SUV, Pickup Sales Rebound as Price of Gas Drops

(NEWSER) - The Obama administration is hyping the cash-for-clunkers program as a chance for Americans to buy more fuel efficient cars, but not all buyers are going greener. Bulky SUVs and even trucks can be purchased with the $3 billion government subsidies, reports AP. Washington is refusing to release detailed records of the clunkers program, but one auto website has posted data showing buyers are gravitating toward gas guzzlers. More»

Coming soon to a compactor near you

(NEWSER) - The possibility that one of Detroit's Big Three automakers is headed for the scrap heap left US News and World Report wondering which cars Americans could live without. Here are some top candidates:

• Jeep Commander: This boxy model gets 16 mpg and it shows: sales are down 55%.
• Dodge Durango: Even the hybrid version of this SUV hasn't stopped sales from falling an astonishing 54%.

Tiny rides now trendy, even for big car people

(NEWSER) - Mercedes’ Smart cars are selling brilliantly—the US waiting list is 30,000 long—and the tiny two-seater's performance at the gas pump isn't the whole story. Yes, they’re the most fuel-efficient non-hybrids around, but only barely—some Hondas and Toyotas almost match their 33mpg. There's also the cute factor, the Washington Post reports. “The Jeep was stylish,” says one SUV convert, “but I never got the attention before that I get with this.” More»

Downsizing buyers want jumbo comforts in smaller vehicles

(NEWSER) - American drivers are ditching their SUVs for smaller vehicles in droves—but they're cramming in all the extra comforts they can, reports the New York Times. Buyers are spending thousands on bonus features such as heated leather seats and top entertainment systems. The trend gives a rare glimmer of hope to Detroit, which has always struggled to make money from small cars. More»

Downsizing is in as pump prices start to pinch drivers

(NEWSER) - SUVs are falling out of fashion fast as gas prices go through the roof, CNN reports. As drivers downsize to more fuel-efficient vehicles, gas-guzzlers are filling up used-car lots—but there aren't many buyers. The biggest SUVs—like the Cadillac Escalade, Ford Expedition, and Chevy Suburban—are dropping in value by the thousands, a dealer reports. More»