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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 [...]  Subaru named best brand for resale value. Photo is 2011 Subaru Forrester An important part of any car buying decision should be how much that vehicle is worth when you trade it in. So what’s the best overall brand for resale value? Subaru. That’s what the car experts at KBB.com say. Subaru won [...] 2010 Audi A3 TDI Car sales are a great indicator of the state of the economy. when car sales are down, so is the economy. In April 2010, car sales were up 20% over April 2009. That’s a good sign that the economy is turning around. Of course, some brands did better than [...] 2010 Lexus HS250h hybrid luxury sedan More of us car shoppers are researching 2010 and 2011 models from our mobile phones. The website Cars.com, which launched a mobile site in 2007, reports a surge in mobile shopping activity since the launch of its iPhone car shopping app in February. As much as 10 percent of Cars.com’s traffic now [...]  Photo: carcrashes.com Every year there are some 37,000 deaths on America’s roads. The on-going recall of Toyota and Lexus models for problems with sticking accelerators, steering and brake issues have made us all think more about automotive safety. First, know what to do in an emergency if your gas pedal sticks or brakes fail to work. Here are five more easy, free things you can do every day to drive smarter: 1. Buckle up. Wearing a safety belt is the easiest way to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the road. In 2008, some 14,000 died because they were not buckled up. 2. Don’t mix drinking and driving. Alcohol was involved in nearly 12,000 fatalities in 2008. That’s a staggering 32 percent of all highway deaths. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lives. Choose a designated driver, or take the keys away from friends who have had too much to drink, and you will help prevent thousands of deaths. 3. Avoid distractions. Distracted driving is at least as dumb and dangerous as drunk driving. A University of Utah study found that distraction from using a cellphone can slow a driver’s reaction time as much as having a blood-alcohol level at the .08 percent legal limit, whether the cell phone use is hand-held or hands-free. Nearly 6,000 deaths were attributed to distracted driving in 2008. So, don’t talk on a cell phone or send or read text messages.  2009 Honda Accord was most researched car of year The five car companies that interested car-buyers most in 2009 were Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet and Nissan, in that order, according to the Kelley Blue Book. But, the top five specific models researched were all named Honda and Toyota. The Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Honda Civic have been the top three researched models on the KBB website in one order or another since 2004. Rounding out the high five for 2009 were the Honda CR-V and Toyota Corolla. Ford and Chevrolet models were in the top 20, not the top ten. Chevrolet’s all-new redesigned Equinox SUV and Camaro muscle car both made the most researched list for the first time. That’s good news for beleagured General Motors, which started 2009 by declaring banruptcy.  2009 Ford Fusion Also new to 2009 top 20 are the revamped Lexus RX 350 SUV and the Ford Fusion, which was Ford’s top-selling model in 2009. KBB says website interest in Ford grew steadily throughout 2009. KBB says its because Ford — unlike GM and Chrysler — stayed out of bankruptcy. I say its because Ford kept making good news headlines, with the Fusion and Taurus getting top safety ratings, and with new technology breakthroughs such as inflatable seatbelts for rear seat passengers. The combination of lower gas prices and last summer’s phenomenally successful “Cash for Clunkers” drew buyers away from subcompact cars such as the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and MINI Cooper, which were heavily researched in 2008. Here’s the complete list of the top 20 most researched cars of 2009: |
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