J.D. Power Says 2011 U.S. New Car Sales to Reach 12.7 Million, 2012 to be Even Better

The economy may not be at its best, but new car sales in the States keep on rising. J.D. Power and Associates and LMC Automotive said on Thursday that U.S. auto sales in December are expected to top 13 million on an annual rate for the fourth consecutive month.

"For the third straight time, light-vehicle sales are posting strong selling rates at the close of the year", said LMC Senior Vice President Jeff Schuster.

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J.D. Power Says 2011 U.S. New Car Sales to Reach 12.7 Million, 2012 to be Even Better

The economy may not be at its best, but new car sales in the States keep on rising. J.D. Power and Associates and LMC Automotive said on Thursday that U.S. auto sales in December are expected to top 13 million on an annual rate for the fourth consecutive month.

"For the third straight time, light-vehicle sales are posting strong selling rates at the close of the year", said LMC Senior Vice President Jeff Schuster.

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CR Poll Finds that 40% of U.S. Car Owners Delay Maintenance Due to Financial Reasons

The state of the economy is affecting every aspect of our everyday lives – including cars. And it’s not just the gas prices that affect motorists: a new poll from Consumer Reports shows that almost one in two car owners delay their car’s servicing or repairs.

Lower-income households are more likely to delay necessary work, and younger drivers (18-34 years of age) tend to postpone work on wear items like tires or brake pads – with 21 percent of them admitting that they don’t even pay attention to these items.

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CR Poll Finds that 40% of U.S. Car Owners Delay Maintenance Due to Financial Reasons

The state of the economy is affecting every aspect of our everyday lives – including cars. And it’s not just the gas prices that affect motorists: a new poll from Consumer Reports shows that almost one in two car owners delay their car’s servicing or repairs.

Lower-income households are more likely to delay necessary work, and younger drivers (18-34 years of age) tend to postpone work on wear items like tires or brake pads – with 21 percent of them admitting that they don’t even pay attention to these items.

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Surprise: Canada's Most Stolen Vehicle is the 2009 Toyota Venza, Pontiac Aztec Makes Top 10

Who would have ever guessed that car thieves in Canada have a thing for the Toyota Venza? Yet, the 2009 model year version of Toyota's crossover topped the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s [IBC] top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles this year. 
The 2009 Venza takes the crown from the 2000 Honda Civic SiR Coupe that was last year’s number one stolen vehicle but dropped to third place in 2011, just below the 1999 Honda Civic SiR Coupe.
The Japanese carmaker's models prove to be very popular among Canadian thieves as the 1998 and 1999 Acura Integra Coupe also made the list taking the 9th and 10th spot respectively.
In between, you will find the 2006 and 2007 Ford F350 trucks, the 2002 Cadillac Escalade, the 2006 Chevy Traillblazer and –wait for it- the 2001 Pontiac Aztec…
IBC said that many of the stolen vehicles are showing up in the local market and are not necessarily being exported out of Canada.
“Consumers need to be aware when they’re in the market for used vehicles or parts,” said Rick Dubin, Vice-President, Investigative Services, IBC.
"We’re doing a good job of stopping stolen vehicles at the ports. Our data indicate that we are not seeing many of these vehicles there. We have to conclude that stolen vehicles are being re-sold locally. But because the stolen vehicles are in these local markets, buyers need to be careful,” Dubin added.


The top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles in Canada are:

1. 2009 Toyota Venza 4-door
2. 1999 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
3. 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
4. 2006 Ford F350 Pickup Truck 4WD
5. 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT 4-door AWD
6. 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS 4-door 4WD
7. 2007 Ford F350 Pickup Truck 4WD
8. 2001 Pontiac Aztek 4-door AWD
9. 1998 Acura Integra 2-door
10. 1999 Acura Integra 2-door

PHOTO GALLERY

Surprise: Canada's Most Stolen Vehicle is the 2009 Toyota Venza, Pontiac Aztec Makes Top 10

Who would have ever guessed that car thieves in Canada have a thing for the Toyota Venza? Yet, the 2009 model year version of Toyota's crossover topped the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s [IBC] top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles this year. 
The 2009 Venza takes the crown from the 2000 Honda Civic SiR Coupe that was last year’s number one stolen vehicle but dropped to third place in 2011, just below the 1999 Honda Civic SiR Coupe.
The Japanese carmaker's models prove to be very popular among Canadian thieves as the 1998 and 1999 Acura Integra Coupe also made the list taking the 9th and 10th spot respectively.
In between, you will find the 2006 and 2007 Ford F350 trucks, the 2002 Cadillac Escalade, the 2006 Chevy Traillblazer and –wait for it- the 2001 Pontiac Aztec…
IBC said that many of the stolen vehicles are showing up in the local market and are not necessarily being exported out of Canada.
“Consumers need to be aware when they’re in the market for used vehicles or parts,” said Rick Dubin, Vice-President, Investigative Services, IBC.
"We’re doing a good job of stopping stolen vehicles at the ports. Our data indicate that we are not seeing many of these vehicles there. We have to conclude that stolen vehicles are being re-sold locally. But because the stolen vehicles are in these local markets, buyers need to be careful,” Dubin added.


The top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles in Canada are:

1. 2009 Toyota Venza 4-door
2. 1999 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
3. 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
4. 2006 Ford F350 Pickup Truck 4WD
5. 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT 4-door AWD
6. 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS 4-door 4WD
7. 2007 Ford F350 Pickup Truck 4WD
8. 2001 Pontiac Aztek 4-door AWD
9. 1998 Acura Integra 2-door
10. 1999 Acura Integra 2-door

PHOTO GALLERY

Surprise, Surprise: Canada's Most Stolen Vehicle is the 2009 Toyota Venza, Pontiac Aztec Makes Top 10

Who would have ever guessed that car thieves in Canada have a thing for the Toyota Venza? Yet, the 2009 model year version of Toyota's crossover topped the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s [IBC] top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles this year.

The 2009 Venza takes the crown from the 2000 Honda Civic SiR Coupe that was last year’s number one stolen vehicle but dropped to third place in 2011, just below the 1999 Honda Civic SiR Coupe.

The Japanese carmaker's models prove to be very popular among Canadian thieves as the 1998 and 1999 Acura Integra Coupe also made the list taking the 9th and 10th spot respectively.

.

Surprise, Surprise: Canada's Most Stolen Vehicle is the 2009 Toyota Venza, Pontiac Aztec Makes Top 10

Who would have ever guessed that car thieves in Canada have a thing for the Toyota Venza? Yet, the 2009 model year version of Toyota's crossover topped the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s [IBC] top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles this year.

The 2009 Venza takes the crown from the 2000 Honda Civic SiR Coupe that was last year’s number one stolen vehicle but dropped to third place in 2011, just below the 1999 Honda Civic SiR Coupe.

The Japanese carmaker's models prove to be very popular among Canadian thieves as the 1998 and 1999 Acura Integra Coupe also made the list taking the 9th and 10th spot respectively.

.

Shocker: Crash Tests Reveal that Most Cars Sold in Latin America are Deathtraps on Wheels

Shocker: Crash Tests Reveal that Most Cars Sold in Latin America are Deathtraps on Wheels

The FIA Foundation announced the results of the first ever crash tests carried out by the Latin New Car Assessment Program (Latin NCAP), and the news isn’t good for consumers and automakers alike. Actually, the crash test results reveal a terrifying reality: most of the best selling cars in Latin America’s emerging markets offer minimal or no protection at all to their adult occupants let alone children...
Max Mosley, president of Global NCAP, said: “The latest results of the Latin NCAP reveal that South America’s most popular cars are still about 20 years behind the levels of safety enjoyed in Europe and North America. This cannot be acceptable.”
"We want to see the UN’s global crash test standards applied to all new cars across the world. And we want consumers to be aware of the life and death choices they make when buying a new car," Mosley added.
The 64 km/h (40 mph) frontal impact crash tests revealed that most of the cars that were tested suffered from poor structural rigidity which, along with the absence of airbags in most of them, “awarded” them an unheard-of, in the 21st century, one-star rating!
This kind of performance is indeed scary, especially when compared to models sold to the European and North American markets, where the top five-star rating for every new model, save for ultra compacts which usually score four stars, is the norm.
Whereas in North America and Europe safety agencies constantly upgrade their requirements, in most Latin American countries safety regulations are virtually non-existent.
A measure of the work that needs to be done is the fact that Argentina and Brazil will make airbags mandatory by 2014 – and that, sadly, is hailed as a sign of progress.

Published By: Carscoop

PHOTO GALLERY

Shocker: Crash Tests Reveal that Most Cars Sold in Latin America are Deathtraps on Wheels

Shocker: Crash Tests Reveal that Most Cars Sold in Latin America are Deathtraps on Wheels

The FIA Foundation announced the results of the first ever crash tests carried out by the Latin New Car Assessment Program (Latin NCAP), and the news isn’t good for consumers and automakers alike. Actually, the crash test results reveal a terrifying reality: most of the best selling cars in Latin America’s emerging markets offer minimal or no protection at all to their adult occupants let alone children...
Max Mosley, president of Global NCAP, said: “The latest results of the Latin NCAP reveal that South America’s most popular cars are still about 20 years behind the levels of safety enjoyed in Europe and North America. This cannot be acceptable.”
"We want to see the UN’s global crash test standards applied to all new cars across the world. And we want consumers to be aware of the life and death choices they make when buying a new car," Mosley added.
The 64 km/h (40 mph) frontal impact crash tests revealed that most of the cars that were tested suffered from poor structural rigidity which, along with the absence of airbags in most of them, “awarded” them an unheard-of, in the 21st century, one-star rating!
This kind of performance is indeed scary, especially when compared to models sold to the European and North American markets, where the top five-star rating for every new model, save for ultra compacts which usually score four stars, is the norm.
Whereas in North America and Europe safety agencies constantly upgrade their requirements, in most Latin American countries safety regulations are virtually non-existent.
A measure of the work that needs to be done is the fact that Argentina and Brazil will make airbags mandatory by 2014 – and that, sadly, is hailed as a sign of progress.

Published By: Carscoop

PHOTO GALLERY