Making its way on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick for 2012 is the all-new Buick Verano. This raises General Motors IIHS Top Safety Pick award count to 14 in 2012 – not too shabby.

Equipped with 10 standard air bags, the Verano came out with a good score in the IIHS tests for front and side crash tests, roof strength test, and rear impact test. The Verano also features standard electronic stability control, which the IIHS requires for Top Safety Pick designation.

“GM set a goal that every new product would be designed to meet or exceed the third-party metrics that IIHS and others use to communicate crash worthiness to consumers,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety. “We are now seeing the results from that commitment.”

Of the GM vehicles that made it to IIHS’s 2012 Top Safety Pick award list, 13 models had previously qualified for the 2011 award. These vehicles were carried over to 2012 because its structure is substantially the same as the IIHS tested for 2011. Carrying over for 2012 awards are the Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Enclave; the Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic, Volt, Equinox, Malibu and Traverse; the Cadillac CTS (sedan) and SRX, and GMC Terrain and Acadia.

Honda CEO Takanobu Ito stepped up and assumed responsibility for the Honda Civic’s miserable start in the United States, telling Automotive News that ”The ultimate responsibility rests with me.”

The Civic was left off the Consumer Reports list of recommended vehicles, a rarity for any Honda product. Cheap interior materials were blamed, and many reviewers reported dull styling and driving dynamics as other disappointments. Civic sales are down 15 percent this year, and Honda product planners are hoping for a model refresh as soon as 2013, well ahead of Honda’s usual vehicle schedule.

While Honda decided to stick with a smaller footprint and reduced content for the new Civic (betting on a downward economy) competitors like Hyundai, Chevrolet and Ford went in the opposite direction, offering advanced features like backup cameras, self-parking, powerful engines and bold styling. This approach won out in the end, with the Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus reporting strong sales in the segment.

[Source: Automotive News]

According to Advertising Age, a sister publication to Automotive News, Chevrolet‘s Cruze, Kia‘s Soul and Jeep‘s Wrangler are among America’s top 25 hottest products for 2011, alongside Dove soap, Arizona Tea, Goldfish crackers, Sharpie markers and the Forever 21 clothing chain.

There’s no doubting those three vehicles’ success, but we’d be willing to debate that they belong in America’s 25 hottest products. But nonetheless, the Cruze has sold more than 200,000 units as of October, which allowed it to surpass the Malibu as GM’s hottest selling model. Media spending by Chevrolet totaled more than $1.1 billion last year with a huge bulk of it towards marketing the Cruze’s 40-mpg fuel economy rating.

The good ‘ol Kia Soul has benefited from collaborating with stylish and hip hamsters, perfectly targeting younger buyers. Through October, Kia has racked up 405,095 in total sales, with over 85,000 of those being Souls. We’re not really sure if the Soul is a hot new product or if the hamsters are just that cool.

Lastly, Jeep’s Wrangler is Jeep’s best-selling vehicle with 101,820 vehicles sold through October. Their partnership with virtual Wranglers and the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 fans probably won’t hurt either. By bringing together live action and game footage, Jeep is clearly targeting a huge audience and perhaps a different market with their Wrangler. Jeep as a brand has had overall sales up 44-percent this year through October.

[Source: Automotive News]

While Chevrolet is readying a diesel version of their Cruze compact in 2013, an interesting tidbit of information leaked out regarding another gas-saving variant of the Cruze – a plug-in hybrid model.

Australia’s GoAuto reports that the Cruze will be a traditional plug-in hybrid, where the engine and hybrid system work in tandem, rather than the Volt, which is described as an electric vehicle with a range-extending gasoline engine. “Plug-in Cruze doesn’t make Volt redundant at all. Plug-in Cruze would have a different powertrain. Plug-in hybrids use both the engine and motor all the time,” said Jim Frederico, who is in charge of General Motors’ small electric vehicle program. “The plug-in Cruze has a place and it will be a hybrid.”

GM is testing an all-electric Cruze in South Korea currently, but so far it remains an experimental vehicle. A Cruze plug-in could debut as early as 2014, given the car’s strong sales and the introduction of the diesel version in 2013 (which a plug-in version would likely overshadow).

[Source: GoAuto]

With sales of the Chevrolet Cruze slowing down, General Motors will idle their Lordstown, Ohio plant to help bring supply levels of the Cruze down.

Dealers currently have a 73-day supply of the Cruze, higher than the industry average. GM hopes that demand will catch up with supply by closing the plant for a week.  The Lordstown plant has been running three shifts plus a weekend shift for much of the year. The Cruze enjoyed strong sales in 2011 but the resurgent supply of cars like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic has seen consumers flocking back to imports, negatively impacting sales of the Cruze.

[Source: Automotive News]

Chevrolet will make their small cars the focus of the brand’s presence at the upcoming SEMA Show, bringing a huge collection of customized Sonics and Cruzes to the show floor. The majority of the Sonics and Cruzes coming from Chevrolet will feature products from the Z-Spec lineup, including performance, styling and personalization accessories.

Chevy isn’t revealing the custom Sonics and Cruzes built by some of the country’s top builders yet, but they did release teaser details (and a few pics), commenting that they’ll be bringing their Z-Spec #1, Z-Spec #2, Z-Spec 4D Concept and Dusk for their Sonic line. The pair of Cruzes Chevy will be showing off are the Cruze Z-Spec and Cruze Dusk.

Z-Spec #1 will be a turbocharged Sonic five-door sporting a collection of concept Z-Spec accessories. A ground effects kit, spoiler, unique grille and graphics package are applied to a Torch Red exterior further accented by a set of 18-inch Z-Spec concept wheels. On the inside, perforated black suede seat inserts, a Z-Spec sport pedal kit, sport shift knob and racing-style flat-bottom steering wheel accent the interior. Performance comes from four-piston brake calipers, new suspension and a high-flow exhaust system.

Z-Spec #2 is similar to the Z-Spec #1, but features a more aggressive exterior styling package and will be shown off in a Flat White with Torch Red accents. The 4D Concept will show off the sedan accessories in an Ashen Gray Metallic finish while the Dusk is a subtle Berlin Blue exterior with 18-inch wheels in a dark Galvano Silver finish.

For the Cruzes, the Z-Spec will feature a ground effects package, 18-inch wheels, an accessory spoiler and a high-flow grille. A new stripe package is also added to the exterior while the interior accessories are similar to the Sonic’s offerings. The Cruze Dusk will also be similar to the Sonic Dusk, offering a look at a more subtle package of accessories and upgrades.

GALLERY: Chevrolet SEMA Sonics

See AutoGuide’s complete 2011 SEMA Show preview here and look for coverage starting November 1st.

Read AutoGuide’s 2012 Chevy Sonic Review Here

The results for the most successful cars of 2011 so far are in. Automotive data and marketing solutions company Polk has calculated the results from the first six months of 2011 new vehicle registrations and have come up with the top picks for non-premium and premium models.

These results look at model-level performance and determine which ones are doing well so far this year. It’s also important to note that the March Japanese earthquake/tsunamis have had an impact on these results, and the inventory shortages for Toyota and Honda caused by the disaster have impacted the June 2011 CYTD (Calendar Year To Date) retail results for these brands.

Here’s a list of the winners so far, along with the June 2011 CYTD year-over-year improvements in new retail registrations.

Non-Premium

1. Hyundai Sonata (+32%)

2. Volkswagen Jetta (+69%)

3. Ford Fiesta (not on sale in 2010)

4. Chevrolet Cruze/Cobalt (+178%)

5. Jeep Grand Cherokee (+170%)

Other non-premium models that performed well in the first half of 2011 include the Optima, Regal, 200/Sebring, Durango, Elantra and Equinox.

Premium

1. Cadillac CTS (+54%)

2. BMW 5-Series (+56%)

3. Jaguar XJ (+273%)

4. Porsche Cayenne (+178%)

5. BMW X3 (+276%)

An honorable mention goes out to the Volvo S60, another premium model that has performed well in 2011.

[Source: Polk]

Summer is almost over, which means back to school shopping. Forget about pens, pencils and binders; what about picking up a new set of wheels? Surely that will make the thought of heading back to class a little better!

Kelley Blue Book has put together a list of vehicles that it believes will appeal to kids. There are some odd choices though.

The new car picks all seem to be decent, all are affordable, efficient and attractive. However the used choices are surprising. The Kia Sedona probably won’t be very appealing to students because well, minivans are not cool. As well, the F-150 is a pretty large truck and although it is the best selling vehicle in America, it’s hardly fuel efficient. The HHR was also an interesting choice because not many young people drive them. The new vehicles are probably better choices overall, but who knows, maybe minivans are secretly cool among teenagers… or maybe just teenagers trying really hard to be ironic. What do you think?

Check out the list of new and used vehicles after the jump:

Continue Reading…

If the Transformers really wanted to blend in with Earth technology in order to fight the Decepticons, they probably wouldn’t have transformed into a rare Corvette prototype, a flame-job purple 18-wheeler, or a bright yellow Camaro. After all, those aren’t exactly inconspicuous. You know what is, however? A Chevrolet Cruze.

That’s why the Cruze gets the full Autobot treatment in China, where this car can pass by the crowds with nary a second glance. The small Chevy gets the bright-yellow treatment, with two oddly-mounted black stripes down the hood somewhere. Autobot badging on the wheels and fenders show off the owner’s allegiance, while illuminated Transformers door sills round out the package. The 1.6-liter Ecotec engine remains the same.

The Transformers Cruze is only available in China right now, and will probably not make it over to America. Because, after all, a transforming robot defender of freedom would be blasphemous if it packed anything smaller than a 6.2-liter V8.

[Source: ChinaCarTimes]

The Japanese earthquake disaster and the resulting supply disruption mixed up the Top 10 best-selling vehicles in June, allowing the Chevrolet Cruze compact to top the chart in the US, a spot usually reserved for the Toyota Camry.

The Camry did make the Top 10 and was the only Japanese vehicle to do so but as number eight, with sales down 27.7 percent from last June. Toyota has regained strength and production is almost back to normal so expect the Camry to move back up. Honda also took a tumble and fell to 15th place with the Civic, down 34 percent compared to this time last year. The Altima was Nissan’s top seller coming in at 11th place with sales up 22.7 percent.

Coming in first place was Ford’s F-series which improved over last year by 6.7 percent. Second place was awarded to the Chevrolet Silverado which improved by 5.1% over last year.

The Top Ten Sellers For June are the Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Escape, Ford Focus, Ram Pickups, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, and Hyundai Elantra.

[Source: USA Today]