It’s almost the end of the decade for the 2000′s and it’s time to look back and review what trucks were the most significant. PickupTrucks.com and AutoPacific has just announced a list of the Most Significant Trucks of the Decade. As expected the list were made up of trucks that were technologically cutting edged advanced and who pushed the envelope in terms of quality and design.
So here they are:
2000 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab
2001 Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra Heavy Duty with 6.6-Liter Duramax Diesel
2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
2004 Nissan Titan
2005 Toyota Tacoma
2006 Honda Ridgeline
2007 Toyota Tundra
2009 Dodge Ram 1500
2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
And the Most Significant of the Decade:
2009 Ford F-150
Why It’s Significant: Remains the gold standard against which other half-ton pickup trucks are compared.
Ford gave its F-150 half-ton pickup a major revision for 2009 and gave buyers an astonishing seven different models to choose from before they even considered engine choice or cab type. Two more models have been added for 2010! It’s not the most powerful truck but the F-150 features an excellent six-speed transmission and innovative features like Ford Work Solutions that make doing jobs with a truck easier. From contractor to urban cowboy, Ford has an F-150 to meet almost anyone’s needs.
“On balance, we thought the 2009 Ford F-150 was the most significant pickup of the last decade,” said Jim Hossack, vice president of consulting for AutoPacific. “It sells in high volume, owners like it and its body, chassis and powertrain are all first rate. Features abound, and there are more models, series and options than can be counted. It’s a good looking truck and suitable for the widest possible range of tasks and uses.”
Congratulations to the Ford F-150 team for creating a Pick-up Truck that ruled a decade.
If you remember, we last reported that the Ford Flex was so good it could still be considered as a great car in the year 2030, well, it seems to have won another award for the present day: it and the Ford Fusion Hybrid are named 2010 All-Stars by Automobile Magazine.
Reasons for why the Flex won:
Jason Mase, Ford crossover marketing manager, says it is the design and features available with the Ford Flex that make the vehicle stand out.
“We’re delighted that AUTOMOBILE Magazine has named Flex an All-Star two years running,” he said. “The AUTOMOBILE editors recognize Flex stands apart from the rest of the crossover crowd with unmatched style, tremendous passenger comfort and space, and leading technology features like the available EcoBoost engine, Active Park Assist, Ford SYNC® and a refrigerated second-row console.”
It seems that the Flex is good on its own even if it wasn’t considered as a Green vehicle, granted, its EcoBoost engine is enough.
As for the Ford Fusion Hybrid:
Jennings says what makes the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid special is that it doesn’t drive like a hybrid.
“Its very ordinariness is what makes the Fusion Hybrid an AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star,” said Jennings. “The Fusion Hybrid is not a performance machine, but neither does it feel hobbled or inadequate for daily driving. Perhaps the best thing about it is that, apart from the LCD color screens, you might never know you’re driving a hybrid.”
Eventhough it’s not as strong as the other cars, being green was enough to win the award. Hopefully, more high performing green cars will be rolling out the production line soon.
“The NAHC is the world’s largest public archive of automotive lore and a treasure for automotive historians, journalists and collectors. Its collection of books, manuals, photos, company histories and historic documents is open to the public.”
This year, they pinned the award as the Collectible Vehicle of the Future 2009 on the Ford Flex. The reason?
“We are delighted that the Ford Flex has been recognized by the NAHC as having a design that will become a collectible of the future,” said Kate Pearce, Flex marketing manager at Ford.
“We knew from the start that we had a vehicle with stand-out design that looks like nothing else on the road, but that also meets the needs of our customers looking for passenger space with innovative technology and great fuel economy,” she said. “Reaction from our customers has been fantastic and we hope they will enjoy their cars long into the future.”
Previous winners were:
2008 Dodge Challenger
2007 Dodge Viper SRT10
2006 Pontiac Solstice
2005 Ford Mustang
2004 Chrysler 300
2003 Dodge Viper
2002 Ford Thunderbird
1996 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
1995 Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Aurora
It’s great that the judging body has taken into its criteria the vehicle’s fuel economy features. It looks like the future’s going to be more green come the year 2034.
So you think gasoline guzzling cars are not really your thing and want to try out “green” cars? Don’t know where to get one or don’t have enough money to buy a brand new one? Well, if you want to buy or try out second hand green cars, then head over to Carlocate.com. There, you’ll be able to search for the green car you want for the budget you have. You have the option to search for brand new or used vehicles:
Hybrid
fuel efficient
Diesel
flexible fuel cars
“More and more, consumers are interested in buying vehicles with better fuel economy and lower emissions,” said Nicole Case, general manager for CarLocate.com. “But being eco-friendly is more than looking at hybrids. Wading through all the information to find those cars isn’t always easy. That’s why we’ve created the Green Search option for both new and used cars. Now, we’ve made it quick and easy for car shoppers to find vehicles on our site that are more environmentally friendly. This is just one more way we’re building our search function to cut the clutter and take consumers to search results that more exactly fit the cars they want to buy.”
Both new and used cars are guaranteed to have passed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standards of 23.1 miles per gallon, and an EPA air pollution score of six or above. It’s a great idea to spread and increase more green cars on the roads and hopefully other businesses, both online and offline, to follow suit what Carlocate.com has done.
Enough with the car awards of the year, it’s time to look under the hood and check out which engines made it as the 10 Best for 2010. According to Ward’s 10 Best Engines, the winners are as follows:
“This year’s list embodies how the industry is responding to demands for higher fuel economy and lower emissions without shortchanging performance,” Ward’s AutoWorld Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter said. “Auto makers are using innovative designs and advanced technology to boost horsepower and torque while downsizing engines and increasing efficiency.”
It’s a good thing that one of the criterias involved was the lower gas emissions. It just shows that engine makers do care about saving the environment. Now if they can only make engines this good that runs on ethanol. In the meantime, since the US economy’s going down the slippery slope, it’s great that they’ve also included the criteria regarding fuel economy. The last thing we need are engines that guzzle gas like there’s no tomorrow.
Here’s to hoping that next year’s best engine’s list will have engines that help save more on gas and produce lower (or better no) carbon emissions.
With 2009 about to end, there’s a lot of Cars of the Year awards coming out of the woodwork. Although there are some organizations that stand out to provide a good quality choosing of the winner, and one of them is NADAguides. According to them the Car of the Year goes to the 2010 Kia Forte/Forte Koup. It won the August 2009 Car of the month and it’s won the whole year now.
“Our editorial team realized the moment we got behind the wheel of the Forte that it would be a top contender for our NADAguides.com Car of the Year, but it wasn’t until we extensively drove the sporty four-door sedan and the two-door coupe that it solidified our decision,” said Michael Caudill, NADAguides.com auto expert and spokesperson. “2009 marked many great new entries in the auto industry. With cars like the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Mercedes-Benz E350 and Nissan 370Z Roadster coming in closely behind the Kia Forte, it made our decision difficult, but when you add up the low price point, Best in Class features, and a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, it made our decision to award the Forte much easier.”
As to why they chose it, they were simply blown away with its money saving and safety features.
“The Fuel Economy Package (available with the EX trim only) adds even more unique elements: electronic power steering, a smart alternator, low rolling resistance tires and aerodynamic improvements to achieve 27 city/36 hwy mpg. What does that ultimately mean for the driver? Fewer trips to the pump, and more money in your pocket!
The safety features on the Forte are evident not only with its 4 dual front, side and full-curtain airbags, but also with the 4 wheel anti-lock braking system and electronic stability control.”
After months of declining car sales and closing dealerships, the auto industry may be getting a second wind. With the success of “Cash for Clunkers”, car sales are on the rise.
Officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System, the program rewards people for turning in older gas guzzlers for new, more fuel efficient vehicles. Americans across the country can get a $3,500 to $4,500 voucher to replace their clunker. The exact credit depends on how much more fuel efficient the new vehicle is.
Editors at Edmunds.com have been flooded with questions from readers about who and what qualifies for the program. And despite a number of rules and regulations, experts say “Cash for Clunkers” has been the most successful of all the government stimulus plans this year.
AutoNation stores in Lithia Springs offset their Carbon Footprint. Team Honda, Team Toyota and Team Nissan of Lithia Springs, Georgia, already had an extensive recycling program in place for their used tires and oil when they decided to take the next step and offset their carbon footprint, becoming the first carbon neutral dealerships in Georgia.
“We found out that energy use was 90 percent of our carbon footprint” said the Controller of Team Honda, Toyota and Nissan, Clarence Ratcliffe. “It’s our job to make sure our dealerships run efficiently. Saving energy and natural resources have the benefit of helping the environment. Our customers were so impressed with our waiting room recycling unit that they’ve asked us where they can buy one too. We also reduced waste by giving each employee DCI Thermal Porcelain Cups, which eliminated the need for Styrofoam.”
All AutoNation dealerships, Team’s parent company, make it easy for car buyers to shop for more fuel-efficient vehicles with its E-Vehicle program. The program identifies cars and trucks that produce at least 28 miles per gallon or deliver 10 percent better fuel efficiency than average for their class. AutoNation also singles out what they call “F-vehicles” with a yellow leaf logo; these are cars and trucks that use flex-fuel technology.
“The three dealerships are taking responsibility for their carbon emissions,” said Verus Carbon Neutral’s Eric Taub, whose company measured the footprint and provided the offsets. “Seems especially appropriate when you offer hybrids that get anywhere from 35 to over 50 miles per gallon,” adds Taub. “Bottom line, they are trying to lower their electricity use but are still dependent on the grid. Until the local utilities employ more renewable energy, 50 mpg cars and offset projects help to reduce emissions.”
Team Honda, Toyota and Nissan decided to use a Georgia forestry project, managed by Valley Wood Timber, to offset their carbon footprint. The project is actively managed to sequester CO2 in a sustainable manner that protects over 60,000 acres of forest habitat. Proceeds support the Humane Society. Additionally, Team Lithia Springs also promotes Georgia Beautification license plate tags.
AutoNation stores in Lithia Springs offset their Carbon Footprint. Team Honda, Team Toyota and Team Nissan of Lithia Springs, Georgia, already had an extensive recycling program in place for their used tires and oil when they decided to take the next step and offset their carbon footprint, becoming the first 
