COSTA MESA, Calif., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ — As 2009 vans hit showrooms across the U.S., the experts at NADAguides.com, a leading vehicle pricing and information website, today announced their top 5 minivan picks, as well as honorable mention in the full size van category.

“Today’s vans aren’t just for soccer moms anymore,” said Don Christy, Jr., president and CEO at NADAguides.com. “Vans have surged in popularity among all types of car buyers, due in large part to their versatile passenger and cargo hauling capabilities and improvements to their overall design and handling.”

Following are the NADAguides.com top 5 van picks for 2009.

1. 2009 Honda Odyssey

The 2009 Honda Odyssey “is one of the best all-around minivans on the market,” according to NADAguides.com. It comes equipped with a powerful 244-hp V6, seating for up to eight passengers, responsive handling, a comfortably smooth ride and quality fit and finish. The Odyssey is safe too, with side-curtain airbags for all three rows, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control and traction control.

2. 2009 Toyota Sienna

According to NADAguides.com, the 2009 Toyota Sienna “offers a quiet, beautiful ride in a spacious and well-equipped cabin.” The Sienna made the NADAguides.com list for its optional AWD, its powerful 266 horsepower 3.5-liter V6, its sleek exterior styling and its long list of optional equipment, including navigation, a back-up camera and rear seat DVD entertainment.

3. 2009 Volkswagen Routan

Volkswagen and Chrysler have teamed up to create the 2009 Volkswagen Routan, a seven-passenger minivan with VW-inspired styling cues. The Routan made the NADAguides.com top 5 van list due in large part to its amenities, including a power lift gate and two power sliding side doors for easy in-and-out access, rear DVD entertainment with screens for the second and third rows, touch screen navigation and more cup holders than you’ll know what to do with.

4. 2009 Mazda MAZDA5

The 2009 Mazda MAZDA5 is the smallest van on the NADAguides.com list but don’t let its “mini-minivan” stature fool you. The MAZDA5 offers six-passenger seating, a roomy cargo area with its second and third-row folding seats, and a very affordable price tag. The MAZDA5 boasts well-rounded safety equipment too, with side-curtain airbags on all three rows. NADAguides.com says “for a minivan, this one was surprisingly fun to drive, with sedan-like handling.

5. 2009 Chrysler Town and Country

In past years, the Chrysler Town and Country topped the list of minivan choices among the NADAguides.com editors. While the 2009 Chrysler Town and Country made this year’s list, it slid into the fifth position due to its less-than-optimum interior appointments. That said, NADAguides.com considers the Town and Country’s optional Swivel ‘n Go seating, where the second row seats swivel to face rearward, and its Stow ‘n Go system with flush-folding second and third rows “excellent features for people interested in flexible seating and cargo hauling capabilities.”

NADAguides.com gives honorable mention to the 2009 Dodge Sprinter, a full-size van it calls a “must-have mega people mover,” capable of hauling up to 12 passengers in its ultra-spacious, four-row interior. Standard on the Sprinter is a long list of safety features, including emergency brake assist, traction control and a rear passenger escape window.

The company also gives special consideration to the 2009 Ford Flex, a vehicle some argue is every bit a minivan and others, a crossover. Call it what you will (Ford says it’s not a minivan but used it to replace the Freestar), NADAguides.com calls it “super cool … an exciting addition to Ford’s line-up.” The Flex offers seating for up to seven passengers and spacious cargo room on a longer-than-average wheelbase of almost 118 inches. It features a glass Vista Roof over all three rows, swing-out side doors and a rear refrigerator for chilling drinks.

To compare full-size vans and minivans, to research new van prices or to read new van reviews, visit NADAguides.com (http://www.nadaguides.com/) for more information.

SOURCE: http://nadaguides.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=115

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By BILL VLASIC and NICK BUNKLEY
Published: October 1, 2008
With banks tightening up their lending, any hope for a recovery in vehicle sales this year has been dashed. Full story here.

After enduring a brutal sales slump caused by high gas prices and a faltering economy, the last thing the American auto industry needed was a credit crisis.

Larry Kelly, general manager at the Ritchey dealership in Daytona Beach, Fla., said car buyers — even those with good credit — were paying higher rates for loans.

But with banks tightening up their lending, any hope for a recovery in vehicle sales this year has been dashed.

The virtual lockdown on credit is hurting Detroit’s Big Three and other automakers at every level. More consumers cannot get auto loans. Dealers are hard-pressed to secure financing for new inventories. The auto companies themselves are running short of cash and can hardly afford to borrow more at interest rates as high as 20 percent.

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Quick post to claim this blog on technorati.

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Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com) has just released their list of the top 10 green vehicles for 2008.

Here is the list in order of combined EPA-estimated fuel economy:

2008 Toyota Prius, 48 mpg city, 45 mpg hwy, 46 mpg combined
2008 Honda Civic Hybrid, 40 mpg city, 45 mpg hwy, 42 mpg combined
2008 smart fortwo, 33 mpg city, 41 mpg hwy, 36 mpg combined
2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid, 35 mpg city, 33 mpg hwy, 34 mpg combine
2008 MINI Cooper, 28 mpg city, 37 mpg hwy, 32 mpg combined
2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, 34 mpg city, 30 mpg hwy, 32 mpg combined
2008 Honda Fit, 28 mpg city, 34 mpg hwy, 31 mpg combined
2008 Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC, 23 mpg city, 32 mpg hwy, 26 mpg combined
2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, 27 mpg city, 25 mpg hwy, 26 mpg combined
2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, 21 mpg city, 22 mpg hwy, 21 mpg combined

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