Tag Archives: march 2011

Ten Year Old Prius Still Outperforming Critics!! [Toyota]

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

Via AutoBlog

 

 

2002 Toyota Prius

Critics say battery output will degrade and cite outrageous replacement costs as a possible downside to these breakthrough machines. Well, it turns out that skeptics posed similar concerns over a decade ago, when the Toyota Prius made its U.S. debut. Turns out, those worrywarts were too, well, worried.

Based on data gleaned from more than 36,000 Prius owners in its annual survey, Consumer Reports gives Toyota’s best-selling hybrid top scores in terms of reliability and ownership costs. As we noted in January,CR set out to answer questions posed by skeptics by taking a 2002 Prius with 206,000 miles on it and putting it through a battery (get it?) of tests.

After extensive testing, CR‘s numbers show that the first-gen 2002 Prius returned an overall fuel economy of 40.4 miles per gallon, which is virtually identical to the 40.6 mpg that CR recorded when testing a new Prius back in 2001. Likewise, CR found that, with 206,000 miles on the clock, the old Prius’ acceleration numbers had only dropped by a few tenths of a second for both the 0-60 miles per hour dash and the quarter-mile run.

While the tested Prius’ nickel-metal hydride battery pack showed virtually no signs of degradation ten years and 206,000 miles later, CR‘s evaluation says nothing of today’s radically different lithium-ion packs. Still, since we’re a decade on in battery development and the OEMs behind the new batch of plug-in vehicles and hybrids are offering substantial warranties, there’s a good case to be made that the critics might not always bear listening to.

Three Honda models were recently named to Forbes’ list of “Best Cars for Commuters, 2011!!!!”

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

via HondaInTheNews.com

 

 

 

Honda Accord image

Recognized for helping to make the daily grind a little less grueling, three Honda models were recently named to Forbes’ list of “Best Cars for Commuters, 2011.” The annual rankings are based on data from Consumer Reports’ evaluations, observed fuel efficiency in CR testing, and both front headroom and front legroom. As a result, the vehicles making the grade here are all ideal choices for the 42 million Americans who spend more than half an hour each morning on the way to the job—and the 7 million whose a.m. commute takes over an hour.

Accord—Honda engineers focused significant energy on improving the Accord’s fuel efficiency for the 2011 model year, and that effort paid off with both the EPA and with CR. The former rated Honda’s popular mid-size sedan as being capable of 23 mpg city/34 mpg highway/27 mpg combined, while the latter returned an as-observed highway mark of 37 mpg. The Accord also delivers an impressive 41.4 inches of front headroom and 42.5 inches of front legroom.

Civic Hybrid—One of the country’s fastest-selling hybrids—sales of the car jumped more than 155 percent to kick off the year—the Civic Hybrid returned a stellar highway fuel-efficiency mark of 47 mpg for Consumer Reports, while it’s EPA rated at 40 mpg city/43 mpg highway/41 mpg combined. And notably, the 2012 model, set to debut later this year, is slated to showoff an EPA combined rating of 45 mpg. Front headroom/legroom in the current model: 39.4 inches/42.2 inches.

Fit—Highly acclaimed for its surprisingly roomy interior—boasting 40.4 inches of front headroom and 41.3 inches of front legroom—the Fit can achieve EPAmarks of 28 mpg city/35 mpg highway/31 mpg combined, but CR upped the ante here by reaching 39 mpg highway in its own testing.

Plus, all three offer Honda’s traditionally high levels of standard and available content, including premium audio systems and advanced navigation systems, to help lower the tension levels during the trip to work.

Commuting to work may never exactly qualify as “fun,” but as this research clearly shows, it helps to have a Honda.

 

“Still Delivering Value Luxury, Three Years Later” – AutoBlog on the Genesis! [Hyundai]

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

via AutoBlog

 

 

 

2011 Hyundai Genesis

2011 Hyundai Genesis Sedan

Automakers have been carving the luxury segment into finer and finer slices for generations. Territory that once belonged solely to the likes of Mercury, Buick and Oldsmobile is now the fertile hunting grounds of brands from Acura to Infiniti. Thanks to these relative newcomers, buyers without the cash to jump into Bavarian marks like BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi can still plant their derrières on supple leather thrones without having to sell the family farm in the process.

Three years ago, Hyundai leapt into the low-buck luxury fray with the company’s Genesis Sedan – a vehicle that was intended to prove the Korean automaker could strut its stuff up market without the burden of launching a separate dedicated luxury brand just for the occasion. We were impressed with the big Hyundai when it touched down three years ago as a 2009 model, but domestic automakers like Buick and Chryslerhave since sharpened their game in a big way. We [AutoBlog]  jumped behind the wheel of the 2011 Genesis Sedan to find out how the vehicle’s first generation has held up before the updated second one arrives as a 2012 model….

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The Luxurious Equus! [Hyundai]

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

Via Autoblog

 

 

 

2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate long-term

Long-Term 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate

The 2011 Equus proves that Hyundai has the Lexus LS 460 in its sights by offering the best value proposition in the luxury flagship segment. We’re eager to see how Hyundai’s new range-topping model stands up to the day-to-day rigors of American life, and so we’ve just added one to the Autoblog Long-Term Garage.

Our Equus is the fully loaded Ultimate model in White Satin Pearl, and though it’s packed with premium equipment, the as-tested price is only $65,400. The Ultimate trim level adds the four-passenger seating configuration, and no other option packages are available.

Things are pretty luxurious for rear seat passengers, as features like power recline and massage functions have been added, as well as a rear entertainment system, refrigerator, power headrests and illuminated vanity mirrors.

Red Cross Donation Site Opened by Honda

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

via Honda In The News

 

 

 

Japan earthquake cars image

Honda has created a new website to allow customers, suppliers and others to support the Japan disaster recovery effort through the Red Cross. The site was initially established to cater to Honda and Acura dealers, but the site has since been opened to the public.

The new website comes after Honda donated $3.7 million toward the relief and recovery effort, along with 1,000 Honda generators. Honda is also matching contributions made by Honda employees to the Red Cross relief and recovery effort.

“We are making this special website available for contributions based on the outpouring of support and messages of sympathy and concern we have received from so many friends of Honda,” said Stephan Morikawa, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Community Relations at American Honda. “We are humbled and deeply appreciative of the concern shown for our Japanese associates, their families, and all those affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.”

If you are interested in supporting the recovery efforts in Japan, you can make a donation at Honda’s America Red Cross website.

 

In Hopes of a High Performace CR-Z.. [Honda]

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

via CarandDriver

Renowned Japanese tuner Mugen has announced plans to develop a higher-performance version of the Honda CR-Z hybrid. The one-off—which Mugen says is not intended for production—will make its public debut this July at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K.

The company says it will upgrade the 122-hp, 1.5-liter gasoline engine and the car’s 13-hp hybrid drive system, as well as the suspension and brakes. The upgrade methods and expected power outputs haven’t yet been disclosed, but we’re told to expect “[Honda] Type R-like” performance.  That may be marketing hype; Honda’s current Civic Type-R, a somewhat-distant cousin of our Civic Si, pumps out nearly 200 hp, which would be a big jump for a car like the CR-Z. We have an easier time believing the company’s claim that fuel efficiency could increase somewhat, even if it’s only due to aero mods.

Still, we’re excited at the prospect of a CR-Z with a powertrain befitting its light weight, and generally fun demeanor. Mugen recently worked its magic on an Ariel Atom’s 2.0-liter Honda mill, and upped the power from 245 hp to 270. While a CR-Z with a power output in that neighborhood is fantasy, any bumps in the hatchback’s output would be welcome. A carbon-fiber hood and lightweight Mugen wheels will help cut mass, while a large rear wing and new fascias dress up the exterior.

Cross your fingers that this “prototype” presages a production high-performance CR-Z from Honda.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class!!!

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

Via AutoBlog

 

 

 

 

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class


We usually see women behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class. Who can blame them? It’s a cute little car. The original SLK debuted in 1996 with a four-cylinder powerplant and all of 136 ponies. What it lacked in the motivation department it made up for with its Vario-roof retractable hardtop. Not since the 1957 Ford Skyliner could a car stop so much traffic while parked.

The SLK gained some testosterone with its first facelift in 2000. While the exterior was still rather tame, the chick car jokes ceased in 2001 with the introduction of the 354-horsepower SLK 32 AMG.

Things continued to get better with the all-new 2004 edition and its sleeker styling that paid homage to Mercedes’ Formula One designs and the beastly McMerc SLR. The reality that AMG could stuff its hand-built 5.4-liter V8 under the hood made the second-generation SLK a serious performance car.

For 2012, the SLK officially begins its third generation, and you can see the difference from 100 yards. Especially from the front view, the roadster looks more mature and substantial. The split-grill design reconstitutes the 190 SL’s design from the late 1950s in a handsome, modern manner. The bolder aesthetics continue in the rear, which features large arches over the rear wheels and LED taillamps. And it keeps getting better on the inside…

 

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Tips for Saving on Gas! – Jalopnik

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

via Jalopnik

 

 

 

Acknowledging that gas is more expensive than it used to be, and that some people are kinda freaked out by it, these 10 simple gas-saving tips have been shared by the folks at Ford as part of their push for “eco-driving.” But while the tips are easy-to-follow for most people in everyday driving situations, some of us need to make exceptions. We’ve amended each of Ford’s tips with some damn good reasons why you should ignore them. Hit the jump for more.

1. Slow down and watch speed – Drive 55 miles per hour instead of 65 to save fuel. The EPA estimates a 10-15 percent improvement in fuel economy by following this tip. Also, aim for a constant speed. Pumping the accelerator sends more fuel into the engine. Using cruise control whenever possible on the highway helps maintain speeds and conserve fuel.

Exception: You’re in a hurry because you have places to be and better things to do than drone along in the slow lane, not to mention the speed limit on the highway is 70 MPH and if you did drive 55, you’d likely be paying more to have your rear bumper replaced than you would ever save in fuel costs. [image]

2. Accelerate and brake smoothly – Accelerating smoothly from a stop and braking softly conserves fuel. Fast starts, weaving in and out of traffic and hard braking wastes fuel and wears out some of the car components, such as brakes and tires, more quickly. Maintain a safe distance between vehicles and anticipate traffic conditions to allow for more time to brake and accelerate gradually.

Exception: The idiots on the road during your commute cut you off for no reason, and when you do finally get off the expressway of death, the pedestrians and cyclists in the city are all suicidal maniacs. You’d like to go easy on the brakes and just ram into them, but manslaughter doesn’t appeal to you.

3. No idling – Today’s engines don’t need a warm up. Start the car immediately and gently drive away. Don’t leave your car idling. Prolonged idling increases emissions and wastes fuel. Turn the engine off in non-traffic situations, such as at bank and fast food drive-up windows, when idling more than 30 seconds.

Exception: You car doesn’t have one of these magical “today’s engines.” If you don’t warm it up, you leave a cloud of blue smoke in front of your house so thick that the vegetation in your front lawn dies off.

4. Check your tires – Keep tires properly inflated to the recommended tire pressure. This alone can reduce the average amount of fuel use by 3-4 percent. Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance and reduce fuel economy. They also wear more rapidly. Check the vehicle’s door-post sticker for minimum cold tire inflation pressure.

Exception: You’re drag racing your muscle car, so you take some pressure out of the rears. Perhaps you’re rock-crawling or sand dune-climbing in your Jeep, so you need to let pressure out of all fours. Maybe your junky old beater won’t go down the road straight unless you’ve got the front left tire 5 PSI lower than the right side.

5. Be kind to your vehicle – Maintain proper engine tune-up to keep vehicles running efficiently. Keep the wheels aligned. Wheels that are fighting each other waste fuel. Replace air filters as recommended. Use a fuel with good detergent additives to keep the vehicle engine clean and performing efficiently. Always consult the Owner’s Manual for proper maintenance.

Exception: Your car is a $500 lump of metal held together by zip-ties and drunken welding. Your idea of proper maintenance is opening up the distributor and taking a blow-dryer to the points on humid days. Your suspension is falling apart, so the alignment varies based on how hard you took that last corner. Your air filter is a piece of wire mesh. It’s not worth it to be nice to this beast.

6. Travel light – Avoid piling a lot of luggage on the roof rack. The added frontal area reduces aerodynamics and will hurt fuel economy, reducing it by as much as 5 percent. Remove excess weight from the vehicle. Unnecessary weight, such as unneeded items in the trunk, makes the engine work harder and consumes more fuel.

Exception: You have 5 people going on a cross-country vacation in your midsize car. On top of that, you’ve decided to go tent camping each night rather than staying in hotels.

7. Minimize use of heater and air conditioning – Use heating and air conditioning selectively to reduce the load on the engine. Decreasing your usage of the air conditioner when temperatures are above 80 degrees can help you save 10-15 percent of fuel. Use the vent setting as much as possible. Park in the shade to keep car cool and reduce the need for air conditioning.

Exception: It’s swelteringly scorching outside and you really don’t want to have your entire back drenched with perspiration, so you need the air conditioning on. Or perhaps it’s numbingly frigid outside and you really don’t want to experience what frostbite is like, so you need the heater on. [image]

8. Close windows at high speeds – Don’t drive with the windows open unless you keep your speed under 50 mph. Driving with the windows open at highways speeds increases aerodynamic drag on the vehicle and lowers fuel economy.

Exception: The air conditioning in your beater has long been broken. The two remaining settings on your climate control are “hot air screaming out of the vents” and “hot air seeping out from the dashboard.” If you don’t open the window, it is only a matter of time before you die of heat stroke. Not to mention that you can’t holla’ at the ladies through a sheet of glass. [image]

9. Choose the right oil – Use good quality, energy-conserving EC oils with the viscosity grade recommended in the Owner’s Manual. Look for cans marked with the symbol ECII, which is the American Society of Testing Materials logo for fuel-efficient oils.

Exception: Your car self-changes its oil by leaking and burning so much that you just pour in a quart of fresh oil every week or so. You save money by buying the cheapest generic oil you can find. Not to mention your car has so many miles that if you use anything thinner than 15W-50, you can practically hear the piston rings grinding, so the viscosity recommended in the manual just won’t cut it.

10. Consolidate trips – Plan ahead to consolidate your trips. This will enable you to bypass congested routes, lead to less idling, fewer start-ups and less stop-and-go traffic. Whenever feasible, share a ride and/or carpool.

Exception: Your hectic schedule is constantly varying from day to day. You have no idea where you’ll be or what you’ll be doing 5 hours from now. You like driving alone by yourself because you need some time each day to regain some sanity. For that matter, sometimes you go out driving for no reason at all, because — gasp — you derive tremendous pleasure from the act of driving.

 

Toyota Planning Another 10 Hybrids by 2015!

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

via Car and Driver

 

 

 

 

This morning, Toyota released its “Global Vision” outline for the future, a document so scintillating that had he penned it, Jerry Maguire would have fired himself. In addition to a fabulous arboreal metaphor for the company’s foci, it mentions that the big T will introduce an additional 10 hybrid models worldwide by 2015. But hold on: This being a global document, many of the reported 10 models won’t be headed to the U.S. While Toyota doesn’t go into detail on what those vehicles might be, the recently unveiled Yaris hybrid and Prius v/Prius+ are likely included in that total. Additionally, we expect to see hybrid versions of every car in the next generation of Lexus’s lineup. (We recently discovered a copyright application forLexus ES300h.) Toyota’s plan may be well timed—instability in the Middle East and higher demand from Asia means gas will only continue to climb in price—but fuel is going to need to cost a lot more than today’s $3.50/gallon for us to find many Toyota hybrids alluring.

 

Toyota Just Sold Over 3 Million Hybrids!

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

via Autoblog

 

 

 

 

2010 Toy0ta Prius

Toyota Prius – Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota has sold just over three million hybrids globally since it introduced its first, the Toyota Coaster Hybrid EV bus in 1997, followed that same year by the first-gen Prius. More impressive is the fact that more than a million of those sales have come since August of 2009.

Toyota offers 16 different hybrid models around the world, and it’s about to introduce several new variations of the Prius to our shores. Toyota’s Lexus luxury division has augmented the company’s hybrid movement, offering a gas-electric electric option on the RX, GS and LS models, and two dedicated hybrids, the CT andHS.

By the end of 2012, Toyota says it will add 10 more hybrid models to the global market. According to Toyota, hybrid vehicles had saved the nearly 18 million tons of C02 it would have produced building similarly sized traditional gas-powered cars.

Read on ===> (gallery too!)

Toyota to Lauch Entune later this year!

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

Via Toyota in The News

 

 

 

 

Toyota Entune image

It’s a match made in heaven: On the one hand, “Consumers have grown accustomed to having the world at their fingertips through their mobile phones,” according to Jon Bucci, vice president of the Advanced Technology Department at Toyota. And on the other, those buyers also have grown accustomed to Toyota meeting all their transportation needs. Now the automaker is putting both those expectations together with the Toyota Entune multimedia system, recently introduced at this year’s International CES consumer electronics show.

“And unlike other industry solutions, Entune allows the driver to interact with informative and entertaining mobile content without fumbling with their phone,” added Bucci. “We offer features that our customers demand and integrate them seamlessly in the vehicle.”

Among those features will be:

  • Mobile Apps—Entune will launch offering the Bing search engine to help drivers find more than 16 million points of interest, with destinations sent directly to the vehicle’s navigation system; OpenTable, capable of making reservations at any one of 15,000 restaurants across the country; MovieTickets.com, providing access to film tickets and reviews; and the ability to get customized, real-world information about traffic, fuel prices, weather, stocks and sports.
  • Music—Tuning into Entune will deliver more than 750 local radio stations via iheartradio, access to the Pandora music-streaming service, XM satellite radio, HD radio and USB connectivity for personal media players.
  • Voice Recognition—Entune’s best-in-class voice-recognition system is able to respond to conversational speech commands, so there’s no need to worry about memorizing thousands of specific voice directions to operate the system.

In addition, Entune can be upgraded wirelessly, so it always packs the latest applications and functionality, and it was designed to be compatible with a wide range of current cell phones.

“Toyota has always been a leader in the automotive industry, so it makes sense it would bring the latest in mobile technology to the car,” said Chris Daniels, general manager of Bing for Mobile, Microsoft Corp. “By bringing Bing Maps and Bing for Mobile technology to the car, we are helping Toyota enhance the overall in-vehicle experience to be as rich and robust as possible, which means personalizing the information to each driver’s needs.”

The new Entune multimedia system will be available in select Toyota vehicles beginning later this year.

 

Honda “Best Car for the Money ratings and the Strategic Vision Total Quality Index!”

Posted by Pohanka of Salisbury on

Via  Honda In The News

 

 

 

 

Honda Civic image

Honda’s high-quality, high-value lineup earned further impressive kudos from noted industry third parties recently, scoring recognition in both the U.S. News & World Report Best Car for the Money ratings and the Strategic Vision Total Quality Index.

In the former, which rely on U.S. News automotive analysis and five-year total cost of ownership data from TrueCar.com, the Honda Civic was named the Best Compact Car for the Money as a “well-rounded car” that “offers a winning combination of substance and style that make it an exceptional daily driver.” In addition, with “one of the largest cargo holds in the class, innovative interior storage options, good fuel economy and spunky performance,” the Honda Fittook home honors as the Best Hatchback for the Money.

Notably, the Civic also was the co-leader in the Small Car segment in Strategic Vision’s Total Quality Index, finishing in a virtual tie with—the Civic. No, that’s no misprint. Strategic Vision considered the Civic and the innovative Civic hybrid as two different entries, and both finished with nearly identical scores that were some 20 points ahead of the next nearest finisher.

And three other Honda models topped their classes in the current Total Quality Index results, which were drawn from a comprehensive set of data provided by 111,212 new-vehicle buyers who had made their purchases between September 2009 and June 2010:

  • The dynamic Honda Accord Coupe topped the Mid Specialty class.
  • The Honda Odyssey, completely redesigned for the new model year, was a leader in the Minivan segment.
  • The versatile Honda Ridgeline bested all competition among Standard Pickup entries.

For more information on the 2011 Honda lineup, visit Pohanka today!