Ford Motor Co

One recent study of used-car buying habits found that women were more likely to do research, ask tougher questions, and have a mechanic inspect a used car before buying. Another study on new-car buying preferences shows that women make more practical automotive choices.

Thanks to TARP loans that saved GM, the Treasury ended up with a major stake in the world's largest automaker, and it still holds 500 million shares -- 32% of the company. Here's the reason it won't be selling them any time soon.

General Motors really wants you to love the Chevy Volt, but the GM car everyone actually lusts after is the Camaro. Now, with automakers under pressure to improve fuel economy, GM faces a challenge -- how to update a gas-guzzling V8 icon for a greener world.

Federal safety regulators are investigating complaints that accelerators can stick in Ford Tauruses from model years 2005 and 2006. The investigation, opened Wednesday, covers an estimated 360,000 of the sedans. The probe could lead to a recall, but so far none has been ordered by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a federal safety agency.

If you're on the prowl for a new car but have a limited budget, check out these 10 models that will give you the most bang for your buck.

Bad news for GM: The Chevy Volt still isn't selling the way the automaker hoped it would, so it's temporarily halting production of the battery-powered hybrids for five weeks. Worse news for GM: Shutdowns like this only make the Volt a harder sell.

U.S. car sales just hit their highest level in four years, and that's good news for economy watchers. Falling unemployment, more cooperative lenders, and rising consumer confidence all contributed to the boom. So if you're looking to buy, what does this all mean for you?