Archive for the ‘Fuel Efficient Cars’ Category

Pull into any fuel station and you’re faced with a choice: 87, 89, or 91 octane, regular, premium, or super. But is there any quantifiable difference in how a car performs when filled with one over the others? Does premium gas do anything other than cost more? Experts say, unless your car was built before 1990, probably not in any way that you’re going to notice.

If your car has a computer, technology has improved vehicles to the point where engine knocking—the pre-computer reason for needing higher-octane fuel—has become a non-issue. Censors and other high-tech installations under the hood prevent engine damage by constantly regulating the vehicle. Higher-octane fuel doesn’t change the computer’s abilities or programming.

If you’re not on a racetrack, you’re not going to notice a difference. It may take an extra half-second to go from 0-60 if there’s regular in the tank instead of premium. While that may be important on a race track or in a lab setting when cars are being tested and evaluated for performance, humans can’t tell split-second differences like that and everyday driving conditions rarely (if ever) call for 0-60 in very few seconds.

If you drive a hybrid or other highly efficient vehicle, you’ll achieve high miles-per-gallon so that even a mile or two extra per gallon won’t make a noticeable difference in fuel expenditures. To break down the math, someone driving a 35MPG vehicle 15,000 miles per year would spend the same amount of money buying mid-grade gas to get one mile per gallon more, and that’s if the higher-octane improved fuel efficiency at all.

Check your driver’s manual. Just as it would be disastrous to put diesel in a standard engine (or vice-versa), your car may require higher-grade fuel. If this is the case, then use it. On the other hand, if the manual simply recommends a higher-octane gas, save your money and go with regular instead.

Looking for your own fuel efficent Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

On the hunt for a quality pre-owned vehicle at an affordable price? We would love to find the perfect fit for you at Gresham Toyota! We have dozens of top-rated models in stock, and would love to take you for a pressure-free test drive!

2006 Ford Taurus SE, Internet Special Price $6,000

2005 Hyundai Elantra, Internet Special Price $7,000

2004 Kia Rio, Internet Special Price $6,235

2005 Chevy Malibu Maxx LS, Internet Special Price $7,500

2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS, Internet Special Price $7,500

Looking for your own well-equipped Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

Unlike many of the vehicles that automakers unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this year, the 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser hasn’t undergone any mechanical overhauls. There’s no new engine with more horsepower, the fuel efficiency is the same, and Toyota kept the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS), which allows the anti-roll bars to disengage if a driver chooses to take this luxury SUV off-roading.

What has changed, however, are the features that come with every Land Cruiser. Voice-activated navigation, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, and rain-sensing windshield wipers that used to be optional. Toyota has made those little extras standard on the 2013 model. Want to grab dinner and a movie? Toyota’s Entune multimedia system integrates apps from smartphones, including OpenTable and movietickets.com. Need to take a hands-free call? Bluetooth integration with the Land Cruiser’s JPL speaker system makes that possible.

Comfort hasn’t been overlooked in these upgrades, either. From the leather-trimmed steering wheel to the cooler in the center console, from the vented passenger seats to power outlets in the rear seating area, the 2013 Land Cruiser is built to avoid the road trip blues. You know what we mean. “He’s touching me! My iPod battery’s dead! There’s nothing to DO!” No one’s going to complain in this SUV.

Looking for your own well-equipped Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

Toyota releases teaser video a week before the Detroit Auto Show

While the video doesn’t reveal much about the concept cars due to debut next week in Detroit, we cannot deny that this video from Toyota has style and class. According to those who’ve seen the vehicles in question, they’re just as exciting as the video implies.

Toyota Auto Show Exhibit Focuses on Future of Transportation Toyota plans to have 30 models on display in Detroit next week, in a 30,000 square foot exhibit area focused on the future of technology as it relates to automobiles. From iPads replacing window stickers to a fuel cell concept car to a Safety Simulator wherein users can test Toyota’s Star Safety System, Toyota plans to take automotive technology to the next level with the world watching.

Toyota Aygo facelift revealed The Detroit Auto Show may get a lot of attention, but the Brussels Motor Show—also scheduled for later this month—is shaping up to be just as big for Toyota. Increased fuel efficiency and decreased emissions mean the vehicle, priced at just under £9,000, is a true competitor in the UK market.

Looking for your own sporty Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

According to Car and Driver, that’s Toyota’s take on the best-selling Camry and Camry Hybrid for 2012.

The Camry has topped the sales charts for several years by making subtle yet significant improvements to its interior and exterior design, all while maintaining the optimal balance of style, power, and fuel economy. On the back end, the newly designed taillights come to two sharp points at the bottom and rear quarters for a more dynamic look.

The front end, which continues to be designed for maximum fuel-efficiency, received minor changes. The front was said to appear “modern and bold” like the previous Camry, and the editors praised the removal of the “egg-toothed overbite” on the Toyota logo of previous years.

While other automakers scramble to make over their core models to keep up to date, the Camry’s overall design and value proposition of being a well-rounded, top-of-the-line family sedan has stood the test of time. We’re glad to hear that the while the Camry will be experiencing some positive changes, it will be returning in familiar form. Join us on Facebook to be the first to hear all of the latest news on 2012 Toyota models!

Looking for your own innovative Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @ greshamtoyota.com!