TriPrius: 2016 Toyota Prius

This week, one of my fleet vehicles is none other than a 2016 Toyota Prius Four. Unlike the other vehicles I typically test, this one is being reviewed as part of a Toyota Triangle campaign from Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC. Along with nine other drivers, we’re showing off the Prius … Read more

IIHS: A Surge in Top Safety Pick Awards For 2015

The number of vehicles that have received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) two top safety awards has surged from 39 in 2014 to 71 in 2015. For the third consecutive year the IIHS raised the crash and safety testing bar for car manufacturers and quite a few companies … Read more

Poor Minivan Crash Test Results for Three Models

IIHS assigns poor ratings to Nissan, Chrysler and Dodge models. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently put four minivan models through its new small overlap front crash test and three of those models received poor marks, the institute’s lowest score. The Nissan Quest, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler … Read more

IIHS Small Car Ratings: Only the Mini Cooper Countryman Shines

IIHS awards the Chevrolet Volt with its Top Safety Pick+ rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) regularly conducts crash tests for most new passenger vehicles. These tests include a variety of categories such as a small overlap front crash test representing its latest measurement in automotive crashworthiness. Funded … Read more

IIHS Top Safety Pick+ — The Current Qualifiers

— This list is current as of May 7, 2014 — Crash test performance is important to consumers, providing a way for them to compare the safety performance of various models. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts crash tests for many of the vehicles you might consider and … Read more

2014 Volkswagen Passat Overview

2014 Volkswagen Passat

The current Volkswagen Passat, introduced in 2012, is far different from previous models. Now in its fourth generation, this midsize five-passenger front-wheel drive sedan was designed for the American market exclusively. Built at Volkswagen’s manufacturing plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., the 2014 Volkswagen Passat offers a variety of engine choices including … Read more

Thief Target: Ford F-250 Crew 4WD HLDI Says

The Cadillac Escalade is a distinctive SUV that recently lost one of its more unwelcome attributes: the most stolen vehicle. Indeed, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), the Escalade that is one feature Cadillac can cross off of the Escalade’s list. The distinction now belongs to the Ford … Read more

About the 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid

The Kia Optima Hybrid is a midsize sedan with room for five. While some car manufacturers are already introducing 2014 models, the 2013 version of the Kia Optima Hybrid is just now hitting the market. Its supposed lateness can be attributed to a few things, but most importantly to Kia’s … Read more

IIHS Outlines 5 Components For Safer Teen Driving

teenage driver

Teens and cars can be a recipe for disaster. Or at least teenagers that are not subject to various Graduated Driving Licensing laws in their respective states. GDL is a trend that is spreading, one where states put restrictions on novice drivers in a bid to reduce accidents and lower … Read more