Parents magazine names ‘Best Family Cars of 2010′
May 6, 2010 Object
Filed under: Car Buying
Parents has worked up a lengthy list of its favorite family haulers for 2010, though you won’t see too many minivans or SUVs on the roundup. Instead, the site broke down its selections into categories like sedans, hybrids and large vehicles and arranged its picks in no particular order. We certainly can’t argue with cars like the 2010 Subaru Legacy or the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, though a few of those that made the cut had us scratching our heads.
Both the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight found favor among the Parents editors. Sure, we can respect trying to save some cash at the pump, but those hybrid hatches don’t exactly have the space for the Boy Scouts level of preparedness that accompanies traveling with a toddler.
Other shockers include the loveable but quirky Kia Soul and the omission of the ubiquitous Toyota Camry in favor of the sportier Honda Accord. You can hop over to the Parents site to see the full list of 15 cars and CUVs for yourself.
[Source: Parents]
Parents magazine names ‘Best Family Cars of 2010′ originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 May 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: accord, family, formula 1 world engine, honda-accord, honda-insight, jettatdi, legacy, loveable, space, subarulegacy, toyota-camry, toyotaprius, volkswagen jetta tdi
Lexus shows off new hybrid concept… bicycle?
Apr 27, 2010 Object
Filed under: Hybrid, Etc., Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus
Lexus hybrid bicycle concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
When we think of the term “hybrid,” at least in its vehicular sense, we tend to conjure up images of cars like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. These machines are so named due to their dual powertrains, most generally consisting of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor and battery.
Really, though, a hybrid could be any vehicle that gets its motive force through multiple sources… no matter what those sources may be. Hence, Lexus‘ newest hybrid concept proudly carries its moniker despite the complete lack of an engine. It does, however, have a 240-Watt electric motor powered by a 25.9-volt lithium battery pack, along with… pedals?
That’s right. Though it managed to escape our attention up to this point, Lexus actually displayed a duo of hybrid electric bicycles at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show, and the Japanese automaker is now touting the bike as part of its sponsorship of the Great British Bike Ride.
According to Lexus, the frame is constructed of carbon fiber (the same composite that makes up Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP bike, gushes Lexus) and uses an eight-speed internal gear system sourced from Shimano, in reference to the LS 600h’s eight-speed automatic. There are no plans to put the bike into production. Want to know more? Check out the high-res image gallery below and see the press release after the jump.
Gallery: Lexus hybrid bicycle concept
[Source: Lexus]
Continue reading Lexus shows off new hybrid concept… bicycle?
Lexus shows off new hybrid concept… bicycle? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-friend-via, after-the-jump, bicycles, entry, high-res-image, honda-insight, international, its-sponsorship, japanese, lexus, lexus hybrid bicycle, press
Honda Insight car review
Mar 31, 2010 news
The Honda Insight is the cheapest hybrid on the market, undercutting the Prius by around £3,000.
Read more from the original source:
Honda Insight car review
Tags: car-review, cheapest, dercutting-the-prius, honda, honda-insight, hybrid-on-the, insight, market, news, prius, the-cheapest, the-market
Honda Insight: long term update
Jan 15, 2010 news
The Honda Insight is the cheapest hybrid money can buy and we’re driving the top-of-the-range ES-T model for six months.
See the original post here:
Honda Insight: long term update
Tags: cheapest, driving-the, driving-the-top, honda, honda-insight, hybrid-money, insight, long-term, model-for, news, scrappage-scheme, six-months, the-cheapest
Mean Green: Tommy Kaira slams Toyota Prius and Honda Insight
Jan 4, 2010 Object
Filed under: Aftermarket, Hybrid, Hatchback, Honda, Toyota, Design/Style
Tommy Kaira Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery
Hybrids aren’t exactly known for being the sportiest vehicles on the road, but that doesn’t mean their owners don’t want to look as good as possible behind the wheel. As such, perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising that Japanese tuning companies are jumping on the gas-electric bandwagon almost as quickly as the automakers themselves.
Chief among those hybrid tuners is Tommy Kaira, which has released a slew of new bodykit bits, suspension upgrades and wheel options for both the 2010 Toyota Prius (which we saw teasers of previously) and Honda Insight. We’ll leave it up to you to decide if the add-ons add up to an improvement in the wedge-shaped hybrid hatchbacks. In any case, click here to see the whole kit and caboodle for the Prius and here for the Insight.
Gallery: Tommy Kaira 2010 Toyota Prius
Gallery: Tommy Kaira 2010 Honda Insight
[Source: Tommy Kaira]
Mean Green: Tommy Kaira slams Toyota Prius and Honda Insight originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2010 honda insight, 2010prius, 2010toyota, aftermarket, green, honda, honda-insight, insight, insight body kit, insight bodykit, prius, tommykairaprius
LA 2009: Audi A3 TDI named 2010 Green Car of the Year in diesel repeat
Dec 3, 2009 Object
Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hatchback, Audi, Diesel
Audi A3 TDI - Click above for high-res image gallery
At the LA Auto Show this morning, the Audi A3 TDI was crowned the 2010 Green Car of the Year, wresting the title away from last year’s winner, the Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Even though three hybrids made this year’s list of finalists, the A3’s win marks the second year in a row that a TDI diesel car took top honors in the Green Car Journal competition.
The judges selection kind of meshes with AutoblogGreen readers, who overwhelmingly picked the VW Golf TDI from the list of five finalists. The other contenders were the Honda Insight, the Mercury Milan Hybrid (we still don’t get why this car beat out the better-selling and nearly identical Ford Fusion Hybrid) and the Toyota Prius.
Each year, Green Car Journal picks the five finalists and then hands over selection duties to celebrity jurors (Jay Leno, Carroll Shelby, and the Sierra Club’s Carl Pope, to name a few). During the award ceremony, Green Car Journal editor Ron Cogan said that the five finalists are notable because they are all mainstream vehicles that are available today. They exist because that’s what the market is asking for. Whaddya think? Is the A3 TDI this year’s rightful Green Car of the Year?
[Source: Green Car Journal]
Continue reading LA 2009: Audi A3 TDI named 2010 Green Car of the Year in diesel repeat
LA 2009: Audi A3 TDI named 2010 Green Car of the Year in diesel repeat originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2010 audi a3, 2010audia3, a-friend-via, audi a3, driver, entry, green, honda-insight, lashow, martin-at-the, mercury-milan, picks-as-their, tdi
Audi’s Spunky, Thrifty A3 TDI Wins Green Car Award
Dec 3, 2009 Object
The Audi A3 TDI edged out the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight hybrids, as well as the Volkswagen Golf TDI, which is very similar to the A3 TDI, only $7,000 less expensive.
Originally posted here:
Audi’s Spunky, Thrifty A3 TDI Wins Green Car Award
Tags: a3 tdi, audi, diesel, edged-out, environment, green car of the year, honda, honda-insight, los angeles auto show, tdi, toyota-prius, volkswagen-
REPORT: Honda warming up to idea of electic vehicles
Oct 20, 2009 Object
Filed under: Hybrid, Europe, Japan, Honda, Alternative Fuel
2010 Honda Insight EX - Click above for high-res image gallery
With offerings like the FCX Clarity and the Insight, it’s been clear what technologies Honda favors for environmentally-friendly transportation. But a change in strategy conceded by CEO Takanobu Ito could see Honda focusing more energy on plug-in electric vehicles in the near future.
Although Honda takes the standpoint that battery technology has not progressed enough for widespread implementation in passenger vehicles, difficulty setting up hydrogen fueling stations have forced Japan’s second largest automaker to reconsider its strategy. With regulations constricting, especially in California, Honda will reportedly be shifting its focus to electric vehicles for the American market as well as for Europe and its own home turf in Japan.
Gallery: Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX
[Source: Reuters]
REPORT: Honda warming up to idea of electic vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-favors-for, a-life-line, energy-on-plug, harley-, honda, honda ev, honda-insight, japan, until-the-new
2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced, diesels vs. hybrids
Oct 7, 2009 Object
Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Diesel
Last year, Volkswagen’s new Jetta TDI was named the 2009 Green Car of the Year at the LA Auto Show, which means that the Volkswagen Golf TDI has a bit of baggage if it wants to win the 2010 award. Regardless, the Golf was named one of five finalists today, along with the Audi A3 TDI, the Honda Insight, the Mercury Milan Hybrid and the Toyota Prius. Odd that the Mercury would be chosen above the Ford Fusion Hybrid, but so it goes. That makes it two diesels and three hybrids vying for top spot.
The Green Car of the Year award is given out by Green Car Journal, which narrows the field of green cars down to five and then turns over picking the winner to “jurors such as Jay Leno, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Carroll Shelby, Matt Petersen of Global Green USA and the Sierra Club’s Carl Pop.” The winner will be announced in LA on December 3, so stay tuned.
Gallery: 2010 Green Car of the Year Finalists
[Source: Green Car Journal]
Continue reading 2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced, diesels vs. hybrids
2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced, diesels vs. hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: fusion-hybrid, global-green, golf, greencarjournal, honda-insight, hondainsight, journal, mercury, milan, prius, sierra, toyota, toyota-prius, toyotaprius, volkswagen-
Consumer Reports tests fuel efficiency vs. speed; Honda Insight biggest loser
Sep 10, 2009 Object
2010 Honda Insight - Click above for high-res image gallery
The faster you drive, the more fuel you use. Common sense, right? Absolutely, but it’s still helpful to see real-life data, as you’ll see by checking out the results of a recent test performed by Consumer Reports. Not all cars perform the same at various speed limits, and as you might expect, America’s most fuel efficient models are also the vehicles most affected by higher speeds.
A total of seven vehicles were tested by CR: a Acura TSX with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder; a new 2010 Honda Insight; a Lexus RX350; a Mercury Mountaineer with 4.6-liter V8; Toyota Camry and RAV4 with 2.5-liter four-bangers; and a Yaris with a 1.5-liter four.
As you’re probably aware, today’s hybrids are optimized for high fuel economy at city speeds and therefore lose much of their miserly ways on the highway. As it turns out, this was especially true of the new Insight hybrid, which lost over 15 miles per gallon moving the needle from 55 mph to 75 mph - the largest drop in the contest. Click here for the complete test results.
Gallery: 2010 Honda Insight
[Source: Consumer Reports]
Consumer Reports tests fuel efficiency vs. speed; Honda Insight biggest loser originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 1-5-liter-four-, 2010 honda insight, 2010hondainsight, frankfurtautoshow, fuelmileagetest, honda, honda-insight, lexusrx350, plugins, reports, vehicles, with-4-6-liter
