First Look: 2012 Toyota Tacoma

When the 2012 Toyota Tacoma unofficially made its debut just a few weeks ago, showing its new face and front end on the internet, readers on our sister site PickupTrucks.com responded loudly to the new styling. We expect to hear more, now that we’ve seen more.

The redesigned hood, grille and bumpers give the new Tacoma a more stylized "swooping" face, says Mark Williams at PickupTrucks.com. And when combined with the new headlights and housings, it’s clear that Toyota engineers are looking for a new look. (In fact, it wouldn’t surprise us a bit if this 2012 Tacoma is the test bed for a more expressive Tundra design language.) Pricing has not been announced yet, but don’t expect much change. Look for more information, details and driving impressions as we get closer to the new Tacoma’s production date.

First Look: 2012 Toyota Tacoma (PickupTrucks.com)

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Top 10 Cities With the Safest Drivers

For the second year in a row, Fort Collins, Colo., has earned the award for having the safest drivers, according to Allstate, the insurance company that published the study.

The report ranks America's 200 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency. Fort Collins’ mindful, attentive drivers experienced an auto collision every 14 years, according to Allstate. That’s 28.6% less than the national average of about 10 years. Other safest cities include Lincoln, Neb. (12.9 years), Knoxville, Tenn. (12.2 years), and Chattanooga, Tenn. (11.9 years).

Most of the safest cities are medium-sized metropolitan areas, so Allstate also compiled a list of the safest cities with populations of more than 1 million people. All the cities on that list are actually more likely to get into an accident than the national average, though Phoenix nearly meets the average. San Diego and San Antonio are the next safest big cities.

The city with the least safe drivers, according to the study? Washington, D.C., with drivers experiencing an auto collision every 4.8 years.

Continue reading below for each complete list.

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2012 BMW X5 Video

Last year the BMW X5 received some modest updates that included up to 4,000 new parts, BMW says. Since the exterior and interior look pretty much unchanged since the SUV debuted in late 2006, most of those changes are underneath the hood. The new turbocharged six-cylinder feels punchy, but the eight-speed automatic transmission bungles acceleration, Cars.com editor Kelsey Mays says. Overall the luxury SUV is aging gracefully despite some design quirks.

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Recall Alert: 2002-2005 BMW 3 Series

BMW is recalling about 241,000 2002-05 BMW 3 Series models over a problem with the taillamps, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Some trims of the 325i, 325xi, 330i and 330x — all built between Sept. 1, 2001, and March 1, 2005 — may have taillamps in which the lamp connector and housing unit can resist electrical inputs. If this happens, turning signals, braking and night illumination may be lost intermittently or permanently, and a motorist driving behind an affected vehicle may not be able to anticipate the driver’s intentions, increasing the risk of an accident.

BMW believes less than 20% of the near quarter-million vehicles affected by the recall actually have this problem, which develops over time and is affected by environmental factors. That means about 48,000 vehicles potentially need repairs.

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will repair the taillamps for free. The recall will begin in October. Owners can call BMW at 800-525-7417 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

This is the second BMW recall this week. On Wednesday, the 2009 BMW X5 was recalled for potential engine fires caused by a faulty fuel filter. 

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Recall Alert: 2002-2005 BMW 3-Series

BMW is recalling about 241,000 2002-05 BMW 3 Series models over a problem with the taillamps, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Some trims of the 325i, 325xi, 330i and 330x — all built between Sept. 1, 2001, and March 1, 2005 — may have taillamps in which the lamp connector and housing unit can resist electrical inputs. If this happens, turning signals, braking and night illumination may be lost intermittently or permanently, and a motorist driving behind an affected vehicle may not be able to anticipate the driver’s intentions, increasing the risk of an accident.

BMW believes less than 20% of the near quarter-million vehicles affected by the recall actually have this problem, which develops over time and is affected by environmental factors. That means about 48,000 vehicles potentially need repairs.

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will repair the taillamps for free. The recall will begin in October. Owners can call BMW at 800-525-7417 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

This is the second BMW recall this week. On Wednesday, the 2009 BMW X5 was recalled for potential engine fires caused by a faulty fuel filter. 

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Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: August 2011

August was another solid month of sales growth for many popular carmakers, but Toyota and Honda once again remained the exception.

General Motors (up 18%), Ford (up 11.2%), Nissan (up 19.2%) and Hyundai (up 9.1%) all recorded strong growth. Chrysler grew by 31%, which the automaker says is “well above the industry average.” Stable truck sales buoyed GM, Ford and Chrysler: The Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado are firmly the top-selling vehicles of the year thus far, and Ram sales have grown nearly 25% compared with 2010. 

The Chevrolet Cruze was the third-best-selling car of the month, and it was the best-selling compact car. It’s also GM’s best-selling car, beating the Chevy Malibu and Impala year-to-date.

Toyota and Honda were a different, yet familiar, story. Both companies saw double-digit declines compared with a year ago. Toyota was down 12.7% while Honda fell a whopping 24.6%.

Despite the slump, the Toyota Camry remained the top-selling car in August, with more than 30,000 of the family sedans reaching customers. The Honda Accord returned to the top 10 best-selling list, finishing in ninth place. The once-venerable nameplate was absent from the list in July.

Nissan says it was able to gain sales from competitors that are having inventory trouble — presumably the automaker is talking about its Japanese competition — and expects to continue gaining more share of the car market in the future. The Nissan Altima was the second best-selling sedan for the month.

Despite their August sales numbers, Toyota and Honda remain optimistic that sales will pick up in September. Both automakers noted that car production is back at 100% after the tsunami in Japan slowed down production. That return to normalcy occurred toward the end of August, so we’ll have to wait and see how September turns out to get an indication of a second wind at either carmaker. 

The big variances in sales performance were enough for Chrysler to catapult ahead of Toyota to become the third-largest U.S. car retailer for August – Toyota is traditionally a second- or third-rung player. Nissan surpassed Honda to become the fifth-largest player. Hyundai is still far away from matching the sales figures of the above six heavyweights, for now.

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2012 Dodge Journey Shaves $3,250 Off Starting Price, Now $18,995

The 2012 Dodge Journey just got out of the gate, yet Chrysler already has decided to throw a curveball by adding a new low-cost trim package. The 2012 Journey now starts at $18,995, excluding $750 for destination. 

A five-passenger Journey with the new American Value Package (AVP) starts at $18,995, and a seven-passenger model starts at $19,990. The AVP trim comes surprisingly well equipped, too, with things like push-button start and a touch-screen media display. 

The new pricing setup makes the Journey the most affordable seven-passenger vehicle on the market, Dodge says. Even without the third-row price advantage, only two other crossovers in its class start for less money: the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport at $18,495 and the Hyundai Tucson at $18,895. Those two vehicles are also smaller and come standard with manual transmissions.

The 2011 Journey finished in second place in our  $29,000 SUV Shootout earlier this year. 

The 2012 Journey costs $2,000 less than what Chrysler  previously stated when we only knew of the SE trim, which starts at $20,995, and that already was a $1,450 price drop from the 2011 model.

The new Journey also gets new trim designations for the 2012 model year. Gone is the cacophony of lifestyle-based trims, now replaced with just AVP, SE, SXT and Crew and R/T models.

The base AVP trim comes with seven airbags, air conditioning, power accessories, heated power mirrors, a 4.3-inch touch-screen, satellite radio, USB controls and a passive entry system with push-button start. The model is only available with a four-cylinder engine, with a four-speed automatic transmission, in either five- or seven-passenger seating. You can add the third row for $995. The SE trim starts at $20,995 and adds tinted glass, roof rails and LED taillamps — seven-passenger seating is still a $995 option here. The SXT trim starts at $24,495 and gets a 283-horsepower V-6 and a six-speed automatic transmission standard. There’s also a different front bumper design, dual exhaust, fog lamps and 17-inch alloy wheels added, standard. The Crew trim starts at $28,495, and it adds 19-inch wheels, an 8.4-inch touch-screen, leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic temperature controls, security system and remote start.  The R/T trim will come later in the year — it will add a sportier look to the crossover.

Models that come with the 8.4-inch touch-screen also get a new voice recognition system that allows you to select songs by voice, similar to Ford’s Sync system. Besides the  American Value Package, all other trims see modest price increases. The 2012 Dodge Journey is on sale now. Continue reading below for more details.

2012 Dodge Journey (2011 pricing *equivalency)

• AVP: $18,995 (new)


• SE: $20,995 ($22,245 Express)


• SXT : $24,495 ($24,445 Mainstreet)


• SXT with all-wheel drive: $26,295 ($26,145 Mainstreet)


• Crew: $28,495 ($28,445 Crew)


• Crew with all-wheel drive: $30,295 ($30,145 Crew)


• R/T: $29,995 ($28,445 R/T)


• Destination: 750 

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New Audi S6, S7 and S8: First Look

• Competes with: S6 with BMW 550i; S7 with BMW 550i Gran Turismo; and S8 with Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG


•  Looks like: The A6, A7 and A8 with “S” badges


•  Drivetrain: 420-horsepower, 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 with seven-speed automatic in S6 and S7; 520-hp version with eight-speed automatic in S8; all are all-wheel drive


•  Hits dealerships: Spring 2012

You can kiss goodbye the V-10 engine in the former S6 and S8, as a smaller and more efficient V-8 becomes the most notable feature to the high-performance version of the luxury sedans, as well as the new S7 hatchback. Audi is introducing the three at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
 
All of the new S models use a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine. In the S6 and S7, the boosted V-8 makes 420 horsepower, while the S8’s V-8 packs a more potent 520 hp. This is a 110-hp jump from the A6 and A7’s existing 3.0-liter supercharged V-6, and a 148-hp increase from the A8’s V-8.
 
In the S6, the new engine is 25 percent more efficient than the outgoing V-10, Audi says, thanks to features like cylinder deactivation, which switches between four- and eight-cylinder operation.
 
Teamed to the S6 and S7 are all-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic transmission. The S8 comes with an eight-speed-automatic transmission. All include a form of adaptive air suspension with variable dampening and selectable driving modes.
 
Audi promises zero to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds for the S6, 4.9 seconds for the S7 and a blistering 4.2 seconds for the heavier S8. 
 
Like previous S models, other than unique wheels and a slightly lowered stance, there are few flashy giveaways to what’s under the hood. There are S6, S7 and S8 badges on the inside and outside, and more feature content compared with more pedestrian models. Our favorite S signatures — frosted silver side mirrors — remain standard.
 
Sport seats, brushed aluminum inlays and Alcantara and Pearl Nappa leather upholstery are standard on the S6 and S7.  Optional features are LED headlights, head-up display and 360-degree camera system.
 
On the S8, LED headlights, navigation system and 8-inch display are standard, and a 1,400-watt Bang & Olufsen stereo with 19 speakers is one of the optional features.

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Recall Alert: 2009 BMW X5

BMW is recalling 2,120 2009 BMW X5 xDrive35d (or X5 diesel) vehicles because of fuel filter issues that could lead to an engine fire, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On some models — built between Oct. 1, 2008, and June 12, 2009 — the fuel filter heater, which heats up the diesel fuel during cold winter driving, can experience an electrical overload that can cause the heater to stay on permanently, even when the vehicle is parked and the ignition is off. If this happens, the vehicle’s battery could drain until it’s dead or, in rare cases, the unit could overheat and eventually cause a fire.

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel filter heater for free. The recall will begin in October. Owners can call BMW at 800-525-7417 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

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2012 Honda Pilot: First Look

The Honda Pilot gets a mild refresh for 2012, including powertrain, interior and feature upgrades. The model is available at Honda dealerships starting today, and we detail what has changed below. 

Although the exterior look hasn’t changed much, there are important changes under the hood and cabin upgrades that make the Pilot more competitive compared with the 2011 model.

The 2012 Pilot is available in LX, EX, EX-L and Touring trims, with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The model starts at $28,470, $150 more than the 2011.

The Pilot’s updated 250-horsepower V-6 – which includes new engine friction-reduction technology – now achieves an EPA-estimated 18/25 mpg city/highway and 21 mpg combined with front-wheel drive. The 2 mpg bump in the combined rating is enough to make the Pilot the most fuel-efficient eight-seat crossover. The 2012 Ford Explorer gets 20/28 mpg with a new four-cylinder, and the 2011 Toyota Highlander with a four-cylinder does better than the Pilot at 20/25 mpg, but both models seat only seven and are equipped with less powerful engines.  The eight-passenger 2012 Chevrolet Traverse gets 17/24 mpg with similar power. 

Other improvements to fuel efficiency include the use of low-rolling-resistance tires, low-drag front and rear ventilated disc brakes and changes to the exterior design that help reduce wind resistance.

On the inside, the Pilot gets more sound-deadening material to help reduce road noise. Honda says the center stack of controls has been redesigned, but the changes are mainly relegated to a new, more streamlined-looking button layout.

EX-L trims now get an 8-inch color display standard. Any model equipped with a navigation system will get a new one that comes with subscription-free FM traffic, 15-gigabyte hard drive for music storage and a higher-resolution monitor. Those navi upgrades sound similar to the new system we raved about in the 2011 Honda Odyssey. The navigation system also gets a new backup camera that can show wide view, normal view and top-down view.

The EX and EX-L Pilots now get a 2 GB CD library (also found on the 2011 Odyssey) that can copy music tracks from CDs, but not tracks from burned CDs or memory sticks. That feature replaces the six-CD changer option. Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming is also standard on the above trims.

On the outside, the Pilot gets a revised three-bar grille, redesigned headlights and front bumper. EX trims and higher now have 18-inch alloy wheels (upgraded from 17-inch rims), while LX trims are equipped with 17-inch steel wheels.

Continue reading below for more trim changes and pricing.

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2012 Honda Pilot Pricing (2011 Pricing)

• LX (2WD): $28,470 ($28,320)


• LX (4WD): $30,070 ($29,920)


• EX (2WD): $31,320 ($31,170)


• EX (4WD): $32,920 ($32,770)


• EX-L (2WD): $34,570 ($34,270)


• EX-L (4WD): $36,170 ($35,870)


• EX-L with Rear Entertainment System (2WD): $36,170 ($35,870)


• EX-L with Navi (2WD): $36,570 ($36,270)


• EX-L with Rear Entertainment System (4WD): $37,770 ($37,470)


• EX-L with Navi (4WD): $38,170 ($37,870)


• Touring with Navi and Rear Entertainment System (2WD): $39,220 ($39,070)


• Touring with Navi and Rear Entertainment System (4WD): $40,820 ($40,670)


• Destination: $810 (same)

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2012 Pilot Fuel Economy (2011 MPG)

• 2WD: 18/25/21 mpg city/highway/combined (17/23/19 mpg)


• 4WD: 17/24/20 mpg (16/22/18 mpg)

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2012 Pilot Feature Change Summary

• New grille, headlights and bumper


• New 18-inch aluminum wheels (17-inch styled steel on LX)


• Upgraded interior materials and revised instrument panel with new center stack layout


• Acoustic windshield glass (previously exclusive to EX-L and Touring)


• Upgraded audio and available navigation systems

Pilot LX adds:

• AAC audio file playback from data discs to the CD player

Pilot EX adds or replaces:

• 18-inch aluminum wheels and P235/60R18 all-season tires


• Bluetooth and Bluetooth audio streaming


• 2 GB CD Library (CD-L)

Pilot EX-L adds or replaces:

• Power tailgate


• Intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID) with QVGA resolution (includes backup camera, album artwork display and user-loadable wallpaper function)


• USB audio interface

Pilot EX-L with navigation adds or replaces:

• Upgraded navigation system with higher resolution and 60-GB hard drive (includes 15-GB audio hard-drive memory) and FM traffic


• Song by Voice


• Wide-view rearview camera with three-mode display

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2012 Nissan Maxima, Titan, Infiniti QX56, Others Get Modest Price Boost

Nissan this week announced pricing for its popular 2012 Nissan Maxima large sedan, along with other Nissan and Infiniti SUVs and trucks. This group of models — Maxima, Armada, Titan, QX56 and EX35 — consists mostly of carryovers, with few significant changes. That also means pricing stays pretty much the same compared with last year.

Starting with the most popular of the bunch, the 2012 Nissan Maxima (shown above) maintains the same pricing as the 2011 model. The Maxima undergoes an exterior refresh for 2012. The grille, taillamps and wheel designs are new. The interior gets a new instrument cluster, new trim colors, a new look for the center stack and a beige-colored interior option. In addition to the updates, the Maxima gets a new Limited Edition Package, which includes smoked-appearance xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights, 18-inch dark silver wheels, a rear spoiler and metallic trim in the interior. The package costs $710.

The 2012 Nissan Titan also maintains the same pricing as its 2011 counterpart. New for the Titan is a Sport Appearance Package, available on the King Cab and crew-cab SV trims, priced at $2,490. You can read more about the package at PickupTrucks.com.

The 2012 Nissan Armada has a standard power liftgate and heated front seats on its SL trim, which sees a $300 price increase.

The 2012 Infiniti EX gets a new garage-opener system standard on the EX35 Journey trim. Prices on the model have increased by $400 to $600, depending on the trim.

Pricing on the 2012 Infiniti QX56 is the same as last year. The large luxury SUV gets a blind spot warning system and a 15-speaker Bose stereo option (up from 13 speakers) added to option packages.

The models are expected to hit dealerships by the end of the summer. Continue reading below for more details:

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2012 Nissan Pricing (2011 Pricing)

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2012 Nissan Maxima

• 3.5 S: $31,750 (same)


• 3.5 S  Limited Edition: $32,460 (new)


• 3.5 SV: $34,450 (same)


• Destination: N/A ($760)

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2012 Nissan Armada

• 4x2 SV: $38,490 (same)


• 4x2 SL: $43,940 ($43,640)


• 4x2 Platinum: $51,050 ($50,890)


• 4x4 SV: $44,090 ($44,090)


• 4x4 SL: $46,840 ($46,540)


• 4x4 Platinum: $53,950 ($53,790)


• Destination: $975 (same)

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2012 Nissan Titan

• S King Cab 4x2 SWB: $27,410 (same)


• SV King Cab 4x2 SWB: $29,410 (same)


• S King Cab 4x4 SWB: $30,260 (same)


• SV King Cab 4x4 SWB: $32,260 (same)


• PRO-4X King Cab 4x4 SWB: $35,140 (same)


• S Crew Cab 4x2 SWB: $29,960 (same)


• SV Crew Cab 4x2 SWB: $31,610 (same)


• SV Crew Cab 4x2 LWB: $32,060 (same)


• SL Crew Cab 4x2 SWB: $37,510 (same)


• S Crew Cab 4x4 SWB: $32,810 (same)


• SV Crew Cab 4x4 LWB: $34,940 (same)


• PRO-4X Crew Cab 4x4 SWB: $37,340 (same)


• SL Crew Cab 4x4 SWB: $40,210 (same)


• Destination:  $975 (same)

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2012 Infiniti Pricing (2011 Pricing)

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2012 Infiniti QX56

• QX56 2WD: $58,700 (same)


• QX56 4WD: $61,800 (same)


• Destination: $990 (same)

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2012 Infiniti EX35

• EX35 RWD: $35,600 ($35,200)


• EX35 Journey RWD: $37,900 ($37,400)


• EX35 AWD: $37,000 ($36,600)


• EX35 Journey AWD: $39,300 ($38,800)


• Destination: $895 (same)

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Panoramic Sunroofs Gain Popularity

Large panoramic sunroofs are raking in the sales among luxury as well as non-luxury brands, reports The Detroit News. Buyers are willing to part with $1,000 to $2,000 for the open-air feeling they provide. Automakers like Ford, Buick, Cadillac, Lincoln, Jeep and Chrysler all reported that up to half of buyers are choosing the large sunroofs when offered.
 
Compared to a traditional sunroof, panoramic sunroofs have a sliding glass panel up front with a fixed skylight extending to the rear seat. They are quickly becoming the only sunroof option on many cars and SUVs, like the Ford Explorer and Edge SUVs plus others mentioned below.

Half of new Ford Explorer orders demand the sunroof option with its large, dual-pane glass, while 56 percent of Edge buyers want the option. It costs $1,595 on Explorer and Edge Limited models as a stand-alone option, but it must be equipped with an option group on lower trim levels.
 
Buick’s large Enclave crossover SUV and LaCrosse sedan offer panoramic roofs that so far this year make up 55 percent and 47 percent of sales, respectively. Buick charges $1,400 for the dual-pane option on the Enclave and $1,195 for the LaCrosse’s sunroof and skylight.
 
Chrysler’s new V-8-powered 300C is seeing 70 percent of buyers choosing the large sunroof ($1,295). Even the less-expensive six-cylinder Chrysler 300 has a third of buyers choosing the same sunroof.
 
Panoramic sunroofs let in much more light than a standard-sized roof, and in our experience they can even make the inside of a small car feel larger. The initial cost may not be a huge detractor because, as The Detroit Times reports, the feature also adds to the residual value of equipped vehicles.

Panoramic view goes through (sun) roof (The Detroit News)

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Ford Evos Concept at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

• Looks like: Ford's take on the Aston Martin Rapide


• Defining characteristics: High-mounted grille, tiny headlights


• Ridiculous features: Four gull-wing doors, information screens galore inside


• Chances of being mass-produced: Not in this form, but expect design cues to grace future Fords

Ford likens the four-door Evos concept to the Iosis concept introduced at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show. You’ll notice the Iosis’ influence on Ford cars you see today, like the new Focus and Fiesta. Near Detroit last week, chief designer J Mays (no relation to this writer) said to expect similar influence from the Evos.

“We got a lot of mileage out of Iosis as the precursor to what became Kinetic Design,” Mays said, referring to Ford’s current design ethos. “What we’re looking for is a design DNA that will take us through the next five years.”

Designed in Germany and built in Italy, the Evos is about as long as a compact car, but the sucker is

The Evos has an arsenal of sports-car cues. A trapezoidal Aston Martin-like grille sits just below the hood. Muscular fenders border spindlier wheels. Up front, horizontal side portals flatten the car’s stance. The Iosis’ vertical slats, cribbed later by the Fiesta, communicated height.

The Iosis and Evos

Nor will much of the interior, we suspect. A thin rail flows from the instruments to the center console, with information screens across that rail and the driver’s door. The passenger side of the cabin looks pretty minimalist. The spindly center console clears up some space; we hope that suggests roomier cabins in future Ford models.

Being a concept car, the Evos carries a barrage of technology: a plug-in hybrid drivetrain from Ford’s C-Max Energi, health-monitoring seats that adapt to your current mood, and adaptive driving dynamics and entertainment through cloud-based driver information.

Mays promised design cues will grace Ford cars in four months, not four years. Will a production car with Evos DNA debut at January’s Detroit auto show? Mays wouldn’t say, but by our (very limited) math skills, his timeline ends sometime around a frigid January day in eastern Michigan. So stay tuned.

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2012 Hyundai Genesis Video

I was impressed by Hyundai’s upgraded engine offerings for the 2012 update of the Genesis sedan. You can read about all of them in my full review after checking out the video. Unfortunately, the changes outside the engine bay are so mild that it’s hard to tell with the naked eye.

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Could the Self-Inflating Tire Become a Reality?

Keeping your tires properly inflated is vital to maintaining the right performance, safety and fuel economy targets for your car. It’s ironic, then, that something so important is often left to the driver’s discretion — remember, too much or too little tire pressure can lead to problems. The new mandatory tire pressure monitoring systems help, but wouldn’t it be easier if tire pressure were perfectly regulated on its own?

Goodyear has been working on just such a solution, and it came up with a tire design that can keep tires properly inflated at all times.

Self-regulating tires are not new — most large semi-trucks have them, the New York Times reports. The difference here is rather than using an external air pump and pressure valve — something that would look odd on a passenger car — the mechanism lies within the tire itself.

The miniature pump and other components would automatically regulate the air pressure, maintaining the proper specifications for the given vehicle.

Right now Goodyear doesn’t know when (or if) the technology would be marketable, but if it can be sold to the public, it could make a big impact on the nation’s gasoline use. And the first applications would likely be in semi-trucks, not passenger cars. 

One out of three cars has severely underinflated tires, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Underinflated tires can reduce fuel economy between 2.5% and 3.3% in passenger cars and commercial trucks. At today’s prices, that equates to 12 cents wasted per gallon of gas, Goodyear says.

Improperly inflated tires also increase a vehicle’s stopping distance and affect the ride and handling and long-term life of the tires.

Related
Cars.com’s Guide to Tire Maintenance

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Recycling Newspapers Into Fuel

If researchers at Tulane University have their way, old news could be a new fuel.

The researchers have discovered a bacterial microbe that likes the taste of old newspapers — the cellulosic wood pulp that makes the paper, to be more exact. In the process of eating the paper, the microbes excrete a biofuel that can act as a substitute for gasoline, the Detroit News reports.

Such microbes aren’t new; we outlined their potential to make ethanol a few years ago. The difference here is the type of fuel that comes out of the microbes: butanol.

Butanol is better than ethanol because it doesn’t require any modifications to today’s gasoline-powered engines. (Many older cars can’t accept E15, let alone E85.) Also, butanol would generate similar gas mileage performance as gasoline. Ethanol has 27% less energy per gallon compared with gas.

It’s not yet known if this discovery is marketable or scalable, especially since alternative fuels are a bit out of vogue, with more attention focused on electrics, plug-ins and hybrids. A wider variety of renewable power is always a good problem to have, though.

Scientists Create Biofuel From Old Newspapers (The Detroit News)

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2012 VW Passat Fender Stereo a Welcome Surprise

There was a time when Bose was the only recognized premium car stereo brand. Then Nakamichi blew our minds in the 1990 Lexus LS 400. Since then, automakers have scrambled to align themselves with whatever home or car-audio brand, music producer or musician they could find.

What do these alliances mean? Absolutely nothing. Decades of experience in home audio — or the music business — don't guarantee performance. Performance is its own bottom line. That's why I was impressed with the latest newcomer, a premium stereo in the 2012 Volkswagen Passat developed with Fender Musical Instruments and Panasonic.

The Fender-branded stereo is just that: a stereo, meaning two channels, not the multichannel approach many automakers — especially luxury brands — have taken. It's about as effective evidence as you'll find that high speaker counts and complexity aren't necessary to deliver quality audio. (The Suzuki Kizashi's Rockford Fosgate system is another.)

For the 2012 Passat, the Fender system is available as an option for the SEL trim and higher, which starts at $28,395, well above the car’s $19,995 base price. Fender also developed audio systems for most of the 2012 VW lineup.

Below I dissect the plusses and minuses of the system. As a former editor at Audio, Car Stereo Review and Sound + Image magazines, I am unfathomably nerdy about audio performance in or out of a car.

The Fender system's strengths are detail, dynamics and spatial rendition. Pop in any complex recording, and you will hear crystal-clear vocals, both male and female, and all the instruments independently, rather than one big smear. This is aided by a well-defined soundstage that arrays appropriately recorded (and mixed) instruments across the dashboard in front of you. Although it's biased a little bit toward the driver's side, the stereo soundstage is better than that of many cars with an extra center-mounted speaker.

The Fender stereo is decidedly a front-stage design, meaning all the music comes from in front of you. If you prefer to feel like you're surrounded, as if you're in the band, this isn't for you. I prefer the Fender approach, but I'd like more depth to the stage. The voices and instruments hover over the dashboard rather than farther forward. On the upside, the bass is solidly anchored in front of you, so you don't hear the subwoofer booming away from the rear. Unfortunately, a defect I hope was limited to our test car produced a distracting resonance in the rear parcel shelf, the flat surface behind the backseat (on which you're actually not supposed to put parcels, for safety reasons).

The stereo plays loudly with minimal distortion, and the dynamics are excellent. There's plenty of punch to drums and such without sounding exaggerated or boomy. The frequency response is broad overall, but the bass isn't as extended as I'd expect from a trunk-mounted subwoofer. Fender wasted the Passat's large trunk by using a plastic enclosure rather than an infinite baffle configuration that would have used the trunk as a giant enclosure (when empty, at least). If you listen to ridiculous sub-bass-heavy "music," you'll find the bottom-most part of the spectrum lacking, if not missing entirely.

Senior editor David Thomas recently tested Fender systems in the 2012 VW Beetle and Jetta GLI and came away equally impressed with the execution in those models. He happens to be a former music journalist for Billboard and MTV.com.

The success of a premium car stereo is mainly about how early in the vehicle's development the acoustic engineers get access to design the speakers and tune the rig, and how much money the automaker spends. It's not about the wattage, the number of modes, channels or adjustments or the speaker count, size, design or materials. It's the results, which newcomer Fender got right in the 2012 Passat.

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Keeping Your Dog Safe in the Car Video

Nearly two-thirds of Americans own pets, and bringing your pet with you in the car is likely to happen at some point. Cars and their numerous safety systems were primarily built to protect humans. If you want to make sure Lassie or Toto is safe and sound during your drive, check out our brief safety overview above. 

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Acura Adds 2012 TSX Special Edition

Acura’s entry-level TSX sedan gains a new Special Edition trim that adds sportier appearance add-ons inside and out for 2012 four-cylinder models. The TSX’s actual performance doesn’t get any sportier, as this Special Edition is strictly an appearance package.
 
Acura says it added a more aggressive front spoiler, though at a quick glance it’s hard to differentiate it from the non-SE models. The side and rear changes look more dramatic, with unique side sills and a rear bumper with a little more flare. The SE’s 17-inch wheel design is shared with the regular TSX but features a unique finish with polished spokes and a gray background. Topping off the exterior is a “Special Edition” badge. 

 
The inside gains black suede seating inserts with red stitching. Red stitching also weaves through the steering wheel and shift knob. The red theme continues with a red-illuminated instrument cluster and red overhead and footwell lighting. Inside the footwell are aluminum pedal covers for a race-inspired look.
 
Acura says the SE will cost less than $31,000 and will be available with a five-speed automatic or six-speed-manual transmission teamed only to a four-cylinder engine. An entry-level 2011 TSX with four-cylinder starts at $29,610, not including destination charge, but pricing typically increases with the model year change, and 2012’s pricing hasn’t been announced. Expect to see final pricing for the SE closer to when it goes on sale in late September.

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2012 Chevrolet Silverado Gets Modest Updates

For the 2012 model year, the Chevy Silverado 1500 and the Silverado Heavy Duty get new trim packages and other modest upgrades, according to PickupTrucks.com.

On some trims, the 2012 Silverado 1500 gets a new grille that fits in better with the grille on the Silverado 2500 and 3500.

There’s a new trim on the 1500, called the Custom Sport Truck Package, that might compete with the Ram 1500 Express, according to PickupTrucks.com.

On the opposite spectrum, the 1500 gets a new high-end White Diamond Edition trim that gives the truck similar aesthetics to the Chevy Suburban 75th Anniversary Diamond Edition.

On the HD models, GM engineers have increased the towing and hauling numbers, and the Silverado HD lineup now once again has best-in-class figures, says PickupTrucks.com. There’s also a new Z71 appearance package.

Continue reading at PickupTrucks.com for more info:

First Look: 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
First Look 2012 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy-Duty

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