Volvo to debut 'tablet' in-car interface at Geneva

The company’s approach to increasing the levels of control at a driver’s fingertips and increasing the number of in-car infotainment and telematics features, but without increasing driver distraction, looks very much like a tablet.

That said, Thomas Ingenlath, senior vice president design at Volvo Car Group, points out that the new user interface is designed to create a smooth, logical and safe interaction between the driver and the car, and that it goes far beyond just putting a large tablet in the center of the dashboard. We have created a digital environment that is fully integrated in the car.

The first piece of intelligent design is in where the tablet is located integrated into the dashboard’s center stack in place of all the buttons and knobs for controlling the heating and the stereo and therefore eliminating visual clutter.

And like the tablet that over 40 percent of US consumers have at home, this touch screen responds to typical tablet commands such as swipes, taps and pinching to zoom.

However, unlike a normal Android device or an iPad, the display and interface have been specifically developed for ease of navigation and minimum distraction. Key functions are displayed as a stack of flexible tiles. These tiles expand when in use but other commands and functions, though minimized, remain visible on the screen.

Having all functions present all the time makes the touch screen exceptionally user-friendly. The spacious layout also promotes smooth interaction without distraction, says Ingenlath, who also claims that the interface and layout are so logical that using it will be part of your muscle memory very quickly.

One of the most frustrating things about many car companies’ digital dashboard interface systems is the need to toggle, scroll or flick between menu after menu in order to find the right command, function or setting. By keeping everything on view and within reach all of the time, Volvo eliminates this problem.

The basic idea is to organize controls and information in a perfectly intuitive and user-friendly way. Everything is exactly where you expect it to be, making the drive more enjoyable, efficient, and safe, says Ingenlath.

The new interface will be displayed for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show on March 4 but will be coming to the Volvo XC90 later this year.

The 2014 Kia Soul: If Hanna-Barbera made a car…

It is a new Soul, redesigned front to rear for the 2014 model year.

It is a more amenable Soul, outfitted with an interior in tune with the reality that our bodies age.

It is a good Soul, designed for people who want to be entertained, who just want to have fun, who are more concerned about the trip than the speed with which it is completed.

Not everyone will like the 2014 Kia Soul, not even the very enjoyable Exclaim model used for this column. Although redesigned, the front-wheel-drive Soul wagon retains the body and spirit of a cartoon character a squared roundness with deliberate comic touches, such as the rounded, low-hanging front fog lamps, and rear lights that seem to be winking at traffic.

The new Soul, as was the case with its predecessors, is not for souls addicted to the need for speed. The wagon is offered in three trim levels base, Plus and Exclaim. The base model comes with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine delivering 130 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque not exactly the stuff of speed demons.

The Plus and Exclaim are equipped with a 2-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine offering 164 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. That’s much better, but not terribly distant from acceleration purgatory.

You don’t buy this one to play on the racetrack. You don’t get it for super fuel economy, either. The new Soul gets about 24 miles per gallon in the city and 30 on the highway decent for a compact wagon, but certainly nothing to brag about in a market where rivals easily do at least five miles per gallon better in highway running.

The Soul is its own reason for being, and that reason is easily accessible, thoroughly enjoyable fun. That rationale has yielded strong sales for the Soul in the United States, making it one of the best-selling compact wagons in the country.

It is more than fluff: The Soul has one of the best overall crash-safety ratings of any compact economy wagon five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It offers a pleasant, comfortable ride on long trips. It offers easy cabin entrance and exit for aging adult bodies. Both its standard and optional advanced electronic safety equipment matches or beats that offered on substantially more expensive vehicles. And, yes, both reliability and durability are there, backed by the best warranty in the business.

The Soul is styled with a provocative sense of humor tall, square/round cartoon body, which some people don’t find funny. I do. The little wagon makes me smile and laugh. Walking up to it in the driveway is like greeting a crazy, lovable friend. You know from the get-go that it is going to be an unusual outing. In fact, you are looking forward to it.

The Soul, especially the fully optioned Exclaim model, delivers in many ways. It offers one of the best high-definition backup cameras and sound systems in the business. Speaking of which, there is also this admittedly silly but enjoyable point: Round lights surrounding door-mounted speakers pulse on and off in rhythm with the bass register of the music. Those pulsing lights introduce humor to what might have been a hard day. I once found myself laughing uncontrollably at their boom-boom on-and-off rhythm. It is slapstick, but welcome stuff.

I had fun with this Soul. I wasn’t leaving anyone in my dust or taking any corners. I wasn’t trying to do those things. I didn’t care. This crazy friend of a wagon reliably and safely got me wherever I wanted to go using regular gasoline, by the way and made me laugh and smile in the process. I appreciate that.

Bottom line: The 2014 Kia Soul is one of the best-priced, best-equipped small wagons available in the U.S. auto market. I hereby predict that it will sell as well as its predecessor. It has several worthy competitors the Nissan Versa hatchback, Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic among them.

Ride, acceleration and handling: Good marks in all three. Good means it will please most ordinary drivers people who want to get where they have to go safely, reliably, within the bounds of the law.

Body style/layout: This is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive, tall-bodied but compact wagon with four side doors and a rear hatch. It is offered in three trim levels base, Plus (+ in Kia marketing parlance), and Exclaim (! according to Kia marketers).

Engines/transmissions: Two of each are available. The base gets a 1.6-liter, 16-valve, in-line four-cylinder gasoline engine with variable valve timing (130 horsepower, 118 pound-feet of torque). That engine is linked to a standard six-speed manual transmission. The Plus and Exclaim get a 2-liter version of that gasoline engine (164 horsepower, 151 pound-feet of torque) mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Capacities: Seating is for five people. Cargo capacity is 24.2 cubic feet with rear seats up and 61.3 cubic feet with those seats down. The fuel tank holds 14.2 gallons of gasoline (regular grade is recommended).

Mileage: My real-world mileage was 21 miles per gallon in congested city traffic and 30 on the highway.

Safety: Standard equipment includes four-wheel disc brakes (ventilated front, solid rear); four-wheel anti-lock brake protection; electronic brake-force distribution; stability and traction control; driver and passenger head-restraint whiplash-protection systems; and front and rear head air bags.

Price: The non-optioned price of the 2014 Kia Soul Exclaim with 18-inch wheels is $20,500, with a dealer’s invoice price of $19,521. Price as tested is $27,310, including $6,015 in options (onboard navigation, high-definition rear backup camera, premium sound system, panoramic glass roof and other items) and a $795 factory-to-dealer transportation charge. Dealer’s price as tested is $25,777.

Note: Kia is pushing hard to keep the Soul on its bestseller list. You have bargaining room on this one.

Lamborghini to get personal at Geneva

The Italian supercar company is using the upcoming Geneva Motor Show to highlight its new improved Ad Personam customization and personalization and to launch a new ‘exclusive’ design studio dedicated to helping the most discerning of clients create their ultimate dream car.

It looks as if one of the stand-out luxury automotive trends for 2014 is going to be bespoke customization.

In the lead up the Geneva Motor Show, which opens its doors to the public in little more than a week, both Ferrari and Rolls-Royce have announced that 2013 was a record year for client customization requests.

Every single new Ferrari plus 95% of Rollers sold over the past 12 months were personalized, and now Lamborghini is looking to get in on the action.

Like its closest rivals, Lamborghini already has a personalization program, called Ad Personam. But until now, it was only open to clients looking to buy and personalize the company’s flagship Aventador.

However, its reach is now being extended to cover the Huracán, which goes on sale later this year.

As well as opening the program to all new Lamborghini production models, the customization options are also being extended. There will be a greater choice of interior and exterior color options, a wider selection of leathers and even the option of Forged Composite, Lamborghini’s patented carbon-fiber-based material as a replacement material for elements of the body work or cabin.

But it doesn’t stop there. At the Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini will be launching the Ad Personam Studio, what the company describes as a fully-functional and highly-exclusive design studio where customers are assisted in the process of creating their very own, made-to-order Lamborghini Aventador.

Yes You Can Afford a BMW Learn More About Great Certified Pre-Owned BMW Deals

Maybe you’ve seen the print ads or TV commercials: BMW: The Ultimate Driving Machine.

Wow, that tagline definitely makes an impression on you. It tells you that owning a BMW would

give you a top-of-the-line experience. You may have thought that this experience was reserved

for the privileged few. Actually it is possible to afford superior BMW quality. In fact with

Colorado Drives you can find awesome deals on BMWs in Denver right now. Try our easy to

use search tool and filter your search to Denver, the BMW series you like and then check the box

that says ‘Certified Pre-Owned’. That’s all there is to it. You’ll then see all the pre-owned BMWs

available in this area. All you have to do then is request more information. A short pop up form

will appear on your screen and you can ask additional questions about availability, financing,

warranties and more.

But before you make that request let’s take a look at all that a Certified Pre-Owned BMW can

offer you:

Up to 2 year/50,000 mile warranty (this is an extension of the original 4 year/50,000 mile

warranty)

24 hour roadside assistance – 2 years with unlimited miles

Late year model with less than 60,000 miles

Financing and special offers

Thoroughly inspected by a trained BMW tech specialist: This is no quick check. This is

a comprehensive inspection that takes every system into account and brings all scheduled

maintenance up to date.

You will incur $0 maintenance for the first four years or 50,000 miles

Get a complete CARFAX Vehicle History Report

Keep in mind that most previous owners of BMWs are people who cherish these vehicles and

take pride in their maintenance. That means you have an excellent opportunity to own one of the

highest quality pre-owned vehicles on the road today.

Whichever BMW series you select you can be assured that your Certified Pre-Owned BMW will

offer the performance, safety and amenities that have defined BMW for decades. Search for the

BMW of your dreams on Colorado Drives today and feel great about the savings you’ll get with a

Certified Pre-Owned BMW.

Looking for the Best Value in a New Car? Try the Toyota Prius

For the second year in a row Consumer Reports rates the Toyota Prius as the top new car value.

There are several Prius versions, and today many people are interested in the Prius Hybrid. Let’s

take a look at why the Toyota Prius Hybrid offers you tremendous value:

Superb gas mileage: 44 mpg overall, and 55 mpg on the highway

Hybrid electric features: The electric motor adds to the horse power of the gasoline motor

for a total of 134 horse power. Power the car with the gas motor, the electric motor or

a combination of both. Choose from 3 drive modes (EV battery power for up to a mile,

ECO [improves fuel efficiency] and POWER). Feel good about driving one of the lowest

emission vehicles on the road.

There are four Prius hybrid models to choose from. All have 1.8L, 4 cylinder engines.

Depending on your preferences you can compare the models to select the Prius that’s best

for you. For example if you choose the Prius Two you’ll enjoy projector beam halogen

headlights and 15 in. 5 spoke wheels in addition to a wide range of other safety and

comfort features. If you choose the Prius Five you can get advanced LED headlights,

integrated fog lights and 17 in. 5 spoke wheels along with all of the other standard Prius

features.

So what’s the easiest way to find a new Toyota Prius in Denver? Just use Colorado Drive’s

search tool and set the filters to Denver, Toyota, Prius and start reading the details on the Toyota

cars we identify for you. Request CARFAX reports. Compare various models side-by-side.

You can even map the dealers and send them messages to inquire about financing, features and

warranties.

Once you find the car that you want you can request more information and an agent will be in

touch to help you get your financing, options and warranty questions answered. If you’re looking

for Consumer Reports’ best new car value for 2014, it’s the Toyota Prius and you can find one on

Colorado Drives.

The 2014 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen Fits Family and Cargo & Looks Good Doing It

If it’s new car buying time for your family you may have looked at dozens of SUVs and

crossovers trying to decide which one will meet your needs. U.S. News rates the 2014

Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen as a solid choice in this category. Take a look at some of the

features you’ll enjoy when you purchase this wagon:

Diesel engine available to add to fuel economy

Well-appointed interior

30/42 mpg city/highway

Excellent handling and powerful brakes

Panoramic sunroof bathes the entire cabin in light

Roof rails so you can take your gear with you

Available rearview camera gives you a clear view of what’s behind you

Available keyless access and push button start

2013 IIHS Top Safety Pick

The list above offers just a sampling of the advanced technology and comfort features you’ll

enjoy in this wagon. The Jetta Sportswagen provides a surprising amount of acceleration for a 4

cylinder engine. Owners say that it offers a quiet, comfortable ride. Whether you need to stash

your groceries or your gear for a quick weekend getaway or a family vacation, the Sportwagen is

ready with its 67 cu. ft. of cargo space.

So what’s the best way to get a Jetta Sportswagen of your own? Whether you want to buy a

new 2014 model or a pre-owned vehicle, we recommend using Colorado Drive’s easy vehicle

search tool. You can find all of the best Volkswagen deals in Denver using our tool and get more

information on financing, options and warranties.

Did you know that you can get Volkswagen’s Carefree Maintenance on 2014 models for 2 years/

24,000 miles (whichever comes first)? During that time you’ll pay absolutely nothing for all

scheduled maintenance.

It’s really easy to find Jetta Sportswagens on Colorado Drives. Take a look and see how you’ll

save time versus checking dozens of local dealer sites. Let us do the car search legwork for you.

See Why the Nissan Pathfinder is Best in Its Class for Those Who Want a Larger Crossover

Most everyone has heard of the Nissan Pathfinder. It sets the pace in its category as one of the

top crossovers. You’ll find all of these features in a Pathfinder which makes it a perfect larger

crossover for families or people who want a lot of cargo and seating space:

6 cylinder engine standard

Seats 7

20 city/26 hwy gas mileage

Built with lightweight components to maximize fuel efficiency

Advanced transmission

Aerodynamic exterior

These are but a few of the features on these amazing crossovers. The 2014 Pathfinder comes in 6

different models with hybrid versions. The hybrids offer remarkable features such as automatic

switching to electric motor power when the car coasts, stops and starts. The versatility of the

Pathfinder is really legendary as the second and third rows of seats can be put down to open up

the cargo area to an impressive 79.8 cubic feet, big enough to handle serious loads.

One of the key features of the Nissan Pathfinder is the choice between 2 WD, 4 WD and Auto

Mode, which are unique to this vehicle class. Drive in 2 WD to save gas, go with 4 WD to

handle tougher landscapes or leave it in Auto Mode and let the vehicle sense the right amount

of power to give to each wheel. Combine this feature with the flexibility to hold 7 passengers

or large cargo loads and it’s no wonder the Pathfinder is chosen most often when people are

shopping for top performing crossovers.

If you’ve been looking for great deals on Nissans in Denver, let Colorado Drives save you some

time. Our easy to use search tool can help you refine your search to new, used or pre-owned

vehicles. Make your selections and you’ll be presented with pages of results with cars that fit

your requirements. Then all you have to do is send a message requesting more information on

financing, options and warranties and you’ll be good to go. Try it now; our tool is a real time

saver.

Porsche 911 for the Free Spirit in You

Porsche 911 for the Free Spirit in You

Everyone loves the freedom of driving on the open road and it’s especially exhilarating when you

are behind the wheel of a really high quality vehicle. That’s the feeling you’ll get when you drive

a Porsche 911. This car is known throughout the world as a top-of-the-line sports car. Just look at

some of these 911 Turbo S specs:

0-60 in an earth shattering 2.7 seconds with a top speed of 197 mph

Max. Power of 560 hp at 6500 – 6750 rpm

Powerful twin-turbo rear mounted engine that offers 16% lower carbon emissions (for

newest models)

Water-cooled, electro-hydraulic Haldex all-wheel drive system

Standard rear axle steering which improves stability and handling at high and low speeds

Adaptive cruise control

LED headlights

Economy: 29.1mpg

CO2: 227g/km

While we’re sure you’ll love all of the above features, the main thing people want a performance

sports car for is to experience a thrilling ride. That’s exactly what you’ll get from the 911

Turbo S. In fact, every aspect of this exceptional sports car exceeds expectations: The brakes

are amazingly strong, the acceleration is sharp and the control you’ll feel at every speed is

near perfection. This is a car that driving experts will love. Admirers of beauty, speed and

performance will covet it, too. It won’t matter if your journey is a quick trip across town, a longer

jaunt on the highway or a few amazing laps on a test track…the Turbo S is in a class by itself and

not only will you discover that, everyone who sees you driving this car will feel it, too.

Now the only question remains how to get one here in the Denver area. Colorado Drives offers

you its easy to use car search tool which makes locating a new, used or pre-owned 911 Turbo S

almost effortless. Simply filter your search for the Denver area and set the range for how many

miles radius you’d like to search and select Porsche and 911. You’ll find a list of the available

cars in this area with opportunities to send a message to an agent about financing, warranties,

options and more. Get ready for the thrill of a lifetime every day in your Porsche 911 Turbo S.

Find it on Colorado Drives.

Honda CR-V: One of the Smartest Car Investments You Can Make

If you’ve driven for any number of years you likely have heard people refer to ‘Honda reliability’.

You may have thought that these people were overreacting. It’s like that with many products

and services; some people flock to one type of computer, or one type of athletic shoes. The

facts are easier to understand when it comes to Honda cars: They consistently get high ratings

for reliability from US News and J.D. Power. One Honda vehicle in particular is a really smart

investment if you need an SUV that can get you from point A to point B in style, and also stay on

the road year after year: We’re talking about the Honda CR-V. Take a look at some of these high

ratings and judge for yourself:

2014 Honda CR-V SUV – J.D. Power Award Recipient. This vehicle received the highest

rating for overall quality and 4 out of 5 stars for overall performance and design and predicted

reliability.

U.S. News rates the CR-V #2 in affordability (MSRP: $22,945 – $30,445). It is rated highly for

comfort and handling.

With the Honda CR-V you can choose between front and 4 wheel drive. You can take to most

any road surface with this popular SUV. This vehicle is perfect for a quick trip to the grocery

store or a fun day at the beach with all the family’s gear. It also makes a great day in, day out

dependable car to shuttle kids to all their activities.

Driving the CR-V may surprise you: It not only rides beautifully but it’s one of the most fuel-

efficient cars on the road. Get more from every gallon of gas when you press the Econ Eco

Assist button. This feature will optimize all of the car’s systems to give you the most fuel-

efficient ride. This quiet, Ultra-Low Emission vehicle with 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder engine gets a

really awesome 23 city/31 highway mpg rating so you’ll be driving by more gas stations vs.

stopping to refuel.

Ready to enjoy legendary Honda reliability and all the latest features on the new CR-V compact

crossover? Colorado Drives can help you find this Honda and other Honda cars in Denver with

our easy to use search tool. Save time and search for Hondas, compare models and request more

information all from our site.

Why Buy a Car from a Dealership?

Some people wonder why they should buy a car from a dealership. There are so many other places to buy a car; you can answer a newspaper or online ad from a private individual. You could buy a car from a friend or relative. However if you use any of these methods you may wonder if you should have expanded your search to see more vehicles. Youd like to review as many vehicles as possible but you don’t have tons of time to ride around checking all the local dealerships. Your car search is getting bogged down. There has to be a better way…

The best way to manage a car shopping experience is to start looking online. Shopping dealers’ sites is nothing new, but you have to know how to do it the right way. The best thing to do is to find an online car search tool that provides multiple ways to compare cars from dozens of local dealers. If you do this youll get to see the dealers’ inventories with images and video and youll see a full list of features so you can get a good idea about what each car has to offer.

Many people think dealers only sell new cars. They don’t realize that they can get a great deal on a used or certified pre-owned car from a dealer. In Denver it’s amazing how many good deals there are on used cars. For example use the Colorado Drives car search tool now and try a certified pre-owned search. Try Honda CR-V pre-owned in Denver for your search criteria, for instance. You’ll see a complete set of dealer search results that include quality late model cars. Take a look at the CARFAX reports. Click through on any model for pictures and more information. Or change your mind and search for used and pre-owned BMW Series 3 cars in the Denver area and check out all the choices. Compare them side-by-side or call individual dealers to discuss particular models. It’s that easy.

Perhaps you just want to find dealers near you. Simply click the tab at the top of the Colorado Drives search tool and discover all the dealers in the Denver area. In this way you can get phone numbers for each dealer and search their particular inventories. Once you’re done looking at dealer info and inventories you can also use our tool to check auto loan rates. Try our loan calculators too.

It’s important to educate yourself before you go shopping for a car. With our tool, in just a few minutes you can discover great car deals without even leaving your home. We believe our search tool offers the easiest way to streamline your car shopping experience.

Take Our Online Car Shopping Tool for a Spin

Looking for a new car can be an exciting experience. The excitement can wear off pretty fast

though once you visit several car dealerships and can’t find what you want. Fortunately, in

Denver there are a number of dealerships for most any make, like Chevy, Ford, Nissan, Toyota

and BMW. The tough part of car shopping is wading through all the models and types doing so

can definitely make your head spin.

One of the best ways to shop for a car is to use smart tools designed for the purpose. Car

search tools like the one you’ll find here at Colorado Drives, can streamline your car shopping

experience. It works very much like tools you’ve seen on retailer websites, and almost makes

shopping for a car online as easy as buying a new pair of jeans. Just enter the make and model

of car you want, plus indicate if you’re interested in new, used or pre-owned cars. You can even

select all three of these choices to get the most comprehensive results. You can set a range for

how far you want the tool to look in your geographic area. Then click ‘Let’s get started’ and

you’re on your way to simplifying your car search.

Let’s take an example: We’ll enter Chevrolet as the make and Monte Carlo as the model. We’ll

select new, used and pre-owned and input Denver, CO as our location. The search returns several

cars that fit our criteria. We can check the ‘compare’ box on all of the listings so we can then see

a side-by-side comparison of what these vehicles have to offer. You’ll also notice we can access

free CARFAX reports for each vehicle and we can call the dealers to speak to someone about

each car. Click ‘more info’ for any vehicle and see photos and send a message to the dealer about

availability, financing and warranties. You can read about a vehicle’s features and even map the

dealership if you want to stop by and take a look at the car.

This entire car shopping experience takes a few minutes from the comfort of your home or

office, before you even step foot in a dealership.

Car shopping tools are certainly a time saver and they can help you narrow down your selections

fast. Be sure to take a look at some of the great deals available on used and pre-owned cars. Car

shopping tools are great for discovering these hidden gems.

Don’t Think You’ll ‘Feel It’ in a Used Car? Think Again!

When it comes to car shopping lots of people think their only choice is to get a new car. They

want the ‘new car smell; they want the assurance that they were the first person to own the car,

with no chance of a previous owner somehow causing damage to it. While there’s something

to be said for that new car experience, you can still get it with a used car at a reduced price.

That may sound contradictory but it’s true, especially if one buys a Certified Pre-Owned car.

Certified Pre-Owned cars go through exhaustive checks to ensure they are compliant with the

manufacturers’ standards for comfort, performance and safety. So definitely think about buying a

late model Certified Pre-Owned vehicle. Usually you can get CARFAX reports for these cars so

you’ll be up-to-date on the vehicle’s history. What’s more, many Certified Pre-Owned cars come

with warranties and attractive financing options. What’s not to like?

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular Certified Pre-Owned cars so you can compare the

value of these offers versus a brand new car:

Honda Accord

150 point inspection

Parts and systems reconditioned or replaced with genuine Honda parts

Limited warranty covers engine and transmission components for up to 7 years/100,000

miles

Toyota Camry

160 to 174 point (hybrids) inspection

12-month/12,000-mile Limited Comprehensive Warranty and a 7-year/100,000-mile

Limited Powertrain Warranty

One year of roadside assistance

Lexus RX

These pre-owned cars are hand selected. They cannot be older than six years old nor have

more than 70,000 miles on them. Any exceptions are rejected.

Completely reconditioned to Lexus standards.

Purchasers enjoy a 3 year/100,000 total vehicle miles warranty

Attractive financing which is the same as for a new car

Cadillac SRX

All pre-owned Cadillacs get a full 6 year/70,000 mile (whichever comes first) warranty,

with the certified part of the warranty a 2 year, 20,000 mile (whichever comes first)

extension of the main warranty.

172 point vehicle inspection

24 hour roadside assistance

Available premium care maintenance

Some people aren’t sure if owning a Certified Pre-Owned car is worth it. They say that they

aren’t convinced the additional savings of a thousand or more dollars to the price of a used car is

cost-effective for them. Definitely take a look at some Certified Pre-Owned cars using our tool

and check their CARFAX reports. Then ask yourself these questions:

1. How comprehensive is the inspection performed by the manufacturers’ techs?

2. Is the asking price significantly lower than the cost of buying a new car?

3. What’s the best financing I can get for this car?

That last question will likely vary by dealer but be sure to check with your bank or credit union

as they will have additional options for you.

If you are looking for a used car it’s a good idea to consider a certified pre-owned vehicle.

Colorado Drives makes it easy to find pre-owned and certified pre-owned vehicles in the Denver

area. Simply use our handy search tool and set the parameters to Denver, then to the model of

car you want. The results will list all of the pre-owned vehicles that fit your requirements. Sort,

compare and review these results and send dealers a message on any that interest you. They’ll

reply fast and make your car search is as effortless as possible.

How to Buy a Used Car for a Teen Driver

When it comes time for your son or daughter to get their first car, it’s definitely tempting to buy

them a new car or help them with money towards the purchase of a new vehicle. Some people

don’t want to consider buying a used car; they think a used vehicle is a problem waiting to

happen. Actually there are many dealers in Colorado who can help you find a great used car for

an attractive price. But who has time to ferret out used cars at dealerships?

The Internet puts car shopping tools in the palm of your hand. You can look up dealers’ phone

numbers and call them to discuss your needs. Or you can go on various dealers’ sites and take a

look at their inventories. There is another way to make car shopping easier. You could learn to

use a car shopping tools’ comparison features.

Take the tool we’ve created here at Colorado Drives. Did you know that you can search for used

cars with the criteria you set? It’s easy. Let’s try an example. Try our tool for a search for Toyota

Camry used cars in Denver. You’ll be amazed at how fast the tool returns a long list of cars that

fit your requirements. Now it’s up to you how you’d like to compare the vehicles. If you decide to

select the ‘compare’ box for several cars, you can then click the ‘compare’ blue search button and

see an easy to read comparison chart that includes each car’s features.

The great part about buying a used Camry, BMW, Nissan, Toyota, Honda or other used vehicle

in Denver is that a teen will often be better off with one of these cars than a new vehicle of

another brand. It’s possible to get warranties and very attractive prices and financing for most

of these used cars. They are often only a few years old and they come with CARFAX reports so

you can review the vehicles’ histories.

Did you know: Using a car search tool like Colorado Drives even provides you with a section to

sell your car! Go ahead and list your car for sale and get the cash you need to help your teen buy

a great first car! Get started today with Colorado Drives and make all of your car transactions

easier using our online tools!

Get more Mini with the Clubman Concept

Let’s hope the Mini Clubman Concept, a huge improvement over the existing elongated Mini in terms of styling and practicality, will be traveling past the concept stage and into dealerships after its motor show debut.

The current Clubman is a strange automotive animal. Essentially a Mini mini-van, it has a vertical split rear tailgate and a strange three-and-a-half-door configuration.

Conceived to be more roomy and practical than the standard Mini while paying homage to the Mini Countryman and Mini Traveller models of the 1970s, the result is more interior space but poorer visibility and ingress and egress issues for rear passengers.

There is only one small, rear passenger door, which opens backwards (known as a suicide door in the trade). It means that depending on how the car is parked, there is a risk of having to alight into the street rather than onto the pavement. And as for trying to fit a child seat…

Mini has seen the error of its ways and the new car has four proper doors (two on each side) and, although it keeps the split rear tailgate, the door frames are significantly smaller so they won’t completely obscure the rearview mirror.

In the old car, whenever you glanced in the mirror, all that could be seen were the two big door frames and pretty much nothing else. Meaning that the mirror was better used for keeping an eye on the kids in the back or for checking your hair than for blind spots and cars coming up quickly from behind.

The Clubman is also 11 inches longer and almost 7 inches wider than the old one, so there should be plenty of space inside crucial on longer journeys. Yet, thanks to Mini’s crack team of designers, this extra girth has done nothing to spoil the car’s compact external appearance or character. It’s unmistakably a Mini, and a rather elegant one at that.

Inside, the cabin is a minimalist treat, with strong flowing elliptical lines, clear, uncluttered instrumentation and clever use of backlighting to make it seem like the dashboard is floating. What’s more, the toggle switches use haptic feedback, they vibrate when touched so there’s less need to take your eyes off the road when trying to locate and operate one.

Of the concept, which will go on show on March 4 at the Geneva Motor Show, Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design, said: The Mini Clubman Concept shows how the Mini Clubman could be taken a step further: more interior space, a greater sense of high-end quality and yet still clever, bold and distinctive. In short: more car, more Mini.

Lawmakers sync Google Glass with driving hazards

Gary Howell has a vision, and it’s a grim one, involving a cat: A motorist, wearing his Google Glass, decides to watch a feline video and breaks into laughter.

When you’re rolling down the road in a ton-and-a-half of metal at 65 miles per hour, you can do some serious damage, said Howell.

Howell, R, a West Virginia state representative, has introduced a bill to ban drivers from wearing Google Glass. Similar measures have been introduced in at least five other states, although the device is still in its experimental stage.

Google is concerned enough about the bills that is has hired lobbyists in at least two states to, as the company puts it, educate lawmakers about Google Glass.

These ban bills could limit the marketability of Google Glass, said Richard Bennett, a visiting scholar at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute who co-invented Wi-Fi. Driving is certainly one of the premier applications for Glass.

Google Glass looks like a pair of glasses. With them, the wearer can access the Internet, take photos with a blink and, yes, watch cat videos. Google, owner of the world’s largest search engine, has been investing in Glass as it bets consumers will shift to wireless devices that let them snap photos, check e-mail or listen to music without smartphones or traditional computers.

Hyundai, South Korea’s largest automaker, will include an application to synch Glass with its 2015 Genesis sedan.

Some early research shows that Google Glass is less distracting than smartphones and may be used to help drivers avoid hazards. Still, in a world where texting and calling while driving have caused accidents and death, some legislators want to get ahead of the next potentially dangerous thing.

Bills in West Virginia, Illinois and New Jersey would include Google’s glasses among hand-held mobile phones and other gadgets that are barred from use while driving. A measure in New York would require the motor vehicle department to recommend how a potential ban could be enforced.

Google has hired lobbyists in states including Wyoming and Delaware. As the company mounts a fight, application developers have already created programs for using Glass while driving that can monitor speed, give directions and detect fatigue all while drivers’ eyes are looking at the road rather than at a phone or speedometer.

Most of the bills put Google Glass in the same category as texting while driving, which has been the centerpiece of a campaign by the U.S. Transportation Department to cut down on distractions in the car. Forty-one states ban texting behind the wheel and 12 don’t allow hand-held mobile phone use. Hands-free calling and texting, which Google Glass can do, is typically allowed. The device’s ability to deliver videos and other potential distractions has some lawmakers concerned.

Anna Richardson White, a spokeswoman for Mountain View, Calif.-based Google, said the company is entering the political debate as it works to convince policymakers that Glass isn’t dangerous.

Technology issues are a big part of the current policy discussion in individual states, and we think it’s important to be a part of those discussions, she said by e-mail. We find that when people try it for themselves, they better understand the underlying principle that it’s not meant to distract but rather to connect people more with the world around them.

The bills that would ban using Google Glass while driving remain in the early stages of the legislative process. Enforcing them may prove difficult. Last month, a San Diego court threw out a ticket against Cecilia Abadie, a woman who may be the first cited for wearing the device while driving. The ticket was dropped because there wasn’t proof she was using it while behind the wheel, according to the Associated Press.

The enforcement issue led New York Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, D, to introduce a measure that would require the DMV to recommend how police can ensure driver compliance with any law that bans use of the device.

We know how hard it is to enforce texting, Crespo said. Imagine how much harder it will be to enforce something as inconspicuous as Google Glass.

Jackie McGinnis, a New York DMV spokeswoman, said the department hasn’t determined whether Google Glass is a distraction.

While the display may keep drivers’ eyes on the road, it may also trick their brains into thinking they’re paying attention, said Christopher Chabris, a psychology professor at Union College in Schenectady, New York. Without Glass, drivers glancing at the speedometer are aware they’ve taken their eyes off the road and look back quickly, he said. With Glass, their eyes may linger on a virtual speed display.

It’s a visual illusion, Chabris said by phone. You may think you’re noticing more than you actually are.

Jibo He, a psychology professor at Wichita State University in Kansas, was among several thousand selected as early users for Glass. He conducted a study using Google Glass and a driving simulator that found it’s less distracting than a smartphone because drivers don’t have to look down, he said by phone. He is creating applications that detect fatigue and automatically limit the programs that can be used while driving. Hyundai has said the Genesis will work with Glass only for pre-drive operations.

Whether Glass is safe or not depends on how you use it, He said. If you use it to detect hazards or fatigue, then it’s beneficial. It you use it for a phone or texting, it may be distracting.

A Wyoming bill banning use of Google Glass while driving is premature, said state Sen. Leland Christensen, R.

This may be one of those places where we may not want to close the door, he said. We don’t know where this tool is headed and where they’re going with it.

With assistance from Alan Ohnsman in Los Angeles and Brian Womack in San Francisco.

Tesla is planning a $5 billion battery 'gigafactory'

Tesla Motors on Wednesday announced an audacious plan to build a $5 billion gigafactory for batteries, saying the massive facility by 2020 will produce more lithium-ion batteries than the entire global supply for 2013. That will be enough, it said, to power 500,000 electric vehicles annually.

A final site has not yet been chosen for the enormous factory, which will occupy roughly 10 million square feet and eventually employ 6,500 workers. But Tesla has narrowed its options to four states Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas setting off fierce competition among them to seal the deal. The green factory will be largely powered by renewable sources of energy like solar and wind, making any of those states a good location.

Tesla expects to sell 35,000 all-electric Model S sedans in 2014 and is gearing up production of its Model X SUV, which will hit the market in early 2015. By 2017, it plans to begin delivery of its more affordable Gen III sedan, which it hopes to sell for about $35,000, about half the cost of the cheapest Model S. But driving down the cost of battery packs is key to making electric cars more affordable.

By the end of the first year of volume production of our mass market vehicle, we expect the gigafactory will have driven down the per kWh (kilowatt hour) cost of our battery pack by more than 30 percent, Tesla said in a blog post Wednesday.

But its gigafactory batteries will not be just for automobiles. Last year, Tesla developed energy storage products for use in homes, commercial sites and utilities in partnership with San Mateo-based SolarCity. The solar company is run by Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s cousins Lyndon and Peter Rive, and Musk serves as chairman of SolarCity’s board.

The applications for these battery systems include backup power, peak demand reduction, demand response and wholesale electric market services, Tesla said in a regulatory filing Wednesday. We plan to ramp sales of these products in 2014.

Each Model S sedan is powered by more than 7,000 lithium-ion battery cells, which Tesla gets from Panasonic. While the battery cells are similar to those used in laptops and game consoles, Tesla’s were jointly developed by Tesla and Panasonic specifically for electric vehicles.

Tesla said it will commit $2 billion of its own money to build the gigafactory and will raise $1.6 billion from investors and the rest from partners. It didn’t name its partners in the project, but Panasonic is widely believed to be one of them.

Panasonic has built a collaborative relationship with Tesla Motors, and are looking at options for strengthening that relationship, a Panasonic spokesman said Wednesday by email. At this stage, nothing is decided.

Tesla and Panasonic, based in Osaka, Japan, have a strong partnership. Panasonic invested $30 million in Tesla in 2010, and the two companies in 2011 finalized an agreement for Panasonic to provide Tesla with roughly 640 million automotive grade lithium-ion battery cells, or enough to build more than 80,000 vehicles, over the next four years. In October, the scale of that agreement was nearly tripled to 1.8 billion cells.

Those cells will be used in both the Model S and the Model X. But there is speculation that Tesla is talking to other suppliers, including South Korea’s LG Chem and Samsung SDI, for cells for the Gen III. Musk has said that more than one partner is likely to join Tesla on the gigafactory.

Tesla also has deals to supply batteries for the Toyota RAV4 EV as well as the Mercedes-Benz B-Class electric vehicle, which is another reason for it to secure a big supply of battery cells.

I’m surprised they didn’t announce who the partners are, said Sam Jaffe, an analyst with Navigant Research. But I’m not surprised that they didn’t name the location. Now they get to be courted by multiple states. Everyone wants manufacturing jobs, and this is a huge factory.

Tesla’s Fremont factory is located on a rail line, and Jaffe says that the gigafactory will also be located near rail to save on the cost of transporting the batteries. Union Pacific runs rail through El Paso, Texas, and Tucson, Ariz., and is building a major intermodal center near Albuquerque, N.M.

At the same time, the only operating lithium company in the country is Rockwood Lithium, which operates in Silver Peak, Nev. Rockwood was awarded a $28 million grant from the Department of Energy as part of the federal stimulus package to expand production.

Nevada Sen. Harry Reid is a big advocate of clean energy and hosts a National Clean Energy Summit every August in Las Vegas; Musk spoke at the summit in 2012. And Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval has met with executives from Tesla to make the state’s case to be the site of the gigafactory.

Tesla is an exceptional company, and we are honored to be included in their list of finalists, said Steve Hill, director of Sandoval’s Office of Economic Development. Our office has been working with the regional development authorities and local governments to highlight what Nevada offers: a skilled workforce, responsive workforce development and training programs, exceptional quality of life, great schools, low operating costs, and a commitment from the state of Nevada to provide the climate necessary for innovative businesses to thrive.

Is this the world's fastest road car?

A Hennessey Venom GT has managed to hit a barely believable 270.49 mph (436 km/h) at the Kennedy Space Center.

The world record is currently held by the Bugatti Veyron, which set its until now unbeaten top speed of 269.86 mph (435 km/h) back in 2010.

However, since Hennessey first started building the Venom GT, the company has been trying everything it can to bring the record back to the U.S. from Europe and is getting closer and closer to its objective.

Unfortunately, the latest attempt, though valid, won’t count.

For the new record to stand, it has to be ratified by Guinness. Therefore, the car needs to make a minimum of two runs and the average speed taken.

The Venom GT only made one pass. However, what’s astounding is that it managed to go faster than the Bugatti over such a short distance 3.2 miles (5 km). When the Veyron set its record it was on Volkswagen’s purpose-built track which offers a five-mile (8 km) runway.

As the Venom’s driver at the Space Center, Brian Smith, said, the car could have gone much faster but there was no runway left.

Whether or not the record is recognized, the achievement should still be celebrated.

Unlike the Veyron, which spent half a decade in development and burned through potentially billions of euros in the process, the Venom GT is a testament to American ingenuity.

Whereas the team at Bugatti started with a blank sheet of paper and a checkbook, John Hennessy and his team started with a Lotus Exige and then got creative. They strengthened and lengthened its chassis, threw away the standard engine and replaced it with a 7-liter V8 which is force-fed air via twin turbochargers.

The result is one of if not the fastest-accelerating production car currently on the market and has a devoted, growing fanbase.

The video of the run also highlights another salient issue when it comes to choosing the supercar that’s right for you. Acceleration is more important than top speed, unless you can afford to borrow an airport runway or have your own private circuit in the backyard. There is pretty much nowhere in the world where there’s enough straight road to hit 200 mph in a car.

Hyundai to present hydrogen-powered SUV concept

The South Korean car manufacturer plans to wow visitors at the international car show with a new concept car powered by a next-generation hydrogen fuel cell engine.

The Intrado, which will be unveiled to the public at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, is directly inspired by aviation engineering, in terms of both the technology and the materials used. The body panels, for example, are made of shock-absorbing ultra-light steel, while carbon fiber is used for the doors, the engine hood and the tailgate.

But the Intrado’s real innovation is found under the hood. The vehicle runs on a hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine with a 36kWh Li-ion battery. As a result of this technology, the concept car can be recharged in a matter of just minutes and has a range of 600km. Moreover, the engine only emits water, meaning that it is completely environmentally friendly.

This is not Hyundai’s first endeavor in the realm of hydrogen motors: the carmaker has been producing its ix35 Fuel Cell in South Korea since 2013. The concept car was designed and developed primarily at the brand’s European R&D center in Rüsselsheim (Germany).

The Intrado stands out as the first concept car inspired by Hyundai’s latest design language, dubbed Fluidic Sculpture 2.0. The name of the new concept is in keeping with its aviational inspiration: intrados refers to the inferior side of a plane’s wing, which produces lift and allows the craft to fly.

The 84th Geneva Motor Show takes place from March 6 to 16 at Palexpo in Geneva.

Tesla Model S rated top 2014 vehicle to buy

Consumer Reports on Tuesday named the U.S. electric luxury car Tesla Model S the top vehicle of 2014 to buy, calling it a technological tour de force.

The U.S. consumer shopping guide selected Tesla as the best overall in test performance, reliability and safety as the car made its first appearance on the annual list of top 10 vehicle categories.

The Tesla is a glimpse into a future where cars and computers coexist in seamless harmony. Its 225-mile (362-kilometer) driving range and five-hour charges, using Tesla’s special connector, also make it the easiest, most practical, albeit pricey, electric car to live with, said the magazine.

The Model S the magazine tested had a sticker price of $89,650, compared with an average of about $34,900 for the remaining nine best model categories.

Tesla, founded by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, is expected to announce soon the launch of a gigafactory to make improved batteries that would reduce the cost of its battery packs.

There were three other new model winners on the Consumers Reports list: South Korea automaker Hyundai’s Santa Fe sport-utility vehicle; the Subaru Forester small SUV and Chrysler’s Ram 1500 pickup truck.

It was the first time in 16 years that a Chrysler model has made the ranking. The Consumer Reports’s thumbs-up came a month after Italian automaker Fiat completed its takeover of Chrysler that helped the company get back on track following a US government bailout.

Japanese companies Honda and Subaru were the only automakers to have more than one spot.

Honda’s Accord topped the midsized sedan ranking and its Odyssey came in as best minivan. In addition to the Subaru Forester’s small SUV win, Subaru’s Impreza landed the best compact car nod.

German automaker Audi’s A6 took the luxury car prize. Compatriot BMW’s 328i was named best sports sedan.

GM recalls 1.6 million vehicles for faulty ignition switch

DETROIT General Motors on Tuesday doubled to 1.6 million the number of small cars it is recalling to fix faulty ignition switches linked to multiple fatal crashes.

Just two weeks ago, GM announced the recall of more than 780,000 Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5s. It’s now adding 842,000 Saturn Ion compacts, Chevrolet HHR SUVs and Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky sports cars.

The company was immediately lambasted by a well-known safety advocate who says GM knew of the problem for years and waited too long to recall the cars even though people were killed because of the problem.

GM says a heavy key ring or jarring from rough roads can cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position and shut off the engine and electrical power. That can knock out power-assisted brakes and steering and disable the front air bags. The problem has been linked to 31 crashes and 13 front-seat deaths. In the fatalities, the air bags did not inflate, but the engines did not shut off in all cases, GM said.

It was unclear whether the ignition switches caused the crashes, or whether people died because the air bags didn’t inflate.

The vehicles being recalled include: Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5s from the 2005 through 2007 model years; Saturn Ion compacts from 2003 through 2007; and Chevrolet HHR SUVs and Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky sports cars from 2006 and 2007. Most of the cars were sold in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

According to a chronology of events that GM filed Monday with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the company knew of the problem as early as 2004, and was told of at least one fatal crash in March of 2007. GM issued service bulletins in 2005 and 2006 telling dealers how to fix the problem with a key insert, and advising them to tell customers not to dangle too many items from their key chains. But the company’s records showed that only 474 vehicle owners got the key inserts.

GM thought the service bulletin was sufficient because the car’s steering and brakes were operable even after the engines lost power, according to the chronology.

By the end of 2007, GM knew of 10 cases in which Cobalts were in front-end crashes where the air bags didn’t inflate, the chronology said.

In 2005, GM initially approved an engineer’s plan to redesign the ignition switch, but the change was later canceled, according to the chronology.

They knew by 2007 they had 10 incidents where the air bag didn’t deploy in this type of crash, said Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the consumer advocacy group Center for Auto Safety. This is a case where both GM and NHTSA should be held accountable for doing a recall no later than the spring of 2007.

GM North American President Alan Batey said in a statement that the process to examine the problem was not as robust as it should have been and said the GM of today would behave differently. We will take an unflinching look at what happened and apply lessons learned here to improve going forward, he said.

GM spokesman Alan Adler said that initially the rate of problems per 1,000 vehicles was low, so the company did not recall the cars.

NHTSA issued a statement that didn’t address why the recall wasn’t done sooner. The statement said the agency is communicating with GM about how long it took to identify the safety problem, but didn’t specify if any action would be taken.

Dealers will replace the ignition switch for free, but Adler said it will take some time for the parts to be manufactured and sent to dealers. No time frame was given for making the repairs.

We are deeply sorry and we are working to address this issue as quickly as we can, Batey said.

____

AP Auto Writer Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report.

Rolls-Royce owners prefer custom craftsmanship

Just like Ferrari, the luxury carmaker has confirmed that 2013 was a record year for clients customizing their cars and the trend looks set to continue.

Rolls-Royce says that bespoke customization requests are nearing the 100 percent mark and that 2013 was the busiest its team of artisans and craftsmen have ever been. In all, 95 percent of the 3,630 cars it sold globally over the past 12 months left the factory with bespoke options.

This includes 90 percent of all Rolls-Royce Wraiths, the company’s newest and most powerful car, which only went on sale in mid-2013. And when it comes to customization, the Middle East is the most demanding region 99 percent of Ghosts and Phantoms arrived in the region with a personal touch.

Globally, the company’s flagship Phantom remains the most popular car for customization for all clients, wherever they are based, with 98 percent of US Phantom owners and 95 percent of European clients specifying bespoke details or features. In Asia the trend is not yet as well established only 86 percent of customers in the region decided to get creative with their care.

This continuing growth in Bespoke sales in 2013 proves the fact that Rolls-Royce is the home of Bespoke in the luxury world, said Torsten Müller-Ãtvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The success of this operation here at Goodwood continues to attract more discerning individuals from all over the world to our marque, and reaffirms our decision to expand our Bespoke offer over the last three years.

However, while Rolls-Royce may have set the standard, it is by no means the only carmaker to have experienced a swell in customization requests. Earlier this month, Ferrari revealed that for the first time in its history, 100 percent of the cars it sold over the past 12 months featured bespoke or customized elements.

Meanwhile McLaren and Aston Martin have recently opened their own bespoke and customization studios to meet increased personalization requests from their own clients.

Supercharge your shopping trips with the latest Jaguar

The XFR-S Sportbrake will combine the practicality of an estate car with the performance of a sports coupé when it launches in April.

The car, which will make its first official public appearance at the Geneva Motor Show in March uses the same monstrous 5-liter, supercharged V8 that currently powers the company’s flagship sports car, the F-Type. However, it’s been tweaked and finessed in order to bring the same levels of driver thrills to a vehicle big enough to carry the whole family and their luggage.

So, output has increased to 542bhp and that translates into a 0-100km/h (62mph) time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 300kph (186 mph). But as well as crowbarring a rocket under the car’s hood, Jaguar has improved the suspension to keep both the back end and rear passengers’ stomachs under control.

For this reason, the car is also fitted with an eight-speed Quickshift automatic gearbox. It makes the car even more responsive when in sports mode to ensure that the driver can eke out as much as possible from the engine across the rev band and with each paddle-shift, but can also leave the vehicle to its own devices as a full automatic when on the school run or driving around the city.

And that is the most important quality for cars like the XFR-S Sportbrake. It has to be a true Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Calm, cool, sophisticated and exquisitely well mannered, but also a crazed ‘madman’ at the flick of a switch. And how well Jaguar has managed to achieve this won’t be known until the car is released for review.

Even if the XFR-S Sportbrake turns out to be too much Hyde and not enough Jekyll, it’s still a car that Jaguar needed to build.

Just like SUVs, performance-focused premium estate cars or station wagons are growing in popularity and until now, such a car has been suspicious by its absence from Jaguar’s lineup. Audi, BMW and Mercedes’ ranges are positively overflowing with them. Let’s hope it will be able to hold its own against such august competition.

Despite rising balances, Americans are keeping up with their car payments

LOS ANGELES U.S. car owners are carrying higher auto loan balances but still making timely monthly payments.

Auto loan debt per borrower grew 4.4 percent to $16,769 in the final quarter of 2013 from a year earlier the 11th consecutive quarter to post an annual increase, according to data released Tuesday by credit reporting agency TransUnion.

Even so, the U.S. auto loan delinquency rate ended the last three months of last year at 1.14 percent, below the 1.3 percent average quarterly late-payment rate for every October-December quarter going back to 2007, the firm said.

The trend suggests borrowers with auto loans continue to keep up with payments, even as auto loan debt per borrower has grown steadily. It’s up 12 percent since the first quarter of 2011.

Stable fuel prices, low interest rates and the increased availability of credit helped propel U.S. new car and truck sales up 8 percent to 15.6 million last year. That was the industry’s best year since 2007 and the fourth year in a row sales increased by more than 1 million. New auto loans tend to have higher balances early on, which helps drive up auto loan debt.

Auto loan debt per borrower edged up in the fourth quarter by 0.5 percent from the previous three months. The increase was broad, with every state posting a bump in auto loan debt per borrower in the quarter, TransUnion said.

Consumers are willing to take on more auto debt, said Pete Turek, vice president of automotive at TransUnion’s financial services business unit.

Typically, the late-payment rate on auto loans, credit cards and mortgages rises in the October-December quarter, as many consumers hit the stores to buy gifts for the holiday season. The shopping sprees bust some consumers’ budgets, forcing them to put off making timely payments.

That seasonal trend also drove up the late-payment rate on auto loans in the last three months of 2013.

The rate of U.S. auto loan payments late by 60 days or more grew to 1.14 percent in the October-December period, rising from 1.04 percent in the previous quarter and 1.09 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012, TransUnion said.

The late-payment rate among subprime borrowers, or those whom lenders deem a higher credit risk because of their track record of managing debt, rose to 6.1 percent in the fourth quarter from 5.7 percent in the prior-year period.

Many borrowers typically catch up in the first few months following the holidays, often with the aid of income tax refunds. That’s one reason TransUnion predicts auto loan delinquency will decline to 1.02 percent for the January-March quarter.

All told, TransUnion tracked 60.5 million auto loan accounts in the fourth quarter, up from 57 million a year earlier.

As more drivers have gone car shopping, lenders have responded, making loans available to more borrowers, even those with less-than-perfect credit.

The number of new auto loans increased about 11 percent to 6.6 million in the third quarter from a year earlier. The data lag by a quarter, so the latest TransUnion figures cover the July-September period.

Some 32.5 percent of new auto loans issued in the third quarter were made to nonprime borrowers, up from 32.4 percent a year earlier. That’s still less than the pre-recession share of nearly 37 percent in the July-September period of 2007, but up from a low of 25.6 percent in the third quarter of 2009.

Non-prime borrowers are defined as those with a score lower than 700 on the VantageScore credit scale, which runs between 501 and 990, with borrowers scoring at 900 or above being considered prime borrowers, or the safest credit bet.

Tesla SUV launched pushed back to 2015

Bad news for anyone who had been waiting to snap up the all-electric Tesla Model X this year, as the company is putting production on hold for yet another 12 months.

According to Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, the delay is partly due to the fact that he is a perfectionist when it comes to product design and that the challenge of building an off-roader that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing is much greater than that of designing a standard road-going car.

This is the second time that production has been pushed back. The concept version of the Model X, complete with gullwing rear passenger doors, was unveiled in February 2012 and production was first slated for 2013, as was a price-tag of $49,000.

However, in the meantime, the company has been busy building a supercharger network which allows drivers to recharge their Tesla batteries free of charge and launching the Model S in Europe and China.

And of course, as many publications have recently reported, the company has also been busy meeting with Apple. In an interview with Bloomberg, Musk confirmed that the rumors were true and that the two companies had indeed met but he denied that the meeting was to discuss the terms of Tesla’s acquisition.

If one or more companies had approached us last year about such things there’s no way we could really comment on that. We had conversations with Apple, I can’t comment on whether those revolved around any kind of acquisition, he said.

Steve Jobs, Apple’s late great co-founder and the person to whom Musk is most commonly compared to for his disruptive approach and high-tech vision, loved cars and had dreams of eventually making an Apple car.

Musk said that if Apple was to go into automotive production that it would be a great idea but also stressed that Tesla would only consider selling itself if the deal would ensure the company’s ultimate goal: building an affordable mass-market electric car.

Auto and technology firms fight over using airwaves for cars

Auto and technology companies are battling over a slice of coveted radio waves, with carmakers arguing the potential for lifesaving crash-avoidance systems should take precedence over more Wi-Fi for Web data and video.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Feb. 3 his department will write rules for so-called talking cars before President Barack Obama leaves office. That set up a tussle between the two sides, led by General Motors and Comcast, that among them spent almost $200 million last year to influence lawmakers and regulators in Washington.

Automakers said they’re getting close to deploying technology Foxx described as a moon shot that could save as many lives as seat belts. Comcast, Google and Microsoft, calling the systems more of a long shot, are pushing the Federal Communications Commission to let them at least share spectrum reserved for automakers 15 years ago.

If we can’t show we’re utilizing it effectively, then we’re going to lose the battle, said Scott Belcher, chief executive officer of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, a Washington-based coalition that advocates for technology in surface transportation.

The competition will force regulators to balance the desire to reduce the 30,000 deaths that occur on U.S. highways each year against the needs of data-hungry businesses and consumers, as the shrinking amount of open spectrum leaves little room for new uses that don’t bump against others.

Technology companies say they can share airwaves without interfering with the safety systems. Auto interests are wary.

Google, Microsoft and Comcast joined Feb. 13 in announcing a new advocacy group, WiFiForward, to push for expanded access to airwaves.

Three days earlier, FCC aides including an adviser to agency Chairman Tom Wheeler met about expanding Wi-Fi with representatives of Google, Microsoft, and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, whose members include the nation’s two largest cable-television companies, Comcast and Time Warner Cable. Comcast has proposed buying Time Warner for about $45.2 billion in stock.

Automakers say they’ve spent tens of millions of dollars developing technology, using their airwaves, that will let cars talk with each other and with highway sensors at short range. They’ll be able to let drivers know when two vehicles are approaching an intersection simultaneously or about to collide in adjacent lanes, or if they’re approaching a vehicle ahead too quickly.

The systems could be installed in new cars, at a cost of about $100 a vehicle, or sold as after-market devices.

Technology companies and cable providers want to expand Wi- Fi capacity to help handle mobile data traffic that grew 81 percent globally in 2013 as network connection speeds more than doubled, according to a report from Cisco Systems, the world’s biggest maker of network routers and switches. More than half the traffic was video, according to the report.

The FCC is considering a proposal to allow sharing of the automakers’ airwaves made last year by former Chairman Julius Genachowski. He called Wi-Fi congestion a problem at airports, other public venues, and in homes.

Comcast last year told the FCC that the talking-car airwaves are functionally unused by the automakers, with commercial deployment possibly decades away.

Genachowski’s successor, Wheeler, in December told Congress he supports more airwaves use, and said the FCC needs to study questions about sharing the auto airwaves. At a November hearing Julius Knapp, the agency’s chief technology officer, told lawmakers a considerable amount of work remains to be done.

Mark Wigfield, an agency spokesman, declined to comment.

The auto frequencies are maybe the single toughest piece of proposals to allow Wi-Fi in more airwaves, said Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Project at the Washington-based policy group New America Foundation, who represented consumers at the Feb. 10 meeting with FCC aides.

The auto industry, like every other incumbent, is trying to hold onto all the spectrum it can because it’s valuable, and they want to keep all their options open, Calabrese said in an interview.

Computer and Internet companies spent $140.1 million on lobbying last year, led by Google and Microsoft, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics in Washington.

No slouch itself, the auto industry spent $58.2 million on lobbying in 2013. The industry’s top two corporate spenders are GM and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

GM spent $8.8 million last year on lobbying, both for its own in-house team and for the services of 10 outside firms. The alliance, meanwhile, spent $6.5 million for activities of its own trade-group lobbyists and seven other K Street firms.

Cars with crash-avoidance technology will depend on multiple simultaneous transmissions from sensors to scan in all directions. Even momentary interference with one of those could result in a crash that could have been prevented, said Mike Stanton, president and chief executive officer of the Washington-based Association of Global Automakers.

There needs to be more analysis before anybody gets into that spectrum, said Michael Robinson, GM’s vice president of sustainability and global regulatory affairs. A lot more research has to be done to assure us all we’re not going to have interference. We don’t what to jeopardize that.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that as much as 80 percent of the almost 5 million crashes on U.S. highways could be prevented through the widespread use of talking-car communications. U.S. highway deaths increased in 2012 for the first time since 2005, with 33,561 people killed.

It’s a huge advance in safety, one that cannot be overstated, Foxx said.

Wi-Fi providers agree they shouldn’t interfere with auto systems, Mary Brown, Cisco’s Washington-based director of technology and spectrum policy, said in an interview. The San Jose, Calif.-based gear maker favors sharing the airwaves.

We just want access to spectrum when they’re not using it, Brown said.

The auto industry may need only about one-quarter of its allotted airwaves because they operate on narrow frequencies, Calabrese said. They could be sharing that band with other uses, he said.

Qualcomm, the largest maker of the mobile-phone chips, has proposed reserving almost half the contested airwaves for auto-safety functions, and having more discussions for sharing in the remainder.

I hope we’re not in danger of a stalemate, Dean Brenner, a senior vice president for government affairs at the San Diego-based company, said in an interview. Qualcomm supplies auto markets and wi-fi, and wants both to prosper, he said.

With assistance from Laura Litvan in Washington.

Ford launches new tech-laden Focus

With so many new features focused on automation and connectivity, it’s little wonder that the company has chosen the Mobile World Congress, rather than the Geneva Motor Show, to launch the latest version of its most popular car.

The Ford Focus is one of the world’s best-selling cars and to make sure that it continues to be so, Ford has pulled out all of the stops to make sure its latest family hatchback is still at the head of the queue when it comes to looks, performance and features.

In terms of looks, the car has a new grille, bumpers and headlights to bring it into line with the design of the Fiesta and Mondeo. So that Aston Martin-esque nose and fewer but clearer lines that add up to a sleeker, wider presence.

Under the hood, the new Focus also gets Ford’s latest EcoBoost engines, which are wonderfully economical yet somehow don’t sacrifice driver enjoyment thanks to turbocharging.

However, it’s inside where all of the real fun starts. The new Focus is the first Ford to get the latest suite of automated and assisted parking technologies. The car can automatically identify a parallel parking space big enough to accommodate it and steer into it.

All the driver need do is manage the accelerator and brake. And the same goes for exiting the space, too. It can also do the same trick when it comes to reverse parking into a perpendicular space alongside other cars. It will even keep watch to make sure no other vehicles are about to pass when it comes time to reverse out of the space again.

The Focus also gets the MyKey system, which enables the owner to program each key that is going to be used with the car; so, when the kids borrow the car, they will find it’s set up differently, say with a restricted top speed or a lower maximum volume on the sound system.

The other major innovation making its debut on the new car is SYNC 2, Ford’s next-generation in-car connectivity system, which brings with it better voice recognition and simpler voice commands and better, more detailed navigation features. It means that the driver can simply press a button and say I’m hungry and a list of nearby restaurants should automatically appear on the car’s 8-inch color touch screen.

After making its debut in Barcelona this week as part of the Mobile World Congress, the Focus will be heading for the Swiss border for an appearance at the Geneva Motor Show, which opens its doors to the public on March 6.

Expect the new Focus to appear in dealerships in the second half of 2014.

Honda Civic EX-L: Sensible rubber meets the real-world road

We danced between the storms, missing the worst of their fury. But we were greeted by their icy remains when we took to the road again.

It would have been unpleasant driving had we not been in the 2014 Honda Civic EX-L coupe. This is a tightly built, confident front-wheel-drive compact car. It was motorized peace of mind on snow-packed roads.

Honda is to be congratulated for coming up with a formula that delivers ingeniously safe, reliable and affordable automobiles, of which the Civic is a primary example. The car’s front fascia and rear end have been restyled for 2014, giving the entire piece a sporty look. The interior, long the target of critics who apparently think an economy car should have luxury insides, has been smartly updated to address their complaints.

But what I love most about the new Civic is its quality/value equation. It is an expertly built car loaded with standard equipment, especially in terms of safety. With available advanced electronic safety options a passenger-side Honda LaneWatch system that uses a center-console-mounted screen to display nearly all of the right-lane driving environment on right turns, a HondaLink emergency communications system, Honda HD Digital Traffic monitoring that gives real-time alerts to local traffic conditions, and one of the best onboard navigation systems available anywhere at any price all for a price tag under $25,000.

I’ve been getting a lot of grief from fellow automotive journalists lately for pushing the value theme in automobile reviews. I’m not car guy enough, they say. I’m not a real automobile expert, whatever that is. I’m a conservative imagine that! who does not love cars.

It is silly stuff made even sillier by the finances of most automotive journalists who routinely extol the virtues of high-end, high-performance automobiles Aston Martin, BMW M5 sedan, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche 911 GT3. Unless some of my peers are hiding personal wealth, I can’t think of one of them who can afford such a car.

Nor are those cars affordable in terms of purchase and operation costs by the majority of U.S. residents who will buy most of the 15 million new cars and trucks expected to be sold in this country this year. They will shop for value here defined as safe, reliable, fuel-efficient cars and trucks that offer as much fun to drive as they do peace of mind.

The Honda Civic, available as coupe and sedan, does that, which is why Honda vehicles in general are among the nation’s most popular brands.

On another front, some of my friends were surprised when I told them I really like the way the Civic EX-L coupe behaved on snow-packed roads. They opined that the little front-wheel-drive car did not have enough traction to avoid being skittish. My opinion is that they are just bad drivers in inclement weather.

Snow and ice mean slow down. They mean make nice with compromised surfaces. Gunning the engine under the circumstances will only spin the drive wheels. Slow down. Drive patiently. Make nice.

Dry weather and dry roads will come soon enough. When they do, the Civic EX-L and their brethren will be ready. The car is perfect in the city easy to maneuver in tough traffic, easy to park. Equipped with a 1.8-liter in-line four-cylinder gasoline engine, it delivers 143 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque transmitted through a continuously valuable automatic transmission. That is not enough to go zoom-zoom. It is enough to get you where you are going at a reasonable pace. And the new Civic EX-L coupe does that at 23 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg on the highway using regular gasoline.

It is an enjoyable, wonderfully sensible automobile. It gets both thumbs up here.

NUTS & BOLTS: 2014 Honda Civic EX-L coupe

Bottom line: The Honda Civic, available as coupe or sedan and offering gasoline, gasoline-electric hybrid or CNG (compressed natural gas) power systems, is easily one of the best small-car buys available. It offers top quality, safety, reliability and fuel economy at a reasonable price.

Ride, handling and acceleration: The tested EX-L coupe gets good marks in all three. Good means it is a pleasant, very competent driver on highways and dry roads. It is a safe, steady driver on snow-packed roads when driven the way all vehicles four-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive, front-wheel-drive should be driven over snow and ice: SLOWLY!

Head-turning quotient: Pleasant, acceptable. It is not a flash-mobile. It is a Civic.

Body style/layout: The Civic is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive compact car available as a coupe or sedan. It is offered in five trim levels the base LX, the mid-grade EX, the up-level EX-L and EX-L Navi, and the extra-fuel-efficient HF sedan.

Engine/transmission: It comes with a 1.8-liter, 16-valve in-line four-cylinder gasoline engine with variable valve timing. A five-speed manual transmission is standard.

Capacities: Seating is for five people. Cargo capacity is 12.5 cubic feet. The fuel tank holds 13.2 gallons of gasoline (regular grade is recommended).

Mileage: I averaged 21 mpg in the city lots of traffic congestion and 38 on the highway.

Safety: Standard equipment includes four-wheel disc brakes (ventilated front, solid rear); four-wheel anti-lock brake protection; emergency braking assistance; and electronic brake-force distribution.

Price: The base price of the 2014 Honda Civic EX-L coupe with continuously variable automatic transmission, heated front seats, and onboard navigation with rear-view camera and Honda LaneWatch is $24,040. Dealer’s invoice price for that model is $22,331. Price as tested is $24,830.

Today's 'soap bars' lack creativity

Dear Bud:

I realize that your columns paint the new cars in the best light. I would like to voice my views on the new cars. Gosh, they all look alike. It really doesn’t matter what style of vehicle – sedan, SUV or whatever – they all look the same. The sedans look like soap bars and the SUVs look like overgrown station wagons. You just can’t tell the difference between the different models or manufacturers. As to color, why are there only about six colors? Red, white, blue, black, gray or brown, or some variant of those. I long for the days when the cars were unique and each manufacturer prided itself on style. Look back to those days before the ’90s. I loved the fins, running boards, wing windows and two-tone paints. I would love to see a car today with an India beige top and turquoise bottom. A car with running boards, what a concept. And also a car that can actually seat four to five adult people and has a trunk. Wouldn’t it be great to sit in a car that didn’t seem like a cockpit, but had just what you needed, a speedometer and a few other gauges. I am not sure I need a car that makes a cup of frappuccino in the morning and tells me where to go. I miss the old days when cars were cars and manufacturers were creative. – B.G.

I’m with you, Ben, when it comes to missing “the good old days” of automobiles. The photo of your ’55 Chevy brings them back. I was a senior at Sterling High School when the ’55s were introduced. There were 12 new-car dealerships at Sterling at that time, and I visited every one of the showrooms to see those bright new models. Never did a new year bring more style, more colorful interiors and increased power. V-8 engines showed up in Chevrolet, Pontiac and Plymouth. The little Ford Thunderbird was a big hit and Chrysler unveiled its 300 with the gear selector in the instrument panel. All this, and bronze gasoline at 22 cents a gallon, ethyl at 24. Regarding today’s cars, Ben, I must confess, I look forward to the next one every week. To drive one of these new ones with fine-tuned, direct-injection, internal-combustion engine (no matter whether out of Stuttgart or Detroit) mated to a 7-speed or 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters, is an absolute delight. Firmed-up suspensions, choice of wheels, lumbar adjustments, navigation, rearview camera. And the surround-sound systems today, oh, my. Remember the static in trying to dial in an AM frequency on a summer night back then? Or under the hood with the air breather off the carburetor trying to start one on a zero-degree morning. Or adjusting the drum brakes, wheel by wheel. We’re fortunate to have enjoyed those days, Ben.

Sleek, nimble FR-S is Scion's sportiest model

The sportiest car in Toyota’s Scion family, the 2014 FR-S, is a fun-to-drive, four-cylinder, rear-wheel drive coupe that looks more expensive than its $25,455 starting price tag.

Even better, the 2014 FR-S earned top, five out of five stars in overall federal government crash tests.

And, considering its tidy size, coupe body style, rear-drive propulsion and 200-horsepower engine, the FR-S has no direct competition except for its Subaru BRZ twin.

As an example, the nimble-handling FR-S is much smaller and lighter than a rear-drive, 2014 Chevrolet Camaro coupe and doesn’t have a six cylinder engine.

At the same time, the sleek, low-to-the-pavement FR-S looks downright sexy compared with a sport-oriented, 2014 Mini Cooper Coupe that’s front-wheel drive.

Still, few people will want to even attempt to sit in the minimal and carved-out back seats in the FR-S.

And big cargo won’t fit in the shallow FR-S trunk.

In addition, Consumer Reports rates the reliability of the FR-S as below average.

FR-S stands for front engine, rear wheel drive and sport, and this pretty well sums up what buyers get.

There are no FR-S trim levels just choices on how to customize a new FR-S with Toyota Racing Development dual exhaust, rear spoiler lip and other items.

The biggest decision is whether to get the base, six-speed manual transmission with starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge of $25,455 or the six-speed automatic that comes with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters at a starting retail price of $26,555.

Meantime, the 2014 Subaru BRZ, which was engineered with the FR-S, uses the same Subaru boxer engine and is built at the same assembly plant in Japan, starts at $26,390 with manual.

Toyota owns part of Subaru’s parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries.

FR-S prices compare with the $24,550 starting MSRP, including destination charge, for a base, 2014 Camaro coupe with 323-horsepower V-6 and six-speed manual.

They also compare with the $25,545 starting MSRP, including destination charge, for a base, 2014 Mini Cooper Coupe with 121-horsepower four cylinder and six-speed manual.

Introduced during calendar 2012 to the United States, the FR-S is the only rear-drive Scion. Rear-wheel drive is considered an asset for sporty handling.

The only other Scion coupe, the tC, is front-wheel drive and has a starting retail price, including destination charge, of $19,965 for a base, 2014 tC with 179-horsepower four cylinder and six-speed manual.

During calendar 2013, tC sales declined 16 percent to 19,094 from a year earlier, while sales of the FR-S rose to 18,327. The FR-S was the only Scion to post sales gains last year. FR-S sales in the United States last year were more than twice what the Subaru BRZ tallied.

The FR-S makes a solid first impression with its expressive exterior that makes the car look like it’s in motion even when it’s standing still.

Some people think the FR-S resembles Honda’s S2000 sports car on the outside, while others liken it to earlier Porsches. Both comments are high praise for Scion, which is Toyota’s brand for young, budget-conscious buyers.

Enthusiasts of any age, however, will enjoy this car’s combination of balance and agility.

The test car stuck like glue to the pavement, though it was not shod with grippy, fat performance tires.

The FR-S took curved highway onramps with amazing composure even as speeds picked up along the way. There was nary any body lean in this low-slung car, so a driver feels confident on curves and in turns.

The electric power steering was quickly responsive in a natural way and never felt artificial the way some electric systems do.

The car’s light weight the FR-S weighs just 2,758 pounds with manual transmission accounted for a satisfying scoot feeling, even though torque from the 2-liter, double overhead cam four cylinder peaks at 151 foot-pounds starting at 6,400 rpm.

There is considerable road and engine noise, however, and the ride can feel rough on broken pavement.

Inside the FR-S, front seats are sport buckets and covered in premium fabric to help hold driver and passenger in place during driving. In the test car, these seats were well cushioned and comfortable.

Everyone rides low to the ground in the FR-S and gets good looks at the tailpipes of big pickups.

The FR-S roofline is low on this 4.2-foot-tall vehicle. So, getting in and out requires dexterity and care so heads don’t bump at the low door opening.

Even the side windows seem a bit constricted, height-wise, and views out the side rear are blocked by thick rear window pillars.

No rearview camera is offered by the factory for the FR-S, however.

The small, sporty-sized steering wheel and an instrument panel where the largest and centermost gauge is the tachometer, not the speedometer, are perfect in this car.

To help keep an eye on the FR-S speeds, a sizable, digital display inside the tach’s circle shows the car’s speed in bright orange color.

The six-speed manual in the test FR-S had short, satisfying throws.

Premium unleaded gasoline is required, meaning a full, 13.2 gallons in the tank at today’s prices can cost nearly $50.

Intriguingly, though it was driven in spirited fashion during much of the test drive, the test FR-S averaged 26.2 miles per gallon in combined city/highway travel. This was a bit better than the federal government’s 25 mpg estimate for city/highway travel for a manual transmission FR-S. The automatic model is rated higher 25 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway.

For 2014, a 6.1inch touchscreen audio display is standard on all FR-S cars. It doesn’t include satellite radio but includes AM/FM/HD radio with Bluetooth audio streaming and iPod connectivity.