Earth, Wind & Power Blogazine

Toytoa Camry Named 2012 International Sedan of the Year

2012 Toyota Camry Named International Sedan of the Year
- Most Dependable -
by Road & Travel Magazine

2012 Toyota Camry Road Test Review
by Martha Hindes

Solid and safe. Smooth and dependable. For years, Toyota's Camry has stroked those family sedan needs with loyal, uncompromising predictability. So what's changed? For starters, like the few-days-old year of 2012, a 2012 Toyota Camry has been born as a new, seventh generation model. And like some previously highly-acclaimed versions, it again has won the hearts and minds of reviewers. For 2012, it won top honors as the 2012 International Sedan of the Year (ICOTY) for Most Dependable. Not bad for a re-born, right?

The 2012 Toyota Camry is indeed most dependable. And we love the safety and reliability it exudes, which is the reason it won in its category. According to ICOTY founder Courtney Caldwell (and publisher of Road & Travel Magazine), winning 2012 Toyota Camry Wins International Sedan of the Year - Road & Travel Magazine the honor of most dependable vehicle of the year is one of the most important as it lets consumers know in a word that this is a vehicle they can trust and rely upon to get their loved ones to their destinations safety. After all, the purpose of the ICOTY awards is to honor the qualities of new vehicles that best reflect our emotional needs at a specific time in our lives and lifestyles. Full Story

Audi A7 Wins 2012 International Car of the Year

2012 Audi A7 Road Test Review
by Martha Hindes

Automotive prestige sometimes comes in surprising packages. A slim, coupe line that hides the reality this is really a sedan. The ability to change one's underlying driving experience with chameleon-like ease. A glaring set of unmistakably identifiable headlamp eyes that announce, in one's rear view mirror day or night, it's best to pull aside and let a "real" car go by. Put those together in the new Audi A7 along with a wealth of its other talents, and the result should be predictable. How could any other vehicle have earned top honors as International Car of the Year for 2012? It couldn't. And didn't.

The ICOTY honors, awarded each year to the most appealing auto on the planet, are sought out for their ability to identify that soul factor in vehicles that goes beyond the stuff of mechanicals and into the realm of desire. We're sure you know the synonyms: Being smitten, love at first sight, the kind of passion one would eagerly do penance for -- all those adjectives that make us glom onto something we idolize while remaining oblivious to what else is around.

Courtney Caldwell, who founded the International Car of the Year Awards (ICOTY) that honor the passion, presence and emotional punch that new vehicles can bring couldn't agree more. As the awards' executive producer and Road & Travel Magazine Publisher, she knows how such an emotional connection can win an unmatched sense of loyalty from consumers that few products can claim.

"The ICOTY Awards are not about power and performance, but rather about personality, passion and personal lifestyle," said Caldwell. "People develop a real emotional connection to their car for any number of reasons some of whom even consider it a member of their family," she muses.

Bridgestone, longtime lead sponsor and supporter of the ICOTY Awards, recognizes the consumer-product relationship as critical to vehicle success.

“Bridgestone is proud to support the ICOTY awards, and applauds the efforts of Audi that like our company demonstrates a strong commitment to innovative technology,” said Michael Martini, president, Consumer OE, Bridgestone Americas. “Through the combined efforts of everyone in the auto industry, and led by automakers like those being recognized in the 2012 International Car of the Year Awards, we will continue to meet and exceed the demands of the motoring public.” Full story

Range Rover Evoque Named 2012 International Truck of the Year

Range Rover Evoque Road Test Review

by Martha Hindes

Dwayne Duff said it best when he first got up close and personal with the 2012 Range Rover Evoque a few weeks ago. "Wow!" pretty much said it all. After examining the sweeping lines, the aggressive face, the black and red leather interior and handsome gauges, the Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan resident was well on the way to a decision. When he turns in his leased Cadillac SRX crossover next year, he'll be ready for Land Rover's dramatic new baby sport utility vehicle.

Duff's response to a first look at the Evoque in person, after scouring the internet for photos, wasn't unusual. As Road & Travel Magazine testers drove it around, we found it brought thumbs up gestures of approval, wide grins, women abandoning their shopping carts to get a closer look and even hoots of excitement. The Evoque isn't just another of those cookie cutter crossover vehicles. It's just smack down galvanizing.

If fact the impact of this feisty newcomer is such an undeniable "gotcha" that a dozen ICOTY jurors found it so irresistible they named it Road & Travel Magazine's "International Truck of the Year" for 2012. And Kim McCullough, who is Brand Vice President of Land Rover, understands why people can't resist this all new small SUV that launches from Land Rover's traditional enthusiast base. "The breakthrough design and confident handling are undeniable and have led to a new generation of modern-day Land Rover enthusiasts," said McCullough, adding the coveted award is "a great way for the Land Rover brand to start off the New Year."

Courtney Caldwell, who founded the International Car of the Year Awards (ICOTY) that honor the passion, presence and emotional punch that new vehicles can bring couldn't agree more. As the awards' executive producer and Road & Travel Magazine Publisher, she knows how such an emotional connection can win an unmatched sense of loyalty from consumers that few products can claim. Full Story

2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI Wins Earth, Wind & Power Car of the Year - Most Earth Friendly

by Martha Hindes With hybrid and electric autos taking the share of attention in America these days, is there room for a rebel with a cause? What about a family-sized sedan that takes a different direction from the crowd and plants its reputation solidly on the least popular auto technology, but one of the most promising to come down the interstate in a long time? What if it offered more interior room for five, at less or comparable cost, with higher mileage than its competitors down the block. That might sound like the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI turbo diesel. After a year on the sidelines, the front-drive Passat is making reappearance on the national scene for 2012 with a number of changes. A noticeable transition is its switch from more limited near-luxury level status to a mainstream, competitive cost, made-in-the U.S. participant. This isn't your mother's Passat of yesterday with a hint of snob appeal and exclusivity. This newest offering is meant more for the masses. And if Volkswagen got it right, not only will it put more Passats on the road but will help to bring diesel autos to the forefront. Diesel technology has been more rare in America than in other countries for a number of reasons. A major one is the thankfully faded memory of earlier diesel auto tailpipes that belched thick smoke while their engines grunted with the effort of climbing almost any hill. About five years ago industry regulators got serious and began phasing in mandated Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel with more stringent emissions standards that included scrubbing away those annoying bits of grit  diesels used to leave behind. Companies like VW, mostly the European brands, responded by bringing in engines that run clean and lean, while generally gaining higher mileage than their gas-fueled counterparts. While that might seem like a pretty strong claim, let’s compare some results. The often heavily tax incentivized hybrid cars that mate gasoline engines with battery-powered electric motors have reached the 40 mpg mark and in a few cases more, after years of costly development and continuing market hype. Electric only autos coming on scene require a place to plug in. But the TDI (for turbo diesel injected) version of Passat rips off a cool 31/43 miles to the gallon of diesel fuel with manual transmission, or a no-slouch 30/40 with automatic, all riding on a 2.0-liter, 140-horsepower inline four. The Selective Catalytic Reduction System ensures this earth friendly clean diesel vehicle meets the emissions requirements of all 50 states. Those are some of the reasons the Earth, Wind & Power award's jurors chose the Volkswagen Passat TDI as the 2012 Earth, Wind & Power Car of the Year for Most Earth Friendly. According to Courtney Caldwell, founder and director of the awards and publisher of Earth, Wind & Power Magazine, the award determined by a field of longtime, well-known auto journalists goes to the production vehicle that contributes most to eliminating pollution and protecting the environment while providing the most exciting, pleasurable and useful driving experience around.  “The 2012 VW Passat TDI beat out its competition by a landslide,” said Caldwell. "The vehicle not only is fuel efficient and eco-friendly, but its styling, performance, power and pricing leaves one feeling like they’re driving a high performance vehicle with no tell tale signs of lag or noise that other diesel engine vehicles tend to still leave behind." [Full story]

2012 Toyota Prius v Hatchback Hybrid Road Test

All-New 2012 Model Morphs to Hatchback By Bob Plunkett

It only takes the blink of an eye to observe that Toyota's new fourth-generation design for the 2012 Prius hybrid electric vehicle differs from the previous version -- it's larger in a streamlined package that fashions the hood and windshield into a racked-back plane which resembles a rakish two-door GT coupe while flanks reveal the four-door configuration of a practical sedan as the roofline hikes high toward the tail to accommodate a hatchback-style rear cargo door.

This new design earns an aerodynamic rating of merely 0.29 cD (coefficient of Drag), which makes the 2012 Prius one of the slickest set of wheels on the road.

It's still pegged in the mid-size class of sedans, but the wheelbase grows 3.1 inches longer and the overall tip-to-tail measurement increases by 6.1 inches to 181.7 inches.

The passenger compartment -- long and broad and tall, thanks to the mid-size front-wheel-drive platform with wheelbase drawn to 109.4 inches -- provides ample room for five passengers on comfortable seats with a pair of buckets in front of a bench for three and room at the rear for cargo due to the hatchback roofline.

Name badge of this version acquires the alphabet letter "v" tacked on -- Prius v -- with v denoting versatility with the hatchback design.

Then numerical figures follow the v on the nameplate to describe three trim grades:  Prius v Two, Prius v Three and Prius v Five. (There's no explaining the absence of Prius v One and Prius v Four editions.) Read full review here.

The Best Fuel Efficient Hybrids on the Road

Want to invest in a new, fuel-sipping car but don't know which to choose? Consumer Reports recent run-down of fuel efficient rides was overrun with hybrid vehicles, which typically provide better fuel economy than conventional cars, but often come along with a heftier pricetag. 

However, David Champion, Senior Director ofConsumer Reports Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Conn. points out that the timely fact that "as gas prices rise, the pay-back time gets shorter."

Which hybrids made it through the magazine's real-life-testing for performance, reliability and safety to be recommended as the best in their class? 

The Toyota Prius IV hybrid sedan, priced at $24,750 and offering 44 mpg, was ranked the "Best Family Car." Coming in at $32,575 and offering 26 mpg is the "Best Small SUV," the Ford Escape Hybrid, offering roomy comfort for the adventuresome set. Lastly, for luxe driving, the Lexus HS 250h hybrid garners 31 mpg and retails for $38,939.

Are these alternative engine options on your test-drive list? If not, which hybrid is your favorite and why? 

2011 Lexus CT 200h Road Test Review

 
by Martha Hindes                       

Talk about split personalities. Bordering on brash, yet still subdued, the new 2011 Lexus ct 200h lays claim to a pure, undefiled image while teasing the need for speed.  A five-door (sic hatchback) compact done in Lexus' new "L-finesse" design language, it's meant to add zip to the brand's longstanding understated luxury image. The result, a sleeker, more defined premium sporty car that's a fuel-miserly full hybrid to the core. Whether it contends with blast-your-socks-off driving is another story.

Our Lexus-sponsored test drive at Florida's Delray Beach had slow roads bordering the Atlantic Ocean and a way of life so relaxed a local cop rode (and fell from) a dual-tire Segway. Not exactly a place to mash an accelerator in an expected flat-out run challenge with the likes of Mazda, Audi or Volvo. We'll defer to specs for that. The 1.8-liter, 98-hp four cylinder engine and 80-hp, 60-kW electric motor can morph into sport mode when enthusiastic driving's a must, gas stingier EV, ECO or normal when it's not.

We found it eager to a point, supple and charismatic enough to add some buzz, and firmly comfortable. But we think promised driving thrills could benefit from additional oomph. It delivers about 42 guiltless combined MPG (probably not enough to legally drive some HOV lanes solo like its Toyota Prius cousin). Available Pre-Collision and Radar Cruise Control can boost standard safety features. Initial $29,995 pricing (add $8K fully loaded), shouldn't break an entry-level luxury bank -- especially with fewer fill-ups.

[Read Full Article] For more road test reviews from partner Road & Travel Magazine, click here. Also visit partner, Planet Driven.

All New for May 15, 2011 - 5 Frugal Tips for Living Green & Earth Friendly Oil Changes

 

All new for May 15, 2011 - Our new issue sets its sights on for green-minded travelers, how earth-friendly is your oil change, 5 frugal tips for living green, and how to plan an action adventure vacation while treading lightly on mother earth. Visit EWP's Partner Website - Road & Travel Magazine now!!!

Back Issues Available of EWP & RTM

 

Did you know that our partner Road & Travel Magazine has been publishing since 1989? Among the hundreds of issues and thousands of articles published many have been dedicated strictly to environmental topics. There, in RTM's back issue section, articles have been archived back as far as 2001. Please feel free to search our back issue archives to find additional resources and articles on earth-friendly topics.

Did you know that Road & Travel Magazine was the first publication to give an award for the most environmental friendly car of the year? In 1997, RTM produced and hosted an auto awards show in Detroit which honored the GM - EV1 as the vehicle that was 'Most Likely to Change the World.'

The Earth-Friendly Award continued for several years but sadly there were so few competitors back then that we discontinued the award until more automakers joined the party. By 2009, most car companies had introduced various forms of eco-friendly vehicles from hybrid to diesel to now electric. As a result of their progress, we launched the Earth, Wind & Power Awards, which are dedicated to clean car technology. Stay tuned as we continue to expand the EWP Awards down the road.

Also visit the RTM Blog!

Please feel free to share EWP and RTM content with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. We welcome and appreciate your support.

Planet Driven - Green Tips on Car Buying & Care

With so many choices in hybrid, diesel and electric vehicles today, making a decision on which one is best for you and your family is daunting at best. There are so many things to consider when making your transformation from a gas-powered world to a green-powered planet. You want to do the right thing. You want to buy the right products. And you're doing your best to recycle everything in sight. But what about all the things related to buying a new car, a more earth friendly used car, or even what oil is best for the planet? After all, these are not things you do everyday like recycling. They are purchases and choices and decisions that most people make only once or twice a year. So, let us help.

Road & Travel Magazine (RTM) is a website that is partnered with the Earth, Wind & Power Blog. The goal of the partnership is to share content with RTM's auto and travel environmental sections, one of which is Planet Driven, which offers dozens of earth friendly articles with tips and advice on all things automotive. So have a look and as always we welcome your comments, suggestions and support. Even guest bloggers!

Earth is our only home... so let's clean it up! Please share RTM and EWP content with your friends on Facebook and Twitter so that together we'll become an unstoppable force for good for a Planet Driven by our will to survive and thrive. [PLANET DRIVEN]