Yesterday I reported that Honda ranked first as compared to all automakers with Subaru second and Toyota third. Consumers also had a variety of other types of comparisons. One was their listing of the "Top Picks - Best of the year in 10 categories:
Family Sedan: Honda Accord!!
Pickup Truck: Chevrolet Avalance
Fun to Drive: Mazda MX-5 Miata
Small SUV: Toyota RAV4
Small Sedan: Hyundai Elantra SE
Green Car: Toyota Prius
Minivan: Toyota Sienna
Best Overall Vehicle: Lexus LS 460
Upscale Sedan: Infiniti G37
Midsized SUV: Toyota Highlander
Well Toyota scored more top picks than Honda, but our Accord won in its group, so all is not lost.
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Showing posts with label Toyota. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toyota. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Credit Crunch Hits Toyota
The latest automobile manufacturer to hit the skids and seek special loans is Toyota Motor Company. Finding it difficult to raise money in the U.S., Toyota Motor is reportedly seeking emergency funding of about 200 billion yen ($2 billion) in dollars from a governmental institution in Japan to support its U.S. auto-financing operations.
So far, no other Japanese auto company has sought loans, but with little progress in any recovery, can Honda or other companies be far behind?
The Japanese government funded an emergency JBIC program late last year to provide loans and debt guarantees to help Japanese firms finance operations overseas. Today it was announced that the government will fund this program with 5 billion dollars. No firm word yet if Toyota will receive their requested money, but it odds are it will.
With the DOW drop yesterday to under 7,0000 and AIGs report of a staggering loss, no one or company seems safe any longer.
A minor bright spot I saw over the week end was a report that auto parts store have seen an increase in business, as more people are repairing what they have instead of purchasing a new or newer car.
In the last recession I noticed the same thing in home improvement stores. People were fixing up what they had instead of moving up.
Comments or E-mail me
Honda Accord Performance Articles
Honda Accord Appearance Articles
Thanks for visiting.
So far, no other Japanese auto company has sought loans, but with little progress in any recovery, can Honda or other companies be far behind?
The Japanese government funded an emergency JBIC program late last year to provide loans and debt guarantees to help Japanese firms finance operations overseas. Today it was announced that the government will fund this program with 5 billion dollars. No firm word yet if Toyota will receive their requested money, but it odds are it will.
With the DOW drop yesterday to under 7,0000 and AIGs report of a staggering loss, no one or company seems safe any longer.
A minor bright spot I saw over the week end was a report that auto parts store have seen an increase in business, as more people are repairing what they have instead of purchasing a new or newer car.
In the last recession I noticed the same thing in home improvement stores. People were fixing up what they had instead of moving up.
Comments or E-mail me
Honda Accord Performance Articles
Honda Accord Appearance Articles
Thanks for visiting.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Gas, Hybrid, Electric, Hydrogen or What Have You?
I guess I'm getting a little confused over all of the choices you have when purchasing a new car. First you can get an all gasoline car that still get good mileage like the Mini and others. Or you can go the hybrid way, with the leader the Toyota Prius which is a combination of electric and gasoline powered.
The third choice seems to be pure electric, where all of the power comes from batteries. Some of these are interesting like the sports car called the Telsa. A two passenger sports car with a zero to 60 miles per hour time of 4 seconds. That's twice as fast as most cars and puts it in the super car range. And of course there is the Honda FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle I commented on yesterday.
What seems to be driving all of these different approaches is of course the price of fuel. "Last summer's four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline was no anomaly. It was a brief glimpse of our future," said Irv Miller, vice president, environmental and public affairs for Toyota Motor Sales USA.
If he is correct then the alternate types of cars will be the big winners. But today with fuel prices in the sub $2.00 range the appeal of these cars is not what it was last year. To go back to to Toyota for a second. "Sales of Toyota's hybrids have slipped in recent months as gas prices have plummeted. But Toyota says high gas prices will return, increasing demand for fuel-efficient cars."
I sure hope they are wrong. I like the smell of burning gas and the loud roar of my engine and the snap, crackle, pop of the exhaust. Riding is a Prius just doesn't cut it for me.
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See longer articles Honda Accord After Market Parts
The third choice seems to be pure electric, where all of the power comes from batteries. Some of these are interesting like the sports car called the Telsa. A two passenger sports car with a zero to 60 miles per hour time of 4 seconds. That's twice as fast as most cars and puts it in the super car range. And of course there is the Honda FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle I commented on yesterday.
What seems to be driving all of these different approaches is of course the price of fuel. "Last summer's four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline was no anomaly. It was a brief glimpse of our future," said Irv Miller, vice president, environmental and public affairs for Toyota Motor Sales USA.
If he is correct then the alternate types of cars will be the big winners. But today with fuel prices in the sub $2.00 range the appeal of these cars is not what it was last year. To go back to to Toyota for a second. "Sales of Toyota's hybrids have slipped in recent months as gas prices have plummeted. But Toyota says high gas prices will return, increasing demand for fuel-efficient cars."
I sure hope they are wrong. I like the smell of burning gas and the loud roar of my engine and the snap, crackle, pop of the exhaust. Riding is a Prius just doesn't cut it for me.
Comments or E-mail me
See longer articles Honda Accord After Market Parts
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