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Ford, Toyota clean up in Best Car For The Money Awards

The U.S. News Best Cars for the Money Awards picks winners by looking at the average transaction price, five-year total cost of ownership, the regard a car has from the automotive press, reliability figures from J.D. Power and Associates and safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The result, according to the magazine, is "the best combination of critical acclaim and long-term value."
Ford nabbed six of the 21 categories that received awards this year, the Focus, Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Taurus, Escape and Edge getting trophies. Toyota and its Lexus and Scion sub-brands took another five, the Tacoma and Tundra owning the two categories given to pickup trucks. The other ten awards were split between Honda with three, Buick with two, and one each for Subaru, BMW, Hyundai, Chevrolet and Mazda.
Follow the link to see all the winners and read about why they were chosen.

Buick Velite 6 to come in PHEV, electric versions for China

In addition to the all-electric Enspire crossover concept revealed this week ahead of the Beijing Auto Show, Buick is adding a new production variant to its Velite series of electrified vehicles for China. It's called the Velite 6, a plug-in hybrid that will launch this year in Buick's largest market. A full-electric version, shown in the lead photo above at right, is coming later. Buick already sells a vehicle called a Velite 5 in China, which is essentially a rebadged Chevrolet Volt, only with a higher electric-only driving range. This one is based on the Velite concept PHEV introduced in late 2016 at Auto Guangzhou. The PHEV and battery-electric versions look nearly identical, with a wide stance, plenty of creases and a hatchback design that bears some similarities to the longer 2018 Regal TourX wagon. The Velite 6 uses two AC permanent-magnet synchronous motors, a lithium-ion battery and a 1.5-liter four-cylinder combustion engine. Buick says combined gas-electric driving range is 435 miles, which is 15 miles greater than the Volt. Buick will assemble what it calls the "new-generation" ternary battery pack at its new SAIC-GM Power Battery Development Center in Shanghai. The company says the Velite 6 electric vehicle "will adopt a new-generation pure electric drive system to offer customers a smooth, quiet and natural driving experience." Both models get the cloud-based Buick eConnect technology, which allows over-the-air software updates, real-time integration with China's WeChat social media network, and other digital perks. Owners will also be able to use their smartphone as the vehicle's key, and they can also authorize others to use the car through their phones. China has long been Buick's largest market, with more than 1.18 million vehicles sold in 2017 compared to just 219,231 in the U.S., and the country has established aggressive mandates for production of electric vehicles. GM has plans to add 20 new electric and fuel-cell vehicles globally by 2023. Related Video:

Buick Electra-X SUV Concept is a sporty-looking electric crossover

We all saw the gorgeous Buick WIldcat EV concept yesterday, but slipping under the radar was another Buick concept revealed in China: the Electra-X Concept SUV. Buick is planning on using “Electra” to name its future EVs, and this is our first look at a concept with the name attached to it. Specifically, Buick says that this concept “previews the production version of BuickÂ’s new generation of electric vehicles in China, underpinned by GMÂ’s revolutionary Ultium platform.” Nowhere in BuickÂ’s announcement does the brand say this concept will transfer to future Buicks in the U.S., but itÂ’s an interesting thought to entertain. The Electra-X Concept SUV looks like a fastback SUV, or crossover coupe, which is already a common bodystyle here in North America. Seeing that BuickÂ’s intention is to use the Ultium platform, that gives even more reason that something along these lines could find its way into U.S. showrooms. This specific concept is all about design, and itÂ’s easily the most attractive Buick SUV weÂ’ve seen. Buick says the carÂ’s “fresh and youthful” expression is meant to appeal to younger customers. It certainly looks far more sporty than what weÂ’re used to seeing from Buick, which is a good thing. YouÂ’ll notice itÂ’s wearing a new Buick badge up front. The light design in front and back is meant to resemble what weÂ’ll see on future production cars, and like many lights these days, they flash an animation at you as you approach the car. The four-seat interior is meant to look sporty and clean. Plus, it shows off the flat floor capabilities of the Ultium platform. It has an airy feel thanks to a wraparound windshield and glass roof. The seats are wrapped in fabric made from recycled water bottles. YouÂ’ll also see “GS” etched inside the cabin meant to hint that there will be electric GS models in the future. Its main display is a 30-inch 6K screen, and the car features 5G connectivity for the speediest-possible connection to the internet. Super Cruise in its most advanced, current form is also onboard, which is great to see for the Buick brand. Related video: