http://www.familycarguide.com/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:55:00 +0000 http://static.hgmsites.net/site-icons/site-logo_40028_s.jpg http://www.familycarguide.com/ en http://www.familycarguide.com/rss http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072551_subarus-new-canine-cast-ready-for-prime-time-in-dog-tested-dog-approved-campaign http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072551_subarus-new-canine-cast-ready-for-prime-time-in-dog-tested-dog-approved-campaign What do you have planned for Super Bowl Sunday? Besides noshing and rooting for your favorite team, that is? While the players take to the field, Subaru owners and their four-legged canines will take to the streets to celebrate the second annual Subaru Game Day Dog Walk. In fact, the Game Day Dog Walk, which Subaru owners can sign up for by taking...]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:55:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072229_womens-influence-in-car-buying-evolving-study http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072229_womens-influence-in-car-buying-evolving-study Automotive marketers have known for some time that women exert a powerful influence over what cars will be purchased for family as well as personal use. But a new study reveals that today’s female consumers have greatly expanded their role to the point where 54 percent of them now feel a responsibility to help friends and family members make...]]> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072345_parents-carpooling-kids-often-skip-booster-seats-study http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072345_parents-carpooling-kids-often-skip-booster-seats-study While the necessity of protecting young children riding in vehicles by using a child safety restraint is widely known and most parents of young children use them when transporting the youngster(s) in their own car, it’s quite a different story when children are in a car with another driver while carpooling. That’s according to a new...]]> Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072291_2001-2002-mazda-tribute-recall-alert http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072291_2001-2002-mazda-tribute-recall-alert Mazda is recalling certain 2001-2002 model year Tribute compact SUVs equipped with an anti-lock brake system (ABS) over concerns that a leaking brake master cylinder reservoir cap could cause a fire. A notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site lists the number of potential affected units at 52,390. Affected vehicles...]]> Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072294_gas-mileage-tops-list-of-vehicle-purchase-reasons http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072294_gas-mileage-tops-list-of-vehicle-purchase-reasons For the first time in several years, gas mileage tops the list of most influential reasons why consumers purchased their vehicle, surpassing reliability. That’s according to data from the just-released J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Avoider Study. The 2012 Avoider Study, now in its ninth year, looks at the reasons consumers fail to consider...]]> Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072310_britax-recalling-chaperone-infant-car-seats http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072310_britax-recalling-chaperone-infant-car-seats Parents, take note. If you own a Britax Chaperone Infant Car Seat, it may be involved in a safety recall. Car seat maker Britax is conducting a safety recall of 14,220 Chaperone Infant Car Seats sold in the U.S. over concerns about a defect in the harness adjuster. Britax Child Safety, Inc. announced the recall January 27, 2011 and the National...]]> Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072163_new-studies-look-at-teen-drivers-and-passengers-the-other-form-of-distracted-driving http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072163_new-studies-look-at-teen-drivers-and-passengers-the-other-form-of-distracted-driving Talking on cell phones and texting may be the most widely-known examples of teen distracted driving, but two new studies just released warn of the dangers that multiple passengers pose to teen drivers. The pair of studies, from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm teen driver research partnership, was published this week in...]]> Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072215_2012-bmw-x5-xdrive35i-recall-alert http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072215_2012-bmw-x5-xdrive35i-recall-alert BMW is conducting a voluntary safety recall of certain 2012 model-year X5 xDrive35i SUVs over concerns about a potential flaw in the automatic transmission’s parking lock. A notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) site lists the number of potential affected units at six. Affected vehicles were manufactured during...]]> Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072168_dont-be-caught-unprepared-if-you-have-a-flat-tire http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072168_dont-be-caught-unprepared-if-you-have-a-flat-tire Chances are that most Americans grew up riding in and later driving the family car that came equipped with a spare tire. But as we reported earlier, the spare tire may be soon disappearing from the family sedan, courtesy, in large part, to the increasingly stringent government fuel economy standards. As the AAA points out, not all drivers today...]]> Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072073_family-car-guide-tips-for-long-winter-road-trips-with-the-kids http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072073_family-car-guide-tips-for-long-winter-road-trips-with-the-kids Whether your proposed winter road trip is to visit relatives or go on a weekend getaway, if you’re bringing your children along, it’s better to be prepared than trying to deal on the fly with tantrums, spills, arguments, boredom and bellyaching. Here are some FamilyCarGuide tips on keeping the peace – and your sanity –...]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072005_interactive-windows-a-possibility-for-future-family-vehicles http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1072005_interactive-windows-a-possibility-for-future-family-vehicles No, it’s not a laptop computer, but new interactive window technology that General Motors is exploring with the help of researchers and students at Israel’s Bezalel Academy of Art and Design. The “windows” in question are those in the rear of family vehicles. The idea is an intriguing one: to provide new ways of informing...]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1071998_2006-2008-kia-optima-2007-2008-rondo-recall-alert http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1071998_2006-2008-kia-optima-2007-2008-rondo-recall-alert Kia is recalling certain 2006-2008 Optima mid-size sedans and 2007-2008 Rondo wagons over concerns about a potential airbag defect. A notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site lists the number of potential affected units at 145,755. Documentation from Kia breaks out the numbers and production dates as follows...]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1071902_distracted-driving-and-teen-driver-safety-aaas-big-push-in-2012 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1071902_distracted-driving-and-teen-driver-safety-aaas-big-push-in-2012 With all the attention distracted driving has been getting in recent months, it should come as no surprise that the AAA is prioritizing its legislative efforts this year to focus on that issue and a related one involving teen driver safety. In fact, the AAA says their legislative agenda for 2012 includes advocating laws in every state banning...]]> Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:11:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1071896_cars-getting-long-in-the-tooth-average-age-is-11-years http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1071896_cars-getting-long-in-the-tooth-average-age-is-11-years If it seems like there are a lot of old Fords, Chevys, Hondas and Toyotas on the roads today, the fact is that there are. The average age of American vehicles is now 11 years old, according to new research from R. L. Polk. Polk also says that this figure, which is actually 10.8 years, is an all-time record for vehicle age. How it breaks out...]]> Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:11:00 +0000 http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1071854_best-rearview-cameras-which-2012-family-vehicles-have-them http://www.familycarguide.com/news/1071854_best-rearview-cameras-which-2012-family-vehicles-have-them A growing number of family vehicles of all kinds have rear view cameras. Consumers in the market for one of these safety and convenience technologies have a lot to choose from. But which rearview cameras are the best and which 2012 family vehicles have them? Here we take a look at a few of what we consider to be some of the best rearview cameras...]]> Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:10:00 +0000