Nik J Miles

Posts Tagged ‘Hybrid’

“Kia introduces their first ever U.S. Hybrid vehicle – The 2012 Optima”

The Sonata Hybrid from Hyundai bowed first, claiming the best mid-size sedan highway fuel economy. Now Hyundai’s Korean sibling Kia has introduced their first ever Hybrid for the U.S. market – the Optima for 2012, boasting the same EPA mileage ratings from the same basic powertrain. In fact the Optima, which is not an exact clone of the Sonata, is pretty darned close, even within the same pricing range.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Acura’s ILX Entry Sedan comes three ways”

Acura dealers felt the need for an entry level vehicle to be offered as part of their premium inventory. Honda’s luxury division Acura team has answered the call with the all-new 2013 ILX sedan lineup – or have they? Some members of the automotive press and consumers may not agree.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Barbara Schaffer

Austin, Texas — There’s an old adage that says, “Put your best foot forward”, and that’s exactly what Chevrolet is doing with the introduction of the new Malibu.  With gasoline pumps becoming all too familiar with the $4 a gallon gasoline, the Chevy planners are sending out the fuel-sipping Malibu Eco first as an introduction to the all-new Malibu lineup.  After all, who can argue with a gasoline powered midsize sedan getting fuel economy of 25 mpg city and 37 mpg highway.

Chevrolet is also expanding their market with the new Malibu; it will be the first midsize sedan sold globally in nearly 100 countries.

“The Malibu Eco is a smart choice for customers who want a great looking car inside and out with excellent fuel economy, but without the higher price of some hybrid sedans,” said Russ Clark, director of Chevrolet marketing. “In short, it’s an incredible value.” Read the rest of this entry »

By Barbara Schaffer

There are certain areas of the country that I am familiar with, for example the Bay Area in California and Portland, Oregon, where there seems to be an overabundance of the Toyota Prius hybrids.  I guess that’s to be expected with more than 2.5 million of them sold worldwide.

With gas prices on a rise again, the idea of getting 40 or 50 miles per gallon or better continues to have a strong appeal for many new car shoppers.

To take advantage of the Prius popularity and the prices, Prius planners added two new models in 2011, the larger Prius V Liftback and the super-efficient Prius Plug-In.  Now early in 2012, they have added a fourth Prii, the Prius c, with the “c” standing for city. Read the rest of this entry »

By Barbara & Bill Schaffer

Hybrids have been around for more than a dozen years now, but we’ve never taken one on a road trip, so we thought it was about time.  With a possibility of snow and ice along our intended route, we decided it would be best to try a hybrid that offered four-wheel drive capabilities, too.

Enter the Toyota Highland Hybrid.  First introduced to the U.S. market in 2001, the Highland, which is based on a unibody frame derived from the Camry, became an instant success, especially with families.  In 2005, the Highlander was “hybridized” making it the world’s first seven-passenger hybrid SUV.

Our Highland Hybrid road trip took us from Portland, Oregon, south on Interstate 5 to central California and then to the Monterey Bay area, where our grandchildren are located.  The route is not the most exciting, but it’s typical of what a family might drive.  Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the roads were all clear and dry, so our only tests were drivability, comfort and fuel economy along with a hands-on demonstration of how a hybrid excels in stop and go traffic. Read the rest of this entry »

Lexus recently unwrapped a striking new hybrid 2+2 sport coupe that they shows the future design direction for Lexus and an emphasis on a driver-focused vehicles.

Penned by the Toyota Calty design studio in Newport Beach, Calif., the new LF-LC concept redefines the Lexus-look with avant-garde beauty and an emphasis on advanced technology, while remaining within reach  of typical premium buyers.

“The concept hybrid 2+2 liberates the idea of a sport coupe and pushes the boundaries of performance, style and technology,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. Read the rest of this entry »

“Toyota Prius c brings Hybrid Synergy Drive to subcompact market”

Since the first generation Prius made its appearance just over fourteen years ago, more than two million Prius vehicles have been sold globally,986 percent of which are still on the road, and Toyota has continued to evolve the iconic hybrid by introducing significant new model variants, while ever improving and enhancing existing models.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dearborn, Mich.  – By looks alone, Ford appears to have a major hit on its hands with the new generation Fusion and that seems even more likely when the new technologies and fuel efficiency is factored in.

     The stylish new Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima have been two of the mid-level sedans that have caught our eye the last couple of years, and they obviously swayed buyers, too, because the sales of those two cars have skyrocketed.  This new Fusion looks even better than those cars, especially in person. Read the rest of this entry »

Fuel Efficiency Without Hybridization.

For 2012, customers have more variations of the Civic to choose from than ever before. There are five in fact: The Civic, Civic Natural Gas, Civic Hybrid, Civic Si, and the Civic HF or “high efficiency.” Read the rest of this entry »

“Toyota’s Camry lineup undergoes reinvention”

Toyota’s Camry is all new for the 2012 model year. The Camry has been America’s best-selling car for nine years running, and for 13 of the past 14 years. This latest iteration Camry represents the seventh generation of the iconic Toyota model, which was first introduced in 1983 and has since sold over 15 million Camry models globally.

Read the rest of this entry »