USA Today Article on Consumer Reports Ranks Highlander ‘Best’ Midsize SUV

According to USA Today, the redesigned 2014 Toyota Highlander has been ranked by Consumer Reports as the best midsize SUV due to its superior fuel economy estimates and large towing capacity.

USA Today says Consumer Reports also listed the Highlander’s handling and friendly multimedia system as factors to the Highlander’s lofty status.

Reuters reports that the Highlander actually took the top two spots in the midsize SUV category, with the Highlander Hybrid coming in first and the standard Highlander taking second.

According to Reuters, the respected consumer group noted the Highlander Hybrid can tow up to 3,500 pounds with combined estimates of 25 mpg, while the standard V-6 Highlander is rated 20 mpg city.

So far, Highlander sales are up 14.9 percent this year to 83,495 through July.

USA Today says the study will be published in Consumer Reports’ October issue.

For more on the Highlander’s ranking, click here: http://usat.ly/XPBcyi

How to cut your commuting costs

By: Metro Creative Connection

A daily commute can be physically stressful, but many people find their daily trek to work financially taxing as well. Commuting costs have risen considerably over the last decade-plus, as higher fuel costs have eaten into many household budgets.

But commuters accustomed to grinning and bearing it with regard to their daily grind might be surprised to learn that there are some ways they can cut their commuting costs and possibly even reduce some of the physical stress stemming from their daily odysseys to and from the office. The following are a handful of ways to trim the costs of your daily commute.

*Establish a ridesharing programs at your office. Research from the Center for Transportation at the Washing Policy Center in Seattle has shown that carpooling to work can be as much as 61 percent cheaper than driving alone. Many highways feature commuter lanes that are exclusive to vehicles with two or more passengers. Veteran commuters know that such lanes tend to be the least congested lanes on the highway, so taking advantage of the commuter lane by sharing rides with one or more coworkers can save time as well as money. The benefits of ridesharing are numerous and include saving money on fuel (sharing driving duties with just a sing coworker immediately cuts  your commuter fuel costs in half); extend the life of your vehicle by reducing daily wear and tear; and also allows you one or two days a week to unwind during your commute while someone else takes the wheel.

* Ride a bike. Admittedly,  men and women who aren't entirely healthy or those who live especially far away from the office or in regions where the weather is often unpleasant may not be able to turn their bicycles into tools for cutting the costs associated with their commutes. But riding a bicycle to the office each day will cut your commute-related fuel costs by 100 percent while also providing a boost to your cardiovascular system. Regular cardiovascular exercise has been shown to reduce a person's risk for various conditions, including heart disease, while also reducing stress. Even riding a bike to the office twice a week can cut your commute-related fuel costs by 40 percent, so if cycling to work is a realistic possibility for you, give it a try.

* Propose the idea of telecommuting to your employer. Many employers have grown more lax with regard to employees working from home. Some employers recognize that less strict telecommuting policies make for happier and more loyal employees, who can drastically reduce their childcare costs in addition to commuting costs by working from home. In addition employers can benefit by moving into smaller offices with more affordable rents. Telecommuting one or two days a week can save you a substantial amount of money, so propose the idea to your employer, even suggesting a trial period to see if it's a viable option before either side makes a full commitment.

* Change your hours. Technology has made it easier than ever before for companies to abandon the typical 9-to-5 workday. Employees can now connect to company networks via external server connections at any time of day and even contact one another via email applications on their smartphones regardless of the time of day. Flex time, in which employees are allowed to work flexible schedules so long as their work is getting done, enables employees to commute to and from office during off-peak hours when roads are less congested than they are during rush hour. This saves you the time you spend sitting in rush hour traffic while also cutting back on fuel consumption that only increases the more your car sits idling in traffic.

Commuting costs are on the rise, but there are numerous creative ways for working men and women to cut these costs.

Time to tow on vacation

By Jim Gorzelany

CTW Features

After a brutal winter in most parts of the country, the arrival of summer vacation season is a welcome gift. It’s also time for many Americans to hitch up their boats, campers and trailers and head out to the campsite, lake or other far-flung location for fun and adventure. Unfortunately, those who fail to follow proper towing procedures can, at the least, cause undue wear and tear to their vehicles or, at worst, face a perilous journey.

The most recent information from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that an average of more than one person a day dies in accidents involving passenger vehicles with towing trailers. “Driving may still be the best travel choice for families this spring and summer, but for those who will be hauling their fun behind them, it is important to remember that without careful planning, attention to equipment and safe driving practices, these extra loads can be a hazard to driver, passengers and vehicle — and to other drivers as well,” says Brian Hafer, vice president of marketing with the auto service website AutoMD.com in Carson City, Calif.

To help road-trippers safely tow their recreational accoutrements, AutoMD.com suggests novices and veteran haulers alike consult their vehicles’ and trailers’ owner’s manuals for specific towing requirements and to never exceed the stated maximum towing capacity. This includes the weight of a boat, trailer and cargo. Overloading a vehicle can cause significant mechanical issues and/or transmission damage. What’s more, a too-heavy trailer can sway excessively behind the tow vehicle, causing control issues and dangerously encroaching on adjacent lanes of traffic.

Always have a tow vehicle checked out by a mechanic before hitting the road, especially fluid levels, brakes and tires; it’s a good idea to have the oil changed before embarking on a long trip. NHTSA reminds drivers that a vehicle’s tires may require additional air pressure for towing, especially when pulling heavy loads (again, check the owner’s manual for this information). Ensure that the trailer hitch — which attaches to the vehicle’s frame — is appropriate for the weight and type of load to be hauled. Once hitched and with the wiring harness connected, check that the trailer’s brakes, brake lights and turn signals are synchronized with the towing vehicle.

Make sure the load to be carried within the trailer is evenly distributed for optimal stability. Aim to place 60 percent of the cargo weight in the front half of the trailer to help properly spread the total mass across the tow hitch and trailer. Load heavier items first and secure them with ropes or cords, then fill in the extra spaces evenly, front to back, and side to side, but don’t pile things up so high as to block the motorist’s rearward visibility.

NHTSA suggests drivers — particularly novice haulers — take a test run with the trailer hitched up to the vehicle to practice accelerating, turning corners, stopping, backing up and parking to get a good feel for how the combination of vehicle and trailer behaves. A large empty parking lot is ideal for this exercise. Also, those taking longer trips should consult bordering states’ towing laws to make sure the rig won’t be violating specific towing height, width and weight restrictions. Always carry an emergency kit in case of a flat tire or breakdown that consists, at the least, of roadside flares and triangles, a tire jack, jumper cables, water and energy bars/snacks. Always travel with a fully charged cell phone.

Once out on the road proceed at a moderate pace and leave ample distance for stopping. Driving too fast and having to make a sudden stop can cause the trailer to jackknife, skid out of control or flip over. It’s prudent to pull over every 50 or 60 miles to ensure the trailer’s lights and brakes are working, the tires are at the proper inflation level and that the load within the trailer remains secure.

Proper towing preparation and execution will help ensure this summer’s vacation is memorable for all the right reasons.

Common misconceptions about fuel efficiency

By: Metro Creative Connection

Fuel efficiency is an important issue for car buyers, and understandably so. Conserving fuel is good for drivers' budgets and the planet, so the concept of fuel efficiency would seem to benefit everyone.

But just because fuel efficiency is a good concept does not mean there are not misconceptions about it among drivers and automotive professionals alike. The following are some of the more widely held misconceptions about fuel efficiency.

* Full tanks conserve fuel. Many people have long believed that a nearly full tank of gas means the fuel within that tank is less likely to evaporate, and that half-full tanks are losing gas to evaporation. Though this might have been the case years ago, today's vehicle's are smarter than ever before, and their fuel systems are designed with vapor recovery systems so drivers traveling around with tanks that are closer to empty than full aren't losing gas to evaporation.

* Full tanks conserve fuel. Many people have long believed that a nearly full tank of gas means the fuel within that tank is less likely to evaporate, and that half-full tanks are losing gas to evaporation. Through this might have been the case years ago, today;s vehicle's are smarter than ever before, and their fuel systems are designed with vapor recovery systems so drivers traveling around with tanks that are closer to empty than full aren't losing gas to evaporation.

* Manuel transmissions are more fuel efficient. Technology can once again be credited with turning conventional wisdom on its head. In the past, manual transmission vehicles might have been more fuel efficient because drivers could more efficiently control engine revving with a five-speed manual transmission than they could with the standard three-speed automatic transmission. However, automatic transmissions have evolved over the years, and they are now more adept at controlling revs and conserving fuel than many drivers of manual transmissions vehicles.

* When you fill up matters. Some drivers have long believed that filling up during the coolers hours of the day earns them more gas than filling up when the temperatures are at their peak. This theory traces its origins to the fact that liquids are at their most dense when they are cool. But today's filling stations store their gas in tanks beneath the ground, which is why you might see a tanker emptying its contents into the ground at the filling station. These underground tanks are insulated from temperatures swings, so you aren't likely to receive any more gas by filling up in the morning than you will when filling up at night.

* An old vehicle is destined to be less fuel efficient. Any product that is allowed to fall into disrepair will prove less efficient than products that are well maintained, and cars are no exception. A poorly maintained car will not operate at peak fuel efficiency because it's likely being forced to work harder to get down the street than it would if it was well kept. But a well-maintained vehicle should not grow less fuel efficient over time.

* Shifting into neutral while stopping saves gas. This is another misconception that was once true but  no longer applies thanks to advances in technology. When engines still had carburetors, shifting into neutral might have helped conserve fuel by stopping the flow of gas into the engine while the car was idling. However, fuel injection systems are now computerized and capable of sensing when an engine is revving above idle. This shuts off the fuel injectors preventing gas from being injected into the engine and preventing gas from being wasted while the vehicle is stopped as a result.

Taking steps to conserve fuel is a good way for drivers to save money and benefit the environment. However, some of the conventional means to conserving fuel are no longer viable.