2008’s most satisfying cars

Consumer Reports has just released their list of 2008’s most satisfying cars, and the results aren’t what I would have guessed! 

Topping the list (for the 5th year in a row so I guess that’s not TOO surprising!) is the:

Toyota Prius!

Ninety three percent of owners said they’d buy or lease another one.

A very close second was:

The Corvette Z06

Yes, more people would buy their Prius again than would buy their Z06 again. Still 92 percent of owners wouldn’t think twice about plunking down the cash for this American gem of a car that can beat a 911 Carerra and a Jaguar XK8 to 60. 

And coming in third…

The Mini Cooper Clubman

Hey, it’s kinda like a Suburban. Only smaller. And German. 

At the other end of the list is some sobering news: 20 of the 23 least satisfying vehicles were American. 

At the very bottom is the Jeep Commander, preceded by the Chevy Equinox, the Chevy Colorado and the GMC Canyon. 

Thank goodness Chevy still makes the Corvette!

What car do you drive, and would you buy it again?

-tgriffith

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Thinking about an SUV? Consider these!

Maybe the SUV doesn’t need to die.

There’s definitely less of a need for the Suburbans, Excursions and Sequoias of the world, but families still need to tow their toys, haul their kids and plow through snowstorms.  

Though these SUVs won’t tow yachts or carry a truckload of Home Depot supplies, they’re the ones that actually make some sense in a world where utility and practicality are coming into balance.

GMC Acadia

Its starting price of about $32K is the highest on the list, but it’s also arguably the most negotiable. The Acadia offers plenty of room for 8, has decent fuel economy for its size, and brings a nice amount of bling into your garage. This is a great choice for large families who need to go to Costco in a snowstorm on the way to the ski resort.

Volkswagen Tiguan

Starting around $23K, the Tiguan brings the lure of European style to the compact SUV class. The selling points are a turbo engine and awesome driving dynamics. This is the SUV for those who need one, but really LOVE to drive.

Subaru Tribeca

Starting around $30K, the Tribeca is the SUV for those who need one but place comfort well over driving dynamics. It’s serene and quiet while providing the peace of mind of strong all weather grip. (Somehow this Subaru is starting to look like a Chrysler, but at least it’s better than the previous B-9 Tribeca.)

Honda CR-V

Starting at around $22K, this is the SUV that wins the “Most True to its Name” award: the Comfortable Runabout Vehicle. Plus it has the added bonus of being nearly unstoppable in snow and ice.

Suzuki Grand Vitara

For SUV buyers looking for a real value, it’s hard to beat the Grand Vitara. Starting under $20K, it offers real off road ability, a 100K warranty, luxurious touches, attractive styling and defaults to RWD when not in 4WD mode. 

What’s YOUR perfect SUV?

-tgriffith

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INVASION! Of the hatchback

The Volvo C30: Coming to America

There are two kinds of cars America has loved in the last two decades: SUVs and cars with trunks.

Hatchbacks were just funky little novelties that Europeans loved.

Man, things can change quickly!

Look at all the hatchbacks popping up in America over the last couple model years. Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Suzuki SX4, Mini Cooper, Audi A3, VW GTI, Scion xD.

And check this out: according to a study by CNW Marketing Research, just over 20 percent of near-luxury buyers said they preferred a hatchback to a sedan or wagon. Yes, ‘near-luxury’ and hatchback were used in the same sentence!

As the market share of compact cars increases, the popularity of hatchbacks will also increase.

It’s been since the oil crisis of the 70s that hatchbacks have enjoyed this kind of popularity. Now that we’re in another oil crisis, the benefits of the versatile hatch are again being recognized. Only this time they are more luxurious, safer and much better built.

Europe on the other hand never escaped a gas crisis. When we were enjoying $1.30 gas, Europe was choking it down at $5 or more. It makes sense that the popularity of the hatch never waned on that side of the Atlantic.

The hatchback in America has been nothing more than a symbol of frugality in a time when we’ve been all about extravagance. Simply put.

Now reality is catching up to us, and it’s coming in the form of the hatchback.

Watch your dealerships friends, because new hatches are arriving from Europe in the form of the Ford Feista, Volvo C30 and more. Hopefully we’ll even get our chances at the Mercedes A Class and Honda Civic Type R.

There are even some exciting hatchbacks making their debut at the Paris Auto Show this week in the form of the Toyota Urban Cruiser, BMW X1 and Mini Crossover concept.

Americans: Are you on board with the coming invasion of the European hatchback?

Europeans: Do you love hatchbacks as much as Americans think you do?

-tgriffith

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Diesel chosen over hybrids as the alternative to gas-powered cars. CarGurus survey asks - what kind of car will you buy next?

46% of survey respondents chose alternative-fuel (non-gas) cars

Diesels (19% of respondents) outpace hybrids (14%) as the preferred alternative-fuel car.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 27 — CarGurus® (www.cargurus.com), a leading online automotive community, today announced the results of its survey of more than 4,200 automotive consumers worldwide. Forty-six percent of respondents said they plan to purchase an alternative-fuel car (hybrid, electric, diesel, or hydrogen) as their next car purchase. A greater percentage of consumers stated a preference for diesels (19%) than hybrid cars (14%).

Gasoline still the leader - but not by much
When asked what kind of car they intend to purchase next, 54% of respondents chose a gasoline car as their next purchase. A total of 46% of respondents stated a preference for a car other than gasoline only. In addition to diesels (19% of respondents) and hybrids (14%), 13% of respondents stated a preference for more cutting edge power sources – electric (6%) and hydrogen (7%).

Clean diesel – coming of age
“With the advent of clean diesels, consumers can now enjoy great gas mileage and not have to compromise on performance and comfort,” remarked Langley Steinert, CEO/co-founder of CarGurus. “Take, for example, the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Turbo diesel (TDI), which gets mileage figures not too far off those of the Toyota Prius (38 city/44 highway for the Jetta TDI vs. 48 city/45 highway for the Prius). For the same price as the Prius (about $22k MSRP), you get substantially better performance due to the higher torque of a diesel engine. In fact, you get about three times the amount of torque with a Jetta TDI – 236 lb-ft compared to only 82 lb-ft for the Prius. These are not your father’s diesels. They are quiet, smooth, and much cleaner than the old diesels we all remember.”

Survey Results
Across the CarGurus Network, 4,200 respondents answered the question: What kind of car are you going to buy next? Respondents answered as follows:

What kind of car are you going to buy next? (Total Votes = 4,200)

1. Regular gasoline powered car		54%
2. Diesel car		19%
3. Hybrid car		14%
4. Hydrogen car		7%
5. Electric car		6%

About CarGurus LLC
Located in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA, CarGurus LLC is a leading online automotive community founded by Langley Steinert and Nick Shanny, formerly co-founders of TripAdvisor LLC, the 3rd largest online travel site in the world. CarGurus’ founders, board, and investors bring a wealth of experience from such leading web companies as TripAdvisor, eBay, Expedia, and Yahoo. For more information about CarGurus, visit us at www.cargurus.com.

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