Fuel Efficient Autos

When it comes to automotive marketing, the internet is a big player. Many people underestimate the role the internet plays in marketing automotive dealers and companies, but search engine results recently displayed a different attitude that shows that the internet plays a much bigger role in automotive sales and awareness than most people thought possible.

iCrossing, a global digital marketing company, today announced the findings of the Vertical Visibility Index: Automotive, the first in a series of studies analyzing the paid and natural search media visibility leaders within specific industry verticals.

The findings of the study revealed that among all of the car companies dedicated to internet marketing, General Motors, Nissan, and Chrysler were tops in online search visibility. Ford leads for natural search visibility and Hyundai has the greatest paid search visibility.

The study shows that combinations of keywords and search visibility are closely linked, giving companies more reasons to look into online marketing and SEO content writers for their websites and search issues. Companies like Hyundai would be well-served to extend their marketing opportunities beyond the local Hyundai dealer and utilize internet technology to the best of their ability.

Hyundai has decided to revise its Tucson line-up and is making some changes in an attempt to further popularize its SUV collection.

A 2.0 Comfort model of the Tucson SUV comes in an additional two-wheel drive version as well as the standard four-wheel drive version. It includes a variety of features including air conditioning, privacy glass and body-coloured bumpers and trim. It also includes front fog lights, dual front and side airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, and electric windows.

Powered by a 139bhp 2.0-litre engine, Hyundai claims that the 2.0 Comfort model Tucson will do 35.3 miles per gallon and accelerate from 0-60 mph in 10.4 seconds. The Comfort is said to be pretty lively, too, with a top speed of 112 mph.

The Tucson will also introduce a diesel model with a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. There is a Style model of the diesel Tucson that includes a host of special features, including but not limited to climate control, cruise control, and glorious heated seats.

So if you’re in the market for a new and improved version of the Hyundai Tucson SUV model, hop on down to your local Hyundai dealer and see what they’ve got in store.

The most popular car in a long time is probably the Toyota Prius. Due to environmental issues becoming front and centre with average consumers and due to rising gas prices, cars like Toyota’s hybrid are selling like hotcakes while other cars are simply…not doing so well.

So it’s really not a big surprise that people would be waiting to see what the brand spanking new Toyota Prius will have in store for its fans and consumers. The 2010 Toyota Prius is said to be a larger car and the spycam pictures supplied by Motor Trend and Carpix seem to back up that claim. The engine of the new Prius is said to be a new 1.8-litre engine with about 100 horses. Not bad.

The engine improvements are indeed impressive, especially when one considers that Toyota aims to have the vehicle exceed the emissions standards and provide even more fuel economy to its drivers. No word yet on whether or not the 2010 Prius can fly, but we’ll wait and see…

Much has also been made of the speculation that the new Prius will have solar panels on the roof. No word on this from Toyota, other than some low-level rumblings, but the idea of solar panels on the roof has some people giggling softly to themselves and others excited. Place me firmly in the latter camp. Any additional power deferment is a good idea from where I sit, especially if the solar panels look cool.

Certified Toyota dealers are selling out of Prius models, making the Toyota dynamo among the most popular cars going today. That means that there’ll probably be a heck of a waiting list for one of these new 2010 Prius models, too, so you’d better get on it if you want it.

Have you ever been trapped driving to work or somewhere else on a foggy morning? Most times, it’s scary to drive in the fog because there are so many things that can happen. Most driver’s education courses tell drivers what to do in this situation, but if you’re like me, you forgot the protocol. That’s why I figured I’d provide an easy-to-use reference that you can use the next time you find yourself in the situation.

Don’t Use Your High Beams
Your first instinct might be to use your high beams in the fog. But this isn’t the best thing to do because the fog will reflect the light back into your eyes. With low beams, however, the light goes through the fog and helps you see farther.

Slow Down Gradually
If you’re caught in a fog, chances are that somebody is only a few feet behind you but they can’t see you. That’s why you should never stop suddenly when you’re driving in fog because the driver behind you might not see you until it’s too late.

Don’t Tailgate
Stay relatively close to the car in front of you so you know where you’re going, but don’t get too close to the car. You don’t know if the car in front of you is going to make a sudden stop so make sure you have enough room to stop before you hit it.

Pull Over
If you can’t see anything at all, consider pulling off the road and waiting for the fog to clear. It’s better to be a little late to your destination than not arriving at all.

Now that you know how to drive safely in the fog, you can pretty much navigate through most driving situations. That’s why you should visit your local Pontiac dealer and get a great new car. Now that you’re prepared, nothing should stop you now!

Olympic fever is upon us as the world prepares for the Summer Games in Beijing, China. But how will this summer’s spectacular sports event affect the automobile industry in China?

According to Hyundai, the Games will indeed diminish the production of automobiles for two weeks.

As the government restricts traffic to decrease pollution during the Olympics, production of automobiles will significantly slow across China. The traffic restrictions will disrupt the delivery of auto parts and pizza, which will most certainly create a slowdown at the factories.

The 50-50 joint venture between Hyundai and Beijing Automotive Industry Holding, which started cutting production from July 20, expects that the interruption will lead to 50,000 fewer vehicles being produced in the period of time during the Olympics and leading up until September 20.

Beijing introduced the traffic measures starting on July 20, which is why the date holds some significance for Hyundai and the Beijing Automotive Industry Holding. It is estimated that the costs from this traffic slowdown will be significant, but there is no word from Hyundai as to any response.

Regardless of how this impacts Hyundai or even Hyundai dealer outlets in China, the traffic slowdown is a good thing for the Olympic Games and for the environment, sorely in need of a break, over Beijing.

Hyundai, the world’s fifth largest automaker, is planning on using India as its small car hub.

“We have a very clear picture about the Indian market. We want to use India as our small car hub. India will be used for manufacturing and export of our small cars,” Heung Soo Lheem, managing director of Hyundai Motors India said.

Hyundai sells its cars in 193 countries and will be looking to expand its small car sector. It recently launched the i10 offering, which was a new addition to its “A” segment, as an Indian-manufactured model. There is also word of an i20 model, which is a hatchback sedan in the “B” segment for Hyundai. That model, too, will be manufactured in India.

The South Korean automobile giant sold 327,160 vehicles in India in 2007 and had doubled its assembly line at the Chennai plant to 600,000 units annually this January. This massive growth for Hyundai puts India at or near the top of the list of Hyundai’s best places for expansion, so the move most certainly makes sense on a long-term basis.

How Hyundai’s attention to India will impact other markets remains to be seen, of course, but the attention given to the location is likely going to lead to growth in other areas as well. Hyundai dealer outlets around the world may feel the growth of Hyundai’s small car sector, as the global move towards more fuel-efficient vehicles shows no signs of slowing down.

The global car industry is showing further signs of trouble, as Toyota has just announced a cut in its 2008 sales forecast. The revised sales forecast also means the carmaker will diminish production at its main subsidiary, Toyota Industries, for the first time in seven years.

Toyota, which recently became the world’s leading vehicle producer, said it expects to sell in the scope of 9.5 million cars and trucks in 2008. That figure represented a cut of 350,000 vehicles, or 3.5 per cent of total production, compared to the 9.85 million units the company had estimated to sell in earlier sales forecasts.

While such a lowering of sights may seem like commonplace for a company aware of the marketplace, for some analysts, this move is another sign of the impending doom of the automobile industry.

Putting the reduction in perspective is important, as even with the reduction in estimated sales, Toyota’s sales figures estimates are higher than those of last year and are up 1% from last year’s figures.

The sales figures may be enough to deter some hardcore analysts from banking on Toyota, but for the rest of us it still appears that the automaker has things well at hand. Leading the world in automobile sales, Toyota has become a company that can be trusted, from each certified Toyota dealer on down, to produce quality cars that are good for the environment and the gas bill.

While everybody is complaining about gas prices these days, there is one positive thing coming out of the situation: Fewer traffic-related deaths.

The National Safety Council recently reported a nine percent drop in motor vehicle fatalities through May 2008 when compared with the same time period in 2007. The nine percent drop is an overall figure, but that also includes an 18 percent drop for March and a 14 percent drop for April.

The news is even better for some states. Some states have reported a decrease of 20 percent or more in the first five months of the year. Most states have reported a 10 percent decrease. Unfortunately, a few states have reported an increase in fatalities through May.

In addition to fewer deaths, the government also reported that Americans are driving less. In April 2008, we (as a nation) drove 1.8 percent fewer miles than we did in April 2007.

Other factors that have lead to fewer deaths include more police on the road strictly enforcing the speed limits and traffic laws. Better driver’s education programs, extreme winter weather that keeps people home during the colder months and safer vehicles have also contributed to fewer deaths on the roadways.

What does this mean for you? Since the roads are safer, this means you can enjoy a new car from your local Pontiac dealer and feel more secure behind the wheel knowing that there are fewer drivers around you at any given time. Visit one today and start enjoying the open roads right away!

Toyota is planning on slightly raising the prices on some select 2009 models. The automaker is trying not to alienate U.S. buyers too much, but needs to make a modest increase in order to cover rising costs and production issues.

The average 0.8% increase comes in the midst of what is now expected to be the weakest auto sales year in the U.S. since at least 1993, as customers turn away in droves from bigger gas-guzzling vehicles and turn toward slighter fuel-sipping cars.

Toyota’s line-up, while filled with such cars, faced a decrease in the first-half in the United States. The company’s sales dipped 6.8% as the result of economic issues in America and the weakening housing market.

The vehicle with the largest planned price boost among Friday’s list is the Prius hybrid. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price on the car will rise an average 2.2% or $500. Prius sales fell 3.2% in the first half of the year.

The U.S. weakness offsets the increasing strength Toyota is exhibiting internationally. The company said earlier this week that it sold more than 4.8 million cars and trucks worldwide through June, keeping it ahead of General Motors.

With certified Toyota dealers in the United States hoping for better sales and the international sales of the car going in positive directions, it looks like Toyota’s slight adjustments may have long lasting effects in the market.

As we reported yesterday, Hyundai’s profits had slipped as the result of a declining currency issue. The drop also came about as a result of poor returns on investments, causing the South Korean automaking giant to make a decision that would impact United States production.

Hyundai has decided to cut production in the United States by about 8%. Hyundai will decrease its U.S. productivity by 40,000 units because of lower demand for fuel-guzzling vehicles, after initially planning to sell more than 500,000 units in the U.S. this year.

In contrast to the United States initiatives, Hyundai has decided to raise sales goals domestically. The automaker has raised its domestic sales target by 40,000 units to 1.84 million units for this year, which leaves Hyundai’s global sales target unaffected at 3.11 million units.

In order to survive changing oil prices and demands, Hyundai plans to try to boost sales of smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles in emerging markets such as Russia or Eastern Europe.

This additional approach to other parts of the world may leave the United States in the lurch, but it should help bail out Hyundai in the short term and provide a better long term focus for its individual Hyundai dealer outlets and production facilities.