Labor Day Gas Prices: Down?

Talk around the water cooler sure hasn’t been about high gas prices lately. Prices at the pump have steadily fallen since Memorial Day and now reside at $2.74 nationally. That’s actually a full 12 cents less than the same time last year. Does this mean people are going to be back on the roads en masse this year? Will compact car sales decline as rapidly as they rose? Or are we just on a roller coaster that makes it hard for us to predict where prices will be next month or next year? We’re surprised there aren’t more stories about the decreasing prices this summer after the record highs. What do you think?

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: All-New Dodge Journey Crossover

• Competes with: Mazda CX-9, Hyundai Veracruz, Toyota Highlander, Ford Edge
• Looks like: Dodge wasn’t happy with its Dodge Durango SUV or Magnum wagon, so it met somewhere in the middle on this one
• Drivetrain: 235-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 with six-speed automatic; 186-hp, 2.7-liter V-6 flex-fuel engine or 173-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder with four-speed automatic; front- or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Early 2008

We knew it was coming, we just didn’t know the name would be so … 1980s. That’s right, the all-new crossover Dodge is hoping will compete with the Toyota Highlander and newcomers like the Hyundai Veracruz has the unimpressive name Journey, just like the 1980s rock band. Unlike most new crossovers on the market, the Journey comes standard with seating for five, with a two-seat third row optional. Having that choice is good for consumers, but before we start talking about the Journey — no, we can’t restrain ourselves from writing the name over and over — we’ll just point out the fatal flaw: It has three engine choices that are all less-powerful and just as thirsty as the competition. Perhaps the Journey will be to the gas station.

OK, enough of that. The new crossover has a nice look to it, with a profile reminiscent of the Dodge Magnum wagon and a much more pleasing shape than the bulbous Dodge Durango SUV. The interior, however, looks just as plastic-laden as most of Dodge’s current products we’ve tested. Without seeing the Journey in person we can’t say for sure that the quality is as poor as, say, the Avenger sedan, but the photos make us believe it is.

Instead of improving its interiors, Dodge delivers more gadgetry in the Journey. Like the Caliber’s Chill Zone glove box and the Nitro’s Load ’N Go floor, the Journey has a nifty new feature we’ve never seen before: There’s a drink cooler built into the floor in front of each of the second-row seats. Both can hold 12 cans of soda and ice, and can be removed and washed out. Oh, and the Journey has the Chill Zone glove box, too, just in case 24 cans of soda isn’t enough.

Another Midnight Surprise

There will be another midnight release tonight of an all-new, U.S. Bound vehicle that will debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. Tonight we'll have all the details and plenty of photos. Besides that, we can't say anything else. The most we can divulge is that is an all new vehicle in an all-new segment for this particular brand.

The Week in Mother Proof

The new model year is upon us, and that's evident over at Mother Proof this week. The mom-reviewers got a first look at several 2008 models, including Mercedes' updated SUVs and the new Chevy Malibu. Head over to motherproof.com for the scoop, and to read up on some thoughts about every parent's nightmare: The day your teenager gets a learner's permit.

• 2008 Chevy Malibu Preview: Purses, Practicality and the Pursuit of Happiness
• A Sneak Peek at Mercedes' SUVs: M, GL Dressed to Impress
• 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid: Just Like Grandma’s Sofa
• Driving School Paranoia: Even With Reservations, Impartial Instructor is a Must-Have
• Extra! Extra! A Shocking Revelation

Ch-Ch-Changes: 2008 Land Rover LR2 HSE

Land Rover is adding an extra trim level to the LR2 lineup. The entry-level Land Rover was introduced in April as a 2008 model and was a great improvement over the Freelander it replaced. The LR2 hasn’t set the world on fire in the sales department yet; the much more expensive Range Rover and Range Rover Sport outsold the newcomer in July.

To add variety — and hopefully augment sales — Land Rover has come up with the Land Rover HSE trim level. This is a step up from the base SE and features body-colored molding instead of the gray plastic of the SE, 19-inch wheels, a rear spoiler and titanium-colored door handles. The appearance package adds a sportier look, but the HSE won’t go any faster than the SE since it boasts the same 230-hp engine.

The LR2 HSE will arrive at dealerships in November. 

Related
The Urban DINK: 2008 Land Rover LR2 (KickingTires)

Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Nissan Rogue

Nissan jumps into the compact-SUV fray with the all-new Rogue. It won’t go on sale until next month, but I got a chance to drive a few of them from Baltimore to historic Gettysburg, Pa. I was impressed with the Rogue’s handling and performance and think it’s just enough SUV for the type of buyer interested in this segment. Whether or not buyers take note is another question entirely, but since almost every compact SUV is selling like hotcakes, Nissan should have a hit on its hands. The review is at the link below, and an extra photo gallery from my trip is also below.

2008 Nissan Rogue Expert Review (Cars.com)

This Week in Ask.cars.com

Chrysler certainly caught the attention of car shoppers and the auto industry when it announced a Lifetime Powertrain Warranty late last month. This week at Ask.cars.com, we answered the question of whether the new warranty applies to older vehicles. We also tackled the inevitable confusion over the new Ford Taurus nomenclature, and how the Taurus and Taurus X models are different.

• Where can I find cargo space information?
• Does Chrysler's Lifetime Powertrain Warranty apply to older cars?
  
• What does "Aero" mean on the Saab 9-5?
  
• What's the difference between the 2008 Ford Taurus and Ford Taurus X?
• Is there a hybrid SUV that seats six or more?

First Drive: 2008 Cadillac CTS

Oh, the things we do for you. Cadillac invited journalists this week to pilot its latest sport sedan, the redesigned CTS, across some 250 miles of challenging mountain roads south of the Bay Area. The CTS proved to be one capable four-door — planted on the highways, poised in the corners and a flat-out riot when you put the pedal to the floor.

About that pedal: It drives Cadillac’s 3.6-liter V-6, which now has direct injection to make 304 hp. The base V-6 makes 263 hp; we had a chance to drive both. The uplevel engine doesn’t feel 40-plus hp stronger, but that’s mostly a testament to the unexpected strength of the regular one. Both V-6s move the CTS swiftly, with a gratifying exhaust snarl under hard acceleration. Aggressive drivers might still choose the high-output engine, as it gets stronger at higher revs – and on the highway, it scoots a bit quicker from 60 to 80 mph — but the base car should still induce plenty of smiles.

Ford Subcompact Concept Coming to Detroit

Yesterday we got our first look at the Ford Verve concept car, the basis for a new subcompact for Ford's European customers. At the Detroit auto show in January, the company will unveil an American-targeted version. There will also be a third concept for Asian markets, set to debut in China this November. All three will be largely the same outside of the design realm, based on a chassis developed with Mazda. The partnership with Mazda has brought the most interesting new products to Ford's lineup of late, including the Fusion sedan and Edge SUV.

One Ford executive said there would be only "slight tuning" for each market, and that the American version would be similar to the Verve concept.

The subcompact market is one of the fastest-growing in the U.S., and Ford rivals Chrysler — with its Dodge Hornet — and GM — which showed three minicar concepts at the New York Auto Show in April — are aiming to join in. There's a video below of the Verve being built with lots of design speak. One interesting tidbit from the video is that the Verve is exactly the same size as the current Ford Fiesta. Video thanks to WorldCarFans.

Ford Goes Global With Verve (The Detroit News)

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: Ford Verve Concept

• Looks like: A shrunken Mazda CX-7 SUV with a Ford badge
• Defining characteristics: Slim headlights, SUV-like profile, large wheels
• Ridiculous features: That huge lower air intake underneath the skinny grille   
• Chance of being mass-produced: The Verve is the first of three concepts that show what the next small car from Ford might look like — and yes, that car will come to the U.S.

It’s a bit mind-blowing to us that Ford will finally bring its next small car to the U.S. Considerably smaller than the Ford Focus, the Verve concept is one take on what the next Ford Fiesta will look like. It will be based on the Mazda2 — which is also planned for sale in the U.S. — and offer a sporty, domestic alternative to small cars like the Hyundai Accent and Toyota Yaris.

There’s no information on what type of power the Ford Verve would have if produced, but it won’t be much. These cars are built for economy — and now looks. Ford is emphatically behind this concept’s design, and Ford of Europe stayed fairly true to concepts like the Mondeo sedan when it came time to build the production version. More photos below.