Archive for the ‘Vehicle Awards’ Category

The month of May means that graduation is around the corner, and many teens are patiently awaiting the gift of a new car as they head for college or full-time work. For those who are lucky enough to receive such a token, vehicle style and aesthetic appeal may not strike parents the same way it does teens.

As your loved one accelerates off into the distance, safety and reliability are elements that carry more weight during the car shopping process. Furthermore, because teens are more inexperienced and have a higher tendency to “panic steer,” features like electronic stability control are very important.

Size Up the Competition

When considering the size of a new car for your teen, bigger isn’t necessarily better. Some experts suggest avoiding trucks and large SUVs as these massive machines tend to have clumsy handling, poor fuel economy and oftentimes, a high center of gravity, making them more prone to roll-over accidents.

On the other hand, those sweet little sports cars that may look cool in the movies or in street races, obviously aren’t the best option either. These rapid rides have a higher rate of accidents than any other type of car, with high insurance rates to match. Small, sporty cars may also tempt drivers to drive fast, which is extremely dangerous.  There are many vehicles out there that represent the “middle ground,” possessing top-of-the-line safety features.

More recent models of SUVs and crossover vehicles , have higher safety ratings, as they are being designed with more steering control and have become less top-heavy. Cars like Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV 4 and the Honda Pilot are rated as some of the safest vehicles for teen drivers by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and also based on quality and reliability scores from Consumer Reports.

New or Used?

Most parents don’t even consider a brand new car for their teen.  Possible dents, scratches and high insurance premiums are factors that generally deter parents from picking a new car off the lot. Remember that pre-owned cars can be just as reliable as new cars. Some of the top-rated mid-size sedans for teen drivers include the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Ford Fusion. These three models scored highest on their ability to protect the driver and front passenger in front and side-impact collisions, according to NHTSA.

Though a dent might appear here and there on the car, you can be sure one won’t appear in your wallet. Most gently used and pre-owned vehicles listed above can be purchased for less than $20,000. Though the safety and well-being of your teen is priceless, you don’t have to burden your finances for a car they can rely on.

Visit Performance Auto Group to browse our online inventory, or stop by any one of our locations to test drive a vehicle with your teen.  We also ask that you check out the C.A.R. Alliance for Safer Teen Driving website, and change your message to eliminate distracted driving and keep you teens safe on the road.

When you’re looking for a new vehicle, chances are you’re looking for the best value for your money. IntelliChoice has made finding the best value vehicles easy with their 2011 Best Overall Value of the Year awards.

This year Toyota came out on top, winning seven IntelliChoice Best Overall Value of the Year awards and winning an additional four awards with their luxury brand, Lexus. These vehicles were chosen based on the cost of ownership over five years. Included in this five-year cost factor was:

• Retail price
• Depreciation
• Maintenance and repairs
• Fuel
• Financing
• Insurance

Toyota vehicles excelled with top retail values and many came out on top because of low fuel and insurance costs. Toyota’s top seven vehicles include:

• Passenger Car: Toyota Prius, with a five-year cost $4,565 below average
• Premium Passenger Car: Toyota Avalon, with a five-year cost $3,843 below average
• Compact Crossover/Wagon: Toyota RAV4 four-cylinder, with a five-year cost $3,148 below average
• Minivan: Toyota Sienna, with a five-year cost $4,675 below average
• SUV: Toyota 4Runner, with a five-year cost $4,020 below average
• Compact Pickup: Toyota Tacoma, with a five-year cost $4,560 below average
• Full-Size Pickup: Toyota Tundra, with a five-year cost $3,844 below average

Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, also came out on top with great resale values and low repair costs. Lexus’ top four vehicles included:

• Lexus GX 460, Premium Full-Size SUV
• Lexus RX 350, Premium Crossover/Wagon
• Lexus IS 250, Premium Compact Passenger Car
• Lexus IS 250C, Premium Convertible

If you’re ready to get the most value for your money with a new vehicle, come check out our lineup of Toyota and Lexus vehicles today!

Tight budgets, lay-offs and other financial factors are making it more important than ever for drivers to get the most bang for their buck when choosing a new vehicle. But which automaker offers the best value? Consumer Reports recently answered that question with their 2011 Automakers Report Card, where Honda came out on top.

Data on 270 vehicles from 13 auto manufacturers was collected and analyzed to give all 13 automakers a rating of Better than Average, Average or Worse than Average. With a rating of Better than Average and an overall score of 74, Honda finished first on the Best Value list. Every vehicle was put through more than 50 tests, and overall value scores were based on on-road performance, reliability and fuel economy.

In addition to topping the Best Overall Value list, Honda also came out on top amongst small cars with the best overall value with the 2011 Honda Fit. Scores in this category were based on the five-year owner cost, Consumer Report’s road-test scores and the publication’s own predicted reliability. Predicted reliability is based on subscriber surveys while five-year owner costs are calculated based on:

• Depreciation
• Fuel costs
• Insurance premiums
• Interest on financing
• Maintenance and repairs
• Sales tax

On top of the excellent value it offers, the 2011 Honda Fit also gives drivers excellent performance reliability with the its many features:

• $15,100 starting price
• 27 city/33 highway miles per gallon
• 1.5-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine
• 106 pound-feet torque
• 117 horsepower

Check out a Honda Fit or any of Honda’s other performance-driven vehicles today and get the most bang for your buck!

If you’ve ever wondered which vehicles are truly the greenest, you don’t need to wonder anymore. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy recently released their list of the 12 greenest vehicles of the model year with seven of our Performance Auto vehicles topping the list.

Among the greenest vehicles on the list are:

Honda Civic GX, starting at $25,490

Available in Nebraska by the end of 2012, the partial zero-emission Honda Civic GX is powered by compressed natural gas and includes:

• 24 city/36 highway miles per gallon
• 113 horsepower
• 1.8-liter 16-valve SOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine
• Five-speed automatic transmission

 

 

Smart Fortwo, starting at $11,990

The ultra-low emission Smart ForTwo features:

• 33 city/41 highway miles per gallon
• Five-speed automated manual transmission
• Water soluble paints on the entire body
• Fully-recyclable body panels

Toyota Prius, starting at $23,050

Known for its performance-driven hybrid capabilities, the Toyota Prius offers drivers:

• 51 city/48 highway miles per gallon
• Sealed nickel-metal hydride battery
• Easy to use hybrid system

Honda Civic Hybrid, starting at $23,950

The partial zero-emission Honda Civic Hybrid includes:

• 40 city/43 highway miles per gallon
• 1.3-liter 8-valve 4-cylinder gas engine and high-output electric motor
• Integrated motor assist system

Honda Insight, starting at $18,200

Aimed at helping drivers improve their driving habits to improve fuel efficiency, the Honda Insight offers:

• Combined 43 miles per gallon
• Continuously variable transmission
• 1.3-liter 8-valve iVTEC 4-cylinder engine
• DC-brushless electric motor
• Green ECON button that regulates certain vehicle functions to maximize fuel economy

Ford Fiesta, starting at $15,120

A fun-to drive, fuel-efficient car, the Ford Fiesta includes:

• 29 city/40 highway miles per gallon
• 1.6-liter, 16-valve Duratec I4 engine
• Rapid-fire shifting
• Aerodynamic details to improve fuel efficiency

Toyota Yaris, starting at $12,995

Designed to offer even more people the opportunity to own a hybrid, the Toyota Yaris offers:

• 29 city/36 highway miles per gallon
• 1.5 liter DOHC 16-valve engine with variable valve timing
• 106 horsepower

These green vehicles were chosen based on their total emissions, not just what’s coming out of the tailpipe. These emissions include how electricity for plug-in vehicles is created and what materials are used in the hybrid batteries.

All of these performance-driven vehicles get you where you need to go while helping you reduce your impact on the environment. Are you ready to go green?

At the North American Auto Show in Detroit, the 2011 Ford Explorer was named the North American Truck of the Year.  The award, decided by 49 veteran automotive journalists, recognized vehicles based on innovations, safety, handling, driver satisfaction, design and value.  This is Ford’s seventh win of the title, with previous winners included the Ford Transit Connect, the Ford F-150, and the Ford Escape Hybrid.

“It’s a proud moment for Ford, our employees and our customers to have Explorer named North American truck of the Year, “ said Mark Fields, Ford President of the Americas.  “Winning this honor for the third consecutive year confirms our One Ford plan is working to deliver vehicles people truly want and value, with industry-leading quality, fuel efficiency, safety and smart technology.”

Fuel efficiency is definitely one of the Explorer’s strong points, as it is America’s most fuel efficient full-size SUV.  The standard V6 engine gets an EPA estimated 17 mpg in the city, and 25 mpg for highway driving.  The aerodynamic shape, not only stylish, contributes to the impressive fuel economy.  While the standard engine gets great gas mileage, there are plans for an even more efficient engine for the Ford Explorer.  Ford is preparing to make a 2.0-Liter Ecoboost I-4 engine available later this year.

In addition to fuel efficiency, here are some great features you can find in the 2011 Ford Explorer:

• 5000-lb. towing capability
• Industry-exclusive second row inflatable seat belts
• Intelligent 4WD with Advanced Terrain Management System
• Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT)
• 6-Speed automatic transmission
• Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS)
• Aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off

Built at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant, it’s only fitting that the North American Truck of the Year is American-made through and through.  Visit our new Baxter Ford location to see this amazing vehicle and other Ford trucks for yourself!