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Kia Rondo

How to Save 8,000 on a Brand New Kia!
By : Sheryll Alexander
Date : 07/24/2009

Imagine buying a brand new four-door sedan from Kia for around $5,200. Can this be for real, you say? Amazingly, yes!

First off, however, you’ve got to qualify for the government’s rather complicated Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS). Otherwise known as the “cash for clunkers” program, CARS can get you a government-funded rebate for up to $4,500 on certain models. (See more information on qualifying for CARS below and at www.cars.gov).

Kia says it has 12 vehicles in its fuel-efficient lineup that qualify under the CARS program. Plus, Kia has extra incentives right now on both its four-door Kia Spectra sedan ($3,500 in California and Oregon and $4,000 in Washington) and its highly versatile seven-seat Kia Borrego CUV ($3,000 in all states).

The Kia Spectra has a base MSRP of $13,200 and boasts 23 combined mpg. The Kia Borrego, which I road tested last fall on windy Washington roads, has a base MSRP of $26,245 and gets 22 mpg highway. If you combine the top CARS rebate amount ($4,500) with the top Kia incentive ($4,000), that’s $8,500 off a brand new car!

This means you could buy a full-loaded, five-door 2009 Kia Spectra5 (MSRP $17,345) at around $4,000 less than the base MSRP for a four-door Spectra LX (for a total of around $9,000). What a deal!

Still, I’m personally confused about the CARS program and how it really works. “You’re not the only one that’s confused,” says Kia vice president of marketing Michael Sprague. “Customers come in (to our dealerships) thinking they are going to trade in their vehicle, but not everybody is going to qualify.”

That’s because the government put lots of restrictions into its program. Fortunately, Kia is educating its potential customers and dealers via its www.kia.com website. “But even if you don’t qualify for the CARS program,” says Sprague, “Kia will give you an incentive to buy.”

Besides Spectra and Borrego, nine other Kia vehicles can potentially qualify for the CARS program, including Kia Rio, Kia Rio5, Kia Forte, Kia Forte Koup, Kia Optima, Kia Rondo, Kia Soul, Kia Sedona, Kia Sportage and the Kia Sorento.

Why is Kia such a good buy? I’ve road tested many Kia vehicles, including a recent road test of the super cute Kia Soul. Basically, Kia cars are an overall good buy with lots of standard features, good reliability, above average driving dynamics, modern safety features, advanced technology and excellent fuel economy.

So, what are you waiting for, America? Go buy a brand new Kia on the cheap today!

Some CARS program guidelines:

• Consumers can qualify for that almost unbelievable $4,500 rebate on the purchase or lease of new vehicles that maintain 10 miles per gallon more than their trade-in automobile (or five miles per gallon or more than a trade-in light truck). New vehicles that get between four to nine miles per gallon more than a trade-in car, or two to four miles per gallon more than a trade-in light truck qualify for a $3,500 incentive.
• According to the Environmental Protection Agency, your old car must get 18 mpg or less. To see if you qualify, check www.fueleconomy.gov.
• Your old car must be a 1984 model or newer. This was added to the program to help prevent people from junking classic cars like the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang.
• Also, your old car must have been insured for the past year. (This prevents so-called “scavengers” from going to salvage lots and turning in junk cars for cash.)
• New car buyers should visit the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s website www.cars.gov for official government information.

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Follow me! @sheryllalexande

Top 10 Fuel Efficient Cars, CUVs & SUVs for 2009
By : Sheryll Alexander
Date : 06/06/2009

American car buyers now know they can’t count on gas prices to stay low. So, the answer is: buy a fuel-efficient new car. But which cars, CUVs and SUVs are truly fuel efficient and provide excellent overall versatility, quality, reliability, performance, safety, cargo room, design, technology and cost of ownership?

As a road test reviewer, I’ve driven hundreds of cars, CUVs and SUVs over the years. My list below doesn’t just include the most fuel efficient 2009 models, but the best overall models.

• 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: VW’s ultra low emissions diesel-powered Jetta combines super fuel efficiency (41 combined mpg) with terrific performance, design and quality.
• 2009 Toyota Prius: No other car on the road today gets such great gas mileage (48 mpg city, 45 mpg hwy). The Prius is a top buy because it provides state-of-the-art technology as well as excellent performance and reliability.
• 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid: This five-seater vehicle is tops in its class for fuel efficiency (34 mpg city, 31 mpg hwy). The Ford Escape also brings sporty versatility as well as good design, reliability and cargo space.
• 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid: If you just can’t get over Prius’ funky styling, then go for this sexy sedan, which gets great gas mileage (45 mpg hwy, 40 mpg city) and is also tops in performance, quality and safety.
• 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid: Toyota’s Camry is the No. 1 best-selling sedan in America. So, Toyota’s hybrid version is a great choice for fuel efficient sedan (34 mpg hwy, 33 mpg city) with top marks in every category.
• 2009 Suzuki SX4: Most new car buyers don’t put Suzuki at the top of their list, but the 2009 Suzuki SX4 is an excellent buy with its low price, fuel efficiency (28 mpg hwy, 21 mpg city), great performance and standard navigation.
• 2009 Mazda MAZDA5: At 28 mpg highway, the 2009 MAZDA5 is an excellent choice as a seven-seat “mini” minivan. The Mazda5 is a super versatile “van” for active families.
• 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid: Need a vehicle with bling and fuel efficiency? There’s nothing on the road today quite like this ultra luxury and fuel-efficient SUV at 21 mpg hwy and 20 mpg city.
• 2009 Chevrolet Traverse: Okay, so the Traverse doesn’t get excellent gas mileage (24 mpg overall) except when you consider this CUV can transport up to eight passengers. Plus, the overall design both inside and outside is outstanding.
• 2009 MINI Cooper: You’ve really gotta be in love with MINI if you intend on buying one of these tiny roadsters. But at 37 mpg hwy and 28 mpg city, you may reconsider buying a compact car or full-sized sedan.

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Read more by Sheryll Alexander at Driving Smart.