Golden Age of Autos

Prosaic as it sounds — we are in a new golden age of automobiles. In fact — the combination of technology and the re-bounding strength of the auto market — is creating a product selection of amazingly high quality and value.

The recently debuted Acura ILX is a case in point. This well proportioned and athletic, 4 door sedan is positioned as the entry level to Honda’s up-market Acura brand. Delivered with a spirited 2.4 liter 16 valve 4 cylinder engine and nice premium sport upgrades inside and out — the ILX costs $30,000. And though it doesn’t have the V6 and 310 horsepower of it’s $50,000 older brother RLX — the sacrifices and quality differences are negligible. What’s more — the Acura ILX is a champ on the road!

The elasticity of brand quality has allowed former also-rans to become dominant. The $30,000 Kia Sportage small SUV is an ideal example. Smart looking 4 cylinder, with the added fuel efficiency of a continuously variable transmission, the Kia Sportage is very competitive in a class with vehicles often costing far more.

The good news — while car prices are increasing — consumers have more value alternatives than ever before with no sacrifice in quality.