4 posts from September 2008

Kia is known for their mini cars and sedans. But they recently introduced their new midsize truck-type SUV, the 2009 Borrego. Borrego is a seven-passenger SUV with three-row seating that uses body-on-frame construction. And you have the choices if you want a two- or all-wheel drive and select either from V6 and V8 engine.

This model faces quickly changing market realities that are different when SUV started like body-on-frame constructions and 8-cylinder engines because consumers have changed their preference into smaller engines and car-based crossovers. The company is quick to acknowledge the challenges Borrego faces, but at Borrego's press preview, company executives detailed why they still think the truck can succeed.

Kia identifies Borrego's main competitors as Ford Explorer, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota 4Runner, Honda Pilot, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. These models have suffered market sales declines too and this is the situation that Borrego's facing when it was introduced in the market.

Tom Loveless, Kia's Vice President of Sales, says Borrego is incremental business for the company and that, in spite of rising gas prices, consumers will "buy what they need." He talks about the Borrego attracting "affluent suburbia" consumers that Kia does not currently reach. He identifies these shoppers as 35 to 45 years old, married with $85,000 in household income, and repeat SUV buyers. Loveless also talks about Borrego's best-in-class fuel economy of 15 mpg city and 22 mpg highway.

This model is the first one to be introduced in the market, some LX trim, as well as upmarket EX. By the end of 2008, the company will introduce a top-of-the-line Limited model.

LX models powered by the standard V6 engine are available with rear- or all-wheel drive, but the optional V8 is only available with AWD. The only option for the LX is a Convenience Package that includes a power driver seat and leather seat trim.

The upcoming Limited is available with rear- or all-wheel drive, but the V8 is the sole engine offering. The Limited will only be available with a black-painted exterior. All of Borrego's optional equipment will be standard on the Limited, and unique features including Bluetooth cell phone connectivity, push button start with smart key, and power adjustable pedals will be added.

Borrego's unique frame uses hydro-formed side rails, and Kia says high-strength steel is used for 64 percent of the chassis. A double wishbone suspension is found up front, while a multi-link unit holds up the rear.

Borrego's full-time four-wheel-drive system is supplied by BorgWarner, and the company says it is not the same system used on the smaller Sorento. The four-wheel-drive setup allows the driver to select 4Hi, 4Low, or Auto settings depending on driving conditions.

This features and this model makes me crave more for SUV's. I love this kind of  of vehicles. The bulky and  spacious ones.  Borrego has a lot to share and prove to the market. That's why some reviewers are already excited to try this ride.

For some, the most inexpensive ride possible is of the essence. And cheap used cars, while offering a good value because depreciation has already taken affect, are just not an option to those who want that all-important new car feeling of ownership, style and reliability.

These inexpensive new cars have good value, high-tech design, fuel savings and a zippy drive. Though all the cars in this affordable group offer great value and practicality for different drivers, we think the Mazda3 really stands out as a top pick.

But of course, if you have enough money and really wants the best deal, you can use and look for some expensive and high-end cars that are new in the market for your options. But as you can see the similarities and differences, they both have almost the same features. For some models, you will just pay for the name/manufacturer, that's why they really cost thousand of dollars.

Here are the Gallery of 17 most Affordable Cars.

The silver 2008 Mazda3 i Sport 4-door we had in our hands, which starts at almost $14,000, doesn't look like a cheap new car. This would be the number one, because as you can see, this Mazda model has everything to offer and have great body features.

On the road, the 2.3-liter 4-cylinder Mazda3 i Sport received above average marks for acceleration, speed, handling, braking and suspension. And perhaps even better, the gas mileage on the automatic version hits an impressive 26 mpg city and 34 mpg hwy.

Safety is always an important concern for car buyers, no matter what the price range. You won't be disappointed with all these affordable car models that we feature just for you.

The same features as the other expensive models such as the dual-front airbags featuring passenger weight/position sensors, side-impact door beams and anti-lock braking. You can also add up some of the safety parts like what you see in those expensive car models.

You have all the options and decisions which car to buy. Good luck to your car search. 

Don't expect big and bulky hybrid vehicles from Honda Motor Co. soon.

"The company plans to put hybrid systems into compacts and subcompacts because that's where the green technology achieves its greatest efficiencies", said Masaaki Kato, president of Honda R&D Co., the automaker's product development arm.

This strategy of Honda is really different from their rivals that set off and make all their luxury sedans and SUV a family of hybrid vehicles.

Toyota Motor Corp. is making it's next generation Prius 2010 model, bigger than the current one. They will also introduce the Lexus hybrid at the Detroit auto show in January.

Nissan Motor Corp will concentrate on their first in-house hybrid which is the Infiniti. Ford Motor Corp and General Motors will have their focus on the production of their hybrid SUVs and pick-ups.

Honda's biggest hybrid is the Civic. And in the future, it's all about getting smaller.

Next year, these are the plans of Honda  Motor Corp. They will have the hybrid model which is smaller than the current Civic. After that, a much smaller sports hybrid  and Autopartswarehouse is excited with this one, the CR-Z. And by 2012, a hybrid Fit will be added to the production.

Any chance of revisiting the Accord Hybrid or rolling out something bigger? "Not in the near future," says Kato.

Kato says hybrid systems are best used in small cars because small hybrids most often are used for city driv-ing, where regenerative braking constantly recharges the batteries.

"Cars that drive stop-and-go are most suitable to hybrid technology," Kato said.

The first test for its hybrid strategy comes in April, when Honda launches its highly anticipated dedicated hybrid to take on the Prius. The car will be priced below the Prius — and, not surprisingly, it will be smaller.

Can't you see that cars in the future will be smaller hybrids which is much better than trucks and SUVs. You can do the same thing to your smaller sedans that you can't do to this big vehicles plus you already have a hybrid car. Hope this wouldn't cost too much.

After years of waiting, Smart ForTwo is finally headed to the land of free and hometown of the Escalade. If you've been travelling in places exotic like Canada and/or Europe, maybe you have seen the original Smarts scooting and speeding around.  Depending on your point of view, you've either thought, "Those things would never work in America," or "Golly, I wish we had those in America." And now, we can see whose side will win because Roger Pensake is bringing the second-generation Smart two-seater - in coupe and ragtop forms - to his vast dealer network, and he's promising that a $99 deposit will get you a Smart of your own within six months. So far, 30,000 have already signed up for that deal, so it appears that the Age of the Microcar is off to a good start.

 

Is it scary on the highway?

With a 70-hp three-cylinder hanging over the rear wheels, the ForTwo doesn't have a surfeit of power, but it will climb to an electronically limited 90 mph (which our test car's apparently optimistic speedometer reads as 95 mph). And as you can see the body is only that little to support all the pressure and it's speed. It's wuite fast that it can be used a racing car.

Choosing your line is also important in the Smart, because at 80 mph, you don't want to make a lot of steering corrections. Occasionally I'll pass an eighteen-wheeler and get buffeted with a crosswind, which sets up a white-knuckle seesawing at the wheel, this is really scary right? But this vehicle can be easily be balanced and directed to what the driver wants and get back on line.

You can see the efficiency, convenience and the uses of this little but really helpful ride. And it also looks cool. All told, the Smart will handle any reasonable highway situation you throw at it, but you need to maintain situational awareness at a higher level than in most other cars. You may not be relaxed, but you're never bored, either.