U.S. gas prices—December 31, 2007

Gas prices jump significantly higher in most areas around the country.

National retail fuel price averages

Price

Change from last week

Regular gasoline/gallon	$3.05	↑  .07
Diesel fuel/gallon	$3.35	↑ .04

Regional regular gasoline prices

Price

Change from last week

East Coast	$3.07	↑ .06
-New England	$3.09	↑  .02
-Central Atlantic	$3.10	↑  .04
-Lower Atlantic	$3.03	↑  .08
Midwest	$3.03	↑  .11
Gulf Coast	$2.92	↑  .08
Rocky Mountain	$2.92	↓ .01
West Coast	$3.22	↑  .04
-California	$3.30	↑  .04

Source: Energy Information Administration, 12/31/07

Automotive resolutions

The end of 2007 is fast approaching and that means it’s time for New Year’s resolutions. Many people make resolutions to lose weight, get into shape, or save money—while all good goals, what is the fun in that? Being the CR Cars blog, we thought we would invite readers to share their automotive resolutions.

Some suggestions are to resolve to be a safer driver by stopping distractions such as not talking on the cell phone or texting while driving. The New Year could be the time to finally indulge in your driving fantasy and buy the dream car you’ve always wanted, or “go green” and buy a hybrid or more fuel efficient vehicle. The year 2008 could be the time to break in the new portable GPS you received for the holidays and take a road trip. Thinking big: If each motorist vowed to improve their driving behavior and reduce fuel consumption, together, we could make the automotive world shine brighter one driveway at a time.

Whatever your resolutions may be, we invite you to share your ideas and thoughts in the Comments below.

Have a safe and healthy New Year!

—Liza Barth

Winter driving safety

The winter season is upon us and that means—for those of us living in frosty locations—snow, ice, and cold. It can also mean hazardous road conditions and dangerous driving situations. Here are some tips on how to be prepared on the roads this winter. Also, check out our winter driving hub for advice on car maintenance, tires, and safety.

• Visibility is vital. In the winter months, visibility is compromised by the salt, dirt, and precipitation that are kicked up from other vehicles onto your windshield. Make sure you have enough windshield fluid and choose one that has antifreeze. If your wipers are showing streaks of water, it’s time to clean or possibly replace the blades.

• Check your charge. Before you go shopping for a new battery, get your battery tested by a repair shop as part of an annual safety inspection. It is particularly important to test your battery if it is more than two years old and you live in a warmer climate or four years old and you live in a colder climate.

• Inspect tires. It’s a good idea to replace worn tires before the winter months. Partially worn or fully worn tires can significantly reduce your ability to get going, turn and stop in snowy conditions. Consider replacing summer or all-season tires with a set of dedicated winter tires, which have tread patterns and rubber compounds specially designed to grip snow and ice.

• Check your cooling system. Extreme cold can cause rubber parts to become brittle and fail. Check the radiator and heater hoses for cracking, leaking, or contamination from oil or grease. The hoses should be firm yet pliable when you squeeze them. Replace them if they feel brittle or overly soft. For most vehicles, the cooling system should be flushed at least every two years (check your owner's manual). This helps keep corrosion from building up in the system. The system should be refilled with a mixture of antifreeze and water, typically in a 50/50 ratio. This will keep your coolant from freezing to well below zero.

• Fill ‘er up. Make sure you have half a tank of gas in your car during the winter months as it will help prevent it from freezing in very cold temperatures.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR WINTER DRIVING

For the cold, wet conditions of winter, you may need additional items in an emergency kit, especially if you travel in remote areas or in severe conditions.

Windshield scraper. Good visibility is your most important safety item, but persistent snow and ice can build up quickly and make it hard to see. A long-handled, soft-bristled brush can also come in handy.

Tire chains and tow strap. Familiarize yourself with how to put the chains on your vehicle's tires or attach a tow strap before you need to do it in cold and possibly dark conditions.

Blanket and winter hat. If you run out of fuel or if your battery dies, the vehicle won't be able to provide heat. A blanket and hat can help keep you warm if you have to wait for a long time in cold conditions.

Chemical hand warmers. These small, inexpensive packets are available at ski shops and sporting-goods stores.

Small folding shovel. If you get stuck in snow, this can be a vital tool. A folding camping-style shovel will require more digging effort than a longer-handled shovel, but is more convenient to store in the vehicle.

Bag of cat litter. This can help provide some traction on an especially slick road surface.

—Liza Barth

From the logbook: Subaru WRX

Ask anyone who works at the track about which five or so cars have left an indelible mark and it's possible that the Subaru WRX might make everyone's list. We've tested several iterations over the years: 2002 WRX, 2004 WRX STi, and 2006 WRX TR. And since the WRX is redesigned for 2008, well, naturally we MUST test one. Our Blue Mica sedan set us back $25,169, and it has been on the road several months already. This new model has drawn lots of comments - both pro and con - on what Subaru has done to one of our favorite cars.

Below are our testers raw, initial impressions as the WRX continues through the testing process:

"Still love the powertrain - awesome midrange punch pulls really hard."

"Feels like a pared-down Legacy GT now rather than a WRX."

"Good shifter feel, and the clutch seems just about right."

"Although a little softer [than the last model], it does ride better and quieter - still fun to drive, still very agile."

"Very good snow traction. ESC kicks in quickly and works well - unlike the Outback 3.0RVDC we tested in '06."

"Rides a bit better, but much less confident when pushed."

"Steering is linear but could be quicker."

"This WRX simply isn't as edgy as the last one...and I'm not sold on the new styling."

"Meager 200-plus mile fuel range."

"Interior has been upgraded, but seats still aren't very nice."

"Fun, fun, fun: A joy to drive, just not to sit in...I can't find a comfortable seat position."

"Seat bolsters are way too wide and the seats don't have enough lower-back support."

"Steering wheel doesn't go high enough - blocks some gauges."

"Complaints include a still too cramped rear seat and buried LATCH anchors."

"Automatic climate control calibration is either 'freeze' or 'roast.'"

"[The trunk] has no place to lift the lid; consequently, the chrome trim is loose from people using it as a handle."

"More refined than previous WRX, and now has drivability for normal use around town."

So, as you can see, the new WRX is a mixed bag. It's still powerful and fun to drive. However, it might have lost some of its appeal in a cautious step toward the mainstream (a term I never imagined using when describing a WRX). This line about sums it up for us: "Lost some of its raw character, but still fun to drive."

—Mike Quincy

U.S. gas prices—December 24, 2007

Gas prices decrease or remain unchanged around the country.

National retail fuel price averages

Price

Change from last week

Regular gasoline/gallon	$2.98	↓ .02
Diesel fuel/gallon	$3.31	0

Regional regular gasoline prices

Price

Change from last week

East Coast	$3.01	↓ .01
-New England	$3.07	↓ .01
-Central Atlantic	$3.06	0
-Lower Atlantic	$2.95	↓ .02
Midwest	$2.92	↓ .03
Gulf Coast	$2.84	↓ .01
Rocky Mountain	$2.93	↓ .04
West Coast	$3.18	↓ .02
-California	$3.26	↓ .02

Source: Energy Information Administration, 12/24/07

Personal picks: 3-row SUVs

This month’s test group, 3-row SUVs, covered a segment often cited as the family vehicle of choice for many suburban families. The reason? Three-row SUVs have near-minivan practicality but with an adventurous, truck-like appearance. Several staffers here at the track praise minivans as the single, best family vehicle of all time. Yet, at least in my kid-filled neighborhood, I hear parents say over and over, “I know minivans are practical, but I just can’t see myself as a minivan driver.”

Along with 3-row SUVs, we also tested the redesigned Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans. Neither impressed us very much and didn’t come close to unseating the perennial top-scoring Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey.

Here are our picks for this month:

Rick Small: My choice here is the Honda Pilot. Being the tallest auto tester (I'm 6’ 4”), I appreciate the roomy, comfortable driving position with ample leg and head room. The Pilot is reliable and has a responsive drivetrain. It also has more car-like in handling and ride than many SUVs in this class. It excels in utility by having three rows of seats and being able to carry 4x8 building materials. Finally, it has a decent towing capacity. I would also consider the new Mazda CX-9, since it also has three rows of seats and feels sporty for its size. Its driving position is also roomy. The new Saturn Outlook/GMC Acadia is also worth a look, but the drivetrain tends to shift gears more often than I like.

Gabe Shenhar: After our July ’07 group of upscale SUVs, my choice was the Acura MDX. But in this category of mid-priced $30,000-$40,000 models, it’s not so clear-cut anymore. Now I would probably choose the Honda Pilot, since it feels very similar to the MDX but costs a whole lot less. Plus, this way I would be putting my money where my mouth is—I’ve recommended the Pilot to several of my friends and neighbors. (They’re still my friends, by the way.) But the Pilot’s redesign is right around the corner —the 2009 redesign arrives in early summer 2008—and I’m hoping Honda does away with the column shifter, which was the only thing that bugged me about the Pilot.

Tom Mutchler: My family has owned Buicks in the past—my first car was a hand-me-down 1981 Buick Electra. I also drove my dad’s ‘86 Park Avenue to my prom. So driving our Buick Enclave creates something of a disconnect for me, as it is a clear sign of how so-very-far Buick (and GM) has come. This big SUV looks great, inside and out, and handles quite well. I took our Enclave to Pennsylvania with our kayaks in the minivan-like cargo area and found it to be a wonderfully quiet and relaxing way to travel.

Well, mostly. I also drove our Enclave to Lime Rock Park race track for a Skip Barber driving class. There’s nothing relaxing about how the 3.6-liter V6 has to struggle to keep the 5100-lb Enclave at speed on hills. Despite having the transmission reprogrammed, it still has to frequently shift two or three gears to keep up, creating big jumps in engine rpm that break the calm and frustrate the driver. Several of my fellow staff members consider this a deal-breaker. A bit of advice: if you’re considering one of GM’s excellent Lambda SUVs (Enclave/Saturn Outlook/GMC Acadia) and you live where there are hills, make sure your test drive ventures from the straight and flat. Rumor has it that GM will add the more powerful direct-injection version of this engine at some point—it needs it STAT.

So what would I pick? The Toyota Highlander is very, very competent, but I find it downright boring. Same goes for the Ford Taurus X. Sure, the cramped Subaru Tribeca is enjoyable to drive. But the stylish Mazda CX-9 has more room and an earlier trip on the back roads to Lime Rock showed that it’s ready for the hills and curves. (Pity about the below average reliability, though.)

Mike Quincy: Since all these models make fairly decent family vehicles, I spent a lot of time in all of them. My young sons loved the rear-seat DVD player in the Ford Taurus X that we drove to Maine. I appreciated the Subaru Tribeca’s handling on some of CT’s beautiful back roads en route to the Fall Vintage Festival at Lime Rock Park. And the Buick Enclave’s cavernous cargo area has made holiday shopping a snap. All of them are remarkably adequate, but none (especially the top-scoring Toyota Highlander) are engaging. However, I like the approach GM is taking with the Enclave/Saturn Outlook/GMC Acadia. With a bit more horsepower under the hood and better transmission performance, these, to me, are the ones to beat. And if GM could put a torquey turbo-diesel engine in them, the bummer of the standard V6’s 15 mpg overall might be solved.

2007 SEMA - A few of our favorite things

As the end of the year draws near, we have been talking around the offices about our dream automotive gifts, from improbable crate-engine transplants to benchmark production cars. The team who attended the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show last month was eager to share their personal picks from this massive Las Vegas event, with a decided classic-car bent. So we present a few of our favorite things... from SEMA.

Jim Travers: If you missed your chance to snap up a Yenko Stinger Camaro back when they were available to Nehru-jacketed customers in 1969, you've got another chance. Classic Automotive Restoration Specialists of Belews Creek, N.C., will be happy to build you a brand-new one. Using a new body shell from Dynacorn, a crate 427 motor from General Motors, and suspension, interior, trim and pieces from other suppliers, the Stinger Camaro shown at the 2007 SEMA show is accurate right down to the Yenko striping.

For those of you too young to remember, Don Yenko was the son of a Pennsylvania Chevrolet dealer who started a little cottage industry in the 1960s modifying Chevys for more performance and distributing them through a network of dealers in the Northeast. His Camaros got a 427-cubic inch V8 engine in place of the biggest powerplant offered in the Camaro at the time, a 396. Yenko also made suspension and cosmetic modifications, and, with very few built, his cars remain some of the most sought-after by Camaro collectors today.

Classic Automotive Restoration will even update the car if you like, keeping the look but adding a greater measure of safety and drivability with options like four-wheel disc brakes and independent suspension. The cost? The Hugger Orange model displayed at SEMA was priced at $125,000. That may seem like a considerable chunk of change for a brand new old car, but consider this: Vintage car pricing guide Cars That Matter shows a 1969 original Yenko Camaro in excellent condition could fetch about $399,000 today. Try getting that for your Nehru jacket.   

Tom Mutchler: You can take Tom to SEMA, but you can't quite take the minivan out of Tom. Way in the corner of Honda's SEMA stand sat a Honda Odyssey. This isn't any Odyssey though; it competed in the One Lap of America race. With a gutted interior, this Odyssey packs a turbocharged V6 with 400 horsepower at the wheels mated to a six-speed manual borrowed from an Acura TL Type-S. Forget rear video screens, heated seats, and "Lazy Susan" under-floor storage compartments. This hot-rod Odyssey had two racing seats with race harnesses, no air bags - and no dashboard, with just a racing digital display. (For some reason, the DVD drive remains.)  Sure, the One Lap Odyssey is a bit extreme, even for me, but it gets me thinking about an Odyssey with an Acura RL AWD drivetrain underneath...

My other pick is something completely different: a Volvo-based street rod. The Caresto V8 Speedster has a rear-mounted Volvo V8, Volvo's egg crate grille, and an aluminum and carbon-fiber body. Beautifully rendered, it updates a classic form (and I'm a sucker for the deep copper brown Scottish leather seats).

Bob Huerster: My favorite car among hundreds at the massive SEMA show was a humble 1965 Ford Mustang that appeals to me as much for the automobile as the story behind it. This Mustang revived a lot of fond memories. I recall being taken by the car's styling when it first came out. It was amazing how many of them quickly appeared in my neighborhood where my friend and I used to sit on the front porch of my house and count them as they went by. As sales grew, even two of my sisters bought a blue convertible and a red hard top.

This pristine example belonged to the wife of a former high-school drafting teacher of Scott Drake, a budding car enthusiast who went on to start a company that sells parts for Mustangs. This Mustang deteriorated badly over the years, and Drake decided to restore it as a gesture of gratitude to his former teacher, who he said helped shape the attitudes that lead to his success in business. A heart-warming story and a job well done, both recall the introduction of an American classic and fuel for my own automotive passion that still burns strong today.

We're interested to hear what automotive gifts you would most like to receive. Post in the Comments below.

Happy holidays!

—The CR Cars blog team.

Bagging the electronics

A friend recently remarked that he's had it with all of his mobile electronics. It's not that he doesn't find them useful and convenient, because he does. In fact, he loves them. But he says that he's finding himself more distracted by them than ever before.

"I was running late one morning," he said. "I confess that I put on my earpiece and paired it with my phone while merging onto the highway. It took me three tries.

"And I noticed that my phone was nearly out of juice so I plugged it into the cigarette lighter. On my iPod was my daughter's playlist, which contains songs by The Wiggles and Danna Banana, so I fumbled with the scroll wheel until I found Emmylou Harris. Later, I found myself staring at the GPS more than the road, because I didn't want to get lost. I nearly sledded into another car while trying to decipher what street I was supposed to merge onto."

So, my friend is attempting to forego the cabin gadgets for a few weeks (especially with our northeast roads morphing to ice), but he's really jonesing for that GPS unit. "It's the one thing I find hard to live without," he says. "But I fear I'll do some damage if I don't keep my eyes on the road."

Its ironic that so many cars come with so many newfangled safety devices, such as curtain air bags, stability control, blind-spot warning, and pre-collision systems at the very same time the electronics manufacturers are shoveling distracting devices to us. It's almost like the auto companies are building safer cars to protect consumers from their gadget addictions. Then again, automakers are tempting us with built-in nav systems, menu-based controls such as iDrive, iPod connections, and over 150 channels of satellite radio to scan through, perpetually.

If I had a holiday wish for automotive consumers, it would be that the next wave of mobile electronics would emphasize driving safety over finding other inventive ways to lure our attention away from driving.

I'd like to see stockings stuffed with GPS units with head-up displays that glisten on windshields. It would be a Bluetooth Christmas if mobile phones really paired seamlessly and invisibly with any car. Even better if they only take calls when the vehicle is not in motion. And surely, there's some miraculous workshop where somebody is tinkering with an MP3 player that employs voice-recognition technology.

Heck, while I'm in the spirit, let's go for some real holiday magic: I'd like to wake up one cold, crisp morning and discover that every car on the road once again has a conventional radio tuning knob, rather than an array of Chiclet-scale buttons or hockey-puck rotary controllers. If technology truly made life simpler and safer, befuddled commuters like my friend wouldn't scream "bah, humbug" in frustration.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

—Cliff Weathers

Understanding GPS navigation traffic services

Finding the right route to your destination is only part of the challenge with a road trip, be it daily commuting or a long-distance vacation. All the planning in the world can't account for sporadic traffic congestion. As any portable navigation device (PND) shopper soon discovers, there are traffic services available for GPS units to warn of imminent slow downs and even route around a problem area.

Adding true value to the basic mapping functions, traffic services can make a GPS unit a helpful travel companion on even familiar roads. However, not all traffic services work in the same manner. Before committing to a purchase, it is important to understand the differences.

There are three basic ways to receive traffic information:

Bluetooth—The navigation device uses your cell phone to receive the traffic information, which is beamed to the unit via Bluetooth technology. This method effectively requires your cell phone to have a data package, as a constant connection is needed to ensure continuous updates along your route. There are a limited amount of compatible phones, almost exclusive to T-Mobile and Cingular. TomTom units use this approach for the TomTom PLUS services.

FM—Using the same FM Radio Data System (RDS) that delivers station IDs and song information to modern stereos, sources like Navteq and Clear Channel Radio deliver traffic updates over the airwaves. An external antenna may be optional to assist with reception. FM traffic is most often a premium service, although some devices, like the Garmin Nuvi 265T and Navigon 7200T, include it for free.

A new twist on the traffic sources is MSN Direct from Microsoft. An FM-based service, MSN Direct is available on just a handful of models out of the box and several more are compatible with the purchase of an additional FM receiver. This service combines traffic information with weather, movie times, and gas prices. It costs $49.95 a year, or $129.95 for the lifetime of the device. It is non-transferable.

XM—XM NavTraffic is a premium service powered by Navteq. Plans allow for a$9.95/month stand-alone fee or $3.99/month when combined with XM Radio service. Some portable devices can be used to bring XM Radio service to the car, played through an FM transmitter. While convenient, this may not be the ideal solution for audio fidelity. FM transmitters run the risk of station overlap in major metropolitan areas where the services are most likely to be available. XM requires an antenna.

Living with traffic
With a traffic service, the navigation device will receive periodic updates based on your driving path or (if entered) programmed destination. It can provide on-screen alerts and even indicate the traffic flow rate. Usually the driver can tap a traffic icon to receive info on how long the delay is, what type of obstruction (accident, construction, lane closing), and then decide whether or not to detour around a trouble-spot.  Also, general traffic in the area can often be displayed by going into the menu of the unit and just browsing the traffic incidents.

While we do not specifically test traffic performance for our ratings (available to online subscribers), we certainly have used the functions as we drive around the New York City region. The major providers have coverage in about 80 major metro areas, covering the bulk of the nation's congested areas.

Drivers benefit from these services by receiving only the information appropriate to their route, rather than having to filter through periodic, on-air traffic reports. Such radio updates tend to focus on major trouble spots and may not address the road you're on. In New York, for example, it is not uncommon for reports to be focused on the city bridges and New Jersey, areas far from where we may be driving.

Like traditional radio reports, the traffic services can be spotty and experience time delays before some information enters the corporate system and is fed to your device. A week ago, I was in bumper-to-bumper, walking-pace traffic on an Interstate for an hour before the nav system indicated a traffic slow down. ("Gee, you finally noticed," I thought.) On the other hand, driving on a smaller parkway recently, I was impressed when the same device warned there was a disabled truck just moments before I saw an 18-wheeler at the side of the road with flares around it.

Traffic services can be a real convenience, and even a time saver, but they aren't  perfect. They can, however, add value to your GPS purchase by making it more useful on a daily basis. If you are drawn to a traffic service, look at all the costs associated before choosing a device. Many systems are "traffic compatible" but require a $125 receiver. That may be money better spent on a more feature-rich unit or even one with a wide screen.

Just as with the device itself, consider how many features you will truly need from a traffic service. If you buy gas at the same local station and look online for movie times, for example, you may be able to forgo MSN Direct. Likewise, if you don't think a traffic service is truly worth paying for, put the money toward a better, non-traffic unit, or just keep it in your pocket.

—Jeff Bartlett and Frank Spinelli

Updated 12/12/08

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.

Latest portable GPS navigation ratings

For you last-minute shoppers, as well as those looking to treat themselves with a helpful electronic gadget, we've just posted ratings on 13 new portable GPS navigation devices. This latest update includes units from Alpine, Cobra, Garmin, Harman-Kardon, LG, Magellan, Mio, Navigon, Pharos, and TomTom. The ratings are available to online subscribers, and they include scores for factors to help you make a better buying decision. We also posted a free First Look at the Garmin nuvi 200. (Full ratings of the nuvi 200 are in the charts and its product page.)

In addition, if you click on the brand name in the ratings chart, there is a detailed product page for each unit, with more testing data, specifications, and insights from our detailed evaluation. There is also a relatively new tool that may prove helpful: a GPS product selector. This selector allows you to filter the ratings list by myriad parameters to help find the one that's best for you. This interactive tool includes both tested and non-tested models.

One thing is clear from reviewing these products—it's  very hard to judge which does what simply by looking at the packaging or even the manufacturer's online information. Some enticing features, like real-time traffic information, can be confusing. Other considerations, such as ease of use and battery life, are just not possible to discern before buying. This is where we come in, as we do the testing for you. For these and many other reasons, we think you'll find the ratings valuable in making your purchase decision.

If you're not taking the plunge this month, look for continued coverage in the near future. We will further expand the ratings when we complete testing on units from Hewlett-Packard (HP), Jensen, Lowrance, Magellan, and ViaMichelin.

—Jeff Bartlett

Also read: "Road map to the best last-minute GPS deals."

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS with other shoppers and owners in the forums.