Ford Escape

Toyota Prius tops Kelley Blue Book 'Green Car' list for 2010

“To be considered for the green Top 10, each vehicle was required to offer fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions superior to the bulk of vehicles in its class and at the same time provide all the safety, creature comforts and driving enjoyment that would make it pleasant to own,” explain Kelley Blue Book. “So while the top 10 green vehicles are listed in order from most fuel-efficient to least fuel-efficient, fuel ratings weren’t the sole reason for inclusion on the list. The 2010 Chevrolet Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, No. 10, is the least fuel-efficient vehicle chosen with No. 9 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. But it has a combined fuel economy of 22 mpg, but the 5,900-pound vehicle has good room for

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BMW, Ford, Honda, Volvo, Toyota among cars gone to the dogs

More precisely, the AAA has selected its newest list of 11 cars in six lifestyle categories that dog owners prefer when transporting their pets. According to the AAA, 45 million households in the United States have a dog and more than 80 percent of dog owners take their best friend with them when they run errands or drive their cars for leisure. “There several vehicles with features that can help keep pets safe, comfortable and easy to clean-up after while also addressing other driver desires such as sportiness, adventure or luxury,” said John Nielsen, AAA National Director of Auto Repair and Buying Services. The AAA’s experts drove and reviewed hundreds of vehicles and compiled a list of their top car

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Gas mileage by the numbers: 15 most fuel-efficient 2010 cars

But EPA city and hwy mileage average are the most prominent numbers listed on an manufacturer’s monroney sticker. Someone purchasing a Hummer is as interested in the numbers as someone buying a Honda Insight, but odds are they’ll still look at the averages. All things considered, here are top 15 most fuel efficient cars, ranked in increasingly efficient order based on city mpg. 15. The Hyundai Elantra Blue (manual), MPG: 26 city, 35 highway Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $14,145; 14. Mini Cooper (manual) MPG: 28 city, 37 highway; MSRP: $19,500. 13. Toyota Yaris (manual), MPG: 29 city, 36 highway; MSRP: $12,905; 12 (tie): Volkswagen Jetta TDI (manual) MPG: 30 city, 41 highway, MSRP: $22,830; 12. Volkswagen Golf TDI (manual), MPG:

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2011 Ford Explorer: Revamped SUV plans helps manufacturer create 1,200 jobs in Chicago

Providing another key example of the rebounding automotive industry, Ford Motor Company will create 1,200 jobs in its Chicago, Ill., plant to help facilitate the production later this year of the revamped 2011 Ford Explorer. “Tomorrow, in one day, we’re going to get 1,200 new jobs for Illinois,” Illinois Governor Pat Quinn told the Associated Press. According to several news reports, Ford wants the new Explorer to become “greener.” The fuel economy of the Explorer will increase and CO2 emissions should be reduced by as much as 25 percent. The Explorer is an integral part of Ford’s lineup. But it’s no longer the sales magnet of yesteryear. During the SUV boom in 2000, the Explorer had sales of 445,000, and

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Nissan Versa (2009), Ford Escape (2005) Among Cars.com Best Used Cars For About $10,000

In the writers’ words: “Whether it’s a weekday commuter or a Saturday grocery-getter, drivers need their set of wheels, but the average price of a new car — $28,929 including financing, according to Comerica Bank’s latest Auto Affordability Index — is awfully high for many people. “Not to worry; we’ve singled out some good buys for you. With reliability, safety and bottom-dollar value in mind, we looked at new and late-model used cars whose retail values hover around $10,000. We crunched reliability and crash-test scores. We considered standard and optional safety features and looked at how easy it is to find cars with those options. Finally, we considered gas mileage along with our own qualitative impressions — things such as

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Edmunds.com unveils recommended cars, trucks for 2010

The guide contains Edmunds.com’s Top Recommended Vehicles — shopping lists for consumers interested in any market segment. Another section of the guide, What You Should Know before Buying, provides valuable segment-specific guidance no car shopper should miss. “You’re ready to buy a new vehicle, but how do you go about narrowing down the choices?” Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief of Edmunds.com asked. “Consumers can really use a friend in this overwhelming process; our buying guides give them the benefit of our extensive experience testing and researching every car on the market.” Here are Edmunds.com top recommended vehicles for 2010: Sedans Under $15,000 —- Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra Under $20,000 —- Mazda MAZDA3, Suzuki Kizashi, Ford Fusion Under $25,000 —- Honda

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Honda, Toyota dominate Kelley Blue Book car searches in 2009

Honda has the top two searches with the Accord and Civic and also the fourth position with the Honda CR-V. Toyota has four spots in the top 10 and Nissan has one position. American manufacturers combined for only five spots among the top-20 most search cars on KBB.com. Ford and Chevrolet each had two vehicles represent, but Chrysler wasn’t represented. The Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry (in varying orders each year) have been the top three most-researched new vehicles on kbb.com each year since 2004. The top-20 cars researched in 2009 in KBB.com: 1. Honda Accord; 2. Honda Civic; 3. Toyota Camry; 4. Honda CR-V; 5. Toyota Corolla; 6. Toyota RAV4; 7. Toyota Highlander; 8. Toyota Prius; 9.

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Ford Escape Hybrid, 2010: The Weekly Driver Car Review

A hybrid sport utility vehicle? About six years ago, the idea still seemed outrageous. But then the Ford Escape hybrid debuted. Skeptics sneered. But now SUV hybrids are plentiful from several manufacturers. In other words, there’s competition for the Ford Escape, even if some of the competition remains from Ford via the very similar Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute. The Escape hybrid is a “full” hybrid electric system, meaning the system can switch automatically between pure electric power, pure gasoline engine power or a combination of electric battery and gasoline engine operating together. That means  maximum performance and efficiency. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Inclement weather or off-road treks are always good ways to test an SUV. I didn’t do

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Hybrid, eco-friendly, 'green cars' now mainstream

Today, owning an eco-friendly car has become mainstream—the same family down the street may still have their odd-looking hybrid, but the fraternity now includes soccer moms, bank executives and college students. Here are five distinct eco-friendly cars to consider: SmartCar: The ultra-compact ForTwo two-seater, built by a division of Mercedes Benz, was first distributed in foreign markets in 1998. Just shy of nine feet long, and slightly more than five feet wide, the ForTwo has a three-cylinder, 70-horsepower engine, and gas (premium recommended) mileage averages of 33 mpg. (city) and 41 mpg. (highway). It’s available nationwide at about seventy Mercedes Benz and stand-alone dealerships, including locations in Stockton and Sacramento. Base price range: $11,590-$16,950. Final words: Forget cargo space, but

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Ford Escape, 2009: Weidel on Wheels

When Ford unveiled the Escape eight years ago it offered an extremely functional compact sport utility vehicle, and it was an instant hit. The Escape had impressive sales for the next several years, but Ford made a giant tactical error. It didn’t offer any major improvements, and competition grew and gained ground. Realizing significant changes were overdue, Ford authorized a redesign in 2008. There were plenty of positives, including a tougher-looking exterior, enhanced performance and improved ride capability. While the Escape’s changes are good, more consumers are turning to less expensive and more gas-friendly SUVs. And the choices are many, including the Toyota RAV4, Saturn Vue, Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan and Suzuki Grand Vitara. Put the Escape in top tier

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Toyota Prius (again) tops most fuel efficient cars for 2010

Nine of the top-10 most fuel efficient vehicles in the U.S. are hybrids. The agency, which sets guidelines and gives estimated fuel costs and mileage standards each year in its Fuel Economy Guide, released the following EPA ratings for 2010 models: 1. Toyota Prius, 51 mpg city/48 mpg highway; 2. Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan, 41/36; 3. Honda Civic Hybrid, 40/45; 4. Honda Insight (hybrid), 40/43; 5. Lexus HS250h (hybrid), 35/34; 6. Nissan Altima Hybrid, 35/33; 7. Ford Escape Hybrid FWD, Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD, Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD, 34/31; 8. Smart fortwo Cabriolet (automatic) Smart fortwo Coupe (automatic), 33/41; 9. Toyota Camry Hybrid, 33/34 10. Lexus RX450h (hybrid, 2WD), 32/28. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45

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President Barack Obama's new Cadillac limo: Options include shotguns and extra blood

The accompany image “speaks volumes.” President Obama will be transported in the limousine by a Secret Service driver, another long-standing U.S. tradition. President Obama currently owns a Ford Escape hybrid, and the Ebay auction for his soon-to-be previous car, a 2005 Chrysler 300C, is scheduled to end today. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to

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Cars of Presidents & Candidates: Roosevelt to Clinton, Obama to McCain

The top-10 most interesting cars list coincides with what’s among the most historic presidential elections. Hagerty Insurance researched the personal vehicles of America’s past presidents and current candidates and selected one car for each individual most attention-grabbing for his time. The result is a fun and informative look at what drives American presidents or what American presidents (and candidates) drive. 1. William Taft (1909-1913): Baker Electric — Taft was the first president to own and drive cars during his presidency. One of the most interesting cars he owned was, ironically enough, “green” — a Baker Electric. This electric vehicle was especially popular with women in the era, as it did not require any cranking and was virtually maintenance-free. 2. Franklin

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Toyota Prius, VW Jetta Top Only 15 Cars In U.S. Averaging At Least 30 mpg

Chevrolet (Cobalt, Aero) and Honda (Civic hybrid and Fit) each have two vehicles on the list. Six of the vehicles are hybrids and the total of 15 are the only new offerings in the United States averaging more than 30 mpg in combined driving averages. Here’s the list in deceasing order, with city, highway and combined gas mileage averages listed: Toyota Prius (hybrid, 2008, (combined 46 miles per gallon); Honda Civic (hybrid), 40/46, 42 mpg combined; Smart Fortwo, 2008, 33/41, 36 mpg combined; Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 2009, 30/41, 34 mpg combined; Nissan Altima (hybrid), 35/33, 34 mpg combined; Toyota Camry (hybrid), 33/34, 34 mpg combined; Mini Cooper, 2008, 28/37 32 mpg combined; Toyota Yaris, 2008 29/36, 32 mpg combined; Ford

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Hybrids Rule: 2008's Top Five, Chevy Malibu to Ford Escape (Part 1)

Depending upon one’s perspective, either a lot or not much changed in hybrid cars until 1997. That’s when Toyota debuted the Prius only to car buyers in Japan. A decade later, the automotive industry is fully engrossed in the world of hybrid and other alternatively powered cars. The Prius remains at the forefront of the industry, accounting for about half of 350,000 hybrids sold in the United States in 2007. But while the high-mileage Toyota dominates the market, an ever-expanding array of manufacturers know there’s plenty of room for everyone. Less than three percent of new cars sold in the country last year were hybrids. As such, economy to luxury, sedans to pickup trucks, more than 65 hybrid choices will

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Mazda Tribute Hybrid, 2008: Weidel on Wheels

Confused about the differences between the Ford Escape and the Mazda Tribute? Don’t be. They are essentially the same vehicle. And if two options aren’t enough, how about three, with a hybrid model? The Mercury Mariner is a close relative to the Tribute and Escape. The Tribute made up some ground in 2008 joining the Escape and Mariner by adding a hybrid option. Other than the Mazda badge, its two-tone coloring scheme and a couple of small styling differences, the Tribute and the Escape are identical. Yes, the hybrid market continues to multiply, with the Tribute among the new 2008 additions. Although too late for any breaks on this year’s taxes, a hybrid purchase means a $3,000 federal tax credit

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