cars Archives - MomStart

How to Pick Out A Car with Great Safety Features #MasteringAuto #AD #Giveaway

December 6, 2014 by Momstart 173 Comments

This is a partnered post our opinions are our own.

Auto safety has evolved significantly beginning with basic seatbelts and interior lighting to high-tech safety features that can help drivers park their vehicles and avoid accidents. According to safercar.gov, thanks to continuing innovation, today’s vehicles are safer and have contributed to year-over-year decreases in crash-related fatalities and injuries.

I have a smart car, at least I call it a smart car. The car has lane control and keeps me within two lanes. It complains at me if I swerve too much and if I change lanes without turning on the signal. My car has the ability to brake and anticipate accidents. When I go in reverse I have a backup camera and it yells at me if there is something I’m about to hit. I have automatic lights that change depending on night and day and weather. I also have wipers that auto adjust to the level of rain. So that’s my smart car, and that’s in addition to all the hidden safety features that I don’t think about every day. The car has traction control and lots of airbags. Most importantly – it takes care of my family!

Recently, MetLife Auto & Home® launched the fifth video in its Mastering DisasterSM video series called: “Auto Safety Features” to help consumers understand what technology features to look for when buying cars. For example, very important features in a car are: back-up cameras, lane-departure warning systems, and electronic stability control (ESC). Whether buying a new or used vehicle, here are a few safety features you should consider and why they’re important

INSERT VIDEO:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_R3Bs0v3No

MetLife Auto & Home® also shared some tips with us.

Tips to Narrow Your Search for the Perfect Car

When looking for a new car ask yourself the following questions:

What can I afford?

How much space do I need?

Do I need four-wheel drive?

I want something fun to drive, but what?

What options do I need?

Which vehicles are environmentally friendly?

How do I choose a safe car?

Where do I start?

Answers to these questions can be found on MetLifeyourlife.com.

Did you know? By purchasing home or auto insurance through your employer, you could save money by taking advantage of group discounts. If your or your spouse’s employer offered access to MetLife Auto & Home’s group insurance program, you could receive special savings – others who switched saved an average of $466/year!*

*Savings based on MetLife Auto & Home’s 2014 countrywide research of its new call center customers’ annual average savings in 2013. MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates: Economy Preferred Insurance Company, Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan General Insurance Company, Metropolitan Group Property and Casualty Insurance Company, and Metropolitan Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas, all with administrative home offices in Warwick, RI. Coverage, rates, and discounts are available in most states to those who qualify.

Enter to Win:

· MetLife Auto & Home® has 1 $100 AMEX gift card along with a MetLife® blanket to give away to your readers.

To Enter:

Tell us a car safety feature that is most important to your family.

Extra Entries:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AMEX is not affiliated with MetLife Auto & Home and does not sponsor, endorse, approve, nor have any responsibility for this promotion. Each entrant into the giveaway completely releases Facebook. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, nor associated with, Facebook. No purchase necessary to enter. Purchase will not affect chances of winning. Taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Winner is selected by a random drawing. No substitutions or cash exchanges. Unclaimed prizes held for 30 days. Promotion may be conducted across several locations. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited. Entries must be received within contest period, available upon request. Age and residency requirements may apply. Entrant bears risk of lost entry ticket. Winner list is available upon request. Company bears no liability for winners’ use of prize. Acceptance of prize is waiver/release from liability. Publicity release from winner may be required. Complete contest rules, prize description/value/number of prizes available upon request.

MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates: Economy Preferred Insurance Company, Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan General Insurance Company, Metropolitan Group Property and Casualty Insurance Company, and Metropolitan Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas, all with administrative home offices in Warwick, RI. Coverage, rates, and discounts are available in most states to those who qualify.

[WA1]Consider encouraging your readers to share on Twitter/Facebook and use the hashtag #MasteringAuto

Travel Work Play & Fun Chevrolet Built In Wi-Fi #Chevy4G

August 17, 2014 by Momstart 2 Comments

Do you know how many times I’ve been on a road trip and worked while my husband was driving? It’s awesome to be able to work while being on the road. The thing is, I have to have my hotspot with me or use my cell phone, and well that eats my data pretty quickly. One thing that I’ve really been wishing was that my car was the hotspot, well guess what, it’s happening. Chevrolet did it and is the first and only car company to bring built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi to cars, trucks and crossovers. Now passengers can work and play on their devices while being on the go.

The hotspot is OnStar. The 4G LTE Wi-Fi is the ultimate Wi-Fi hotspot. It offers great signal quality and bandwidth for up to seven devices. My phone wouldn’t let that many people on it and my phone is limited in service through the mountains. The available OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot provides a better in-vehicle experience than your smartphone. The stronger signal delivers a fast, reliable connection. It’s automatically on after initial setup and ready to connect to your mobile devices. It’s super exciting news to me.

Whenever your car is on, the Wi-Fi hotspot is on. Think of the possibilities. You’re lost and you need to find something and your phone signal doesn’t work. Or what if you’re camping and it’s pouring down rain? Everyone can play on a device. Kids won’t drive you crazy on the road trip if they can stream their movies while you drive. I love being disconnected sometimes; it’s a great way to connect as a family, but it’s also nice after driving for hours to give the kids a movie. Sometimes after a few hours, a mom needs a little silence and the best way to get it is to put on a movie. I’m so in love with this technology advancement that it puts me in the mood to go on another road trip. LA here we come!

Chevrolet is merging the physical freedom of the car with the virtual freedom of Wi-Fi to become the first and only car company to bring built in 4G LTE Wi-Fi to the largest vehicle line-up. Visit http://s.chevy.com/TBX to learn more.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Chevrolet. The opinions and text are all mine.

Touring The Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama Plant

July 11, 2014 by Beeb 7 Comments

Travel consideration courtesy Hyundai.

At the end of June, I flew to Montgomery, Alabama for the first time to visit the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama plant. This is the first Hyundai assembly & manufacturing plant in the US, and is also hailed as one of the most advanced. I was eager to get behind the scenes and see how their cars are put together – from start to finish!

Our group loaded into golf carts, donning safety glasses and a headset with an audio tour.

Although HMMA is open to the public for reserved tours, photography is usually prohibited; but since we were members of the media, they allowed us to bring our cameras inside to capture a rare glimpse inside the plant!

The tour starts at the stamping shop and winds through the welding and paint shops before stopping at general assembly, test track, and the engine shop.

As we wound through the plant, we saw the employees working on each stage of the vehicle. We also saw some of the areas they have inside the plant for everyone who works at the plant, including a gym and cafeteria. The HMMA plant workers are rotated out of their post in the assembly line all through the day and switched to different tasks, which is done to prevent both repetitive stress injuries as well as boredom.

The employees work side-by-side with robotic machinery, which was really something to behold. We all know that the technology which goes into modern manufacturing is very complex, but you don’t often see it with your own eyes. Watching the robots at work was one of my favorite parts of the tour – check out this video I took during the tour. It looked like a scene out of The Matrix to me:

These little transport robots drive around the plant carrying parts:

As we finished our tour, we came to an assembly line filled with brand new 2015 Hyundai Sonatas. From here, we got into one of the cars and drove it fresh off the plant with nothing but a map guiding us to a mysterious location for lunch.

The assembly line literally started moving under my feet right after this photo was taken, so we quickly hopped into the car before it rolled away! 😉 I drove the first leg of our journey, and I can’t think of a bigger adventure than stepping into a freshly-made car anddriving it off the assembly line into the countryside in a state I’ve never visited before!

I have so many fun stories to share from our big road trip adventure, so stay tuned tomorrow for part two of my Alabama adventures with Hyundai!

Go Further with Ford Fusion Energi Up The 101 Redwood Coastal Highway #GoFurther @Ford

April 22, 2014 by Momstart 5 Comments

We spent our Spring Break this year going up and down the West coast of the US. Starting near Seattle we started our trek in our Ford Fusion Energi and headed down to LA for a visit to Disneyland. The Ford Fusion Energi is more than your typical hybrid vehicle. This car also has a battery that gives us up to 20 miles of electricity and the fun part is when you’re coasting down the mountain side we were able to rack up to 4 extra miles of electricity with the regenerative breaking system. It was AWESOME. We saved quite a bit of money on gas with this road trip car.

After our visit in LA at Disneyland we decided to drive over to San Francisco and then from there take Highway 101 up the coast through the redwood forest and then all the way back up to Washington. The roads are quite windy a not many passing lanes but our car had no issues passing anyone and staying within the lines. In fact with the lane assistance and cruise control on together this car practically drives itself. The car also likes to let you know when it thinks you are not driving up to snuff by saying you should stop for a coffee break. Then if you continue to drive poorly it will make lots of red noises at you and the warning goes from yellow to red.

The Ford Fusion Energi is amazing on the beach. And the kids were so excited to see sand they stopped right outside my son’s door and just started playing in the sand. They had so much fun, we all had so much fun.

The only negative is that there isn’t a lot of trunk space for a road trip but our roof rack provided us with all the space we needed.

Driving In Luxury: The New KIA Cadenza A Premium Sedan

March 25, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Thanks to STI and Kia I was able to spend the week in the KIA Cadenza a new car to the KIA Fleet. It’s a luxury car with comfort and style. It’s my favorite car I have reviewed so far it’s fast. VERY Fast (probably my husbands favorite feature was that he could get up to 60 in what seemed like five feet.).

The Interior is roomy and comfortable. The one I drove contained the white leather seats and I found it so comfortable. It was the perfect amount of support and cushion I felt like I fit in that car like a glove. The Steering wheel was easily moved electronically and heated. The front driver seat was heated and cooled while all the other seats in the car were just heated. My kids and I prefer heated seats anyway, my husband however, he’s the opposite.

The car’s navigation and stereo system run on the usual suspect for KIA. (the UVO infotainment and telematics system with voice-recognition technology, and the back-up warning system, just to name a few.)

The LX model offers steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, SiriusXM® Satellite Radio, Bluetooth® wireless technology, power windows, air conditioning, and power heated outside mirrors. The optional Premium Package includes unexpected additions like heated front and rear seats, a 10-way adjustable driver’s seat, a power sunroof, and a heated steering wheel.

The trunk actually has SPACE, loads of space. I think I had four suitcases in it. I had to pack a lot for a trip.

I really enjoyed driving it. Like I said before I was comfortable and had all the space I needed. In my current car when I have the seat comfortable I hit the steering wheel with my knees so it’s a little awkward. The Cadenza was a perfect fit for me. And speaking of fit, four adults would fit in this car quite nicely, so of course my children were happy to have so much leg room. And I can’t leave this post without mentioning the safety features. The car lets you know when there is a car in your blind spot, it beeps at you when you go over the speed limit and it keeps a distance as you are using the cruise control. As the car in front of you slows down so do you!

It’s a great car!

The Time I tried to Steal The 2014 Muppets Toyota Highlander #Noroomforboring #Muppetsmostwantedevent

March 9, 2014 by Momstart 5 Comments

Watching the Muppets on TV in their Toyota Highlander has me going a little crazy. I love the green and how much fun they are having, I just thought to myself, if I have the chance to drive the Muppets Green Toyota Highlander I’m taking it. Well last month when I was at the auto show the car was there. It was right in front of me. So I sneaked right up to it and had to try the door. I looked both ways to make sure no one was watching me and I opened the door and hopped right in. My friends were standing around as if they could keep the guards away from me while I drove off but alas, I was dragged out of the Toyota Highlander and told to keep the film. HA!

I really thought with my purple hair they wouldn’t be able to tell that I wasn’t a Muppet!

Well, I came that close you know!

Toyota is proud to be presenting sponsor of the world premiere of Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted”. The collaboration between Toyota and Disney blends Toyota’s “Let’s Go Places” spirit with Disney’s lovable Muppets franchise. Toyota debuted its 60-second Super Bowl spot starring the Muppets and Terry Crews earlier this year, inspiring families to discover why there’s "No Room for Boring" in the all-new Toyota Highlander.

The 2014 Toyota Highlander’s roomy interior has enough space to seat up to eight people, or over a dozen Muppets, and will serve as the Muppets’ vehicle of choice as they arrive in style at the movie premiere. A custom Highlander, specially wrapped in true Muppet fashion, will also be featured on the red carpet for photo opportunities. To learn more about the all-new Toyota Highlander, visit www.toyota.com/highlander, #NoRoomForBoring.

Obviously the Muppets are not included!

The Zombie Apocalypse Car Will You Survive? @Hyundai Let’s You Design!

February 17, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

At the Chicago Auto show Hyundai had their Zombie Apocalypse cars out again. This year one of the cars was a design that was first featured at Comicon last year. It’s an amazing design and will be featured on Walking Dead and inspires a real car that Hyundai is going to create. They are going to be selling a Walking Dead inspired car, but don’t get too excited. It has to be street safe you know so no knives, machine guns or Spikes, but I’m sure it’s still going to be Totally Awesome!

Hyundai took home the second-ever Driving Engagement Award from the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show. The Walking Dead Chop Shop campaign was chosen as the most innovative social media campaign of 2013.

I feel that if I had this car I would be ready for Zombies on my street. As long as the booster seats still fit. And I know they do. Now I just need to work a little more on my pantry and perhaps a better lock on the front door.

Hyundai’s The Walking Dead Chop Shop gives fans the opportunity to outfit their own zombie survival machine through an interactive app and accompanying website: walkingdeadchopshop.com. Fans start by choosing a Hyundai vehicle – an Elantra, Veloster Turbo or Santa Fe – then add armor, survival accessories and designs from a wide range of options, including nearly 300 different car parts and custom graphic decals created in collaboration with Robert Kirkman and comic book artists at Skybound.

Users are then able to share their creations with friends, get a survival score and test the vehicles out in scenarios inspired by the comic books. To date, over 190,000 Zombie Survival Machines have been created on the Chop Shop. Last year, the program also allowed fans to enter their designs into a contest where the winning design, selected by Kirkman, was built into a real car that Kirkman unveiled at New York Comic-Con.

Drive in style, safety and Demolition!

The 2015 Nissan Versa Note SR Unique Sporty Styling

February 10, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

At the Chicago Auto show I saw the debut of the sporty new Versa Note SR. The new grade level is one of two new trims being added to the Versa Note lineup for its second year of production, along with the Versa Note SL. Both new grade levels go on sale this spring at Nissan dealers nationwide, joining the Versa Note S MT, S Plus CVT and SV CVT. It’s a nice looking car inside and out.

Also for the 2015 model year, Bluetooth^® Hands-free Phone System with steering wheel-mounted controls becomes standard across all trims of Versa Note. One new option package is also being introduced for 2015, the SR Convenience Package, and new content is added to the SV Convenience Package and SL Tech Package.

Introduced in June 2013, the second-generation of the popular sub-compact 5-door Versa Note offers an exceptional combination of versatility, technology and value. It is designed to satisfy both the owners’ emotional and rational needs with sleek styling and features like the first-in-class Around View^® Monitor – all at an affordable price.

The Nissan Versa Note has front and rear crumple zones as well as an advanced airbag system. The Around View® Monitor provides a virtual 360° view around the vehicle which assists in parking – you can literally park the car without looking outside the windows – which means you can see hazards you would miss without it. It’s standard in the SL Tech Package and provides additional selectable split-screen close-ups of the front, rear and curb views.

Versa Note SR interior enhancements include an exclusive 370Z-inspired leather-wrapped steering wheel, suede-like fabric seats with sporty orange accents and double stitching, a redesigned piano black center instrument panel with silver accents and chrome knobs, and Euro-inspired Fine Vision triple-dial gauge cluster with floating trip computer.

“The new Versa Note SR offers an even more powerful appearance than the other grade levels, blending a sporty, European-style energy with a distinctive, driver-focused cockpit,” said Loing. “It’s a great demonstration that vehicles in this segment can offer sporty style along with attributes such as high utility and fuel economy.”

Under the skin, the Versa Note SR builds on the foundation of the second-generation Versa Note, including an advanced 1.6-liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine with dual fuel injection and Twin CVTC (Continuously Variable Timing Control) mated to a standard next-generation Nissan Xtronic^® transmission. The engine is rated at 109 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 107 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm. EPA fuel economy for the front-wheel drive Versa Note SR is estimated at 40 mpg highway, 31 mpg city and 35 mpg combined.

“The new Versa Note SR and SL grades retain all of the favorite consumer attributes of the Versa Note S, S Plus and SV trim levels – while adding a sportier look and feel in the case of the SR, and more standard technology and convenience items with the SL,” said Pierre Loing, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. “Now it’s as easy to find the right combination of equipment in the showroom as it is to enjoy the Versa Note when you take it home.”

For more information:

Nissan Versa Note website or test drive the Versa Note at your LOCAL NISSAN DEALER. You can also connect with Nissan on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, YOU TUBE, and GOOGLE+ * MSRP excludes applicable tax, title, license fees and destination charges. Dealer sets actual price.

Chicago Auto Show Displays The Fiat 500 Family #FuelCAS

February 10, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

The FIAT brand stands for discovery through passionate self-expression. It encourages people to be in charge of their lives, live confidently and celebrate the smallest of things with infectious excitement. That philosophy is embodied by the North American introduction of the iconic Fiat 500 or Cinquecento – a small car that lives big. Italian at heart and rooted in a rich heritage, the 500 is synonymous with modern, simple design blending form, function and a pride of ownership that is genuine. Reminiscent of the original Cinquecento, the Fiat 500 and Fiat 500c (Cabrio) build on the vehicle’s global popularity. Since its initial launch in 2007, more than 1 million Fiat 500 vehicles have been sold in more than 100 countries around the world.

The 500’s agile handling and crisp-shifting five-speed manual make it fun to drive. The non-turbo engine and manual returned 33 mpg overall, but require frequent downshifts to keep up on hills and with traffic. A 135-hp turbo engine improves the experience, but the ride is choppy and the cabin noisy. Head room up front is good, but the steering wheel is too far away for some. The rear seats are very tight and difficult to access. The convertible has a clever top. The high-performance Abarth is quick, grips well, and has a sporty exhaust note. The 500e electric version is enjoyable, too. Reliability of the 500 has dropped to well below average. The 500 scored a poor in the IIHS small-overlap crash test.

The model’s unquestionable popularity is the result of the Fiat 500’s great ability to deliver unmatched personalization options with advanced solutions in terms of quality, fuel economy and passenger comfort. In addition to success on the sales front, the Fiat 500 has earned more than 80 international awards, including being named the 2008 European Car of the Year, 2009 World Car Design of the Year and Best New Engine of 2010 (Fiat MultiAir Turbo). In the U.S., the 2012 Fiat 500 was named “Best Buy” in the subcompact category by Consumers Digest and was deemed a “Top Safety Pick” by the influential Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The FIAT brand portfolio in North America continues to expand with the arrival of the high-performance Fiat 500 Abarth, Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio and the Fiat 500 Turbo. In 2013, the FIAT brand launched the Fiat 500e, a full-electric version of the Fiat 500, and the Fiat 500L, a new five-passenger model that expands FIAT’s brand style and efficiency into the growing B-segment.

Mama Chicago Automobile Trade Association’s Car Show & How You Can Watch Live #FuelCAS

February 6, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

I’m here in Chicago learning about all new cars and technology coming out this year and wanted to make sure you all knew you can follow along live. We just found out the car that won the family MAMA award was the Chevrolet Impala.

You can watch the press conferences LIVE: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/chicago-auto-show-2011 so you don’t miss anything else! But I’ll keep posting summaries while I am here and afterwards as well. Here is a summary of what today looks like:

This year marks the 106th edition of the Chicago Auto Show. Prior to opening to the public on Saturday, Feb. 8, the show boasts a two-day Media Preview on Thursday, Feb. 6 and Friday, Feb. 7.

The Media Preview opens with the Midwest Automotive Media Association breakfast. Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc. will deliver the keynote address.

Following the MAMA breakfast will be a full day of manufacturer news conferences, announcing the reveal of more than a dozen new cars and trucks. Introductions are expected from Kia, Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Chevrolet, Volvo, Volkswagen, BMW and Lingenfelter Performance Engineering. Also included on the schedule are news conferences from Toyota Motorsports, Maserati, Connected World and Motorweek.

Splitting the day will be the Economic Club of Chicago Luncheon. Joe Hinrichs, executive vice president of The Americas for Ford Motor Co. will address the than 700 Economic Club of Chicago members, guests and journalists.

To watch complete coverage of the 2014 Chicago Auto Show Media Preview press conferences, please visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/chicago-auto-show-2011. The manufacturer press conferences will also be streamed live on Yahoo Autos at http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/watch-live-reveals-chicago-auto-show-230711872.html.