I had a vague notion that the Dodge Journey would be a cheap, dull, and disappointing small crossover -- it was conceived five years ago during some of Chrysler Group's less successful years. I was pleasantly surprised, then, to drive the Journey and find it mature, stylish, and remarkably comfortable. Much credit goes to the Pentastar V-6, as excellent here as in any other new Chrysler vehicle; it provides ample power while remaining quiet and smooth. I really dig the LED taillights, and the interior (freshened for 2011) impressed me with its attractive materials and cool ambient lighting.

A California woman beat Honda in small-claims court last week, receiving nearly $10,000 in damages after getting lower-than-advertised fuel economy in her Civic Hybrid. Early next week, we may have a better idea of how many people intend to follow her lead.

A key deadline arrives Saturday that affects all U.S. residents who bought a Civic Hybrid between 2003 and 2009. Those owners are considered part of a class-action lawsuit regarding the fuel-economy issue - unless they opt out of the case by Saturday.

Owners who opt out will not be entitled to the expected settlement of up to $200 and a coupon off their next Honda purchase. But opting out preserves their right to go it alone in court, as Heather Peters did, and seek a more substantial payout.

In order to opt out, owners must send a certified letter to the settlement administrator postmarked no later than tomorrow. More information can be found at hchsettlement.com.

Automakers, legal experts and consumer-rights advocates are all keeping an eye on what happens in the class-action suit, both in terms of how the case is settled and how many people forego a smaller settlement with the intent of filing individual cases.

Key deadline arrives Saturday in Honda Civic Hybrid lawsuit originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There's a slew of vehicles that get over 40 miles per gallon. That car (the GT) is a little bit heavier. It's got a bit more stuff on it so we had a sense that it was going to be a challenge to get to 40, but the difference between 39 and 40 is two percent, it's not a whole heck of a lot.

Hyundai CEO: Elantra GT's 39 mpg is "pretty good" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There's a slew of vehicles that get over 40 miles per gallon. That car (the GT) is a little bit heavier. It's got a bit more stuff on it so we had a sense that it was going to be a challenge to get to 40, but the difference between 39 and 40 is two percent, it's not a whole heck of a lot.

Hyundai CEO: Elantra GT's 39 mpg is "pretty good" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

January is usually a slump month for all kinds of retail businesses, and automobile sales in January 2012 reflected the usual post-Christmas malaise. Mainstream news outlets were offering two narratives: Overall sales were up compared to January of 2011, and the Big Three are scoring big numbers. (Some reservations were made for GM, which saw a number of products stall.) You’ll have to pardon us for not diving headfirst into the euphoria, though. Estimates released this week show that the growth was largely driven by fleet sales, which increased a whopping 25 percent for the combined overall sales of the biggest seven automakers in the U.S. versus last January. GM, Chrysler, and Toyota were the worst offenders. As for the rest of the market, read on.

Halftime in America, Half Built in America

Date on which Chrysler first aired its new “Halftime in America” TV ad: 2/5
Date on which Republican strategist Karl Rove criticized the ad for being pro-Obama: 2/6
No. of shares of stock the U.S. government currently holds in Chrysler: 0
Total number of vehicles sold in the U.S. in January 2012: 913,284
Percentage of autos sold in January 2012 that were built in North America: 78
Minimum percentage of autos sold in January 2012 that were built in the U.S.: 51

What the numbers reveal: More than half of the cars and trucks Americans buy were in fact built in the States—but not much more than half. Regardless of anyone’s take on Chrysler’s ad, millions of vehicles are built here every year and the auto industry is still an enormous part of the U.S. economy. Are we de-industrializing? Not yet.

Mainstreaming VW

Sales of all Volkswagens in the U.S. in January 2012: 27,209
Sales of the Toyota Camry in the U.S. in January 2012: 28,295
Date on which Volkswagen sold its first Tennessee-made Passat: September 12, 2011
No. of Passats Volkswagen originally said it would build per year in Tennessee: 150,000
No. of Passats built in Tennessee as of February 7, 2012: 50,000
Percentage by which Volkswagen just announced that it will boost capacity: 13

What the numbers reveal: Volkswagen will trumpet its gains every month—it certainly sounds impressive to say sales are up 47.9 percent—but in absolute numbers, the company still is far behind heavy hitters like Toyota (108,731 in January) and Chevrolet (123,864). We can’t look past the company’s new, almost brazen insistence that it’s going to become a major player in the U.S. Some weep for the loss of the previous-gen, MkV Jetta, but sales of the Novocain-injected bar of soap now wearing the Jetta badge have so outpaced those of its predecessor that VW’s decision is virtually beyond criticism. Passat production is similarly exploding, and the automaker can’t keep up with demand. Think that’s impressive? Just wait until the three-row SUV debuts within the next few years.

Turbos Lag

Combined sales of the 10 bestselling vehicles in January 2012: 226,003
Portion of total vehicle sales for January 2012 that represents: 1 in 4
No. of the top 10 bestsellers that offer turbocharged gasoline engines: 1

What the numbers reveal: Downsizing and turbocharging is the undeniable trend, so many folks say. In many ways, they’re right: Both the number of models that offer turbocharged variants and the total volume of turbocharged cars sold here are growing rapidly. But in many of these cases, the turbocharged engine replaces an optional, larger naturally aspirated engine. (For just one example, see the new Ford Fusion.) Base engines in mainstream cars are still for the most part naturally aspirated—and those are still the most popular models. Ford’s EcoBoost V-6 (pictured above) has been a surprisingly popular choice in the F-150, however, accounting for more than a third of sales some months.

The Mitsubishi Galant Still Exists—Sort Of

Mitsubishi Galant sales in January 2012: 1727
GMC Yukon: 2022
Chevy Captiva Sport, which is only sold to fleets: 2261
Toyota Venza: 2460
Hyundai Genesis: 2291
Nissan Frontier: 3782
Mercedes-Benz C-class: 6525

What the numbers reveal: The Mitsubishi Galant competes in the critical and high-volume family-sedan segment; it isn’t scheduled to be killed until 2013, but it seems shoppers think that has already happened. The automaker is in serious trouble in the U.S.

Lincoln Takes a Beatin’

Number of Lincoln models offered during the past year: 6
Number of body styles in which the BMW 3-series is available: 4
No. of months during the past 12 in which the 3-series outsold the Lincoln brand: 11
Approx. cost to renovate a Lincoln showroom, which Ford is recommending: $1 million
Percentage of that cost Ford will reimburse dealers: 50

What the numbers reveal: The blue oval’s execs can talk themselves blue in the face about Lincoln dealers needing to provide a premium experience, both in terms of facilities and customer service. But the bottom line is that the product isn’t there. Lincoln doesn’t necessarily need to take on the 3-series—the entry sports-sedan segment is too crowded to scrape up meaningful sales—but the brand does, however, need cars that people actually want to buy. The MKZ concept, which debuted at the Detroit auto show last month, didn’t bowl people over, and its stylish Ford Fusion sibling is likely to nab more than a few potential MKZ customers. You can read more about Lincoln’s future product plans in our feature story here.

Tortoise photo by William Warby, Flickr

Americans aren’t fat because of high-fructose corn syrup, stress related to overly competitive work environments, or a sixth sense for locating the world’s finest couches; we posit that the extra pounds are sympathy weight. Our poor cars are so heavy, and we love them so much, that we go ahead and finish that 24-ounce porterhouse and, okay, it’s already an unhealthy meal, might as well have dessert, too.

Keep Reading: 2012 Toyota Prius C – First Drive Review

Continue reading New vehicles 14% more fuel efficient than four years ago

New vehicles 14% more fuel efficient than four years ago originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading New vehicles 14% more fuel efficient than four years ago

New vehicles 14% more fuel efficient than four years ago originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tesla just introduced its new Model X Concept at its headquarters in Palo Alto, California, in front of over 1000 attendants. The car is an all-electric crossover that will join the Roadster and the Model S as the third model in Tesla’s range, and has been described by its maker as ‘more responsive’ than a Porsche 911 and ‘roomier’ than an Audi Q7.

The Model X is powered by the same electric powertrain of the Model S and it can be coupled to a battery packages of 40, 60 or 85 kWh, that would provide the model with a range between 145 and 270 miles (233 and 435 km), thereby a good 10% less than the Model S. The Model X is also the first model to adopt Tesla’s Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive system, which provides for two extra electric motors giving the car a proper 4-wheel drive traction.

Design-wise, the car sports a quite captivating curvy dome and an interesting an innovative “Falcon Wing” rear doors opening system, a new take on the classic gullwing-doors concept. According to Tesla, this configuration will allow for an easier access to the rear seats. The cabin in fact can host up to seven people over three rows, and offers the same sort of electronic trickery that can be found on the Model S as well, but with better finishing. At the moment the Tesla Model S is still a prototype, but the definitive version of the car is already scheduled to enter the market in early 2013.

View the full Tesla Model X Concept photo gallery