-www.dieselstation.com

The 2011 Mazda2 is the entry level of all Mazdas.  Mazda wanted to get into the action and competing against the Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, and Honda Fit.  These three had succeeding in the past few years as a small, fuel efficient vehicle.  Mazda is hoping to take some of its competition’s customers and run with the new Mazda2. 

It isn’t the cheapest starting at $13,980. The Yaris starts at $12,605. It doesn’t have the best gas mileage at 29 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway.  The Fiesta gets 29 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway.  The Mazda2 is a nice five-door, five-seater that is the most fuel efficient vehicle the Japanese have ever made. 

The Mazda2 has a 1.5-liter, 4 cylinder engine that according to the reviews has some pep in its step and gives you quite a ride for the small car.  It has front-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission.  It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles in technology, but it does have steering wheel controls for the stereo and cruise control.  You can fold down the backseats to allow for more storage.  

The Mazda2 seems to overall be a nice vehicle that will be able to compete with its’ competitors.  More and more people are interested in these small vehicles, so there is no reason to think that the Mazda2 won’t be able to have success like the others.  According to the reviews, it may be worth looking at when it becomes available.

An article by U.S. News and World Report gives 5 2010 models that you might want to wait before you buy, because the 2011 models of the vehicles are probably better.  These 2011 models are going to have major changes and for the better, so if you were to buy the 2010 model, you might be kicking yourself for doing it when the newer models come out. Check out why the article suggests these 5 2010 models should be passed by.

1.  2010 Ford Mustang - the 2011 Mustang will have an additional 95 horsepower and 40 pound-feet of torque in the V6 engine and 87 horsepower and 65 pound-feet of torque in the GT, and the GT will have a 5.0-liter V8 engine.   The gas mileage will be the best in its class as well.

2.  2010 Hyundai Sonata - the 2011 Hyundai Sonata will have a different look, more like a coupe and it will have the best fuel economy in its class.  Lots of technology in the interior as well.

3.  2010 Infiniti M - the 2011 Infiniti M will have lots of technological advances like a Blind Spot Intervention system and a larger navigation screen.  It will have more horsepower and a four-wheel steering system.

4.  2010 Honda Odyssey - the 2011 Odyssey is completely redesigned with a more modern-looking design.  It will have gas mileage of 19 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway, which tops the Toyota Sienna’s gas mileage of 18/24 mpg.  There will be more legroom and still availability for 8 passengers.

5.  2010 Ford Explorer - the 2011 Explorer will ride on a car-based platform instead of the truck-based platform of 2010.   The 2011 will have a completely different look.  You will have a choice of engine between more power and better fuel economy.

There may be other models out there with 2011 models coming out better, but for sure you might want to wait on the vehicles that I mentioned.  I hate buying a car only to have the next model be that much better.  Though on the flip side, you might be able to get really good deals on the 2010 models.  If you can live without, go after the 2010 ones!!!

Fiat has taken over Chrysler and is making their presence known. One way they are doing this is by completely remodeling the Jeep Grand Cherokee for 2011.  The Jeep Grand Cherokee made its debut 18 years ago.  It has been a success for the last 18 years, but Fiat needed to make some changes and try to improve Chrysler’s vehicles.  There have been some major changes made to the Jeep Grand Cherokee.  Currently, the Cherokee’s major competitors are the Land Rover Range Rover, BMW X5, and the Mercedes-Benz M-Class.

The Cherokee was updated with the grille, which is a trademark, still in tact.  If you look at pictures though, I really think that the new Jeep Grand Cherokee looks really different.  There are a couple of different models available.  There is the Overland and the Laredo.  The Overland comes with a 5.7-liter, 360 horsepower V8 with a multi-speed automatic transmission.  To help the Overland conserve fuel, the engine alternates between a  4 cylinder mode when less power is needed and the V8 mode when full power is needed.  Supposedly the switch between the 2 is very subtle.  This is a good feature, because the gas mileage stinks.  You get 13 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway.  The Laredo has a 3.6 liter 290 horsepower V6 engine.

A special feature of the Overland is the Quadra-Lift air suspension system, which raises the ground clearance for off-roading.  This Quadra-Lift comes with five settings.  The normal ride setting has clearance of 8.1 inches.  Off-road 1 raises the suspension 1.3 inches, off-road 2 adds 2.6 inches.  There is a Park mode that drops the suspension 1.5 inches below the normal mode.  Then there is an Aero mode, which lowers the vehicle another .6 inch to reduce wind resistance on the highway and help improve fuel economy. How cool is that?

The base price of the Jeep Grand Cherokee is $41,120.  Not for the average Joe, but a fresh new look and improved exterior and interior to attract some new customers for Chrysler.  They desperately need it….

Volkswagen is coming on strong as of late with numerous new models that are getting a lot of publicity.  Volkswagen is trying to show that they are definitely competing at all levels of cars from the small, sporty GTI, to the sedan, Jetta, to the crossover, Tiguan, to the larger SUV, the Touareg.  All of these models have gotten updates and people are talking about them…which is every automakers’ dream with free marketing! 

The Volkswagen Tiguan is considered a sporty crossover, one of the sportiest in its class.  The Tiguan has been built on the ”chassis of the Jetta, GTI, and the Golf.”  This is a nice family vehicle with potential for a third row of seating to make room for seven.  It is a little bit more expensive than its competitors, but definitely could be worth it. The 2010 model has the price range of $23,200-$33,500.  The Toyota RAV4 ranges from $21,675-$27,985, the Honda CR-V from $21,545-$29,745, and the Mitsubishi Outlander from $20,840-$29,250.  Sure, more but the reviews may persuade you that a couple $1000s isn’t that big of a deal for this great crossover.  Volkswagen says that the extra cost over its competitors is justified because “it’s intended to be more rugged and durable and to offer a more exciting driving experience.” That’s some strong words. Ha! The Tiguan 23.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, which can be expanded to 56.1 cubic feet if you fold down the rear seat.  It has a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 200 horsepower.  That’s enough for now about the Tiguan.

Let’s move on to the new 2011 Jetta.  This new model Jetta will be introduced in North America this fall.  It is 3.54 inches longer and the wheelbase is 2.76 inches longer than its previous models.  The Jetta’s interior has 2.6 inches of additional rear legroom.  There will be four trimlines available (S, SE, SEL, diesel-powered TDI.)  Here’s a crazy fact.  The base price of the S model has dropped to $15,995 from $17,500.  When have you every heard of the price of a new car dropping???  I sure haven’t.  The base engine will be a 115-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder powertrain.  The TDI model will get about 34 miles per gallon with city/highway driving and 42 mpg on the highway.  A new Jetta hybrid will be available in 2012.  

The interior technology of both the Tiguan and the Jetta is awesome.  I think that VW is doing good things and will have success with these 2 new models.  VW makes quality cars and from the sounds of it, the Jetta and Tiguan will be the same.

The information that we have all been waiting for….well, maybe not all of us but some I’m sure.  The price of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is…..$41,000* (the asterisk is because there will be a $7500 federal tax credit that you will get for buying this car, but you need to finance $41,000 and then you get the tax credit on your next tax return.  The best deal is the leasing deal. You can lease the Volt for $350/mo. for 3 years with $2500 down. The price of the Volt leasing deal is alittle more than the Nissan Leaf, which is $2000 down $350/mo., 3 years. 

With this Chevy Volt you get standard navigation with a 7 in. screen, an 8 year/100,000 mile battery warranty, Bluetooth connectivity, Bose audio system, and 5 years of OnStar service included. OnStar normally costs $300 per year.  There are a few options for more; heated leather seats, chrome wheels, three premium paint colors, and a rear park assist.  You actually get quite a bit for the price. A lot more than many other cars. I know the price is higher, but the lease price isn’t bad at all.

There will be 7 U.S. markets selling the Volt in December, and the rest of us will have the Volt available to us in a year to a year and a half.  If you want to know the 600 dealers that will have the Volts available are, go to http://getmyvolt.com. 

This is exciting stuff, right?  I don’t know.  I’m really not totally sold on the Volt or Leaf for that matter. I’ve been reading a lot about them and I think I will be waiting for the price to lower and for customers to give reviews after driving these cars for a year or so.  By the way, sorry about the blog in bold, just got a new computer and pressed some button and could not get the bold off.  I pressed it about 10 times with nothing happening. I’ll figure it out for the next blog.

www.theweeklydriver.com

The new 2011 Ford Explorer that will be in showrooms starting next winter.  Ford is hoping to bring back the SUV, but in a car form instead of a truck one.  I really like the look of the new Explorer. In 2000 (the peak year for Explorers,) Ford sold 445,137. Last year, Ford sold 52,190.  Partly this is due to the new crossovers that are out there, even the Ford Edge and Flex are competitors.  So, Ford decided to revamp the Ford Explorer and hope that those with current Explorers and new buyers as well will be drawn in by the look, fuel efficiency SUV, what’s under the hood, and the technology updates.  Ford just unveiled the details of the new Explorer last week and it really seems to be a hit on the car websites already. 

The price of the Explorer will start at $28,000 and go up to $48,000 for one with every option.  The gas mileage will be about 18 mpg in the city and 25-26 mpg on the highway.  The Ford Explorer will be equipped with a new EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine that will be more powerful than a V6 and will have about 237 horsepower.  The EcoBoost will only be offered in front-wheel drive.  Another option will be a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 290 horsepower. 

I like the fact that Ford is trying something new with this SUV and I think it will be a hit.  It’s a nice looking car, and people like the Explorers and I think more will come next spring when these 2011 Ford Explorers are in full swing.     

California has just extended access to the state’s carpool lanes for zero and ultra low emission vehicles until 2015.  If you are unfamiliar with the HOV lanes in CA, they are lanes that are available for cars with more than one person in them. This is supposed to encourage people to carpool and have less vehicles and gas emissions on the road.   Part of the change in law for the HOV lanes is that hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight that were allowed in the HOV lanes will no longer be allowed.  Let me clarify this rule.  These vehicles were/are allowed in the HOV lanes without 2 people. Due to the low emissions, they can be in the HOV lanes without the extra person/people.

Honda has 2 cars that qualify for the HOV lanes, now that the Insight is back with the “regulars.”  The Honda FCX Clarity and the Honda Civic GX.  Currently there are only about less than 10 of the fuel-cell powered Claritys on the roads, and the Civic GX, which is a natural gas-fueled vehicle is not on the roads much either.  These new rules for the HOV lanes in CA could possibly make some people shy away from the hybrids and move towards these alternative fuel vehicles. I guess it really depends on how much traffic a person sits in daily on the highways. If you sit for a long time, maybe one of the zero or ultra low emission vehicles are right for you.

www.ford-fiesta-2011.info

Some more exciting news for Ford and domestic vehicles.  The 2011 Ford Fiesta, according to Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press, is the “most fuel-efficient and sophisticated subcompact car on the market.”  The Fiesta competes with subcompacts such as the Chevrolet Aveo, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, and the Toyota Yaris.  The Fiesta’s base price of $13,320 is in the middle of the group. When the Fiesta is fully equipped, it comes in on the high end, though supposedly it offers features to justify the price difference.

The base price includes a 120-horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with a five-speed transmission.  The 1.6-liter engine is standard in all models.  You can get a six-speed dual clutch for $1070 on any of the models.  The fuel economy is really reason enough to get this car.  There is a $695 SFE option package that gives you a dual-clutch gearbox, low rolling resistance tires, and some aerodynamics that gives the Fiesta fuel economy of 29 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway.  Without the SFE option, the fuel economy is 29 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway with the dual-clutch gearbox, and 28/37 with the manual transmission.

A weakness of the Ford Fiesta is that it has low-rpm torque so you have to rev the engine a lot  and the interior storage is not so great, but according to Phelan, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses.  Phelan says that the way to go is the dual-clutch transmission.  The cargo space is average for the sedan or hatchback and the headroom is good.  

According to Mark Phelan, you definitely need to check out the 2011 Ford Fiesta. I might just do that.

The 2011 Volvo C70 is a hot car.  It may not be the top sports car out there for sale, but it is worth a look for sure.  It has a hardtop that is retractable and lowers into the trunk at the push of a button.  I personally think that IF I had a convertible I would want a hardtop.  They seem safer and I like the hardtop look better.  So, Steven Cole Smith of the Orlando Sentinel says that there is a few minors complaints with the Volvo C70, even though he recommends it.  “Instruments and controls” are alittle dated, and the seats are perfect for short people but just adequate for average people.  You lose half the trunk space when you have the top down as well.  Navigation system kindof sticks out and looks like an afterthought according to Smith.  But with these negatives, Smith says “this is a good car.”

The 2010 Volvo C70 has a base price of $39,950 with options that can make the price at least $46,550.  The 2011 C70 will have some style updates, but no mechanical changes.  The fuel economy is 19 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.  The Volvo C70 has a turbocharged 2.5-liter 227 horsepower five-cylinder engine with front-wheel drive and a five-speed automatic transmission.

Even though there are some imperfections, I would call it, I think that the Volvo C70 is a forgotten convertible that needs to get remembered. I like Volvos, and this is definitely one model to consider.

www.autobloggreen.com

A new car, the T.25 city car, was revealed today by its designer, Gordon Murray Design.  Gordon Murray Design is a British company who according to their website aim to become the world leader in automotive design.  It is about half the size of a normal size vehicle.  Supposedly the size will greatly help England with their problem of overcrowded cities.  Three of the T.25 City Cars can fit into a parking space on the streets.  Two of these cars can fit on England’s highways to speed up the traffic. Sounds great on paper, right?

Well if you noticed from the picture, there are no doors.  The front section of the car “hinges forward” in order for people to get in. You had better be small too, but there is no way that a larger person could get into this car let alone sit in it.  The T.25 City Car can supposedly fit 3 people.  Oh and the crazy piece is that the layout for the seating is 1 person in the front and 2 in the back. Bizarre, right?  The car weighs about 1200 lbs and has a 51 horsepower engine. There isn’t alot of cargo space, though I would assume you aren’t expecting much with this car.  The gas mileage is impressive though. They expect it to get 74 mpg.

The T.27 is currently in the works too, which is a completely electric version of the T.25 car.  The proposed fuel range for the T.27 will be 80-100 miles.  I continue to try to get sold on these small, fuel efficient cars, but I have the hardest time doing that.  I just can’t.  I don’t like their looks or their sizes.  I know I’m not alone, but I also know that there are lots of people that love these vehicles. More power to you.  Oh, the best part. The T.25 City Car will be cheap like $9000. That makes more people like it already I’m sure.