Ford Focus

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Hyundai joins rare auto club of seven with 1 milion yearly sales in 2011

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra has received its share of accolades. But it likely has just received its most significant honor — the lofty 1 million yearly sales plateau. According to a report on Forbes.com, when the final tallies are totaled the 2011 Hyundai Elantra will be the second-highest seller globally in 2011 with about 1.01 million units sold. The Toyota Corolla, sold under different nameplates throughout the world, remained the top worldwide seller, with about 10,00 more units sold in 2011 than the Hyundai Elantra. While reaching the 1 million in sales yearly total, the Hyundai Elantra joins six other vehicles that have also sold more than 1 million units in one year — Ford Model T, VW Beetle, Chevrolet

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Hyundai, Toyota shine among TheWeeklyDriver.com's 2011 Top-10 Cars

TheWeeklyDriver.com had its most successful year in 2011. We posted plenty of car news and automotive trends articles, and we incorporated a good supply of independently produced videos to complement the approximately 100 vehicles we reviewed. As editor and publisher of the site, I reviewed 29 cars and trucks in 2011. I drove more than a dozen other vehicles at press launches for several automakers, and I want to thank the nearly dozen manufacturers I worked with in 2011 for their continued support. Thanks also to Michael Dobrin Public Relations, Page One Automotive and STI Fleet, for their continued logistics and manufacturer liaison assistance. In July, I traveled to the Tour de France for the 13th time. There's no better

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Hyundai soars again with 2011 North American record sales for brand, Elantra

The near-exponential growth of Hyundai has become even more impressive as the South Korean manufacturer has reached 600,000 annual sales for the first time, while its most popular style, the Elantra, has also sold in record numbers. According to the carmaker, 261,331 Elantras have been sold in North American in 2011, compared to 151,735 in 2010 — a 43 percent increase. Hyundai has achieved sales year-over-year gains for 35 consecutive months. “Elantra has been an absolute phenomenon in the compact car segment,” says John Krafcik, Hyundai Motors America President and CEO. “In November, Elantra retail sales were up 37 percent, in spite of significant competition from all-new entries such as the Chevy Cruze, Ford Focus and Honda Civic.” All 2011

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BMW keeps streak, Honda, Ford get 2 spots on Car and Driver's 2012 Best Cars list

The BMW 3-Series extended its streak to 21 consecutive years while Honda and Ford landed two models each on Car and Driver magazine's 30th annual 10 Best Cars List. A total of 68 cars were eligible, all according the publication. For consideration, cars must be new or significantly updated from 2011 available by January 2012 and cost less than $80,000. "As in years past, the cars on this year's list represent the best overall vehicles on the market today," said Eddie Alterman, editor-in-chief, Car and Driver. "Out of 68 contenders, these are the ones that consistently perform the best, are a good value and are engaging, fun-to-drive vehicles." Of the BMW 3-Series, Car and Driver commented: "After 21 consecutive years

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LA Auto Show, 2011: BMW i8 Concept to Toyota Prius Plug-in

Fuel Efficiency and Green will be among automakers' key topics at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show — from entry level brands to high performance machines. As the first major North American auto show of the season, the 2011 L.A. Auto Show is scheduled Nov. 18-27 and will host some of the industry's most important new vehicle debuts. New entries into this fuel-efficient category include the Hyundai Veloster, the 2012 Kia Rio and the 2012 Mazda3 with SKYACTIV technology. Mazda's new SKYACTIV powertrain and chassis technologies will also be featured in the North American Debut of its all-new CX-5 crossover. BMW will introduce new, more-powerful, four-cylinder engine technology, but placed in popular performance cars-the Z4 and 528. Both boast improved

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Ford Focus Electric car launch postponed to 2012

After Ford CEO Alan Mulally revealed the new Ford Focus Electric car on The Late Show with David Letterman last week, new reports state the American automaker has postponed the release of its electric car to early 2012. The much awaited battery-electric vehicle (BEV) was expected to make its debut before 2012 in 19 US markets (Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, San Diego, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York, Orlando, Portland, Raleigh Durham, Richmond, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson and Washington, D.C.), but will now launch it only in the New York and California markets by the end of 2011. Reports state the delay in the launch is probably due to the fact that Ford wants to prevent any problems

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Hyundai Accent, Suzuki SX4 return to school with honors

Kelley Blue Book has announced its recommendations for the best cars for students going back to school, with the 2012 Hyundai Accent and 2007 Suzuki SX4 respectively receiving best new and used cars. The vehicles chosen were based on: safety, affordability, versatility, reliability, cost of ownership, fuel economy, aesthetics and driving fun factor. All cars had to be available for less than $18,000 using KBB’s pricing guide. The Best New Back To School car is the 2012 Hyundai Accent. According to KBB, “Like its bigger brothers the Sonata and Elantra, the 2012 Hyundai Accent appeals to a finely-tuned sense of value, putting a lot of equipment into a stylish, roomy package that competes more than favorably with competitors like the

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Hyundai Elantra, 2011: Sleek, handsomely sculptured

Introduced at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the newly designed 2011 Hyundai Elantra has attracted as much attention during its first six months in circulation as any car in the country. There was little wrong with the previous version of the Elantra other than its staid appearance. But all the criticism of the previous styling is likely gone now with the car’s fifth edition. Previous editions of the Elantra were often described as frumpy. But the new design is sleek and handsomely sculptured. The new Elantra has a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine matched to a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. The gas mileage averages have been tweaked, allowing the Elantra to join the select, small group of vehicles

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2011 Hyundai Elantra chosen best value in family ‘shootout’

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra has won a unique best value honor when matched among five compact cars that seat five, get more than 35 mpg and are priced at less than $20,000. The evaluation, conducted by the website Cars.com, revealed the Elantra earned the honors, according to the site’s editors, for its exterior and interior design as well as its smooth ride. “With unrelenting gas prices and continued economic uncertainty, our shootout couldn’t be timelier in terms of what car shoppers are looking for,” said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. “In fact, four of the five models that competed have been among dealer’s best sellers in April and May. To determine the winner of the shootout, experts from Cars.com and USA

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Toyota Corolla, 2011 car review

With its unparalleled legacy via sheer numbers, the Toyota Corolla stands alone in the automotive industry. Now well into its 40s, the Corolla is the biggest selling car in history (approaching 40 million), with one new Corolla sold somewhere in world about every 40 seconds. Now in its 10th edition, the car that received its name for the Latin word for crown may have reached its saturation point. Manufactured in 15 countries (but not the United States), the Corolla is facing increasingly difficult competition from several manufacturers thriving in the subcompact and compact car categories. They offer faster, more efficient and better equipment vehicles. Still, the Corolla nameplate, now around since 1966 globally and since 1968 in the United States,

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Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet lead 40 mpg new breed

Automakers a couple of years ago were directed to increase fuel efficiency by about eight miles per gallon between 2012 and 2016. A report on GreenCarReports.com expertly details the progress of the fuel efficiency improvement. The site reports in 2009 only one non-hybrid or non-diesel averaged at least 40 mpg — the 2009 Smart ForTwo. With 2011 and 2012 models, 10 non-hybrid, non-diesel cars available in the United States achieve a 40 mpg average. In part, this is what the wrote about the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco: “The Eco is one of the largest and heaviest cars in this group. But, at 42 mpg on the highway, also the most efficient. Key to fuel economy in most Cruzes is a

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Nissan Leaf Named Kelley Blue Book Green Car of 2011

Despite its miniscule fleet in the United States, the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle  has been named the top green vehicle of 2011 by Kelley Blue Book because of its “ground-breaking combination of range, room and price.” The Chevy Volt, an electric car with a range-extending gas engine finished second in the voting by the renowned car guide. Although there about 20,000 active reservations in the U.S. for the Nissan Leaf, less than 500 have been delivered via mechanical issues or the recent earthquake and Tsunami in Japan. Kelley Blue Book  labeled the Leaf as “the first electric car for the masses.” Here’s a list of the top 10 electric cars of 2011, according to Kelly Blue Book: 1. 2011 Nissan

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Ford Focus, 2012 car review

A small family car that debuted in North America in 2000, the Ford Focus is now in its third generation. Until the 2012 model year, the Focus was globally popular despite its underwhelming presence and lackluster overall performance. But the car’s status as a reliable, inexpensive choice has resulted in success. About 10 million Ford Focus vehicles have been sold globally since the Focus arrived Europe in July 1998. With its new styling, longer wheelbase and largely complete makeover, the Focus is gathering increased attention in an increasingly crowded market segment. The Weekly Driver Test Drive A solo, long trip that includes long stretches of open highway at an average speed above the speed limit, two climbs of a treacherous

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Nissan Versa leads top-10 cheapest new cars to own

The 2011 Nissan Versa is the least expensive car in the United States to own and operate for five years, according to a new report on the website of the business publication, Kiplinger. The five-year cost of ownership assessment, published on Kiglinger.com, includes the purchase price, down payment, interest on the car loan, insurance, depreciation, taxes and fees, fuel, service and repairs. The Versa and the other cars on the list are all compacts or subcompacts because, according to the report, “They tend to have the lowest market price, the best fuel economy, and reasonable insurance rates since premiums tend to rise with horsepower.” The Nissan Versa averages 26 mpg (city) and 34 mpg (highway), has six airbags standard, but

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Ford Focus, 2012 car review

The new, redesigned compact Ford Focus is a sleek, mildly Americanized version of Ford’s European Focus. Developed and tuned in Germany, it’s a big improvement over its dated predecessor. The new, tightly assembled Focus is a very early 2012 model that will be sold in many worldwide markets. It comes as a versatile sedan or hatchback. The “hatch” has the same 104.3-inch wheelbase as the sedan, but is 6.9 inches shorter. Both versions have wheels pulled to the far corners of the body for better ride and handling. Both versions provide decent cargo room. The rear seatbacks on most Focus models flip forward but are too thick to allow a completely flat cargo floor when moved forward. There’s good interior

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Honda Civic 2012 creates more buzz at Detroit Auto Show

The buzz around the 2012 Honda Civic concept has continued at the Detroit Auto Show, with the ninth generation of the fourth best-selling car in the United States giving the Japanese manufacturer hope of a sales resurgence. Honda has been a top-seller manufacturer for many years, particularly based on the stalwart category leaders Accord and Civic. But three Honda models — the CR-Z hybrid coupe, Accord Crosstour hatchback and Insight hybrid — all had disappointing sales in 2010. Honda also recently announced it’s discontinuing the Element, it’s boxy SUV. The new Civic, according to Honda, has been redesigned and will be offered with three different engines to compete with strong challengers, including General Motors’s Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and

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