Archive for the ‘Thinking Green’ Category

CNN Money recently released a list of SUVs that don’t guzzle gas. Performance Auto SUVs that made the list include: Ford Escape Hybrid, Ford Flex, Lexus RX450h and Toyota Highlander Hybrid. All of these SUVs offer you excellent performance and the mileage you desire with today’s climbing gas prices.

Ford Escape Hybrid, starting at $21,215

• 34 city/31 highway miles per gallon
• 2.5-liter 4-cylinder hybrid engine
• Small hybrid crossover SUV
• Traction control
• Stability control

Ford Flex, starting at $29,200

• 17 city/24 highway miles per gallon
• 3.5-liter V6 engine
• Plenty of interior space for passengers and cargo
• Third row seats

Lexus RX450h, starting at $43,935

• 32 city/38 highway miles per gallon
• 3.5-liter V6 hybrid engine
• Luxury hybrid SUV
• Continuously variable transmission

Toyota Highlander Hybrid, starting at $37,490

• 28 city/28 highway miles per gallon
• 3.5-liter V6 hybrid engine
• 280 horsepower
• Available third row seating

All of the above SUVs have the ability to get you where you need to go with more room and more cargo, all while saving you big bucks at the gas station.  If you’re ready to start saving money without sacrificing vehicle size and space, check out our lineup of fuel-efficient SUVs at www.PerformanceAuto.com today.

Saving money while going green just got a little easier with the recent release of Forbes’ Best Green Cars for the Buck list. We make your going green efforts even easier by offering four of these great value green vehicles at your favorite Performance Auto dealerships.

The Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Volkswagen Golf TDI all made the Best Green Cars for the Buck list based on their total cost of ownership over five years. The total cost of ownership was determined based on the following factors:

• Manufacturer suggested retail price
• Depreciation
• Taxes and fees
• Fuel costs
• Insurance
• Interest
• Maintenance and repairs

Toyota Prius:

The Toyota Prius hybrid sedan, which starts at $26,850, offers drivers:

• 51 city/48 highway miles per gallon
• $36,564 total cost of ownership over five years*

Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

The hybrid model of the popular Toyota Highlander starts at $37,490 and features:

• 28 city/28 highway miles per gallon
• Low fuel costs compared to other SUVs on the market
• $46,541 total cost of ownership over five years*

Mercedes-Benz M-Class:

Starting at $55,790 this premium hybrid SUV offers:

• 21 city/24 highway miles per gallon
• $65,499 total cost of ownership over five years*

Volkswagen Golf TDI:

With a starting price of $24,535, the VW Golf TDI features:

• 30 city/41 highway miles per gallon
• Clean diesel technology
• 36,224 total cost of ownership over five years*

If you’re ready to save money and go green at the same time, check out our lineup of green vehicles in person at your local Performance Auto dealership or online at www.PerformanceAuto.com!

*Data from www.Forbes.com

You probably know the fastest way to get to your favorite places, but do you know the most fuel-efficient way to get there? New GPS systems such as Ford Eco-Route and Garmin ecoRoute HD can help you.

Ford Eco-Route is part of MyFord Touch’s SD-card-based mapping system. It accesses real-time traffic information from Sirius and then plots the greenest route for you to take. Eco-Route also uses historic traffic data and speed limits to choose the routes that will give you the most consistent speeds and least amount of idling time.

Customizable bar charts give you the power to review your vehicle’s fuel economy and make driving adjustments with Ford Eco-Route, which can improve your fuel economy up to 15 percent. These bar charts show you real-time fuel economy and allow you to track your fuel economy over set periods of time.

Garmin ecoRoute HD, a software update for Garmin nüvi GPS systems, gives you real-time engine performance data to help you improve your driving habits to increase your gas mileage. This program gives you a fuel report that includes time and distance traveled, cost of fuel used and average fuel economy

A route cost feature is also included with Garmin ecoRoute HD. This feature lets you see your trip before it even begins. You can see distance, time and estimated fuel costs and plan your route accordingly.
You can improve your fuel economy even further if you follow the tips below:

• Slow down and watch your speed: Aiming for a constant speed gives you the best fuel economy.
• Accelerate and brake smoothly.
• Minimize your use of heat and air conditioning.
• Empty out your trunk: Hauling unneeded items weighs your vehicle down and decreases fuel economy.
• Check and maintain correct tire pressure.
• Keep regular vehicle-check appointments to make sure your vehicle is running correctly and efficiently.

Higher gas prices can take a toll on your wallet, but using one of these fuel-friendly GPS systems and following our fuel-saving tips can help you save your hard-earned money and make fewer trips to the gas station.

With more and more electric cars hitting the market, you may have wondered when Honda’s planning to release one. The answer: 2012.

Honda recently showed off the newest addition to their lineup, the Honda Fit EV, an all-electric plug-in version of their already popular Honda Fit. This is the latest technology in Honda’s goal of a complete lineup of zero emissions vehicles.

Equipped with a lithium-ion battery and coaxial electric motor, the Honda Fit EV is being designed to meet the needs of the average metropolitan commuter.  Room for five passengers and a driving range of 70 miles make the Fit EV comfortable and cost-efficient for city dwellers.

To make the driving experience more performance-driven and fun, the Honda Fit EV features an E-Drive system with three driving modes: Econ, Normal and Sport. These drive modes change the driving experience, maximize efficiency or improve acceleration based on which mode you choose.  The econ mode increases the driving range by 17 percent over normal mode and nearly 25 percent over sport mode.

Keeping up with the growing trend of smart phone apps for vehicles, the Honda Fit EV will have its own app for drivers. From this, drivers will be able to keep track of the state of charge, initiate charging and activate the air conditioning system while the Fit EV is still connected to the grid. Non-smart phone users can opt to use a special Honda remote or a personal computer application to keep an eye on their Fit EV.

Charging the Honda Fit EV can easily be done at a public charging station, from a 112- or 240-volt home outlet or using the Honda charging stand. A full charge will take less than 12 hours using a 120-volt outlet and less than six hours using a 240-volt outlet.

The ultra-green Honda Fit EV will be available at your Independence Honda dealer in 2012. Will you be ready to drive your own electric vehicle?

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?