April 2015

Teen filmmakers take on driving safety

(April 17, 2015) SILVER SPRING, Md.  — Sometimes peer pressure can be a good thing. Just ask the teen filmmakers who entered Toyota and Discovery Education’s Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge. Now in its fourth year, the contest invites teens across the country to create short videos to inspire their friends to drive more safely and avoid risky behavior behind the wheel.

Today, Toyota and Discovery Education announced the 10 finalists chosen from more than 1,000 videos that were submitted this year.

Consumers could pay cash for thousands of vehicles with tax refund

(April 16, 2015) ATLANTA — With Tax Day just behind us millions of Americans — the lucky ones who receive refunds — are likely debating how to best maximize their financial windfall. While the majority of consumers say they'll use the funds to pay bills or shore up their savings accounts, 14 percent plan to put their refund toward the purchase of a new vehicle, according to Autotrader poll data.

New study reveals when, where and how much motorists drive

(April 16, 2015) WASHINGTON — On average, Americans drive 29.2 miles per day, making two trips with an average total duration of 46 minutes. This and other revealing data are the result of a ground-breaking study currently underway by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the Urban Institute.

2016 Rand McNally Road Atlas hits the road

(April 15, 2015) SKOKIE, Ill. — Today, 91 years to the day since Rand McNally released its first atlas of roads and points of interest, the company launched the newest annual edition of "America's #1 Road Atlas."

Shipping today, the new Road Atlas is packed with upgrades such as more detailed city maps, dozens of road-tripping recommendations, and additional inset maps. Rand McNally also released new editions of the Road Atlas iOS app and eBook today.

Temperatures rising but gas prices expected to slide

(April 15, 2015) WASHINGTON — The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline has continued to point lower, due to the resolution of regional refinery issues and a global price of crude oil that remains relatively low, according to AAA. The average price of $2.39 per gallon at the beginning of this week is fractions of a penny higher than one week ago, but represents a savings of one nickel per gallon versus one month ago.

Michigan has most expensive car insurance; Maine least expensive

(April 14, 2015) Michigan has the most expensive car insurance rates in the nation for the second consecutive year, according to the 2015 Insure.com state-by-state comparison of auto insurance premiums. The Great Lakes State has occupied the No. 1 or No. 2 spot in the five years that Insure.com has commissioned the annual study. Montana moved up four positions to No. 2, followed by Washington, D.C. at No. 3.

Maine has the least expensive car insurance rates, followed by Ohio and Idaho.

2015 GMC Canyon wins Cars.com midsize pickup truck challenge

(April 13, 2015) CHICAGO — Cars.com has named the 2015 GMC Canyon the winner of its Midsize Pickup Truck Challenge. The challenge pitted four of the most popular 2015 pickup truck models against each other in a series of intensive tests. Trucks tested were the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71, 2015 GMC Canyon SLT, 2015 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X and the 2015 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro.

TrueCar projects record certified pre-owned vehicle revenue in 2015

(April 13, 2015) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — TrueCar, Inc. estimates consumer purchases of certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles, a growing source of revenue for automakers and dealers, will expand by 11 percent to reach an all-time high this year.

TrueCar currently forecasts sales of CPO cars and trucks will total approximately 2.6 million units in 2015, up from 2.3 million the previous year.

Autotrader names top cars for golf lovers

(April 9, 2015) ATLANTA — The Masters Tournament is an annual tradition that signals the beginning of spring, kicks off golf tournament season and inspires the millions of fans who will tune in to watch the action from Augusta National Golf Club.

Another spring staple is car-buying season, but Autotrader data reveals that consumers are willing to wait up to a year to get all of their must-have features in their next vehicle. Luckily for golf lovers, Autotrader editors have done the busy work to narrow down the list of new and Certified Pre-Owned cars perfect for their needs.

The best towing truck in America? Fast Lane Truck declares winners

(April 9, 2015) BOULDER, Col. — Fast Lane Truck announces their 2015 Gold Hitch Award recipients. The TFLtruck Gold Hitch Award recognizes mid-size, half-ton, heavy-duty and (truck-based) full-size SUVs for their ability to perform under the most demanding driving conditions. Five TFLtruck Gold Hitch Awards have been announced.