Tag Archives: Toyota Prius

2013 Green Car of the Year Finalists Announced

It isn’t even Halloween yet, and already auto enthusiasts are gearing up for the L.A. Auto Show which opens to the public November 30. While many people are excited for the more than 40 car debuts, concept cars from every major auto manufacturer, and celebrity guests, there are also awards up for grabs including the Green Car of the Year.

Yesterday, the five finalists for the 2013 Green Car of the Year award were revealed. The Dodge Dart Aero, Ford Fusion, Ford C-MAX, Mazda CX-5, and Toyota Prius will be battling out for the award which was previously won by the Honda Civic Natural Gas and Chevy Volt.

The line-up this year includes two non-hybrid vehicles as well as several plug-in hybrids. Based strictly on fuel economy, the Prius C is the top performer with 53 mpg city and 46 mgp highway, though the Ford C-MAX is very close with 47 mpg. The Dodge Dart Aero does very well considering it is one of the two non-hybrids nominated, but it still lags with a highway fuel economy of 41 mpg and combined highway/city fuel economy of 32 mpg.

Right now, the Ford C-MAX is an early favorite and the LA Times’ choice for the award, but the winner will not be announced until November 29. Stay tuned to Approved Loan Store to get more coverage of the L.A. Auto Show including the 2013 Green Car of the Year.

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Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Toyota, Chevrolet Sonic Earn High Marks in Brand Loyalty

When shopping for a new car, I want to know which brands and models inspire brand loyalty. I want to know which drivers are going back to their current brand or model to look for their next car. Buying a car is a commitment, and brand loyalty surveys are the best way to gauge which drivers have buyer’s regret and which drivers really love their car.

A recent report on brand loyalty from Experian Automotive had some fascinating results. The report looked at which vehicles had returning customers when they went to buy their next car. The top 5 vehicle brands and top 10 vehicle models are as follows:

Top 5 Brands

  1. Toyota:  47.3 percent return rate
  2. General Motors:  46.2 percent
  3. Ford:  46 percent
  4. Hyundai:  45.3 percent
  5. Honda:  43.1 percent

Top 10 Models

  1. Chevrolet Sonic:  60.3 percent
  2. Ford Fusion:  59.9 percent
  3. Ford Flex:  56 percent
  4. Ford Edge:  55.1 percent
  5. Ford Five Hundred:  53.1 percent
  6. Toyota Prius:  51.8 percent
  7. Chevrolet Cruze:  51.7 percent
  8. Kia Forte:  51.6 percent
  9. Ford Escape:  51.4 percent
  10. Ford Fiesta:  51.2 percent

Toyota took the top spot for car brands even though it only had one vehicle in the top 10 models. Ford dominated the models list with the Fusion, Flex, Edge, Five Hundred, Escape, and Fiesta, more than half the list. Most surprising, though, was that the new kid on the block, the Chevrolet Sonic, came in first with model loyalty. The Chevrolet Sonic, formerly known as the Chevrolet Aveo, only premiered in the United States a year ago. The fact that it is already commanding such brand loyalty is really interesting and definitely something to watch in the coming years.

Readers, we want to hear from you! Did your favorite car make the top ten? When you look for a new car, what car makes and models stand out to you or draw you back again? Leave a comment below, and tell us what you think!

Are you looking to get into a new or used car? Approved Loan Store can help! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to get you into a car you want at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and get the latest auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!