Evolution/Revolution

By Jim Gorzelany

CTW Features

If you haven’t shopped for a new car in several years, you may not be prepared for what you’ll find on dealers’ showrooms. Here’s how vehicles have changed over the last decade.

With the average new-car ownership period currently at around six years, those headed to a dealer’s showroom after an extended absence might find it to be the proverbial brave new world. Behemoth sportutility vehicles have largely been replaced by more car-like crossover wagons, while family cars have gotten sleeker looking and better equipped, with many now offering features that were until only recently reserved for luxury cars. Pickup trucks remain purposeful workhorses, albeit with top-model sticker prices that now crack the $60,000 mark.

If it’s been a while since you last went shopping for a new car, here’s what you may have missed while racking up the last 100,000 miles or so:

Small is big

The double-whammy of high gasoline prices and changing consumer tastes has made compact and subcompact cars more plentiful and popular than ever. No longer spartanly equipped “econoboxes,” most now offer a full array of features to accommodate downsizing empty nesters and fuel economy-conscious buyers who don’t want to sacrifice creature comforts.

Less is more

Many models are packing smaller engines that deliver better fuel economy than their predecessors without sacrificing performance, thanks largely to turbocharging and direct fuel injection. Turbo-fours are fast replacing V6s in midsize cars, with larger autos (and at least one pickup truck) including turbo-sixes instead of V8s. Beginning this year turbocharged three-cylinder powerplants will be finding their way into subcompact cars as more efficient alternatives to four-cylinder engines.

Safety first

Many vehicles now come with as many as 10 airbags for greater occupant protection, and all cars and trucks include electronic stability control to help keep the car from skidding in extreme handling maneuvers. The latest models offer advanced accident avoidance systems that can help prevent a crash. Most prevalent are blind spot and lane departure warning systems that alert a driver to the presence of other vehicles to the side and rear, and when the wheels inadvertently cross the highway lane markers. Forward collision prevention systems sound an alarm if the car is coming up too quickly on another vehicle or obstruction in its path, and many can even apply the brakes if the driver isn’t reacting quickly enough.

Cool and connected

While it was once a big deal for a car to offer an iPod jack or navigation system, even the least expensive models now offer full infotainment arrays that connect wirelessly with motorists’ smartphones. Depending on the model, users can stream music from Internet radio sources, send and receive text messages, download navigation guidance and travel data and even interact with an iPhone’s “Siri” virtual assistant on a hands-free basis. A few cars can make their own Internet connections and operate as rolling Wi-Fi hot spots.

No keys, please

Now available on a majority of models, a driver can unlock the car simply by touching a door handle if he or she has the keyless keyfob in pocket or purse, and the car can be started or switched off by just pressing a button on the dashboard. A few vehicles can be equipped with tailgates or trunks that open automatically if the driver waves his or her foot under the rear bumper.

Top-shelf meets mid-class

Many mainstream small and midsize models now can be equipped with luxury features like heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and even a heated steering wheel. Remote starters are becoming commonplace, with the best systems allowing drivers to engage their vehicles from afar using their smartphones, automatically setting the climate control according to the ambient temperature. The latest cruise control systems can maintain both a set speed and a safe distance from the traffic ahead. And a few cars even offer systems that automatically steer themselves into parallel parking spaces.

Baby, Want to Name My Car?

Younger and Female Car Owners Most Likely to Name Their Vehicles

New consumer study from DMEautomotive illuminates a powerful emotional connection between consumers and their vehicles; top names include ‘Baby,’ ‘Betsy,’ ‘Bessie,’ ‘Black Beauty,’ and ‘Betty’

 Women and younger car owners are the most likely to give a nickname and associate a gender to their vehicles’, according to a new report from DMEautomotive. The survey on car-naming behavior investigates the depth of the emotional connection between consumers and their cars as represented by the degree to which they personify and ascribe a gender to their vehicles. The survey was fielded among approximately 2,000 consumers in 2013, and also revealed that one in five car owners nickname their vehicles.

“While these findings, on the surface, are just plain fun…they also offer an interesting, even counter-intuitive perspective on the relationships car owners, especially women and the young generation, develop with their vehicles,” said Doug Van Sach, DMEautomotive’s Vice President, Strategy and Analytics. “The accepted cliché is that men have a more passionate, personal relationship with their beloved cars, while women view them as utilitarian machines that get you from Point A to B. But this research provides a different insight: women are significantly more likely to christen their vehicles, and also associate a female gender with them, while more men perceive their vehicles as male. And while we’ve seen numerous headlines on the fact that millennials are the least car-passionate generation in history, they’re far more likely to personify and name their vehicles. This indicates an emotional and personal vehicle attachment in these demographics, one that auto marketers might want to explore and leverage.”

Key Research Findings:

Vehicle Relationship Building Begins with a ‘B’

• 1 in 5, an estimated 50 million consumers (Experian data, 247.9 million cars on US roads. November, 2013), name their vehicles
• 1 in 4 vehicle nicknames begins with a ‘B’
  

Mostly She-Cars

• Twice as many female cars (32%) on the road as male (16%)
• 49% of owners identify their cars as either male or female
• Vast majority of women (88%) view their vehicle as female
• Men split on gender: 55% associate their vehicle as female /45% as male
• Women more likely to give their vehicle a name (23%) than men (18%)

Young Much More Likely to Name Cars than Older People

• Car owners aged 18-34 are more than twice as likely (32%) to name their car than those 35+ (15%).
• 18-24 year old car owners are roughly 4 times more likely (40%) to name their car than those over 55 (13%) and are the most likely to associate a gender with their car (69%).
• Twice as many owners over 65 (63%) don’t perceive their vehicles as being either male or female, compared with those aged 18-24 (31%).

Drive green and you'll save money

By: Josh Sens--AAA

Greener driving is cleaner driving. It's also safer and better for our budget, reducing fuel costs and roadway risks. Consider these tips for a more ecological, economical drive.

Keep up with upkeep By scheduling regular tune-ups, filter-changes, and other maintenance at the manufacturer's recommended intervals, you'll burn less gas and reduce the chance of major car trouble down the road.

Ditch the junk in your truck The less excess weight on board, the better gas mileage you'll get. If you're not using your roof rack, remove that, too.  Every extra 100 pounds in your car cuts fuel efficiency by up to 2 percent.

Plot your route Whether you're on a shopping run or a weekend road trip, use a GPS device or map to plan out the shortest, safest route before leaving home. While you're at it, try to handle multiple errands in a single outing, or combine them with your commute.

Be a good citizen Obeying the speed limit boosts fuel economy and cuts the odds of a collision. Aggressive driving---including sudden starts and stops--has just the opposite effect.

Fill up at the right time When the weather gets hot, an open gas tank lets gasoline vapors escape faster. Refuel at the cooler bookends of the day, in early morning or late evening, to pollute less and save fuel.

Keep tires properly inflated Make sure your tires are inflated to the pressure shown inside the driver's door of your vehicle or in the owner's manual. Keeping tires at the right pressure is safer and prolongs their life. Proper inflation can also improve gas mileage by as much as 3.3 percent, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Time trips against traffic Avoid the roads at rush hour whenever you can. Stop-and-go driving increases your emissions - and your chances of a fender bender.

Upgrade to a fuel-savvy car When it's time to buy a new vehicle, keep a close eye on gas consumption. You'll pollute less and lower your long-term fuel costs at the same time.

New styling for the familiar Toyota truck

By: Malcolm Gunn

A truck that's styled in California, engineered in Michigan and assembled in Texas sounds as North American as any pickup on the road.

The fact that the 2014 Tundra wears a Toyota badge should be of little consequence in the global scheme of things. Ultimately all that really matters is if it can competently and reliably do the job. Although Toyota is a major player in the mid-size pickup category, it has had a tougher time gaining traction in the full-size arena, where brand loyalty runs deep. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler continue to make major improvements in their respective haulers, in styling appeal, increased brute strength and lower operating costs through improved fuel economy. And don't forget that their heavy-duty truck counterparts have no direct competition. That level of brand intensity has pretty much relegated Toyota to the rear of the pickup pack. Still the Tundra has earned plenty of respect for its overall superior build quality and towing/hauling competency and has been staunchly supported by Toyota loyalists since its 2007 model-year launch.

Those folks in particular should find plenty to like about the 2014 Tundra's facelift and general updating. Visually the grille is more aggressively styled and conveys an obvious sense of power. Other changes include a new hood along with three-piece front and rear bumpers (said to reduce replacement costs in the event of a crash) and squared-off fenders and wheel openings. The 22.2-inch-deep (56 centimetres) cargo bed is also new as is the lockable tailgate with integrated spoiler.

Toyota has installed a new instrument panel with easierto- read gauges and an improved multi-information screen. The audio and ventilation workglove-friendly control knobs are now within closer proximity to the driver's reach.

Toyota's designers reshaped the front and fold-up rear seats for greater comfort and improved ventilation. More sound-deadening materials have been added for a quieter cabin. Additionally, either bench or bucket seats can be had in both extended-cab and CrewMax models. A bench seat is standard with regular-cab Tundras.

Toyota has updated the suspension for a more compliant ride and has also tinkered with the steering for improved straightline stability.

Almost unchanged for 2014 are the Tundra's two powertrains. The 4x2 and 4x4 SR Double Cab models come with a 310-horsepower 4.6-litre V8.

With a 14.2 l/100 km rating in the city and 10.5 on the highway (4x2 versions), the 4.6 is likely the most economical choice.

Available on the SR Double Cab 4x4 and standard on all other Tundras, including the 4x2 and 4x4 SR regular-cab long bed, 4x4 SR5 and Limited Double Cab and four-door CrewMax trucks, is a 5.7-litre V8 that's rated at 381 horsepower and 401 poundfeet of torque. The 5.7 is also standard with the CrewMax Platinum and new 1794 Edition CrewMax. A six-speed automatic transmission is installed on all Tundras. Base SR regular-cab models, priced at $28,600, come with air conditioning, a 6.1-inch (15.5-centimetre) touch-screen display with Bluetooth wireless networking and a backup camera. Adding more doors to the cab automatically gets you more, although many of those standard features can be added to regular-cab models by choosing the SR5 or Limited Packages.

The Platinum includes perforated diamond-pleated leather seats and a 12-speaker touchscreen audio/navigation system. The 1794 Edition -named for the Texas ranch where the Tundra plant is located, which was founded in that year -adds saddle-brown leather seats with suede inserts and more shine.

Ultimately, it won't be an easy ride for Toyota's full-size pickup in gaining ground on the competition. But the Tundra's reputation for strength and bulletproof reliability should continue tempting buyers looking for something that's literally outside the traditional box.