the only one of the Big Three not to accept federal bailout money and thus not have to pay it off, according to the Washington Post

GM sales increased 16.6 percent, and Chrysler sold 100,000 vehicles for only the second time in two years.

Among Japanese automakers, Nissan jumped 24.1 percent while Toyota sales slowed amid recall problems.

Although the industry itself may still be recovering, the country is not yet out of the woods. Consumers who need to save money can look at these brands’ ample offerings on the used car market.

Accord may overtake Camry as America’s favorite car

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Honda - DO NOT USE, Toyota

The title for best-selling car in the country is hotly contested in the auto industry, but the last few years have been dominated by the Toyota Camry.

However, according to recent May sales figures, Toyota’s fellow Japanese auto giant Honda is gaining ground in the rivalry. Honda sold 124,967 Accords in May, falling just shy of Camry’s 125,804, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Toyota has faced criticism amid a wave of recalls because of unintended acceleration, and recent Toyota Camrys were included in the recall. This damage to the company’s safety-first reputation may be leading some to choose Honda, although Toyota is offering better financing packages in an attempt to woo customers back.

Despite the rivalry, some say that the two Japanese companies respect each other greatly and adhere to an honor code, according to the news source. Honda could introduce special offers on Accord to surpass Camry, but it would be seen as unfairly attacking the competition in a time of trouble.

The last time Accord won the battle was in 2001, when it sold 414,000 cars. With the influx of brands and models, its unlikely a car will ever post sales figures like that again. Many of these cars are still on the road, and savvy consumers can get deals by buying a used Honda.

New York and New Jersey drivers find electric range shorter than expected

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Posted in Auto Industry News, BMW, General Auto News, Nissan, Toyota

Select drivers in New York and New Jersey were given preview models of BMW‘s all-electric Mini E car and found that the battery’s charge lasted shorter than the company anticipated.

BMW owns the Mini Cooper brand and has developed an electric model of the car. Preliminary tests showed that the car was supposed to drive over 150 miles, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, those tests didn’t take into account real-world driving conditions, which, according to the drivers, have reduced the range by almost a third.

That could be bad news for claims made by automakers about electric batteries’ longevity. The Nissan Leaf, due out later this year, has a less-powerful battery pack than the Mini E and claims 100 miles, which is about what testers found the Mini E gets under real driving conditions. Nissan’s American product planner, Mark Perry, told the news source that the 100 miles depends on various factors, such as the weather and use of heating or air conditioning.

Until the battery issues are sorted out, drivers who still want to be environmentally-friendly might want to consider hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius. However, these cars can be expensive when bought new, so it might be best to look for deals on the used car market.

Toyota to halt Lexus sales due to recalled cars

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Posted in Toyota

Due to a recall notice issued last week, Japanese automaker Toyota has stopped the sale of one of its most popular models.

The company announced that it will stop selling Lexus sedans until parts for the recalled vehicles reach car dealerships. These parts are meant to fix a steering deficiency that could have potentially caused numerous car accidents.

According to news reports, drivers of the Lexus LS could experience their steering wheels stuck after making a sharp turn in either direction.

The recall notice for the Lexus LS last week affected a total of 3,800 vehicles in the U.S. and approximately 11,500 cars around the world.

Despite the recall, and the recent troubles Toyota has experienced, used car buyers may still want to look at older models of the carmaker’s award-winning Lexus LS brand.

The LS 430, which was produced from 2001 to 2006, was reviewed by editors at Edmunds.com as excelling in “both urban commuting and long-distance road trips” and that the “suspension easily soaked up road irregularities, especially when equipped with the optional air suspension.”