2009 Ford F-150 Pickup: Top Selling Vehilces Reviews

If you talk to pickup enthusiasts, they are not just folks who like the image of the hard-working utilitarian vehicle; rather, they are individuals who rely on the modern workhorse to get the job done every day.

Since 1948 millions of Ford trucks have been sold, and they have performed more tasks than you can imagine on farms, construction sites and in park districts across America.

Talking to Ford about the F-150 is like talking to the Bulls about Michael Jordan or to the Bears about franchise quarterbacks. On one hand, you knew when you were at the top who got you there, and when things were not going so well you knew where you had to focus to go to the next level.

If ignored, your franchise players can slip away, leaving you wondering what might have been. Well, the folks at Ford decided to be proactive and talk to F-150 owners across the country to get their feedback on what they wanted from their next truck.

What they wanted is what you see in the new 2009 Ford F-150 pickup.

One of the great things about the Ford F-150 is also one of the things that drives me crazy (in a good way). Going in to shop for an F-150 reminds me of shopping for a new computer. There are so many options and variations, looks and designs. You have to start with what suits your day-to-day requirements, then add some fun bells and whistles. The same goes for the F-150 – and it is so much prettier (in a tough, take-no-prisoners way, for sure).

The 2009 Ford F-150 comes in three cab styles: regular, supercab and supercrew; in three V-8 powertrain options; in 6.5-, 5.5- and 8-foot boxes; and in 4x2 and 4x4 configurations. Base prices for the 2009 F-150 start at $21,095. That’s a great price to instantly buy you a little cred and a lot of opportunity to turn yourself into one tough cowboy.

I love the styling of the new F-150. It is contemporary without being un-trucklike. That simply means it looks tough, a really important part of any pickup that takes itself seriously. My tester had an impressive chrome package ($1,420) that really amped up the class factor. This may not be the look for the rancher or the park district, but for the road warrior who may never hit the dirt it is a great option.

The engine on my 4x4 supercab was the brutish 24-valve 5.4-liter Triton V-8, which delivered 320 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. The power plant was mated to a flawless six-speed automatic. The Environmental Protection Agency mileage per gallon rating was 14/18, not great, but par for the pickup class at this size. The good thing is the 36-gallon fuel tank will help minimize stops.

When talking pickups, you have to mention engine ranges and F-150 has several options in the 16-valve, 4.6-liter 248-horsepower V-8 linked to four-speed automatic with 294 pound-feet of torque and the 24-valve, 4.6-liter V-8 coupled to a six-speed automatic with horsepower ratings of 292 and torque of 320 pound-feet.

I found the big Triton power plant to be extremely responsive in city driving situations and more than capable getting around in highway traffic. I cannot speak for having a serious payload weighing me down, but I get the sense this F-150 is up for anything you can throw at it.

The F-150 cabin offers lots of space and a great design. The dash is thoughtfully laid out in front of the driver. Power adjustable pedals and driver’s seat make getting the perfect seating position a breeze. You sit high in the F-150 and sightlines are good. My tester had a nice rear-view camera option ($450) that made maneuvering the big truck a lot easier.

A long list of options made the interior a great place to be. From the power-sliding back window ($250) and the upgraded six-disc stereo ($300) to the Sirius satellite radio ($195) and the amazing (a $395 must-have) Sync system that allows you to link the command center in the truck to your cell phone and iPod, the new F-150 has really earned all those awards it has garnered so far this year.

The automaker boasts that its all-new 2009 F-150 has a class-leading towing ability of 11,300 pounds and a cargo-carrying rating of 3,030 pounds. According to Ford, improvements to the chassis have helped with torsional rigidity and make delivering the additional payload and towing abilities possible.

Some features worth mentioning are the thoughtful capless fuel filler that automatically opens with the fuel door and seals shut to reduce fueling emissions and a great tailgate step that allows the buyer to easily access the cargo bed with an integrated step ladder – a lot easier than trying to launch yourself into the truck’s bed.

Ford made sure it had all the information it needed about its franchise player; it got feedback on what customers wanted and responded with a great truck. The new F-150 shows it can help Ford stay at the top of the pickup heap for some time to come.

+ US Top 10 Best-Selling Vehicles May 2009
+ 2009 Ford F-150 Pickup: Redesigned Classic, With Rebates
+ 2011 Ford F-150 Truck Moves to EcoBoost V6/V8
+ 2010 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 Tough Truck
+ 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Off-Road Truck Webpage Launched
+ 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Truck
+ 2009 Ford F-150 Pickup Truck Arrives Amid Crisis
+ 2009 Ford Car, Truck, Crossover and SUV: What's New?
+ 2009 Ford F-150 Platinum Delivers Truly Luxurious Pickup
+ 2008 SEMA Show: Ford F-150 Electric Trucks

2009 FORD F-150 SUPERCAB 4X4

ENGINE: 320-horsepower 24-valve 5.4-liter Triton V-8

TRANSMISSION: six-speed automatic

DRIVETRAIN: four-wheel drive

FUEL ECONOMY: 14 city/18 highway

BASE PRICE: $28,610
Gallery: 2009 Ford F-150 Pickup Truck

SUVs, trucks Dealers Facing Tight Supply

If you've got your eye on a new SUV, don't blink.It might be gone.

Even with the auto industry mired in depression – sales are down nationally 36.5 percent – big vehicles such as the Ford Expedition and Chevy Tahoe are in tight supply because of drastic production cuts that automakers imposed last year as sales began to plummet.

Now, a year after $4-a-gallon gas nearly killed SUVs, some dealers in this market are selling them for window-sticker prices. Moreover, most late-model used pickups and SUVs have regained all of the thousands of dollars in trade-in value they lost last summer, dealers say.

Dealers love for demand to exceed supply, but many are concerned that they could run short of profitable trucks if the economy improves in the second half of the year. Their supply of cars – particularly compacts – remains high, they say.

"When you go through the inventory, you find we've got an 18-day supply of Expedition ELs," said Sam Pack, who owns Five Star Ford in North Richland Hills, Sam Pack's Five Star Ford in Carrollton and Ford Country in Lewisville. "That's too low. It starts costing you sales."

"We're very short of Expeditions and [Lincoln] Navigators," said Randall Reed, owner of Prestige Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in Garland and Park Cities Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in Dallas. "We have been selling record numbers of [crossover] Flexes because of it, I think."

Some full-size pickups such as the Toyota Tundra are also hard to get. Truck and SUV production was initially slashed last summer when fuel prices began to skyrocket. As the economy continued to crumble, it was cut further.

The General Motors Assembly Plant in Arlington, for example – GM's only factory building full-size SUVs – is in the midst of a two-month shutdown. Last month, overall car and truck production in North America was 45.1 percent lower than in May 2008, according to Automotive News.

Changing times

Tight supplies could become the norm, some dealers say. GM and Chrysler LLC, which are in bankruptcy, have dramatically reduced production – as has Ford Motor Co.

With fewer factories, the domestic automakers may struggle to meet demand for some vehicles when the economy improves. And they may not view it as such a bad problem.

"GM wants them to come in and immediately hit the streets," said Tom Durant, who owns Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, the largest Chevy dealership in the nation. "Prices will be firmer, and margins will be better. They don't want a bunch of vehicles that we have to keep on the lot for several weeks."

Drew Campbell, president of the New Car Dealers Association of Metropolitan Dallas, added: "It's a lot drier out there than people realize."

For example, the back three rows at Five Star Ford in Carrollton – the store's SUV sector – were empty recently because the dealership had sold all of its Expeditions and Explorers, said Brian Huth, general manager of the dealership.

"I told my guys it looked like we were going out of business," Huth said. "But I think dealers are going to have to learn to sell with less inventory on the lot."

Since then, he and his staff have hustled to buy more new and late-model SUVs from other dealers and at auctions. The dealership – which sold 176 cars and trucks last month – is contending as well with occasional shortages of compact Escape SUVs and a fairly tight supply of full-size F-150 pickups.

'Pretty tight'

Much of the shortage in Expeditions is related to Ford's decision to move production from Michigan to a truck factory in Kentucky, which took about three months, said Doug Scott, Ford's truck marketing manager. Although production has resumed, supplies remain limited because Expedition sales have been 20 percent higher than Ford had forecast.

"We knew we were going to run short," Scott said. "With what we were going through last year, we were scaling back production right up to the end of the year. Then we moved production of the Expedition."

Meanwhile, at Toyota of Richardson, Steve Grogean grapples with a limited supply of Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs. He thinks Toyota simply overreacted when sales began dropping by amounts the company had never seen before. Toyota recently announced that it's restoring some of its truck production.

"If business picks up as it usually does in the summer, things could get pretty tight in the next 45 to 60 days," said Grogean, vice president and general manager of the dealership.

For the past year, dealers accustomed to having one of everything on the lot have learned to function on smaller inventories, noted Paul Taylor, chief economist at the National Automobile Dealers Association.

"But when the market comes back, inventories will increase to a 60-day supply," he said.

Veteran dealer Ron Kutz isn't so sure. He thinks tighter inventories are probably good for the auto industry.

"In the '80s, we ran a Nissan store off a 30-day supply of vehicles," said Kutz, general manager of Grapevine Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep. "There's no way GM or Chrysler should have 120-day supplies. It just makes no sense financially."

CAR, TRUCK PRODUCTION

Production in North America through June 13, compared with the same period last year:

Cars

1,509,084
-49.4%

Trucks

1,745,752
-50.9%

Total

3,254,836
-50.2%

Cash for Clunkers: Eligible Used Cars List Under $3,500

As Congress debates cash-for-clunkers legislation, we reviewed our data to determine what worn out old cars make the most sense to junk and what qualifying cars we think would make better replacements—featured in another post.

The used cars we’ve listed are the newest vehicles likely to be available for less than $3,500, the minimum voucher value. For this to be worthwhile to the consumer, the vehicle’s trade-in value would need to be less than the voucher. Older versions of these vehicles are likely to be worth less, making the vouchers even more appealing. Many of the models have mechanical twins sold by another brand that may qualify, but we have not listed them here.

Keep in mind that spending money on a new car can buy you more than just improved fuel economy. A new car will have a warranty to cover repairs. And a decade (or more) of improvement in safety and reliability.

The past 10 years have brought big gains in safety engineering and technology, including better structure to cushion the impact while maintaining the integrity of the occupant space and safety features such as front-side and curtain air bags and electronic stability control (ESC). In particular, many older SUVs have a higher inherent risk of rollover than newer car-based designs with ESC.

In addition to casting the spotlight on eligible clunkers, we will soon present a list of Consumer Reports recommended vehicles that could serve as a replacement. To see a complete list of Consumer Reports recommended models check out our ratings, available to online subscribers.

Make	Model	Older than model year	EPA combined mpg	Category
Cadillac	DeVille	1994	17	Car
Cadillac	Eldorado	1994	17	Car
Cadillac	Seville	1993	17	Car
Jaguar	XJ6	1996	18	Car
Lincoln	Continental	1999	18	Car
Lincoln	LS V8	2001	17	Car
Lincoln	Town Car	1996	18	Car
Mercury	Grand Marquis	1998	18	Car
Oldsmobile	Aurora	1998	18	Car
Pontiac	Firebird	1992	18	Car
Chevrolet	Astro	2000	16	Truck
Chevrolet	Blazer 2dr 4WD	1995	16	Truck
Chevrolet	Blazer 4dr 4WD	1999	16	Truck
Chevrolet	S10 4WD	1997	16	Truck
Chevrolet	Silverado 4WD	1998	16	Truck
Dodge	Dakota	2001	14	Truck
Dodge	Durango	1998	13	Truck
Dodge	Ram 4WD	1994	12	Truck
Dodge	Grand Caravan	2000	18	Truck
Ford	Aerostar	1996	17	Truck
Ford	F150 V8 4WD	1995	14	Truck
Ford	Expedition 4WD	2000	17	Truck
Ford	Explorer 4WD	1999	15	Truck
Ford	Windstar	2001	18	Truck
Isuzu	Rodeo 4WD	1996	15	Truck
Jeep	Grand Cherokee V8	1997	14	Truck
Jeep	Wrangler	1995	16	Truck
Kia	Sedona	2002	16	Truck
Mitsubishi	Montero Sport 4WD	2001	17	Truck
Nissan	Pathfinder	1998	15	Truck
Nissan	Quest	1999	18	Truck
Toyota	4Runner 4WD	1992	13	Truck

(Via consumerreports.org.)

'Cash for Clunkers' Incentives Plan Approved by House

The U.S. House approved legislation that would give consumers as much as $4,500 to buy new, fuel- efficient vehicles under a “cash-for-clunkers” proposal aimed at boosting auto sales.

The program, passed 298-119, would replace 1 million older vehicles with newer cars and trucks to reduce gasoline use and air pollution, according to the measure’s sponsors. Car owners would get a $3,500 government voucher for the purchase of a new vehicle getting 4 more miles per gallon than their old car. They would get $4,500 if the new vehicle improved mileage by 10 miles per gallon.

“We can free ourselves from the false argument that either you are for the environment or you are for jobs,” said the measure’s chief sponsor, Ohio Democrat Betty Sutton, on the House floor today.

Ford Motor Co., the only major U.S. carmaker that hasn’t filed for bankruptcy protection, hailed the House’s action.

“This timely, targeted and temporary program will put money directly in the hands of consumers and work to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions,” Pete Lawson, the Dearborn, Michigan-based company’s vice president for government affairs, said in a statement.

“Ford will continue our work with lawmakers to ensure this critical bill” is quickly cleared for President Barack Obama’s signature, Lawson said.

‘Hard-Earned Money’

Representative Tom Price of Georgia, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, criticized the plan in a statement that said, “Taxpayers should not see their hard-earned money used to buy their neighbor a new car.”

The measure requires Senate approval as well as an allocation of funds to cover the estimated $4 billion cost. Lawmakers are discussing whether to include money for the program in a spending measure designed to fund the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

The program would provide funds for car owners whose vehicles get 18 or fewer miles per gallon. The new car would have to get at least 22 miles per gallon. Similar benefits would be available for truck owners who trade in their vehicles for ones getting at least 1 mile per gallon more. The money could be used to buy U.S. or foreign vehicles.

In May, U.S. car industry sales declined 34 percent from a year earlier, according to Autodata Corp. of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. Detroit-based General Motors Corp. and Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler LLC are in bankruptcy.


'Cash for Clunkers' Details:

HOUSE

The House was expected to vote on a bill Tuesday sponsored by Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Ohio. Its provisions:

_Passenger car owners could receive a voucher worth $3,500 if they traded in a passenger car getting 18 miles per gallon or less for a new car getting at least 22 mpg.

_Sport utility vehicle, pickup truck or minivan owners that get 18 mpg or less could receive a voucher for $3,500 if their new SUV, truck or minivan is at least 2 mpg higher than their old vehicle.

_Passenger car owners could get a voucher for $4,500 if they traded in a passenger car getting 18 miles per gallon or less for a new car that is 10 mpg higher than the old car.

_SUV, pickup truck or minivan owners that get 18 mpg or less could receive a voucher for $4,500 if the mileage of the new truck or SUV is at least 5 mpg higher than the older vehicle.

_Large trucks (pickup trucks and vans weighing between 6,000 and 8,500 pounds) with mileage of at least 15 mpg would be eligible for vouchers of $3,500 to $4,500.

_Consumers can receive vouchers for the purchase and leasing of new vehicles.

_Older trade-in vehicles must be in drivable condition, be manufactured in model year 1984 or later and be continuously insured to the same owner for at least one year immediately prior to trade-in.

SENATE

A group of senators led by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., have proposed an alternative to the House version. Its provisions:

_The trade-in passenger car must get 17 mpg or less and the new passenger car must get at least 24 mpg to be eligible for vouchers.

_Passenger car owners could receive a voucher worth $2,500 if they traded in a passenger car getting at least 7 mpg more than the old car. The voucher would grow to $3,500 if they traded in a passenger car getting at least 10 mpg more than the old car. And it would grow to $4,500 if they traded in a passenger car getting at least 13 mpg more than the old car.

_The purchase of a used passenger car with a mileage of at least 24 mpg would qualify for a voucher of $1,000.

_The trade-in sport utility vehicle, pickup truck or minivan must get 17 mpg or less and the new vehicle must get at least 20 mpg to be eligible for a voucher.

_SUV, pickup truck or minivan owners could get a voucher for $2,500 if they traded in their vehicle for a new SUV, pickup truck or minivan getting at least 3 mpg more than the old vehicle. The voucher would increase to $3,500 if they traded in their vehicle for a new SUV, pickup truck or minivan getting at least 6 mpg more than the old vehicle.

_SUV, pickup truck or minivan owners could a voucher for $4,500 if they traded in their vehicle for a new SUV, pickup truck or minivan getting at least 9 mpg more than their old vehicle.

_The purchase of a used SUV, pickup truck or minivan with a mileage of at least 20 mpg would qualify for a voucher of $1,000.

_Large trucks (pickup trucks and vans weighing between 6,000 and 8,500 pounds) with a mileage of at least 17 mpg would be eligible for vouchers ranging from $2,500 to $4,500.

Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Sam Brownback, R-Kan., have sponsored legislation in the Senate that has similar requirements as Sutton's bill in the House.

First Hybrid Truck added to Forgotten Harvest Fleet

Forgotten Harvest Receives New Hybrid Truck to Fight Hunger in Metro Detroit - Susan Goodell, executive director of Forgotten Harvest (second from left) accepts keys to a new 2009 Freightliner M2 Hybrid Class 7 diesel-electric truck from Klaus Entenmann, president and CEO of Daimler Financial Services (third from left), Chris Patterson, retired president and CEO, Daimler Trucks North America (right) and Ron Ricci, president of Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies today.

Forgotten Harvest, Metro Detroit's only mobile food rescue organization, is adding this first hybrid-powered truck into its 20 vehicle fleet and it will enable Forgotten Harvest to rescue 850,000 additional pounds of fresh food annually at a 30-percent fuel savings. The new truck is donated by Daimler Financial Services, Daimler Trucks North America and Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies.

Donation from Daimler's U.S. truck, financial services divisions and supplier will increase organization's capacity by 850,000 additional pounds of food annually while reducing fuel costs by 30 percent.

Forgotten Harvest, Metro Detroit's only mobile food rescue organization, today took delivery of its first hybrid-powered truck. The Class 7 Freightliner, donated by Daimler Trucks North America, Daimler Financial Services and Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies, will enable the organization to rescue 850,000 additional pounds of fresh food on an annual basis at a 30 percent fuel savings.

Susan Goodell, Executive Director of Forgotten Harvest, was presented the keys to the 2009 M2e Hybrid Freightliner diesel-electric truck by Klaus Entenmann, President and CEO of Daimler Financial Services, and Chris Patterson, recently retired President and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America, at Forgotten Harvest's Metro Detroit facility. Ron Ricci, President of Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies of Rice Lake, WI, donated the 20 -foot fiberglass refrigerated truck body with ElectriMax, all-electric refrigeration that will keep the food fresh during deliveries to homeless shelters and social service agencies that feed the hungry throughout Metro Detroit.

"This generous donation by our friends at Daimler Financial, Daimler Trucks and Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies is a leap forward in advancing our mission of reducing hunger and waste," Goodell said. "It will not only improve our operating efficiency by keeping fuel costs down, it will also allow us to direct more donated dollars to distributing food in a way that protects the environment."

The 31,000-pound Class 7 truck is the fifth truck donated by Daimler Financial Services and Daimler Trucks North America and aftermarket "body builders" in the past four years, bringing Forgotten Harvest's growing fleet to 21 vehicles.

Like a hybrid car, the M2e Hybrid Freightliner performs best with consistent stop-and-go applications. Launch and acceleration are aided by the 60hp electric motor, then with increased demand from the throttle, it blends combined diesel and electric power as needed. During braking, the braking power restores the battery charge. The hybrid system has been proven to increase brake life by over 100% in urban delivery service.

Combined with the industry's most thermal efficient truck body and all-electric refrigeration solution by Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies, the new hybrid truck will contribute a 40 percent increase in fuel efficiency over a standard powertrain Class 7 truck and body with traditional diesel-powered refrigeration.

"There is a tremendous need to feed the hungry all over the United States, but especially here in Michigan where the economy has taken its toll on those most in need," said Entenmann. "

Patterson agreed, saying: "At Daimler, we welcome the opportunity to be able to contribute to the extraordinary work being done on a daily basis by Forgotten Harvest."

In 2008, Forgotten Harvest rescued and delivered 9.5 million pounds of prepared and perishable food to emergency food providers across metro Detroit. This year, due to the staggering increase of people seeking food assistance, the organization is on target to distribute more than 12 million pounds. The food, which is donated by grocers, wholesalers, farmers and other food providers, is delivered same day and free of charge to soup kitchens, shelters and pantries in the tri-county area.

About Forgotten Harvest

Forgotten Harvest was formed in 1990 to fight two problems: hunger and waste. Forgotten Harvest will rescue more than 12 million pounds of food this year by collecting surplus prepared and perishable food from a variety of sources, including grocery stores, fruit and vegetable markets, restaurants, caterers, dairies, farmers, wholesale food distributors, and other Health Department-approved sources. This donated food, which would otherwise go to waste, is delivered absolutely free of charge to 150-plus emergency food providers in the metro Detroit area. The individuals and families served are as diverse as the community's residents - young and old, from all races and faiths. The common bond uniting them with each other and with Forgotten Harvest is hunger. Visit www.forgottenharvest.org

About Daimler Financial Services

Daimler Financial Services (DCFS USA LLC), headquartered in Farmington Hills, Mich., provides brand-specific financing for Mercedes-Benz automotive dealers' inventories and their retail customers, and conducts business in the United States luxury car market as Mercedes-Benz Financial. In the U.S. trucking industry, Daimler Financial Services Americas conducts business as Daimler Truck Financial and finances Daimler commercial vehicles branded Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star for dealers and their customers in the fleet, vocational, municipal and owner/operator segments. Daimler Financial Services Americas serves as the headquarters for operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, and has approximately 1,600 employees. Daimler Financial Services Americas is a company of the Daimler Financial Services Group, headquartered in Berlin, Germany, which operates in 40 countries with an employee base of close to 6,800. Daimler Financial Services is one of the leading financial services organizations worldwide. For more information visit www.daimler-financialservices.com/na

About Freightliner Trucks

Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Ore., and is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America. Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets Class 4-8 vehicles and is a Daimler company, the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturer. For more information, call or visit your nearby Freightliner Trucks dealership or go to www.FreightlinerTrucks.com

About Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies

Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies is recognized as the industry leader in refrigerated transport. With headquarters in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, Johnson is the innovator and manufacturer of molded fiberglass refrigerated truck bodies and specialized trailers that range from 8 to 36 feet in length. Johnson has a reputation of quality, durability, and innovative all-electric refrigeration solutions that are designed for many years of maintenance-free delivery. In business since 1932, Johnson Refrigerated Truck Bodies is a CARLISLE Company. For more information please call 800-922-8360 or visit www.johnsontruckbodies.com.

Cash For Clunker Incentives Plan to Vote Today by Senate

The U.S. Senate may vote today on competing plans to boost U.S. auto sales by paying owners to crush old, inefficient models.

The plan spearheaded by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., has the backing of automakers, dealers and President Barack Obama. But a competing proposal from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., would set tougher mileage standards after complaints from environmental groups that the consensus plan won't save enough fuel.

Following another month of weak sales, and forecasts for sales of only 10 million new cars and trucks this year, automakers and their allies on Capitol Hill have pressed Congress to act quickly.

"It's critical that we pass this," Stabenow said Tuesday. "This is an opportunity to immediately stimulate auto sales across the country."

Under the Stabenow plan, owners of cars and trucks that get less than 18 m.p.g. could get a voucher of $3,500 to $4,500 for a new vehicle, depending on the mileage of the new model. The voucher would replace any trade-in value, since the old model would be scrapped.

Backers say the compromise would cost about $4 billion -- paid for with money from the economic stimulus plan passed earlier this year -- and could boost sales by 1.3 million vehicles over a year, according to industry officials.

But critics note that the plan favors owners of trucks over cars: even 15 years ago, only five models of midsize sedans managed just 18 m.p.g.

The Feinstein plan would add a $2,500 voucher, require old models to get less than 17 m.p.g., and require larger mileage improvements for the larger voucher. It would also offer a $1,000 voucher for buying efficient used models.

+ "Cash for Clunkers' Incentives Program to Buy New Car
+ Cash-For-Clunkers: Pickup Trucks Buyer to Be Winners

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce backed the Stabenow bill in a letter to Congress on Tuesday, saying it would offer the best mix of economic and environmental benefits.

Stabenow offered the plan as an amendment to a Senate bill setting new controls on tobacco products. It wasn't clear Tuesday evening when Feinstein might offer her plan.

May 2009 Auto Sales: Japan Cars, Trucks and Buses Sales Down 19%

2009 May auto sales figures: New vehicle sales in Japan fell 19.4 percent in May from a year ago, sliding for a 10th straight month, an industry group said, but the decline eased from recent months.

New sales of cars, trucks and buses dropped 19.4 percent from a year earlier to 178,503 units, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers' Association.

Sales fell almost 29 percent in April and 31.5 percent in March.

Among Japan's top three automakers, Toyota Motor Corp. led the decline. The company sold 80,503 vehicles in May, down about 24 percent. Nissan Motor Co.'s new vehicle sales fell 9.1 percent, while those at Honda Motor Co. rose 4.5 percent.

The figures are compiled using the government's new vehicle registrations, and do not include mini-cars or mini-trucks.

Data last week showed that fallout from the recession is expanding to workers and their families amid deteriorating job and wage conditions. The jobless rate rose to six-year high of 5 percent in April, while household spending fell 1.3 percent, the government said Friday.

As part of economic stimulus measures, the government has introduced schemes to boost personal consumption, which accounts for more than half of the world's second-biggest economy.

It began offering tax exemptions for cars earlier this year to encourage sales. Parliament gave consumers added incentive Friday when it approved a cash-back rebate for trading in cars 13 years or older for greener cars.

In a rare bight spot, orders in Japan for Toyota's new Prius hybrid have topped 110,000, a major dealership chain said. The third-generation Prius officially rolled out in Japan just two weeks ago. But dealers are already flooded with orders, including some placed weeks in advance, according to the dealership.