Keep your pet safe while driving, not only for your animal’s health and well-being, but for your wallet’s sake as well!
States Cracking Down On Dogs Behind The Wheel
If it's any indication of the danger free-roaming pets face in a vehicle, New Hampshire, the country's only state that does not have a mandatory seat belt law, actually requires dogs to buckle up.
Live free or die, goes the state's motto, but Spike and Spot don't have that liberty. And with due reason. Seven other states, Connecticut, California, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Rhode Island require owners to kennel or tether animals because of the severe danger the sudden stops and potential collisions pose to pets. An unrestrained dog can land you with a ticket between $50 and $200.
Animal lovers would almost always rather take their pet with them to run errands or on a road trip than leave them at home or at a pet motel. But for all that love for canines, most drivers have seen "dog people" take things too far, driving with their dogs in their laps or lying around their shoulders like a neck pillow and, yes, sometimes at the wheel.
And it's a double dose of danger: for the distracted driver and the unrestrained animal.
Find out more here: http://autos.aol.com/photos/driving-doggie-style-the-best-vehicles-for-pets/
The 2012 Honda CR-Z offers performance and MPG.
The Honda CR-Z was released with a flurry of interest. Unlike any other hybrid on the market, it promised performance and sporty driving dynamics without sacrificing fuel economy. And, with a base price of $19,545, the 2012 CR-Z is also a stellar value.
There are two models available for the 2012 model year. There’s the base CR-Z and a well-equipped EX. Based models feature a six-speed manual transmission with and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is available as an option.
The range-topping EX adds High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlights with Auto-On/Off, fog lights, a 360-Watt AM/FM/CD Premium Audio System with seven speakers including subwoofer, Bluetooth HandsFreeLink, perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and more. The CR-Z EX is also available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with voice recognition.
All CR-Z models are powered by a unique variation of Honda’s original IMA technology, which originally debuted on the 2000 Honda Insight, the first hybrid vehicle available for sale in North America. The system combined a four-cylinder engine with the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system’s DC brushless electric motor. The system delivers a combined peak output of 122 horsepower and 128 lb-ft. of torque.
The Honda’s sporty side or fuel-efficient side can be honed with its three-mode drive system, which features individual modes of performance for Sport, Normal and Economy driving styles:
- Sport mode enhances engine throttle responsiveness, electric power steering effort and the electric motor power assist.
- Normal mode standardizes steering, engine response, motor assist and air conditioning settings.
- Econ mode optimizes throttle angle for smooth acceleration, lower engine rpm and limiting power and torque by approximately 4 percent. It can also reduce the air conditioning’s overall load on the engine and modify the cruise control to operate more efficiently.
Best of all, this sport hybrid doesn’t sacrifice fuel economy. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 35/39/37 city/highway/combined mpg on CVT-equipped models and 31/37/34 city/highway/combined mpg on manual models.
Read more: http://www.hondainthenews.com/2012-honda-cr-z-offers-performance-and-mpg/#more-2122
The 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas will be in showrooms October 18th!
The all-new 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas (formally known as the Civic GX), which is the only dedicated natural gas-powered passenger vehicle manufactured and sold in the U.S., will feature a base price of $26,155.
Honda has long supported alternative fuel vehicles, and the addition of the Civic Natural Gas will continue that objective. The CNG-powered model will join the standard Civic and Civic Hybrid, all of which have been completely redesigned for the 2012 model year.
Although the Civic GX was once reserved for select markets, the new Civic Natural Gas will be available to retail customers at 200 dealers in 35 states.
The Civic Natural Gas offers many benefits for the eco-conscious customer, not to mention significantly reduced operating costs compared to gasoline-powered models as well as lower fuel costs. As an alternative-fuel vehicle with extremely low smog-forming emissions, the Civic Natural Gas currently qualifies for a state-issued decal allowing single-occupant access to High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) “carpool” lanes in California and several other states. The Civic Natural Gas engine produces almost zero smog-forming emissions and is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle certified by the EPA (Tier-II, Bin-2 and ILEV certification as of August 2010).
A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine powers the new Civic Natural Gas. A 5-speed automatic transmission is standard equipment and helps the vehicle achieve anEPA-rated city/highway/combined fuel economy of 27/38/31 miles per gallon (gasoline-gallon equivalent).
Read more: http://www.hondainthenews.com/honda-announces-2012-civic-natural-gas-pricing/
