Today's News From the Cars.com Family

One reader wants to know which has better resale value, a Ford Flex or a Chrysler Aspen? Ask.cars.com weighs all the factors. Then, a PickupTrucks.com writer found out his truck qualifies as a “clunker.” Too bad, government — he’s not giving it up. Finally, MotherProof.com reviews the 2009 Ford Edge and finds its dimensions a bit unflattering.

Does a 2009 Ford Flex Limited or a 2009 Chrysler Aspen Limited Have a Better Resale Value? (Ask.cars.com)
Cash for My Clunker? No Thanks (PickupTrucks.com)
2009 Ford Edge (MotherProof.com)

Suzuki Offering Free Gas Incentive for Summer

Suzuki is offering three months of free gas to anyone who purchases a new 2009 Suzuki SX4 sedan or crossover through Aug. 31. It’s also offering $2,000 cash back on all SX4 models equipped with a manual transmission. That deal is good for the same time period.

Suzuki’s free-gas offer may not carry quite the same weight as all the gas offers from last year. At $2.63 a gallon nationally, gas prices are a far cry from last year’s prices of more than $4 per gallon. It just isn’t the terrifying economic boogeyman it was in 2008. The pre-paid gas cards also equal less than $300 in terms of real money.

Furthermore, as a general principal, offering three months of free gas isn’t as good as building a more efficient car. The Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic both eat the SX4’s lunch when it comes to fuel economy.

Gas Prices Low Going into Fourth of July Weekend

There’s good news for those traveling this Fourth of July weekend: Gas prices have stayed relatively cheap, and have even fallen a bit. The national average for gas is $2.629, down from $2.667 a week ago, according to AAA. Diesel matches gas exactly, averaging $2.629 as well.

Compared with last year, this is pretty much a vacationer’s dream. A year ago, gas averaged $4.092 and diesel had hit $4.767. And both were still on their way up.

Strangely, however, AAA predicts a 1.9% drop in travel this weekend even though gas is significantly cheaper. AAA predicts 37.1 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home.

EPA Rates 2010 Subaru Outback at 29 MPG on Highway

Subaru is talking up the EPA’s gas mileage estimates for the 2010 Subaru Outback, and with good reason. The 2010 Outback manages an impressive 29 mpg on the highway, 22 mpg in the city and 24 mpg combined, all with all-wheel drive standard.

That puts it ahead of most SUV competitors and pricier AWD wagons from Audi and Volvo, and Subaru says it managed to do so while increasing interior room 7%. Credit the 170-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine and Lineartronic continuously variable automatic transmission.

Add to that a starting price of $22,995 (not including destination), and Subaru has a pretty cost-effective option. Full mileage ratings for all three powertrains are listed after the jump.

Family Vehicles Selling Again

When the economy and car sales started tanking last summer, I pointed out that a major economic indicator was that family-friendly vehicles were seeing their sales flatline. In June, despite still-negative numbers from all manufacturers, crossovers both large and small — and even some SUVs — saw sales start to pick back up.

Reader Review of the Week: 2009 Dodge Journey

Real-world experience with a car can be far more valuable than any other. For instance, what if the size of your family, combined with one inconvenient car seat, throws off your experience with an otherwise enjoyable car? “New Owner” in Virginia Beach just bought a 2009 Dodge Journey and will take you through the pros and cons of that vehicle with meticulous detail. Read his review and then post your own here.

Through Ian's Lens: 2009 Muscle Car FaceOff

If your ear is to the ground concerning all things automotive, you’ll already know Detroit now offers up three V-8 muscle cars. Per my wishes and dreams, the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T, the 2010 Ford Mustang GT and the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS showed up at the office last week. As my colleagues at Cars.com decided to put these three to the test on the road, I decided it was time for a proper photo showdown. After two years of gawking at them individually, I finally put them all in the same pasture just to see how they looked together. And, oh man, did they look pretty.

As an homage to the era that spawned the original muscle cars (the 1970s) — and a tip of the cap to the newly departed late, great film, Kodachrome — these photos were color-corrected to match the bright cyans and saturated oranges that made Kodachrome ISO 64 film and its prints so spectacular. Enjoy.

Let me know what you think in the comments section below. As always, feel free to use the full-screen mode on the photo browser.

2010 BMW 7 Series Gains AWD, M Sport Package

With Audi's A8 featuring Quattro and Mercedes-Benz's S550 available with 4Matic, BMW's 7 Series had been the lone all-wheel-drive holdout among full-size German luxury sedans. That will change for the 2010 model year, when xDrive all-wheel-drive editions of the 750i and long-wheelbase 750Li join the current rear-drive lineup. All-wheel-drive models hit dealerships this fall. Pricing information hasn't been released.

BMW says xDrive, which is available on models like the 3 Series and 5 Series, gains improvements aimed at driving dynamics. The system can route up to 80% of engine torque to the rear wheels, and it can also selectively apply the rear brakes for the benefit of handling performance.

In addition, a new M Sport Package lifts certain features from BMW's M performance division, like an M steering wheel, and also adds performance features, like BMW's Active Roll Stabilization, on rear-drive models. Additional features include a special body kit and 19-inch wheels with performance tires. Twenty-inch wheels are optional.

2009|BMW|7 Series

2010|BMW|7 Series

Today's News From the Cars.com Family

One reader wants to know which new cars will qualify for the Cash for Clunkers program, and Ask.cars.com spells out the options. Then, PickupTrucks.com has possible spy shots of the 2010 Dodge Ram R/T. Finally, one of our MotherProof.com moms rewards her Tiger Cub Scouts with a ride in an Audi R8. Find out in her post how the R8 held up.

Which New Cars Qualify for the Cash for Clunkers Program? (Ask.cars.com)
Spied! Is This the 2010 Dodge Ram R/T? (PickupTrucks.com)
Mom Rewards Tiger Cub Scouts with Ride in Audi R8 (MotherProof.com)

Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Chevy Equinox

Editor Mike Hanley heaps high praise on the redesigned crossover from GM, saying “the redesigned Equinox offers an excellent balance of size and efficiency, roominess and utility, quality and price.” But he also points out some flaws, like a firm ride and even firmer cloth seats. Overall, the Equinox stands out as a big winner. We’ll have more here on the blog next week regarding the 2010 Equinox’s iPod interface and family friendliness.

2010 Chevy Equinox Review