Cars' Blog

Toyota’s redesigned luxury hybrid crossover, the 2010 Lexus RX 450h, will get an EPA-estimated 28/27 mpg city/highway with two-wheel drive and 28/26 with all-wheel drive.

After introducing the crossover at the L.A. auto show a couple months ago, Lexus has yet to say how much it will set you back when it arrives at dealerships this spring, but the mileage it’s now announced is an improvement over the RX 400h (which was rated 27/24 mpg with FWD and 26/24 with AWD). The AWD version comes in just 1 mpg less than the AWD 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid’s 29/27 mpg rating, and that’s a much smaller, much less powerful hybrid. And if it isn’t already assumed, yes, it is the most fuel-efficient model in Lexus’ lineup, car or SUV.

Toyota improved the fuel economy with a new exhaust-heat recovery system and cooled exhaust-gas recirculation system, in addition to a new Eco driving mode and, most interestingly, a new EV drive mode. The EV drive mode allows the RX 450h to run exclusively on battery power in low-speed, stop-and-go situations, like parking garages, allowing it to run without producing an ounce of emissions.

We’ll keep our eye out for pricing information and a more concrete on-sale date. For now, you can read Mike Hanley’s full review of the Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h here.

Our sister site, PickupTrucks.com, made a pretty astonishing discovery when it broke down the sales figures for pickup trucks in 2008: Following GM and Ford, Toyota moved past Chrysler to become the third-largest seller of pickups in the country.

Even though Tundra sales fell sharply in the second half of 2008, that model and the Tacoma helped Toyota push past Dodge’s heavy hitters, the Dakota and Ram. Toyota snatched up 14.07% of the U.S. pickup truck market, while Chrysler held onto only 13.57%. GM and Ford controlled 37.11% and 29.25% of the market, respectively.

Already a rough year for Chrysler, this news comes as another tough blow. The Dodge brand was one of the automaker’s few (somewhat) bright spots in terms of sales and public opinion.

Check out all the numbers here.

Hybrid sales hit their lowest mark since 2004, dropping nearly 43% in December to 17,698 units. Keep in mind that in 2004 there were considerably fewer hybrid models available, with the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid accounting for 95% of the market. In 2008, there were at least 20 hybrid models on sale.

The decline caps a year of unexpected difficulties for hybrids, which saw high demand in the summer months, only to fall off a cliff later in the year, along with gas prices. The Prius — the pinup of hybrids — saw a sales decline of 44.7%  in December and 12.3% for the year.

Overall hybrid sales were down 10% for 2008, accounting for only 2.4% of new vehicle sales. Apparently, consumer interest in hybrids lags far behind the rhetoric surrounding them. However, car sales overall were down more than 30%, so while hybrids didn’t see any gains, they did fare better than their non-hybrid competition.

Reported Sales of Hybrids Down 42.8% in December, 10% for 2008 (GreenCarCongress)

A telematics service that connects you to a GPS system in case of an emergency — sound familiar? Toyota will introduce its answer to OnStar, which it calls Lexus Enform — yes they spell it that way — in its Lexus luxury brand, and Safety Connect in select Toyota vehicles.

The service includes Automatic Collision Notification, an SOS button, Stolen Vehicle Location and roadside assistance. The Lexus Enform service also includes Destination Assist, which connects drivers to a live operator who can help with directions, or find the best Thai food in your neighborhood (which is what we would use it for).  It also includes eDestination, which can be accessed from any PC and uploaded to the satellite navigation system.

Accessible by voice command, the system will also include mobile audio casts and XM Radio. It will debut in the 2010 Lexus RX.

Both Safety Connect and Lexus Enform will begin to appear in models late this summer.

GM dropped a huge surprise on NBC’s “Today Show” this morning. We in the press had been told that GM would have three new production cars debuting at the Detroit auto show – our live coverage kicks off Sunday morning, well before any NFL playoff games. This morning, however, Ed Welburn, GM’s design chief, showed Matt Lauer the front end of the upcoming production version of the Chevy Beat which will join the 2010 Cadillac SRX, 2010 Buick LaCrosse and 2010 Chevy Equinox on stage Sunday.

You might remember the Beat as a concept car from the New York auto show two years ago. After a lot of hoopla about the concept, GM quietly let it be known that the compact car would not be hitting the U.S. because of a lack of demand. A lot has changed since the spring of 2007, and now we know GM’s big surprise in Detroit will be the Beat.

We can only guess, but we’d expect it to be priced slightly higher than the current Chevy Aveo and debut as a 2011 model in early 2010. If it is made overseas like the current Aveo is, however, it might be available here earlier. The full video of the reveal is below. 

If you’ve had to drive a big car for a while because your family requires the space, it can be refreshing to get behind the wheel of a car that can really move. At least, that’s what PADriver from Pennsylvania found after purchasing a 2009 Acura TL. According to this driver, the TL was the right car for the right price. The flaws are evident, but the combination of speed, practicality and a good deal makes it a winner. Read the full review to find out why the TL beat out the Accord and Camry in this reader’s opinion, then post your own car review here.

• Competes with: Acura TSX, Lincoln MKZ, Lexus ES
• Looks like: Buick might have hope yet
• Drivetrain: 255-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 or 280-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 with six-speed transmission; front or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Late summer 2009

Buick is hoping its complete redesign of the LaCrosse sedan will be as successful at bringing in new buyers as its Enclave crossover was last year. After perusing the specs and these eye-catching pics, we’d have to say it’s got a shot, especially compared to the model’s sedate predecessor. 

The new LaCrosse may look more compact than the 2009, but it’s only 1.1 inches shorter. It’s nearly 500 pounds heavier, however, and that’s without the optional all-wheel drive. Not to worry: The 2010 offers a pair of more powerful direct-injected V-6s that should return mileage similar to the outgoing model’s 17/28 mpg. Both are based on Cadillac’s new V-6.

In the base LaCrosse CX and midlevel CXL, drivers get the 255-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 that was introduced in the 2010 SRX a few days ago. The old LaCrosse had 200 hp. The CXL will also have optional all-wheel drive. The top-of-the-line CXS will have the same 3.6-liter V-6 as Cadillac’s CTS, but with less horsepower, at 280. Both engines are teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission. Mileage numbers have not been released, but we’d expect the CXS to do slightly better than the CTS’ 17/26 mpg.

The LaCrosse is based on GM’s new global midsize sedans, but is slightly larger. GM has not revealed interior specifications, so we don’t how headroom, legroom and the size of the trunk measure up. Because it’s based on the global sedans, we expect/hope that the new LaCrosse will handle better than the old one; perhaps the characteristic floaty driving feel of big Buicks is at an end. The company promises “quiet tuning” to keep the cabin isolated from road and wind noise.

Oh, and did we mention the gadgets? Standard features weren’t broken down, but offered in the car will be navigation, Bluetooth, a USB port, a backseat DVD system with dual screens, and more. Buyers will be lucky if the USB input comes standard. And yes, it has a Heads Up Display too.

Pricing for the 2009 LaCrosse starts at $25,640, and we’d hope the 2010 stays near that mark. Because of the advanced engines, though, it’s more likely to start around the $28,000 range to be competitive with the Acura TSX, which starts at $29,000. More photos below. 

Today, Kia officially announced pricing for its all new Soul hatchback which goes on sale this spring. A starting price of $13,300 before destination charges ($695) is considerably low, especially considering air conditioning is standard. Move up to a higher trim level and stability control is also standard. Mileage for all models is expected to be more than 30 mpg.

There are four trim levels with odd naming structures: Soul, Soul+, Soul! and Soul Sport. Each model adds more standard equipment and available options, which we break down below.

Compared to other cars on the market, the Soul is pretty inexpensive. It’s cheaper than the Scion xB ($15,750), Scion xD ($14,650), Chevy HHR ($18,720), Dodge Caliber ($16,210), Honda Fit ($14,750), Jeep Patriot ($17,290), Pontiac Vibe ($17,050 w/air), Suzuki SX4 hatchback ($15,939) and Toyota Matrix ($16,290). The closest competition is the Nissan Versa hatchback with A/C, which starts at $13,110. Most of these vehicles either don’t come with stability control or offer it as an added option.