With ever increasing fuel costs, and impregnable city traffic, it makes more sense now to car pool and cut down on the money spent on individual transport. With their neat design and attractive interiors, the present day family cars look nothing like the station wagons they once used to be. And with most of them featuring hybrids and attractive fuel alternatives, they might prove to be really valuable overtime. So, which one to select then? Well, here at Toyota Place, we snooped around the technical specs of the popular cars on the market, and have come up with the list of the best 3. So here you go.

Ford Focus – Ford has been always at the forefront in selling reliable and affordable cars. And the Ford Focus stands as an epitome to their marketing philosophy. The Focus is a peppy little hatchback that, serves the dual purpose of being an engaging driver’s car and also a spacious family carrier. One might even think of the focus as a stripped down MPV. It can easily seat a family of five, and also carry enough stuff for relocation. And it provides the best in class economy as well.

BMW X3 – Though this German crossover may not look that appealing at first, it will definitely steal your heart, once you begin to ride it. With its powerful 240hp engine, it can stand side by side with any sports salon on city roads. And with the German build, you will spend less time on the garage with this car than with any other. But the best part about this SUV – MPV crossover is its spacious design. It looks and feels like hatchback, and negotiates corners like a pro; but once you’re inside – it feels like you’ve all the space in the world to even take your home along.

Chevrolet Volt – This Green production from the automotive giant has been making news right from its inception. The Hybrid engine of the Volt is widely regarded as one of the most fuel efficient green engines. Providing an average mileage of 40 miles on battery power alone; this vehicle is ideal if you’re using it for your kids and family. But even if you want to take it take it for a spin, it performs pretty well on its gasoline powered engines as well, churning out enough power to keep you steady on the highways. Though it is a bit on the pricey side, it does payback well overtime.

To the left is a picture of new Toyota Corolla Furia concept car. The standard 2014 Corolla will be almost identical, maybe a little quieter in design and definitely with smaller wheels although early indication shows this car is something we can all get a little excited about but why?

The Corolla is a popular car, its been around the block and survived its critics because it is quite simply a good car and we don’t expect the 2014 Toyota Corolla to be any different. It is a compact 4-door that’s easy to love and hard to hate but this time around it’s getting special attention from Toyota mainly due to extra competition from its competitors this time around.

First on that list has to be the Hyundai Elantra which won the North America Car of the year 2012 and for good reason with a cutting edge design, good technology and a great 38mpg regardless of design. It was originally going to be 42 mpg but was reduced due to difficulties meaning the race to get a compact that does 40mpg as standard is still on.

Also Dodge have announced its new Dart which boasts being ‘The most technologically advanced compact car’ when coupled with the sleek design and great mileage the Dart is going to be a tough car to beat. I think the larger grill is going to become more and more exaggerated in further designs so if you’re not a fan then you’re probably best off find a different type of car other then the compact.

Then we have the Mazda 3 which again is a great car with a stunning design which offers up to 44mpg, the most of any compact car on the list. You can tell the designers slept well when they finished the art of this car I mean just look at it!

Last on the list is the sturdy Chevy Cruze which won’t be stealing many headlines but its definitely a strong competitor offering up to 42mpg albeit with a subdued design exemplified with the subdued atmosphere surrounding a car that will be a steady seller.

So there we have it 4 great cars that the new corolla has to contend with so how is it going to leave its mark on the world? Well it’s history helps as almost everybody really liked the last corolla and it is a car that deserves a facelift (as well as needing one) that said the new design is brilliant if the Furia is anything to go by. The other main point is the race to get a car to do 40mpg as standard as whilst many cars have broken the 40mpg barrier it’s always been the ‘economy’ version so if the Toyota team actually nails down the promised 40mpg as standard the Corolla will go down in history as a milestone in fuel economy, an excellent title for a worthy car. Check out GearHeads to keep up to date on the latest auto news.

The Ford Excursion is a favourite amongst SUV fans because it’s King of the road being the biggest road worthy SUV ever to dominate the streets. The problem with it is just that though, it’s the biggest gas guzzling giant around and in this day and age of civilization there’s just no place for something that big without it just being for show. This was shown in poor sales of the Excursion which caused it to be discontinued in 2005 but word on the street it there is another one coming… but why? Don’t misunderstand me here, I love the Excursion so does everybody I mean how could you not it is a beautiful beast but isn’t it surely doomed to fail?

Ford are planning to make twenty thousand of the 2013 Ford Excursion which will be offered with either the XLT with two-wheel drive is Ford’s 5.4-litre SOHC Triton V-8, rated at 255HP and 350 lb-ft of torque. All four- wheel-drive models will have the 6.8-litre SOHC V-10, which turns out 310HP and 425 lb-ft of torque. There will also be an optional engine is Ford’s 7.3-litre turbo-diesel V-8 which will offer 500 lb-ft of torque in case you need to do some really heavy duty towing in two trim levels, XLT and the leather-lined Limited Base prices range from around $34,000 to $35,000 for the two-wheel-drive, 5.4-litre XLT version to around $44,000 to $45,000 for a four-wheel-drive Limited turbo-diesel. Taking a look at the concepts it is a truly amazing car and if you’re interested in it I’d suggest picking one up as quickly as possible because this is a car that will not make it into year 2 given it’s history.

Firstly It is a gas guzzler and there are no 2 ways around that you’d be in heaven if you managed 20 miles to the gallon which lets be honest is just not going to happen realistically you’re not even getting 15 and if you get the gas V10 then you’ll be lucky if you get 10. Next up is the fact that every tree hugging hippy in the world will officially hate you and attempt to spread their ‘love’ on site. Considering the storm this SUV stirred up last time around you can bet that this time will be no different if not worse. Then there is the fact that no one actually needs this type of car any more, Gas prices are only going to go up and no one needs this much power to take their kids to school making this a specialist car for those who need this much power or for car enthusiasts who simply want to see this beautiful beast rise from the ashes. If you want to read more about the 2013 Ford Excursion, check out Gear Heads‘s article

Recreational vehicles include motor homes, travel trailers, fifth wheel trailers, slide-in campers, and pop-up trailers. When deciding on which RV is right for you, there are five things that you should look for to help guide you in your decision.

Type

The first and foremost decision you have to make in buying a RV is which one of the several types of RVs best fits your needs. Finances, family size, and capability of the buyer are all part of this decision. If it’s a trailer, camper, or fifth wheel you’re looking at, the truck you own will play a big part in the size you buy.

With motor homes, there are so many types and sizes, so the buyer should always go for the size that he or she is comfortable driving and the plan that fits their lifestyle and pocket book.

Construction

When looking for an RV, the most important factor is the construction or what’s under the shell. It may be pretty but how is it going to pull and how long will it last? In the latest models of RVs, the cambered I beams for the frame have been a popular choice. Of course, with campers, wood is still the standard.

With the new RV’s, they have been able to frame the walls and ceilings with light tubular aluminum. According to top RV manufacturers, this has greatly added to the strength and durability of newer RVs.

Exterior

For houses, curb appeal is what you want. For RVs, it would be the taste of the buyer and attraction of the unit. The RV’s today usually have two types of exterior, aluminum siding or the fiberglass. If the look of the exterior is what you really like, you should go with the smooth fiberglass gloss finish because of the way it shines.

The rounded fiberglass end caps on the RVs also help reduce wind drag, which is a good feature to have as well.

Interior

Now you’re walking in the RVs, which often have a number of floor plans. What do you look for, solid wood cabinets with a hand rubbed finish? The plush carpet and pad with mold resistant coating? The living room furniture and king size bed? Or is it the capacity of the refrigerator or size of the oven and range?

If it’s the entertainment center, you won’t be disappointed with most higher-end units. For livability and functionality, always take a look at your floor plan options as well as optional upgrades to see what will be the best fit for you and your family.

Nuts and Bolts

A very important thing to research is the capacity of the tanks. How long can you stay out without dumping the holding tanks? How long will the water supply and propane last? These questions are answered by the size of the tanks and the number of people staying in the RV. Does the RV have a generator is a great question to ask?

How long can I use power if I don’t have a generator is another good question? For motor homes you have other things to consider as well such as what size of engine it is, how many gallons of fuel it holds, and what kind of gas mileage it gets? Finally, with any RV, you should also always make sure that the various standard warranties give you the security you want.

About the Author: Larson Davis is a vehicle and engineering blogger who has published articles on a variety of resources online. He’s currently helping to put together a buyer’s guide for DeMontrond RV on how to select the best RV Used, based on your traveling preferences.

Everyone has to have insurance there are no circumstances where you can drive without insurance so many people wonder why it costs so much? In this day and age premiums are sky high leaving many wondering why, the reason is due to the negligence and greed of the few which cost the rest of us so much money. One of the main reasons why car insurance can cost so much is car insurance fraud. But you can get some cheap full coverage auto insurance quotes if you’re looking in the right places.

Car insurance fraud costs the country an estimated £1 billion every year and around £50 to your bill every year. The problem is its simple and easy to do, difficult to spot and even harder to prove. If me and you have a minor car crash which was by the law definition your fault then we exchange details and contact our suppliers, they deal with the car damage side of things whilst we, if we feel it necessary will visit the doctor to check for damage caused by the crash. On the car side of things fraud can occur by me saying that massive hole in my door caused by a drunken endeavour a while back was actually by you during the crash, or as I drove home I may decide I never liked my steering wheel anyway, wrench it off and charge you for a nice new one. I can also do the same thing when I visit the doctor and either elaborate or create an ailment and blame it on the crash what’s to stop me?

Fraud can also be entirely staged as 2 drivers can decide to to set up an accident which is mutually beneficial when they split the profits and the more victims the more profits so if I arrange for you to crash into my car full of people and we all sue you for whiplash it is the insurance company and thus every law-abiding driver that suffers. All of this has led to the niche job of investigating insurance claims to check they’re legitimate which again costs us money however they are having an increasing effect on stopping car insurance fraud and ultimately will help stop fraud from occurring in the first place.

First of all – What is Car insurance?

Car Insurance is the result of government law which states “it is a compulsory requirement for any person who uses, causes or permits a vehicle to be used on a road or other public place, to have correct and valid insurance against third party risks. Use of a vehicle includes parking it or leaving it unattended on a road (so it does not have to be driven) or allowing another person to use it”. It requires every driver on the roads to pay
money for the eventuality of a car crash. But before you consider this a hindrance you should bear in mind that most accidents can potentially bankrupt you and it is always better to be safe then sorry. Car insurance doesn’t have to ruin you either – check out Florida No Fault Insurance Quotes for example.

Uninsured drivers are taking a massive risk that is simply not worth it. The important thing to know regarding insurance is that it is always your fault, there are no situations where you are not to blame and no excuses which will help. If you’re driving a friends car and they did not notify you that you were uninsured on the vehicle then you are to blame as well as them as it is up to you to ensure that your insured when driving
any vehicle. If you’re policy expires and the insurance company fails to notify you then you are still to blame so make sure that you are insured when driving and don’t leave it up to anybody else.

What happens if I am caught without insurance?

If it’s your first time then the Court would normally impose 6 to 8 point penalty to your license however depending on the severity of the offence an immediate disqualification from driving can result. A driving ban can often be in the region of 28 days but can also be substantially longer for repeat offences.

Audis are generally reliable cars, but some models are known to have certain quirks and problems – and they can be very expensive to fix.

Audis tend to be pretty reliable cars and you should have relatively few problems, especially with newer models. Some models are known to have particular issues, which you may or may not have known about before buying the car. If it’s second hand or out of warranty, you could spend a lot of money fixing these: Audis are not economy cars and you have to factor in importing parts from Germany. However, there are certain common problems you can fix yourself with a little know-how, and buying used audi parts from a breaker can significantly reduce the cost of sourcing components, without compromising on quality.

Shunts and bumps

No car is immune to the kind of low-grade damage caused by minor prangs. The good news is that many of these can be fixed easily yourself. Here is where you can really clean up on repairs: a dealership or specialist Audi garage will charge a fortune for parts and time to do a series of simple jobs that are within the capability of most people. You can buy used wing mirrors, bumpers and headlight assemblies from an online breaker for a fraction of the cost they will cost you from the original manufacturer. Just make sure you specify your exact model, since parts can differ a surprising amount between cars. If you get the wrong one, they may simply not fit. If you’re buying a used bumper or wing mirror, try to colour-match it to your car to avoid having to paint it yourself.

Common faults

Whilst Audis are good quality cars and on average you’ll have fewer problems than with most other makes, there are a handful of known issues with some models. If you’re worried about your car – or are thinking about buying one – then do a web search and find some honest reviews. This will give you a good idea of what might typically go wrong, and how difficult it will be to fix.

The highly popular A4 range, for example, spans almost 20 years. Later models are more reliable and earlier bugs have largely been eliminated. With older cars there are a few things to watch out for. High oil consumption is a recurring theme; this is something you’ll probably have to put up with. Replacement pistons and rings can fix it, but only for a prohibitively high cost. There have been lots of reports of headlight problems, too. Although you can buy a used car headlight and do the job yourself in other cases, things are a little more complicated with an Audi. It’s harder to replace them than for most other cars, and you might have to reckon with a faulty control unit, too. Electrical faults of one kind or another are possibly the most common problem. These may or may not be something you can take care of yourself. Cam belts, bearings and pulleys may be expected to fail at 80,000 or after five years miles for many models, so make sure they are changed before this point.

Cribbing from the healthy Australian sales of German rivals using turbocharged fuel conscious engines, Volkswagen is busy hammering out new versions of the Passat, Tiguan and Polo. The everyman’s performance car company also plans to release three new SUV models within the next five years. Australians can expect to see the new Passat hit the tarmac sometime in 2014.

Among Volkswagen’s concept vehicles is an R-style Passat revved up with a 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder 184 kW turbocharged direct injection engine that resembles the BMW and Mercedes models. The R-style Performance Passat was unveiled at the Detroit auto show.

It remains uncertain whether Australians will see a performance model Passat in 2014; however, Volkswagen did confirm that the Passat “will be replaced in 2014, based on the MQB platform.” The Volkswagen Passat R36 has been missing from the 2011 Australian market, and the Passat was released without a premiere performance line. The Detroit Performance Passat mimics some of the responses German luxury car rivals have gotten from similar engines.

The MQB platform Volkswagen has been hinting at is the modular transverse matrix. This architecture will inform many Volkswagen vehicles in the coming years. Volkswagen also announced that it plans to release a subsequent version of the Tiguan SUV in 2015, which is also based on the MQB platform.

Likely to follow the release of the compact Tiguan SUV will be the cross coupe concept in 2016 and a CrossBlue mid-sized SUV, also unveiled at the Detroit auto show, which will appear in late 2014 in the U.S. in left-hand-drive.

Dr. Hackenberg, Volkswagen’s spokesman for technical development, was queried regarding the availability of right-hand-drive SUV’s for the Australian market. He replied that presently the U.S. demand was greater and current focus was there. However, there is hope for Australians who
want to get their hands on this affordable, responsive and reliable SUV package. “If the market is big enough,” Dr. Hackenberg concluded, “we can make it right-hand drive.”

Australia’s sub-compact SUV market is growing, and Volkswagen stands to lose important sales if it doesn’t step up to the demand. In Australia, 2011 sales figures for Volkswagen’s new products spiked to all time highs. “We are working on it,” Dr. Hackenberg confirmed. The new SUV should come to Australia’s shores perhaps in 2016.

Dr. Hackenberg also teased the audience with hints of new Polo due for unveiling about 2016. Concept models for the hatch are now being developed. The Polo will also be an MQB, but will be at the lowest power level, making it an affordable and light entry-level hatch with the right
architecture.

Volkswagen sales worldwide have been growing like gangbusters since 2011, and Volkswagen is now the second favourite automaker in the world. Where is Volkswagen the most popular? Chinese have been rushing out to buy the newly designed VW’s in record numbers, thanks to their
enlivened economy.

VW sales in India doubled in 2011, indicating that Volkswagen is often the vehicle of choice in countries where the economy has been enabled by the influx of new technologies. The most popular model worldwide is the Volkswagen Golf, which has grown almost 20 percent each year
since its release.

For the latest news on Volkswagen’s newest products, check out the Carzoos blog at http://blog.carzoos.com.au, where you’ll find news, reviews and tips for Australian drivers and ways to save money for new and used car purchases.