Here come the hybrids, subcompacts
#1
05-10-2006, 12:58 PM
Here come the hybrids, subcompacts
Here come the hybrids, subcompacts
Royal Ford
The Boston Globe
May 7, 2006
With gasoline prices topping $3 a gallon, Jonathan Jackson knew what he wanted in his first new car: fuel efficiency, safety, and sporting fun.
On Wednesday, the 18-year-old Lynn resident picked up a <org idsrc="NYSE" value="HMC">Honda</org> Fit, one of the new breed of hot subcompact cars. It runs on a standard gasoline-powered engine and gets about 34 miles per gallon.
Jackson could also have bought a hybrid, which uses electricity to assist a gas engine and can deliver 40 to 50 miles per gallon. A third, increasingly popular fuel-efficient option available in other parts of the country -- diesel-powered versions of passenger cars and SUVs -- doesn't yet comply with Massachusetts' environmental standards.
Nationwide, more varieties of vehicles featuring improved gas mileage are being made than ever before. At least 10 subcompact models have been introduced or will soon be available, and some of the largest and most luxurious new vehicles will have hybrid or diesel options.
But it's not because automakers reacted rapidly to rising prices at the pumps. Some of them were ready for this day years ago.
Hybrid technology was developed in the 1990s in Asia, where gasoline sells for about $4 per gallon. And more than half the cars sold in Europe, where gasoline tops $5 per gallon, are diesels. So when prices in the United States started to skyrocket last fall, foreign automakers were well-positioned to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles, just as they did during the oil crisis of the 1970s. And domestic companies, once again, are playing catch-up.
''It's serendipity, like in the '70s," <org idsrc="NYSE" value="TM">Toyota</org> spokesman Wade Hoyt said of the recent launch of Toyota's new subcompact, the Yaris. ''Nobody knew when it was being developed it would hit the market just as gasoline hit $3 per gallon."
Across the United States, registrations for new hybrid vehicles rose 139 percent, from 83,204 in 2004 to 199,148 last year, according to <org idsrc="other-OTC" value="POLL">R. L. Polk & Co.</org>, the automotive ****ysis and marketing firm. Another Polk study indicated that from 2000 to 2005, light-duty diesel registrations (excluding pickup trucks and large SUVs) rose from 22,543 to 44,031, and that there are about 179,000 light diesels on the road.
Manufacturers of the new subcompacts expect to sell at least 30,000 of each model annually. But American car companies are not well positioned to leap into the market, said Erich Merkle, director of forecasting for automotive consultants IRN Inc.
The 250,000 subcompacts sold annually in the United States before the current upward trend have been ''pretty much all foreign," he said. The country's ''Big Three" manufacturers have been so dependent on profitable SUVs and pickup trucks that ''they really aren't prepared" to churn out more small cars. Merkle pointed out <org idsrc="NYSE" value="GBM;GM;GMH;GMW;GXM;HGM;RGM;XGM">General Motors's</org> subcompact offering, the Chevrolet Aveo, is actually a Daewoo, built in South Korea. In general, US automakers are still ''looking at" the market, Merkle said, meaning that production is at least five years away.
For small cars, medium size sedans, and diesels, fuel efficiency is generally defined as 30 miles per gallon and higher. Overall, gasoline-powered cars average in the lows 20s. For hybrids, 40 miles per gallon and up is the standard, while most SUVs linger in the mid- to high-teens.
There are some caveats attached to fuel efficiency.
Critics question whether subcompact cars are safe, even as automakers, particularly Honda, Kia, and Hyundai, equip them with standard airbags in the front, sides, and side-curtains.
Hybrids and diesels cost $1,500 to $5,000 more than similar models with gas engines, and there is debate about whether the money can be recouped through fuel savings, even though diesel and hybrid buyers are eligible for tax breaks of up to $3,400.
Diesel fuel, while typically 20 to 40 percent more efficient than gasoline, is still not as clean, raising environmental concerns. Besides Massachusetts, diesels are banned in California, New York, Maine, and Vermont -- states that also have environmental regulations more stringent than federal standards. Massachusetts bans diesel vehicles built beginning with model year 2004 that weigh less than 8,500 pounds and have fewer than 7,500 miles on their odometers, yet allows less efficient, older diesels to be registered. But diesel fuel is being made cleaner, said David Friedman, research director for clean vehicles for the Cambridge-based Union of Concerned Scientists, and could become ''a good option by the end of the decade."
Some say that's already the case.
''Today's clean diesel is not your father's diesel," said Chris Cashman, spokesman for the Diesel Technology Forum. The puff of black smoke some still associate with diesel engines is usually emitted from older models, many of which have been on the road for at least two decades because they can run for 300,000 miles or more.
The concerns about hybrids are not environmental. Some owners worry that the cars' expensive battery packs (about $5,000) could fail, though there have been no such reports. In cold weather, projected mileage of 50 to 60 miles per gallon often drops by 10 or more miles, and some hybrids seem to boost horsepower instead of cutting fuel consumption.
Yet the spread of hybrid technology appears inexorable. Toyota, which just passed Chrysler as the third largest auto manufacturer in the US market, is adding the option to almost every vehicle in its lineup. SUVs, pickup trucks, small cars, midsize staples such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and even luxury sedans are going hybrid. Dodge will soon introduce a hybrid Durango SUV, and three companies that have lagged in the technology -- <org idsrc="NYSE" value="DCX">DaimlerChrysler</org>, General Motors, and BMW -- have formed a group to develop a shared hybrid system.
Among the recent crop of small, gasoline-powered cars, the hottest appear to be Honda's Fit and the Toyota Yaris. Both have already been sold for several years in Europe and Asia, sometimes under different names. For instance, the Fit Jackson bought at Herb Chambers Honda in Burlington is called the Jazz in Europe.
Jonathan Jackson, 18, of Lynn bought his Honda Fit, a subcompact car that runs on a standard gasoline-powered engine and gets about 34 miles per gallon. US automakers are also rolling out hybrids and diesel-powered vehicles.
No matter what name it goes by, ''good gas mileage was the big thing," Jackson said of his decision to buy one.
Honda sold 3,792 Fits in the first 10 days after its launch on April 20, leaving ''bare shelves," said spokesman Chris Naughton. Based on the company's projected annual sales of about 38,000, it was a strong debut.
The Civic, Honda's staple model, has also shown a recent spike in sales that coincided with escalating gas prices. In the first four months of this year, 109,738 Civics were sold, compared to about 90,000 in the same period last year. But there is competition for Honda and Toyota. Kia is pushing its Rio, Nissan has the subcompact Versa, Chevrolet is preparing to launch the Aveo, Dodge is offering the Caliber, and Hyundai has its Accent. All of them stress fuel efficiency.
As for diesel vehicles, many ****ysts and even environmental advocates say their widespread success in other countries will eventually spread to the United States.
Hybrid technology was developed in the 1990s in Asia, where gasoline sells for about $4 per gallon. And more than half the cars sold in Europe, where gasoline tops $5 per gallon, are diesels. So when prices in the United States started to skyrocket last fall, foreign automakers were well-positioned to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles, just as they did during the oil crisis of the 1970s. And domestic companies, once again, are playing catch-up.
''It's serendipity, like in the '70s," <org idsrc="NYSE" value="TM">Toyota</org> spokesman Wade Hoyt said of the recent launch of Toyota's new subcompact, the Yaris. ''Nobody knew when it was being developed it would hit the market just as gasoline hit $3 per gallon."
Across the United States, registrations for new hybrid vehicles rose 139 percent, from 83,204 in 2004 to 199,148 last year, according to <org idsrc="other-OTC" value="POLL">R. L. Polk & Co.</org>, the automotive ****ysis and marketing firm. Another Polk study indicated that from 2000 to 2005, light-duty diesel registrations (excluding pickup trucks and large SUVs) rose from 22,543 to 44,031, and that there are about 179,000 light diesels on the road.
Manufacturers of the new subcompacts expect to sell at least 30,000 of each model annually. But American car companies are not well positioned to leap into the market, said Erich Merkle, director of forecasting for automotive consultants IRN Inc.
The 250,000 subcompacts sold annually in the United States before the current upward trend have been ''pretty much all foreign," he said. The country's ''Big Three" manufacturers have been so dependent on profitable SUVs and pickup trucks that ''they really aren't prepared" to churn out more small cars. Merkle pointed out <org idsrc="NYSE" value="GBM;GM;GMH;GMW;GXM;HGM;RGM;XGM">General Motors's</org> subcompact offering, the Chevrolet Aveo, is actually a Daewoo, built in South Korea. In general, US automakers are still ''looking at" the market, Merkle said, meaning that production is at least five years away.
For small cars, medium size sedans, and diesels, fuel efficiency is generally defined as 30 miles per gallon and higher. Overall, gasoline-powered cars average in the lows 20s. For hybrids, 40 miles per gallon and up is the standard, while most SUVs linger in the mid- to high-teens.
There are some caveats attached to fuel efficiency.
Critics question whether subcompact cars are safe, even as automakers, particularly Honda, Kia, and Hyundai, equip them with standard airbags in the front, sides, and side-curtains.
Hybrids and diesels cost $1,500 to $5,000 more than similar models with gas engines, and there is debate about whether the money can be recouped through fuel savings, even though diesel and hybrid buyers are eligible for tax breaks of up to $3,400.
Diesel fuel, while typically 20 to 40 percent more efficient than gasoline, is still not as clean, raising environmental concerns. Besides Massachusetts, diesels are banned in California, New York, Maine, and Vermont -- states that also have environmental regulations more stringent than federal standards. Massachusetts bans diesel vehicles built beginning with model year 2004 that weigh less than 8,500 pounds and have fewer than 7,500 miles on their odometers, yet allows less efficient, older diesels to be registered.
But diesel fuel is being made cleaner, said David Friedman, research director for clean vehicles for the Cambridge-based Union of Concerned Scientists, and could become ''a good option by the end of the decade."
Some say that's already the case.
''Today's clean diesel is not your father's diesel," said Chris Cashman, spokesman for the Diesel Technology Forum. The puff of black smoke some still associate with diesel engines is usually emitted from older models, many of which have been on the road for at least two decades because they can run for 300,000 miles or more.
The concerns about hybrids are not environmental. Some owners worry that the cars' expensive battery packs (about $5,000) could fail, though there have been no such reports. In cold weather, projected mileage of 50 to 60 miles per gallon often drops by 10 or more miles, and some hybrids seem to boost horsepower instead of cutting fuel consumption.
Yet the spread of hybrid technology appears inexorable. Toyota, which just passed Chrysler as the third largest auto manufacturer in the US market, is adding the option to almost every vehicle in its lineup. SUVs, pickup trucks, small cars, midsize staples such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and even luxury sedans are going hybrid. Dodge will soon introduce a hybrid Durango SUV, and three companies that have lagged in the technology -- <org idsrc="NYSE" value="DCX">DaimlerChrysler</org>, General Motors, and BMW -- have formed a group to develop a shared hybrid system.
Among the recent crop of small, gasoline-powered cars, the hottest appear to be Honda's Fit and the Toyota Yaris. Both have already been sold for several years in Europe and Asia, sometimes under different names. For instance, the Fit Jackson bought at Herb Chambers Honda in Burlington is called the Jazz in Europe. No matter what name it goes by, ''good gas mileage was the big thing," Jackson said of his decision to buy one.
Honda sold 3,792 Fits in the first 10 days after its launch on April 20, leaving ''bare shelves," said spokesman Chris Naughton. Based on the company's projected annual sales of about 38,000, it was a strong debut.
The Civic, Honda's staple model, has also shown a recent spike in sales that coincided with escalating gas prices. In the first four months of this year, 109,738 Civics were sold, compared to about 90,000 in the same period last year.
But there is competition for Honda and Toyota. Kia is pushing its Rio, Nissan has the subcompact Versa, Chevrolet is preparing to launch the Aveo, Dodge is offering the Caliber, and Hyundai has its Accent. All of them stress fuel efficiency.
As for diesel vehicles, many ****ysts and even environmental advocates say their widespread success in other countries will eventually spread to the United States.
For instance, diesel accounted for more than half of the Volkswagens sold in Canada last year, but just 7.2 percent in the United States. This year, the company's US diesel sales have climbed to 13.7 percent.
Jeep's Liberty diesel also has become more popular in America. About 11,000 have been sold this year, up 18 percent from the same period a year ago.
Mercedes-Benz also plans to be a major diesel player here. The company has E-Class diesels on the market and vows that by 2007 advanced technology will allow its new sedans and SUVs to meet emissions standards in all 50 states.
A Mercedes spokeswoman, Michelle Murad, said the technology ''will become a badge of honor for diesel."
At Audi, which builds diesels in Europe, the development of the US diesel market is being watched closely. ''We actually believe that if America wants to do something about its oil consumption, then diesel is the way," said Wolfgang Hoffmann, director of product management.
Friedman, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said he recognizes that American consumers want variety, even when it comes to fuel efficiency. Better mileage alone won't be enough to attract many buyers.
''We can't have small cars as the only way to go," he said, pointing out that some families need large vehicles for practical reasons. ''We're lucky to have all the technology out there."
Royal Ford
The Boston Globe
May 7, 2006
With gasoline prices topping $3 a gallon, Jonathan Jackson knew what he wanted in his first new car: fuel efficiency, safety, and sporting fun.
On Wednesday, the 18-year-old Lynn resident picked up a <org idsrc="NYSE" value="HMC">Honda</org> Fit, one of the new breed of hot subcompact cars. It runs on a standard gasoline-powered engine and gets about 34 miles per gallon.
Jackson could also have bought a hybrid, which uses electricity to assist a gas engine and can deliver 40 to 50 miles per gallon. A third, increasingly popular fuel-efficient option available in other parts of the country -- diesel-powered versions of passenger cars and SUVs -- doesn't yet comply with Massachusetts' environmental standards.
Nationwide, more varieties of vehicles featuring improved gas mileage are being made than ever before. At least 10 subcompact models have been introduced or will soon be available, and some of the largest and most luxurious new vehicles will have hybrid or diesel options.
But it's not because automakers reacted rapidly to rising prices at the pumps. Some of them were ready for this day years ago.
Hybrid technology was developed in the 1990s in Asia, where gasoline sells for about $4 per gallon. And more than half the cars sold in Europe, where gasoline tops $5 per gallon, are diesels. So when prices in the United States started to skyrocket last fall, foreign automakers were well-positioned to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles, just as they did during the oil crisis of the 1970s. And domestic companies, once again, are playing catch-up.
''It's serendipity, like in the '70s," <org idsrc="NYSE" value="TM">Toyota</org> spokesman Wade Hoyt said of the recent launch of Toyota's new subcompact, the Yaris. ''Nobody knew when it was being developed it would hit the market just as gasoline hit $3 per gallon."
Across the United States, registrations for new hybrid vehicles rose 139 percent, from 83,204 in 2004 to 199,148 last year, according to <org idsrc="other-OTC" value="POLL">R. L. Polk & Co.</org>, the automotive ****ysis and marketing firm. Another Polk study indicated that from 2000 to 2005, light-duty diesel registrations (excluding pickup trucks and large SUVs) rose from 22,543 to 44,031, and that there are about 179,000 light diesels on the road.
Manufacturers of the new subcompacts expect to sell at least 30,000 of each model annually. But American car companies are not well positioned to leap into the market, said Erich Merkle, director of forecasting for automotive consultants IRN Inc.
The 250,000 subcompacts sold annually in the United States before the current upward trend have been ''pretty much all foreign," he said. The country's ''Big Three" manufacturers have been so dependent on profitable SUVs and pickup trucks that ''they really aren't prepared" to churn out more small cars. Merkle pointed out <org idsrc="NYSE" value="GBM;GM;GMH;GMW;GXM;HGM;RGM;XGM">General Motors's</org> subcompact offering, the Chevrolet Aveo, is actually a Daewoo, built in South Korea. In general, US automakers are still ''looking at" the market, Merkle said, meaning that production is at least five years away.
For small cars, medium size sedans, and diesels, fuel efficiency is generally defined as 30 miles per gallon and higher. Overall, gasoline-powered cars average in the lows 20s. For hybrids, 40 miles per gallon and up is the standard, while most SUVs linger in the mid- to high-teens.
There are some caveats attached to fuel efficiency.
Critics question whether subcompact cars are safe, even as automakers, particularly Honda, Kia, and Hyundai, equip them with standard airbags in the front, sides, and side-curtains.
Hybrids and diesels cost $1,500 to $5,000 more than similar models with gas engines, and there is debate about whether the money can be recouped through fuel savings, even though diesel and hybrid buyers are eligible for tax breaks of up to $3,400.
Diesel fuel, while typically 20 to 40 percent more efficient than gasoline, is still not as clean, raising environmental concerns. Besides Massachusetts, diesels are banned in California, New York, Maine, and Vermont -- states that also have environmental regulations more stringent than federal standards. Massachusetts bans diesel vehicles built beginning with model year 2004 that weigh less than 8,500 pounds and have fewer than 7,500 miles on their odometers, yet allows less efficient, older diesels to be registered. But diesel fuel is being made cleaner, said David Friedman, research director for clean vehicles for the Cambridge-based Union of Concerned Scientists, and could become ''a good option by the end of the decade."
Some say that's already the case.
''Today's clean diesel is not your father's diesel," said Chris Cashman, spokesman for the Diesel Technology Forum. The puff of black smoke some still associate with diesel engines is usually emitted from older models, many of which have been on the road for at least two decades because they can run for 300,000 miles or more.
The concerns about hybrids are not environmental. Some owners worry that the cars' expensive battery packs (about $5,000) could fail, though there have been no such reports. In cold weather, projected mileage of 50 to 60 miles per gallon often drops by 10 or more miles, and some hybrids seem to boost horsepower instead of cutting fuel consumption.
Yet the spread of hybrid technology appears inexorable. Toyota, which just passed Chrysler as the third largest auto manufacturer in the US market, is adding the option to almost every vehicle in its lineup. SUVs, pickup trucks, small cars, midsize staples such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and even luxury sedans are going hybrid. Dodge will soon introduce a hybrid Durango SUV, and three companies that have lagged in the technology -- <org idsrc="NYSE" value="DCX">DaimlerChrysler</org>, General Motors, and BMW -- have formed a group to develop a shared hybrid system.
Among the recent crop of small, gasoline-powered cars, the hottest appear to be Honda's Fit and the Toyota Yaris. Both have already been sold for several years in Europe and Asia, sometimes under different names. For instance, the Fit Jackson bought at Herb Chambers Honda in Burlington is called the Jazz in Europe.
Jonathan Jackson, 18, of Lynn bought his Honda Fit, a subcompact car that runs on a standard gasoline-powered engine and gets about 34 miles per gallon. US automakers are also rolling out hybrids and diesel-powered vehicles.
No matter what name it goes by, ''good gas mileage was the big thing," Jackson said of his decision to buy one.
Honda sold 3,792 Fits in the first 10 days after its launch on April 20, leaving ''bare shelves," said spokesman Chris Naughton. Based on the company's projected annual sales of about 38,000, it was a strong debut.
The Civic, Honda's staple model, has also shown a recent spike in sales that coincided with escalating gas prices. In the first four months of this year, 109,738 Civics were sold, compared to about 90,000 in the same period last year. But there is competition for Honda and Toyota. Kia is pushing its Rio, Nissan has the subcompact Versa, Chevrolet is preparing to launch the Aveo, Dodge is offering the Caliber, and Hyundai has its Accent. All of them stress fuel efficiency.
As for diesel vehicles, many ****ysts and even environmental advocates say their widespread success in other countries will eventually spread to the United States.
Hybrid technology was developed in the 1990s in Asia, where gasoline sells for about $4 per gallon. And more than half the cars sold in Europe, where gasoline tops $5 per gallon, are diesels. So when prices in the United States started to skyrocket last fall, foreign automakers were well-positioned to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles, just as they did during the oil crisis of the 1970s. And domestic companies, once again, are playing catch-up.
''It's serendipity, like in the '70s," <org idsrc="NYSE" value="TM">Toyota</org> spokesman Wade Hoyt said of the recent launch of Toyota's new subcompact, the Yaris. ''Nobody knew when it was being developed it would hit the market just as gasoline hit $3 per gallon."
Across the United States, registrations for new hybrid vehicles rose 139 percent, from 83,204 in 2004 to 199,148 last year, according to <org idsrc="other-OTC" value="POLL">R. L. Polk & Co.</org>, the automotive ****ysis and marketing firm. Another Polk study indicated that from 2000 to 2005, light-duty diesel registrations (excluding pickup trucks and large SUVs) rose from 22,543 to 44,031, and that there are about 179,000 light diesels on the road.
Manufacturers of the new subcompacts expect to sell at least 30,000 of each model annually. But American car companies are not well positioned to leap into the market, said Erich Merkle, director of forecasting for automotive consultants IRN Inc.
The 250,000 subcompacts sold annually in the United States before the current upward trend have been ''pretty much all foreign," he said. The country's ''Big Three" manufacturers have been so dependent on profitable SUVs and pickup trucks that ''they really aren't prepared" to churn out more small cars. Merkle pointed out <org idsrc="NYSE" value="GBM;GM;GMH;GMW;GXM;HGM;RGM;XGM">General Motors's</org> subcompact offering, the Chevrolet Aveo, is actually a Daewoo, built in South Korea. In general, US automakers are still ''looking at" the market, Merkle said, meaning that production is at least five years away.
For small cars, medium size sedans, and diesels, fuel efficiency is generally defined as 30 miles per gallon and higher. Overall, gasoline-powered cars average in the lows 20s. For hybrids, 40 miles per gallon and up is the standard, while most SUVs linger in the mid- to high-teens.
There are some caveats attached to fuel efficiency.
Critics question whether subcompact cars are safe, even as automakers, particularly Honda, Kia, and Hyundai, equip them with standard airbags in the front, sides, and side-curtains.
Hybrids and diesels cost $1,500 to $5,000 more than similar models with gas engines, and there is debate about whether the money can be recouped through fuel savings, even though diesel and hybrid buyers are eligible for tax breaks of up to $3,400.
Diesel fuel, while typically 20 to 40 percent more efficient than gasoline, is still not as clean, raising environmental concerns. Besides Massachusetts, diesels are banned in California, New York, Maine, and Vermont -- states that also have environmental regulations more stringent than federal standards. Massachusetts bans diesel vehicles built beginning with model year 2004 that weigh less than 8,500 pounds and have fewer than 7,500 miles on their odometers, yet allows less efficient, older diesels to be registered.
But diesel fuel is being made cleaner, said David Friedman, research director for clean vehicles for the Cambridge-based Union of Concerned Scientists, and could become ''a good option by the end of the decade."
Some say that's already the case.
''Today's clean diesel is not your father's diesel," said Chris Cashman, spokesman for the Diesel Technology Forum. The puff of black smoke some still associate with diesel engines is usually emitted from older models, many of which have been on the road for at least two decades because they can run for 300,000 miles or more.
The concerns about hybrids are not environmental. Some owners worry that the cars' expensive battery packs (about $5,000) could fail, though there have been no such reports. In cold weather, projected mileage of 50 to 60 miles per gallon often drops by 10 or more miles, and some hybrids seem to boost horsepower instead of cutting fuel consumption.
Yet the spread of hybrid technology appears inexorable. Toyota, which just passed Chrysler as the third largest auto manufacturer in the US market, is adding the option to almost every vehicle in its lineup. SUVs, pickup trucks, small cars, midsize staples such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and even luxury sedans are going hybrid. Dodge will soon introduce a hybrid Durango SUV, and three companies that have lagged in the technology -- <org idsrc="NYSE" value="DCX">DaimlerChrysler</org>, General Motors, and BMW -- have formed a group to develop a shared hybrid system.
Among the recent crop of small, gasoline-powered cars, the hottest appear to be Honda's Fit and the Toyota Yaris. Both have already been sold for several years in Europe and Asia, sometimes under different names. For instance, the Fit Jackson bought at Herb Chambers Honda in Burlington is called the Jazz in Europe. No matter what name it goes by, ''good gas mileage was the big thing," Jackson said of his decision to buy one.
Honda sold 3,792 Fits in the first 10 days after its launch on April 20, leaving ''bare shelves," said spokesman Chris Naughton. Based on the company's projected annual sales of about 38,000, it was a strong debut.
The Civic, Honda's staple model, has also shown a recent spike in sales that coincided with escalating gas prices. In the first four months of this year, 109,738 Civics were sold, compared to about 90,000 in the same period last year.
But there is competition for Honda and Toyota. Kia is pushing its Rio, Nissan has the subcompact Versa, Chevrolet is preparing to launch the Aveo, Dodge is offering the Caliber, and Hyundai has its Accent. All of them stress fuel efficiency.
As for diesel vehicles, many ****ysts and even environmental advocates say their widespread success in other countries will eventually spread to the United States.
For instance, diesel accounted for more than half of the Volkswagens sold in Canada last year, but just 7.2 percent in the United States. This year, the company's US diesel sales have climbed to 13.7 percent.
Jeep's Liberty diesel also has become more popular in America. About 11,000 have been sold this year, up 18 percent from the same period a year ago.
Mercedes-Benz also plans to be a major diesel player here. The company has E-Class diesels on the market and vows that by 2007 advanced technology will allow its new sedans and SUVs to meet emissions standards in all 50 states.
A Mercedes spokeswoman, Michelle Murad, said the technology ''will become a badge of honor for diesel."
At Audi, which builds diesels in Europe, the development of the US diesel market is being watched closely. ''We actually believe that if America wants to do something about its oil consumption, then diesel is the way," said Wolfgang Hoffmann, director of product management.
Friedman, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said he recognizes that American consumers want variety, even when it comes to fuel efficiency. Better mileage alone won't be enough to attract many buyers.
''We can't have small cars as the only way to go," he said, pointing out that some families need large vehicles for practical reasons. ''We're lucky to have all the technology out there."
Last edited by Dojo; 05-10-2006 at 01:02 PM.
#3
05-23-2006, 09:58 AM
Latest news on safety crash tests. So far the Fit has only gone through frontal tests. I'm posting the whole Google Alert -- please let me know if the links at the top of each of these 3 blurbs don't work. I can cut and paste sites for individual articles.
Google Alert for: Honda Fit
Honda Fit is safe, proves it
Mobilemag.com - USA
... said that you need to buy a big honking sport utility to feel safe should start eating their words now, because the super compact Honda Fit recently went ...
See all stories on this topic
If the car fits, drive it!
Jamaica Gleaner - Kingston,Jamaica
The Honda Fit, on sale now as a 2007 model, joins a field that has received renewed attention from buyers and automakers, thanks to higher gas prices, an ...
See all stories on this topic
All-New 2007 Honda Fit Achieves Top '5-Star' Safety Rating From ...
Autochannel - USA
TORRANCE, Calif., May 19, 2006 -- The 2007 Honda Fit has earned a "5-Star" safety rating for frontal crash performance from the National Highway Traffic Safety ...
Google Alert for: Honda Fit
Honda Fit is safe, proves it
Mobilemag.com - USA
... said that you need to buy a big honking sport utility to feel safe should start eating their words now, because the super compact Honda Fit recently went ...
See all stories on this topic
If the car fits, drive it!
Jamaica Gleaner - Kingston,Jamaica
The Honda Fit, on sale now as a 2007 model, joins a field that has received renewed attention from buyers and automakers, thanks to higher gas prices, an ...
See all stories on this topic
All-New 2007 Honda Fit Achieves Top '5-Star' Safety Rating From ...
Autochannel - USA
TORRANCE, Calif., May 19, 2006 -- The 2007 Honda Fit has earned a "5-Star" safety rating for frontal crash performance from the National Highway Traffic Safety ...
#4
05-23-2006, 06:21 PM
Originally Posted by FondaFit
please let me know if the links at the top of each of these 3 blurbs don't work..
#5
05-25-2006, 01:25 PM
Originally Posted by dancingsun
Yeah, the links are gone.
http://world.honda.com/news/2006/c060525BioFabric/
http://www.paramuspost.com/article.p...60521230657904
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...605240341/1149
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/354/C7976/
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...uto/auto6.html
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...19/007495.html
#6
05-25-2006, 01:32 PM
Originally Posted by FondaFit
For fellow tree huggers: First link is from Honda about new bio fabric. They're not just satisfied with making their cars fuel efficient, low emissions and safe! Plus two more articles on test drives, and last but not least the 3 links from the Google Alert that didn't work in my last post (including the crash test results). Enjoy!
http://world.honda.com/news/2006/c060525BioFabric/
http://www.paramuspost.com/article.p...60521230657904
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...605240341/1149
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/354/C7976/
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...uto/auto6.html
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...19/007495.html
http://world.honda.com/news/2006/c060525BioFabric/
http://www.paramuspost.com/article.p...60521230657904
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...605240341/1149
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/354/C7976/
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...uto/auto6.html
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...19/007495.html
nice links man hahaha
#7
05-26-2006, 11:30 PM
I am buying a Blue Sport Fit tomorrow. I love that photo above. Is the hood painted black or is that something to protect it? Is there a mask for the Fit Sport? I am a total neo"fit" can you tell!? Can't wait!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
jeimusu86
Other Car Related Discussions
8
01-01-2009 09:37 AM
