The Top New and Used Cars for 2012: A Year in Review
As consumers and drivers roll forward to 2013, it##Q##s the perfect time to have a look back at the most researched and favored new and used cars of 2012.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of BMW##Q##s electric car and was a big year in going hybrid and using new technology and fuel alternatives.
Every year car buyers look online to find the vehicles that rank high in safety, performance and fuel efficiency that won##Q##t break the bank.
ConsumerReport.org writer Liza Barth listed the top 10 most researched of the new and used cars for 2012 and the findings are a bit surprising.
While most car manufacturers are developing lighter-weight and more compact cars, such as the Toyota Prius and soon-to-come BMW i3, it was found that consumers were doing more research on SUVs and high-performance sedans.
The report showed the rankings of 10 new and 10 used vehicles. We agreed with a few of their findings, and thought we##Q##d narrow the choices down a bit.
New-to-you
This past year in used cars has been all about the sedan and the mid-level SUV. The Toyota Highlander made its debut, as a mid-size crossover sports utility vehicle. This SUV has remained a popular pick for 11 years now because it maintains stability at high speeds (187 horsepower), due to its excellent torque (186 pound/feet). The Highlander is still celebrated for having a powerful V6 engine that is fuel efficient (getting 25 miles to the gallon).
It has great traction control and is easy to maneuver, making this 2012 Toyota a perfect fit for the growing family that wants a safe and strong vehicle that can seat up to seven comfortably.
In close second, is the 2012 Honda Civic hybrid. This hybrid promotes safety and comfort and gets great mileage. It##Q##s spacious and is available as a coupe as well as a sedan. It doesn##Q##t have a great deal of space in the trunk, but that##Q##s because they have to put the vehicle battery somewhere away from the front engine. If you##Q##re in the market for one of these used cars, but you don##Q##t have the cash flow at the moment, there are a few options that you can explore.
Many drivers will lease a vehicle or, if they are working on improving their poor credit score, they can log on and take two minutes to fill out a DriveTime bad credit car loan. So, just because you##Q##re unemployed and looking for work, that doesn##Q##t mean you can##Q##t have reliable transportation to job interviews.
Newest of the New
This year##Q##s compact car that is most coveted is oddly not a hybrid or even an electric vehicle, the 2013 Subaru Forester is an all-wheel drive gas vehicle that seats five and gets 27 miles to the gallon. This car isn##Q##t for the family or for the luxury vehicle driver but it does do a lot for the driver who loves to go on camping and hiking trips in the great outdoors.
This strong turbo-charged mid-size crossover SUV will make you a Subaru lover for life, and they are coming out with a stronger, more efficient model in 2014.
Whether it##Q##s brand new or a used vehicle that##Q##s new to you, these vehicles will get you started in the right direction.
If you want to research new and used vehicles on your own, one tool that we##Q##ve found to be useful is Edmunds.com; this online resource has an online mobile app too that can be uploaded to your iPhone or Android if you##Q##re on the go and searching for cars.
Ricky Hernandez From Jersey City, Ricky comes from a large family of car mechanics. He##Q##s the only one who went to school for journalism. His father and brothers give him the best ideas and inspiration for writing articles on cars.
