vehicle

Toyota Prius Sales Hit New Milestone in U.S.

Toyota's recent recall woes may have pushed its U.S. sales lower during the past year, but they haven't stopped one popular model from setting a new milestone: The fuel-efficient Toyota Prius hybrid recently surpassed 1 million sales in the U.S.

Can Pay-As-You-Go Auto Insurance Save You Money?

If you're driving less in this time of high gas prices, you might be eligible to pay less for auto insurance with a new crop of pay-as-you-go plans. But these per-mile policies come with some drawbacks as well, and certain habits -- like driving late at night -- could disqualify you.

UAW Head Uses Ford CEO's Big Payday to Rally Union

When Ford awarded CEO Alan Mulally more than $50 million in compensation for 2010's record profit it raised eyebrows around Detroit. Now, the UAW is using that big payday as a rallying point for members as it starts negotiations to regain some of what autoworkers gave up in concessions during the downturn.

UAW Readies for Key Contract Talks

UAW delegates will gather next week in Detroit, as the union works out a strategy to negotiate with domestic automakers for a new four-year contract. The current pact expires in September, and with auto sales rebounding the UAW is eager to win back some concessions.

Toyota to Keep Japanese Plants Idle Into Next Week

The Japanese automaker has extended its halt on vehicle production at its plants in Japan through March 22, as the country continues to reel from the devastation of last week's massive 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami.

Resurgent Ford Awards Top Two Execs $99 Million in Stock

Ford CEO Alan Mulally and Executive Chairman Bill Ford, have been awarded $56.5 million and $42.4 million in stock, respectively, in recognition for the company's stunning turnaround, which resulted in the automaker raking in $6.6 billion last year -- its best performance in more than a decade.

Honda, Chrysler and Toyota Issue Safety Recalls Involving 77,000 Cars

Three top automakers are recalling vehicles for items ranging from steering problems to stalling engines to faulty tire-pressure monitoring systems. The largest involves 35,000 Honda Civic hybrid models to fix electrical components that could cause headlights to shut off or the engine to stall.

GM Plants Cancel More Shifts After Fire at Parts Supplier

Last week's fire at auto parts supplier Magna International continues to echo through General Motors' supply chain. The automaker shut down the Lordstown plant where it makes the Chevy Cruze for another day Monday. Five other GM plants have also seen shortened and canceled shifts.

February's Sales Put Carmakers in the Fast Lane

It was a good month for auto sales despite inclement weather across much of the country and surging oil prices. Cars sold near an annual pace of 13 million vehicles. That would make February the best on record since the "cash for clunkers" rebate program in 2009.

Ford's Sales Climb 14% on Explorers, Fuel-Efficient Models

Ford reported Tuesday that its sales in February rose 14% compared to a year ago, in part due to strong sales of the revamped Ford Explorer sports-utility vehicle, the Fusion midsized sedan and the Ford Escape compact SUV. Total sales for the month hit 156,626.

February Auto Sales Likely Kept Zipping Along

Major automakers are set to release February sales figures on Tuesday, and analysts expect the reports will show sales improved 20% compared to a year ago. Consumers continued to warm to the slowly improving economy -- so far, despite surging oil prices.

Toyota Recalls 2.2 Million More Vehicles Over Floor Mats

Toyota is recalling nearly 2.2 million more cars to fix problems related to floor mats that can trap gas pedals and cause vehicles to accelerate uncontrollably. Among the models being recalled: The Toyota RAV4, 4-Runner and Highlander, and the Lexus LX 570, RX 330, RX 350 and and RX 400h.

Will GM Post Its First Annual Profit Since 2004?

Or will it disappoint? Investors -- and taxpayers -- will be watching on Thursday, when GM posts its latest earnings. Despite analyst expectations of a full-year profit, the automaker has warned that fourth-quarter results will fall "significantly" from previous periods.

Ford Reluctantly Recalls 144,000 F-150 Pickup Trucks

Ford is recalling 144,000 F-150 pickup trucks to repair airbags that may deploy without warning, a defect that has led to dozens of injuries, safety officials say. The federal government had pressed Ford to recall the pickups, but this recall isn't as broad as regulators wanted.

How Hyundai Turned a Corner in the U.S.

Despite tepid industry sales last year, South Korean carmaker Hyundai set a sales record, thanks to savvy designs and sophisticated engineering. It's come a long way from an early econo-box image. Now, if it could just do as well at home.

GM and Chrysler Will Pay Bonuses to Salaried Workers

Less than two years after they exited bankruptcy, Chrysler Group and General Motors will soon distribute bonuses to salaried employees in recognition of their efforts to help revive the once-flagging Detroit automakers. The payout is likely to anger the companies' unionized workers.

Toyota Fights Recall Woes and Stronger Yen

The Japanese automaker's bottom line is likely to have been hit by its many safety recalls, weaker U.S. sales and Japan's rising currency. Analysts forecast Toyota will report a quarterly profit of about $1 billion on sales of $56.2 billion.

U.S. Auto Sales Surge in January on Strong Consumer Demand

Despite wintry weather across much of the nation, Americans were in a car-buying mood last month, boosting most automakers' sales by double-digit percentages compared to a year ago. Analysts estimate that January's sales reached the second-fastest pace in 17 months.

Ford Posts 13% Sales Gain in January

Ford Motor said sales of its cars and trucks rose 13.3% in January on improved demand by consumers, bucking last year's trend, when sales to fleet customers largely drove the increase. For the month, the automaker sold 127,317 units, up 13.3% compared to a year ago.

General Motors Sales Rose 22% in January

General Motors sales rose 21.8% in January compared to a year ago on strong sales across its lines of passenger cars, "crossover" vehicles and trucks, the automaker said Tuesday. Each of the automaker's four divisions recorded higher sales for the month.

Though Chrysler Is Still Unprofitable, Employees Earn a $750 Bonus

Union employees at Chrysler Group will receive a $750 bonus next week as an acknowledgment of their contributions in helping to revive the once-bankrupt company, the automaker said Monday. Salaried workers, excluding the company's top 50 executives, will also receive the payment.

January Auto Sales Should Build on 2010's Momentum

A slowly brightening economy combined with low financing rates and generally stable fuel prices have put consumers in a buying mood. New models, particularly from Ford and GM, are also helping to keep U.S. auto sales on a positive trajectory as 2011 starts.

GM Withdraws $14 Billion Federal Loan Application

Back in 2009, General Motors applied to the Department of Energy for $14.4 billion in loans to help it manufacture more fuel-efficient vehicles. Today, with the automaker making big strides in turning around its business, GM said it no longer needs or wants the money.

Ford May Post Its Best Yearly Profit in a Decade

Analysts forecast that Ford will announce a profit of 48 cents a share on revenue of about $30.6 billion when it releases earnings on Friday. That translates into an expected pretax profit of $8 billion in 2010, the best Ford has seen since 1999.