Gas Savers: 2006 car models offer increased finesse and fuel efficiency.

Audi Q7

Audi enters the SUV market in 2006 with the all-new Q7. Described as a “performance” SUV by the manufacturer, the Q7 will seat seven passengers. The second and third-row seats fold flat to create a maximum cargo capacity of 71.9 cubic feet.
The Q7 gains its performance characteristics and power from a 4.2-liter V8 engine with 350 horses. Like all Audis, it’s equipped with the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system that provides added traction in slick conditions. Other safety features include dual-stage front airbags, side-impact and side-curtain airbags, side sensors that detect oncoming traffic for safe lane switching, and a rear parking sensor. ABS, the electronic-stability program, traction control, the roll-stability program, and four-zone climate control are standard. Fuel-economy information is not yet available.

Pricing and warranty for the 2006 Q7, which debuts next year, has not been announced.

Chevrolet Impala

More than 1.2 million Chevy Impalas have been sold since the vehicle was reintroduced in 1999. Redesigned in 2006, the Impala offers more standard features as well as a new look.
Available in four trim levels, the LS, LT, LTZ, and SS performance model, the Impala’s base engine is the 3.5-liter V6 with 211 horsepower.

For the Latina environmentalist, this engine is compatible with E85 ethanol fuel.
A 3.5-liter V6 is available on the LT and is standard on the LTZ, and a 5.3-liter V8 powers the SS. All Impala engines are mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Estimated city/highway fuel economy for the V6 is 21/31 mpg.

Flip-and-fold rear seats that flip up or fold back creating a pass-through from the trunk, are new. Safety features include dual-stage front and side-curtain airbags, remote keyless entry, and a one-year subscription to OnStar, the onboard emergency and information system. Creature comforts include air conditioning, an AM/FM stereo with a CD player, and cruise control. It’s covered by a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty.

The base price on the 2006 Impala LS is $21,990.

Accord Hybrid

Honda expanded its hybrid models to three in 2004 when it introduced the 2005 Accord Hybrid. As the first V6-powered hybrid, the Accord performs better than its gasoline-powered counterpart, while delivering the fuel efficiency of a four-cylinder engine.

The Accord Hybrid achieves a city/highway fuel economy of 29/37 mpg. A high-output electric motor contributes 100 ft.–lbs. of torque during hard acceleration and recaptures kinetic energy during deceleration and braking for storage in the battery pack. Mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, the 3.0-liter engine delivers 255 horsepower.
Packaged as a premium vehicle, the Accord Hybrid comes with leather seating, dual-zone air conditioning, XM satellite radio for one year, and an AM\/FM stereo with a six-disc CD changer. Standard safety features include front- and side-impact and side-curtain airbags, ABS, and traction control. The bumper-to-bumper warranty on the Accord Hybrid is three years or 36,000 miles.

The base price on the 2006 Accord Hybrid is $30,655. 

Kia Rio5

A popular car trend is the four-door hatchback, known as a “five-door.” It allows for greater cargo capacity than a sedan while remaining fuel-efficient. For 2006, Kia offers the redesigned Rio5, a five-door version of its most-affordable subcompact, the Rio. Longer and wider than the previous model, the Rio5 has 92.2 cubic feet of passenger space and 49.6 cubic feet of cargo room with the back seat folded flat.
Kia equips the Rio5 with important safety features like six airbags including full-length side curtains. ABS costs $400 extra. A 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine with 110 horses and 20 percent more fuel-efficiency powers the Rio5. It’s mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The city/highway estimated fuel economy is 32/35 mpg. Standard features include air conditioning, an AM/FM stereo with a CD player and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The Kia warranty is the same as Hyundai’s. Kia also offers free 24-hour roadside assistance for five years or 60,000 miles.

The base price on the 2006 Rio5 SX is $14,040.

Mercedes-Benz E350 wagon

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class represents about 25 percent of the company’s sales in the United States. In 2006, the manufacturer revamps the E-Class lineup, including a new engine for the E350 wagon.

A 3.5-liter V6 engine with 268 horsepower, matched to the world’s first seven-speed automatic transmission, now powers the wagon. The city/highway estimated fuel economy is 18/26 mpg. Standard safety features include ABS, the Electronic Stability Program (ESP), traction control, dual-stage front airbags with crash sensors, a rollover sensor, and active front head restraints.

The wagon has 96.2 cubic feet of cabin space and 24.4 cubic feet of trunk volume with the back seat folded flat. Luxury features include leather seats, dual-zone air conditioning, an AM/FM stereo with a CD player, wood trim, and power windows. The E350 wagon has a four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty.

The base price on the 2006 E350 wagon is $53,075.

Volvo V50

Volvo has remained loyal to its wagons throughout the SUV explosion. In 2005, it introduced a new compact wagon, the V50. Based on the S40 sedan platform, the V50 is powered by a 2.4-liter five-cylinder engine with 168 horsepower. A five-speed automatic transmission with the Geartronic simulated manual function is standard on the base 2.4i model, and a six-speed manual comes with the T5 and T5-with-AWD models.
City/highway estimated fuel economy for the 2.4i automatic is 22/30 mpg. Standard safety features include ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA); dual-stage front, side-impact, and side-curtain airbags; and traction control.
Air conditioning, power locks and windows, cruise control, and an AM/FM stereo with a CD player are standard. Maximum cargo capacity with the 60/40 split seats flipped down is 62.9 cubic feet. The V50 has a four-year or 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty.

The base price on the 2006 V50 wagon is $26,900.

Lexus IS 250/350

Lexus redesigns the IS 250/350, its entry-level luxury sport sedans, for 2006. Each trim level has distinct features as well as body styles. The IS 250 features a 2.5-liter V6 engine with a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed sequential automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Powered by the same engine, the IS 250 AWD is equipped with all-wheel drive. Equipped with the six-speed sequential automatic with paddle shifters, the IS 350 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6.

The IS 250 achieves a city/highway estimated fuel economy of 20/29 mpg with the manual transmission and 24/32 mpg with the automatic. The IS 350 gets an estimated city/highway fuel economy of 21/28 mpg.

Safety features include the SmartAccess keyless entry and engine start system, traction control, ABS, BA, Vehicle Stability Control, and a tire-pressure monitor. Other standard features include an AM/FM MP3-compatible stereo with a six-disc, in-dash CD changer, air conditioning, cruise control, and power doors and locks. The bumper-to-bumper warranty on the IS 250 and IS 350 is four years or 50,000 miles.

The base prices on the 2006 IS 250 and IS350 are $29,990 and $35,440 respectively.

Hyundai Sonata

Brand new for 2006, the Hyundai Sonata packs extra features into its new shape and size.
This midsize sedan is the first to include Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with traction control as standard equipment.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ESC results in 35 percent fewer single-vehicle crashes. Other standard safety features include the anti-lock braking system (ABS), remote keyless entry with an alarm, and six airbags, including front and rear side-curtain airbags.

Available in three trim levels, GL, GLS, and LX, the base model is powered by an ultra-low-emission 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 162 horsepower. Mated to a five-speed manual transmission, it has an estimated city/highway fuel economy of 24/34 miles per gallon (mpg). Creature comforts include air conditioning, an M/FM/MP3-compatible stereo with a CD player, cruise control, and power windows, doors and locks.

The Sonata is also covered by Hyundai’s five-year/60,000-mile-bumper-to-bumper and 10-year/100,000-mile-powertrain limited warranty, and seven-year/unlimited-mileage-anti-perforation warranty. Twenty-four-hour roadside assistance is also standard for five years.

The base price on the 2006 Sonata GL is $17,895.

Driving in Luxury, the 2006 CADILLAC XLR

If you thought that the only place where you could find a cool convertible luxury car was somewhere in Europe, think again. The 2006 Cadillac XLR will take you around town in true Latina style. Powered by a Northstar V8 engine with a six-speed automatic transmission, the ride is smooth and luxurious. You do not even need a key to start the car. The XLR’s anti-theft technology will do that for you when you press a button on the instrument panel. Are we going back to the way things used to be? To pop the top open just press another button and voilà, you are a convertible! Then snuggle in and get ready to travel in comfort and luxury.
The out of pocket of course reflects all the special things you get when you drive a Cadillac. Cost starts at $ 77,295 but the way things are today in the auto industry believe me you will have a lot of room to negotiate! Among the cool standard features are OnStar(R) Stolen Vehicle Tracking, Power Decklid Locks/Unlocks Via Remote Keyless, Programmable Power Door Locks, Theft lock(R) Radio Anti-Theft, Vehicle Anti-Lockout, Vehicle Anti-Theft Via Alarm, Intelligent Cruise Control, 2-Memory Adjustments For Driver Side Include Exterior Mirrors, HVAC, Radio, Seat, and Steering Wheel, Voice Activated Controls For E-Mail, Internet, Navigation and Phone and a compass in case you need to know which way you are facing. One thing is certain; you will turn heads as you drive down Connecticut Avenue.

Women in the Drivers Seat
A few words about vehicle accessory purchases

Want to make your new vehicle more functional for mountain biking, snow skiing, camping or hauling large packages or groceries? Want an in-vehicle safety and security system that can communicate your need for help during an emergency – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year? There are numerous accessories available from every auto manufacturer that allow you to personalize your vehicle: roof racks, utility bars, bicycle carriers, roof-mounted ski carriers, cargo carriers, trailer hitches, seatmounted backpacks, interior waste containers, cargo organizers, hands-free telephones, entertainment systems and many more.

Acquiring accessories at the time of purchase, instead of a later date after vehicle delivery, enables you to roll their cost into your monthly payment. Moreover, accessories acquired at the time of purchase may extend coverage of the new vehicle limited warranty to add-on equipment. (Check with the manufacturer).

You can purchase accessories at a later date from either the auto manufacturer or an aftermarket supplier. Manufacturer accessories permanently installed after vehicle purchase may be covered for the balance of the new vehicle warranty. (Check with the manufacturer). Aftermarket accessories – those purchased from a supplier other than your vehicle’s maker – are unlikely to be covered by the manufacture’s new vehicle warranty.

Accident alert systems. In-vehicle safety and security communication systems that provide accident alert services are available as either standard equipment or a dealer ordered option. In the event of a collision, such systems automatically contact a call center that will alert 911 if an airbag deploys. They also pinpoint vehicle location via GPS (global positioning satellite). For more information visit onstar.com.

Satellite radio. Available at the time of purchase or after the sale, satellite radio provides 100 channels of programming, superior digital sound and coast-to-coast satellite coverage. Formats devoted to such genres as classical, country, rock, rhythm and blues, as well as news, sports and comedy, go far beyond the limits of AM or FM radio. For more information visit gm.xmradio.com.

For more information on GM vehicles visit www.gm.com 

Source: A Guide to help make car buying easier for you: Women in the Drivers Seat