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Average transaction prices climb to a record $36,270 in January

The automotive sector made a hash of the numbers last month, a mess of pluses and minuses clogging the transaction-price charts according to Kelley Blue Book. The overall industry rose one percent, even though buyers bought fewer cars and light vehicles in January 2018 vs 2017 using the selling-day adjusted rate. Due to January transaction prices rising to $36,270, a record for January, the value of new vehicles sold climbed more than $1 billion compared to January 2017. KBB's transaction prices don't include customer incentives, which changes the complexion slightly; average incentive spending rose to just over ten percent. The average transaction price in December 2017 was $36,756, so January dropped a bit - nothing unexpected, with the month annually blamed for "January doldrums." More revealing is the fact that the average transaction price in January 2017 was $34,910. This year's plumped-up figure came courtesy of the continued shift to crossovers, SUVs, and light trucks, which shouldn't surprise anyone who's read an automotive blog in the past 20 years. That category comprised nearly 70 percent of new vehicle sales for the month. Some manufacturers profited more than others, though. Fiat Chrysler managed 12.8 percent fewer sales in January compared year-on-year, but the company's vehicles sold for $1,300 more. The Ford brand suffered a 6.3-percent dip in sales, but brand transaction prices increased $2,000, while a Lincoln sold for $8,700 more on average. General Motors sold more cars and sold them for more money; overall GM transaction prices rose four percent, or $1,270, while a GMC traded hands for seven-percent more than in January 2017 and a Cadillac got $2,300 more on average. Of KBB's listed automakers, the Volkswagen Group got the most of out its customers, transaction prices rising at the German automaker by 5.6 percent to $42,243 in January 2018 compared to a year earlier. American Honda followed with a 4.3-percent increase to $28,991, GM in third at 4.1 percent to $40,313. Find your next car at Autoblog using our new and used car listings or the Car Finder tool. Broken out by segment, minivans rocked the table, transaction prices leaping by 7.9 percent to $35,380 compared to January a year earlier. Luxury cars boasted the next-highest rise, at 3.6 percent to $58,533.

2023 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study shows there's less quality than last year

Vehicle inventory, vehicle pricing, and the supply chain are finally showing improvement. Vehicle quality, on the other hand, is still going the wrong way. That's the takeaway from the 2023 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study that found overall problems exceeded last year's record high. The study surveyed owners of 2022-model-year vehicles to assess the average rate of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) during the first 90 days of ownership. The average figure for the 32 ranked manufacturers in 2020 was about 166 problems per 100 vehicles. In the 2021 IQS, that dropped to an average of 162. For 2022, the average jumped to 180 problems. For 2023, the PP100 is up to an industry average of 192 — an increase of 30 problems per 100 vehicles in just two years. Let's get to the good news first: Dodge reclaimed the crown of having the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles at 140. Buick won last year with 139 PP100, falling to third this year. Dodge was the first American automaker to top the IQS in 2021. Its return as the least problematic gives parent company Stellantis three wins in four years after Ram was crowned in 2021. It also gives U.S. brands a four-peat after Buick topped the chart in 2022 by having owners report the fewest problems. This year's top 10 is Dodge, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Porsche, Cadillac, Kia, and Lexus. Stellantis gathered a few feathers for its cap, in fact. Maserati showed the largest improvement year-on-year, followed by Alfa Romeo, and Alfa Romeo posted the lowest PP100 among the premium class, beating Porsche and Cadillac. Alfa Romeo has been vocal about working to improve quality, mentioning Lexus as a target. Last year the Japanese brand finished sixth, the Italians finished near the bottom, between Jaguar and Mitsubishi. This year Alfa jumped to third, Lexus dropped to tenth. Ram was the third-best on the list of improvers from 2022 to 2023.   The individual model with the lowest PP100 is the Nissan Maxima. Now for the troublesome bits. In the words of Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, "The industry is at a major crossroad and the path each manufacturer chooses is paramount for its future.

GMC offers more 2024 Hummer EV SUV details, photos

GMC has shared more details about its 2024 Hummer EV SUV after its debut during the NCAA Final Four tournament. The SUV which follows the Hummer EV pickup, is smaller, more maneuverable and has a few features the truck doesn’t. GM says itÂ’s meant to strike a balance between off-road capability and on-road driving. GM also says Edition 1 reservations are already sold out. Compared to the truck, the Hummer SUV has a wheelbase about 9 inches shorter. With four-wheel steering, its turning circle is just 35.4 feet, which GM emphasizes is tighter than that of the Ford Mustang Mach-E (38.1 feet). ItÂ’s also less than the Hummer pickupÂ’s 37.1-foot turning circle. The SUV, which, at 196.8 inches long, is 20 inches shorter than the truck overall. It also features a much shorter rear overhang, at 35.5 inches. While thatÂ’s all helpful maneuvering through city traffic or suburban parking lots, it also provides advantages off-road. It has an approach angle of 49.6 degrees, a 49.0-degree departure angle and a 34.4-degree breakover angle. Suspension travel is 13 inches front and rear, with 16 inches of maximum ground clearance thanks to its Extract Mode that temporarily raises the vehicle to get out of tricky terrain. It can ford water 32 inches deep. It also features the same CrabWalk mode as the pickup. Available Ultravision provides 17 cameras, including underbody views to help navigate the trail. The Hummer SUV benefits from an enclosed cargo area behind the second row of seats. It still features the Infinity Roof with removable panels above the two seating rows to essentially turn the SUV into a convertible. At the rear is a swing-out tailgate that opens wider than the width of the vehicle. A spare tire rides on the tailgate as well. With the rear seats folded, cargo volume peaks at 81.8 cubic feet.  Additional hidden storage space is found below the recycled rubber floor mat, which features a design inspired by the moonÂ’s Sea of Tranquility (that's where Apollo 11 landed). As for technology, the Hummer SUV gets a 13.4-inch infotainment screen, plus a 12.3-inch instrument display in front of the driver. Fourteen cameras come standard, and the aforementioned Ultravision provides a total of 17 cameras, including a surround view. The MyGMC mobile app offers satellite rendered trail maps that can also help manage energy consumption off-road and make sure you have enough juice to make it to a charger when finished.