Americans Are Holding On To Their Cars Longer Than Ever
Given the recent recession and relatively high unemployment figures, it's no surprise that car owners are holding on to their vehicles for a long time. According to research firm Polk, however, the average age of vehicles on U.S. roads has hit an all-time high of 10.8 years.
The age of passenger cars moved up slightly between 2010 and 2011, going from an average age of 11 years in 2010 to 11.1 (as of June 2011). The aging of the light truck and SUV population, however, has been a shade more severe, jumping from 10.1 to 10.4 years. On average, the auto population in the U.S. has been steadily creeping upward, from 8.4 years in 1997 to 10.8 in 2011.
The figures from Polk come as a bit of a shock, given last year's strong auto sales. Common sense says that greater new car sales would reduce the average age of vehicles in use.
However, Polk says there's a good reason for the aging of the American auto population: weak sales in 2008 and 2009. Vehicle sales tanked during the Great Recession, and fewer new car sales meant that the average age of vehicles in use ramped up. Consumers have gradually returned to the market since 2009, but not in ample numbers to counterbalance the two-year dip.
The trend may be shifting into reverse, though, given the growing number of vehicles on the roads. In 2009 and 2010, the number of registered vehicles in the U.S. declined, but in 2011, the number shot up by about 500,000 to 240,504,646. Many of those were new car registrations, and if sales continue upward -- as many analysts believe they will -- the average age of vehicles in use will likely decline.
The downside of this news -- at least for the auto industry -- is that consumers remain a little shell-shocked by the recession. Though customers are clearly interested in new cars again, they're not yet beating down the showroom doors.
But the upside, according to Polk, is that this represents a huge opportunity for automakers and dealers. As the economy stabilizes, consumers confidence will rise, which may be just the boost shoppers need to trade in their aging wheels.
How old is your ride? Are you ready to give it up yet? Drop us a line, or leave a comment below and let us know.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2013 Lincoln MKZ Preview: 2012 Detroit Auto Show
GM has the new 2013 Cadillac ATS sedan waiting in the wings, and at Ford, the mission's almost the same--to snare more entry-level luxury-sedan buyers. That task begins with the 2013 Lincoln MKZ, making its debut as a concept car at the 2012 Detroit auto show.
Lincoln's mission is a little more urgent, though. Once the best-selling luxury nameplate in the U.S., Lincoln sold just more than 85,000 vehicles in the U.S. last year, about half of Cadillac's numbers and well off the more than 300,000 cars and crossovers sold by luxury-sales champ BMW.
Working in its favor, Lincoln has the current MKZ, one of the brand's strong sales stories. In its final year on the market, MKZ sales in 2011 increased 22 percent over the prior year, and its hybrid edition has attracted new looks from shoppers normally sold on Lexus.
To grow again, Lincoln will have to win over those intenders, and analysts, who see today's Lincolns as too closely patterned on Ford-brand vehicles. Design is one way Ford hopes to change minds. Based on the same mid-size platform as the new 2013 Ford Fusion, also introduced in Detroit, the next MKZ heralds a new design direction for the sagging luxury brand.
The latest theme--one of a few Ford's tried on the Lincoln lineup in the past decade--tamps down some of the brash cues on today's Lincoln MKZ and its MKX and MKT crossovers in favor of leaner, softer lines. The MKZ concept is as sleek as the fantastic-looking Fusion, but distinguished by the more delicate louvers on its new grille, and especially, by the longer arch of its roofline, and a very short trunk.
Lincoln's design chief, Max Wolff, calls the new look elegant simplicity. "It’s something warmer and more restrained, which is moving away from complex designs and traditional luxury," he said.
Inside, the concept continues a more Lexus-like interpretation of luxury, with warm colors and a touch of green. The poplar wood trim is "responsibly harvested," and is framed by aluminum trim, and surrounded by neutral leather perforated to look like champagne bubbles.
Electronics take up even more real estate in this version of the MKZ: dash buttons control the transmission, eliminating a shift lever, and big 10.1-inch and 8-inch LCD screens in front of the driver and on the center stack serve as displays for gauges, mapping and in-car apps, governed by the Bluetooth-driven MyLincoln Touch system. A panoramic glass roof brings more light into the four-seat cabin.
Compared to the current MKZ, the new version should grow, while coming in very close to the concept's overall dimensions. The concept is 194.1 inches overall, with a 112.2-inch wheelbase. Today's car measures 189.8 inches long, and rides on a 107.4-inch wheelbase.
The MKZ's new platform is said to be able to handle all-wheel drive. Powertrains and other hardware aren't detailed yet, but EcoBoost engines, an adaptive suspension and drivetrain, and a lane-keeping system are planned.
Now that it's sold off all the European luxury brands it once owned, Ford says it's committed to reviving Lincoln sales and repositioning it as a newer-age luxury leader. According to Ford's president of the Americas, Mark Fields, Ford is investing heavily in the brand so that it can "win customers in the luxury market with strong new vehicles."
It's an important piece of Ford's newly focused business plan, and potentially, a big money-maker for the company. With seven new or heavily revamped vehicles on the way in the next three years, Lincoln is getting another lease on life--and the fight to regain its spot in on the luxury leaderboard begins here.
Stay in touch with all the news from Cobo Center as we cover the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2012 Toyota Yaris SE: First Drive
Toyota has the small-car market pretty well covered. In addition to the 2012 Toyota Yaris, there are the Scion xB and iQ models, which share in many places the same showroom and the same sales lot. And that's before even considering the only somewhat larger Matrix (and Corolla), as well as the nearly like-sized 2013 Toyota Prius C that's on the way this year.
Against those Scion models, the all-new Toyota Yaris—especially in the SE trim that we drove—seems like the obvious pick.
But that's not to say we're in love with the new Yaris—or that we think it's the strongest pick in this value-minded class. While it drives light-and-nimble, gets impressive mileage without hybrid hardware, and has a well-packaged interior that doesn't feel cheapskate-grade, it will still ignite old memories of why some shoppers didn't like so-called economy cars of the not-so-distant past.
A few years ago, when the xD joined the lineup, it got an added aesthetic zing compared to the Yaris—along with somewhat better performance. This time, the 2012 Yaris seems to have inherited many of the very same cues (in the roofline, the edgier lower air dam, and dash). The exterior seems have about the same stance as the outgoing model from the front or back, but from the side it looks longer and lower (it's slightly longer). We see a pretty heavy Subaru influence in the beltline, with the chunky door handles and the side crease leading into flared-out taillamps—as well as the rally-racer-ish, chunky rear fascia.
More wannabe rally-racer, less charmingly Euro
To our eyes, from some steps back, the finished product just isn’t as charming as the previous model. On the outside, where the previous model has an outgoing, Euro-hip design that never seemed to look dated, that’s a bad thing.
Inside, where the instrument cluster was a centrally mounted oddity, and controls and displays weren’t quite as straightforward as they could be, we welcome the changes. In fact, the interior and IP are quite cheerful and well-designed. The dash of the 2012 Yaris has more of a horizontal, shelf-like orientation, and there are various bins built into the center tray as well as the doors and lower dash. Just in front of the front passenger is a shallow shelf; with no texturing at the bottom, we were puzzled as to what to place there that wouldn't slide annoyingly back and forth with every corner...
What's under the hood is familiar; it’s a 106-horsepower, 1.5-liter DOHC in-line four with variable valve timing—essentially the same engine as in the last generation. It feels inherently more flexible here than either the 1.6-liter in the Hyundai Accent and more refined than the base 1.8-liter in the Sonic, but it's impossible to overlook that both of those engines have 30+ horsepower more. The Yaris' five-speed manual gearbox is one of the lightest, most precise-feeling gearboxes in this class, even if the throws are a bit long—go with it if you can, as the four-speed automatic is a dinosaur next to much of the six-speed competition.
The meat of the engine's revband is pretty wide; keep it in the 2,500-to-5,000-rpm range and it feels quick and responsive. But the engine gets quite a bit more vocal as the revs rise, and even at 70 mph engine noise is ever-present if you don't have the audio on.
A joy in urban areas--but not all that perky
Just like the previous Yaris, the 2012 model is a joy to drive in tight urban areas. We liked the way the electric power steering felt—it’s secure on-center at higher speeds, and even at lower parking-lot or S-curve speeds it seems to load up with a nice, progressive feel off-center. That said, we feel like the Yaris should feel a little perkier than it is, given the fact that it's one of the lightest entries in this class, at around 2,300 pounds.
We tested the sportier, upmarket trim of the Toyota Yaris, the SE, which also gets rear disc brakes at a time when they're not even available on any trim of some models, like the Chevrolet Sonic. The pedal feel is quite firm and positive—far better than the mushiness you get in the Sonic or the uneven actuation of the Accent.
If we had a consistent complaint about the last-generation Yaris—in just about every variation we drove—it was that the suspension just felt too mushy, making it prone to early body lean and understeer in corners, as well as (thanks in part to the short wheelbase) an almost buoyant feel over rough surfaces. This Yaris—especially here in SE form—felt much more buttoned-down. Toyota has not only tuned the suspension to be a bit firmer, but stabilizer bars are a bit thicker, and these changes go a long way to make it feel more planted in quick maneuvers. While it doesn’t quite approach the quick, Miata-influenced feel of the Mazda2, or the uncanny isolation of the new Chevrolet Sonic, the 2012 Toyota Yaris comes closer to striking a middle ground that will appeal to those who want a small and nimble yet comfortable urban car.
Better seats (in the SE)
For now the Yaris is only offered as a three- or five-door Liftback (hatchback), though a four-door sedan is due (the outgoing Yaris Sedan is still available at dealerships, as a 2012). With a couple more inches of wheelbase and length than before, there's more cargo space in back as well as a bit more passenger space in the new Liftback, compared to the previous one. In the front seats, we like the rather high seating position, where you get a good view out and yet have plenty of spare headroom. On the other hand, it does feel a bit like you're sitting ON the car rather than IN it. We can see some drivers annoyed at the lack of telescopic steering adjustment, but everything felt right to this lanky driver.
Front seats (admittedly, the SE's “exclusive sport seats”) feel much improved compared to what you got before in the Yaris, or what you presently get in the Nissan Versa. They're somewhat wider and noticeably longer, and have a little bit of natural contouring and side support, and they no longer feel like short benches, cutting off circulation to the thighs. But we did note that the fabric acted as a lint brush of sorts to our clothes, collecting stray pet hair and the like.
Ride quality feels better, too, even though the suspension seems to keep body motion more under control—likely a product of the added wheelbase.
Safety Counts: IIHS Names 115 Top Vehicle Picks For 2012
Not too long ago, safety ratings were details that only the most meticulous (and safety-minded) new-car shoppers paid attention to. But today, new-car shoppers expect top safety as a given; frankly, it’s the price of entry for a family vehicle. And for 2012, those new priorities are showing: There are a whopping 115 Top Safety Picks—vehicles that get top scores across the board in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) test categories.
According to the organization, 97 models that received the accolade last year carry over with it in 2012, while there are 18 new Top Safety Pick recipients for 2012.
Since electronic stability control is now required by the federal government for all new vehicles, the IIHS has dropped the feature as one of the requirements for Top Safety Pick Status. Now, it simply looks for top ‘good’ scores in all four of its test categories: frontal offset, side impact, roof strength, and rear crash (seat-based).
One differentiator: roof strength
The most recently introduced test is the roof strength category, for which the IIHS pushes a metal plate against one side of the roof at a particular rate, to see how much weight can be applied before the roof reaches five inches of crush. To get a ‘good’ rating in the test, it should withstand four times the vehicle’s weight—which corresponds to a much better chance of survival in a rollover crash.
The IIHS notes that their Top Safety Pick list still includes no small pickups—they tend to fare poorly in the roof strength test. But the Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, and Honda Ridgeline are Top Safety Picks.
Plenty of safe and fuel-efficient picks
Those with high gas mileage (or plugging in) in mind have plenty of choices, though. The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, along with the new Toyota Prius V, all also get the top nod. So do several minicars: the Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, and Toyota Yaris. The Fiat 500 was recently given a federal (NHTSA) combined safety score of just three (out of five) stars, however.
Subaru remains the only automaker with a full line of Top Safety Pick vehicles, while Toyota, Lexus, and Scion have a combined 15 vehicles on the list for 2012.
The all-new 2012 Toyota Camry also broke new ground; it earned the best-selling model’s first Top Safety Pick accolade ever, joining a long list of mid-size sedans—most of that market segment, really.
Click to the next page to see the new Top Safety Picks for 2012, listed by their individual IIHS vehicle categories. To see the full list of 2012 IIHS Top Safety Picks, see the vehicle safety ratings over at the Institute’s site. And to help you pick out the best of the best, we’d strongly recommend you also check out the federal crash-test results.
2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco: First Drive Review
Chevrolet's car fortunes are on the upswing, the momentum generated by new vehicles like the beautifully finished Cruze compact sedan and the eager little Sonic hatchback. Now it's the Malibu's turn, and the venerable nameplate ushers in big changes for the 2013 model year, all in the name of getting smaller and more efficient.
The Malibu, Chevy says, is its first global sedan, but the version coming to dealers in the spring will be unique to the U.S. market. We'll be the only ones to get the amped-up Malibu Eco, a green-tinged four-cylinder, four-door, five-seat sedan, augmented with a battery pack and a motor that boost gas mileage and elbow aside any V-6 option in the process. GM hopes its variety of planet-hugging will cut through the clutter of, well, just about every other repositioned family sedan that's been electrified in the past few years.
We drove the 2012 Chevy Malibu Eco yesterday around Austin, Texas, in a fit of fog and rain, something Austin's been running lean on for far too long. Our first driving impressions? It's a completely different Malibu in look and feel than the four-door just drifting out of memory. On the handling and efficiency fronts, that's progress.
Camaro all over?
GM cites a lot of Camaro influence in the details, and it's easy to see some of the heritage appeal molded and shaped into the gauges and taillamps. The new Malibu looks much smaller than it did last year, though it's not even a half-inch shorter overall.
The quest for aero smoothness--and global dimensions--leaves this Malibu with a better front end than rear. The Malibu Eco's split grille wears the Chevy badge proudly--it's pretty large--and the Eco's front air dam has some pretty emphatic elbows embossed into its lower corners. That helps give it more heft, as does the pronounced, VW-like stagger of the grille and headlamps.
The aerodynamics start to have their way with the shape at the corners of the headlamps and at the small, set-off side mirrors. Down the sides, the Malibu picks up some subtle sculpturing, and by the time the sheetmetal wraps around the rear pillar, it's started to resemble Fortes and Camrys. The decklid and taillights are tiered like those on the last-generation Camry, too, but the rounded corners of the Malibu's high rear lamps bring it more in line with other current Chevys. While I'm more mixed on the Malibu's new shape, my colleagues aren't. They love it. To me, the former Malibu pulled off a more imposing look with flatter, plainer surfaces.
The cockpit delivers its details with more unity. Big square-ringed gauges sit behind a thick steering wheel at a lower vantage point, and the center console gets a perimeter of glossy grey plastic that's identical to the stuff in the Volt--though the Malibu gets real buttons, not capacitive switches, to run its major functions. There's a large LCD screen front and center but also big, grabby knobs for major audio and climate functions. Designers took some visual heft out of the dash by cutting strakes across the surface and glinting it with metallic trim, but the dash itself doesn't seem thick enough to warrant the fuss. There's also some trim on the Eco model that seems to want to be woodgrain, except up close it's more metallic and woven in appearance. Taste points aside, it all feels good to the fingertips.
November 2011 Car Sales: Ahead of the Curve
New vehicle sales continued their slow, steady improvement in November across most of the major brands, automakers reported along with monthly sales today.
Projections had the month coming in at anywhere from TrueCar's estimated seasonally adjusted selling rate (SAAR) of 13.3 million units, to some automaker estimates of a SAAR as high as 13.8 million.
Analysts said the baseline improvement over year-ago numbers means this recovery is solidly underway, even if it's not a particularly vigorous one.
“The improving performance of the past three months suggests that the current momentum, primarily driven by replacement demand and improvements in vehicle availability, is not an aberration,” said John Humphrey, senior vice president of global automotive operations at J.D. Power and Associates.
For the year, Power's figures now predict a year-end SAAR of 12.8 million units including fleet sales, with an early estimate of 13.8 million for calendar year 2012.
Which brands posted increases on the month, and which have more warning signs to read as economic recovery fails to gain steam? The results by automaker, with some still to come:
General Motors: GM (NYSE: GM) said it sold 180,402 vehicles in November, an increase of 7 percent over November 2010. Chevrolet sales grew by 9.8 percent, and GMC's numbers rose by 6.8 percent--but Buick fell 7.2 percent and Cadillac was off 5.6 percent, both somewhat victims of the wind-downs in sales of outgoing models like the Lucerne and DTS. Trucks accounted for a big part of GM's growth, with increases on most of its full-size SUVs. Of concern at Chevrolet, the mainstay Impala sedan was off 26 percent, while the big Traverse crossover was down 28 percent.
Ford: Ford (NYSE: F) saw its sales rise by 13.3 percent, while its Lincoln brand fell by 17.6 percent. Big numbers were posted by the Explorer, which was up 217 percent over November 2010, and the outgoing Ranger compact pickup truck, which was up 85 percent. On the downside, Ford's big crossovers were off: the Flex saw its sales fall 13 percent, while Lincoln's MKT was off 45 percent.
Chrysler: Chrysler Group reported buoyant sales of 107,172-- a 45-percent increase over sluggish November 2010 numbers. Chrysler as a brand was up 92 percent; Jeep was up 50 percent and Dodge rose 43 percent, while Ram truck sales were up 8 percent. Sales of the Fiat 500 hit a grand total of 17,444 units on the year, far off initial estimates of 50,000 units for calendar-year 2011.
Toyota / Lexus: Not yet reported.
Honda / Acura: Not yet reported.
Nissan / Infiniti: Nissan sales strengthened in November 2011 to 85,182 units, up 19.4 percent over a year ago. Nissan-brand sales rose 21 percent to 76,754 units, including 672 Nissan Leaf sales. Infiniti sales were up 3 percent on the month.
Hyundai: Not yet reported.
Kia: Not yet reported.
Volkswagen: VW continued its sales surge behind the year-old Jetta sedan and the new 2012 Passat sedan. The duo both are up 59 percent on the year. November sales for VW on the whole were 28,412 units, an increase of 40.7 percent; year to date, VW is up 25.3 percent. Last month, one in five vehicles sold by Volkswagen in the U.S. was powered by a diesel engine.
BMW / MINI: Not yet reported.
Mercedes-Benz: Not yet reported.
Subaru: Not yet reported.
Mazda: Not yet reported.
Audi: Not yet reported.
Mitsubishi: Not yet reported.
Volvo: Not yet reported.
Porsche: Not yet reported.
Jaguar/Land Rover: Not yet reported.
Suzuki: Not yet reported.
Saab: Not yet reported.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2012 Ford Focus: TheCarConnection’s Best Car To Buy 2012
After driving thousands of miles in more than 200 new vehicles in the past year, and rating each one independently, High Gear Media's editors have chosen a winner.
TheCarConnection's Best Car To Buy 2012 is the 2012 Ford Focus.
Each year, our team rates each new vehicle we review based on styling, performance, utility, safety, and features. As the year progresses, we begin to see some winners emerge from the usual pack of 50 to 70 brand-new or significantly updated vehicles we drive each year--at home, or around the world.
To pick our Best Car To Buy winner, we sift through the numeric ratings to find the highest-scoring new car from the current model year. We also set a base-price limit of $50,000, since most car shoppers who come to TheCarConnection already know how we feel about the Astons, Maseratis and Ferraris of the world. It means some excellent cars don't stand a chance--but keeps us well aware of value, a critical piece of the puzzle for shoppers.
The Focus' win over vehicles like the Range Rover Evoque, Hyundai Veloster, Mercedes M-Class and Chevy Sonic, comes down to personality. Even in a day where dull, droning econoboxes are the exception rather than the rule, the 2012 Focus grabs attention, both for the way it looks and for the way it handles. That's held true for each of the more than half-dozen differently-equipped Focuses our editors have sampled.
The Focus' winning styling earned a 9 from our editors, as much for its aero-crisp exterior as for its flamboyant interior--and though we prefer the sleek five-door, the four-door sedan's rendered about as well as anything in the class. The Focus also earned a score of 8 for performance, a high rating for a compact car with just 160 horsepower on tap. Even before a turbo ST edition arrives, the Focus feels alive, with sweet steering and a sporty ride overcoming its lackluster optional automatic transmission.
It's compact in the European sense, which makes the back seat more snug than some vehicles in its class, but the Focus gets great front seats and class-leading safety features, like an available rearview camera. And when it comes to luxury and entertainment features, the 2012 Focus goes well beyond the state of the art, with an array of options that include Sony sound systems, active parking assist for tight parallel parking spots, and MyFord Touch and its voice- or touch-controlled interface.
In the balance, the 2012 Ford Focus is an engaging, premium-feeling compact car that nudges into sport-sedan territory--and we can't wait to drive the 240-hp ST.
Congratulations to the Focus, TheCarConnection's Best Car To Buy 2012--and also to our other winners. MotorAuthority, our performance and luxury-car destination, has chosen the 2012 Porsche 911 as its Best Car To Buy this year, while Green Car Reports has named the 2012 Toyota Prius family as its Best Car To Buy.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Subaru Shares The Love With Five Charities Through January 3
'Tis the season for year-end deals, but for folks in search of something different -- and philanthropic -- Subaru is offering shoppers a chance to get a new car and make a gift to charity, all in one fell swoop.
The deal is part of Subaru of America's annual "Share the Love" promotion, running now through January 3, 2012. For every new car leased or sold during the promotional period, Subaru will make a donation of $250 to one of five outstanding charities (previously announced at Social Car News): American Forests, the ASPCA, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Meals On Wheels Association of America, or the Special Olympics. Shoppers choose which of the five will receive Subaru's gift.
Not in the market for a new car? No problem: you can still make a donation to charity. Just visit Subaru of America on Facebook, click the "Share the Love" tab on the left-hand side, and tap the button in the center of the page to make a $1 donation to one of the five organizations. Subaru will contribute up to $250,000 for the Facebook gifts. (So far, the ASPCA has received over 80% of the clicks, which may not be surprising, given Subaru's reputation as being one of the most pet-friendly brands on the road.)
This is the fourth year that Subaru has run the "Share the Love" program. The automaker says it contributed over $15 million to charity during the first three years, and Subaru has set a goal of pushing that number to $20 million by January 3. Considering the lean economic times that led to that $15 million sum and the slowly recovering economy, we'd be surprised if Subaru didn't exceed that goal well before the program's end.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
As Car Sales Increase, Bargains Will Likely Be Harder To Find
Thanks in part to record incentives, car sales in the United States are up, but that brings with it both good news and bad news. First the good news: consumers don’t spend money on things like automobiles unless they have confidence in the economy, which could mean that the worst of the recession is behind us.
Now the bad news: more car sales mean less incentives and discounts from manufacturers, especially since the excess inventory that’s plagued the industry in recent years has been all but eliminated.
Japanese manufacturers are still recovering from the March disasters in Japan, so inventory levels at most Japanese brands are just beginning to normalize. Flooding in Thailand has disrupted production of certain Japanese car brands (most notably Honda), but we’re still a month or so away from seeing this in dealer showrooms.
With foreign cars in short supply and domestic quality on the rise, consumers embraced U.S. automakers this year, lowering inventory levels at GM, Ford and Chrysler dealerships. Smartmoney tells us that Ford has reduced available incentives by 13 percent in October, and it’s cutting rebates even further in November.
Thanks to record low interest rates, buyers with exceptional credit can still find good deals on auto financing, and some manufacturers (like Audi, for example) are actively promoting low interest financing.
If you’re in the market for a new car, it may pay to put off a buying decision until December. Inventory levels aren’t likely to improve, but manufacturers may be more inclined to deal in order to make year-end targets.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2011 VPG MV-1 Has Wheelchair Users In Mind
With all due respect to Janis Joplin, freedom is not just another word for nothing else to lose. For America’s 14 million adults using wheelchairs and scooters, freedom means mobility. Vehicle Production Group had them in mind when it designed its MV-1, the first purpose-built vehicle for members of the disability community and their caregivers.
Wheelchair-accessible vehicles have been on the road for years. Typically, they’re minivans that undergo extensive and expensive aftermarket conversion, easily doubling the vehicle’s original sticker price while voiding the manufacturer’s warranty. Fit and finish and reliability are inconsistent also.
With production underway at AM General’s Indiana plant (the former home of HUMMER), the 2011 VPG MV-1 (for “first mobility vehicle”) should avoid those shortcomings and offer significant advantages.
Whether ordered in base SE trim starting at $39,950 or $41,950 for the DX (before any qualifying incentives), no modifications are required; the MV-1 meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards and is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. VPG opted for traditional body-on-frame construction for durability but insists ride quality doesn’t suffer for it. It seats up to six and is configurable to accept multiple wheelchairs at once. A generous side doorway, wheelchair ramp and tie-down points are already there, including the shotgun position next to a conventional cockpit (VPG states most owners won’t do the driving themselves).
From the driver’s seat, the layout is straightforward. Ford’s bulletproof 4.6-liter V-8 is mated to its common four-speed automatic gearbox. Green-minded owners can choose a factory-installed Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling system. Either way, VPG covers the powertrain with a five-year/75,000-mile warranty. That complements the three-year/36,000-mile bumper to bumper coverage, along with five years/75,000 miles for the ramp and five years/100,000 miles against corrosion.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
