October 26, 2011

Japanese Brands Take 9 of Top 10 Consumer Reports Rankings
Lexus took back the top spot among luxury brands in Consumer Reports’ reliability ranking, beating BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. Bloomberg reports that winning the luxury crown as well as the top spot among all brands was Toyota’s youth-oriented Scion line. Japanese carmakers took nine of the top 10 spots in the rankings, up from seven a year ago. Honda Motor Co.’s Acura luxury brand took third place, Mazda Motor Corp.’s brand rose from 12th place last year to fourth. Honda ranked fifth, Nissan Motor Co.’s Infiniti ranked seventh behind Lexus, Fuji Heavy Industry’s Subaru was eighth, and Nissan finished ninth. Check out Consumer Reports’ summary of its rankings here. For Lexus, a top reliability ranking for the CT 200h from Consumer Reports will counter some criticism that the magazine levied against the car in a review. A renewed commitment to quality also helped Toyota and Lexus brands regain their pre-recall rankings in J.D. Power & Associates annual new-car quality study. In the report released in June, Lexus was again the top-ranked brand, a position it lost in the 2010 review, while the Toyota brand jumped to seventh place from a year earlier. Read more about Consumer Reports’ latest rankings here.

Toyota's U.S. Plants May Feel Impact from Thai Flooding
Automotive News reports that massive flooding in Thailand is poised to hit U.S. auto output, with top Toyota executives warning that shortages of parts imported from the Southeast Asian country may interfere with production at the company's North American assembly plants. Executive Vice President Shinichi Sasaki said the company is bracing for crimped supply of such Thai-built components as audio systems, switches, diodes, and condensers. The parts shortages have already shut Toyota's three plants in Thailand and forced production cutbacks in Japan. The next impact may be felt at Toyota's North American plants, he said. "We don't know how big the impact will be," Sasaki told Automotive News on Wednesday, adding that the company was still assessing the status of the overseas supply chain. Steve St. Angelo, executive vice president for North American manufacturing and engineering, confirmed separately that the company is considering canceling one day of Saturday work at four North American plants and studying further impact on overtime shifts. Weeks of severe flooding have inundated Thailand's industrial heartland and crippled the local operations of Japanese automakers that have made the country a major auto-making center and export hub. For the latest on the impact Thailand flooding will have on Toyota, click here.

2012 Motor Trend SUV of the Year: Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
In a world that appears increasingly hostile to an all-SUV brand like Land Rover, adaptation is the only option. Some adaptations are failures. Others are Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year winners. The Range Rover Evoque is most certainly the latter. The Evoque is, after all, based on the Land Rover LR2. Just as the LR2 was an impressive improvement on the Freelander, the Evoque is an evolutionary leap over the LR2. The Evoque is a striking vehicle, according to Motor Trend. Throughout its test, the Evoque drew more comments than any other contender. From its aggressive stance to its big wheels, devilishly raked windshield, and daring roofline, the Evoque continually elicited compliments from the staff as well as passers-by. The "Coupe," in particular, was near universally admired for its uncompromising fashion-first motif. The better part of a decade has passed since a two-door SUV was sold in America (Wrangler excluded), and Land Rover's willingness to gamble on an essentially dead body style is as refreshing as it is surprising. To view a gallery of the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, click here. For Motor Trend’s complete coverage of its pick for 2012 SUV of the Year, click here.

Which Brands Best Attract Female Ownership?
Although eight of the 10 fastest-growing brands in terms of attracting female buyers are from the Big 3, one particular European automaker dwarfs all other brands when it comes to female ownership, according to Edmunds.com. Auto Remarketing reports that topping the site’s list of auto brands that have seen the largest gains in the percentage of sales that went to women is Porsche. In the first eight months of 2010, 19 percent of Porsche buyers were women. In the same period of 2011, that proportion has jumped to 23 percent, which is a 21.1-percent hike. Buick was next with an 8.6-percent jump, as its female buyers climbed from a 35-percent share to 38 percent. Dodge was third (up 7.4 percent) followed by Chevrolet (up 6.5 percent) and Infiniti (up 6.1 percent). On the opposite side of the equation, the bulk of the heaviest drop-offs were among international brands. Mini was down 4.2 percent proportionally, as its percentage of women buyers dipped from 48 percent to 46 percent. Audi followed (down 2.9 percent), with Volvo, Volkswagen, and Hyundai – each of which were down 2.3 percent – not far behind. Read more about Edmunds.com’s research on female car buying habits by clicking here.

U.S. Road Travel Falls to Lowest Levels Since 2003
The Department of Transportation reports that travel on U.S. roadways through the first eight months of this year is down 1.3 percent from a year ago – or 26 billion vehicle miles – and has reached the lowest levels since 2003. Travel in August, the latest month available, continued the downward trend, falling 4.6 billion vehicle miles, or 1.7 percent, to the lowest level since recession-wracked August 2009. The Northeast saw the biggest drop in August, falling 2.2 percent compared with a year ago; the West, in comparison, fell just 1.2 percent, the DOT reports. According to USA Today, among types of vehicle travel, urban interstate travel fell just 0.5 percent, while rural interstate travel fell 2.7 percent. Higher gas prices likely played a part in the decline. On Aug. 1, a gallon of regular ran $3.68 nationally, according to the federal Energy Information Administration. That's up $1 from early August 2010. Economic malaise may have also resulted in fewer summer road trips. August's Consumer Confidence Index plummeted below levels seen all year – and it hasn't improved since then. Click here for the latest on U.S. road travel rates.

Kia Enhances CPO Program with Carfax Vehicle History Reports
Earlier this week, Kia Motors America, Inc. (KMA) announced a major improvement to its Kia Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program. KMA selected AIADA’s Affinity Partner, Carfax, as its vehicle history provider of choice for Kia’s CPO program. "In addition to providing one of the industry's most competitive warranties, CPO Program Kia dealers can ensure even more peace of mind by providing a free Carfax Vehicle History Report with every Certified Pre-Owned Kia purchase," said Tom Loveless, vice president, sales, KMA. “Carfax’s unmatched vehicle history information not only adds value to Kia's CPO program, but gives our dealers an essential tool to build the confidence that turns more shoppers into buyers." Starting October 1, Kia dealers participating in KMA’s CPO Program are required to run a Carfax Vehicle History Report as part of the certification process for CPO vehicles. The Carfax Buyback Guarantee also comes with CPO vehicles that meet the requirements of Kia’s CPO Program certification process. To read more, click here. Kia’s decision makes 32 manufacturer brands that have chosen Carfax to build consumer confidence for their Certified Pre-Owned vehicles. To become a CARFAX Dealer Subscriber call (800) 274-2277 or click here to learn more.

Around the Web 
Racing Ferraris in the Rain [Yahoo Autos]
Subaru Separates Performane Models from Impreza [CNET]
Lexus Shows Off Glut of SEMA Hardware [Autoblog]
The Best Used Cars for the Money [Forbes]