The CarGurus Blog

We’re going to give you short takes with headlines today, because there’s a whole lot of news on the green car front. Let’s lead off with Times Online’s Giles Smith, always good for a chortle.

All-electric MINI E is a blast to drive: Giles says the MINI E goes like “the electric clappers” and actually looks like a car (even though the back seat is full of batteries). A group of 20 cars will go out for a six-month trial in England, with 20 more to test next year. There are many unanswered questions about the future of electrics, among them their styling.

The great failure of all electric models to this point has been their weakness in encouraging desire. How much wider a take-up might there have been for the gawky G-Wiz [shown here] if it didn’t resemble something that Laurel and Hardy had just driven through a sawmill? It’s been like the old joke about Superman. If electric cars are so smart, how come they wear their underpants outside their trousers?

Focus BEV to test in London: Ford seems to be on the same page as MINI and is testing out 20 new Focus Battery Electric Vehicles with household drivers for three months. Early next year, a charging infrastructure will be installed. A somewhat different BEV appeared on “The Jay Leno Show” last month.

Michigan needs plug-ins: But it needs the infrastructure and coordinated development, too. Such is the theme of a current Motor City conference with some big-wigs.

“We talk about public utilities. We talk about cars. But we haven’t really talked about them together,” said David Cole, chairman of the Automotive Research Center in Ann Arbor. “What we’re going to be seeing is a merging of these two industries.”

Along these lines, GM’s FastLane Blog has an interesting webchat that featured Tony Posawatz, Vehicle Line Director for the Chevy Volt. We learn particular details about the Volt as well as some considerations about the future of EVs from Felix Kramer of the California Cars Initiative. Worthwhile exchanges in that chat.

There are still plenty of questions about the Volt, many of them critical, as put forward by CNN’s Alex Taylor here. Mainly these focus on cost/benefit issues, and we can’t help thinking the car comes up short.

Nissan’s V-Platform Coming to the U.S., maybe in 2011; to Thailand, India, and China in 2010. And Nissan wants to sell 1 million a year. It’s a low-cost, low-weight car that Nissan’s betting heavily on to compete with the Fiesta, among others—a world car. Nissan also made news by announcing its commitment to a “next-generation battery,” i.e., lighter and less expensive. These will be produced at the New Smyrna, Tennessee, factory and sold to “whoever is interested.” So says CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Infiniti jumps into the electric competition: The firm is reportedly working on a small car to compete with the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series, as is Lexus. The comments came from an “insider” at the Tokyo Motor Show who also claimed that the new car would share powertrains with the Nissan Leaf (which kind of makes sense).

Honda is also considering going electric, per CEO Takanobu Ito. He still likes hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars for the future, but they will be a long way off. One factor influencing his change in strategy may be the poor showing of the Insight against the Prius, at least in terms of sales.

Toyota Sai hybrid launches in Japan: Showing for the first time in Tokyo this week, the Sai is a larger and more luxo Prius, it seems, and is sister to the Lexus HS 250h, which is now on sale in the U.S. Whether it will come here is not known, but the two very similar cars will compete against each other in Japan. What was that old line about the inscrutable Japanese?

DOE funding for three-wheelers approved: Which means, according to Autosavant, that companies like Elio Motors and Aptera can finally get development money. Three cheers, and let this be a counter to Giles Smith’s complaint about weird styling.

For those people that complain that everything on the road looks the same these days, the rebuttal to your complaint is a three-wheeler. All of the three-wheel vehicles in the pre-production pipe look like nothing else on the road today.

Three-wheeled cars certainly don’t look like anything else on the road today. But should they? Do you want cars that look like cars or like airplanes (the Aptera)?

—jgoods

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Domestic Cars, Foreign Cars, Gas for your car..., General Chat, Green Updates, Hybrid Cars

The new 4Runner: snubbed by the Truck of the Year Awards?

Nothing breeds controversy like a Car of the Year award.

Perhaps the most prestigious of car awards are the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards, set to coincide with Detroit’s North American International Auto Show held in January.

The nominees for the 2010 iteration were announced yesterday, and there are some real stinkers on the list. Not surprisingly, there are absolutely no Chrysler products nominated but lots of Japanese cars. There’s also a nice representation of Korean and American vehicles too. Finally, we learn that the word ‘truck’ doesn’t mean what it used to.

For your reading pleasure, the nominees are:

2010 North American Car of the Year candidates

• Volkswagen Golf
• Toyota Prius
• Subaru Legacy
• Porsche Panamera
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class
• Mazda3
• Honda Insight
• Kia Soul
• Ford Taurus
• Ford Fusion
• Chevrolet Camaro
• Buick Lacrosse
• BMW 335d
• Suzuki Kizashi
• Cadillac CTS Sportwagon

2010 North American Truck of the Year candidates

• Subaru Outback
• Lincoln MKT
• Land Rover LR4
• Honda Accord Crosstour
• Ford Transit Connect
• Chevrolet Equinox
• Cadillac SRX
• Audi Q5
• Acura ZDX
• Volvo XC60

Last year, the Hyundai Genesis and Ford F-150 won top honors. Which two are due to win this year? Anyone else find it odd that the Honda Crosstour shows up as a truck nominee while the all-new 2010 Toyota 4Runner does not?

-tgriffith

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Harmony with Earth... or destroying it?

Anyone who’s considering a Toyota Prius might want to remember this quote from Jack Lifton, an independent commodities consultant and strategic metals expert, who calls the Prius “the biggest user of rare earths of any object in the world.”

That’s a mighty big claim, and if it’s true, it means the Prius, billed as one of the most eco-friendly cars in the world, is actually eating away our planet’s stores of rare metals.

The reason for the Prius’ hunger for rare commodities are its batteries and motor magnets.

According to Leftlane,

each Prius uses about 2.2 lbs. of neodymium and each battery uses 22-33 lbs. of lanthanum, figures that will inevitably double as Toyota seeks to boost the Prius’ fuel efficiency.

Neodymium, terbium, dysprosium, and lanthanum are all considered rare earth metals, and all are being depleted, quickly, by popular hybrids like the Prius, Honda Insight, and Ford Escape Hybrid.

Yes, hybrid vehicles decrease our use of fossil fuels and reduce tailpipe emissions. However, how “green” they actually are is an issue that needs some serious debate.

I’m thinking fuel-efficient four-cylinder gas or diesel engines are actually much healthier for Earth.

Are hybrid cars like the Prius ”green,” even though they deplete Earth’s rare metals? Do you even care?

-tgriffith

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Car Politics, Domestic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Hybrid Cars

Since it has gotten such lousy reviews on the new Insight, Honda apparently hopes the new CR-Z Hybrid will do better, even as it uses basically the same powertrain. The difference is that this car, like the beloved CRX before it, will appeal to the sporty set. Judging by the many positive comments on the Autoweek story, a lot of them will be tempted. Sign up for email info from Honda here.

The CR-Z Hybrid will go on sale in Japan in February 2010 and should be in the U.S. by the middle of next year. Honda seems ready to commit to an across-the-board hybrid lineup, as Toyota has. Whether that will work in this country is anybody’s guess. The Insight was the top-selling car in Japan this year (until the new Prius took over the crown), and Honda has new, better, two-engine powertrains under development for its larger models.

Let us not forget, however, that Japan has government incentives to go hybrid, as well as higher gas prices. Hybrids are going to be niche vehicles here unless either or both of those conditions change.

Honda also announced that the Fit Hybrid will become available in Japan before the end of the year; there are no plans to bring it here. This news may not send thrills and chills up your spines, CR-Z fans, though the Fit will cost lots less and may well sell better. But, my God, it’s ugly.

If the CR-Z Hybrid were in the $20,000 range, as predicted, would you buy one? What would tempt you?

—jgoods

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Hybrid Cars

Critics have panned the new Transformers movie, but box-office receipts already total over $200 million, which is proof that folks love the giant transforming Chevrolets.

Here’s a list of the GM Transformers and their availability (just in case you want to park an autobot in your garage!):

Chevy Volt: Jolt

Prototypes of the electric Volt are starting to turn up, and it looks like we could see a 2011 release. By the time it’s available, though, hype generated from the movie will be long gone.

Chevy Camaro: Bumblebee

Put your order in now! Chevy has already received 10,000 orders in front of yours, but the Camaro was the best selling American muscle car last month. Order one, and you will get it.

Chevy Stingray Concept: Sideswipe

It’s doubtful anyone will ever get their right foot onto the accelerator pedal of this hot concept… it was built just for the movie. This split-window hottie is one of the coolest concepts to ever carry the Chevy name, but it’ll remain a fantasy.

Chevy Trax: Mudflap

In the movie, Mudflap and Skidz are horribly unfortunate stereotypes. In the real world, the Trax is a concept that made the auto show rounds along with the Beat and the Groove. The closest America will get anytime soon is a 2011 Chevy Spark.

Chevy Beat: Skidz

This Beat is the second half of the putrid and offensive robot twins. Again, you’ll have to settle for the Spark if you want to buy one. Let’s hope the production version isn’t as offensive as the movie twins….

GMC Topkick: Ironhide

Ironhide is perhaps the toughest of the autobots, but the Topkick and Chevy’s Kodiak will cease production at the end of this month.  The good news is that you can find used ones all over the Internet!

What about the real star of the show? Well, Megan Fox isn’t available for purchase. Ok, okay… the real star….

Optimus Prime

He’s been a Transformers fixture since I was a kid, and lucky for us he’s remained the same through the years: Optimus is none other than a mid-’80s Peterbilt.

Have you seen the new Transformers movie? Which car would you want parked in your garage?

-tgriffith

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Domestic Cars, General Chat, Trucks & SUVs

I can’t remember Consumer Reports ever not liking a Honda.

In a recent press release, though, the popular consumer magazine thrashes the new hybrid Insight, saying,

The Insight is the most disappointing Honda Consumer Reports has tested in a long time. The Insight is a noisy, stiff-riding car with clumsy handling that is nothing like the Fit on which it is based.

Ouch. They go on in the lengthy press release, but I’ll spare Honda more embarrassment here. Not from Jeremy Clarkson, though, who was even more blunt when he said,

It’s terrible. Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy. It’s the first car I’ve ever considered crashing into a tree, on purpose, so I didn’t have to drive it any more.

Ouch again. He didn’t even trash the Chrysler Sebring that badly.

Considering Honda wanted to challenge Toyota’s Prius and take a piece of its monster market share in the hybrid market, these kinds of reviews are killers. Consumer Reports didn’t even give their coveted “Recommended” designation to the Insight, which was beaten badly by the VW Jetta, Chevy HHR, Pontiac Vibe, and Hyundai Elantra Touring. In fact, the Honda ranked 21st out of 22 wagons and hatchbacks.

Number 22 was the Dodge Caliber, but heck, the Tato Nano could beat that automotive disgrace, so it doesn’t mean much that Honda barely did.

To be fair, a Honda spokesman responded to CR’s wrath by telling Edmunds InsideLine,

Feedback from customers and automotive media regarding the all-new 2010 Honda Insight has been very positive. In fact, the Insight has won several hybrid comparison tests completed independently by automotive media outlets including Car and Driver, Edmunds.com and Motor Trend.

Whatever, dude. Looks like your car sucks…. Don’t defend it, go build a new one. You’re Honda, and Honda doesn’t screw up. You’d better not start making mistakes now.

Does Consumer Reports influence your car-buying decisions? Would you consider an Insight after this?

-tgriffith

Car Industry News, Car Magazines, Car Minded, Car Review, Foreign Cars, Gas for your car..., General Chat, Hybrid Cars

2010 Kia Forte: a potential winner!

I love Car of the Year awards. I love analyzing the candidates and then picking on the winners.

Earlier this week we shared the candidates for the 2010 European Car of the Year Award, which revealed a little gem I hadn’t heard of before called the Skoda Yeti. I hope it wins!

On our side of the Atlantic, I’m excited to read through the candidates for the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. The list is proof that the line between cars and trucks is blurring, because the Subaru Outback is in the truck category. Hmmm.

For this list, only vehicles that are all-new or substantially redesigned are eligible. The fact that the Toyota 4Runner shows up is great news for Toyota fans: a redesign is coming by early 2010!

Here are the candidates for the 2010 North American Car of the Year:

Audi S4
BMW Z4
BMW 335d
BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
Buick LaCrosse
Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
Chevrolet Camaro
Ford Fusion/Fusion Hybrid
Ford Shelby GT500
Ford Taurus/Taurus SHO
Honda Insight
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Kia Forte
Kia Soul
Lexus HS 250h
Lotus Evora
MAZDA3/MAZDASPEED3
Mercedes E-Class
Nissan Cube
Nissan 370Z
Porsche Panamera
Subaru Legacy
Suzuki Kizashi
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf/Golf TDI

And here are the 2010 North American Truck of the year candidates:

Acura ZDX
BMW X5 xDrive35d
Cadillac SRX
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Transit Connect
GMC Terrain
Honda Crosstour
Land Rover LR4
Lincoln MKT
Subaru Outback
Toyota 4Runner
Volvo XC60

If I were handing out the awards, my choice for Car of the Year would be the Kia Forte. That even surprises me, but I’m digging the economical, great-looking, feature-packed, low-priced option this year.

On the truck side, I’m going with the Ford Transit Connect, especially with the future option of it being the perfect family hauler. That is, unless the new Toyota 4Runner absolutely blows me away!

What car and truck would you pick to win the coveted North American Car of the Year Award?

-tgriffith

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Just in case you were wondering what a Skoda Yeti looks like...

The European press has released the candidates for their 2010 Car of the Year award.

Apparently there are a lot of great cars in Europe, because 30 of them made the list of finalists, two of them coming from U.S. automakers. The Chevy Cruze and Ford Ka could potentially bring home Europe’s biggest car award.

To be eligible for the award, vehicles must be available in at least five European markets and have projected sales of more than 5,000 units.

Here’s the full list of candidates:

• BMW Z4
• Chevrolet Cruze
• Citroen C3 Picasso
• Ford Ka
• Honda Insight
• Hyundai i20
• Hyundai ix55
• Kia Sorento
• Kia Soul
• Land Rover Discovery IV (LR4)
• Lexus RX 450h
• Mazda MAZDA3
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class
• Mitsubishi Colt
• Nissan 370Z
• Nissan Cube
• Opel/Vauxhall Astra
• Peugeot 3008
• Porsche Panamera
• Renault Scenic
• Seat Exeo
• Skoda Yeti
• Subaru Legacy
• Suzuki Alto/Nissan Pixo
• Toyota Avensis
• Toyota iQ
• Toyota Prius
• Toyota Urban Cruiser
• Toyota Verso
• Volkswagen Polo

I default to our European friends on this one: Which car do you think deserves to win?

-tgriffith

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Domestic Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Hybrid Cars

A lot of people do, it seems, and Toyota recently increased its production of the 2010 Prius to 500,000 a year, up 25 percent. There is real demand out there.

But, as I’ve said before, it’s not easy for a car enthusiast to like the Prius, even though we can applaud the intent. If we’re going to do the green thing, we want to drive a Tesla.

The Prius is a car for the green do-gooders, for the tech-obsessed, for the socially conscious eco babies. Car and Driver said it was anything but exciting. “The excitement, we suppose, is in wearing your beliefs on your fender.” People who love cars will hate it. The first time I got into and drove one, a friend’s 2006, it seemed like I was in a movie. This is the feeling Jay Shoemaker expressed about the new car, adding:

I was still entombed in the resin chamber that passes for an automobile interior. If Ralph Nader had been an engineer, this is the car he would have designed, a vehicle for people who loathe automobiles.

And the barbs continue, as he knocks everything from ergonomics to handling and the over-reliance on gimmicks to drive up the price. Jalopnik liked the car better, but said it had decent road manners only with the optional 17-inch wheels.

We’re coming down to a media battle between the automotive press, mostly comprised of enthusiasts, against the practical, green, transport-oriented, global-warming crowd, who clearly outnumber the car-lovers. But the greenies should remember that their beloved Priuses and Insights are not really cars yet. They are transportation vehicles or, as Shoemaker called them, “personal vehicular transportation modules.” Which means, for most car lovers, that they’re still bureaucratic people-movers out of some futuristic movie.

Which side are you on: enthusiast or green? How can we bridge the gap?

—jgoods

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Car Review, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Hybrid Cars

We suspected it would happen, and it has: Toyota dropped its price on the 2010 Prius for the Japanese market after Honda’s Insight (left) became the country’s best-selling car. The Big H sold 10,481 of these 1.3-liter, CVT cars in April. Toyota claims 80,000 preorders for the Prius while marking it down $3,100 to bring it in line with the Honda. So it looks like we’ve got a price war brewing.

The Prius will go on sale in the U.S. in about two weeks at $21,750 MSRP, $1,000 cheaper than the 2009 model. Honda grabbed the edge in Japan because it basically copied the Prius, used a cheaper (some would say inferior) hybrid system, and jumped into a market hungry for cheap, fuel-efficient cars.

However, not everybody loves the Insight. Jeremy Clarkson crucified it, calling the car

terrible. Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy. It’s the first car I’ve ever considered crashing into a tree, on purpose, so I didn’t have to drive it any more.

The biggest problem, and it’s taken me a while to work this out, because all the other problems are so vast and so cancerous, is the gearbox. For reasons known only to itself, Honda has fitted the Insight with something called constantly variable transmission (CVT).

It doesn’t work. Put your foot down in a normal car and the revs climb in tandem with the speed. In a CVT car, the revs spool up quickly and then the speed rises to match them. It feels like the clutch is slipping. It feels horrid. And the sound is worse.

He goes on: That sound is like sitting “a dog on a ham slicer.” The car feels like it’s been “made from steel so thin, you could read through it.” And so on. The rant continues, with Jeremy properly questioning, I think, the whole hybrid mentality. In the quest for every last mile per gallon, have we overlooked the considerable costs of production? The battery problems? The fact that we can get comparable mileage from a Golf diesel that’s built better and performs better should give the tree-huggers pause.

And look at this dippy commercial from Toyota:

Sure, there are trade-offs in all this controversy, and some of this hybrid pie in the sky is being baked by the government. Ford today announced a partnership with Xcel Energy to bring 66 electrics and hybrids to the Twin Cities. The project would require federal stimulus money to set up charging stations.

Similarly, hybrid sales are being fueled by government incentives in Germany, France, China, and Japan—some in the form of clunker trade-in bonuses, which have happened in the U.K. and maybe will here. So some of this interest is coming from artificial demand and industry supports.

A buoyant view of our green, plug-in future was also part of Fritz Henderson’s pitch in his last press conference. “I promise you,” he said, “that we have new vehicles that will blow you away,” and he mentioned some. Well and good. Let’s hope GM doesn’t get blown away before they can produce them.

Would you consider buying a new Prius or Insight? Are you hot on the hybrid concept, or do you share some of our skepticism?

—jgoods

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Car Politics, Domestic Cars, Foreign Cars, Gas for your car..., General Chat, Hybrid Cars