Dec 18 2016

Mom’s Guide To The 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco Review

Red is my favorite color so driving a 2017 Elantra Eco in scarlet red felt a little like driving a small race car.

Driving the 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco

The race-car feeling was less about the speed and more about the agility of the vehicle. The 1.4L turbo GDI 128HP engine and powertrain gave fairly decent driving performance.

When you drive a lot taking kids to and from school, activities, shopping and everything else that mom duties require, you need a car that has not only comfortability but good fuel economy.

Meet the 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco.

Want to save gas, get a fuel efficient car

Look at the gas mileage we enjoyed in the vehicle.

Even with more than a half a tank remaining we had driven over 250 miles. The 2017 Elantra Eco averages 35 mpg, 32 on the city with 40 on the highway.

Annual fuel costs are estimated at $1,050 with a savings of $350 per year.

The Elantra Eco has three different drive modes: normal, eco and sport. I alternated between driving the car on Eco and using the Sport option when I had to use it (i.e. when I needed to pass people on the freeway).

You save the most driving in Eco.

The Elantra comes with a 7″ inch touchscreen where you can access your SiriusXM if you get a subscription. More importantly, because of the bluetooth connection to my phone I could also access some of the basic apps that I have installed.

Access to my apps made the drive that much more fun.

Projector headlights and 15-inch alloy wheels make the car look even sportier for its class of vehicle.

The hands-free smart trunk space is fairly impressive. I was able to fit groceries, book bags and a ladder if I wanted. The 60-40 split folding rear seat back allows for that.

Rear cameras are standard in a lot of today’s vehicles and they help out a lot. Pulling in and out of crowded school parking lots, you need extra eyes everywhere.

It helps having some in the back of your car.

A smaller car meant a cozier ride with my kids. The 5-year 60,000 mile warranty is pretty standard – better than what I got when I purchased my Ford back in 2005 but not as good as the Kia’s 100,000 mile warranty on its cars.

However the price is right on this car so getting a bit less on the warranty makes up for the difference.

Affordability all around, the Elantra is a budget-friendly vehicle for a small family. And at $21,610 the price is great for new drivers or anyone not looking for high car payments.

Are you in the market for a new car? Can you see yourself in a Hyundai Elantra Eco if you’re keeping budget-minded? I’d love to know.

I drove the 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco for a week courtesy of DriveShop and Hyundai.

A non-Minivan Driver’s 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Review #DrivePacifica

This review of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is a compensated sponsored campaign with FCA US. However, all photos and opinions expressed within are my own.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica has made me fall in love with a minivan!

I never thought I would do it. Never. Ever. But I am smitten. Before I get into the nitty gritty of this Limited edition’s details here’s a sneak peek why:

Backstory on the Chrysler Pacifica

You may remember the Chrysler Pacifica as a mid-size crossover. I know I do.

The very first Pacifica I saw was back in 2005. My husband had a friend who owned one.

I remember thinking how advanced it seemed with its interior features. And how I had a tinge of buyer’s remorse having just purchased my own crossover before seeing the Pacifica.

It was sleek then, and even in its new form, it’s sleek now. I love sleek cars.

In 2008, they stopped producing the Pacifica, re-introducing it this year as a luxury minivan.

Can I just say, although I’m far from a minivan mom, I’m in love.

Chrysler Front grille — The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica in Granite Crystal Metallic.

Fuel Economy on the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica

At 22 combined city/hwy miles per gallon, I got a lot of mileage out of a tank of gas. Two separate school drop-offs back and forth, two grocery store trips, intermittent errands, and a drive to see a friend in D.C. were all achieved on 1 tank of gas.

It was a lot of driving but thankfully, the Pacifica is a smooth ride.

Side view of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica — Very sleek look and a smooth drive. Is it bad that I try to find the reflection of the car in a window as I’m passing by to see how we look? LOL! Anyone else do that?

Guess what? That driving is gonna go even further.

Fiat Chrysler North America just announced in a press release that they’ve finished production of the industry’s first electric minivan with the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.

With a full tank of gas, I drove roughly 380 miles in this 3.6L V6 24V VVT engine with 9-speed FWD automatic transmission. With a 16-kWh lithium ion battery and a full tank of fuel,Tim Kuniskis, head of passenger car brands estimates drivers will get 566 miles out of the hybrid Pacifica.

Whether hybrid or traditional, you get a nice amount of driving out of a tank of gas with the Pacifica. Perfect for any busy traveling mom (or dad).

Winter has no home in the 2017 Pacifica

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Heated Wheel — Two-toned leather interior complete with heated steering wheel that takes all of 2.1 seconds to warm up!

Every part of your body will keep warm in this car. And when it’s hot outside, you have the option of ventilated seats.

Oh! And the heated features aren’t only for the driver and front passenger.

2017 chrylser pacifica — My oldest reclining in the rear enjoying the warmth.

My 12-year old jumps in the front seat of our regular car because he wants that heated seat comfort. In the Pacifica, he can get it no matter where he sits.

Front, middle or back row.

The features in the Pacifica are a glimpse into the future of cars.

From the lane-correct feature to the dial gear shift, this vehicle makes me feel kinda old. Well, it definitely makes my normal ride look like we’re still rolling in the stone ages.

This is how you shift into gear.

Chrysler Pacifica Steering — Turn dial gear shift on the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is like whoa! Totally different

Sensors all around the car keep you “aware” of your surroundings. The Blind Spot and Cross Path Detection feature works VERY well.

I like that this is a feature that I’m seeing standard on most new cars.

Most of us try to be conscientious drivers but accidents happen. The 2017 Pacifica has all sorts of camera and sensor technology to keep precious cargo safe.

Pacifica Rear Camera — Rear view cameras and parking assist (on a rainy day) .

I knew about the rear sensors but I didn’t know about the front sensors until I got too close to a car in front of me in the Chick Fil A drive-thru.

Chrysler Pacifica Front Sensor — Front collision sensors on the car are extremely useful.

“Beep!” Okay, Pacifica. I hear you girl!

Hands-free sliding doors are officially on my Christmas wish list

The doors …oh those lovely sliding doors.

Automatic sliding doors in the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica are awesome. (Cute boy with Star Wars crocs not included)

At a touch of a button I can automatically open the doors for the kids to get in and out. Oh how I love that about the Pacifica.

My eight-year old has autism. He’s still not adept at opening and closing car doors.

Having an automatic sliding door makes managing the in-out car process a breeze. That and the hands-free liftgate too!

It’s especially useful on rainy days when you just want everyone to hop in the car so that you can run in the vehicle and keep as dry as possible.

That’s exactly what we did. And I was able to control the door without being physically on it to do so. All the seat buckling happened from inside the car.

This minivan is lit!

Everywhere I turned, there was light in the Pacifica. I counted 11 lights throughout the vehicle. (There may be more).

Aside from the usual suspects in the front and second row seats, here were other areas where I saw a light:

the third row seating area
the trunk space
the driver/passenger door area where you would store a drink
the front row console
the glove compartment

And then there’s the storage….

I’d have to say that there’s so much storage in this vehicle it makes you want to take a long road trip to test how you could max out every nook and cranny for luggage and other accessories.

Chrysler Pacifica trunk space — Deep trunk space is a god send when you have to make a long overdue grocery run. BTW, see all the lights?

There’s storage for your sunglasses, storage for your cups, storage for your groceries, storage for the seats, storage for your purse, storage for your umbrella and storage for just about anything you can think of as long as it fits.

My Favorite Features

Touch-screen with SiriusXM, apps and Navigation

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Navigation — I was impressed when the tunnel came up on the navigation screen. That’s different!

Surround sound system

2017 Chrysler Pacifica equalizer — The surround sound system in the Pacifica is hot! Using the touch screen I can fade the sound from the front all the way to the rear. Convenient when a horrible song comes on that my pre-teen loves.

Panoramic Moon roof

Gorgeous interior leather seats

My least favorite feature

There’s not much that I didn’t like about the new Pacifica. All the bells and whistles were music to my family’s ears.

What I had a hard time adjusting to, a feature I did not like, was the Lane Departure Warning Plus that offered driving “correction” if you veered out of the lane.

If you don’t drive straight and perfect, this will trigger for you constantly. And how many of us drive in a seemingly perfect straight line?

You can easily disengage the feature with a click of a button. After driving the minivan for a day and a half that’s exactly what I did. I felt it pulled the car too much while it was engaged, to the point where I might auto correct too much.

I think it comes in super handy if you are driving while you’re feeling kinda sleepy. But honestly, if that’s the case, you probably shouldn’t be driving.

Studies have shown that if you’re driving when you’re sleepy is akin to driving while drunk. It’s best to NOT.

Lane correction or not.

How much does the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Limited cost?

So, I showed you a lot in this vehicle. You’re probably wondering how much does the Pacifica cost?

Glad you asked.

This particular model retails for $46,460. The base price is $42,495. What comes as optional equipment on this vehicle includes:

20-inch x 7.5-inch aluminum wheels
245/5OR20 BSW All Season Tires
Locking lug nuts
Advanced SafetyTec Group
Park Sense Front and Rear Park Assist with Stop
360-Degree Surround View Camera System
Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist with Stop
Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & go
Full Speed Forward-Collision Warning Plus
Lane Departure Warning Plus
Rain Sensitive Windshield Wipers
Automatic High Beam Headlamp Control
Advanced Brake Assist
Hands-free Doors and Liftgate
17-inch Inflatable Spare Tire
Inflatable Spare Tire Kit with Sealant
KeySense

I may not be a minivan mom but this 2017 Pacifica Limited and I go well together. What do you think? Could this be the car for YOUR family? Let me know.

Me in the Pacifica — We look good together.

Want to see the Chrysler Pacifica in my Flipboard magazine? Check it out:

View my Flipboard Magazine.

The 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Best Features Review

Pictures and videos speak much louder than words. I don’t want to WRITE about the 2016 Hybrid Sonata best features, I want to show you:

Hey listen, you can check out Hyundai’s site to see all of the specs and a laundry list of features. I’m not going to give you atypical car review talk here.

As a mom and a woman who likes pretty cars, I break down what features stood out for me.

I’ve tried to tap into my creative side as best I could to take photos of individual features and short 10-second snap videos. Be sure to let me know in the comments what you think.

The 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid drive modes

Sleek and sexy, I drove a Sonata Hybrid in Seaport Mist exterior with Blue Pearl on Blue Pearl interior leather seats.

Panoramic Sunroof with Tilt and Slide

The sunroof was hands down one of my favorite features of this car. It made the car feel like a convertible.

Seriously, I had urges to stand up and raise my arms the way you do in a roller coaster when you’re strapped in and need an extra sprinkle of adrenaline. (As if the fact that you’re strapped in a roller coaster going at death-defying speeds isn’t enough adrenaline.)

5-inch Color Touchscreen Audio Display

The touchscreen was the hub for just about everything important to press in this car. Only thing missing was back seat entertainment for the kids.

Now THAT would be a nice upgrade – independent headrest video players. Add that Hyundai (no aftermarket please) and I’m sold!

Blue Link Connected Care

At the press of a button and through your voice, you can get directions from Google right in the dash of the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. There’s a complimentary trial where enrollment is required for this feature.

This was great! Talk about being spoiled. I didn’t have to worry about accessing my phone for this info. Not sure how much enrollment costs but if you take a lot of road trips, I can see where this could really come in handy.

Fuel Economy

The 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited averages 41 MPG combined city/highway. Hyundai’s published specs are as follows:

2.4 gallons per 100 miles
39 city
43 highway
Annual Fuel cost of $1,100
Fuel Savings of $3500 over 5 years compared to the average new vehicle.

I don’t know about all that except I drove 499.5 miles on one tank of gas!

LOVELY!

I take it back. THIS might be my most favorite feature of the Sonata Hybrid….anything that’s gonna save me money!

So what do you think? Would you want to give the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid a test drive? I had fun driving it for Mazda USA. It was hard giving it back. Both me and my oldest son wanted to cry. Because they didn’t let me have it, all opinions herein are my own.

Overall this is a solid car and a solid ride.

Apr 26 2016

What’s New In The 2016 Mazda CX-5

The 2016 Mazda CX-5 is a sleek fuel-efficient cross over vehicle that’s fun to drive. What’s new in the 2016 CX-5 ranges from exterior updates to interior upgrades and drive system enhancements. Although driving the Mazda 6 was sexy, crazy and cool I much rather being higher up on the road. Guess I’m just an SUV kinda girl.

But let’s take things one step at a time, shall we?

With SKYACTIV Technology, the Grand Touring AWD model is nothing short of a suped up family SUV.

2016 Mazda CX-5 Fuel Efficiency

At 26 MPG city/highway, and gas prices at less than $2.00 per gallon I spent only $18 to fill the tank. With two separate school drop-off and pick-ups those are fuel-economy numbers I can get behind.

Since I drive a lot It’s important that a vehicle can support my driving habits. Mazda estimates average annual fuel costs at $1750 which is higher than what I’m spending now on gas for a 2005 Ford freestyle.

At current gas prices in Maryland, we’d probably average 39% less than Mazda estimates.

But I digress. So what’s new in the 2016 Mazda CX-5?

New Features in the Mazda CX-5

Exterior wise, the grille is more refined than the 2015 model. And the 19-inch alloy aluminum wheels were redesigned. Other updates were made to the dash, the center stack and console, an electric parking break and reduced cabin noise.

The 2016 also received new trim accents, more comfortable front and rear seats. A new range of Mazda I-Activesense advanced safety technologies which include Driver assist features such as:

Radar cruise control
Smart Brake support
Blind Spot Monitoring
Rear Cross Traffic Alert

Okay! So now that we’re done with all the boring stuff and I’ve covered some of what’s new in the 2016 Mazda CX-5, let me tell you what I like most about the SUV and how she drives.

The wide sunroof is perfect for letting wind and sunshine in. An accurate in-dash GPS system excellent for helping me not get lost. Bose speakers are ideal for drowning out loud kids and for blasting Prince. Parchment interior color leather seats are perfect for styling, profiling and matching similarly colored purses. They are NOT perfect for messy little boys.

Blind spot monitoring is great for safe driving against people who want to sneak up on your left. 184 horsepower Sport mode is perfect for speeding by people who want to sneak up on your left but with fuel efficiency.

Starting at $21,795 for the basic model, even at a $32,340 sticker price for the model I drove the 2016 Mazda CX-5 fits within my budget and won’t put me in the poor house. The features for the Grand Touring AWD model with optional equipment would give me what I need to chauffer comfortably and roll the way I want to roll.

Check out the standard equipment and optional equipment below for more details on what you get with this vehicle.

I test drove the 2016 Mazda CX-5 for this review. However, all opinions, sly comments, and drooling expressed within are my own.

Jan 25 2016

Mom’s Guide To The 2016 Mazda6: Review

If I were a single female again, the Mazda6 would be the car for me. Hear me when I say that this is a bold statement coming from these lips. I have always been an SUV kind of girl.

An Introduction to the Mazda6

You know what they say: “You don’t know what you don’t know.”

And I did not know how sleek, pretty and fun a Mazda could be. Nor did I know how free I’d feel driving in it, nor how happy it would make me feel.

Get on the happy train with the Mazda6 Grand Touring

Yes, the Mazda6 delivered happiness to me.

Maybe it was the snowflake white pearl exterior and the clean bright parchment leather interior, a stark contrast to my dark leather seats and candy wrapper littered floor mats that made me happy.

Perhaps it was the uber efficient fuel economy. At 28 city MPG and 40 highway MPG, I felt as if I were doing my part to protect the environment. And with a gas spend of less than $20 at current gas rates to fill the tank, that would put a smile on just about anybody’s face.

Knowing that the fuel economy was so spectacular, I may have revved the engine a couple of times racing one or two particularly hickish pickup trucks off an imaginary starting like. The 184 horsepower SKYACTIV-Drive 6-speed Sport automatic transmission definitely made me happy!

A moonroof designed to make you smile

It could be the power sliding-glass moonroof with one-touch-open feature in the grand Touring that made me happy. That much sunshine in a car is a perk-up even in the most hideous of traffic jams (probably because everyone is green with envy looking over at you smiling).

I made two very important observations over our time together:

This is a car worth taking on a road trip.
Running errands have never been so much fun.

Why? Because she drives fast! (See engine specs above).

Mazda6 — My purse and the parchment interior go well with one another.

Yes, I called the car a “she.” The snowflake white pearl is too pretty to be otherwise

The fully-loaded Grand Touring experience

If I’m completely honest, it may be all the interior gadgets, bells and whistles that kept me happy. It took some getting used to but I love the Keyless entry system; Rearview camera; Rain-sensing windshield wipers; Lane Departure Warning System; and LED headlights and interior lights.

As horrible as it sounds, I looked forward to the kids’ departure for school so that I could blast either my SiriusXM station or one of my Pandora faves from the console onto the Bose Centerpoint Surround System with AudioPilot 2 and 11 speakers.

Mazda6DriveStick — I loved the console on the Mazda6 — tuno-toned all the way.

My tunes warmed my ears as much as the heated front seats warmed my body. Although it was a departure from my norm in driving SUVs, my Mazda6 was an experience I didn’t want to see end.

Mazda6Rear Split — Three-quarter folding seats great for transporting like items like ladders.

Fully loaded, the 2016 Mazda 6 Grand Touring edition has an MSRP of $33,175.

Mazda cares

Thumbs up to Mazda for gifting me with a gift card to donate to a charity of my choice through their Drive For Good program. In my folder of important stuff was this wonderful surprise that allowed me to be Santa Claus to one of my favorite charities.

I had so many to choose from but I went with V-Link, a small organization out of Baltimore, MD that gifts children with disabilities with equipment that would help improve their quality of life. We opted for an adaptive bike for our son which was designed by a team of volunteer engineers. A pricey endeavor, it was funded by donations and grants.

It felt good to be able to send them a little extra for the holidays for a job well done thanks to Drive Mazda.

All in all, that was the icing on the cake of my happiness experience with the Mazda6. At the end of the day, happiness is also about the smile that you can put on another’s face.

Who knew driving could be so much fun?

You can watch my LIVE streaming coverage of the Mazda6 in the video below:

Chime in. I’d love to hear if you’ve ever driven a Mazda or what you think about their cars. What feature do you think you’d like most about the Mazda6? Leave a comment in the section below.