toyota

Navigate NAIAS? There’s an App for That.

by

With auto manufacturer and supplier exhibits spread throughout Detroit’s cavernous Cobo Hall, finding the most efficient route through the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) can be a daunting task. If you’ve ever wished you had an app on your smartphone to provide navigation within the winding aisles of a gigantic car show, your prayers have been answered.

Enter ZF AutoShowMe!

The ZF AutoShowMe App runs on iOS and Android devices. ZF is providing the app free of charge via Google Play and the iPhone App Store. Download ZF AutoShowMe for NAIAS 2014 and you’ll chart a course to auto show nirvana.

Read more

Why Did Honda Put a Vacuum in the Odyssey Instead of a Diesel Engine?

by

Suffice to say, I don’t usually sit back, watch the press releases roll over the wire and shovel out posts. But when I saw that Honda was showing an integrated vacuum cleaner in the new 2014 Odyssey at a New York Auto Show media preview, I got a bit steamed. Not to suggest that they should have added a steamer as well (who wants to arrive at their destination covered in crumbs and wrinkles), but it all seems a bit supliferous, considering the shape we’re in (lay off the out of shape jokes, kids). It’s just hard to understand why Honda continues to withhold their excellent clean diesel engines from America, knowing that they could provide a thirty percent improvement in fuel economy.

Would an integrated vacuum cleaner convince Mom that she had to have the Odyssey over the Town and Country?

Read more

The Ford C-Max Hybrid: An Ideal Taxi?

by

While I’ve seen plenty of Prius taxis in New York City, they always seem to be greatly outnumbered by the traditional Ford Crown Victoria. Landing on the other coast last month proved to be an eye opener. I was taken aback by the sheer number of Toyota Prius taxis gliding about the streets of San Francisco. They were everywhere. Now I’ve never thought of the Prius to be well suited to taxi work from a passengers standpoint, but it’s easy to see the appeal from the fleet owner’s perspective. It comes down to dollars and cents. The drastic improvement in fuel economy between a gigantic sedan with a V8 engine and a (relatively) smaller and lighter vehicle with a hybrid drive train is undeniable.

Will the Ford C-Max Hybrid replace the Crown Victoria as Taxi of Choice?

Read more

2012 Toyota Prius C Review

by

MPG-o-Matic 2012 Toyota Prius C Review Summary:

The 2012 Toyota Prius C is known in other countries as the Yaris Hybrid. Toyota chose to capitalize on the strong cachet of the Prius brand in the United States, by dropping the Yaris nameplate. Whatever you call this pint-size five-door, it’s the most fuel stingy four-passenger vehicle sold in America, when measured dollar-for-dollar. (The Prius C starts at $18,950, while the full-scale 3rd Gen Prius starts at $24,000.) If you have plenty of road to cover, with much of it at lower speeds and in traffic, the Prius C will slash your fuel bill by a considerable amount … even more so if you make the effort to drive it properly.

The 2012 Prius C is powered by a Hybrid Synergy Drive System that incorporates a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine and a permanent magnet AC synchronous electric motor that produces a net 99 horsepower (HP) and 125 foot pounds of torque. The Prius C is front-wheel-drive (FWD) and uses an electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT).

Read more

40 MPG Cars: 2001-2013

by

While fuel efficiency might seem like the latest craze, we’ve been tuned into it for years. 40 MPG cars are nothing new. Other sources may be content to simply throw up a photograph and a paragraph or two about any given economy car. We take the time to put hundreds and hundreds of miles on each and every odometer. We test for real-world fuel-efficiency with a light-footed driving style … because mileage matters.

Link to YouTube 40 MPG Car Review Playlist.

Check out our playlist of 40 MPG Car Reviews!

Through comprehensive testing, we’ve found that a number of cars are capable of exceeding their highway fuel efficiency ratings when driven conscientiously. Some cars rated in the high 30 MPG range can eclipse the 40 MPG mark. It’s all in the way you drive. Over the last few years, we’ve tested a range of 40 MPG (highway) cars, including:

Read more