Few Hybrid Owners Buy Another Hybrid - Many consumers are looking to fuel-efficient cars in order to find relief from today’s high gasoline prices. And automakers have been paying attention – there are now more fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles available than ever before. But when people who currently own a hybrid vehicle buy another car, they’re not buying another hybrid. Further dealer resources available at Chevy Dealerships In Washington State. While the selection of hybrid models in the U.S. has more than doubled since 2007, a recent analysis by auto information company R.L. Polk & Co. found that only 35 percent of hybrid vehicle owners chose to purchase a hybrid again when they returned to the market in 2011. When you factor out repurchases among super-loyal Toyota Prius owners, hybrid loyalty drops to less than 25 percent
While hybrid owners may not be buying another hybrid, they do appear to remain loyal to their brand when they return to the new car market. For example, according to Polk,in 2011, 60 percent of Toyota hybrid owners purchased another Toyota when they returned to the market, while 41 percent of them purchased another hybrid from any brand. “Having a hybrid in the product lineup can certainly give a brand a competitive edge when it comes to attracting new customers,” said Brad Smith, director of Polk’s Loyalty Management Practice. “The repurchase rates of hybrid vehicles are an indication that consumers are continuing to seek alternative solutions to high fuel prices.”
When it comes to hybrid owners of Honda models, more than 52 percent of them bought another Honda brand vehicle, while just under 20 percent of the same Honda owners bought another hybrid vehicle from any brand. Toyota Lexington KY offers value and service for all your automotive needs. Online cross-shopping data made available by Edmunds.com points out that consumers are doing their homework before buying a new car, and comparing hybrids with similar gasoline-powered cars. For example, the Honda Civic is the second most cross-shopped car by potential auto buyers who are thinking about purchasing Toyota Prius and Honda Insight models.
“The lineup of alternate drive vehicles and their premium price points just aren’t appealing enough to consumers to give the segment the momentum it once anticipated, especially given the growing strength of fuel economy among compact and midsize competitors,” according to Lacey Plache, Edmunds.com chief economist. “For EVs and PHEVs in particular, certain obstacles – including consumer unease with unfamiliar technology and the lack of an adequate recharging infrastructure — will need to be overcome before sales increase.”
According to the Polk study, sales of hybrid vehicles represent only 2.4 percent of the new vehicle market in the U.S., down from a high of 2.9 percent in 2008. Perhaps not surprisingly, the leader in hybrid sales continues to be Toyota. Polk also said shows that the high fluctuation in fuel prices between 2008 and 2011 (which ranged from just under $2.00 per gallon to nearly $4.00 per gallon) had little impact on consumer’s loyalty to the hybrid segment. Car Dealerships In Portales NM is a one stop source for all your new car needs. Polk also found that consumers in traditional green-friendly regions of the U.S., including Seattle, Southern California, and Portland OR, where hybrid sales are strongest, aren’t any more loyal to hybrid vehicles than other parts of the U.S.
Photos (top to bottom) Toyota Motor Corporation, Petar Milošević, Honda Motor Company.
Tags: hybrid vehicles, Chevy Dealerships In Washington State, green cars, Toyota Prius, Toyota Lexington KY, Honda Insight, hybrid cars, R.L. Polk & Co., Car Dealerships In Portales NM, auto sales
Major Automakers Show Latest Concept Cars At Javitz Center - New York City has long been the tastemaker of the United States, so it’s no wonder that it’s the place that automakers chose to show off their most remarkable and futuristic concept cars. The 
The Toyota NS4 Concept is an advanced mid-sized plug-in hybrid concept that the automaker plans to market globally by 2015. The NS4 Concept’s advanced next-generation Hybrid Synergy Drive plug-in system makes use of reduced component size and weight to increase overall fuel economy and provide increased acceleration. The all-electric range has been increased, while charging times have been shortened. The NS4′s Human-Machine Interface (HMI) uses a touch screen that looks and feels like a Smartphone. The system can “learn” the driver’s habits and preferences to anticipate the driver’s responses in specific types of driving environments and situations. 
Advanced Auto Technologies Seen On More Vehicles - Cars have evolved since the days when automobile technology meant a working set of windshield wipers and a map in the glove compartment. Today’s cars now feature an array of impressive automotive technology features designed to facilitate driving and increase safety. Further dealer resources available at 
A Driver Alert Warning System can sense when a driver isn’t paying attention to the road or is tired. Detection methods include sensing when the driver isn’t staying in lane and using cameras to monitor the driver’s movements. The system can alert the driver to take a break, if necessary. Blind Spot Warning Systems use radar or a camera to warn the driver that a vehicle is in his blind spot. If the driver signals a lane change, the system will send an audible alert or use flashing lights. 
Record Gas Prices Create Demand For Fuel-Efficiency In New Cars - In a bad economy, many consumers find they have to tighten their belts. People cut corners by dining out less often, skip the expensive cup of coffee at the local coffee shop, get rid of premium cable TV channels (or even cut out cable TV completely), and shop using store coupons. With the recent spike in gas prices in addition to a depressed economy, many car buyers find that in order to make ends meet, their next car needs to be fuel-efficient. Further dealer resources available at 
“We featured only the most affordable trims available for each vehicle on our list, so some creature comforts and amenities may not be available at these bargain basement prices,” said Gutierrez. “Consumers can always opt to spend a little more to jump up a trim or two to get all of the features they want, but those determined to spend as little as possible on a new vehicle need look no further than this list.” 
California Reports Fewer Fatalities After Hand-Held Cell Ban - If you read this blog regularly, you may remember that we’ve written posts about the hazards of distracted driving, including driving while talking on hand-held cell phones, and texting. According to the 
The California Office of Traffic Safety carried out the nation’s first statewide mobile phone survey based on direct observation. The study discovered that nine percent of drivers were either texting or talking while they were driving. This translates to hundreds of thousands of drivers at any given time. 
Lexus, MINI Top Dealer Service Survey - A new survey shows that car owners who service their cars at their local dealer are more satisfied with their experience than when they have their car serviced at a non-dealer repair shop. According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, customers who have their car serviced at the dealership’s service center have a satisfaction rating of 787 out of 1,000 points, compared with 749 points for people who used non-dealership service facilities. Further dealer resources available at 
The first recommendation is for dealers to offer a complimentary maintenance program, as customers will be more likely to return after the complimentary period is over, compared to dealers that don’t offer complimentary plans. The next suggestion is to promote scheduling service appointments online. J.D. Power says customers who make service appointments online are happier with the service experience than those who schedule their appointments by phone or who arrive at the dealer without an appointment. Surprisingly, customers who make service appointments online spend an average of $36 more per year on service than customers who don’t make an appointment, and $17 more per year than customers who make schedule an appointment by phone. 
Car Theft Is A Costly Crime - The good news is that according to the 
Because auto parts are frequently more valuable than the car itself, many stolen vehicles are taken to illegal chop shops. The chop shops strip the cars, save the valuable parts, and discard any parts that are identifiable. The parts are then sold on the black market, usually at lower prices than legitimate parts. 
Preventing Car Damage From Small Animals - It can happen in the city, in the suburbs, or in the county. It can happen on the East Coast, the Midwest, or the West Coast. And it can happen to all types of cars, beat up old Fords and brand new BMWs. A car is parked outside of a home. The owner attempts to start it and finds that the car won’t start. Opening the hood yields a surprise: a nest of leaves, twigs, and weeds skillfully arranged on the engine. More information on all types of cars is available at 
According to Dr. Kieran Lindsey, live traps are better than kill traps but neither is effective or humane. “The main difference between kill traps and live traps is how long it takes for the animal to die,” she said on 
Survey: Sales of Electric Cars Stalled For Decade - Despite advances in electric vehicle technology, the internal combustion engine isn’t going away any time soon, according to KPMG’s 13th annual 
Two fifths of the respondents questioned maintained that in 2016, China would still to be the biggest automobile market in sales as well as production. The U.S. is expected to be as the second largest market, with Brazil and India competing for the number three slot. While many new cars will have a gas-electric hybrid option, the KPMG survey doesn’t mention the position of hybrid cars. 
Auto Dealerships Looking Forward To Rise in Sales - According to John Frith, vice president of automotive consultant 
Urban Science is also expecting that the anticipated increase in sales will cause more people to visit dealers’ websites as consumers research models and prices before visiting the dealership. Based on Urban Science’s lead management data, the amount of leads could rise by 15 to 20 percent, with the average dealership receiving 85 leads for each brand every month, which is up from 75 the previous year.