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Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000
by admin
(NAPSI)-Although the average price of a new vehicle reaches close to $30,000, you don't have to spend a small fortune to drive a cool car.
The editors at Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) provide budget- and style-conscious buyers a list of the top 10 cool new vehicles that can be purchased for less than $18,000. These editors' picks deliver cool looks, smart features and excellent fuel economy, making the cars in this price range even more appealing.
The list of qualifying vehicles under $18,000 was compiled using Kelley Blue Book's New Car Blue Book values, which reflect real-world transaction prices and provide a more useful comparison point than the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP).
The editors thoroughly examined each vehicle for styling, performance and the fun-to-drive factor. Objective criteria such as safety, fuel economy, environmental impact, interior size and comfort were also taken into account.
THE TOP 10 COOLEST
NEW CARS:
* 2007 Chevrolet Silverado Classic (Regular Cab Manual WT)
The 800-pound gorilla of this group earns its spot on the list by delivering the most metal for the money along with hefty hauling and towing capacities. If you need to lug cool stuff, the full-size Silverado Classic lets you do it for a compact-pickup monthly payment. MSRP: $17,015, New Car Blue Book Value: $16,590
* 2007 Ford Focus SES 2-Door Hatchback
Its Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle status helped place the versatile Ford Focus 3-door on the list. Focus combines international style and cheeky, fun-to-drive character in a handy, economical package. MSRP: $16,180, New Car Blue Book Value: $15,937
* 2007 Honda Fit
Driving the Fit is the most fun you can have with four wheels and 109 horsepower. Matched with a cleverly configurable rear seat that provides uncanny cargo capacity, the diminutive Fit is cool condensed. MSRP: $14,445, New Car Blue Book Value: $14,301
* 2007 Hyundai Tiburon
Hyundai's sporty entry combines the presence of a $30,000 sports coupe with energetic driving dynamics and brand value. Updates for the 2007 model year include freshened front and rear styling. MSRP: $17,295, New Car Blue Book Value: $17,157
* 2007 Jeep Patriot
Based on the same platform as the Dodge Caliber and Jeep's own Compass, the Patriot sets itself apart by featuring all the utility and features of its twin brothers but also adding an off-road capability and Jeep purity that the others lack. MSRP: $14,985, New car Blue Book Value: $14,985
* 2007 Mazda MAZDA3
Fun, stylish, versatile and substantial, the exceptionally well-rounded MAZDA3 is the only vehicle to make it onto the list four years in a row-and every year since its introduction. MSRP: $18,175, New Car Blue Book Value: $17,993
* 2007 Nissan Versa
By offering more room than its closest competitors and available features like Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and keyless entry and start, the Versa offers a little taste of luxury at a decidedly down-market price. MSRP: $13,075, New Car Blue Book Value: $13,206
* 2007 Scion tC
The tC coupe furthers its own pedigree with industrial-sleek styling, lively performance and a sharp interior that belies the car's starting price. MSRP: $16,980, New Car Blue Book Value: $17,235
* 2007 Suzuki SX4
The most affordable four-wheel-drive vehicle out there is wrapped in distinctively styled sheet metal and offers advanced features like keyless entry and start. A 100,000-mile powertrain warranty is pretty cool, too. MSRP: $17,124, New Car Blue Book Value: $17,038
* 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
With an eager engine, unexpectedly tenacious handling and interior refinement, the vehicle formerly known as Golf plays off its Euro roots to offer Continental cool. MSRP: $15,630, New Car Blue Book Value: $15,474
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New Jeep Cherokee - Jeep Gets Back to Basics
by Jon Barlow
There is no mistaking the fact that the future of the recreational four-wheel drive vehicle is beginning to look ever more uncertain. As with a lot of lifestyle choices these day's there are those who seem happy to ignore the health warnings (It's my choice and all that) as is the case with smoking for example, but inevitably when a wealth warning becomes self-evident then people become more likely to sit up and take notice.
I think it would be fair to say that if you asked the average American motorist a few years ago about driving a more fuel efficient car they probably would have politely backed away from you as if you were slightly mad. I recall visiting the USA a few years ago and being dumbfounded by the cheap cost of fuel especially as it was priced in gallons. This practice was abandoned long ago in the UK partly due to the European Union but also I think to hide the true cost, after all despite the metric system most people still refer to how many 'miles per gallon' they get from their car.
It's pretty startling how things have changed in the last few years, when I read motoring articles from the USA nearly all have some reference to high gas prices or how to save money by using alternative fuels. Some people seem to be experimenting with all kinds of things often resulting in blowing up their engines as a result. One thing which seems certain is despite the occasional fluctuation in price the days of cheap motoring for all are set to be a thing of the past.
Until recently the manufacturers of less fuel efficient cars have been able to confidently sit back and raise two fingers to the traditional environmentalists who have been arguing against recreational off-road vehicles for a number of years, regarding them as a harmless but irritating group of misguided hippies. Now as with any evolutionary process it's a case of adapt or die and Jeep are determined to evolve.
I recall a few years back I used to catch the bus to work which although took twice as long as driving and meant a long walk at the other end I felt happy in the knowledge that I was not contributing to the chronic congestion which blighted my city. Most days the commute was fairly uneventful and I could hide in a book or turn up my music if some mad person insisted on sitting next to me and then started to ask if I liked sponge cake or saying something like "nice weather for ducks".
Occasionally the bus would simply not turn up and just as I was despairing, my saviour would arrive in the form of a green Jeep Cherokee driven by someone I used to work with. "Morning JB want a lift" he would say and to the envy of the large crowd at the bus stop I would proudly jump in and we would roar away albeit with some cringe worthy music blaring out but you can't have everything.
These were heady days and I would listen to my friend tell me quite proudly "just had a service done, cost me £500!" Blimey what's the fuel consumption like I said, "Well I get at least 30mpg if I take it easy" he would say and then floor it to get through the traffic lights so I guess 30mpg was a little optimistic. I became strangely attached to the car though and although the cream leather interior seemed ludicrously impractical it was easy to understand the appeal.
Apart from the obvious military requirements the demand for a vehicle which could be driven off-road without falling to pieces is what spawned the whole SUV market and believe it or not there are still people out there who genuinely need a rugged vehicle. Jeep has returned to their roots with the all-new Cherokee with the latest version not offering any concessions in the styling department. The softer lines of the previous model have been beefed up and the Jeep philosophy seems to be if you are going to stand the costs and ridicule of driving a 4x4 you can do it with masculine pride. Jeep has set a realistic sales target for the Cherokee in the UK and as we've seen with the smoking ban if someone really needs one, they will have it regardless.
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