ecoXplorer is your award-winning guide to green travel, green cars, and saving the green in your wallet on both.

ecoXplorer is edited by Evelyn Kanter, a professional journalist with more than two decades of experience as magazine and newspaper writer and photographer, radio and television news producer and reporter, and guidebook author and editor -- all focusing on travel, automotive, lifestyle, the environment, and your rights as a consumer.

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VW factory is world’s first LEED green certified, in Chattanooga

Volkswagen is known for manufacturing fuel efficient cars, like the VW Passat, so it makes sense that VW builds them in an energy efficient factory.  VW’s new $1 Billion manufacturing plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is the world’s first and only LEED certified green auto manufacturing plant.

VW opens world's first LEED certified auto [...]

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Top ten worst selling vehicles of 2011

While all the news about the shiny new toys being introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, let’s look at the flip side, at the ten cars that barely made a blip on the sales screen in 2011.  All are great cars, many with top safety ratings.  They just suffer from less desirable than another model from the same manufacturer, or a competing brand, plus the overall switch from larger gas guzzlers and SUVs to more fuel efficient models and versatile cross-overs.  Here’s the list, compiled by Autoblog, which published the list just with price and sales numbers, but no reason for the poor sales.  So those comments and opinions are mine.

2011 Mazda Tribute

2011 Mazda Tribute, one of the ten worst selling vehicles of 2011

10. Subaru Tribeca, MSRP: $30,595, Units Sold: 2,791

  • Wouldn’t you rather have a Forester or an Outback?  Most Subaru buyers did

9. Mazda Tribute, MSRP: $20,555, Units Sold: 2,696

  • Separated at birth from the Ford Explorer.  Wouldn’t you rather have a Ford??

8. Mercedes-Benz R-Class, MSRP: $52,690, Units Sold: 2,385

  • A super-sized station wagon.  Longer wheelbase and more expensive than the popular M-Class SUV and redesigned GLK

7. Suzuki Equator, MSRP: $17,899. Units Sold: 2,127

  • It sold that many?  Must be the price.

6. Cadillac Escalade EXT, MSRP: $63,060, Units Sold: 2,036

  • Other than rap stars and limousine fleets, is anybody still buying this super-sized SUV?

Read the next page to find out about the five worst selling vehicles of 2011.  Surprise — not one of them is produced by by Detroit big three Ford, General Motors or Chrysler.

Continue reading Top ten worst selling vehicles of 2011

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What Should Santa Drive on Christmas Eve 2011?

Rudolf and the reindeer are on strike – they want more work than just one day a year. Santa needs wheels to deliver millions of toys, games and electronics to little little boys and girls, and to grown-up kids around the world. So what should Santa drive?

2012 Lexus CT 200h: Consumer Reports [...]

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2012 cars with best resale value: top rated brands are Toyota, Lexus

Toyota and Lexus brands offer best resale value according to KBB

How much a vehicle costs when you buy it or lease it is just one part of the equasion.  You also need to factor in how that vehicle rates for operating costs, maintenance costs and resale value. Since depreciation –  or loss of value — is typically a car buyer’s biggest cost expense during ownership, you should consider the resale price after the typical ownership period of two years to five years.

Your new car typically loses around one-third of its value the moment you drive it off the dealer lot, meaning that a $50,000 new car today will only be worth just around $17,750 after five years.  Some models and manufacturers hold their value better than others, based on supply and demand, as well as current and projected future market conditions and continued buyer interest.  According to Kelley Blue Book, these 2012 cars retain the best value — and the highest resale price — after a period of ownership–

2012 best resale value overall by brand is Toyota, and the 2102 best resale value for a luxury brand is Lexus

2012 BEST RESALE VALUE BY VEHICLE CATEGORY

  • SUBCOMPACT CAR:  Honda Fit
  • COMPACT SUV:  Jeep Wrangler
  • COMPACT CAR:  Honda Civic
  • MID-SIZE SUV:  Toyota FJ Cruiser
  • MID-SIZE CAR:  Toyota Camry
  • FULL-SIZE SUV: Chevrolet Traverse
  • FULL-SIZE CAR: Nissan Maxima
  • LUXURY SUV: Audi Q7
  • NEAR-LUXURY CAR:  Lexus IS
  • HYBRID SUV: Lexus RX 450h
  • LUXURY CAR: Audi A5
  • MID-SIZE PICKUP:  Toyota Tacoma
  • SPORTS CAR:  Chevrolet Camaro V-6
  • FULL-SIZE PICKUP:  Ford F-Series Super Duty
  • HIGH-PERFORMANCE CAR: Chevrolet Camaro SS
  • VAN: Honda Odyssey
  • HYBRID CAR: Honda Civic Hybrid
  • WAGON:  Subaru Outback
  • ELECTRIC CAR: Chevrolet Volt

List of top ten 2012 best resale value cars on next page
Continue reading 2012 cars with best resale value: top rated brands are Toyota, Lexus

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More than 50 new vehicle intros at 2011 LA Auto Show

The upcoming 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show is the biggest in years, with more than 50 North American and world debuts  of new cars, SUVs and trucks.

Green cars star at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto

The intros show that the auto industry continues to be a surprise bright spot in the overall [...]

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Best 2012 cars under $20,000: 2012 Hyundai Veloster

The all-new 2012 Hyundai Veloster is a three-door, front-wheel-drive sporty hatchback that delivers up to 40 mph on the highway, 29 mpg in city driving, priced from $17,300 for the six-speed manual and $18,550 for the six-speed EcoShift dual clutch automatic transmission.

2012 Hundai Veloster is best buy car under $20000

Best 2012 cars under $20,000: Hyundai Veloster

The 2012 Veloster shares a platform with the Hyundai accent compact sedan, but the similarity ends there.  The Veloster cranks out 138 hp from its 1.6 liter direct injection engine GDI Gamma engine, which promises sporty, reponsive handling.  There’s even an add-on ‘style’ package that enhances the performance feel with alloy pedals and a leather-wrapped steering wheel annd shifter knob, sunroof and foglights.

The Veloster delivers 28/40/32 mpg with the six speed manual and 29/38/32 mpg with the DCT.

That’s a lot of car for a little money, and Hyundai expects it to put a crimp on sales of the  Honda CR-Z,  Scion tC, Mini Cooper, the redesigned 2012 VW Beetle, and the all-new 2012 Fiat 500, its major competitors in size, price or both.

In this digital age, buyers expect to be connected all times, even in a new car under $20,000, so Veloster comes standard with a multi-function seven-inch touch-screen display, technology with voice recognition and Pandora internet radio capability.  The tech package option offers  a back-up camera and automatic headlights.

Other best 2012 cars under $20,000:

See the next page for equipment highlights for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster

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