I read this fantastic Yahoo article today listing the worlds top gas guzzling cars.  We all know that small frugal hatchbacks are more fuel efficient than large SUVs, and that diesels and hybrids are more fuel efficient than their conventional gas-engined counterparts.

But, we wondered, which cars on roads are the absolute worst for the owners’ pockets, not to mention the environment?

This data does not include personal imports, kit cars or exotic cars like the Bugatti Veyron or Bristol Fighter, which are sold in statistically insignificant numbers (more on the Bugatti at the end).

The figures listed are the emissions (in grams per kilometre) and the combined fuel efficiency (in miles per gallon). Or, perhaps, more accurately, fuel inefficiency…

10) Aston Martin DBS (388g/km; 17.2mpg)

Aston Martin’s DBS got into the record books thanks to the death-defying stunt in the 2006  Bond movie ‘Casino Royale’ in which it rolled seven times (though, in reality, it was DB9 dressed up to look like a DBS). Here it’s in the record books for the wrong reasons.

9) Mercedes Benz ML 63 AMG 295 (392g/km; 17.1mpg)

It may surprise many that this is the only SUV to make the top 10. When it comes to real fuel guzzling, it’s supercars and luxury limousines that show the greatest thirst. But this sports SUV combines supercar performance (0-60mph in 4.8 seconds) with the interior space and stance of a ‘Chelsea Tractor’.
Bentley Continental - all models (396g/km; 17.0mpg)

The most successful Bentley of all time has seen sales of the brand increase by several thousand percent. The handsome coupe combines Volkswagen’s engineering know-how with British craftsmanship. It’s great, but it isn’t half thirsty.

7) Lamborghini Gallardo (400g/km; 16.6mpg)

It’s the first Lamborghini in our list, but you’ll probably guess that Lambo’s baby model won’t be the last. Having said that, it’s a lot less thirsty than the last ‘baby’ Lamborghini, the Jalpa.

6) Aston Martin DB9 (421g/km; 15.8mpg)

The Gaydon-based carmaker is back on our list at number six. However, there is a way for Aston Martin owners to improve their fuel economy: from next year, according to recent reports, when you buy a new Aston you will get the option to buy an Aston Martin-branded supermini, the Cygnet (based on the frugal Toyota iQ) for those urban journeys.

5) Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (415g/km; 15.8mpg)

Our first prancing horse and - you’ve guessed it - not the last. But, come on, you don’t expect Ferraris to be competing with Toyota Priuses, do you?

4) Bentley Azure/Arnage/Brooklands (465g/km; 14.5mpg)

If you want proper, old-fashioned, coach built-emissions, those emissions don’t come any more old-fashioned and coach-built than the traditional Bentleys. Based on designs pre-dating the Volkswagen era, they represent a truly British way of using fuel in the least frugal manner possible.

3) Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (470g/km; 13.8mpg)

There’s one thing to know about Ferraris: they are brilliant cars but they’re really not practical for a trip to the grocery store and Ikea. You can’t fit a weekly shop in them and their fuel economy in town is less than pleasing.

2) Dodge SRT-10 (488g/km; 13.4mpg)

Otherwise known as the Viper, the SRT-10 is genuine American muscle. The golden era of American muscle cars was immediately prior to the oil crisis of 1973. But nobody told Dodge that the golden era was over.

1) Lamborghini Murcielago (495g/km; 13.3mpg)

As befits Lamborghini, the tractor manufacturer that tried to beat Ferrari at its own game, the Murcielago is a hefty, thirsty beast of a car. They say the devil has all the best tunes. It would seem he has all the best cars as well.

If you were to put a Bugatti Veyron in the list it would knock the Murcielago clean off the top, with emissions of 596g/km (999g/km in urban traffic) and a combined fuel efficiency of just 11.7 mpg.

At full throttle (a mere 254mph) its efficiency is just 2.46 mpg - keep driving at full whack and you’ll be out of fuel in just 12 minutes. Gulp, Gulp, Gulp…..Now that is thirsty!

Not every car can be beautiful. While there are always good-looking cars, no one has forgotten the strange lines of the Subaru Baja or the Pontiac Aztek’s angular proportions. Though these cars were disliked for their ugly-duckling exteriors, at least they were remembered for their unique looks and innovative features. The Baja and Aztek have long been discontinued, but there’s a new crop of ugly — and sometimes just plain boring — ducklings on the market. Yahoo  has come up with the following list of 6 cars that need makeovers now!

These cars have the lowest exterior scores in the U.S. News Car Rankings. The rankings do not rely on U.S. News editors’ preferences or test drives. Rather, our editors have analyzed credible third-party reviews from major newspapers, magazines and websites. Each car gets a score based on those reviews, and that score represents our assessment of auto writers’ collective opinions.

The result is a list of cars many auto experts say have the least appealing looks in their classes. However, just because critics aren’t wild about these cars’ looks doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy in other ways. In fact, the positive qualities underneath their less-than-desirable skins may surprise you.

BMW 1-Series

Exterior Score: 5.2 (out of a possible 10)

BMW’s new 1-Series sedan is perhaps the most surprising car on the list. Because it’s a young model, you’d think the styling should be fresh and cutting-edge. However, while the 1-Series boasts excellent handling and strong build quality, its exterior design is largely unpopular with reviewers. Why? Reviewers see it as an unevenly shrunken version of the popular and larger 3-Series, and describe it as out-of-proportion and misshapen. The Los Angeles Times says it “looks like it has suffered a high-speed hernia,” while Car and Driver says it “looks a bit like a 3-series coupe in a fun house mirror.” But the 1-Series is proof that beauty isn’t skin deep. It was a nominated for 2009 North American Car of the Year and is a Consumer Guide Recommended Pick.

Chrysler Town & Country

Exterior Score: 5.7

Minivans certainly aren’t known for their slick styling. However, in recent years automakers have tried to make them look more appealing and less like actual minivans. That’s probably why the Chrysler Town & Country receives lukewarm exterior reviews. While competitors such as the Toyota Sienna boast trendier styling and sharp edges, Chrysler’s minivan hasn’t quite caught up. “Although Chrysler has improved the Town & Country’s exterior styling, it still looks like a minivan-which is to say, big and dumpy,” says BusinessWeek. But styling doesn’t mean much to a minivan owner - it’s what on the inside that counts, and the Town & Country delivers. Reviewers find that its handy seating and cargo options as well as its comfortable road manners make it a respectable choice for any family. In this case, prioritizing utility over style might be a smart move.

Dodge Durango

Exterior Score: 5.8

The Dodge Durango is another example of a car that simply hasn’t kept up with design trends. Based on an almost five-year-old design, the large SUV has been discontinued for the 2009 model year. While others in its class, such as the Mazda CX-9, have migrated toward upscale, angular styling, the Durango still takes its styling cures from the Dodge Ram truck. This gives it a more aggressive and macho look than other SUVs in the class, but many reviewers say it simply looks dated. While Automobile Magazine says the Durango’s big-rug look “radiates character and attitude,” they also add that the look is “a bit antisocial for some.” Still, the Durango is a decent hauler, with both V8 engine options generating mostly favorable test drives. Also, since dealers will want to move this discontinued model off lots, you may be able to negotiate a great deal on a Durango - and a great deal is always in style.

Mercury Grand Marquis

Exterior Score: 5.9

With its comfortable, pillow-soft ride and voluminous interior and cargo space, the Mercury Grand Marquis harkens to classic American sedans. Its attractive pricing further recalls its classic American heritage - but its classic styling isn’t quite exciting enough for many auto experts. Little changed over the past decade, its exterior is “a familiar profile to anyone who has traveled by taxi (or, uh, police car) in recent years,” says Automobile Magazine. Consumer Guide adds that the Grand Marquis is “a nice enough big sedan, but suffers from a Reagan-era basic design.” On the plus side, now that the similar-looking Ford Crown Victoria is only sold as a fleet vehicle, the Grand Marquis is your only option if you want to look like a police officer.

Kia Amanti

Exterior Score: 5.9

Reviewers appreciate the 2009 Kia Amanti’s cabin for its nice finish, long list of features, and comfortable seats. Due to its luxurious interior and alluring pricing, it also represents a good value. However, there’s nothing eye-catching about its exterior design. Although reviewers don’t hate it, they aren’t very impressed by it either. Edmunds calls the Amanti’s styling “a significant sticking point for some shoppers. It’s not a bad-looking car, but in borrowing noticeable cues from other brands like Mercedes-Benz the Amanti’s designers ended up with a rather awkward overall look.” On the plus side, those similarities mean the Amanti carries design elements from much more expensive cars, further improving its value equation.

Subaru Impreza WRX

Exterior Score: 5.9

Unlike minivans, performance car styling counts for a lot. These speedy rides are expected to look as fast as they can go. Since its 2008 redesign, some reviewers say the Subaru Impreza WRX’s looks don’t deliver. It still boasts superb performance and handling dynamics, but many reviewers are disappointed with Subaru’s decision to tame the WRX’s look. The decision was made so that the rally racer would appeal to a broader audience, but it’s resulted in the alienation of WRX enthusiasts. AutoWeek writes, “Styling is stale and looks as if the folks at Subaru have the Kia Spectra designer working weekends for them. Not that it’s ugly; it’s just boring.” Still, just because the WRX doesn’t look as exciting doesn’t mean it’s not just as impressive on the inside. The New York Times concludes, “Styling arguments aside, the WRX remains fun to drive and decently priced.”

Toronto New Cars

Tata Motors Ltd., the maker of Jaguar and Land Rover luxury vehicles, will start accepting bookings for the Nano, the world’s cheapest car, in the second week of April.

The automaker will display the Nano at dealerships from the first week of April, Tata Motors said in a statement today. The Mumbai-based company will elaborate on the booking process on March 23, it said.

The Nano was originally planned to be launched in the last quarter of 2008, but was delayed after the company was forced to shift the manufacturing base from Singur in West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat following violent protests by farmers unhappy with a compensation offer for their land. The Sanand plant will have a capacity of producing 2,50,000 cars per annum and expandable to up to 5,00,000 cars per annum.

The Nano has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft.

The Nano was unveiled on January 10, 2008 at the Auto Expo in New Delhi and it was also displayed at the Geneva Motor Show last year.

It triggered competition, including Nissan-Renault, to announce plans for building low-cost family cars. The homegrown Bajaj Auto has tied up with Nissan-Renault to produce small car codenamed ULC (ultra low-cost) at a price tag of $2500.

Tata Motors unveiled the Nano last year aiming to sell the car at 100,000 rupees ($1,988), almost half the price of the next-cheapest model in the country. Chairman Ratan Tata’s plan to begin sales of Nano from the last quarter of 2008 got delayed as the company had to relocate its factory because of protests by farmers about acquisition of agricultural land.

The company, also India’s largest maker of trucks and buses, will sell the Nano in Europe for 5,000 euros ($6,347), Bild said, citing an interview with Tata. The carmaker will present the European version of the Nano next month at the Geneva car show, the newspaper said.

Tata Motors gained 2.6 percent to 143.75 rupees at 1:15 p.m. on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The shares have declined 10 percent this year, extending last year’s 78 percent slump.

Just days after a prolonged cold snap across the Great Lakes and Northeast finally let up this week, heavy rain and snow are expected to take their turns along the West Coast.

And even if temperatures in California don’t sink to the sub-20s level endured by New Yorkers lately, commuters on both coasts will, at some point or another, find their driving habits, abilities and comfort affected by the cold.

While it’s easy to assume sport utility vehicles or wagons are the best choices for comfortable winter driving–and a couple did make our list, like the Subaru Outback and Lexus LX–there are plenty of other types that more than qualify. The Volvo S80 sedan, for example, offers plenty of cold-weather amenities, like traction control, all-wheel drive, heated seats and remote start.

There are so many solid cold-weather cars with these and other amenities that it’s simply a matter of choosing which car suits your lifestyle or budget, not a matter of one vehicle being much better suited for cold-weather driving

Behind the Numbers

To compile our list of the best 2009 vehicles for winter, we narrowed the field by starting with the brands that earned the highest rankings in J.D. Powers’ most recent Initial Quality Study, an annual survey that measures mechanical and design quality as rated by consumers.

Then, selecting 2009 offerings from each high-quality brand, we chose models that offered the following criteria: remote start, stability control, traction control, all-wheel drive, a heated steering wheel, headlight washers, heated seats, heated mirrors, heated windshield wiper nozzles, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a rear-seat pass-through for easy ski storage, a rear-window defroster and fog lights. We chose models that offered the most of these cold-weather attributes as standard, rather than optional. All else being equal, we selected for higher fuel efficiency and lower price.

Three brands stand out with more than one vehicle making the list–BMW, Subaru and Volvo–each having a slight edge in a specific area. BMW offers a different approach to ride and handling through unique design differences (such as not attaching the anti-roll bars to the struts, therefore providing engineers more freedom in how they tune the vehicle to the road). Volvo, as expected, shows its prowess in additional standard safety elements, such as traction control and auto-off rear fog lights. And Subaru routinely outperforms other cars for its handling under inclement weather conditions, auto experts say.

“I drove a couple of Subarus on a racetrack out in California, and it was more than drizzling, and no other car could really stay on the track, and the Subaru four-wheel-drives were just ??? it surprised me,” says John Nielson, American Automobile Association’s director of auto buying. “I knew they were good, I just didn’t know they were that good.”

Subaru’s $28,195 Forester is one of the cheapest vehicles on our list, but one of the best, Nielson says. It comes standard with many cold-weather offerings not found on other vehicles in its price range, and offers low-price additional options such as a $350 remote start, a $165 customized ski rack, a $40 severe-weather companion kit and a $150 puddle light kit that illuminates underneath the vehicle.

Function with Flash

For those looking for something a bit flashier, BMW’s $47,500 X5 offers more than 16 cold-weather-related amenities, including adaptive transmission control, which changes transmission responsiveness depending on the driving conditions; hill-descent control; fog lights that turn as the car rounds corners; rain-sensing windshield wipers; and a rear-window wiper/washer/defroster, all of which are standard on the xDrive 30i edition.
Flashier still–and the most expensive vehicle on our list–is the $59,400 Porsche Cayenne S SUV, which offers most of the same standard amenities and an optional load-through area with ski bags at no additional charge.

2009 Subaru Outback

Where many of these vehicles start to show their differences is in the small details, like all-wheel-drive versus four-wheel drive. All-wheel drive, like the kind found in BMW’s X6 crossover, works like four-wheel drive, but it is engaged all the time and can be used on dry pavement without taxing the drivetrain. It uses a center differential, which allows each tire to rotate at its own speed–a feature that happens to be perfect for getting out of snow banks.

This doesn’t mean, however, that one is necessarily safer or better than the other. A combination of all-wheel drive, traction control for navigating slick corners, and anti-lock brakes for managing ice is ideal, experts say–but that power doesn’t mean a relatively large SUV like the Lexus LX can overcome the basic laws of physics.

“People get a false sense of security because they’ve got all-wheel drive and figure that they’re going to be fine in any winter scenario,” says Rae Tyson, a spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The fact is that your braking isn’t going to be any better in an all-wheel drive than it is in a two-wheel drive, and people will get themselves into trouble because of that assumption.”

The Warm Lap of Luxury

Safety and control measures aside, several small attributes can make a big difference when it comes to comfort, especially in winter. Push-button starters and large display dials, for example, are extremely helpful when it’s too cold to take one’s gloves off– fumbling with keys and small buttons gets annoying. Of course, heated seats–David Champion, senior director of the auto test division at Consumer Reports, says he wouldn’t buy a car without them–paired with a heated steering wheel will quickly coax drivers to forgo the gloves altogether.

Some packages are even more thorough. The $32,900 2009 Volvo V70, for example, has options like heated windshield wiper nozzles and high-pressure headlamp cleaning in the $750 climate package. Porsche’s Cayenne even offers a residual warming function, which keeps the vehicle heated up to 20 minutes after it has been shut off.

Remote start is another helpful winter amenity, since starting the car before you get in will warm the vehicle and help clear windows of ice. But the feature has its detractors, who point out that it burns roughly one-tenth of a gallon of fuel for every 10 minutes of warm-up time.

But if such a feature is important to you, keep in mind that a vehicle lacking this or another cold-weather option might not be reason enough to dismiss it. Retrofitted remote-start kits cost just $50 to $100, so it’s important to check with the dealer about what options can be installed at what price.

It all comes down to what a consumer is willing to pay for comfort–which is what most cold-weather amenities offer, not extra safety. When the cold hits, however, as it did this past week in the Northeast, no price might seem too steep.

Often times we pretend that we buy a particular new car for practical reasons. We convince ourselves and others that we think of a car as an appliance or a line item in a household budget.

Lets face it, deep deep down, we all know that sometimes a car chooses us for reasons we don’t understand. You see one pulling away from a stoplight, or staring back at you from a computer screen, and your mind is made up. Someday, you tell yourself. Often, you can wait for that day……..unless, of course, the car is gone by then.

Cash-starved automakers are trimming their lineups. They’re canceling models, and in some cases, preparing to send entire brands to the automotive graveyard. And as automakers look to trim excess from their operations, they’re not going to cut practical cars. They’re going to cut the ones that are harder to justify: the convertibles, the supercars, the cute icons that don’t fit into neat categories. The cars that speak to your romantic side that are most endangered. If one of these has your heartstrings, it’s time to make a move.

Honda S2000

Honda engineers make some of the world’s most practical, dependable family cars — cars that don’t excel at any one thing but do nearly everything fairly well, and never, ever die.

It must drive them insane. If you’ve perfected the craft of timing valves and perfectly mating an engine to a transmission, then just once in your career you must want to build an asphalt-rippling track machine that isn’t practical at all.
For the automaker’s 50th anniversary, they did just that. The result was the S2000: two seats, a six-speed manual gearbox and the soul of a cheetah. It’s a track-day car that barely costs more than an Accord. It’s pure. It’s just a roadster, distilled to its essence. But according to sources inside Honda, for the S2000, the road ends in 2009.

Chrysler PT Cruiser

Like many great cars, Chrysler’s PT Cruiser fits no category. It’s not quite a small car, with its hatchback and generous room for four. It’s not quite a wagon, since its chassis and flat load floor legally classifies it as a light truck. But it’s not a light truck either.
What it is, however, is cool. It has a personality unlike anything else. They don’t sell whitewall tires for Honda Civics, or wood-sided Ford Fusions — but Chrysler’s Cruiser makes them look stylish. And we all know that the similar Chevy HHR was never anything but a pale imitation.
But the Cruiser has gone the way of the 1940’s hot rods it called to mind. The last PT Cruiser, according to Chrysler, will roll off the assembly line this summer.

Saturn Sky

Has an American company built a head-turner quite like the Saturn Sky? It has more ergonomic quirks than an Ikea showroom, its soft top is a pain to fold, and you can’t fit a pack of matches in its trunk…but no one even cares. Just one look, and your heart skips a beat.
Buy the Redline edition to speed it up again — with GM’s first direct-injection engine, its turbocharged, sixteen-valve four-cylinder takes the car from a standstill to 60 mph in under six seconds.
But buy it soon. It’s not only the Sky that’s on the chopping block, but the entire Saturn line. In its application for federal bailout funds, GM promised to sell or close the underperforming brand, and realistically, there doesn’t seem to be a company interested in buying it. The Sky will go down with its Astra and VUE brothers, no matter how gorgeous it might be.

Hummer H3

There should be no surprise here. Through 2008, no brand of automobile suffered a greater drop off in sales than GM’s SUV -only brand. GM promised to sell or cancel the brand when the company asked Congress for federal aid last year, but by that time, GM executives had already spent months looking fruitlessly for a buyer. Consequently, Hummer will probably be eliminated outright in 2009.
The brand’s least expensive machine, however, remains a fine work of engineering. On the road, the H3 is barely a competent SUV. But off the road, it has almost no equal. It’s the only vehicle ever built with both an independent front suspension and full-locking front differential. With an available 4:1 transfer case and a serious set of monster tires, it climbs rocks many dedicated off-road vehicles shy away from. And unlike its towering H2 sibling, the H3 is small enough to fit on many trails.

Lexus SC

Combine legendary Lexus build quality, a sumptuous passenger cabin (in Pebble Beach Edition trim, it approaches the comfort of million-dollar coachbuilt cars), and the freedom to put the top down, and you have the Lexus SC — perhaps the most elegant convertible mass-produced today. There aren’t many true luxury convertibles left, and this one is the most comfortable.
It’s also the most endangered. When Lexus ends the SC’s run after 2009, the automaker will be left with no convertible models. Plans for a range-topping LF are on hold, so the SC is the last Lexus drop-top, at least until the economy turns around and it makes sense to offer a luxurious top-down cruiser again.

Dodge Viper

The legendary Viper is basically a street-legal race car, with nearly no amenities or creature comforts to speak of, but all the speed one could ever imagine. On the world’s most demanding test track — the Nürburgring, a 12.9-mile circuit in the mountains outside Nürburg, Germany — the lap record is held by a 2009 Viper ACR, which bests even cars that cost five times as much.
But the Viper is in danger. Newer designs like the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and Nissan GT-R nearly equal its performance and offer far more livability.
The product planners at Dodge are car enthusiasts and don’t seem to want to live in a world without Vipers, so they have held back on officially announcing the vehicle’s cancellation. But Dodge has halted production of the Viper, and publicly tried to sell the design rights to other automakers and even parts suppliers that don’t build whole cars. Essentially, they’re trying very hard to get rid of this car without taking the blame for killing it outright. The writing is on the wall for the legendary Viper.

There you have it.  A list of the new cars voted most like to be extinct by end of the year.

A rare Bugatti supercar left to gather dust in an English garage for half a century could fetch millions when it goes under the hammer next month, a report said Thursday.

Experts believe the car — one of just a handful ever made — could fetch as much as six million pounds (6.2 million euros, 8.7 million dollars) when it is auctioned at the Retromobile car show and sale being organised by Bonhams in Paris in February.

Harold Carr, a surgeon, apparently abandoned the rare Bugatti in his lock-up in northeastern Newcastle after buying it in the 1950s.

When the reclusive Carr died in 2007, his nephew found the Type 57S Atalante when he cleared out the garage and was amazed to learn that just 17 of the model were ever made.

His nephew, an engineer from Newcastle who wishes to remain anonymous, told the city’s Evening Chronicle newspaper: “We just can’t believe it.

“It’s worth so much because he hasn’t used it for 50 years. It was one of the original supercars. When it was built it could reach 130 miles (210 kilometres) per hour when most cars could only do 50.

“Of course we’re delighted and we’re going to make sure the money is shared out among the family. It’s a wonderful thing to leave.”

The Bugatti 57S was originally owned by British aristocrat and racing enthusiast Earl Howe, who was the first president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club.

He took delivery of the sporty two-seater Atalante in 1937 and kept the car for eight years.

After it changed hands several times, Carr bought it in 1955, and drove it for a few years before parking it in the garage in the early 1960s where it remained until his death.

James Knight, international head of Bonhams’ motoring department, said: “I have known of this Bugatti for a number of years and, like a select group of others, hadn’t dared divulge its whereabouts to anyone.

“It is absolutely one of the last great barn discoveries… The Atalante is incredibly original and, although she requires restoration, it is ‘restoration’ in the true sense of the word.

“From my perspective, save for some of the interior, all original parts can be restored or conserved in order to maintain originality.”

The diminutive Ka is driven in the film by Bond’s feisty leading lady Olga Kurylenko who plays Camille, an ally of 007 in the movie.”The new Ka is the perfect match for the character of Camille - adventurous, individual and thoroughly modern,” says Ford of Europe’s Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Odell.

Bond films have a long history of debuting new cars on screen, Ford revealing the Mondeo in Bond’s last adventure, Casino Royale, the secret agent famously driving Aston Martins.

The Ka for Quantum of Solace was created by Ford Europe’s Design team in collaboration with the film’s Oscar award-winning production designer, Dennis Gassner.

It features unique metallic gold paint, a Greene Planet motif under the door mirrors and a graphic radiating from the fuel filler cap.

New Cars Toronto

I just read a great post on Yahoo that said  journalists who write and review new cars are never supposed to say that you should never purchase a new car.

Perhaps this is so, however you still might not want to buy a new car. Hold onto what you have for as long as possible — and if you absolutely must replace your daily driver, lease a new car while you still can. It could make a lot more sense to buy in a few years than to buy now, and a good lease on a 2009 could give you the freedom to do that.

Why Leasing Makes Sense

#1: You don’t want to be stuck with a 2009 car in 2014

Because the design process for a new car takes about two to three years, the new 2009 model-year cars reaching dealership lots this fall were conceived on drawing boards in 2005 or 2006, when gas prices were just over two dollars a gallon. These cars weren’t designed for a world of four-dollars-a-gallon gas. Cars that fit today’s reality are still in the design stages and coming to dealerships in 2010 or later.
The smallest car Ford could sell you today (a 2008 Focus) would net an EPA-estimated combined fuel economy rating of 28 mpg. The most fuel-efficient mass-produced car on the road today, the 2008 Toyota Prius, is rated for 46.
But in just a year or two, you’ll see a much more impressive set of stickers on new car windows. Ford could sell you a Fiesta, a subcompact that wowed the automotive press at the Geneva Motor Show last spring and reportedly gets almost 40 mpg. According to Toyota engineers, the next generation of the Prius could win an EPA rating of 94 mpg.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average new car buyer will hold onto their purchase for eight years. Edmunds estimates that the term of the average new car loan has stretched to over 62 months. So if you were to buy a 2009 model-year car, you’d probably be paying for it until 2014 and driving it until 2016 — when automakers will have had years to improve on the already-impressive fuel economy numbers of 2010 models.
Oh, and when you decide to get rid of that 2009 car at last, you’ll be left trying to sell an old car with poor fuel economy in a market that long ago passed it by. Most leases, on the other hand, last three years. Lease a 2009 today, and in late 2011 you’ll be able to give it back to the dealer and get one of those post-2010 cars.

#2: Leasing protects you from unexpected depreciation

Millions of drivers who bought SUVs in the world of cheaper gas have learned a harsh truth this year: depreciation is a big risk. SUVs have lost value much quicker than anyone predicted, thanks to soaring gas prices. Some dealerships won’t even accept SUVs as trade-ins anymore, and owners hoping to sell them on the private market are forced to accept offers thousands of dollars below what they thought the car would be worth.
Those who leased an SUV, however, are just handing their headaches back to dealers and walking away scot-free. In fact, Ford — one of the most successful SUV manufacturers in recent years — has lost $2.1 billion on returned trucks and SUVs in the first half of 2008 alone. When customers turn in the vehicles, their residual value is much lower than the company had expected — and Ford Credit eats the difference.

#3: This may be your last chance to lease

In 2004, GM made more money leasing cars than selling them. But today those numbers have completely flip-flopped. Leases are proving to be a huge risk for automakers — a risk they may not take much longer.
On July 27, Chrysler Financial announced it would stop offering leases altogether. Two days after Chrysler’s decision, GMAC, North America’s biggest auto lender, announced an end to lease incentives in Canada. GM hasn’t followed suit in the U.S. yet. All the General will tell its dealers, so far, is that it won’t stop offering leases in August. After that, they make no promises.
Ford, after announcing that jaw-dropping loss on leased vehicles, didn’t stop offering leases. They simply raised the payments on many leases so that they make little sense for buyers.
But some automakers — particularly the imports — still offer favorable lease deals. And if you need a new car this year, it might make sense to get into one of those leases now, return the car in three years and then think about buying.

Why You Might Buy Now Anyway

Leasing has two major drawbacks. The first is mileage limits. If you’re going to exceed them, a lease won’t make sense for you. But with Americans driving fewer miles than ever before as we look to save on gas, agreeing to a mileage limit would make sense for many of us. At $4 a gallon, we’re not going to drive more than we have to, anyway.
The second drawback is that the payments never end. Provided they hold onto it long enough, a buyer will eventually own a car without making payments on it. A lessee never will. In the long run, it often makes more sense to buy and hold onto a vehicle for as long as possible.
But as rapidly as car technology will advance over the next several years, many buyers will soon be dissatisfied with something on lots today. If you’re always on the lookout for the next big thing, avoid buying a new car — and if you find yourself needing one this year, consider leasing it while you still can.

Should I buy a new car or lease?

CHRYSLER

1. 2009 Dodge Ram

Price: $21,270 - $43,240

There are some amazing deals on 2008 Dodge Rams right now. That’s because dealers are trying to clear floor space to make room for the new 2009 Ram truck.

Ram trucks are currently available with up to $7,500 worth of incentives, according to Edmunds.com. That figure includes the value of low-rate financing deals as well as manufacturer-to-dealer incentives that won’t be seen directly by consumers.

That’s a lot of money. But keep in mind that the 2009 Ram truck will be loaded up with a slew of improvements that could make it worth waiting for, especially when you consider that those features will likely drive down the resale value of the 2008 model.

Besides optional RamBox lockable, water-tight storage bins built into the bed walls, the ‘09 Ram also features a revolutionary coil-spring rear suspension. Other trucks on the market have leaf-springs, which have been standard for years. Using coil springs results in a nicer ride and better handling.

The 2009 Ram also features a much-improved interior with richer-looking materials and a nice solidly-built feel, not to mention even more cleverly designed storage spaces inside to hide away more stuff.

AUDI

2. 2009 Audi A4

Price: $32,700 - $48,800

The changes under the hood seem modest, but the change in external appearance is clear and striking. From a dollars-and-cents standpoint, that’s what really matters.

The A4’s V-6 engine is the same as last years while the 4-cylinder engine gets more power. Also new for 2009, the engine is mounted lower and farther back in the body for noticeably improved handling.

On a practical level, the longer body creates more rear legroom, making the new A4 a much more comfortable choice for those with families.

There’s also a financial impact, though. Radical redesigns always reduce the market value of their predecessor version. In this case, the new A4, with its sleek, aggressive appearance, makes the 2008 model look immediately old.

Meanwhile, incentives on the outgoing old-style Audi A4 are relatively good, totaling to up to $3,000 for remaining 2008 models. Even so, the damage the new A4 will do to the 2008 models resale value could ultimately wipe out much of those savings.

FORD MOTOR CO.

3. 2009 Ford F-150

Price: N/A

With the pick-up market drying up, at least for now, Ford decided to delay release of the new, redesigned F-150 pick-up. Meanwhile, dealers are working to sell off the remaining 2008 trucks still on their lots. Expect to see the new F-series truck in “late fall,” Ford says.

While the new F-150 has nothing as radical (for a truck) as coil suspension, buyers of the 2008 version are passing up on some serious improvements. For instance, there’s an additional 6 inches of length that adds to rear seat legroom and bed length in crew cab versions. There’s also better fuel economy, thanks in part to a new six-speed transmission. To make it easier to get in and out of the truck bed, the new F-150 also offers tailgate and bed-side steps.

As with other major redesigns, the new look will also hurt the resale value of the predecessor models. Ford is putting some serious money into incentives for 2008 models — almost $5,000 per truck — but the new truck may ultimately be worth spending more.

MAZDA MOTOR CO.

4. 2009 Mazda6

Price: $18,550 - $28,260

Mazda’s bread-and-butter Mazda6 sedan is getting thoroughly reworked for 2009. The most obvious change is a more sharp-edged body that picks up the Mazda’s new corporate look.

Engines and transmissions are also new for “next year” but, as with the Audi A4, it’s that new sheet metal that will crush the resale value of all the ‘08 Mazda6’s that people are buying.

Mazda is paying out a total of almost $3,000 in incentives on outgoing Mazda6’s, according to Edmunds.com. That’s a lot of money but, again, the reduced resale value of the 2008’s could absorb much of those savings.

FORD MOTOR CO.

5. 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid

Price: $29,305 - $33,385

The 2009 Ford Escape doesn’t look much different from the outside. Actually, it doesn’t look any different. But there are some important differences are underneath the body.

Both V6 and 4-cylinder Escape engines will get more power and slightly better fuel economy.

Escape Hybrid buyers will get the most crucial benefit, though. Up until now, Escape Hybrids haven’t been available with Electronic Stability Control, a computerized system that helps drivers maintain control in abrupt emergency maneuvers. Systems like this have been shown to reduce fatal crashes by about a third.

ESC will be standard equipment on 2009 Escapes Hybrids just as it is now on the non-hybrid versions.

Escape Hybrids are in short supply and demand is high so, even for 2008 models, Ford is spending practically nothing on incentives, according to Edmunds.com. (To be more precise, Ford is spending $43 per SUV.)

Given that, and given the lifesaving importance of ESC, it’s more than worth waiting for the 2009 model.

These changes also apply to Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute hybrid SUVs which, for practical purposes, are the same vehicle.

HONDA MOTOR CO.

6. 2009 Honda Fit

Price: $14,550 - $18,760

The Honda Fit for 2009 gets a more rounded exterior. Overall passenger volume inside is increased by less than an inch with little real change to interior hip or shoulder space. The back seats have been redesigned for easier folding, though.

Honda boasts of a more rigid body structure. More than half the metal in the new 2009 Fit is “high-strength steel.” A stiffer body means better ride and handling, Honda says

Recognizing that, with higher gas prices, small cars are now attracting buyers accustomed to larger-car amenities. For one, the new Fit offers in-car navigation, a feature not previously available in the Fit.

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All this may not seem like much, but incentives on the outgoing model-year Fit are equally slim. The tiny Fit is in high demand, so Honda is spending just $105 per vehicle on incentives for those 2008 models. At that rate, sit tight a while!

I came across this timely Forbes article.  For those like Amy Fife, a single mother of two, wants to sell her mid-sized sport utility vehicle for something more fuel efficient.
“Years ago I never paid much attention to the price of gas,” says the 37-year-old Portland, Ore., administrative assistant. But with gas prices around $4 a gallon and her 10-year-old Chevrolet Trailblazer, which the Environmental Protection Agency estimates gets an average of 16 miles per gallon, she’s been noticing an increasing pinch on her budget.

Fife had decided to swap her SUV for a Subaru Impreza, one of the safest small cars on the market and among the 10 highlighted in the accompanying slideshow. But now she’s waiting to do it, as she can’t find anyone willing to buy her Trailblazer for its estimated market valueAlthough economic concerns make fuel economy a prime focus for car shoppers, safety should be at the top of the checklist as well — particularly for those looking to downsize their vehicle.

We’ve assembled a list of 10 models with outstanding safety ratings. They rate as “compact” within their respective classes, though some, like the BMW X3 crossover utility vehicle, aren’t exactly “small” compared to the tinniest cars on the market. The X3 is, however, smaller and more fuel-efficient than many SUVs. And that makes it a good choice for folks considering stepping down from a full-size SUV.

The same is true of the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester, also on our list of safest compact vehicles. Go to the accompanying slideshow for the full list.

Even if you’re considering a vehicle not on our list, there are some key features to look for that can mean the difference between life and death in a collision. Read on to find out what they are.

Weight Matters

What ultimately matters in a collision isn’t a vehicle’s weight alone but its difference in weight from other vehicles on the road, says Mike Dulberger, president of Informed For Life, a non-profit safety information organization.

The average weight of a new passenger vehicle — classified as “light-duty” by the government — rose from 3,221 pounds in 1997 to 4,144 pounds in 2007. Ironically, adding more safety equipment over the years — some of it federally mandated — is one of the reasons for the weight gain.

“You don’t want to stick out” in terms of size and weight, Dulberger says, because the more you do, the greater the risk. “With some of the lightest-weight vehicles, you’re trading in weight for risk,” he says.

Fatality rates are about three times as high for small, light cars than for large, heavy ones, according to national crash statistics.

“That doesn’t mean you have to buy a tank,” says Russ Rader, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. “The benefits of weight start to diminish after a certain point.” Anything over about 4,500 is going to be substantially heavier than the vast majority of passenger vehicles on the road, so extra heft beyond that doesn’t make much difference when it comes to safety.

“But for the kind of driving that most people do, they should be avoiding the smallest cars,” he says. “No matter how many airbags you have, you’re still at a higher risk” in the smallest cars.

Jon Linkov, managing editor, autos, at Consumer Reports, agrees. “Bigger will at the end of the day be safer,” he says. “However, heavier means lower fuel economy.”

Savvy Downsizing

If fuel economy is a top concern, you don’t have to downsize to the smallest vehicles available to get improvements in gas mileage. “Consumers can think about downsizing the engine, not the car,” Rader says.

Many of the safest mid-sized sedans offer frugal four-cylinder engines that in some cases deliver fuel economy close to that of smaller cars. For example, opting for the four-cylinder engine in a mid-sized Chevrolet Malibu, instead of the larger, more powerful six-cylinder, will actually get you similar gas mileage to the smaller Chevrolet Cobalt, around 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway, according to EPA estimates.

“We don’t need all of the horsepower that automakers have been pumping into cars for the past 10 years,” Rader says.
But if you’re set on a smaller vehicle, either for its nimbleness, lower price or higher fuel-efficiency, pay close attention to safety features. “There are some big differences in how well small cars protect you,” Rader says.

Side-Curtain Airbags

One way some small cars aren’t as safe as others is in side impacts. Each year, more than 9,000 occupants die in side-impact crashes, most of them from head injuries, according to IIHS statistics.

In analyzing government data on auto accidents, the IIHS has found that side airbags that protect the head, chest and abdomen cut the risk of fatalities in side-impact crashes by 37 percent. Head-protecting airbags are now standard equipment on about 66 percent of all new vehicles.

“Curtain airbags in particular are especially important with small cars,” Dulberger says. Like their name implies, these types of airbags typically deploy from the ceiling.

The reason side-curtain airbags are so crucial in small cars is because the cars are lower and lighter than most other vehicles. So, for example, some trucks’ bumpers are in line with small-car occupants’ heads. This means that if a two-and-a-half-ton pickup t-bones a little hatchback, it could seriously injure the occupants.

In recent years, automakers have made progress in lowering the bumpers and crash structures of some of their largest SUVs, but crash incompatibility is still an issue.

Electronic Stability Control

Another safety feature to look for is electronic stability control, a lifesaving technology that has been found to reduce the risk of fatal single-vehicle rollovers by up to 80 percent for SUVs and 77 percent for cars, and could prevent nearly one-third of all fatal crashes, according to IIHS statistics. By automatically adjusting throttle and braking forces on each wheel, electronic stability control helps prevent skidding and spinning on slippery surfaces or during emergency maneuvers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s crash-rating system doesn’t take into account the role of electronic stability control. But the NHTSA estimates that 10,000 lives would be saved annually if every vehicle had the technology. Electronic stability control will be required on all vehicles in 2012 and beyond.

Many small cars lack the feature, even as an option. “Nobody should ever buy a car without electronic stability control,” says Dulberger.

Rader of the IIHS agrees and adds that electronic stability control is even more important in small cars because it can help prevent collisions, as opposed to just protect occupants during an accident, like airbags do. “If you can avoid the crash, that’s even better,” he says.

But the idea that small cars are more maneuverable and can more readily avoid crashes compared to larger vehicles isn’t substantiated by crash statistics, Rader says. “Small cars tend to get in more crashes,” says Rader, even when normalized for driving conditions and types of drivers.

Electronic stability also reduces the rollover concerns that accompany smaller but taller vehicles, especially for so-called crossover utility vehicles that offer versatile, spacious interiors while only taking up the parking footprint of a compact sedan or coupe. Rollovers are a factor in 33 percent of fatal accidents in the United States, according to safercar.gov.

“There used to be a tradeoff with SUVs for rollovers, and that’s really dramatically changing due to electronic stability control,” Rader says, pointing to the Honda CR-V, Honda Element and Subaru Forester, all “Top Safety Picks” from the IIHS. With some exceptions, such compact utility vehicles are generally the safer bet today than traditional compact cars, which often share the same underpinnings. That’s because their added weight compared to compact cars makes them inherently safer, Rader says, adding that crossover utility vehicles also tend to have more standard safety equipment.
Even compared to all those hulking SUVs on the road, smaller car-based crossovers are often a safer choice, particularly when looking at models like the mid-sized Chevrolet Trailblazer, which have been around for a while and don’t have the latest advancements.

“Whether you go to one of these small utility vehicles or a small car, you’re going to get better handling, a more compliant ride and more maneuverability,” often with better safety, provided you pick one of the vehicles with the best crash ratings, says Consumer Reports’ Linkov.

Our Top Safety Picks

To compile our list, we looked at passenger-car and crossover-utility models less than 180 inches long and ruled out those without electronic stability control or side-curtain airbags as standard or optional equipement.

Disregarding any vehicles with less than four stars from the NHTSA or an ‘Acceptable’ rating from the IIHS in frontal and side crash tests, we selected 10 vehicles with top crash-test ratings, also paying attention to Informed for Life’s Statistical Combination of Risk Elements (SCORE), which includes things like weight and rollover ratings and more accurately corresponds to fatality figures than do either the IIHS or NHTSA results by themselves.

SCORE ratings represent relative safety risk across all types of vehicles, so a vehicle with a SCORE of 50 represents half the fatality risk of a vehicle with a SCORE of 100.

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