If you’re someone who likes to drive a big SUV, yet save on fuel, you might consider one of several Hybrid SUVs available on the market. Hybrid SUVs offer a roomy cabin with plenty of space and excellent ride comfort, apart from possessing fuel-saving qualities found on hybrid cars, not to mention their towing capacity and off-road capability as well.

 

The Ford Escape Hybrid was the first hybrid SUV to be introduced in 2004 that was made by an American auto manufacturer. Hybrid SUVs have taken flak for not being able to deliver the true benefits of gas-electric technology, when it comes to achieving the MPG levels of fuel efficiency offered by smaller hybrids.

 

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, even a small increase in fuel efficiency from 14 to 16 mpg, saves as much oil as increasing fuel economy from 35 to 50 mpg. Without a doubt, a smaller vehicle with considerable fuel economy will save you money and fuel in the long run, especially if you don’t need some of the finer qualities offered by an SUV.
Some popular and efficient Hybrid SUVs are Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid and Saturn Vue Green Line. Hybrid SUVs with V8 performance and towing include Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, Dodge Durango Hybrid and GMC Yukon Hybrid. The V8 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid apparently achieves the same fuel economy (city) as a four-cylinder Toyota Camry, and can tow up to 6,000 pounds. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid offers the best seven-passenger seating, while the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h offer luxury accommodations. The Ford Escape Hybrid is the most fuel efficient SUV Hybrid overall.

The Cadillac Converj Concept was unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show by General Motors. The Cadillac Converj’s styling is aerodynamic, with well defined sharp streaks and a raked, backward slanting character line that visually depicts forward motion. Cadillac’s signature shield-type grille rides up front on the hood. According to Bob Lutz, General Motors vice chairman of product development, “the Converj was meant to appeal to customers on account of its beauty and proportions and not just its electric propulsion technology”.

 

The Cadillac Converj Concept is likely to roll off production lines by the end of 2010, joining fellow sibling, the Chevy Volt. The Converj is an extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV), equipped with an electric motor and a gasoline engine. The gasoline engine plays the role of a generator, and recharges the vehicle’s batteries, while the electric motor is responsible for propulsion. The Converj Concept seats 4 occupants in a sleek and futuristically designed coupe body style.

 

The Converj will share the Voltec, (the Volt’s powertrain) which has an electric motor, a 16-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack with over 220 cells, and a range-extending, flex-fuel-capable four-cylinder engine. The Voltec powertrain on the Converj delivers 120 kilowatts of power, 273 lb-ft of torque and can attain a top speed of 100 mph. The Converj can run up to 40 miles without using gasoline or releasing emissions, after which the engine-generator kicks in for “several hundred miles”, according to GM’s Bob Lutz.

The type of car you drive is one of the major factors that insurance agencies will take into consideration, while fixing upon the rate of insurance says Insure.com, an online consumer insurance service. Even something as seemingly simple as different models, can account for a large sum of dollars annually.

 

There are multiple factors that determine car insurance rates apart from your age, gender, your credit history, driving history and the type of insurance coverage you choose. When it comes to comprehensive and collision coverage, your car insurance company will look into the kind of car you drive, apart from all these other factors together. Therefore, the particular type of car you buy will be the key factor in determining how much auto insurance premium you will pay.

 

Most Insurance companies use vehicle ratings calculated by the Insurance Services Office, to help calculate the risk of your car. The ISO is an actuarial reporting group for the insurance industry, which publishes its own manual rating for each vehicle based on its “loss history” (theft, accident and passenger injury claims typically paid for that model). For the first year of a new model, a percentage of the MSRP is used to fix on premiums. The ISO assigns each vehicle with numbers between 1 and 27, thus determining the cost of comprehensive and collision coverage. A vehicle with a higher number, called a "symbol", will have a higher premium.

 

Insure.com has calculated the average national premiums for 20 best-selling vehicles in America:

 

Chrysler LLC offers 0% interest free loans following its $1.5 billion bailout by the Treasury Department on the 16th of January. The government loan to Chrysler will be a shot-in-the-arm for the beleaguered automakers from Detroit, who need to revive plummeting sales and woo back customers.

 

Hot on the heels of news about the Treasury bailout, the Chrysler 0% offer came as welcome relief for customers who have been unable to clinch vehicle deals in recent months. The 0% offer is available on select Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles and will be applicable to loans of less than five years.

 

The government loan to Chrysler Financial makes money available to the company more cheaply. The new zero percent financing is expected to increase U.S. sales by 20 percent from current depressed levels. Chrysler will pay off a one-month Libor rate; 1% in the first year of the five-year loan; Libor plus 1.5% in the following years.

 

The credit squeeze served to hasten the decline in auto sales at Chrysler LLC to 53% in recent months. Chrysler Financial CEO Thomas Gilman said that the Treasury department’s support would help them withstand current economic challenges. The Treasury has also agreed for a separate government loan of $4 billion to help the automaker run its operations.

The Toyota Camry has stood the test of time, even as Toyota continues to make advances towards better and more advanced technology. Since its launch in 1987, the Camry’s single-minded focus was to be the ideal American family sedan, a fact proved by its popularity in the sedan segment.

 

America's best-selling passenger car, the Toyota Camry, returns for 2009, with eight models in four different trims, the base CE, the top favorite LE, the SE and the most luxurious XLE. The Camry also includes a Hybrid Sedan version in the 2009 line-up.

 

All Camry models are equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that delivers 158 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque, when teamed with a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic. The four-cylinder XLE model comes with automatic transmission only. The four-cylinder engine is certified with Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV). Fuel economy is 21 mpg in the city and 31 mpg highway. For buyers who want a faster performance, the Camry offers a 3.5-liter V6 capable of 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic, standard on all V6 models. Fuel economy is rated at 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

 

The Toyota Camry’s safety features add to its popularity. Every model gets front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and a driver knee airbag. Antilock brakes with brake assist, Stability control (optional) and a perfect five star in all frontal and side-impact crash tests conducted by the NHTSA.

 

The 2009 Toyota Camry sedan more than meets customer expectations when it comes to fuel economy, ride quality, handling, interior room and cargo space.

Porsche acquired bigger stakes in Volkswagen and now holds 50.76 percent of ordinary voting shares, according to a statement released by the German luxury sports car company on Tuesday, January 6th 2009. News of the acquisition sent Volkswagen share prices spiraling up by 13.48 percent on the Frankfurt stock market.

 

Porsche said that the acquisition would increase participation of the group's capital for the family-run company of billionaire shareholders, from 42 percent to 50.76 percent. In spite of the increase in shareholding, Porsche will not have a controlling interest in Volkswagen, since German law dictates that control of a company requires a 75 percent share of the vote at a stockholder meeting.

 

Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg-based company has been trying to stave off hostile takeover bids by Porsche for a long period of time. Volkswagen is regarded as a national icon, a prime example of cooperation between shareholders and unions, with the government of Lower-Saxony owning 20.1 percent of Volkswagen AG. The takeover bid has sent shock waves through the works committee and powerful trade unions at VW.

 

Porsche plans to raise its stake in Volkswagen to more than 75 percent in 2009, and expects to gain total control over the group, as a long-term investor.

The 2009 Suzuki SX4 lineup consists of the SX4 Sport sedan and SX4 Crossover hatchback, both providing plenty of power, value and fuel economy for everyday commuters. Suzuki recently added greater value to the SX4 lineup by offering a standard navigation system across the SX4 Sport and SX4 Crossover model lines.

 

Pricing on the SX4 Sport with the new T.R.I.P. navigation system starts at $16,000, and should add some high-tech pizzazz to the Suzuki SX4 lineup when displayed at dealer showrooms in 2009. Called the Suzuki T.R.I.P. (Travel, Real-time traffic, Information and Play), the fully integrated navigation system uses Navteq mapping software, and features a flip-up 4.3-inch touch screen display with Bluetooth hands-free technology that can receive and play text messages audibly.

 

The GPS system designed by Garmin, offers premium services through Microsoft Network, and features information about real-time traffic, forecasts and gas stations; as well as lifestyle-oriented destinations and local events listings.

 

Suzuki’s SX4 lineup will be the only new vehicle retailing at $16,000, to offer an advanced navigation system as a standard feature. As a norm, navigation systems are offered as options on higher trims of a vehicle, and range from $1500-$2000. The Suzuki SX4 also gets a 100,000-mile powertrain warranty which is fully transferable.

The redesigned Ford F-150 won the 2009 Truck of the Year Award, surpassing the Dodge Ram and Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTEC in the contest. For 27 years Ford’s F-150 was the top-selling vehicle in America, managing to stay afloat in 2008 in spite of a slump in truck sales and the economic recession.

 

The 2009 Ford F-150 is redesigned, gaining in increased power, cabin space, and various new features. The F-150 chassis is light-weight to meet improved fuel economy ratings and safety improvements. The truck won a Top Safety Pick Award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Another enduring feature is its best-in-class trailer-towing capability of 11,300 lbs. across all cabs.

 

Following the lead of other automakers from Detroit, Ford has also been re-working its strategy to focus more on fuel-efficient cars rather than trucks. Ford expects to woo customers with the launching of the 2010 Ford Taurus at the Detroit Auto Show this season. While being deemed 2009 Truck of the Year does not necessarily translate into increasing sales figures for the Ford F-150, it is reassuring that the Ford has been the only automaker not to request federal funding to stave off bankruptcy.

The Hyundai Genesis won the prestigious Car of the Year Award on Sunday, ahead of the media preview days for the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Hyundai has proved that it has what it takes to keep up with the kind of leading-edge technology hitherto found in BMW or Mercedes-Benz luxury sedans.

 

This is the first time Hyundai has launched a large luxury car in the United States. While Hyundai still remains true to its roots with its budget-oriented models, the company also wishes to appeal to upscale customers with a new affordable sport sedan- the Genesis. Hyundai's claim of a 0-60-mph time of less than 6 seconds for the Genesis V-8 puts the car right up there among other benchmark sedans, one giant leap in the right direction for the Korean automakers.

 

The Genesis is powered by a standard 242-horsepower, 3.3-liter engine. A 3.8-liter engine is pumped up to achieve nearly 300 horsepower. The new Tau 4.6-liter V-8 optional engine makes up to 375 horses, and is Hyundai's first V-8 in the U.S.

 

The Genesis V-6 engines get a standard five-speed automatic, but the optional Tau gets a new ZF six-speed automatic with Shiftronic manual control. Prices for the Genesis start at $32,000 for V6-powered models and rise to $36,000 to $40,000-plus with the optional all-aluminum V-8.

 

The Genesis will feature a sweeping list of standard features, including eight airbags, active restraints and electronic stability control, typically found on more expensive cars. To be eligible for the prestigious Car of the Year Award, a vehicle had to be all-new, completely redesigned or "substantially changed", and available to customers during calendar year 2008.  

Scion announced pricing for the xB Release Series 6.0 (xB R.S. 6.0), its first limited-production vehicle for 2009. The Scion xB will be unveiled at the Scion booth at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, January 11-25. Only 2,500 units of the Scion xB RS 6.0 will be built, which are expected to arrive at dealer showrooms in February.

 

The xB RS 6.0 model will sell at MSRP of $1,743 over the xB base price, which is $15,750 for the manual transmission, and $16,700 with an automatic. All Scion models carry a DPH (delivery/processing/handling) fee of $670 which is not included in the MSRP, and which may vary for vehicles distributed by Southeast Toyota (SET) and Gulf States Toyota (GST).

 

The 2009 xB Release Series 6.0 comes exclusively in Absolutely Red exterior paint, wears a distinct front grille with custom black finish and Release Series wheels. The limited-edition xB Release Series 6.0 features a touch screen Pioneer Audio Visual Navigation system, with memory, voice recognition, MSN Direct, Bluetooth, media player interface, a rear cargo cover, color-keyed rear spoiler (optional), satellite radio and HD Radio.

 

Among the New Cars to hit American roads this season, the box-like xB Scion is still great value for MSRP, in today’s buying environment, where consumers keenly negotiate “pure pricing”, documentation fees and incentives. A generous sweep of standard features gives this car a competitive edge; similar levels of equipment cost extra on other rivals in the segment.