Love the Lake: Lake Hartwell, S.C.

Beautiful Lake Hartwell, S.C., straddles the South Carolina-Georgia border and is just a two-hour drive from metro Atlanta. It offers boating, fishing, picnicking, hiking and other activities. It's also a great place to view wildlife. Atlanta Auto Examiner's recent trip included viewing a fox, several squirrels and some fish.

Tips for Improving Air Quality and Saving Money

Georgia’s Clean Air Force, a partnership with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), offers these six simple tips to help improve Georgia’s air quality and save money in the process.

As summer driving season kicks off, Georgians who make minor adjustments to their driving habits can greatly reduce harmful emissions, help to improve air quality, and operate their vehicles more reliably.

“As Clean Air Month leads into the summer driving season, it is the ideal time to remind drivers to assess their driving habits and make adjustments that can help to improve the air quality in Georgia,” said Michael Odom, Mobile & Area Sources Program Manager, Georgia EPD. “A few minor tweaks can contribute to cleaner air, save drivers time and money, and prolong the lives of the vehicles they drive.”

In honor of Clean Air Month, following are six tips to help improve air quality and save money:

• Pressure Your Tires to Perform at Their Best. When it comes to fuel economy, your tires are literally where the rubber meets the road. Under-inflated tires create more drag, requiring more gas to accelerate. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.2% for every 1 psi drop in the average pressure of all tires. Plus, properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.

• Don’t Idle on Idling. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, idling for just 10 seconds wastes more gas than restarting the engine. For every 10 minutes your engine is off, you'll prevent one pound of carbon dioxide from being released into the environment. And you’ll save money, too. An idling car burns anywhere from 1/5 to 7/10 of a gallon of fuel per hour. A good rule of thumb is to turn your engine off if you will be idling for 30 seconds or more.

• Car Pool to Work and School. A typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Carpooling with friends or colleagues is not only an excellent way to cut down on harmful emissions, it can save you money on gas, and it can even save you time through the use of HOV lanes. If you have a shorter commute, pledge to walk or ride your bike to work once or twice a week.

• Fuel in the Cool. Twenty percent of all hydrocarbon emissions from cars come from fuel evaporation. Filling your gas tank during the hottest parts of the day – afternoon and early evening – will lead to more evaporation than filling in the morning or at night. Hot temperatures combined with gasoline fumes create harmful ground-level ozone. Also, don’t forget to snap your gas cap in place. Each year, 147 million gallons of gasoline vaporize due to loose, damaged or missing gas caps.

• Lighten Your Load. According to the EPA, fuel economy can be increased by 1 - 2 percent for every 100 pounds removed from the trunk of a vehicle. With gas prices increasing for the summer driving season, this can translate into significant fuel savings over time.

• Cruise to a Win. Fueleconomy.gov statistics show that increasing your highway cruising speed from 55 mph to 75 mph can cause as much as a 20 percent increase in fuel consumption. Driving at 55 mph instead of 65 mph can help you improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 - 15 percent.

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

2019 Volkswagen Beetle: Another Swan Song

For decades, the Volkswagen Beetle was among the most popular small cars. Then it went away for awhile. Then in the 1990s, it came back, as the New Beetle. Its popularity was re-stoked and it seemed the world would forever have its Beetles. 
Now however, the 2019 Beetle has entered its final year of production, as it will take another halt in production, indefinitely. 
Sales have been mild, with the rise of compact crossovers probably playing a large role. 
Anyway, doesn't hurt to enjoy it while it's still here. 
It's available as a two-door hatchback or two-door convertible.
Its maximum cargo capacity is 29.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.
The Beetle has four trim levels: S, Final Edition SE, SE and Final Edition SEL.
Under the hood is a standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 174 horsepower and is linked to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Fuel economy for the Beetle is rated at 26 mpg city, 33 highway. 
While it's no sports car, it's still kind of fun to drive. And you can't help but enjoy the nostalgic aspect of it. 
Pricing ranges from about $22,000 to around $31,000.
We'll miss this fun, iconic little car. Maybe it will come back to us again some day. 

Things to See in Tennessee -- Chattanooga

This lovely view of a bridge over the Tennessee River revealed itself in a recent visit to Chattanooga. This pleasant city has a fun downtown section with shops, restaurants, attractions and beautiful river vistas.

Chattanooga is nestled amid the Smoky Mountains and the Tennessee River, creating beautiful views throughout the city.

Sensational Sao Paulo

We recently visited the vibrant city of Sao Paulo, Brasil. Shown above is a Sunday afternoon street festival that featured live music, performances, food and a lively party atmosphere.

This live statue was among many attractions at the Sunday street festival in Sao Paulo. The city showed its cultural richness.

2019 Toyota RAV4: Sporty New Style, Same Great Utility

In the ever-growing field of small SUVs, there is one that has been around a long time and still delivers the goods: the 2019 Toyota RAV4.
This popular model seats five and has been redesigned for this model year to give it a sleeker, sportier look (with good results, by the way).
The RAV4 comes in five trim levels: LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure and Limited. Our tester was the latter. 
Despite being a small SUV, we found it to have ample room. It features a maximum cargo space of 69.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. That's pretty impressive. 
We took it on a weekend trip with two adults and two teenagers, with each carrying a duffel bag, and did not feel the least bit cramped.
Under the hood you'll find a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 203 horsepower and is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, but our tester had the optional all-wheel drive. 
Gas mileage for the RAV4 is rated at 26 mpg city, 35 highway, according to the EPA. With all-wheel drive it drops to 25 and 33. The RAV4 features an Eco driving mode that helps contribute to better fuel efficiency with little diminishing of power. 
Pricing for the RAV4 starts at around $28,000, but our top of the line tester carried a sticker price of $39,429. That might seem kind of hefty for a small SUV, but with all the features such as leather interior, satellite radio, front and rear safety cameras and more, it's a lot of bang for the buck. 
With its sportier new design and continued utility, the Toyota RAV4 is a strong player in the small SUV market. 

2019 Lexus ES 350: Smooth and Sultry

Sedans may not be as popular as they once were, thanks to the growing affinity for crossover SUVs. But that doesn't mean there aren't some really good sedans still on the market. One of which is the 2019 Lexus ES 350.
This mid-size luxury sedan offers comfortable seating for five and a pleasantly designed interior that lets you ride in style. 
It is powered by a standard 3.5-liter V-6 engine that makes 302 horsepower and is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission with front-wheel drive. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city, 33 highway.
Driving dynamics can best be described as super smooth. Acceleration is pretty powerful, too, but overall, the ES just glides over the highways. 
Amenities included rich leather seating, satellite radio, dual zone climate control, backup camera and side-approaching warning signaling.
And compared with its European luxury brand competitors, you can expect high reliability from the Lexus - so even if you spend a fair amount on the initial purchase, you can be assured you won't have several costly follow up visits to the dealer to fix all manner of things that go wrong. 
The sticker price on our model, which was the Ultra Lux trim, was $53,742.
For a nicely appointed luxury sedan, check out the Lexus ES 350.