A
lot of names they've
never heard of, from
the Aura at Saturn
dealerships to the
Yaris at Toyota showrooms.
''Consumers are going
to have far more models
to consider than ever
before. 2007 has more
new model introductions
in it than we've had
in a long time,''
says George Peterson,
president of California-based
Auto Pacific, which
does independent marketing
and product consulting
for the auto industry.
The ones likely to
get the most attention
are the subcompacts
from Toyota, Honda
and Nissan. Named
the Yaris, the Fit
and the Versa, these
vehicles are new to
the United States,
but not to other parts
of the world. The
Fit is Honda's best-selling
vehicle, but until
U.S. gas prices went
crazy, Honda didn't
think that buyers
here were ready for
a car that is 20 inches
shorter than a Honda
Civic. Base prices
for these new subcompacts
generally run between
$11,000 and $13,000.
•
The
SUV is far from dead.
It's just morphing
a little bit. For
2007, there are more
than 90 sport utility
vehicles to choose
from, ranging from
the new Jeep Compass
compact SUV to the
new Mercedes-Benz
GL SUV, which starts
at $55,000. For the
first time, however,
a majority of those
93 SUVs are what the
industry calls "crossovers''
-- meaning they are
derived from a car
chassis, not a truck
frame. Although there
are exceptions, a
crossover SUV is generally
lighter, more nimble
and more fuel efficient
than a truck-based
SUV. Among the new
crossover SUVs: The
Audi Q7 ($39,900 base
price), the Ford Edge
($25,320), and the
Mazda CX-7 ($23,750).
•
Convertibles
are hot -- and they're
not quite like the
convertibles of your
father's day.
Although convertibles
with retractable hard
roofs have been increasingly
popular, mostly they
have been limited
to expensive luxury
models like the Lexus
SC 430 ($65,455 base
price). But for 2007,
there's a group of
largely affordable
convertibles that
use retractable hard
roofs that fold into
the trunk. In 2007,
Volkswagen is offering
its Eos ($27,990),
Pontiac has the G6
($28,565) and Volvo
has its C70 ($39,090).
But the true sign
that this is a coming
trend is that Mazda's
Miata – the iconic
open-top sports car
-- is offering a 2007
version with a retractable
hard roof for $24,350.
•
Hybrids will remain hot, with 15 different models on the market. But for those seeking the big tax breaks that will take some of the sting out of a hybrid's price, 2007 will likely be the year to shop the domestics. The reason is that when Congress wrote the legislation, it set provisions that favored the domestic manufacturers who were late to the hybrid game. So tax credits for Toyotas and Hondas are all but exhausted, but there's plenty left for buyers of a 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid ($25,655).
•
Fans of diesel power will find 2007 to be a sparse year, at least until late in the calendar when redesigned and cleaner diesels that can be sold in all 50 states will begin to hit showrooms. Until then, the primary choices for diesel fans that live outside California, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, where diesels can't meet local emission standards, will be the Mercedes-Benz E320 BluTec diesel and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which will use the same engine as the Benz. By late in 2007, Volkswagen and other manufacturers will start offering 50-state diesels that will be far quieter and cleaner than any diesel ever offered in this country.
•
Automotive technology will continue to transform the driving experience for 2007 as manufacturers cram more convenience and safety features into a wide range of models. Buyers will have the chance to own cars that warn when the vehicle strays from its lane; cars that use radar-operated cruise control to control the vehicle's position in traffic, even coming to a complete stop in a jam; cars that can even automatically parallel park themselves. More common options among cars for 2007 are such things as keyless starters, stereos that integrate iPods, cupholders that cool and heat beverages, and improved automatic transmissions with as many as eight forward gears. For shoppers, it can be like shopping at Sharper Image. But one caveat: The more complex the accessories, the more they will cost to fix once the vehicle is out of warranty.
Terry Jackson is an automotive columnist for the Miami Herald.
