Top Twenty Safest, Most Affordable Used Cars for Teenagers

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Choosing a first car is a right of passage. While the top two criteria for most parents are safety and affordability, teenagers on the other hand, are more focused on what’s cool. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) recently published a list of safe and affordable used vehicles for teenagers and we’ve taken it up a notch.

A first car should be safe above all, but it needn’t be boring. Grandma’s cast-off Buick LaCrosse may be safe and priced right, but it lacks a certain cache. That’s why we’ve poured through the list to find the ten most affordable and most appealing of the IIHS’ picks. Our criteria focused on affordability, with all models starting under $10,000, in addition to a preference for manual transmissions and all-wheel-drive. If you’re driving a manual, you’re not holding a cell-phone.

Our top eleven list (yes, our list goes to eleven!) includes imports, domestics, sedans, wagons and SUVs, but no small cars. The IIHS does not recommend any small cars for teenagers. Big is better when it comes to safety. We’ve included links to MPG reviews and fuel economy ratings in the list.

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2016 Toyota Prius: How Many MPGs Can YOU Get?

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I’ve had the good fortune to chase the 2016 Toyota Prius story, from the premiere event in Las Vegas last September, through the first drive media event in November. I saw some crazy great MPGs on the first drive – but that was in Southern California, under ideal weather conditions. Last week, I was able to put the new Prius to the test here in New Jersey in colder temperatures, shooting a review video for Autobytel. I took the opportunity to knock out a ‘stunt drive’ video for the MPGomatic channel…

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Reduce U-Haul Truck Gas Costs & Expenses

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I needed to rent a U-Haul box truck earlier this month and took the opportunity to shoot a video that demonstrates how reduce expenses. Needless to say, U-Haul trucks can be gas guzzling beasts (despite what their advertisements say). The video covers a a combination of fuel economy improvement techniques and other tactics. The truck shown in the video is a 10 foot GMC box truck.

I would have preferred to rent a high roof Ford Transit, but U-Haul only had standard roof versions on their lot. The Transit should be more fuel efficient than an old school box truck. Enterprise rents Transits, but none were available locally, so I was stuck with the little U-Haul Box truck.

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Can a Heated Hoodie Improve Winter Fuel Economy?

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When the cold weather hits, fuel economy inevitably takes a dive. Lower temperatures impact gas mileage in a number of ways, including winter gasoline blends, lower intake air temperatures, longer engine warm-up times (to reach optimum efficiency), increased air conditioner use (with defrosters), and idling. Keeping your car in a garage will help decrease warm-up time, as can an engine block heater. A grill blocker can help keep under hood temperatures up while you’re driving in the coldest weather. But the biggest trick is keeping the driver warm while reducing the amount of idling at start-up and throughout the day.

I’m testing a Milwaukee Tools M12 heated hoodie this winter, to see if I can reduce idling. I’ve posted the first part of a two-part video review:

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Trail-Rated Jeep Renegade Trailhawk Crawls Through Sloppy Mud

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I had the opportunity to put a 4WD 2016 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk to the test a few weeks back at a Chrysler track day event at the Summit Point Motorsports Park in West Virginia. It was a rainy day at the track, as the remnants of Hurricane Joaquin moved up the eastern seaboard. The persistent precipitation turned the off-road test track into a marvelously mess … which is exactly what you hope for when you’re testing 4x4s. I hopped into a brand new trail-rated 2016 Renegade Trailhawk with BeCarChic.com’s Melanie Batenchuk and Jim Morrison, Director of Jeep Product Marketing.

Truth be told, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect of the Renegade Trailhawk off-road. I’d only had the opportunity to drive one briefly before, and that was a half hour drive on two-lane blacktops and highway. I was skeptical, despite the Trail Rating. A nice sloppy jaunt through the mud and my opinion changed. Watch this video and yours may change, as well. It’s an eye-opener (and a fun ride).

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