Cars.com iPad App Gets Update

If you've already downloaded the Cars.com iPad application, fire up your App Store to download the latest update, 1.1.

In it we've addressed a few issues and added new features. You can now read all our new-car reviews and see the author’s name along with it.

If you like to browse listings, the app now allows you to do that without having to go to Safari.

And yes, the landscape orientation now works in the full 180 degrees.

Of course, this is also a great time to download the app from the App Store if you haven’t done so already.

Download the App here

Cars.com Picks Trophy on 'Work of Art: The Next Great Artist'

At 6 tonight, Bravotv.com will debut a new web series featuring the cast of the popular show "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist." Over the course of eight weeks, the cast members will try to design the trophy for the Cars.com "Best of 2012" Platinum award that we'll hand out on the eve of the Detroit auto show in January.

Fans of the show will get to vote for their favorite trophy from three finalists and enter a contest to win $10,000. That’s also the sum the winning artist will take home for the best work of Cars.com art.

"Work of Art: The Next Great Artist" airs at 9 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesdays. You can check out the webisodes here.

Cars.com Launches Free iPad App

If you’re a fan of the iPad and Cars.com, today is a big day for you. Our new iPad app is now available to download via the App Store.

Download the App here

The app is a new-car shopping and research tool that delivers a graphics-rich approach to the hunt for the perfect car.

Features in the app include 360-degree spins of the exterior and interior, new-car videos, our expert reviews and comparison tools. Check out some screenshots and a full list of features below.

Cars.com Dealer Reviews Now On Your Phone

Recently, Cars.com launched Dealer Reviews, where car shoppers rate their local dealers and contribute reviews about their experiences. Now that same resource is available on Cars.com’s mobile website, which is accessible by any web-enabled cell phone.

If you’re trying to figure out which dealer is worth your time and you’re on the move, the reviews are a great place to start. You can scan dealers to see their ratings and then click on the reviews link to read any reviews.

Dealer Reviews are part of the mobile site’s Find a Dealer section, which locates dealerships in your area.

This Week's Most-Read Stories

The latest "Transformers" movie got decent reviews and interest in the summer blockbuster drove readers to a story we posted during the filming here in Chicago last year. Our repaired Chevy Volt also garnered some attention, but nothing was more widely read this week than the few tidbits we received about the upcoming 2012 Toyota Camry.

1. 2012 Toyota Camry Coming Soon
2. Wrecked Cars.com Chevy Volt Repaired: What Did It Cost?
3. Americans Still Love SUVs ... From Detroit
4. Reader Review of the Week: 2011 Hyundai Elantra
5. New 'Transformers 3' Characters Discovered

Correction: Under 20/Over 35 Shootout

Journalists are never happy when something's inaccurate, but we also know we have to own up to it. In our last Shootout, a spreadsheet glitch led to the wrong final scores, affecting how the cars finished in our Shootout. The 2011 Hyundai Elantra remains the winner, but the 2012 Honda Civic came in second instead of third. The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze fell behind the Civic. The 2011 Kia Forte and the 2012 Ford Focus remain in the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. Here are the final scores and ranks:

• Elantra 813 points
• Civic 744 points
• Cruze 688 points
• Forte 650 points
• Focus 635 points

We regret the error.

Hybrids, Luxury Cars Top Cars.com Search for April

Fuel-efficient cars and some luxury models topped our 15 biggest gainers in Cars.com search traffic for April. After analyzing the last 30 days of search data, the recently launched Infiniti M35h, Fiat 500, Ford Focus and the Lexus CT 200h saw significant gains on our site.

Increased search demand for more fuel-efficient options lead to a surge in compact and hybrid car traffic on Cars.com when gas surpassed the $4 a gallon mark for the first time in 2008. As we near $4 a gallon once again, it looks like the same trend is shaping up this time around; the only difference is this time more automakers are prepared with fuel-efficient options, including luxury players.

Hybrids Surge on Cars.com, Trucks Suffer

Yesterday, we illustrated how higher gas prices can affect consumer preferences on Cars.com and ultimately real-world car purchases. After analyzing the last 30 days of search data, we see that hybrids and fuel-efficient vehicles are the biggest beneficiaries of the sudden rise in gas prices, and heavy-duty trucks, large luxury cars and SUVs are the biggest losers.

Out of the 15 vehicles that have seen the most improved search traffic over the last 30 days, eight are hybrids.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid saw an 1,836% increase in traffic month-over-month on Cars.com. The Sonata Hybrid originally hit dealerships in January, according to Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson, but the car was delayed soon thereafter over impending legislation requiring noisemakers in hybrids and electric vehicles. Miles says the Sonata Hybrid has a noisemaker, but owners have the option to turn it off, which is similar to the system in the Nissan Leaf. Hyundai modified the system in the hybrid so it doesn’t have an option to turn off the virtual engine sound anymore. The car went back on sale sometime this week.

Want to Buy an Efficient New Car? Our Picks

As the economy slowly recovers, the last thing anyone wants to deal with is high gas prices. However, unlike the last time gas hit $4, this time around the economy has led to a boom in car sales.

We haven’t seen a dramatic shift in the types of car purchases that we saw in 2008, but gas prices have risen faster than any other time in history.

If you’re shopping for a new car and want something that will cut down your trips to the pump, here’s a list of some of our favorite cars that achieve 35 mpg or higher on the highway.

See Cars.com in USA Weekend

Are you searching for the perfect family car? Something that fits your whole family comfortably, hauls all of the kids' gear and has features that make your life easier?
 
In this weekend's issue of USA Weekend, Cars.com senior editor and MotherProof.com Chief Mom Kristin Varela takes a look at the hottest automotive trends geared toward families. Forget minivans: Kristin focuses on multi-activity vehicles like the 2012 Mazda5 and Ford C-Max, as well as green cars including the 2011 Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius PHV, a plug-in hybrid. She also looks at family-friendly features like the Ford Explorer's inflatable rear seat belts or the C-Max's hands-free liftgate.
 
Read more about these family-friendly automotive trends in USA Weekend, which can be found in newspapers across the country this weekend, or at USAWeekend.com.