Best Cash-Back Finds: 4.25.08

Cars.com launched its new, comprehensive rebate and incentives page earlier this month, but just having the raw figures isn’t always enough. Often there are some real gems getting a significant amount of money off that aren’t heavily advertised or thought about. This time out we’ve found some interesting deals on a pair of luxury nameplates, a brand-new model and a fuel-sipping compact. 

2009 Dodge Journey
MSRP: $19,360
Cash back: $1,000
Percent off MSRP: 5.2%    
Expires: 4/30
5-Year Ownership Costs

The new Dodge Journey was just released, and Dodge is hoping that by offering a small incentive, $1,000, folks will be more inclined to give it a shot. That’s because the Journey competes with the popular Ford Edge and Hyundai Santa Fe when equipped with two rows of seats, or the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander when equipped with the optional third row. Still, the Journey’s starting MSRP is significantly less than the competition, even before the $1,000 cash back.

Volvo Is Upscale Enough

Sometimes we sit around the Cars.com office and just scratch our heads when we hear what car companies are doing. In yesterday’s Detroit News came word that Ford is looking to make Volvo — Ford owns the Swedish automaker — more of an upscale luxury brand to better compete with BMW and Mercedes-Benz. If you thought Volvo was already a luxury car company, it’s technically considered a near-premium brand. The differences are hard to explain, but recent Volvos I’ve reviewed were roughly $10,000 less than their BMW and Audi counterparts despite having similar features and engines. Other near-premium brands are Saab, Cadillac, Lexus and Infiniti.

Now, Ford has the best of intentions … for it. The company needs to make more money off Volvo, which continues to be unprofitable despite an improved lineup. However, with Audi already making inroads into BMW and Mercedes-Benz territory, is there room for another company to do the same?

Volvo to Make HD Radio Standard for 2009 Models

In manufacturers’ constant arms race to include better perks for drivers, Volvo will make HD radio receivers standard in almost all of its models beginning in the second half of 2008.

Still in relative infancy, HD radio promises better sound quality than standard radio and offers vastly expanded programming. This includes access to news, weather, school closings and other emergency information right on the display screen.

Far from a monolithic set of stations with the same programming whether you’re driving in Seattle, Kansas City or New York, HD radio varies geographically, offering different stations in different locations that will remind listeners of the quaint ways of old-fashioned AM/FM radio. Across the country, radio stations are making the switch to HD broadcasting. Nearly 2,000 stations either broadcast in HD or offer HD2 multicasts on the FM dial with no subscription fee.

While reception may be spotty in certain areas, that won’t be so different from driving through west Texas trying to find a decent classic rock station.

Interestingly, there are a few exclusions in Volvo’s list of models that will have HD radio. Not listed are the base S40 or V50, nor is the S60. That makes us wonder whether the S60 will be around in 2009.

Video: Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Volvo S80

It seems like just a few months ago that I was testing Volvo’s all-new S80 sedan. It had been redesigned from the ground up for the 2007 model year, and I was testing the V-8-equipped all-wheel-drive model. Wait a second, it was just a few months ago. In that amount of time, the 2008 has now gone on sale with an all-new engine option: a silky smooth turbo six-cylinder that impressed me more than the V-8. You can check out a video review of the 2008 Volvo S80 above and the just-posted full review below.

2008 Volvo S80 Expert Review (Cars.com)

Volvo Tells You When You Need a Break

We’ve tested the latest Volvo safety innovations, like the company’s collision warning and blind-spot detection systems, but the company has a new one on the way for the S80, XC70 and V70 models later this year: Driver Alert Control. The system will monitor driving behavior and suggest when the driver should take a break to either rest or refuel on caffeinated beverages.

Volvo Adding New Safety Features to S80, XC70, and V70 Automobiles (Engadget)

Friday Fleet Notes: 7.20.07

A lot of folks got behind the wheel of a new Volvo S80 with the base engine. The varying opinions are an interesting read. We also get some seat impressions on Ford’s Fusion sedan, one of the company’s most important offerings. Our resident answerman, Joe Bruzek, also offers his take on the grandpa-like Kia Amanti.

2007 Volvo S80 3.2

I thought the S80 we tested in March, a well-equipped model powered by a V-8, was nice — not a knockout, but nice. This week’s model, modestly equipped and powered by a 3.2-liter inline-six, leaves me a bit flat. My main problem with it is the acceleration, which isn’t lacking so much as lagging. Nowadays people are quick to call practically any vehicle underpowered. I don’t buy it. This one’s 235 hp and six-speed automatic are a decent match, I just experienced too much hesitation when I hit the pedal, especially from a standstill or low speed. In my opinion, the danger of modest power in traffic is overstated, as is the danger of inconsistent, unpredictable hesitation.

Volvo Adds Turbo to S80 Lineup

We were mightily impressed with Volvo’s all-new S80 when we tested the V-8 powered AWD version a few months back. At the time, the only other engine offered was a 235-hp six-cylinder, with front-wheel drive. Now, Volvo is adding a turbocharged version of that six-cylinder, which produces an impressive 295 hp and 285 pounds-feet of torque paired to an AWD system. The V-8, for comparison, produces 311 hp and 325 pounds-feet of torque.

No pricing has been announced for the new model, called the S80 T6 AWD, but the current six-cylinder starts at $38,705 and the V-8 AWD starts at $47,350. It’s easy to assume the new T6 will fall somewhere between those two figures. No on-sale date has been announced.

Related
2007 Volvo S80 Expert Review (Cars.com)
The New Volvo S80's Blind Spot Detector (KickingTires)

Cars.com Reviews the New 2007 Volvo S80

A few weeks back, we showed you how the new Volvo S80’s blind spot information system worked. Today I present you my full report on the all-new flagship sedan from Sweden. Interestingly enough, our friend Jim Mateja published his take on the S80 in this weekend’s Chicago Tribune, and while he liked the car almost as much as I did, we differed on the annoyance factor of the blind spot system.

2007 Volvo S80 Review

The New Volvo S80's Blind Spot Detector

I commuted into the Cars.com office today in the new 2007 Volvo S80. This is an important redesign for Volvo, and because it’s the company’s flagship, it’s loaded with some fancy safety equipment. This morning’s short jaunt on Interstate 90/94 in Chicago proved that one of them, the Blind Spot Information System, certainly lives up to its name.

There are three parts to the system — a $595 stand-alone option — that drivers will notice. One is the indicator itself, a translucent square at the bottom corner of each front window, right above the tweeter for the sound system. The device that registers if a car is in your blind spot is a camera mounted right next to the side mirror, and the best part is the simple-to-turn-on-and-off button on the center stack that shuts the traffic-nanny off.