Report: Gas Prices Down, As Are Prices On Small Cars, Hybrids
Oh, what a short memory vehicle shoppers seem to have with respect to high gas prices.
While national-average pump prices surged into May, to a national average peak of about $3.98—topping off 20 consecutive weeks of price gains—they've since started to settle downward to about $3.71 this week.
And it appears that demand for small and fuel-efficient late-model vehicles—including hybrids like the Toyota Prius—is already starting to wane.
According to new data from Kelley Blue Book, the slightly lower gas prices are already influencing purchase decisions, and the strong-demand and short-supply situation for small cars is abating.
So far this year, while on a market-wide basis vehicles are up $950 percent, or about 5.4 percent on average, hybrids are up about $3,000 (more than 20 percent). Hybrids saw a $300 rise in May alone, then dropped $50 just over the past week (ending June 10).
Of course it can be argued that fuel prices weren't entirely to blame; the sudden run on a number of small-car models, as well as the Prius—was also due to supply interruptions related to the March earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan.
Among compact and subcompact models, the trend was similar; they rose $2,250 and $2,200 respectively in value, year to date, while compacts fell $50 and subcompacts dropped $25 just over the past week.
The KBB figures are based on used vehicles for model-year 2008 through 2010.
Gas prices are expected to continue their downward trend for a while longer, with OPEC's recent decision to maintain current production levels, as U.S. demand remains at lower levels. So we advise that if you're planning to choose a smaller or more fuel-efficient next vehicle, it might really pay to hold off for an extra month or two. Then you'll not only have a lower gas budget the next time high prices roll around; you'll also have paid less for that fuel-stingy vehicle.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Toyota: It’s Our Responsibility To Address Hybrid, Plug-In Confusion
Hybrids such as the Toyota Prius have now been offered for more than a decade. Yet as we learned from a study revealed just this past week, a surprisingly high percentage of new-car shoppers don't really know how hybrids work—or what makes plug-in hybrids or battery-electric vehicles different.
That said, as part of California's ZEV (Zero Emissions Vehicle) mandate, major automakers (including, in the short term) Toyota, Honda, Ford, Nissan, General Motors, and Chrysler) are being required to sell a certain number of vehicles per year that are considered either zero emission or partial zero emission.
"If we want to sell cars in California, we have to earn certain credits by selling certain kinds of vehicles in the state," said John Hanson, Toyota's national manager for environmental, safety, and quality communications.
For Toyota, that means selling the Prius Plug-In Hybrid, which is essentially a Prius with a battery pack that, at about 5 kW-hrs, is just a fraction of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and its 16 kW-hrs. That enables the Prius to travel in a wider speed and power range on electric power alone, and it can go about 14 miles without the gasoline engine firing up.
Known quantity, unknown success
But even though it's a known quantity—essentially a slightly more portly Prius, with the capacity to go much farther and faster in EV mode—will shoppers value (or understand) its differences?
"We have a clash point right now where government regulation and societal preparation are in conflict, potentially," said Hanson. "Is society ready for this yet? Well, we're being asked to bring it to market and we are. And we think that there's a market for it."
Synovate, the company behind that recent survey, said in a release accompanying the results that government has a role to play, not just in legislating more fuel-efficient vehicles but in educating Americans about how they relate to the national security and environmental protection issues.
If government mandates, does government educate?
But Toyota thinks otherwise. "If we're building the product, we need to educate the public," said Hanson. "It's our responsibility basically to market the vehicle, educate the buyer, make sure that they understand what they're getting into, and because this is so different from the way people have driven most of their lives—just by plugging it in—it's going to require a lot of education. And that's up to us."
Toyota doesn't know exactly how the market is going to react to it, so to prepare for consumer sales for the Prius PHEV, it's set up a demonstration program, with academic institutions, state and federal agencies, and public utilities, to study how people use the vehicles on a daily basis. And reaching consumers and teaching them about the vehicles is definitely part of it.
So what's a plug-in?
"What we need to do is invest in bringing these vehicles over and showing people what they're all about, and letting them understand, before they come to market, what to expect," said Hanson.
In in all eleven ZEV mandate states, plus Washington, Virginia, Hawaii, Oregon, Toyota plans to sell between 15,000 and 20,000 plug-in Prius models per year, starting next year, at a premium of between $3,500 and $5,000 over a comparable standard Prius.
"That's a lot of vehicles with a technology that no one's heard about," quipped Hanson, emphasizing the work that needs to be done in attracting shoppers who've thought about whether a plug-in is right for them. "I don't want someone walking into a Toyota dealership next year, having never heard of this vehicle, and letting the dealer try to explain to them why they should buy one; I want them to come to that dealership with some savvy."
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Infiniti M, Lexus HS 250h, Toyota 4Runner Ace IIHS Crash Tests
From the latest round of crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, three models that are all-new this year have been given excellent ratings for frontal and/or side-impact safety.
The all-new 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid achieved the best 'good' scores in all of the measurement categories of its frontal offset crash, weighing in with a 'good' evaluation overall.
The IIHS notes that the HS 250h is "derived from the Toyota Prius," so it's not surprising that while the HS doesn't get ratings that identical to those of Toyota's iconic hybrid, they're close. Although the HS 250h wasn't rated for side impact yet, the 2010 Prius has been rated 'good.'
The new 2011 Infiniti M37 and M56 models earned top 'good' scores in all aspects of the IIHS frontal offset test. In the side impact test the M sedans achieved 'good' overall but were rated a step down, to 'acceptable,' with respect to "structure/safety cage."
The 2010 Toyota 4Runner also earns a 'good' overall frontal offset score, with top ratings in all segments of the test except head/neck injury, where it was rated acceptable. The Toyota 4Runner is also new for 2010 and has a completely new structure, so its 'good' side-impact rating for 2009 does not necessarily carry over to '10.
In addition to simple occupant protection, all three of these models have some advanced features that might help avoid an accident completely. For instance, the 2010 Lexus HS 250h offers a wide-angle front-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, and even a Lane Keep Assist system that studies lane markings and helps steer you back into your lane. Then there's a very effective blind-spot warning system on the 2011 Infiniti M; and the 2010 4Runner offers a host of off-road electronics aimed at preserving traction and stability, plus a new Multi-Terrain Select system and fish-eye rearview camera.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
How To Shop for Winter Tires
Sliding around a little too much this winter? Investing in some good winter tires might seem like a pricey proposition, but it could pay off.
Winter tires are usually more expensive than all-season radials, but since you'll only be using your winter treads for a few months a year, they'll last three or four winters.
Think of it this way. Having a better grip and more control in, for example, the Toyota Prius, might help you keep that client or have a more productive day and it might help you avoid winter accidents. Just the insurance deductible for one minor fender-bender could cost you more than that set of winter tires.
If you have all-season tires, particularly a model with the M+S (mud and snow) rating, you might be able to get away with them through the winter, but only if you typically set out after the plows and salt trucks have already done their thing. The simple advice is, if you frequently have to drive in fresh snow, packed snow, slush, or on icy roads—or depend on your vehicle for your job—you should be getting a set of good winter tires. They really do make a difference, no matter what the type of vehicle and whether you have all-wheel drive or not.
Here are a few important winter-tire dos and dont's:
DON'T count on studs and chains. In the past studded tires were a good solution to get you traction on hard-packed snow and ice, but true winter tires are replacing the need for them altogether. Modern winter designs provide better traction and control on ice than studded tires, without doing damage to the road surface. And chains are strictly a last resort; they can do costly damage to wheels and bodywork if improperly mounted, or if they break.
Toyota Is Tops In Brand Loyalty And Brand Perception
Ford may have swept the NACOTY awards, and Hyundai may be riding a wave of great press in the U.S., but the American public still views Toyota as the best brand -- and they're more loyal to it than to any other.
For the third year in a row, Toyota has taken the #1 spot on Consumer Reports' annual Brand Perception survey. The survey asks consumers to evaluate brands in seven areas: safety, quality, value, performance, design/style, technology/innovation, and whether the brand is environmentally friendly/green. Given the success of well-designed, high-tech hybrids like the 2010 Prius, Toyota's win isn't very surprising -- though with other stylish green models heading toward showrooms, the company will have to up its game to remain at the top of the heap.
Also faring well on Consumer Reports' survey were Ford (#2), Honda (#3), and Chevrolet (#4). At the bottom: HUMMER, which came in dead last, just below the three-way tie of Saab, Mercury, and Mazda.
Toyota did equally well at the Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards, where it was recognized for Overall Loyalty to Manufacturer, breaking General Motors' nine-year winning streak. (Honda won for Overall Loyalty to Make.) If pressed, we could've likely guessed most of the winners on Polk's list, although we were intrigued by Audi's award for Most Improved Loyalty to Make. Maybe Audi's goal of beating Mercedes and BMW in sales isn't as far-fetched as some had thought.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid: Honest-To-Goodness 40-MPG Mid-Sizer
While Toyota and Honda have laid claim on most of the lofty fuel economy figures in the 40-mpg and above range in recent years, Ford now has serious bragging rights in its 2010 Fusion Hybrid.
The 2010 Fusion Hybrid slots closely behind the 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid in Combined miles per gallon and actually rates above the two Hondas in City driving—meaning at 41 mpg it's to the best of our knowledge the second-most fuel-efficient 2010 model in City driving.
What makes the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid all the more respectable is that it's a roomy mid-size sedan.
TheCarConnection.com just drove a 2010 Fusion Hybrid for a week and reports that the 41-mpg rating is entirely achievable—while, within reason, driving it just as you would any other sedan.
Most hybrids will more reliably return their posted fuel economy figures if you're willing to sacrifice comfort (by turning off the climate control) or learn to drive in a specific, erratic albeit slow, way that's tough to maintain, especially if you're in traffic. Over a week and about 160 miles of driving—most of it in relatively short errands—we made no effort to drive gently or 'game the system,' averaging nearly 40 mpg in the Fusion Hybrid. That's much better than the 34 or so we've managed in comparable conditions a few years ago in the Toyota Camry Hybrid, which has roughly the same weight, hybrid system, and engine size.
Admittedly, it's a bit lower than the 53 miles per gallon we averaged in a Toyota Prius over 140 miles and the 45-mpg average we saw in the Honda Insight over about 200 miles. The weather was quite a bit cooler this past week when driving the Fusion Hybrid than it had been earlier this summer when drove both the Insight and Prius back to back, but to be fair the Fusion's air conditioning was on a lot less than in the other two.
Taking the Fusion Hybrid on a familiar 38-mile loop that includes a mix of suburban stoplights, low-speed urban driving, and about a ten-mile stint on the Interstate, I quite strictly followed the green EV range bar just to the left of the speedometer. Quite possibly the best, most useful gauge we've seen on a hybrid vehicle yet, the flexible bar shows at any moment how much more throttle you have in EV range before the gasoline engine kicks on. This time watching this carefully, driving gently, and trying to keep the gasoline engine off as much as possible—and applying some tricks we've learned from the Prius, like "pulse and glide," I averaged nearly 50 mpg (49.6 to be exact).
Of note to families and occasional road-trippers is that the 2010 Fusion Hybrid is a much more substantial car than the Prius, with a supple, settled ride, a roomy back seat, and great roadholding at Interstate speeds. The steering is well weighted and isn't at all discouraging when the road turns curvy. However at about 3,720 pounds the Hybrid is more than 400 pounds heavier than a base Fusion S four-cylinder (heavier than the V-6, too), so it doesn't feel quite as frisky as the non-hybrid versions. It's still reasonably quick, with 0-60 times happening in the 8.5-second range according to several independent tests.
The two sources—a 156-horsepower, 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine and a 106-hp AC motor—seamlessly deliver power to the front wheels through a planetary gear set and continuously variable automatic, making 191 hp altogether.
Ford has done an excellent job with refinement for this hybrid powertrain. If you have the sound system turned up even a bit and you aren't looking at the gauges, it's easy to miss exactly when the gasoline engine starts up and when you're cruising on electric power alone. In the 2010 Toyota Prius, the Camry Hybrid, and even the new 2010 Lexus HS 250h, the gasoline engine creates more of a physical disruption when it starts; and even when you accelerate the Fusion Hybrid quickly the engine is a little coarse but still well isolated.
The verdict, emphasizing powertrain here, is that most drivers are bound to see great mileage figures from the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and it feels just as refined, smooth, and responsive as a non-hybrid sedan. The hybrid system might not be as easy to 'game' for those high-mpg numbers, but it's better optimized for the way people drive in the real world. Drive it like any car and you're likely to approach—if not exceed—40 mpg.
Tomorrow we'll bring you the rest of our thoughts on the Fusion Hybrid—with more on the features, the value equation, plus details on the great display panel and some picks and pans regarding the cabin of this mid-size, high-mileage sedan.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2010 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Debuts at Frankfurt Motor Show
Demonstration Program Begins in U.S. Late 2009
TORRANCE, Calif., September 9, 2009 - - The 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHV) Concept vehicle will make its world debut next week at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Based on the third-generation Prius, the PHV Concept expands Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, utilizing first generation lithium-ion battery technology and enabling electric operation at higher speeds and longer distances than conventional hybrids. When fully charged, the vehicle is targeted to achieve an electric-only range of approximately 12 miles and will be capable of achieving highway speeds in electric-only mode. For longer distances, the PHV concept reverts to “hybrid mode” and operates like a regular Prius. This ability to utilize all-electric power for short trips or hybrid power for longer drives alleviates the issue of limited cruising range encountered with pure electric vehicles.
Beginning in late 2009, Toyota will begin global delivery of 500 Prius PHV vehicles. Of this initial fleet, 150 will be placed with select U.S. lease-fleet customers for market and engineering analysis. This program will allow Toyota to gather real world driving feedback and understand customer expectations for plug-in technology. In addition, the program will allow evaluation of the first generation lithium-ion battery’s durability, reliability and performance.
“The greatest hurdle in bringing to market a reliable lithium battery is mass production. We must have a production process that guarantees each battery will be identical in performance and quality,” said Irv Miller, TMS group vice president, environmental and public affairs.
The vehicle’s first-generation lithium-ion battery will be built on a dedicated PEVE (Panasonic EV Energy Company, LTD) assembly line. PEVE is a joint-venture in which Toyota owns 60 percent equity. The first generation lithium-ion batteries were developed in-house by Toyota Research and Development, and a dedicated battery development team is already working on the next battery “beyond lithium.”
The 150 demonstration vehicles will be placed in strategic clusters around the U.S., allowing development of charging infrastructure and communications support for program participants. Each placement scenario will have a variety of ‘use cases’ or driving conditions (ie: commute length, usage type, access to charging) to gain maximum input to vehicle performance and customer needs.
“Although we like to be first to market with these technologies, it’s more important that we are best to market,” said Miller. “This demonstration program will ensure that the vehicles we bring to market will not just meet customer expectations, but exceed them.”
CONTACTS: Toyota Environmental, Safety and Quality Communications
Jana Hartline (310) 468-7977
Amy Taylor (310) 468-6237
John Hanson (310) 468-4718
Resources: www.toyotanewsroom.com
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Report: Toyota Plans Yaris-Based Hybrid For U.S.
Honda has confirmed that it will build a hybrid version of its Fit subcompact next year so it's only fit (excuse the pun) that Toyota launches its own gasoline-electric version of its own Yaris. According to latest reports coming out of Japan Toyota plans to launch a new hybrid model that is cheaper and more fuel efficient than the Toyota Prius, and it could be on sale as early as 2011.
The vehicle would be priced around ¥1.5 million (approximately $15,650) and deliver 94 mpg, Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported. Toyota's subcompact Yaris will allegedly serve as the basis for a new hybrid model, though it will feature new styling and a new hybrid system that's apparently less expensive than those found in the automaker's other hybrid vehicles.
According to the report the car will be sold in the U.S., Europe and Japan. Toyota refused to comment on the reports stating that it did not discuss future product plans.
Honda's own Fit hybrid will be based on the regular compact hatch already on sale in the U.S. and is estimated to cost a little over $15,000. Not much else is known about the car but its release date is slated for late 2010.
[AutoNews, sub req'd]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Write About Cars for High Gear Media–Win an iPod Touch!
You're a car enthusiast with some car-shopping smarts, right? It's time to show off a little.
As many of you know, we've gone and opened up the High Gear Media universe so that anyone can write articles about cars and become a published blogger, on one of our 38 content sites. It's a new way for you to take advantage of our expert content and resources to let people know what YOU think about the latest cars, trucks and crossovers. And to get published alongside our High Gear Media pros.
Today, we're kicking off a two-week-long contest where we give away an iPod Touch to show off our new technology.
Write for us? Here's how it works: First, check in at our High Gear Media blog page. It takes about 15 seconds; you'll get an activation email that lets you stay signed in through Facebook Connect, or to sign in each time you write about cars.
Then, write for us. Show off what you know about cars, or give an opinion on some of the latest vehicles you've seen or driven.
What kind of articles are we looking for? Here are some tips:
- Write a review of a car you own, or an article about how you decided which car to buy
- Give us your take on a new or coming model
- Compare two cars and give pros and cons
- Write a "How to" or "Tip" article that relates to cars: "How to Find the Best Truck"
- Create lists: "The Five Worst Cars for Families"
- Highlight or analyze recent car news
Want an example? Here's one post about modifying a Toyota Prius that's gotten some great interest.
All article submissions will be moderated and judged on overall quality: readability, clarity, usefulness, etc. Articles my be edited for style or length. And please remember to respect copyrights: if you don't own words or pictures, you don't have the right to steal them from others, and we won't publish them, either.
When an article is published, you'll get an email telling you where we've published it. At the end of two weeks, we'll drop names from every article published into a hat, select one, and announce our lucky winner.
The contest runs starting Monday July 20 and ends August 3. At the end of that two weeks, we will pick a winner out of a hat from all those who submit an article that gets published by us. At the end of the two weeks, we'll mail our winner a gift certificate good for an iPod Touch (pictured here).
All you have to do is write a great article that gets published and gets attention. Remember, the more articles you submit and we publish during the two weeks, the MORE chances you have to win.
On your marks...get set...go!
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Prius vs. Insight: The Battle Continues
Good news from Japan: 75,000 eager hybrid fans have placed orders for the 2010 Toyota Prius. That's not just a big deal for Toyota; it's also a big deal for folks like us who enjoy watching a good showdown--in this case, the one that's been brewing between the 2010 Prius and the 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid.
Competition between these models would be spirited in any year, but given the tanking global economy and shrinking sales figures, the stakes are much higher now. Already we've seen some interesting price-posturing, and the media's been paying a great deal of attention to what Americans assume is the Japanese equivalent of the Hatfields and the McCoys. We also know that the Insight's been outselling the 2009 Prius by just a bit in the U.K. It's going to be an interesting few months.
For the record, we're not the betting sort, or we'd have an office pool like you wouldn't believe. (Off the record, we're totally the betting sort. Want in?)
[source: egmCarTech]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
