| Auto shopping is not that tedious and | | | | came in third after the Honda Civic and |
| complicated anymore. With just few | | | | the Honda Accord. The Camry, the |
| clicks on the mouse, the most adored car | | | | best-selling car in the country, which |
| will be checked. True, automakers and | | | | is made in Georgetown, Ky, "suggests |
| dealerships should not make things | | | | reliability and long-term value," Fallon |
| complicated. This trend paved the way | | | | said. "Even though Camry has such a |
| for the booming online shopping | | | | great reputation, it is still something |
| industry. | | | | people want to research." |
| One of the many web sites which has | | | | While Toyota and Honda will move an |
| benefited from the trend is Of all the | | | | estimated 400,000 Camrys and Accords |
| people who shop for new wheels on the | | | | each this year, Mazda only expects to |
| Internet, about one-fourth of the | | | | sell 120,000 Mazda3 cars in 2007, said |
| potential buyers check out the goods | | | | company spokesman Jeremy Barnes. Like |
| first at the Web site Edmunds.com, an | | | | its more stodgy Japanese-made |
| auto information clearinghouse based in | | | | competition, the Mazda is affordable, |
| Santa Monica, Calif., The | | | | powerful and reliable. But the Mazda3's |
| Courier-Journal reported. | | | | looks sound a siren call to the young |
| Among the 20 cars, trucks, minivans and | | | | and young at heart, he noted. |
| SUVs in 2007 that most captured the | | | | According to JD Power & Associates, |
| imagination, only two were related to a | | | | Mazda has the "second youngest buyer age |
| domestic automaker, the report said. The | | | | in the auto industry," after Toyota's |
| Mazda3, the affordable, sport | | | | Scion brand, Barnes said. "You don't |
| performance car for the younger set, is | | | | have to be young," he added of the brand |
| part of the Ford lineup. The GMC Acadia | | | | that includes the Miata. "You just have |
| is General Motors Corp.'s new CUV that | | | | to feel young." |
| gets 24 miles per gallon on the freeway | | | | "It is rare you see a (child's) car seat |
| but can still tow a 5,000-pound trailer. | | | | in the back of a Mazda3 when they are in |
| Auto shoppers continue to reflect | | | | the shop," said Joe Trout, a Mazda |
| preferences for reliable compact | | | | specialist and owner of the Dr. Zoom |
| vehicles such as Honda Civic, Toyota | | | | garage in Fern Creek. "The driver of |
| Corolla, Acura MDX and Infiniti G35. | | | | this car is between 20 and 35, |
| Take in a vehicle on and you can find | | | | definitely not your mom-and-dad type." |
| expert ratings, compare prices, check | | | | Sixty-eight year old Prentice Short of |
| out resale values, or search for a used | | | | Scottsburg, Ind., would like to get into |
| version of the car you want. "We attract | | | | a new Camry to make vacation trips to |
| people who like to be informed," Edmunds | | | | Florida with his wife, Geraldine, |
| spokeswoman Jeannine Fallon said. "They | | | | affordable again. Trouble is, Short |
| want to make sure they are making a | | | | said, he can't find a buyer willing to |
| smart choice." | | | | pay the $12,000 or so he says his 2002 |
| The maker of the Acura axle assembly | | | | Jeep Cherokee is worth. The Jeep has |
| could be very pleased to make it to the | | | | logged only 50,000 miles but gets only |
| list. Separately, a number of | | | | 18 miles per gallon on the highway. |
| best-sellers, like the Ford F-150, are | | | | "Nobody wants these things that use all |
| not on the list, perhaps because | | | | kinds of fuel," he concluded. "Whoever |
| hard-core Ford fans know exactly what | | | | comes up with the best mileage in late |
| they want in their truck and don't feel | | | | 2008 or 2009 is going to be the ones |
| called to dink around a Web site. F-150 | | | | that dominate the market," Short |
| buyers "don't need to do a lot of | | | | predicted. "If Ford, Chrysler and GM |
| research," Fallon said. | | | | don't do it, they'll get their lunch |
| Among top ten cars, the Toyota Camry | | | | eaten, and their dinner eaten, too. |