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Volkswagen throws a Polo-palooza with four new or upgraded models

Volkswagen unveiled a parade of new and upgraded Polo models at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, including the Polo TSI BlueMotion, Polo TDI BlueMotion, Polo BlueGT and CrossPolo (pictured above). While they will likely never make an appearance this side of the pond, it is fun to see what European subcompact drivers will be driving later this year.
The new BlueMotion models represent the most efficient petrol and diesel options in their class, according to VW. The BlueMotion TDI offers just 73 horsepower from its diesel engine but gives the equivalent of 76 miles per gallon (US) in the EU test. The BlueMotion TSI brings a little more power with its 88-hp petrol engine and has a combined rating of 57 mpg (US) in the EU cycle.
The Polo BlueGT provides a balance of performance and economy, and for the 2014 model, it gains a 9-horsepower boost to its 1.4-liter turbocharged to give drivers 147 hp at the press of the accelerator. This year's car also has an optional Sport Select suspension with electronically controlled dampers to improve handling a bit. It's still fitted with active cylinder management to use as little gas as possible when cruising.

Lexus tops JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study again, Buick bests Toyota

It shouldn't surprise anyone, but Lexus has once again taken the top spot in JD Power's Vehicle Dependability Study. That'd be the Japanese luxury brand's fourth straight year at the top of table. The big news, though, is the rise of Buick. General Motor's near-premium brand beat out Toyota to take second place, with 110 problems per 100 vehicles compared to Toyota's 111 problems. Lexus owners only reported 89 problems per 100 vehicles. Besides Buick's three-position jump, Scion enjoyed a major improvement, jumping 13 positions from 2014. Ram and Mitsubishi made big gains, as well, moving up 11 and 10 positions, respectively. In terms of individual segments, GM and Toyota both excelled, taking home seven segment awards each. The study wasn't good news for all involved, though. A number of popular automakers finished below the industry average of 147 problems per 100 vehicles, including Subaru, (157PP100), Volkswagen (165PP100), Ford/Hyundai (188PP100 each) and Mini (193PP100). The biggest losers (by a tremendous margin, we might add) were Land Rover and Fiat, recording 258 and 273 problems per 100 vehicles. The next closest brand was Jeep, with 197PP100. While the Vehicle Dependability Study uses the same measurement system as the Initial Quality Survey, the two metrics analyze very different things. The VDS looks at problems experienced by original owners of model year 2012 vehicles over the past 12 months, while the oft-quoted IQS focuses on problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership. Like the IQS, though, the VDS has a rather broad definition of what a problem is. Because of that, a low score from JD Power is no guarantee of extreme unreliability, so much as just poor design. In this most recent study, the two most reported problems focused on Bluetooth connectivity and the voice-command systems. The former leaves plenty of room for user error due to poor design (particularly true of the Bluetooth systems on the low-scoring Fords, Volkswagens and Subarus), while the second is something JD Power has already confirmed as being universally terrible. That makes means that while these studies are important, they shouldn't be taken as gospel when it comes to automotive reliability. News Source: JD PowerImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL Buick Fiat Ford GM Hyundai Jeep Land Rover Lexus MINI Mitsubishi RAM Scion Subaru Toyota Volkswagen Auto Repair Ownership study

8 new cars that are selling below MSRP

Car shopping has been a frustrating activity for many people in recent years, as strained new car inventories have led to markups and elevated prices across the board. It’s been difficult to find vehicles at anywhere near a reasonable price, and some in-demand models are still listed at a premium today. iSeeCarsÂ’ most recent study looked at several aspects of the new and used vehicle markets and found a handful of models that are selling at a discount – a rarity in todayÂ’s world. Most of the vehicles selling below MSRP in October were electric, though the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX80 made the top eight. To be clear, weÂ’re not talking about huge discounts here – the Kia EV6 was selling with the largest discount of 3.1%. The other models on the list include: Kia EV6: -3.1 percent off MSRP Ford F-150 hybrid: -2.8% Hyundai Ioniq 6: -2.7% Nissan Armada: -1.8% Hyundai Ioniq 5: -0.9% VW ID.4: -0.6% Kia Niro EV: -0.3% Infiniti QX80: -0.2% Electric and hybrid vehicles like the Kia and Ford have been selling at a premium for a long time, as they experienced stronger than expected demand and had challenging early production runs. That theyÂ’re now selling at a discount could indicate wavering buyer demand, but itÂ’s too early to start sounding any serious alarm bells. Though some models are getting cheaper, the industry average is still heading in the wrong direction. The average MSRP of new cars sold last month was $42,510, while the average sales price was $46,077. That 8.4% overage is surprising to see so many months after the worst of the pandemic has passed. iSeeCarsÂ’ executive analyst Karl Brauer had a few words of encouragement, however, saying, “There are still very few ‘dealsÂ’ in the new car market. Shoppers looking to pay below MSRP for a new car will have to do their research, but a small number of models can be bought below sticker price.” Green Ford Hyundai Infiniti Kia Nissan Volkswagen Car Buying cheap cars