KickingTires

Today's News From the Cars.com Family

2008-08-20T17:44:00-05:00

When, oh, when will the Honda Civic come with Bluetooth as a factory option? Ask.cars.com has some good news for today's curious reader. Then PickupTrucks.com reports that the Pontiac G8 sport truck will come with a direct injection V-6 engine, and MotherProof's newest reviewer sends her report from this past weekend's Woodward Dream Cruise, an annual event that draws car enthusiasts from every corner of the country to Detroit.

When Will the Honda Civic Come with Bluetooth Connectivity as a Factory Option (Ask.cars.com)
2010 Pontiac G8 ST Reported to Receive Direct Injection V-6 (PickupTrucks.com)
Classic-Car Cruise Caters to Nostalgia (MotherProof.com)

GMC, Pontiac, Buick Employee Pricing Discounts

2008-08-20T16:28:44-05:00

Next up in our series of GM employee pricing sale posts are GMC, Pontiac and Buick. As usual, the biggest savings are available on trucks and SUVs, including deals like nearly $10,000 discounts on Sierra models, or the nearly $5,000 that’s available on the popular GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave three-row crossovers.

Even though the discount isn’t as big, the all-new 2009 Pontiac Vibe gets almost 10% off, which should definitely give it a leg up in the competitive hatchback segment. Mike Hanley recently reviewed the new Vibe here. Pontiac’s all-new G8 sedan is also getting healthy discounts, as it hasn’t sold nearly as well as expected.

See below for a list of deals. They represent only a tiny sampling of the trim levels available at GM’s site, so be sure to visit it for the exact trim level and zip code you need.

2008 GMC Acadia AWD SLT
MSRP: $37,420
Employee price: $34,085
Cash back: $1,500
Final price: $32,585
Savings: $4,835

2008 GMC Canyon Regular Cab 2WD WT
MSRP: $15,770
Employee price: $14,638
Cash back: $500
Final price: $14,138
Savings: $1,632

2008 GMC Envoy 2WD SLT
MSRP: $32,630
Employee price: $29,751
Cash back: $6,000
Final price: $23,751
Savings: $8,879

2008 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab 2WD SLT
MSRP: $36,375
Employee price: $32,448
Cash back: $5,000
Final price: $27,448
Savings: $8,927

2008 GMC Sierra 2500HD Crew Cab 2WD SLT
MSRP: $38,020
Employee price: $33,904
Cash back: $5,000
Final price: $28,904
Savings: $9,116

2008 GMC Sierra 3500HD Ext Cab Long Box 2WD WT
MSRP: $30,380
Employee price: $27,143
Cash back: $5,000
Final price: $22,143
Savings: $8,237

2008 GMC Yukon 2WD SLT
MSRP: $40,550
Employee price: $35,944
Cash back: $5,000
Final price: $30,944
Savings: $9,606

2009 Pontiac G5 Base Coupe
MSRP: $16,935
Employee price: $15,702
Final price: $15,702
Savings: $1,233

2009 Pontiac Vibe
MSRP: $15,985
Employee price: $14,903
Cash back: $500
Final price: $14,403
Savings: $1,582

2008 Pontiac G6 GT Sedan
MSRP: $23,750
Employee price: $21,937
Cash back: $1,250
Final price: $20,687
Savings: $3,063

2008 Pontiac G8 Sedan
MSRP: $27,595
Employee price: $25,592
Final price: $25,592
Savings: $2,003

2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
MSRP: $22,960
Employee price: $21,222
Cash back: $2,000
Final price: $19,222
Savings: $3,738

2008 Pontiac Solstice
MSRP: $23,075
Employee price: $21,316
Cash back: $500
Final price: $20,816
Savings: $2,259

2008 Pontiac Torrent AWD
MSRP: $25,760
Employee price: $23,521
Cash back: $1,000
Final price: $22,521
Savings: $3,239

2008 Buick Enclave CX AWD
MSRP: $35,955
Employee price: $32,759
Cash back: $1,500
Final price: $31,259
Savings: $4,696

2008 Buick LaCrosse CX
MSRP: $25,000
Employee price: $23,089
Cash back: $1,750
Final price: $21,339
Savings: $3,661

2008 Buick Lucerne CX
MSRP: $28,040
Employee price: $25,872
Cash back: $1,750
Final price: $24,122
Savings: $3,918

Boss Pricing: 2008 Chevy Corvette Z06 $10,000 Off

2008-08-20T14:10:17-05:00

During most sales events like GM’s current employee pricing madness — we know, we’re inundating readers with these posts, but we want to make sure shoppers are well-informed — high-performance cars like the Chevy Corvette and its more powerful big brother, the Corvette Z06, aren’t included. Not this time.

The Corvette Z06’s base version, called the 1LZ, starts at $72,125. After the employee pricing discount, it’s $62,653. Yep, that’s almost $10,000 off.

The other two trim levels are discounted slightly more than $10,000. All prices are what’s available in the Chicago area, and your region’s discount may vary. Check GM’s website to see. Also, we called a local Chevy dealer to make sure they were indeed following the employee pricing deal for this model, and we were told they are. We found dozens of 2008 Corvette Z06s in just a search of our area on Cars.com’s new-car inventory page.

Employee pricing ends Sept. 2. And if you want a refresher on the Z06 check out my video from last year below.

Chevrolet's Employee Discounts Revealed

2008-08-20T12:47:54-05:00

Yesterday, we hoped to figure out just how much GM’s Employee Pricing Sale could save customers, and short of invading dealerships or interrogating GM employees (“Hey, how much is your discount? Answer us!”), we’ve found the answers — on GM’s site.

Chevrolet unsurprisingly has concentrated most of its employee savings on its trucks and SUVs. At the employee-discounted price plus incentives, the Silverado is available for $19,948, which is $8,000 below MSRP. The Avalanche (almost $9,000 less than MSRP) and Suburban (more than $9,000 less than MSRP) are also available with hefty bargains.

If you’re a sports car enthusiast, you’re not left out. The Corvette is included in the sale, and we found more than $6,000 in Cash back on the standard ‘Vette. We’re devoting an entirely separate post to the ridiculous price of a 2008 Corvette Z06.

A substantial list of Chevy’s employee-priced vehicles is below, with expected cost after discounts and incentives. Check Chevrolet’s site for a full list of deals or GM’s site for differing trim levels, other models and to double-check which deals apply in your area.

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT coupe
MSRP: $16,370
Employee price: $15,185
Final price: $15,185
Savings: $1,185

2009 Chevrolet HHR LT
MSRP: $19,590.00
Employee price: $18,131
Final price: $18,131
Savings: $1,459

2008 Chevrolet Aveo SVM hatchback
MSRP: $10,895
Employee price: $10,175
Final price: $10,175
Savings: $720

2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD LS Crew Cab
MSRP: $32,330
Employee price: $28,868
Cash back: $5,000
Final price: $23,868
Savings: $8,462

2008 Chevrolet Malibu LT sedan
MSRP: $21,835
Employee price: $20,184
Cash back: $1,000
Final price: $19,184
Savings: $2,651

2008 Chevrolet HHR LS
MSRP: $17,370
Employee price: $16,098
Cash back: $1,000
Final price: $15,098
Savings: $2,272

2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer 2WD LT
MSRP: $28,490
Employee price: $26,004
Cash back: $6,000
Final price: $20,004
Savings: $8,486

2008 Chevrolet Corvette coupe:
MSRP: $46,950
Employee price: $40,877
Final price: $40,877
Savings: $6,073

2008 Chevrolet Impala LT 3.5L
MSRP: $23,425
Employee price: $21,648
Cash back: $1,750
Final price: $19,898
Savings: $3,527

2008 Chevrolet Colorado 1500 Extended Cab 2WD LS
MSRP: $18,375
Employee price: $17,021
Cash back: $1,500
Final price: $15,521
Savings: $2,854

2008 Chevrolet Avalanche 2WD LS
MSRP: $34,335
Employee price: $30,640
Cash back: $5,000
Final price: $25,640
Savings: $8,695

2008 Chevrolet Equinox FWD LS
MSRP: $23,650
Employee price: $21,612
Cash back: $1,000
Final price: $20,612
Savings: $3,038

2008 Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD LT
MSRP: $37,610
Employee price: $33,538
Cash back: $5,000
Final price: $28,538
Savings: $9,072

2008 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 2WD LS
MSRP: $38,985
Employee price: $34,755
Cash back: $5,000
Final price: $29,755
Savings: $9,230

Saturn Employee Pricing: Good Prices, No Haggling

2008-08-20T11:44:37-05:00

The No Haggle approach from Saturn has always been a mixed blessing, drawing in folks who don’t want pressure from salesman while turning off shoppers who think they won’t get the best deal. Well, with GM’s new employee pricing program there are some very good deals to be had at Saturn. While the total savings might not “wow” buyers like the ones available on big SUVs and aging models will, remember that Saturn’s entire lineup has been revamped over the past two years.

While there will be a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder version of the Aura sedan for 2009, the 2008 Aura XR with a V-6 will remain basically unchanged, and it’s seeing almost 18% in total savings. Saturn’s two excellently reviewed — and Cars.com favorites — SUVs, the Outlook and Vue, both have more than 10% in total savings.

2008 Saturn Aura XR
MSRP: $26,325
Employee price: $23,384
Cash back: $1,750
Final price: $21,634
Savings: $4,691

2008 Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid
MSRP: $24,550
Employee price: $20,837
Final price: $20,837
Savings: $3,713

2008 Saturn Astra XE four-door hatchback
MSRP: $16,495
Employee price: $15,137
Final price: $15,137
Savings: $1,358

2008 Saturn Outlook FWD XE
MSRP: $29,360
Employee price: $27,077
Cash back: $1,500
Final price: $25,577
Savings: $3,783

2008 Saturn Outlook AWD XR
MSRP: $33,770
Employee price: $31,112
Cash back: $1,500
Final price: $29,612
Savings: $4,158

2008 Saturn Vue AWD V-6 XR
MSRP: $27,425
Employee price: $25,029
Cash back: $2,500
Final price: $22,529
Savings: $4,896

2008 Saturn Vue FWD four-cylinder XE
MSRP: $22,150
Employee price: $20,255
Cash back: $1,500
Final price: $18,755
Savings: $3,395

Remember to check prices for your area, as they may differ. All prices include destination. Saturn models we didn’t list (mainly because the deals aren’t as good or because the models aren’t as popular) can be found on GM’s Summersale website.

2009 Honda Fit Prices Start $600 Higher Than 2008

2008-08-20T11:33:00-05:00

The all-new 2009 Honda Fit goes on sale in the next few weeks, and we have a full price breakdown below. The base Fit with a five-speed manual will start at $14,550, excluding a $670 destination charge. The outgoing 2008 started at $13,950. While $600 might not sound like a lot of money, that’s 4% higher than the 2008 figure. The average price increase for a model year with no changes is typically between 1% and 3%, while redesigned models recently have added more content and kept the increase to around 5%. We’ve also, however, seen redesigned vehicles with more content, especially from Nissan, start for less than the outgoing model.

The Fit Sport is $790 more for 2009, a 5% increase. See the full pricing below, including a new navigation system being offered for the first time on the Fit. If you want to check out more news on the 2009 Honda Fit go here.

Fit	Transmission	MSRP**	City/Hwy./Combined*
	5-Speed Manual	$14,550	27/33/29
	5-Speed Automatic	$15,350	28/35/31

Fit Sport	Transmission	MSRP**	City/Hwy./Combined*
	5-Speed Manual	$16,060	27/33/29
	5-Speed Automatic	$16,910	27/33/30

Fit Sport with Navigation	Transmission	MSRP**	City/Hwy./Combined*
	5-Speed Manual	$17,910	27/33/29
	5-Speed Automatic	$18,760	27/33/30

Hummer Employee Pricing: Get an H3 for CR-V Prices

2008-08-20T10:35:37-05:00

GM’s Employee Pricing sale, which runs today through Sept. 2, includes some pretty good deals, but none of the rest will likely hold a candle to how much is being chopped off the price of a new 2008 Hummer. The once wildly popular H3 is now selling for bargain-basement prices. While its MSRP of $31,340 is right in line with competition from Ford and Nissan, it can now be had for more than $9,000 less than that, thanks to the employee pricing discount and $6,000 cash back. The new price of $22,278 is less than a Honda CR-V EX, which rings in at $23,620.

What if you’re looking for Hummer’s big SUV, the H2? The starting MSRP of $58,325 for either the SUV or SUT drops nearly $6,000 with the employee price, and there’s another $7,000 in cash back, bringing your total to $45,445.

All prices include destination. For availability of the deals in your area, make sure to check GM’s Summersale website, though we’ve had problems using it all morning. We’ll have more updates on the rest of GM’s employee pricing deals throughout the day, so stay tuned.

Four Small SUVs Get IIHS Top Safety Pick

2008-08-20T09:35:07-05:00

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released its latest round of crash tests, and this time the safety group took on the small SUV segment, one of the most popular in the market.

Four out of the eight small SUVs tested earned the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick status, meaning they received top scores in front, side and rear crash tests. All eight SUVs came with stability control standard. Who were the winners? Keep reading for more, along with the IIHS’ chart of how all eight did.

The 2009 VW Tiguan, 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander, 2008 Nissan Rogue and the 2009 Ford Escape (along with the Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner siblings) are now IIHS’ Top Safety Picks. Also tested were the 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara, 2008 Jeep Patriot (tested with and without optional front torso side airbags), 2008 Chevy Equinox and its Pontiac Torrent sibling, and the Jeep Wrangler, which unsurprisingly scored the worst out of the group. None of these SUVs earned more than one Good score in the crash tests.

We recently reviewed the all-new VW Tiguan, which earned raves from senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder. The Mitsubishi Outlander has been a value pick for some time and recently received high dependability scores as well. The 2009 Escape family, including the hybrid model, is on sale now and features an upgraded four-cylinder engine and six-speed transmission you can read about here. It’s also the only SUV mentioned that’s a Cars.com Best Bet.

As for the losers, none of them would be on the top of our shopping lists, and none earned Best Bet status either. These scores certainly won’t help. But overall, the four winners make a convincing argument for shoppers. Popular models like the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 have been tested previously. They earned top scores in side and frontal crash tests, but didn’t receive rear crash tests to earn the Top Safety Pick. We’re unsure why the IIHS didn’t include them as well.

2009 Honda Fit Photo Gallery

2008-08-19T19:44:00-05:00

If you haven’t already read senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder’s full review of the 2009 Honda Fit, make sure to go check it out. Then come back here, click below and check out a full gallery of Honda’s new economy-minded hatchback. We do want to alert you that there are images of both the 2009 and 2008 Honda Fit in the gallery to show the differences and similarities between the two. Enjoy.

Cars.com Reviews 2009 Honda Fit

2008-08-19T19:04:30-05:00

Is the 2009 Honda Fit the most important car in America? Senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder makes its case in his hot-off-the-digital-presses review of the redesigned subcompact. Comparing it with the outgoing model, Joe finds the new model only slightly improved, but is that enough to make the 2009 a winner?

2009 Honda Fit Expert Review