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

EcoReport is written and edited by Evelyn Kanter, a professional journalist with a lifetime of experience a 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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January 2012 Car of the Month: 2012 Acura TL sport sedan

2012 Acura TL: January Car of the Mnth

The 2012 Acura TL is the January Car of the Month, named by NADA for its updated styling,  improved performance, fuel economy and upgraded technology.  If you are in the market for an affordable performance sport sedan, the 2012 Acura TL holds up well against [...]

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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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Audi, Land Rover unveil concept cars at Frankfurt Auto Show 2011

Every auto show features a concept car or several.  Concept cars are important, because they give us a sneak peak at the car company’s design and technology direction, and the reaction of the media and the public can determine whether the concept gets put into overdrive, or parked in the garage and forgotten.

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Lexus, Infiniti introduce new models at Pebble Beach Concours vintage car event

Until now, car makers have introduced new models at the world’s major auto shows, Frankfurt (September), Los Angeles (November), Tokyo (also November) Detroit (January), Paris (February) and New York (April), to headlines from gathered media, followed by crowds of the car buying public.  Lexus and Infiniti are breaking the mold by introducing two important [...]

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2011 best car buys for price, fuel efficiency, value and safety

Toyota Prius, the best-selling hybrid in history

Price, fuel efficiency, US government safety ratings, depreciation and residual value, and warranty coverage all determine whether a vehicle is a good buy.  NADA Guides, a top provider of vehicle information and pricing, scores hundreds of vehicles each model year to determine the Best Car Buys.

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