Autoblog

These are your top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2011

Zach Bowman — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, SUV, Truck, Crossover, Acura, Cadillac, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Luxury

Where there are winners, there are inevitably losers. Last year was exceedingly kind to big pickups, sprawling family sedans and SUVs, but not every model came out of 2011 with big sales figures. We took the time to dig through the low-selling models of the past 12 months to find out which vehicles produced throughout the year were the biggest duds. Since we aren't interested in how few Lamborghini Aventador models rolled off of dealer lots in the U.S. in 2011, we kept the MSRP under $100,000.

Our criteria immediately nixed vehicles like the Mazda RX-8, Volvo V50, Ram Cargo Van and everything in the Saab stable due to the fact that those models weren't manufactured through all 12 months of 2011. High-end metal like the Mercdes-Benz SL, CL and G classes were also kicked to the curb due to our price ceiling. Which was the worst of them all? We'll give you a hint. It wasn't the Acura ZDX. Hit the jump to check out our list of the worst-selling vehicles of 2011.

Continue reading These are your top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2011

These are your top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab unearths Subaru Tribeca-based 9-6 prototype from the archives

Noah Joseph — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:36:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Crossover, Saab, Subaru

Go back a few years ago to when Saab and Subaru were the quirky stepchildren in the General Motors family. That was before GM sold its stake in both, and when the beancounters in Detroit wanted to try something different. They took a Subaru Impreza wagon/hatchback, gave it some new bodywork and presto! the Saab 9-2x was born.

That wasn't the only tie-in between the two that was mooted, however. A second Saabaru was under consideration, based on the maligned Subaru Tribeca. The planned vehicle was scrapped before it had the chance to live, but following much demand from the Trollhättan faithful, Saab has taken the resulting 9-6 prototype out of hiding, put it on display at its own museum and published these photos through its Inside Saab blog for all to see. As you can see, the prototype (like the 9-2x) received an extensively reworked nose in line with the Saab look, but the interior would've been largely carried over had it reached production.

The emergence of the 9-6 prototype has some interesting timing, as Saab itself recently confirmed plans for an expanded lineup that includes a 9-6x - a model that we don't see sharing anything with the castoff crossover seen here. Scope it out in our high-res image gallery.

Saab unearths Subaru Tribeca-based 9-6 prototype from the archives originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda6, Subaru Tribeca headed for the exit ramp?

Chris Shunk — Tue, 10 May 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Mazda, Subaru

Mazda6 and Subaru Tribeca - Click either image for high-res gallery

The Subaru Tribeca and Mazda6 haven't exactly set the U.S. auto market ablaze, and a report in AutoWeek (citing Japan's Nikkan Kogyo) claims that both models could meet an untimely demise.

The Tribeca has been unpopular seemingly since the day it was introduced as the B9 Tribeca, and recent sales figures show that the Subaru crossover has only found 910 new homes so far in 2011. Subaru attempted to increase interest in the CUV by giving it a new face, but buyers have been mostly unimpressed. And since other Subaru models are selling like hotcakes, the Tribeca is doing little more than taking up space at the automaker's Indiana assembly plant. The automaker has reportedly already stopped research and development on the next generation Tribeca, which definitely isn't a good sign.

While the Tribeca has been something of a sales catastrophe, the Mazda6 hasn't been quite as big of a dud, but it has serially underperformed. Mazda was looking to move about 100,000 units per year out of its Flat Rock, MI plant, but sales haven't been quite so robust. The Japanese automaker sold only 45,168 units in 2010, which has led to speculation that Mazda may quit producing the model at the facility.

Mazda hasn't divulged any plans regarding the 6, but speculation is that the automaker could move out of Flat Rock altogether, leaving the facility to Ford, which produces the Mustang at the plant. One rumor has Mazda moving to a new facility in Mexico, where labor costs are much lower than in the States.

If Subaru opts to stop making the Tribeca in the U.S., the CUV is likely dead forever. That's not necessarily the case with the Mazda6, though, as Mazda could potentially import the mid-size sedan from other markets. Neither Subaru or Mazda have announced any plans about either vehicle or their production plans in North America.

Mazda6, Subaru Tribeca headed for the exit ramp? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 May 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #211

Dan Roth — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 17:21:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Cadillac, Chrysler, Porsche, Fiat, Rumormill

Click above to subscribe to The Autoblog Podcast in iTunes

We're recording Episode #211 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and we've put some topics below. Drop us your own feedback and questions or vote on your fellow readers' submissions to help determine what we discuss this evening. You can subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already to hear your question answered.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #211

Subscribe to the Autoblog Podacast and hear your questions asked:
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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #211 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next Toyota Highlander to form basis for new Subaru Tribeca?

Zach Bowman — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Subaru, Toyota, Rumormill

2010 Subaru Tribeca - Click above for high-res image gallery

From the sound of things, Subaru and Toyota are getting cozier than ever. According to Motor Trend, the two companies are currently exploring ways to integrate platforms, and the fruit of that exploration may very well be the next Tribeca. MT is reporting that engineers are currently looking for ways to base the next-generation Subaru crossover on the bones of the Toyota Highlander. Both models are slated for replacement in 2014, and there's some indication that the two vehicles will share more than a few bolts when they debut.

According to MT, the project isn't without hiccups, however. As with the FT-86, both companies need to find a way to work around the Subaru 3.6-liter flat-six found in the nose of the current Tribeca. MT points out that the FT-86 avoided this issue by simply using the Subaru engine in the Toyota variant of the sports coupe, though at this point it's unclear how the Tribeca/Highlander will overcome that particular hurdle. In addition, the crossover platform will also need room for the Highlander hybrid model's battery packs, which may mean that Subaru will jump into the gas-electric game as well.

Gallery: 2010 Subaru Tribeca

[Source: Motor Trend]

Next Toyota Highlander to form basis for new Subaru Tribeca? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Subaru Tribeca recalled for defective door latches

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Subaru

2010 Subaru Tribeca - Click above for high-res image gallery

Subaru has issued a recall for 1,585 2010 Subaru Tribecas for mispositioned door latches. Apparently, during production some door latch cables were installed improperly, so that when the window is rolled down the cable might catch in the door glass regulator, and that will open the door. The recall has begun and Subaru dealers will fix both latches for free. If you are one of the affected, you can find the full report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after the jump.

Gallery: 2010 Subaru Tribeca

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading 2010 Subaru Tribeca recalled for defective door latches

2010 Subaru Tribeca recalled for defective door latches originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fido Approved: America's top ten pet-safe vehicles

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:41:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

America's Top 10 Pet Safe vehicles - Click above for high-res image gallery

Most people don't pay it any mind, but car accidents and pets don't mix. Just like with humans, wrapping your car around a telephone pole can kill Fido dead. Or really injure the cute little guy. To draw attention to this issue, a website called Bark Buckle Up has teamed up with Edmunds.com to bring us their Top 10 Pet Safe Vehicles.

As Bark Buckle Up points out, "If you have an accident at 35 mph while toting your 60-pound unrestrained dog, your pet is capable of causing an impact of up to 2,700 pounds, slamming into the seat, the windshield, or even a passenger." Ouch. Now of course, if you have an eight pound pooch, that's only a 360 pound impact. We say "only" to illustrate how violent car crashes can be. And just imagine if you had a really big dog, like a Dogo Argentino. Assuming you got a big 160-pound satin-white boar hunter, the impact would be near the four ton range.

What do the following ten vehicles do to address pets flying through the windshield in a crash? Very little, and we don't want to get into the delusion that CUVs are somehow safer than cars. But they all offer nice amenities for pets -- stuff like room to stretch out, tri-zone climate control, fold flat rear seats, side impact airbags and rear back up cameras. As for an accident, you might want to invest in a doggy seat belt. Says Bark Buckle Up founder Christina Selter, "In the event of a sudden stop or accident, the animal can injure other passengers or be thrown through the windshield, then hinder the efforts of rescue workers or even cause another accident by escaping into the street." All ten vehicles are listed out in alphabetical order, so check 'em out in our gallery below.

Gallery: Top 10 Pet Safe Vehicles

[Source: Bark Buckle Up]

Fido Approved: America's top ten pet-safe vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru-sanctioned Tribeca limo built by Boston dealer

John Neff — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Crossover, Subaru

click above image to view a gallery of the Subaru Tribeca stretch limo

Wow... um... just wow. Words don't do this stretch Subaru Tribeca limousine justice. It was reportedly built by Ernie Boch Jr., a powerful Boston area dealer that apparently has a penchant for long limousines. Before this he built a stretch Subaru Forester, which happened to be the catalyst for what you see above.

The story told on the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club forum goes like this. Ernie was in Japan for a meeting with executives at Fuji Heavy Industries, to whom he showed them his stretched Forester and then pitched his plan for an elongated Tribeca. They loved the idea and got the Tribeca's engineers involved, who then shipped plans for stretching the Trib's chassis to engineers at Subaru's plant in Indiana. The limo was then built right on the same assembly line as normal Tribecas. The interior, however, had to be done by a custom coachbuilder.

Apparently both the Forester limo, which we've heard has been sold to another dealer, and the Tribeca limo, are seen frequently around New England. It's a crying shame the updated 2008 model wasn't available at the time, seeing as its new 3.6L boxer six has more ponies and twist available to pull around the limo's extra metal. Of course, when you're in the back of a Tribeca limo, you want to go slow so everybody sees you, right?

[Source: NASIOC via Carscoop]

Gallery: 2007 Subaru Tribeca stretch limousine

Subaru-sanctioned Tribeca limo built by Boston dealer originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Jul 2007 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vote for TTAC's Ten Worst Autos Today

Chris Tutor — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 14:06:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Voting is open for The Truth About Cars' first ever Ten Worst Automobiles Today (or TWAT) award that we told you about earlier in the month. The initial list of more than 120 reader nominations contained predictable TWAT-eligible autos like GM's ancient minivans, uh, sorry, Crossover Sport Van, a couple of Saturns, several DaimlerChryslers, and a few Korean models. Some vehicles that were nominated but didn't make the list included highly-respected vehicles like the Toyota Camry, Pontiac Solstice, Ford Focus and Honda Fit.

Using a highly refined proprietary system, TTAC staffers trimmed the candidates to 20. Voting for the Ten Worst Automobiles Today is now open until Wednesday. See the 20 TWAT candidates after the jump.

Continue reading Vote for TTAC's Ten Worst Autos Today

Vote for TTAC's Ten Worst Autos Today originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Oct 2006 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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