2013 Lariat Crew 4x4 Fx4 Navigation Sunroof Leather Heated V8 Diesel on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Should heavy-duty pickup trucks have window stickers with fuel mileage estimates?

If you were to stroll into your nearest Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Nissan, or Ram dealership, you'd find a bunch of pickup trucks. Most of those would have proper window stickers labeled with things like base prices, options prices, location of manufacture, and, crucially, fuel economy estimates. But you'd also run across a number of heavy-duty trucks with no such fuel mileage data from the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA doesn't require automakers to publish the valuable miles-per-gallon measurement for vehicles with gross weight ratings that exceed 8,500 pounds. That makes it difficult for consumers to compare behemoths powered by turbocharged diesel engines – between one another, and between smaller, gasoline-fueled trucks. Consumer Reports doesn't think it should be this way, and it's spearheading an effort (PDF link) to get the government to require manufacturers to publish fuel economy estimates. In its own testing, CR found that heavy-duty pickups powered by Ford's Power Stroke, GM's Duramax, and FCA's Cummins diesel engines (which doesn't include the Ram's EcoDiesel) get worse fuel mileage than their lighter-duty gas-powered siblings. We're not so sure HD-truck buyers are unaware of this fact – big diesels don't really come into their own until big loads are placed in their beds or attached to their trailer hitches. Under heavy workloads, the diesel trucks will almost certainly return greater efficiency than a similar gas-powered truck. What's more, HD trucks with lumbering diesels in general make the driver feel more confident while towing due to greater torque at low engine RPM than gas trucks. They also offer greater max-weight limits. Still, we agree EPA fuel mileage estimates should be offered for heavy-duty pickups. And we think the comparisons provided by Consumer Reports might be interesting to potential buyers. Click here to see the results of CR's tests, and let us know what you think using the poll below. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty: First Drive View 22 Photos News Source: Consumer Reports Government/Legal Green Read This Chevrolet Ford GMC Nissan RAM Fuel Efficiency Truck Commercial Vehicles Diesel Vehicles poll gmc sierra hd chevy silverado hd

2015 Ford Mustang Convertible ships in time for holiday gift giving

Looking for the ultimate present to put under the tree for that special someone? Well it might not fit in your living room or in a stocking, but the keys to a new Mustang convertible ought to do the trick. That's right, Ford has begun shipping the new drop-top pony car just in time for the holidays. Taking delivery of a convertible might not make the most sense in some climates, but those in southern states will undoubtedly enjoy the top-down experience to ring in the new year. And for those stuck in snowier climes, Ford is keen to point out that the new Mustang convertible is available with features like heated seats, remote start and a snow/wet setting among the selectable drive modes. As with the coupe, the new Mustang convertible can be had with the base 3.7-liter V6, the optional 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four or the top-of-the-line 5.0-liter V8. For the time being, though, the 500+ horsepower Shelby GT350 is available only in coupe form. Related Video: Dec 9, 2014 | DEARBORN, Mich. 2015 Mustang Convertible Begins Shipping to Ford Dealers • Keys to the first 2015 Ford Mustang convertibles will be in customers' hands shortly • Available heated seats and remote start allow the all-new Mustang convertible to be enjoyed year-round, even in the coldest climates • Selectable drive modes with a snow/wet setting tunes Mustang to perform well in inclement weather conditions Ford Motor Company is excited to announce the 2015 Ford Mustang convertible will begin shipping to dealerships nationwide this week. "Cold weather may have come unseasonably early this year, but with available heated seats, remote start and selectable drive modes with a snow/wet setting, Mustang is the perfect offering for the season," said Melanie Banker, Mustang brand manager. Heated seats, standard on all premium Mustang convertibles, allow the driver and front passenger to stay warm even when the temperature drops. "While these seats also have a cooling feature, we suspect customers won't be using this function for a few more months," said Banker. Remote start, standard on all automatic-transmission Mustang models, allows customers to fire up their drop-top from the comfort of their home, even in inclement weather conditions. When remote start is used, Mustang not only warms up its engine, it also warms the interior of the car to a comfortable temperature.

Major automakers post mixed US June sales figures

General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV posted declines in US new vehicle sales for June on Monday, while major Japanese automakers reported stronger figures. Once again, demand for pickup trucks and crossovers offset a decline in sedan sales. Automakers' shares rose as overall industry sales still came in above Wall Street expectations. The US auto industry is bracing for a downturn after hitting a record 17.55 million new vehicles sold in 2016. Analysts had predicted that overall, US vehicle sales would fall in June for the fourth consecutive month. As the market has shown signs of cooling, automakers have hiked discounts and loosened lending terms. Car shopping website Edmunds said on Monday the average length of a car loan reached an all-time high of 69.3 months in June. "It's financially risky, leaving borrowers exposed to being upside down on their vehicles for a large chunk of their loans," said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds' executive director of industry analysis. GM said its sales fell about 5 percent versus June 2016, but that the industry would see stronger sales in the second half of 2017 versus the first half. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." GM shares were up 2.4 percent in morning trading, while Ford rose 3.3 percent and FCA shares jumped 6 percent. "US total sales are moderating due to an industry-wide pullback in daily rental sales, but key US economic fundamentals clearly remain positive," said GM chief economist Mustafa Mohatarem. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." Ford said its sales for June were hit by lower fleet sales to rental agencies, businesses, and government entities, which fell 13.9 percent, while sales to consumers were flat. But it sold a record 406,464 SUVs in the first half of the year, with Explorer sales increasing 23 percent in June. And sales of the F-150 had their strongest June since 2001. On a media call, Ford executives said an initial read of automakers' sales figures indicated a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of around 17 million new vehicles for the month, which would be better than 16.6 million units analysts had predicted. FCA said June sales decreased 7 percent versus the same month a year earlier.