smarter traveling, driving and spending
Santa is going high tech. He’s replacing Rudolf, the reindeer and the sleigh with a modern vehicle to deliver all those toys, games and electronics to boys and girls of all ages everywhere. But Santa can’t decide what vehicle to buy, rent or lease. What should Santa drive on Christmas Eve 2012 to replace his
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There are nearly 50 world or North American debuts of new cars at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. More than half are fuel efficient, eco-friendly green cars. It’s tough to choose the most important new car, but my vote goes to the BMW i8 Spyder Concept electric — pictured here — and the Volvo
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Honda has sold more than one million hybrid vehicles in the 12 years since it released the first generation Honda Insight Hybrid in Japan in 1999. It was the most fuel efficient car on the road at the time, with a fuel economy rating of 35km/liter — the equivalent of approx 80 miles per gallon
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Young people committed to making a difference in the world can win educational grants and scholarships in the sixth annual Lexus Eco Challenge, which has a total of $500,000 to give away. The program already has inspired and empowered more than 22,000 middle and high school students to learn about the environment and take action
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The North American International Auto Show — better known as the Detroit Auto Show — is underway now, with more new model introductions, including concept vehicles, than the public has seen in years. The auto industry is bouncing back, but even so, not everything is a hit. There are some misses. Here’s what the industry
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The upcoming 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show is the biggest in years, with more than 50 North American and world debuts of new cars, SUVs and trucks. The intros show that the auto industry continues to be a surprise bright spot in the overall economy. Green cars, including electric cars, diesel cars and extended range
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Price, fuel efficiency, US government safety ratings, depreciation and residual value, and warranty coverage all determine whether a vehicle is a good buy. NADA Guides, a top provider of vehicle information and pricing, scores hundreds of vehicles each model year to determine the Best Car Buys. Here’s the 2011 list for the most popular car
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California B&Bs have gone green with a variety of innovative and eco-friendly practices, including using solar power and geothermal energy systems to reduce electric costs, and providing electric car charging stations for guests arriving in plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf and Mini E. In Santa Cruz, The
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The all-new 2011 Kia Optima has been collecting notable awards that would be impressive even for a sedan that costs a good bit more than this class-leading, family friendly, fuel efficient sedan with a starting price of $18,995. Most important for my money is that the 2011 Kia Optima is the first Korean-built vehicle to
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For the eleventh year in a row, Honda is the most green, most fuel efficient car company in the world. That’s the word from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), which rates five Honda models as among the “greenest vehicles of 2011” . The greenest, most fuel efficient of them all is the
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