2013 Toyota We Finance! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Best cars for snow and ice in 2023 and 2024

What's the best car for snow? The real answer is "the one with winter tires." What do we mean by that? You could have the finest, most advanced all-wheel-drive system or four-wheel drive in the world, but if you're running all-seasons (the spork of tires), your fancy four-wheeler won't matter much. The odds are, any vehicle on the road running good winter tires will probably perform adequately in slippery, slushy and/or snowy road conditions. (Here's a more complete explanation of why winter tires are totally worth it). In other words, you don't really need any of the cars on this list. With a set of winter tires, countless others will do the job, and even these will be at their best with proper rubber. You can find a variety of winter tires for your car here at Tire Rack. Keep in mind that you will need a full set of four snow tires for safety and performance, no matter what you're driving. The days of your dad putting just two snows on the family truckster to get it moving in a straight line are long gone. Don't get us wrong, getting a car that performs well in snow and ice is still a worthy criteria for car buyers. According to the U.S. Transportation Department, 70% of Americans live in places that get snow and ice. And much of the country has been blasted with arctic air for much of the new year. So let's look at the cars. First, we're highlighting choices for a variety of buyers and price points. Second, we're not just considering snow; we're considering general wintery conditions people will experience driving to work or school. As such, these are all choices with advanced all-wheel-drive systems, usually with "torque-vectoring" systems that not only automatically shunt power front and back, but side to side between the rear axles. Most have extra ground clearance for getting through deep snow, and we prefer those vehicles with more responsive steering, throttles and transmissions that provide a greater sense of vehicle control in slippery conditions.    Acura RDX Read our Acura RDX Review Acura's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system was one of the first to offer torque-vectoring, and besides often being touted for its ability to greatly enhanced dry-road handling, its benefits in the slick stuff can be profound. It's actually surprising that Acura hasn't leaned into this capability further by offering more rugged versions of its vehicles.

Recharge Wrap-up: Audi to build Q6 e-tron in Brussels, Boris Johnson test drives Toyota Mirai

Audi will build the Q6 e-tron at its factory in Brussels, Belgium. Production for the electric vehicle - which will be based on the concept car from the Frankfurt Motor Show in September - is slated for 2018. Its expected driving range of about 311 miles should help make it competitive against the Tesla Model X. Audi's Brussels plant is also where the A1 is made. It employs about 2,500 workers and produced about 115,000 vehicles in 2014. Read more from Automotive News Europe. During a visit to Toyota Headquarters, London Mayor Boris Johnson confirmed that Transport for London will be the UK's first Toyota Mirai customer. Mayor Johnson traveled to Japan on a three-day trade mission, and took a test drive of the fuel cell vehicle. "By embracing this technology of the future, we aim to consolidate hydrogen's role as a practical alternative fuel for the 21st century and beyond," says Johnson. "I am sure that Transport for London will provide the ideal environment for us to see everything Mirai can do and, in doing so, take another great step towards improving air quality in our city and protecting the health of Londoners." Read more from Toyota, or at Green Car Congress. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has delivered 12 electric commercial lawn mowers to government and nonprofit organizations in San Bernardino County. The donation of the electric mowers is part of a demonstration program to promote zero-emissions equipment. At prices ranging from $3,000 to $20,000, the electric mowers cost about 25 percent more than their gas-powered counterparts, but their lower operating costs can make up for the price difference in about two years. In addition, they produce about half the noise, and save about 600 pounds of harmful emissions per year. SCAQMD plans to deliver five more of the mowers as part of the same program. Read more in the press release below. SCAQMD Launches Nation's Largest Zero-Emission Commercial Lawn Mower Demonstration Program in San Bernardino SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Oct. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The South Coast Air Quality Management District today delivered a dozen new, battery-electric commercial lawn mowers to agencies in San Bernardino County as part of a long-term demonstration program to promote the zero-emission equipment.

180,000 new vehicles are sitting, derailed by lack of transport trains

If you're planning on buying a new car in the next month or so, you might want to pick from what's on the lot, because there could be a long wait for new vehicles from the factory. Locomotives continue to be in short supply in North America, and that's causing major delays for automakers trying to move assembled cars.
According to The Detroit News, there are about 180,000 new vehicles waiting to be transported by rail in North America at the moment. In a normal year, it would be about 69,000. The complications have been industry-wide. Toyota, General Motors, Honda and Ford all reported experiencing some delays, and Chrysler recently had hundreds of minivans sitting on the Detroit waterfront waiting to be shipped out.
The problem is twofold for automakers. First, the fracking boom in the Bakken oil field in the Plains and Canada is monopolizing many locomotives. Second, the long, harsh winter is still causing major delays in freight train travel. The bad weather forced trains to slow down and carry less weight, which caused a backup of goods to transport. The auto companies resorted to moving some vehicles by truck, which was a less efficient but necessary option.