Cadillac Escalade Hybrid                                                             

Ford Escape Hybrid                                                                    

Volkswagen  Jetta TDI                                                              

Scion xB

Mini Cooper Clubman

Ford Flex - the third row seats tip back so you can sit facing rearward, and tailgate away!  You can also opt to buy a refrigerator that can hold 7 12-ounce cans or 4 half-liter bottles.

Chyrsler Town & Country - you can get the model that has the second row seats that swivel and a table that can be set up in the middle of the second and third row…..”mobile picnic area.”

Dodge Journey - this crossover vehicle has power outlets for portable electronic devices or appliances, and this is more environmental than having to bring a generator as well.  This vehicle also has, under the rear seats, a removable, water-tight storage bin that can be used as a drink cooler.

Honda Element - a removable rear floor panel can be used as a picnic table, and the front and back seats fold flat to make a bed….just in case someone gets very tired at the tailgate party!

Dodge Ram - this vehicle has compartments built into the sides of the cargo bed that can be used as coolers.

Honda Ridgeline - this truck has a large compartment under the cargo bed.

So, here are the best tailgating vehicles, according to forbesautos, now you just need to decide which one suits your tailgating needs, and buy it for the rest of this season or next year for sure!

So, hopefully people will be interested in the Fusion and Milan and check them out. There is a problem though. Due to ”production constraints,” there will only be 25,000 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids built yearly.  This could end up being very frustrated to customers that have an interest in buying these cars. Hopefully if they become popular, Ford will be able to find a way to build more of these hybrids. Either way, having two true hybrids built by an American company is very exciting news….   

The new Volvo XC60 is considered by Volvo to be “the safest Volvo ever built.”  An article entitled “Volvo banks sales on safety” by Richard Williamson of the Scripps Howard News Service talks about how Volvo’s future may be riding on the Volvo XC60.  The prices have yet to be set for this new vehicle, but it looks like it will be retailing around $38,000. 

The Volvo XC60 will be considered a small premium utility. There are 10 models in this class to currently choose from such as the Land Rover LR2, Infiniti EX35, Cadillac SRX, Cadillac BRX, BMW X3, and the Acura RDX.

The Volvo XC60 says that it has a safety advantage due to its new City Safety system designed to help the driver avoid or minimize the most common types of fender benders.  If the car is about to hit a vehicle in front and the driver does not apply the brakes, the car automatically applies the brakes. 

This car has a good deal of room in it. It seats five with its luggage capacity at 16.9 cubic feet.  The rear seat of the XC60 is a three-piece 40/20/40 split/fold unit. Each part folds down to have a flat luggage platform.  Also, there is a new “laminated glass panorama roof that adds light and openness” to this vehicle.  The Volvo XC60 has a lot of standard features and a 3-liter, turbocharged, 281-horsepower 6-cylinder engine.  It also has 17-inch alloy wheels. 

The Volvo XC60 seems like it will be a safe, strong vehicle.  According to Williamson, if the “economy should rebound, look for a good reception for the XC60.”  We shall see.        

1.  Number of recalls to date - according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database

2.  Reliability - ratings from Consumer Reports

3.  Safety - from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test ratings

4.  Depreciation - in the form of Automotive Leasing Guide’s (ALG) star ratings

5.  Fuel Economy and Annual Fuel Costs - from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

So here they are:

Best Performers

1.  Toyota Prius

2.  Honda CR-V

3.  Honda Civic

4.  Toyota Rav-4

5.  Toyota Camry Hybrid

Worst Performers

1.  Dodge Avenger

2.  Chrysler Sebring

3.  Jeep Grand Cherokee

4.  Nissan Xterra

5.  Hyundai Santa Fe

So, here’s the top 5 best and worst performing cars for 2008. The best are really no surprise, but the worst are not absolutely terrible either, when you look into the actual specs of the cars.

Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Land Rover, and Suzuki Motor Corp. are withdrawing from the country’s premier auto show, the North American International Auto Show, which is held in January in Detroit.  The bottom line is that in this economy, it is too expensive and not worth transporting vehicles 1000’s of miles, renting floor space, and employing staff at these auto shows.

Most of the time automakers like to debut their latest models, and get some media buzz to interest potential buyers, but now cost is playing such a major role, that these automakers have to determine, what if any, are worth their dollar. 

Ford, the second largest automaker in the U.S., will be at the LA show and introducing six vehicles, including two new hybrids. They are also having a big party for the debut of the 2010 Mustang redesign.

It’s amazing to me how this economy and its problems, affect EVERYONE. These auto shows have been around for up to 101 years (the Detroit show), and now it will have less automakers, less customers, and make less money.  Hopefully, everything can turn around for the auto industry and next year these big auto shows will have a better year.

Ford Motor Co. is introducing a new technology that will help parents feel a little more at ease when giving their teenage children their cars.  The new technology is called MyKey, and it will be standard on the 2010 Ford Focus as well as other models of Ford, Lincoln, and Mercuryas they become updated.  With MyKey, you will be able to limit the speed limit on the vehicle to 80 mph, limit the audio volume on the vehicle, as well as have continuous sound alerts if the driver and passenger does not put on their seat belts.  MyKey works with a computer chip that is in a specially designed key.  You give your teenager the MyKey key and then you can have a regular key that will have no restrictions.  You also have the option of having a chime sound every time the car exceeds 45, 55, or 65 mph.  I think this is a great option and I hope it’s standard on even more cars when my children turn 16!    

Have you ever seen this car?  It’s the new Toyota Venza that will be rolled out in the United States in December and January.  It is a five-passenger wagon that is being built in the United States in Kentucky.  The Venza is trying to use this model to continue to push into the small vehicle market.  Toyota will be pricing these vehicles as follows - $25,975 for the V-4 front-wheel drive, and $29,250 for the V-6 all-wheel drive model. The V4 Venza will get 21 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the highway, and the V6 will get alittle less than that. 

The V6 Venza will be available in December, and the V4s in January.  This vehicle will be exclusively sold in the United States.  Toyota is hoping that the Venza will be as successful as the Yaris has been for them.

The seriousness of the Big 3 having all of these financial problems then hurts everyone. The suppliers, small businesses, and communities, especially those that have plants, are hurt by the problems. Thousands and thousands of people have been laid off by these three companies.  It’s a downward spiral, but hopefully through the government and if the economy can improve soon, these three companies can have a upward spiral instead.

The next car show is December 3-7. It is in Boston, MA. It’s called the New England International Auto Show.  It will be held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.  This show has 9 football fields worth of new model year domestic and international vehicles.  There are lots of aftermarket accessories as well.  Sounds like a good time! 

So, if you are in the area of these shows (or even if you are not), you may want to take a break from the holiday shopping, and check out these shows!