MotherProof.com Car Buyer Headlines

Many school districts around the country are cutting after-school clubs, events and driver’s education classes in an attempt to deal with dwindling budgets. However, driver’s education classes are returning to some of my area high schools. In Douglas County, Colo., Protect and Serve Driving Academy is running driver’s education classes in several high schools. The program costs $500 per student, and the academy donates 20 percent of the cost — $100 per student — to fund the school’s extracurricular activities, according to Denver’s KMGH-TV. “Schools are suffering budget cuts. We don’t want those after-school programs and activities to be cut,” Imtiaz Stephen, vice president of Protect and Serve Driving Academy, told KMGH-TV. “That money goes to keeping student activities running because student involvement keeps kids off the streets and out of trouble.” The academy uses current and retired police officers to teach the classes. School-based police officers, who are already posted at the high schools, will teach the driver’s ed classes. I’m so proud of this business for stepping up and providing creative solutions to not only the problem of driver’s education classes disappearing from our schools, but also to shrinking after-school programs.  Kudos goes to Protect and Serve Driving Academy for its community involvement.

Mitsubishi has issued a recall of 2,307 Galant vehicles from the 2010 model year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall is due to insufficient plating on the automatic transmission oil cooler pipe assembly, which may lead to corrosion. If the pipe develops a hole, transmission fluid could leak, creating a potential fire hazard if there is an ignition source. Dealers will inspect the aft oil cooler pipe assembly and replace it if they find it has insufficient plating to prevent corrosion. This service will be free. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 800-222-0037 or NHTSA’s hot line at 888-327-4236. Recall Alert: 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor Mitsubishi also has issued a recall for 56,113 Endeavor vehicles from the 2004 model year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These include vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Cold states (and their adjoining states) that use road salts frequently are also included: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina. The recall is due to a reinforcing bracket and the fuel filler pipe, which could corrode if exposed to salt and other road debris. This could create a leak in the fuel filler pipe and possibly lead to a fire in the presence of an ignition source. Dealers will inspect the fuel filler pipe and replace it with an improved part for free. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 800-222-0037 or NHTSA’s hot line at 888-327-4236.

When I’m watching “American Idol,” I often wonder how many potential contestants who try out for the show are good, but not great. If you heard them singing at your school or church you’d probably think, “Dang, they’re good!” In Hollywood, however, they’re not impressive enough to stand out in the crowd. These people are like the 2010 Kia Forte. The Forte is a good car. But, in the words of “Idol” judge Simon Cowell, it risks being forgettable. Can this car be a winner? Ask Kris What’s-His-Name or the Soul Patrol guy. Sometimes, with the right blend of charisma, it can, but this segment of cars rarely pulls off a Kelly Clarkson, especially in the family category. The Forte’s 173-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder was really peppy. Like a nervous “Idol” contestant, it was almost hyper, but I adjusted my lead foot accordingly. It was a bit of a trick to get the front-wheel-drive Forte tamed in the snow and ice, but the car’s traction control system helped. It wasn’t ideal, but I wasn’t stuck at home, either. My test car, the top-of-the-line SX, had a sport-tuned suspension. I was excited to try it out, but it didn’t thrill me. This isn’t a car I’m going to be racing around a track, and for the kind of everyday driving I do, the Forte does just fine. If I were Paula, er…Kara, I’d say, let’s give it a chance! Is the Forte goin’ to Hollywood?

Those of you who follow MotherProof.com on Twitter know that I surprised my daughters with a new puppy last week. My girls love her and want to bring this pampered pooch everywhere. After dining with Christina Selter, the Pet Safety Lady from BarkBuckleUp.com a few weeks ago, I now understand the importance of keeping a pet safely contained in the car. The girls and I now have a puppy car seat for our furry friend. Keeping a dog contained in the car cuts down on driver distraction and limits the potential for the dog to become a projectile in the event of an accident. It also keeps emergency responders safe if there’s been a car crash and the dog is agitated. Despite knowing all of its safety benefits, I have to admit to feeling a little pretentious toting such a cute, fluffy creature in her very own car seat.  My 9-year-old daughter Catalin wants to chime in on this topic: If you follow me on Twitter, oh, yeah, I don’t have a Twitter account.  I think puppy car seats are cool because, for one, I can bring my fluff pup everywhere and she will be safe. For two, I think it is cool because you can put your own spin on them. For example, I put my puppy’s bed in it and she loves it more than ever … sometimes. Are puppy car seats Hot or Not?  Tell us in the comments section below.

Those Mothers, Llama Momma Most of my embarrassing mom moments have been because I’ve dared to deny my kids something at the store. Yes, I’m a horrible mother. I’m usually so flustered and stressed out by my angels’ tantrums that I don’t even notice other people gawking at the family drama. In this post, Llama Momma, a stay-at-home mom of three boys, recounts her recent trip to the store and the corresponding fireworks. Advanced Parenting Moments, Surrender, Dorothy Rita Arens has earned another APM, as she calls them, when she pulled her daughter’s loose tooth. In our house, the APMs tend to go to my husband because I get squeamish when it comes to pulling teeth or dealing with deep cuts. I’m getting grossed out just thinking about it. I’m happy to swoop in and take care of the Tooth Fairy duties. Freedom, Shnerfle.com Lori Hindman, one of MotherProof.com’s mom-reviewers, writes about her life as mom to two adorable boys at Shnerfle.com. Lori and her husband recently took a short vacation without the kids. Lucky! She writes, “I don’t care if we stay in the damn Motel 6, as long as I get to sleep as long as I want and snuggle the Hubs without a kid between us and eat a meal that doesn’t come in a paper bag. I don’t ask for much, people.” Yes, I’m a little envious.

Are you just as bored as we are with minivans and their conservative styling? Minivans won our MotherSpoof award this year for their lack of design aesthetics. I joked with mom-reviewer Courtney recently about how driving her new-to-her, aka used, Toyota Sienna minivan — she’s expecting baby numero tres — will totally up my single mom sex appeal. That’s why such a broad smile appeared on my face when our friends over at MomLogic.com posted photos of the craziest minivans of all time. Not that any of these will help my sex-appeal quotient, but at least they’d get me noticed! Maybe it’d be better to go it a little safer and wait for the production version of the new Honda Odyssey Concept minivan to arrive.

When the Lexus GX 460 showed up in my driveway, I almost discounted it immediately. It seemed like another honkin’ big SUV that requires honkin’ deep pockets to purchase; my test vehicle was priced at just over $62,000. Ever the intrepid journalist, I decided to wrap my preconceived notions up in a tidy little box, stow them away on a shelf in the garage next to the doggy-safe ice melt and review this car with an open mind. Low and behold, I’m glad I did. I actually loved my week in the GX. Not only did the GX 460 ooze luxury, it was equally functional for my days shuttling my kids and their friends around. This SUV with room for seven doesn’t drive like an SUV with room for seven. It’s amazingly nimble, with a turning radius that’s much smaller than I expected (its maneuverability is also aided by front and backup cameras and parking sensors). Its ride quality is super smooth, and its acceleration is light, quick and responsive. During my week of test driving the GX, I commented numerous times on how quiet the interior is at highway speeds, so much so that I could hold a conversation with the third-row passengers. However, as soon as I picked my parents up for a little road trip to visit my brother in his seventh year of college (you think I’m kidding?) both of them complained about the road noise. I told my dad to turn off his hearing aids and that seemed to fix the problem quite nicely. Despite all the pros, there are a few cons in the Lexus GX 460 that would be deal-breakers for me.

Nissan has issued a voluntary recall of some of its family haulers for two different issues. One recall involves 178,916 vehicles in the U.S. with potentially faulty brake-pedal pins that can become partially disengaged, leading to a loss of braking power. The other recall involves 418,865 vehicles in the U.S. with potentially faulty fuel gauges that at high speeds can show there is more fuel in the tank than there actually is, which can lead to drivers running out of gas. Some vehicles are included in both recalls. The models affected in the brake recall include: • 2008-2010 model year Nissan Titan, Armada, Quest and Infiniti QX56 Models affected in the fuel gauge recall include: • 2005-2008 model year Nissan Titan, Armada and Infiniti QX56 • Nissan Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra models built between January and March 2006 and between October 2007 and January 2008. You can find when your vehicle was produced on a label affixed to the driver’s side doorjamb. Nissan says no crashes or injuries have been reported due to the recalled parts and that notifications for both will be mailed out this month. Dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace parts when necessary. Nissan also recommends owners of the vehicles in the fuel gauge recall to keep their gas tanks well fueled until the repairs are made. Customers with questions should call Nissan at 800-647-7261.

The Hyundai Sonata has always been a practical car, not known for turning heads. That’s changed with the redesigned 2011 model. This midsize sedan is flat-out gorgeous. It’s rich and elegant, with subtle sculpting and just a bit of sparkle. All I could think when I saw it sitting in the sun at a Hyundai event was, “Whoa! That’s a Hyundai?” Buckle up, folks; it’s a new day for the Sonata. The 2011 Sonata is more than just a pretty face; it’s a spacious family sedan with a comfortable ride and plenty of tech. Even the base GLS trim comes well equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, USB port and iPod integration, XM Satellite Radio and keyless entry. A navigation system is available on all trims, but the backup camera is only offered for the Limited. The seats are comfortable, with the sporty SE model offering two-tone leather seats and luxurious heated leather seats in the Limited trim. Sadly, the dash is made of a cheesy plastic material that screams rental car, but the layout of the gauges and controls is simple and clean.  In the backseat, the seats are wide and deep. Child-safety seats should fit well, though the Latch connectors are buried in the seat crevice. The seat belts have floppy receptors, which are often frustrating for young kids trying to buckle up on their own. Driving the Sonata is pleasant, but not extraordinary. It rides smoothly, with a crowd-pleasing mixture of road feel and bump absorption. There’s enough power to handle freeway merges and steep hills, but the Sonata isn’t the kind of car that will inspire impromptu drag races. There’s a bit of lag before the engine really kicks in and a noticeable amount of engine noise when it does. As long as driving is moderate, however, noise levels are fairly quiet, and the terrific sound system is more than adequate at covering it up. The 2011 Sonata has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. To receive this safety nod, a car must earn the top score of Good in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests and have standard electronic stability control. The Sonata also comes with standard antilock brakes with brake assist, traction control, front- and side-impact airbags for the front row and side curtain airbags for both rows. The Hyundai Sonata is priced to move; the base GLS trim with manual transmission starts at $19,195 and the top-of-the-line Limited trim with an optional navigation system tops out at $27,395. I look forward to putting the Sonata through a MotherProof.com test drive with my family to see how it fares in the real world.

Let’s get this out of the way: The Range Rover Sport HSE isn’t an economy car. My test vehicle was $70,845, which isn’t a bargain-basement buy. With that in mind, and the sad knowledge that I’m not in a position to own a Range Rover anytime soon, I quickly shifted gears and embraced this car for all it’s worth during my test drive. It’s beautiful and comfortable, it can handle any and all driving conditions with ease, and it’s family-friendly.  For starters, this SUV is sophisticated and looks good no matter what it’s doing. With its standard all-wheel drive it was able to tackle tough weather conditions and terrain, and it also made me feel beautiful and sophisticated when my hubby and I took it downtown for date night (the hubby made me feel that way, too). I also got to test the Rover’s Terrain Response System on a snowy day. With a simple turn of a dial, the Range Rover’s engine, transmission, suspension and traction settings instantly adapt to the driving conditions. I turned the dial to the Snow and Ice mode while driving over a treacherously snowy Vail Pass and felt safer than ever. The Range Rover handled beautifully without any slippage or loss of control. As other vehicles spun out, I saw their drivers look wistfully at us as we whizzed on by. The Range Rover Sport is offered in two trim levels — the HSE, which is what I test drove, and the Supercharged model. The HSE has a 5.0-liter V-8 engine that delivers 375 horsepower; the Supercharged model has a 5.0-liter V-8 engine that delivers 510 hp. The HSE certainly performed like a powerhouse and didn’t ever appear to be overexerting itself on even the highest mountain roads. Of course, it’s all of this power that also delivers poor fuel economy. This beautiful, powerful machine only gets an EPA-estimated 13/18 mpg city/highway, and with a thirst for premium gas, filling her up is an expensive endeavor. While I realize that with power you sacrifice some fuel economy, I still dream of a day when I can have both power and good fuel economy.