Kia leads cost-of-ownership rankings; Toyota's fleet sales

(Kia)

Kia takes top spot on cost-of-ownership list
Kia was the top-rated brand in Kelley Blue Book's inaugural Total Cost of Ownership Awards. The awards honor current model-year vehicles and brands with the lowest projected ownership costs, based on Kelley Blue Book data, for the initial five-year ownership period. The numbers are based on depreciation, expected fuel costs, finance and insurance fees, maintenance and repair costs, and state fees. Audi was the top-rated luxury brand. The winners:
Subcompact: Nissan Versa
Compact: Kia Soul (shown)
Midsize car: Hyundai Sonata
Full-size car: Chevrolet Impala
Entry-level luxury car: Volvo C30
Luxury car: Audi A5
High-end luxury car: Lexus LS 460
Sports car: Mazda MX-5 Miata
High-performance car: Lexus IS F
Hybrid car: Honda Insight
Electric car: Chevrolet Volt
Compact crossover: Nissan JUKE
Crossover: Hyundai Santa Fe
Luxury crossover: Lexus RX 350
Midsize SUV: Jeep Wrangler
Full-size SUV: Ford Expedition
Luxury SUV: Audi Q7
Hybrid SUV: Ford Escape
Midsize pickup: Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab
Full-size pickup: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab
Minivan: Mazda5
— NWautos staff

(Toyota)

Toyota boosts sales to rental-car fleets
Toyota's strong start to 2012 got a boost from rental-car sales, a market it has long avoided. The company sold 47 percent more cars and trucks to U.S. rental companies and other fleets in January, compared with a year earlier. Without those corporate customers, U.S. sales would have been up less than 1 percent instead of 7.5 percent. The sharp increase in fleet sales is a big change for the Japanese automaker, which has long shied away from that market because it's less profitable than sales to individuals.
— The Associated Press