Traffic Tips from Georgia's Clean Air Force

With a little less than a month left in summer, school is now back in session and traffic on the roads seems to be as crowded as ever, with commuting and travelers taking late summer vacations. 
With that in mind, Georgia's Clean Air Force has provided some tips for motorists to help deal with traffic and contribute to cleaner air. 

It’s Cool to Pool. Use social media networks like Facebook to set up a back-to-school carpool with your neighbors. If you find just four other parents in your neighborhood, you can cut down your school commute to once a week, and spend less money on gas. Carpooling to work on the days that you don’t lead the kids’ carpool can help save even more time and money.

The 30-Second Rule. It might seem convenient to keep your vehicle running while waiting to pick your child up from school, but in reality, it wastes gas and money, in addition to being harmful to the environment. For every 10 minutes of idling cut from your commute, you can save one pound of harmful carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. The rule of thumb is to turn off your engine if you’ll be idling for more than 30 seconds.

Reroute Your Commute. Traffic in metro Atlanta becomes more congested as the school year begins in early August. While there’s no getting around that, staggering your commute might help you save time for school pickup runs. Ask your boss if you can arrive for work later in the morning, when school related traffic is minimal. If your employer allows telecommuting, you can opt to skip the trip to work entirely.

Un-junk Your Trunk. The heavier the vehicle, the more fuel it consumes. Studies show that removing just 100 pounds of extra weight from your vehicle can increase fuel economy by up to two percent. Don’t carry bulky items like sports equipment unless you need to, and remove the roof rack unless you use it regularly.

Follow the App. There are many smart phone apps that can help motorists bypass high traffic areas. Apple and Android have a number of free apps that were designed to find the most efficient and fastest way to get to your destination. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has a data-sharing partnership with Waze, the real-time crowdsourcing app, that provides construction and road-closure data to the app. This helps reroute drivers to less congested routes.

Maximize Performance. Late summer is a good time to have your car inspected by your local mechanic. He or she can check for malfunctioning oxygen sensors, underinflated tires, clogged filters, and other factors that can reduce fuel economy and increase harmful emissions.

For additional information, visit Georgia’s Clean Air Force at www.cleanairforce.com.

2017 Lexus GS 350 F Sport: Midsize Luxury Sedan is a Great Fit

Some folks might see midsize luxury sedans as the automotive equivalent of a dark blue business suit. They provide a nice, neat look, and are appropriate for many settings, but they are kind of boring. But it doesn't have to be that way. The 2017 Lexus GS 350 F Sport trim model proves that. 
The GS 350 uses some distinctive design touches to set itself apart. Its creative grille has a crisscross-pattern mesh, which provides a little extra flair to the familiar Lexus spindle grille. There is also a diffuser-style rear fascia that fits around triangular exhaust tips. 
On the exterior, the GS 350 includes standard features such as LED headlights, arrow-head LED daytime running lamps, side mirrors with turn-signal indicators, a dual-pipe exhaust system and 18-inch alloy wheels. Optional features include a power trunk lid, a rear spoiler, sport-tuned adaptive suspension and larger 19-inch alloy wheels.
The GS 350's standard power plant is a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that makes 311 horsepower and is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. Gas mileage for the F Sport is rated at 19 mpg city, 28 highway. 
The nicely appointed interior features a premium NuLuxe leatherette trim with a 60/40-split folding rear seat. There is a Lexus Navigation System with 12.3-inch display on the center console, the Lexus Enform app suite, Siri Eyes Free mode, voice command recognition, USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity for phone and audio and a Mark Levinson premium audio system. Automatic climate control, remote keyless entry, push-button start, a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel and rear HVAC are standard. 
Options include power front seats, heated/ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel.
For safety, there is a standard Lexus Safety System+ with pre-collision prevention, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning. Other standard safety features include a backup camera, blindspot monitoring system and rear cross-traffic alert. The F Sport also features an optional limited slip differential.
Driving dynamics are not bad for a midsize sedan. There are different modes including Sport, Snow and Eco, with Sport obviously being the choice if you're looking for some modest thrills on the road. 
Overall, the most appealing things about this sedan, though, are its comfort, attractive styling and ample safety features.
Pricing for the tested F Sport model was around $61,000.
So if you choose the automotive equivalent of a suit, get one with some style and that looks good when you go out on the town. When it comes to those qualities, the Lexus GS 350 F Sport is a great fit. 

2017 Kia Niro: A Hybrid Hatchback Hero

Kia calls its new Niro hybrid subcompact a crossover, but it sure does look and feel a whole lot like a regular subcompact hatchback. Ok, maybe a tad bit taller than that, but still. However you want to classify it, though, this, um, vehicle, is pretty darn good.
It seats five passengers and comes in four trim levels: the FE, LX, EX and Touring.
On the exterior, Kia has held true to its design language, with a front end featuring bug-eyed headlights, a hexagonal grille with a lower section that is sporty and highlighted by vertical-slit air ducts. Depending on the trim level, you get chrome or black trim around the windows and lower body. 
Standard features include power side mirrors, a rear spoiler and 16-inch alloy wheels. HID headlights, LED daytime running lamps, fog lights, power/heated side mirrors with turn-signal indicators, a power moonroof and larger 18-inch alloy wheels are also available.
The Niro interior features a standard cloth interior with a 60/40-split folding rear seat. There is 54.5 cubic feet of cargo space if the rear seat is folded down. 
Up front, the center console has UVO eServices multimedia system that includes a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity for phone and audio and a USB port. Options include a larger 8-inch touchscreen, an integrated navigation system, voice command recognition and a Harmon Kardon premium audio system. 
Other standard features include dual-zone automatic climate control, power windows/locks and push-button start. Leather upholstery, heated/ventilated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a wireless phone charging station and a keyless entry system with an illuminated keyhole are other optional features.
The Niro has a standard 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 139 horsepower along with an electronic motor linked to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with front-wheel drive. It's a hybrid, so you expect great fuel economy, and you get it. The base model is rated 52 mpg city, 49 highway. The LX and EX trims are rated at 51 and 46 and the Touring is 46 and 40. 
The Niro has adequate power for all the things most drivers need, such as merging on to a busy highway or passing a tractor trailer. Would you take it on a race track? Of course not. It's a hybrid. But it drives just fine. 
The Niro is priced starting at around $24,000 and ranges to about $32,000.
If you are looking for a nice subcompact hatchback, 'er crossover, or whatever it is, this is a good choice that will make you an infrequent visitor to the gas pump. 

2018 Toyota Avalon: Yes, There are Still Great Sedans Out There

Sedans may not be as popular as they once were, thanks to the explosion in popularity of crossover SUVs. But that doesn't mean there aren't some very good ones still on the market. One of which is this week's test model, the 2018 Toyota Avalon.
This full-size family sedan comes in five trim levels: the XLE, XLE Plus, XLE Premium, Touring and Limited. 
The Avalon is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that makes 268 horsepower and 248 pounds-feet of torque. It is linked to a six-speed automatic transmission. Gas mileage is estimated at 21 mpg city, 30 highway. 
Exterior styling of the Avalon was dramatically improved a couple of years ago, after being very ho-hum for much of its existence. The front end has stylized lines that feature angular, thin headlights, a narrow front grille and a broad lower fascia. Rear styling is a little less bold, but the overall effect is attractive and evokes a premium look. 
Power/heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators and a dual-pipe exhaust system are standard. Options include LED headlights, daytime running lamps, fog lights, a rear spoiler and larger 18-inch wheels.
On the interior, there is a center console with a standard Entune audio system that has a 7-inch touchscreen, CD/MP3 playback, Bluetooth connectivity for phone and audio, Siri Eyes Free mode with voice recognition and a USB port.
Optional is an integrated navigation system, a Qi wireless smartphone charging station and a JBL premium audio system. 
For comfort and convenience, dual-zone automatic climate control, power front seats, remote keyless entry and push-button start are standard. Tri-zone automatic climate control, rear heating and cooling, a memory seat, heated/ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a power moonroof are optonal.
Standard safety features include a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control. The optional Safety Connect service features emergency roadside assistance, stolen vehicle locator and automatic collision notification. 
The Avalon is priced starting at about $35,000 and ranging to about $45,000.
If you want to buck the crossover SUV trend and stick with a good family sedan, this would be an ideal choice.