U.S. Department of Transportation concludes driver error behind each and every case In short, after an exhaustive analysis the U.S. authorities have cleared Toyota of any mechanical problems leading to dangerous accidents. In every case the E.C.U. or engine control unit, which is akin to the black box on an airplane,  showed the accelerator was fully depressed at the time of the reported accidents. They also cleared Toyota of the possibility that the floor mats caused the pedal to stick in all but one case. Read more at http://www.driving.ca/Toyota+cleared+sudden+acceleration+claims/3275928/story.html

A number of factors affect a car buyer’s decision to purchase a new vehicle including price, safety, offered features, and quality.  However, according to a recent survey from Consumer Report, one very important factor often overlooked is brand loyalty.  Research indicates that car buyers don't switch brands easily.  After 1,700 interviews with adults who own at least one vehicle, 73 percent said they were somewhat likely or very likely to purchase the same brand they currently drive. Gender and age have a noticeable influence on brand loyalty.  Women are more likely to be brand loyal.  54 percent of women compared to 43 percent of men state they are very likely to purchase another car of the same make they currently own.  Loyalty is just as strong with older drivers.  Among drivers 35 and older, at least 50 percent plan to stick with the brand they already own.  Only 41 percent of drivers aged 18 to 34 years old felt the same way.  If they were to be convinced to change car brands, different factors work to influence men vs. women. Women are most drawn to better fuel economy (76 percent), a better safety record (72 percent), and more standard equipment ...

World Cup fever made a lot of people miss plenty of productive time at work but Hyundai Motor Company, one of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa sponsors, used the event to donate one million soccer balls to help children in Africa. The program is called 1 Million Dream Balls for Africa. The balls will be delivered under the names of people who buy a Hyundai car from the company’s worldwide sales networks and organizations such as the United Nations will do the distribution to African communities.  The project will last until the one millionth Hyundai is sold.  The project will contribute to a society where soccer symbolizes hopes and dreams to children. The 1 million balls will be distributed to 50 established African countries.  To see Hyundai's selection of cars in Canada check the link and to find the lowest prices in Canada for any Hyundai car visit BestPriceExpress.ca

Green is in; electric is next, but for now fuel efficiency is a major factor when consumers consider new cars.  With all the hype it’s almost taken for granted that fuel efficiency has increased dramatically over the last decade.  However, the truth may come as a surprise.  It turns out that more than half – six in fact – of the "Top Ten EPA-rated Fuel Efficient Cars" tested, from 1984 to present, were built prior to 2000.   The authoritative source on fuel efficiency, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA), recently published statistics that verify the Top Ten Fuel Efficient Cars. The only three new models to show in the Top Ten are the 2010 Toyota Prius at $27,800; the 2010 Honda Insight starting at $23,900 and the 2006-2010 Honda Civic Hybrids starting at $15,990. With older cars like the 1986 Chevy Sprint ER and 1990-1994 Geo Metro XFI making the list it raises questions about exactly how far technology has advanced the modern car as far as actual fuel efficiency is concerned?  With five models on the list, Honda takes top honors in the Top Ten overall.  Toyota had the 2001 and the 2010 Prius both stand out on the list.  All ...

Based on new rollover test results, nine vehicles have been named 2010 Top Safety Picks following a new round of tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Based on results from new rollover tests, the 2010 Audi A4 and Audio Q5, 2010 Ford Flex and Ford Fusion, 2010 Hyundai Tucson, Lincoln MKT and Lincoln MKZ, and the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen (Golf Wagon in Canada), all earned the Institute’s highest safety rating.  The ninth vehicle, the 2010 Mercury Milan, is not sold in Canada. To earn a Top Safety Pick, vehicles had to earn a rating of “Good” in the Institute’s 40- mph frontal offset crash test; the 35-mph SUV side-impact test; a rear head restraint configuration analysis, and a new roof-strength test.  IIHS rates vehicles in all four tests on a scale of Good, Acceptable, Marginal, and Poor. To earn a rating of “Good” in the new roof-strength test, a vehicle must have a strength-to-weight ratio (SWR) of 4:1 or better. Meaning the roof would withstand a force equal to at least four times the vehicle’s weight without deforming more than five inches. The Top Safety Picks achieved the following SWR ratings: 2010 Audi A4: 4.60 2010 Audi Q5: 4.41 2010 Ford Flex: ...

Last week the stars aligned so that we arranged the sale of not one, not two, not three, but four Volkswagens at the same dealer on a single day! The pricing we obtained for our customers was beyond exceptional because of the volume, and because the dealer started to get a real sense of what was possible going forward with us. They had heard rumblings about the big volumes possible through us, but Tuesday was way beyond their expectations. They wanted to make sure we were pleased.  We were. And so were our customers who got a better price than 99.8% of Volkswagen buyers and had none of the negotiating hassle. rp

For the first time, Canadians are getting to drive a new trim level on a new model before the United States.  As usual the decision came down to sales. Those sale numbers show that over one quarter of all VW Jetta’s sold in Canada are powered by a diesel engine.  As a result, the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta will be launched first in Canada, with the diesel (TDI) option.  Typically, Canadians must wait patiently to drive new models released from European and Japanese automakers.  The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta is a big part of VW’s plan to make serious sales inroads in North America. The new Jetta is expected to compete with the Toyota Corolla ($15,460 - $24,110), which is the third best selling compact car in Canada.  It had 9,241 sales Year-to-Date (YTD) in May 2010. The Honda Civic ($15,990 - $28,745) was, until recently, the best selling car in Canada before being dethroned by the Mazda3 ($15,995-$32,995).  Mazda's outsold the Civic by 103 units over the fist quarter of 2010.  Hyundai, which accomplished a historic first in May by outselling Honda Canada in overall car sales, has the compact Elantra that sold 6,6615 cars YTD in May.  The Elantra ranges ...

While auto manufactures try to grab bottom line sales by producing appealing consumer products it sometimes takes a third party to insure safety is not forgotten on the factory floor. When incidents happen that impact automobile safety the offending vehicle usually makes it on Transport Canada’s recall list.  The most recent Transport Canada list of vehicle recalls is a long one and includes vehicles from Chrysler, Mazda, Subaru, Nissan, Ford, Suzuki, Cadillac, Lexus, BMW and Lamborghini.  Here’s the list and a synopsis on the problems discovered. 2010 Chrysler 300 2010 Dodge Challenger 2010 Dodge Charger 2010 Dodge Ram 2010 Jeep Commander 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee Certain vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission may have been built with a Wireless Ignition Node (WIN) module that exhibits binding of the solenoid latch. This may result in a condition where the ignition key can be removed from the WIN module prior to placing the shifter in Park, which could result in unintended vehicle movement. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the WIN module. Vehicles affected: 9,900 2010 Dodge Caliber The vehicle may have been built with an incorrect door lock rod in the right front door, which could unlatch the door when the window is rolled down. Dealers will inspect and, if ...

It goes without saying that when you install a safety item as important as a child seat in you car it should be secure and safe, but also easy to install.  Unfortunately, the easy part is sometimes the hardest to get right. Consumer Report recently attempted fitting child seats into vehicles they test and found that some cars make the job much easier than others.  For car-shopping parents, the list below covers various vehicles that make it the easiest to properly install and securely infant and convertible child seats.  Important factors were vehicle height, as well as interior space.  Minivans and small SUVs are generally the best for height, and easiest on the back. The vehicles listed had average or better reliability, and performed well in government or insurance industry crash tests. Small cars Ford Focus Suzuki SX4 Toyota Corolla Toyota Matrix Hyundai Elantra Nissan Sentra Nissan Versa (hatchback) Family cars Chevrolet Malibu Nissan Altima Toyota Prius Toyota Camry Ford Taurus Honda Accord Upscale & luxury sedans Toyota Avalon Audi A4 Acura RL Acura TL Wagons Toyota Venza Mazda 5 Small SUVs Ford Escape Mazda Tribute Nissan Rogue Midsized and large SUVs Ford Edge Toyota Sequoia Nissan Murano Porsche Cayenne Lexus RX For the best price on any of ...

A day after Chrysler issues a 600,000 vehicle recall GM issues its own for 1.5 million 2007-2009 model cars, trucks and crossovers to address a problem with a heated windshield wiper fluid system that could lead to a fire. Models include the 2006-2009 model year Buick Lucerne; Cadillac DTS; Hummer H2; 2008-2009 model year Buick Enclave; Cadillac CTS; 2007-2009 model year Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL; Saturn Outlook; and 2009 model year Chevrolet Traverse. Most of the vehicles, 1,365,070, are in the United States; there are 98,794 affected vehicles in Canada; 26,228 in Mexico, and 38,093 exports. The heated washer fluid system was originally recalled in August 2008 for short circuit problems.  The initial government investigation closed in 2008 but in June 2009 a second failure was identified that led to five fires.  To fix the problem dealer service personnel will remove the heated washer fluid module from vehicles and GM will make a voluntary payment of $100 to the owner or lessee of each vehicle for the loss of the feature.   GM customers will begin receiving recall letters this month.