What (Cars) Women Want

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Remember that old movie from the 2000's? Where Mel Gibson could read the mind of ladies and know exactly what they're thinking? Research company Polk might not have been able to tap into the specific lifestyle needs of each and every female driver, but they have figured out the cars they want to drive - at least according to sales data. A list of the top ten vehicles with the largest percentage of female buyers was just recently compiled by them.

For the longest time, the top spot belonged to the Beetle, which many of us probably weren't too surprised by. But here is where it gets interesting- the mighty bug has since fallen! After getting a recent redesign that removed some of the cutesy details (such as a flowerpot on the dash), it's meant to have some more appeal to guys now. With the Beetle's decline, the majority of the top 10 list has been comprised of compact crossovers, which are best described as wagons that look like sport utility vehicles but ride like cars.

We're excited to say that two of our offerings make the grade with the gals - at #5, the
Toyota Matrix:

and at #8, the RAV4:

Here's the full list, with the percentage of female buyers in parentheses:

1. Volvo S40 (57%)

2. Nissan Rogue (56.9%)

3. Volkswagen Eos (56.4%)

4. Volkswagen Beetle (54.6%)

5. Toyota Matrix (54.1%)

6. Hyundai Tucson (54%)

7. Honda CR-V (53.4%)

8. Toyota RAV 4 (53%)

9. Nissan Juke (52.7%)

10. Jeep Compass (52.7%)

Do any of these come as a surprise to you? Leave a comment and tell us if you think there should have been any changes to the list!

Is Your Commute Too Long?

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Does it seem like your commute is too long? Or are you one of the lucky few who are a hop, skip, and a jump away from your workplace? I was recently wondering how long some people drive to work, as I have had friends who deliberately move to areas they wouldn't normally live in, just to be close to their jobs. On the flip side, I've known others who are adamant on being in the city or somewhere specific, and don't care how far from work they have to drive.

Out of curiosity, I pulled up some info on this to see just how long most people drive.

 Using the data from the 2009 U.S. census, the average drive for most Americans is right around 25 mins (25.1, to be exact). What's really interesting is that the percentage of people whose commutetime is actually 25-29 minutes are some of the lowest represented on the survey!

Now, here in St. Louis, the average drive time is actually 21.5 minutes, slightly lower than the national average. Over the years, my commute time has generally been in the 20-30 minute range. Not too surprising, considering the saying around here goes, "You can get just about anywhere in St. Louis in 30 minutes".

How does your commute time compare to this chart? Is there a certain cutoff point where you'd find yourself wanting to be closer to work because you couldn't deal with the drive time? (you have to feel for those who are consistently driving 90+ mins to get to and from work!)

Three's Company - Preparing for the Unexpected

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My fellow co-worker and sales gal Nancy Shubert recently showed me an article in an issue of STLFamily magazine that I wanted to share. It's about a family that hears some surprising news, and how we were able to help them out.

Now, we all know the birth of a child is a momentous occasion in any young couple's life. So when the news came on Brendan Freeman's 33rd birthday that his wife Angie was having triplets, he was, for lack of a better word, shocked. According to Brendan, an avid runner, "I compare it to the stages when you are running a marathon: denial, fear, shock. Then, once you finally come to terms with it...exuberance."

He goes on to say that they always wanted to have a family of three children.  After giving birth to two sons, it never crossed his mind that his wife would have triplets! But sometimes life can throw curveballs that you have to prepare for, and Brendan knew that he was going to have to accommodate for his much larger family. He would need additional cribs in his home, three times the amount of diapers (the triplets apparently went through about 9,000 diapers in their first year!), and most importantly, a car that can fit him, his wife, his two toddler sons, and three infants.

When the news came, Brendan made sure to buy plenty of children's car seats, and spent an entire day driving up and down Manchester Rd, looking for the perfect vehicle for his growing family. He wanted one with a roomy interior, and as luck would have it, ended up at Lou Fusz Toyota. He shared his story with us, and ended up purchasing a Toyota Sienna.

If you've been following the Toyota Talk blog, you'll know that we recently helped out blogger Cassie over at Crazy and Cool with a Side of Crafty, by setting her up with a Sienna for a roadtrip she made. She has a great post on how the Sienna drives and how it is suitable for a family. It has the most cargo capacity in its class, and is the most affordable vehicle on the market to insure, which brings some peace of mind to families of 7 such as the Freemans. Plus, after seeing their weekly grocery bill, I'm sure that they're happy to be saving money in any way they can!

Would you be able to manage having triplets, financially? What other tips and tools would you utilize to prepare for and cut down on your expenses?

Seize the Day

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Ask anyone if they can name a charitable event that they take part in annually, and a good number of people will tell you something like the Komen Race for the Cure. It's certainly a great a cause, but when you think about it, there are many other organizations that could use our help, especially locally based ones. That's why this year, Lou Fusz Toyota is proud to announce our sponsorship for the Epilepsy Foundation of Missouri and Kansas with their "Seize the Day" 5K race on  June 16th.

We visited with Deane Jones and her family this past week, and learned about how many more people in St. Louis are afflicted with epilepsy than we could have ever thought. 15,073 kids alone are dealing with it on a daily basis, and up to 250,000 people in the St. Louis area have had recurring seizures at some point in their life. At this time, there is no known cure for epilepsy, only treatments that can be used to control their frequency. However, even with medication, a percentage of people, sometimes up to 20%, will still experience uncontrollable seizures. It is incredibly important to raise awareness for epilepsy in children, as their social and emotional growth can be damaged if their seizures are not controlled.

Here's an interesting fact about epilepsy you may not have known - those who suffer it can still legally drive, in most cases. With proper treatment, a patient afflicted with epilepsy may be able obtain the necessary licensing requirements to operate a car within three months to a year, on average. Sadly, many other countries around the world prohibit those who ever had an epileptic bout from driving at all.

With your help, we can build awareness on epilepsy and make this a memorable day. The Seize the Day race will be held in our neighborhood on Saturday, June 16th, at the Kirkwood Train Station – 110 W. Argonne Dr, Kirkwood, MO, 63122.

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To participate in the race, you'll need to register by May 24th. There is a jogging race (with prizes!) and a non-competitive walk, for those who still want to take part in the day's festivities. If you can't make the event, you can also donate to the Epilepsy Foundation. For full details, visit the Seize the Day website. We hope to see you June 16th! 

St. Louis Day Trips

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With the sunny weather holding off dusk longer, many of us are looking to get out more and have fun. Whether an outdoor activity or day trip, there's plenty to do, it just depends on how far you're willing to drive to get there. What if you had a hybrid car and didn't have to worry so much about burning through your gas, though?
Imagine this scenario: You've just bought a new Prius C, which gets 53 miles per gallon while driving in the city, and 46 on the highway. Let's say you live in a pretty centralized location, somewhere in St. Louis (we'll use our address, 10725 Manchester Rd, as the example). So where can you go to on one gallon of gas or less? Below you'll find three recommendations for mini road trips!

1. The Great River Road, Alton, Illinois (~35 Miles)

This stretch of highway is right on the Missouri/Illinois border and goes from Alton to Grafton, Illinois. It's one of the most scenic drives in the entire region, hands down! You can have a picnic by the riverside, load up some bicycles on your car and ride down the bike path, or stop and visit the Alton Museum of History and Art while you're in the area. I also like to stop by Fast Eddie's for some cheap drinks and food whenever I travel through Alton.

2. Mount Pleasant Winery, Augusta, Missouri (~37.5 miles)

Missouri is known for having some great wineries. That probably stems from the fact that the wineries here are some of the oldest in the country, having been created by German immigrants in the mid 19th century. Mount Pleasant is one of the closer wineries to make a day trip to, with a trek down highway 94 into Augusta, just shy of an hour in driving time. You don't have to be a wine aficionado to appreciate it either - there's often live music at the winery, and a great hiking trail for those who prefer to explore the area.

3. Meramec River- St. Clair, Missouri (~40 miles)

Mention the Meramec River to anyone from St. Louis and you'll instantly conjure up thoughts of floating, canoeing, and river rafting. Some would almost insist that it is a St. Louis tradition to go floating every year! St. Clair, which is a small town off highway 44, is a great spot for hitting the river. The nearby Old Cove Canoe shop offers rentals and float trips, and is perfect for families or large groups of friends. They're open on weekends and holidays currently, and have more general hours during the summer. 

If you're interested in daytripping to these great spots or any other St. Louis attractions on minimal gas, consider a fuel efficient hybrid vehicle like the Prius C. It's offered in four grades with a starting price of under $20,000. The Prius C One has automatic climate control, 3.5-inch multi-function display, remote keyless entry, power windows, and 9 airbags. It's also got MP3 and Bluetooth hookups so you can listen to your favorite tunes or chat hands free.
The other grades – Two, Three and Four – offer additional features, such as upgraded audio, cruise control, navigation, Toyota’s Entune with 6.1-inch screen, satellite radio, alloy wheels, heated seats and a power moonroof.

Do you have a favorite day trip spot? Leave a comment and tell us where you like to go!

Across the Country on 10 Gallons of Gas

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It sounds like a joke. Traveling 2,532 miles on only ten gallons of gas? But this professor is serious...and he's got the technology, prowess, and just enough crazy in his blood to do it!

Cliff Ricketts, a 63  year old professor of agricultural education at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, spent the past 34 years of his life researching alternative fuels. He announced his plans last week to travel from Georgia, to Long Beach, California. The idea stemmed from his fear of rising gas prices and the thought that if an oil crisis were to occur, people would need a backup option in case the price per gallon ramped up to $10 or more. As evidenced by my previous blog post back in January, the tell-tale signs are clear that gas isn't getting any cheaper!

Rickett's plan to drive this extraordinary distance is fueled, literally speaking, on the power of three specially equipped Toyota vehicles- a 1994 Tercer, and two Prii (the official plural form of Prius, according to Toyota!) 
Each of these vehicles is outfitted to run on a combination of compressed hydrogen, as well as solar power and an ethanol/gasoline mixture. Cliff would have used purely hydrogen, but could not secure all of the hydrogen tanks he needed in time for the trip.
He claims his motive is not so much an environmental message as it is a message on fuel efficiency. Now, flash forward and Cliff has done the unimaginable: he made it to his destination in not only record time but also using only two gallons of gasoline!

His cross country journey took five days, and spanned from Tybee Island, Georgia, to Tennessee, and then through Arkansas, and then all the way out west to Long Beach. The majority of the trip was done on Interstate 40, not to be confused with the highway 40 that we all know and love in St. Louis!

After reaching Long Beach, Cliff walked onto the beach and dipped his toes into the Pacific Ocean. "I feel like I climbed Mount Everest," he said. "This has significance in life and it has significance for mankind."

Has the rising cost of gas changed your perception on hybrids like the Prius C, or alternative fuel vehicles? Where would you travel to if you could road trip with such an efficient vehicle? 

Going Green in Geneva

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Feel like traveling? This week kicks off the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, and Toyota has some big news to share regarding hydrogen powered vehicles. Their aim? To sell tens of thousands of fuel cell powered vehicles a year by 2020. Didier Leroy, the company's European head of operations, announced it on Tuesday, making Toyota the first major auto manufacturer to publicly commit to the technology.

He discussed the FCV-R, Toyota's newest concept vehicle (which stands for "Fuel Cell Vehicle Reality and Revolution") and their plans to have a hydrogen powered car available by 2015. The car has a range of up to 435 miles, comparable to many current hybrid vehicles and much longer than electric vehicles, all while producing zero emissions.

There's also a flashy video they released a couple days ago-

The only challenge thus far is the high cost of producing fuel cells, and the lack of hydrogen charging stations across the country. But with Toyota's announcement, that could change. Do you think we'll see a much stronger push for making green technology affordable and accessible? 

Parallel Parking With the Scion iQ [Funny]

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Parallel parking - some of us seem to be seasoned experts at it, while others can never quite grasp the concept at all. It certainly takes a reasonable amount of finesse to master this artful process! Just ask anyone who has lived in the suburbs all their life, compared to someone who lives or works in a major metropolitan area. You can reasonably predict who will be the better parallel parker more often than not. I won't lie - I was awful at it for the longest time. That person you saw backing in and out multiple times until finally settling on a shoddy attempt where the car is protruding out into the street? There's a fair chance it was probably me. It wasn't until I moved somewhere that only had off street parking, that I finally started to hone my skills out of necessity.

That being said, Scion released a set of videos just recently showing their new iQ in action, making some ridiculous parking maneuvers. Click the video below to see for yourself! If you haven't heard of the iQ yet, it's being compared to the Smart car and Ford's Smart Fortwo as a serious contender for the title of best smallest car.  We've just started getting the Scion iQ here at Lou Fusz Toyota, and everyone agrees, this thing is tiny but very cool. 

So how good are you at parallel parking? Think you could easily fit a bigger car on the first try, or would you rather have something like the iQ that makes it a breeze to fit into tiny spaces? 

The Return of "100 Cars for Good"

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Last year, Toyota donated 100 cars to 100 different charities and deserving non-profits, who shared stories of how a Toyota vehicle could benefit the work they do for their respective communities. Because the program was wildly popular and a huge success, Toyota has decided to bring the program back again this year!

In 2011, one of the selected charities was Mission: St. Louis, who are only 8 miles down the road from us. Josh Wilson, the executive director, ultimately decided on a Tundra truck for his organization, and chose Lou Fusz Toyota as the dealership he wanted to receive the vehicle from. When we learned that Mission: St. Louis was also gearing up for their Affordable Christmas program at the time, we decided to have a toy drive on their behalf. In the end, they were able to leave with a new Tundra AND a truck bed full of toys!

Now, we're hoping to be able to have another great non-profit drive a Toyota off of the Lou Fusz Toyota lot. If you know a deserving organization, have them apply to be part of the program! The initiative is going on around the country too, so wherever you are located, you can ask a non-profit to tell Toyota how a new vehicle could benefit their efforts. Mission: St. Louis made this great video when they were trying to win last Spring:

Entries for the program are accepted starting March 12 via the 100 Cars for Good Facebook page, and will continue to do so for two weeks, until 5,000 applications have been received. Then, 500 finalists will be chosen, and winners will be determined based on votes. For official rules and details, see the Toyota press release.

What non-profits do you support in your neighborhood? How would you want them to utilize a new Toyota vehicle?