The latest generation of one of the world’s most popular cars – the 2012 Honda Civic – makes for an ideal family car.

The Civic range has improved fuel efficiency across the board, and with the introduction of the Civic Hybrid and Civic Natural Gas in the States, these two models give the Civic a respectable status as one of the latest low emission cars.

In fact the Civic Natural Gas received the accolade Green Car of the Year 2012 at the LA Auto Show last year, proving it to be one of the most efficient new eco cars around. It kept others in its class like the Ford Focus Electric, the Mitsubishi I, the Toyota Prius V and the Volkswagen Passat TDI from taking the top spot.

The Civic 2012 is the ninth generation of Honda’s classic, which has been on the roads since 1972.

For looks, the outside has been toned down a little- so it doesn’t have such an aggressive, sporty exterior as the eighth generation, but it is still very much a 2012 Honda Civic with its wrap around lights and prominent rear spoiler.

The new model is a bit bigger than the previous one – both in length and width. There’s plenty of room in the back – for three children or adults without them feeling too squashed. The trunk space is also generous, with a two tier system for easier loading.

In the States, there are five new 2012 Honda Civic models and these include the hybrid, the natural gas, the HF (high fuel efficiency) and the Si. In the UK, there isn’t a hybrid or natural gas version on offer, but the diesel 2.2 engine offers great mileage with low emissions.

The Civic seems to offer the best of both worlds for those drivers who look for a safe ride for their family but also gives them a little bit of a sporty feel to the way it handles.

People who have decided to buy a more eco-friendly car often hesitate between choosing to buy a hybrid car or an all-electric vehicle. Hybrids are exactly that – they are half powered by petrol and half powered by electricity, so it can feel like it’s not so fundamental a change towards more eco-friendly driving. However, what many people forget is that a lot of the world’s electricity is still produced through the burning of finite resources of coal – a fossil fuel. So electric vehicles are not necessarily more eco-friendly when it comes to considering the ‘fuel’ used to power them.
Where electric vehicles do score more highly is that in their actual use they do not actually produce any tailpipe emissions. All car manufacturers are improving the level of emissions produced by vehicles, and even non-hybrids emit really low amounts compared to the cars of a few years ago.
Where electric vehicles fail to convince is their limited range – the distance they can travel before they need to be recharged. Range on EVs is improving – as are the speeds they can achieve – but there’s still the question mark in a driver’s mind – will they have enough charge in the battery to arrive at their destination? And if they don’t, there’s the inconvenience of finding somewhere to plug the car in and the wait time for the charge to take place.
In response to this problem, in order to encourage greater numbers of purchases of EVs, governments around the world are setting up EV charging point networks – in public places like car parks and service stations, but setting up this kind of infrastructure takes time.
Hybrids offer environmentally aware drivers a far more practical option at the moment. The electric motor in the car is recharged continuously while the car is in motion through a process called regenerative braking, and you can always fill up the petrol tank at any fuel station you pass. Now, with the introduction of more plug-in hybrids, the electric motor can take on more of the work and you’ll use even less petrol.Honda is the latest manufacturer to introduce a plug-in hybrid as the Accord 2013 will be available as a plug-in hybrid by the end of 2012.

If things continue as they are doing, then the UK will gradually turn into a country of Tescos, car parks for the Tescos – and ‘other stuff’!

It seems there’s no end to the supermarket giant’s plans to meet all or shopping needs – and I mean all. From groceries to electricals, clothes and even banking and insurance, it’s all under on roof.

“What’s all this got to do with cars?” you may be thinking.

As far as new car offers are concerned, the answer is “nothing”. But perhaps we should add “yet” to that.

Let me explain…

The sheer size and financial power of Tesco means it can really displace whole markets. And last April, Tesco moved boldly into the second hand car market, with the launch of Tesco Cars, and a plan to offer RAC-inspected used cars at anything up to 20% less than average forecourt prices.

The company brings together buyers and sellers and the cars are delivered directly from seller to buyer, with no showrooms, overheads and commissions, etc. (other than Tesco’s middle man margin of course).

Tesco aimed to sell 3,000 cars a week in the short term, rising to 5,000 longer term. This hasn’t quite happened, but it is already hitting 2,000 cars per week, with stock turned over once a week on average.

And the company has the power to buy big and buy cheaply in the ex-fleet market. At the moment, it is on selling cars at around a 9% discount (less than the 20% less than average it is aiming for). But it’s making progress, that much is clear.

As things stand, Tesco is kind of a hybrid sitting somewhere between traditional new and used car sellers on the forecourt, and the simple principle of putting buyers and sellers in touch via paid for ads. But how long will it be, if things continue and the venture is successful, before the supermarket giant decides to shake up the new car market with its sheer size and buying power? Watch this space!

Many drivers don’t like driving at night, and given the fact that 40 per cent of crashes occur in the twilight or night-time hours, it’s easy to see why.  Driving conditions change remarkably after dark, as vision is reduced and it’s much harder to spot cyclists, motorcylists and pedestrians when the headlights are on.

One of the main causes for serious motorway accidents is when drivers fall asleep at the wheel – 20 per cent of UK motorway accidents are caused this way.

One of the groups of drivers most at risk for night time accidents is young, inexperienced drivers.  There are training courses for people who have already passed their test which contain night driving modules, to help people build up the skills they need for safe driving at night.

So how can you make sure you’re safe on the road after dark?

The easiest option is to do your driving in the daytime, but sometimes life’s schedule doesn’t allow you to avoid night driving altogether.

The most important thing is to plan your route in advance.  If one of your passengers is also insured to drive your car, you could share the driving with them. Even then, don’t drive beyond the time you would usually stay awake – book an overnight stay if necessary.

Take a break every two hours.  It’s very rare to fall asleep immediately at the wheel without feeling tired first. If possible, don’t even get to the tired stage – pull over before it happens. Just as some of today’s cars are designed to run as efficiently as possible – like hybrids and low emission cars – others have special accessories to ensure driver safety at night.

For example, Volvo pioneered the Driver Alert system.  If the car decides that the driver is sleepy, it sets off an audible alarm. Others come with in-dash night-vision systems that make it easier to read the night-time road ahead of you.

It’s also important to check all your vehicle lights are all working before you set off, if for no other reason than it’s a legal requirement to have properly functioning rear and front lights when driving at night.

Premiere of new 2013 VW Passat AllTrack will be held at Tokyo Motor Show 2011 on December 3. Passat AllTrack go on sale start in early 2012.

The technique for success is simple: increased ground clearance, stainless steel finish bumpers, underbody security and shield of plastic arches that protect 18-inch wheels.

Ground clearance has been increased from 135 mm to 165 mm. It is achievable to increase the angle of entry from 9.5 to 12.8 degrees.

The 2013 VW Passat AllTrack  has all-wheel drive 4 Motion system with electro-hydraulic clutch Haldex. In standard mode, using 90 percent  power is transmitted to the front axle, but if essential it can be transmitted to the rear axle. Up to 100 percent.

The new Passat AllTrack acquired a new mode, off-road, which runs at speeds up to 30 km per  hours. When the driver turns this mode  on, the system initiates a help when down a hill. If the angle exceeds 10 percent  of the slides, the system slows the car.

On cars with automatic DSG transmission, the system also controls the sensitivity of the gas pedal to make it easier to keep the speed and momentum.

Fiat has smoothly modernized the Fiat Ducato 2012 – one of Europe’s preferred captive vehicles and recognized  motor home. Designed to be the basic monetary vehicle, the type  hasn’t exterior styling changes but is obtainable in about 2000 special arrangements. That is  a a small number of too many to listing, but Fiat says the Fiat Ducato 2012  has a maximum load capability of 2000 kg / 4409 lbs.

In the interior, the cabin is quite sparse but more car-similar to than ever before. important highlights contain chrome accents, a refrigerated chamber, which can seize a 1.5-l bottle  and an  available as choice Blue & Me Tom Tom LIVE navigation system.

Under the hood, there is  a 2.3-l  engine with outputs of 110 hp, 130 hp and 148 hp. In addition, a 3.0-l  diesel expands 177 hp  and 400 Nm of torque.

citroen c4 aircross cpmpact suv 2012 front

The Citroen C4 Aircross Compact SUV 2012 associated motor skills of an SUV with the comfort of a saloon. Depending on the engine, will be available to two wheels for four. Will be sold at the end of the first half of 2012.

The Citroen C4 Aircross Compact SUV  2012  has the brilliant performance of the HDi 150 engine and a gasoline engine of 115 hp 1.6i

Citroën has not hesitated to transform the traditional engine of Citroen C4 Aircross Compact SUV  2012 . The Citroen C4 Aircross Compact SUV  2012 since its launch, with the benefits of motorization HDi 150 (available in 2 and 4 wheel drive with a six-speed manual transmission) and a 1.6i petrol engine 115 hp (available at version 2 wheels with five-speed manual gearbox).

The driver has a single command, located behind the shifter, which lets you manually select, depending on your needs, one of three drive modes: Mode 2 wheel drive (2WD) to optimize the consumption of fuel mode 4 wheel drive (4WD) which automatically distributes torque between the front and rear, and how ‘lock’, which increases the available torque to the rear wheels for more complicated situations.

The LEDs are vertically integrated in the aerodynamic and take up the signing of the Citroën C4 Aircross light. Turn signal mirrors hosting and design 18-inch wheels and taillights inspired by the concept Hypnos.

Citroen C4 Aircross Compact SUV  2012  dimensions is (4.34 m long, 1.80 m wide, 1.63 m high) and maneuverability (10.6 m turning circle), and  can develop without complex urban environment.

The Citroen C4 Aircross Compact SUV  2012  offers its occupants a high level of equipment: access and starting a hands-free GPS navigation system with touch screen and rear view camera, traction mode dial, USB and Bluetooth connectivity for devices portable audio.

Peugeot 4008 2013 front

The all-new peugeot 4008 2012 SUV is the new commitment of the French automaker. .It is based on the old 4007, but with smaller dimensions. Proposes four engines, two petrol and two diesel, as weapons to gain a foothold in the compact SUV segment.

New challenge for the compact SUV segment is called the all-new peugeot 4008 2012  and builds on the 4007, albeit with smaller measures: 30 inches long to stay less than 4340 mm in length, 1,800 mm wide and 1,630 high.

The all-new peugeot 4008 2012 model presented four possible engines, two petrol and two diesel. The petrol engines are a 1.6 of 116 hp with five-speed manual gearbox and a 2.0 150 hp with the possibility of equipping the five-speed manual gearbox or an automatic transmission. The diesel versions will be a 112 hp 1.6 HDi and 1.8 HDi 150 hp, both with manual gearbox with six gears.

In wheel-drive versions of the all-new peugeot 4008 2012, you can select three modes: front-wheel drive and a ’Lock’, which allows you to lock wheel drive permanently.

The exterior design highlights the front grille and LED line which forms the daylight of 4008. Furthermore, it has emphasized its character ‘offroad’ protectors in low and wheel arches.

Regarding the equipment, mounted 18-inch wheels, a panoramic glass roof that provides better visibility for the driver, the system Open & Go Touch and a browser. The all-new peugeot 4008 2012 will ship in the second quarter of 2012.

vw golf rabbit 2012 font

The VW Golf Rabbit 2012 comes to please those who do not want to give up having a Golf in the garage but at a price more than interesting. The VW Golf Rabbit 2012 is basically finished Advance version but for a price of 17,600 euros. This edition is limited to 1,000 units.
VW Golf Rabbit 2012 has the 90 hp 1.6 TDI engine and boasts an Advance finish equivalent to the range: 15-inch Wellington wheels with 195/65 tires, profile and sheet black grille and integrated rear spoiler, fog lamps plus front curve function. With respect to security, in addition to the ESP system is equipped with knee airbags, side and head for the driver and passenger.
In addition, the VW Golf Rabbit 2012 nameplate includes a small version of thevehicle tailgate. Among the functional elements of the range Golf highlighting this limited edition also says the three-spoke steering wheel leather adjustable height and depth, the Climatic System, connecting Multimedia ”Media In” MDI with USB input, the onboard computer RCD 310 radio and plus with MP3 player and 8 speakers.

VW GolfRabbit 2012 1.6 TDI engine is fitted with a 90 hp combined with 5-speed manual gearbox, which has a top speed of 179 km / h and offers a combined consumption of 4.5 liters per 100 km and emissions of 118 grams of CO2 . In addition, customers can enjoy  VW Golf Rabbit 2012 two useful accessories Volkswagen Accessories, roof bars and racks that are standard in this special issue

nissan gt-r 2011 front

Now the magic of the Nissan GT-R 2011 is in the market  with the 2011 version. Outside changes little, but the good thing is, as usual, on the inside. For example, in the lowest fuel consumption.

Premieres Save mode reduces torque and change management change, but the layer that gives the impression both that is dragged along the road. To be a sports car, the Nissan GT-R 2011 does not poor access, otherwise (in the rear seats, better not talk), although the Recaro bench is very narrow. The start button located in the center console is the key to the V6 back to the living world. The twin turbo gets the most sound, but I like what I hear. So I see: the dashboard is ergonomically oriented driver is almost perfect. All you have to the sight and reach. The worst in this regard is the multifunction display, something messy.

Confused, yes, but do not remove me. It is a joy of information. In March, the suspension is hard and dry even in comfort mode, but the toll to be paid. If you put it in R, do not open your mouth, because I bite my tongue with every bump. His favorite spot is the highway, but beware: once thought I would y.  120 Well, it could have been on the news. If you change tack a road and you feel like partying, you can put the R mode ESP (only disconnect circuit), which lets you work movements enough to believe you will counter steer Kankkunen. And is that the Nissan GT-R 2011 sends power to the rear wheels, but can reach 50 percent of torque to the front. In manual mode the magnesium cam acting on a dramatic change, though somewhat slow to reduce. In any case, enough for a normal road.

In automatic mode the Nissan GT-R 2011 is relatively comfortable.Transitions are made about 1500-1800 rpm, and it is rare that you go in sixth at 50 km / h. The inserts have been felt and merely say that the first abrupt cas marches are up if you do not take it calmly, but nothing comparable to the way R: turn it on, tread depth and you’ll notice what a hard change. If you were in the line of Hunaudieres (Le Mans) and you had the nerve to stand in sixth to cutting, brutal feel the acceleration with Nissan GT-R 2011to beyond 300 km / h.