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IIHS Recommends Seven Used Volkswagens for Teen Drivers

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently named many Volkswagen models on their list of best cars for teen drivers. For the 2018 list, there are seven used Volkswagens for teen drivers. This guide is a fabulous resource for families as they evaluate safety and price. IIHS broke down the list to include many different classes of vehicles.

Volkswagens for teen drivers
Volkswagen

Top Volkswagens for Teen Drivers

The Best Choice on the list included the 2013 or newer Passat and the 2015 or newer Jetta. Both of these earned good ratings for moderate overlap side, front, roof strength plus head restraint. They also received good and acceptable scores for the driver-side overlap test.

The Good Choices on the list included a 2009-2012 Passat wagon or sedan, the 2009-2014 Jetta wagon or sedan, the 2009 or newer CC, the 2009 or newer Tiguan and the 2012 Routan. These all earned good ratings for moderate overlap side, front, roof strength plus head restraint.

On the list, you’ll also find the prices which were provided by KBB. The values shown include the price for the lowest trim models at the earliest year. Basically, it’s the lowest price you’ll find a used vehicle for based on private-party condition.

Teen Driving Considerations

When the IIHS set out to pick the best Volkswagens for teen drivers, they looked at numerous aspects. Whether you choose something from this list or do your own research, it’s important to evaluate these considerations as well.

  1. Avoid anything with high horsepower. Teens don’t have the same restraint as adults and often push the limits.
  2. A heavier, bigger vehicle is often safer. They tend to protect life better during a crash. That’s why you don’t see any small or minicars on the list. The reason you see smaller SUVs on the list is that they have similar weight to a midsize vehicle.
  3. You want a car that features ESC. Electronic stability control helps the teen to maintain control of their vehicle while driving on slippery or curvy roads. It’s been compared to the safety equivalent of seat belts.
  4. You want a vehicle that features the best safety rating you can find. The minimum you should consider would be something with good ratings.

After looking over the IIHS’s list, are you more likely to test drive Volkswagens for teen drivers, or do you have something else in mind?

Jeep Wrangler Named 4×4/SUV of the Year for the Ninth Consecutive Year at SEMA

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If you’ve followed SEMA for any amount of time, you know there’s one thing to be sure of every year – that the Jeep Wrangler will win the 4×4/SUV of the Year Award. Just as predicted, it has won for the ninth consecutive year yet again. In fact, it is the only vehicle to ever win the 4×4/SUV of the Year since SEMA Awards started in 2010.

2019 Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon

4×4/SUV of the Year

At the Las Vegas Convention Center this past October 29th, Jeep celebrated their ninth win for the 4×4/SUV of the Year. The Wrangler remains the sole vehicle to earn this trophy since the SEMA Awards began in 2010. The show exhibitors voted it as the most accessory-friendly in its class.

The Wrangler continues to lead the world in customization since Mopar released more than 200 Performance Parts and Accessories last year. Whether a customer wants a superior off-road vehicle or just a stunning 4×4, they can make it happen with the Jeep Wrangler. With all the possible customizations, it’s easy for drivers to get precisely what they want.

Mopar Exhibits

This is also the second year in a row that the Ram 1500 pickup truck received recognition as a finalist for the “Truck of the Year.” On top of that, the Dodge Challenger earned a finalist spot in the “Car of the Year.”

Mopar maintained a display measuring 15,345-square-feet during the show. Among their vehicles, they showcased four Jeeps fully customized, two Ram 1500 trucks modified with Mopar parts, and a street-legal Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320. The Challenger comes equipped with a 392 HEMI V8 engine. If that’s not enough excitement, they also highlighted the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak driven by Leah Pritchett during the 2018 NHRA Factory Stock Showdown World Championship.

There were many highlights and new debuts that occurred during the SEMA show. Make sure you check out our 2018 SEMA Highlights for more great car news.

Is Ford Building a 4-Door Mustang?

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Originally, we were told that Ford was leaving the sedan business altogether, but recent news might suggest otherwise. There have been many rumors circulating that Ford might backpedal slightly on their “no car” rule. This time the news comes from Mustang6G who Ford executives were recently redesigning the word “sedan” and teasing with a 4-door Mustang.

Mustang Sedan - left side view
Mustang6G

Will There Be a 4-Door Mustang?

At first, Ford claimed there would be no more sedans produced. We dealt with that and understood. Then, we were told that there was going to be an exception made to continue producing the Ford Focus. They claimed it would have more of a crossover design, so therefore it wasn’t a sedan anymore. We get it; if you squint hard enough a sedan can look like a crossover – good plan.

Now we hear that they might not leave sedans entirely after all. Instead, they are flirting with the idea of producing a 4-door Mustang. Executives want to produce the 4-door Mustang to compete with the Audi A7 and Porsche Panamera.

If they move forward with their plan, the Mustang would feature the same 5.2-liter V8 engine that’s found in the GT. They would have to step up their game slightly because the Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo (say that five times fast) has a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 550 horsepower. Considering the 5.2-liter V8 already produces 526 horsepower, some turbocharging should be all it needs to take on the Panamera.

In Reality

We don’t know anything yet; everything is pure speculation at this point. While we wait, we expect some word soon that Ford changed their mind about getting rid of the cars. Maybe they didn’t receive the overwhelming response to that news like they expected.

While we’re discussing the Mustang, did you check out the Ford Mustang Series 1 at SEMA? It’s pretty hot

EV Popularity by State – New Study

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If you ask anyone which state loves electric vehicles the most, they’ll probably respond with California. Even I thought it had to be this west-coast state. But just like you, I was proved wrong by a recent study from YourMechanic. It might surprise you to know that the top EV popularity by state goes to Oklahoma! That’s right – Oklahoma.

Tesla Model S - right side view
Tesla

A Look at EV Popularity by State

To conclude that Oklahoma was the winner, YourMechanic analyzed the charging costs, sales figures, amount of charging stations and EV market share per state. The final determination concluded which states were more accepting of EVs and how convenient it is to drive in that particular state.

Electric vehicles sales in Oklahoma are up over 167%, which helped them to clinch the title. My home state of Texas didn’t fare so well. If you’re curious where California ended up, prepare for another shocker. They were in 27th place.

In all fairness, many people in California already have an electric vehicle, so there’s probably no one else to sell to.

EV popularity by state
YourMechanic

Saving Fuel

If you want to save some money filling up your tank, they’ve evaluated your savings as well. The top state for savings would be Louisiana. Of course, Hawaii came in last place because electricity is expensive there even though they could use solar panels more.

Actually, Vermont listed as the highest for the largest number of charging stations per people. There’s a total of 165 which means one for every 3,780 residents. Want to know who has the least – Alaska. In fact, they only have nine charging stations. Pretty pathetic.

In all fairness, we don’t think electric vehicles fare well in Alaska anyway. The extreme cold drains batteries and there isn’t enough infrastructure to support EVs.

Bottom Line

If you live in Oklahoma, you can be proud to win EV popularity by state. As the wind sweeps across the plains, you can expect to see more EVs on the road in your state every day.

Introducing the New 2019 BMW X7 SUV

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BMW is on a mission to please all consumers. That’s why they’ve been working hard on building an entire lineup that suits every person’s personality and lifestyle. With the popularity of SUVs, it makes sense that they would release the X7. Even CBS says that SUVs make up almost half of new car sales. This three-row beast opens a new chapter for the German automaker so they can get in on the action as well. Let’s take a closer look at the brand-new 2019 BMW X7 SUV.

2019 BMW X7 - left side view
BMW

The All-New 2019 BMW X7

The 2019 BMW X7 relates to all the rest of their SUV lineup, but it takes things up a notch. First, it features a dual-axle air suspension system that allows for superior ride comfort and selectable ride height. In addition, the X7 comes standard with Dynamic Damper Control which offers the ability to cover up any rolling feeling when the roads get unkind.

While this SUV doesn’t resemble anything close to an M3, it sure does offer the illusion of the same performance. There are two engine options available to drivers. The turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six provides 335 horsepower plus 330 pound-feet of torque. There’s also a twin-turbocharged V8 engine that delivers 456 horsepower plus 479 pound-feet of torque. The X7 equipped with a V8 engine hits 60 mph in 5.2 seconds; not too shabby for an SUV. Then, when you’re in a hurry to get the kids to soccer practice, you’ll come to love the quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission that’s paired with it.

Comfortable Ride

It’s true that your kids likely won’t care about how fast it moves, but they’ll be big fans of the comfort inside. The X7 features lots of luxury, especially in the rear seats. You can opt for captain’s chairs in the back if you wish. While this reduces how many people can come aboard, it does offer some additional seclusion and comfort. If you want a more spacious feeling, make sure you also upgrade to the full panoramic roof panel as well.

The starting price of the 2019 BMW X7 is $73,900. This comes equipped with the six-cylinder engine and some standard features. From there, you can add on your special features such as the full suite of safety technology and laser headlights. If you prefer the V8, prepare to put out a minimum of $92,600. While this might seem a little steep for a family SUV, we expect the X7 to roll out of dealerships at record speed.

We’ll have to wait and see if the 2019 BMW X7 SUV comes equipped with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.

2018 SEMA Highlights: The Best Cars Worth Noticing

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The 2018 SEMA show is underway in Las Vegas, and many performance cars have shown up. All the reputable aftermarket companies are on-site to show off their parts. It’s also the place where many automakers exhibit their own upgrades and aftermarket options. It takes a lot to get noticed during the event, so exhibits need to stand out. For those of you that aren’t able to attend this year, we’re bringing the 2018 SEMA Highlights to you.

2018 SEMA highlights
Power & Performance Magazine

Ford Mustang Series 1

When you go to SEMA, you expect to see plenty of modified Mustangs. The official Ford show car was created this year by RTR Vehicles. Their Mustang Series 1 features a Gurney flap-style spoiler, 19-inch wheels, side skirts, front splitter, and the RTR grille with LED lights. Expect to see 500 units of the Mustang Series 1 produced.

Audi RS5-R and SQ5 Widebody

Audi RS5-R and SQ5 Widebody
Motor1

You won’t just see American companies at SEMA. Abt, a German tuner is also on-site with two of their cars. You can see the Audi RS5-R on display with 503 horsepower, 21-inch wheels, and a carbon-fiber tipped exhaust. They also have an SQ5 Widebody which has 22-inch wheels, wide arches, and an aero kit.

Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

Dodge Challenger SRT Demon - driver side front view
TheDrive

As if the Challenger wasn’t exciting enough, Speedkore took the vehicle and bumped it up a notch. The SRT Demon on display features 1200 horsepower, which is mind-blowing in itself. All of the exterior bodywork was replaced with carbon fiber panels and then they also swapped out the supercharger for two turbochargers instead. This makes the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye look like your typical Sunday afternoon driver.

Ford F-150

Ford F-150 Hoonitruck - front view
Motor1

While there are tons of pickup trucks at SEMA, the Hoonitruck Ford F-150 takes the cake. The F-150 receives its power from the same V6 engine as the Ford GT Superformance, except it produces 914 horsepower instead of 647. Expect to see it in Ken Block’s Gymkhana films.

Custom Lexus

Lexus RC 350 F Sport - right front view
Tech A Peek

Lexus is also on-site with some customizations. They brought the RC 350 F Sport Cross Country which sits lower than normal. They also included geometric Y-spoke wheels and Nitto performance tires. Lexus also showcased the LS, a big sedan, but gave it a menacing look with the additional bodywork, satin black wheels, and grey paint job.

Ford GT

2019 Ford GT Carbon Series - passenger side view
Motor Trend

Sema is also the platform for Ford to showcase their GT Carbon Edition. It’s a limited-edition and much lighter than the original, thanks to the carbon fiber parts and wheels.

2018 SEMA Highlights

Of course, our 2018 SEMA highlights don’t offer nearly enough of the excitement. This is one show you have to attend for yourself to fully grasp the gravity of amazing vehicles on display.

Honda Civic Type R is Best in Class

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It’s no surprise to anyone that the Honda Civic Type R is a special breed of automobile, but what many people don’t know is that the engine makes it the best in its class.

Honda Civic Type R
Honda

Honda Civic Type R Blows Away Competition

Remember when the Honda Civic Type R lapped Nurburgring before any other front-wheel drive? What many people didn’t know was why the Civic performed better than other vehicles. To further explain it, we have to look deeper inside the engineering of this beast.

Tests were performed by Motor Trend between the Honda Civic Type R and a Subaru WRX STI, VW Golf R, plus the Ford Focus RS. In every category they were tested in, the Type R blew away the other competitors.

In the quarter-mile testing, the Focus RS hit 101.2 mph while the Type R hit 105.9 mph. It was also the fastest car to hit 70 mph. It only took 6.6 seconds, but the Focus came in second with 6.7 seconds.

The Type R also won the fastest car to 100 mph (in just 12.2 seconds), the shortest braking distance (only 99-feet from 60 mph), and then went on to tie with the Focus for most lateral Gs.

The best part was the track time. The Civic posted 1:25.45. In the second place, the RS timed in at 1:26.56. Following that, the STI hit 1:27.56 and the Golf finished out the group at 1:27.90

Other Tests

There were two areas that the Civic didn’t perform as well. The first was in the zero to sixty test. The Focus hit 60 mph in 4.7 seconds while the Type R didn’t reach it until 5.0 seconds.

The second area where it didn’t beat the competitors was during the quarter-mile race. Here again, the Focus RS hit 13.5 seconds while the Type R didn’t finish for 13.7 seconds.

Better News

The best news is that the Honda Civic Type R is cheaper than any of the cars tested. It starts at just $34,990 and has a combined fuel mileage of 25 mpg. It’s also the best in relation to maintenance as it doesn’t need anything but filters and fluids until it hits 100,000 miles.

Ford Focus Hatchback Recall Due to Stalling Issue

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Just last week, Ford announced a new recall that included 1.5 million Focus hatchbacks. The problem causes the car to stall and not restart. This Ford Focus hatchback recall is the second for the company in October.

Ford Focus hatchback recallWhat Vehicles are Included in the Ford Focus Hatchback Recall?

In North America, there are almost 1.5 million vehicles involved. 1,282,696 of these cars are located in the United States with another 136,000 in Canada and 44,000 in Mexico. The Ford Focus hatchback recall involves 2012-2018 vehicles that feature a 2.0-liter direct injection engine (either gasoline or diesel).

What’s the Problem?

The Ford Focus hatchback recall stems back to the car’s fuel evaporative system. The charcoal canister’s purge valve might stick open. This allows a vacuum to build up in the fuel tank. If enough builds up, the tank might shrink and deform. This causes inaccurate fuel readings as well.

On top of that, Ford stated that the car’s malfunction indicator light might activate as well. If there’s an excess of vacuum in the fuel tank, this might wear out the fuel pump sooner. If the situation isn’t resolved, low fuel pressure will continue.

What are the Next Steps?

Ford isn’t aware of any injuries, crashes or fires at this point. Until they can resolve the issue, they recommend keeping a half-full tank of gasoline. Recalls are repaired free of charge and it will include a software update to prevent pressure buildup. The dealer will also replace any damaged components caused by the recall.

If you didn’t receive a notification, but want to check your vehicle, you can do that at the NHTSA website. Simply enter your VIN number to see if you need repair. You also could reach out to your local dealership to see if you need to bring your car in. They will also run your VIN number for information.

What do you think of this latest recall? It’s not the largest Ford recall in history which is a plus.

Introducing BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant

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BMW just announced the introduction of their new BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. This futuristic AI technology will continue to increase the driving experience of BMW cars everywhere. The personal assistant is always listening and responding to “Hey BMW.” Because of this, it can help the driver in various ways. It can control vehicle settings including entertainment and navigation, explain vehicle functions and even have conversations.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant
BMW

Personalizing Your Driving Experience

With the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant on board, it will start to learn your personal preferences over time. It has the intelligence to teach itself settings like heated seat temperatures, frequent destinations and more. You can even go as far as naming your assistant to add more personality and character.

The BMW Personal Assistant will become familiar with vehicle functions and will operate them with certain commands. Just say “Hey BMW, I’m hot” and the BMW In-Car Intelligent Personal Assistant will turn down the heat! The assistant only gets better as it learns more of your favorite settings and preferences. With each command or question asked the personal assistant continues to improve.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant

With the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, you never have to worry about fumbling through your owner’s manual anymore. It is able to explain and answer questions about your car and provide up to date status information. Need to know how to work the automatic high beams or if the oil level is full? Just ask your BMW professional assistance that is always on-board with you. It will also alert you to situations happening like low tire pressure or upcoming service appointments.

Navigation Made Simple

The BMW Personal Assistant is the perfect companion to have with you for your everyday commute. It makes navigation simpler than ever by accessing your online calendar and contacts. Without ever taking your hands off the wheel your personal assistant will remind you when it’s time to leave for an appointment. It also provides you with up to date information on traffic and places to park.

Early 2019 Arrival

The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant will start being installed as early as March 2019. The basic version will be available in 23 different languages. Furthermore, it will feature more natural voice control plus more functions such as weather, music, location searches, and more. The assistant will be offered in models featuring the BMW iDrive 7.0 and with the Live Cockpit Professional.

Does this incline you to buy a 2019 BMW 3-Series?

Robert Herjavec’s LaFerrari Wrecked in Beverly Hills

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Being rich and famous doesn’t make you immune from nasty crashes. Rumor has it that Robert Herjavec’s LaFerrari suffered damage last weekend in Beverly Hills. While the photo from the Beverley Hills police department doesn’t mention Herjavec by name, it does show a picture of the carnage left behind.

Robert Herjavec's LaFerrariRobert Herjavec’s LaFerrari

Among Robert Herjavec’s LaFerrari, this Shark Tank judge has several other prized cars in his arsenal. Some of his favorites are the 1958 Porsche 356, 2011 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe and a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. With such an extensive car collection, we have to wonder if this loss will affect him at all.

While the facts aren’t entirely clear at this point, it appears Herjavec was driving his LaFerrari around Beverly Hills last Saturday morning. Everything was going fine until he lost control of the hypercar.

Witnesses said that the LaFerrari was speeding when it hit a tree located along the side of the road. They also claim that a female passenger was ejected from the car because she wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. That contradicts what the police reported. The Beverly Hills police department confirms that there were no injuries. We would have to believe if someone had been ejected from a LaFerrari while traveling at high speeds, there would have been at least one injury.

Damage to the LaFerrari

As you can see by the photograph, the front of this hypercar received extensive damage. Even the front left wheel came straight off the arch. There’s no hope for the front bumper as well. At this time, it’s unclear whether the car is a complete loss or can be fixed.

It’s important to keep in mind that we don’t have enough information to confirm this was Robert Herjavec’s LaFerrari, but that’s what initial reports indicate. Thankfully, no one was injured in the crash, especially since he is now the father of six-month-old twins.

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