Ford Focus

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Consumer Reports to Sean P. Diddy Combs: Cars for young drivers

Sean P. Diddy Combs recently attracted a lot of attention when he gave his son a new Lamborghini valued at $360,000 for his 16th birthday. The presentation was held in front of MTV cameras and a celebrity crowd gathered in New York in part for a Haiti relief fundraiser. Consumer Reports didn’t pass judgment on Combs’ actions. Instead, it compiled a list of cars it has determined as “appropriate for young drivers.” In part of story detailing its selection, the Consumer Reports’ reporter wrote: “We did not consider cars with 0-to-60-mph acceleration times faster than 8 seconds or slower than 11 seconds, those with braking distances longer than 145 ft. in dry conditions, or those with mediocre emergency-handling scores. Many

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Ford Mustang Tops List Of Young Drivers' Most Wanted Cars

ForbesAuto.com, in its long article written by John Adams, is quick to explain vehicles purchased by car buyers under age 21 represent only 1.2 percent of all new car sales. Nevertheless, it’s interesting]]> to examine young car buyers’ habits, particularly considering 3.2 million kids in the United States have or will graduate from high school this year. Nine of out the top-10 (and ties) favorites among young car buyers are automobiles priced under $20,000. Ford has three cars on the list, Volkswagen, Toyota and Honda are represented twice. Jeep, Dodge and Chevrolet have one selection each. 10. Volkswagen Jetta; 9. Dodge Charger; 8 (tie) Jeep Wrangler, Ford F-150; 7. (tie) Ford Focus, Chevrolet Impala; 6. Toyota Corolla; 5. 2009 Toyota

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Safety Institute Determines 2007 Buick Rendezvous Most Dangerous Car In Crashes

The IIHS evaluates automobile safety via front and side-impact protection, stability control and rollover risk. The four-door Rendezvous had an abysmal three-star (out of five) NHTSA frontal impact rating. The 2008 Buick Enclave, a crossover SUV with a full roster of standard safety equipment, replaced it. Here’s the list of the most dangerous cars to be in during a car crash in 2007, according to IIHS. It’s an organization that represents the interests of the insurance industry. 1. Buick Rendezvous SUV 2. Ford Ranger/Mazda B-Series 3. Nissan Frontier 4. Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner 5. Toyota Yaris 6. Hyundai Accent 7. Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe 8. Kia Rio 9. Chevrolet Aveo 10. Suzuki Reno/Forenza 11. Ford Focus 12. Jeep Liberty 13. Dodge Dakota

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Suzuki Aerio, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

It’s also likely a safe assumption that many car buyers still can’t afford a $30,000 vehicle. Suppose, for example, a new car buyer has only $15,000 to spend. What’s available? And what’s a prudent purchase in the price range? One good choice is the 2006 Suzuki Aerio SX. The 4-door economy wagon has a lot to offer. With every available option, the vehicle’s price is only slightly more than half the national average of a new vehicle. My test drive for the week was the four-cylinder, 155-horsepower Aerio with a five-speed manual transmission. The vehicle’s standard features alone warrant a long look for economy shoppers: air conditioning, power windows/locks/mirrors, tilt steering wheel, AM/FM/6-CD changer and split folding rear seats. For

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Suzuki Reno, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Average price or luxury price, it makes little different. A new vehicle approaching $30,000 still far exceeds many budgets. But what if the benefits of a new warranty are appealing and a consumer has less than half of the average new car price available? One decent option is the Suzuki Reno. It’s  not as well known as most of its competitors, most notably the Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus and Honda Civic. But during my weekly test drive, the South Korean manufacturer’s four-door compact not only provided solid transportation, but it did so with surprising responsiveness, good comfort and good overall functionality. The Reno is a basic vehicle, and I don’t want to give the wrong impression. There are reasons the

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