Toyota

Automakers reported their sales Tuesday. Toyota and Chrysler saw big U.S. sales gains in April, but they came at the expense of General Motors and Ford.

One recent study of used-car buying habits found that women were more likely to do research, ask tougher questions, and have a mechanic inspect a used car before buying. Another study on new-car buying preferences shows that women make more practical automotive choices.

Purchase price is just the beginning of what it costs to own a car. Depreciation, insurance and maintenance costs can vary widely between competing models. But is there any way to estimate all of that in advance? A few experts have taken a stab at it.

Despite its troubles in recent years, Toyota retained its crown in Consumer Reports' annual survey of auto-brand perception, but the survey also showed that Ford is rapidly closing the gap, and other brands aren't far behind.

BMW's 3 Series is the undisputed global king of the entry-level luxury sedans, but GM is looking to stage a bit of a coup with its Cadillac ATS. The car has all the right moves, inside and out -- but there's one thing missing.

There was nothing wrong with the old Ford Fusion. In fact, it had its best sales year ever in 2011. It's a good-looking, high-quality sedan and a good value. But when Ford took the wraps off the new Fusion this week, it had been transformed from a good hybrid to a deluxe hottie.

Before you know it, cars that drive themselves may be available at your local dealership: According to a top GM official, vehicles that "partially drive themselves" will be available in just a few years, with more sophisticated self-driving cars possible by the end of the decade.

Somebody forgot to tell the automakers that the economy is going downhill: Auto sales in September were up 10% over last year's numbers, with all of Detroit's Big Three posting solid gains. Imports, however, did not fare as well. Can Toyota, once unstoppable, win back its former primacy, post-tsunami and accelerator debacle?

Hyundai and its stablemate Kia have been taking U.S. auto market share gradually for more than two decades. Lately, though, those chunks have gotten bigger. The South Korean car makers' sales are expected to surge almost 25% in September compared to the same month year ago.

GM is expected to show a sales increase of 15.3% from a year ago when it posts August numbers later this week, according to auto industry research firm Edmunds. That would be an improvement of 30,000 cars and light trucks and would eclipse the unit gains of its smaller rivals.