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