by L Baures | Oct 30, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros
How are vehicles given safety ratings?
Vehicles are crash tested by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). They are then awarded stars based on their performance in the test. 1-5 stars can be awarded, with 5 stars being the best possible outcome. All of the vehicles listed below are available in AWD/4×4 from Fremont Motors. All vehicle can have 3rd-row seating except the Ford Edge, VW Touareg, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
2017 Toyota Highlander 5/5
Photo : Toyota Media
Available in FWD or AWD, with a 3.5L V6, the Toyota Highlander AWD gets an overall 5-star rating for safety. The Toyota gets a whopping 5 stars in all 7 side crash tests. It gets 4 stars for front driver side crash, but 5 stars for front passenger side. That makes the overall front rating 4 stars. Rollover rating is 4 stars.
2017 Toyota 4Runner 4/5
Photo: Toyota
The Toyota 4Runner is available in FWD and AWD, with a 4.0 liter 6 cylinder engine. The 4Runner gets an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Whilst it does very good on the side crash tests, it gets 5 stars for all categories except one. It gets 4 stars for overall side pole rating. For frontal crash tests, the 4Runner only gets 3 stars for front passenger side. It gets 4 stars for front driver side and consequently a 4 star overall for front crash rating. For rollovers, the 4Runner scores 3 out of 5 stars.
2017 Volkswagen Touareg
Photo: VW Media
The Volkswagen Touareg has yet to be rated by the NHTSA. It does, however, rate ‘good’ on the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety).
2018 Volkswagen Atlas 5/5
Photo: VW
The Volkswagen Atlas is available in FWD and AWD. Available in a 2.0 liter turbo or 3.6 V6, The Atlas gets an overall safety rating of 5 stars. Front driver side crash rating is 4 stars, passenger side gets 5 though. So the overall front crash rating is 5 stars. For side crash ratings the Volkswagen does superb and gets 5 stars on all 7 side crash tests. Rollover crash rating is 4 stars.
2017/18 Ford Edge 5/5
Photo: Ford
The Ford Edge is also available in FWD or AWD. It scores amazingly in the crash test with an overall score of 5 stars. The Edge gets 5 stars for all front crash tests. It also gets 5 stars in every single side crash test. Rollover safety rating is 4 stars.
Photo: Ford
Ford’s Explorer does pretty well too, also with an overall crash test rating of 5 stars. The vehicle gets 4 stars for front driver side crash rating but 5 stars for the passenger side. Overall front crash rating is 5 stars. For the side crash tests, the Explorer also gets 5 stars for every test. Rollover is also 4 stars the same as the Edge.
2017 Dodge Durango 4/5
Photo: FCA Media
The Dodge Durango is available in FWD and AWD, with a 3.6 liter V6, a 5.7-liter HEMI® V8 and the 6.4liter HEMi® V8. The front driver’s side crash test gets 4 stars but passenger side gets 5. Overall frontal crash test rating is 5 stars. For the side impact tests, the Durango gets full marks of 5 stars all around. It is also noted on there that during the side crash on the driver’s side, “This vehicle rolled onto its side after impact in a side MDB NCAP test”. Rollover crash rating is 3 stars.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5/5
Photo: FCA Media
The Grand Cherokee scores the maximum amount of stars for overall safety rating getting 5. The Jeep gets 5 stars for every single crash test except the rollover test, where is scores 4 out of 5 stars. Frontal crash and side crash tests all score the max 5 stars.
2017 Buick Enclave 5/5
Photo: Buick Media
The Buick Enclave is a 3rd row vehicle available in AWD and it gets the maximum 5-star safety rating. Frontal crash test results are all 5 stars as well as side impact test scores. For rollover, the Enclave gets 4 stars. The 2018 body style is different and as of yet, not crash test results are available.
2017 Chevrolet Traverse 5/5
Photo: Chevrolet Media
Based off the same platform as the Enclave, not surprisingly, the Traverse alls scores full marks. The Traverse gets a 5-star overall safety rating. 5 stars all round for frontal crash rating and side crash rating. Rollover is 4 stars. The 2018 body style is different and as of yet, no crash test results are available on NHTSA.
2017 GMC Acadia 5/5
Photo: GMC Media
The new shape 2017 Acadia gets 5 stars all round except rollover crash test, where it gets 4 stars the same as the other two.
by L Baures | Oct 26, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros
Britney Kinney
Britney Kinney is the title clerk at Fremont Chevrolet GMC and Buick in Riverton, Wyoming.
We interviewed her to find out a little more, here are the questions we asked;
How long have you worked in the auto Industry?
Britney has worked at the Fremont Chevy dealer for 4 years but explains that she was practically born into the dealership as her dad had worked there as a sales manager before she was born.
What is your favorite part of the job?
Britney says she is naturally a very sociable person so she likes to talk to people, meet new people and get them to come back.
When you aren’t working, what are you doing?
“…I have a little boy, he is 6 years old right now his name is Dagen, he’s my life, he’s my little side-kick. He does everything with me. I love the outdoors, I love growing up in Wyoming. Going up to the mountains, being at the lake is my favorite spot. And… I have a shopping problem haha. Spending time with my family. I love my family”.
What is your favorite food?
“My favorite food…that’s a tough one. I’d say anything Italien”.
What is your favorite Color?
“My favorite color is glitter.Most people would not consider that a color. In my life it is”.
How about music. What kind of music do you like?
Britney’s favorite music various from anything from Country to Hip-Hop. Depends on the day, depends on whos around and what she’s doing.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Jumping off a cliff in Hawaii
What was your first car?
“I got a little lucky, when I was 16 I got a drive a Hummer”.
If money was no object, what vehicle would you own?
“From when I was about 10 years old, I wanted a Range Rover, but I’m gonna let that happen one day, so I’d have to say a Rolls Royce”.
by L Baures | Oct 25, 2017 | Automotive News
General Motors Plan All Electric Line-Up By 2023
General Motors (GM) CEO Mary Barra announced the future as “…zero crashers, zero emissions, and zero congestion”.
General Motors outlined an all-electric path to zero emissions with at least 20 new all-electric vehicles by 2023.
Vice president of General Motors, Mark Ruess says, “Although that future won’t happen overnight, GM is committed to driving increased usage and acceptance of electric vehicles through no-compromise solutions that meet our customers’ needs.” By 2023, they are planning on launching at least another 20 all-electric vehicles. These will be based on the learnings of the Chevrolet Bolt EV, which is Chevy’s all-electric vehicle that was named 2017 Car of the Year by MotorTrend.
GM confirms it’s moving away from hybrids to focus on all-electric.
For 2019 GM confirmed that it was ceasing production of the Chevy Volt, to focus on all-electric and self-driving cars.
As part of this move, GM also confirmed the closure of factories including Lordstown Assembly in Warren, Ohio; Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly in Michigan and Oshawa Assembly in Ontario, Canada.
It also plans to close transmission plants in White Marsh, Maryland, and Warren, Michigan.
GM Announces 300 million Investment for An American Made Electric Car
General Motors announced it would invest $300 million and create 400 jobs to build a new electric car in Michigan, CEO Mary Barra announced on Friday.
What about trucks?
General motors teased in their article about a new concept platform called SURUS which stands for Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure. The vehicle will be based on a heavy-duty truck frame powered by fuel cell technology. The vehicle will be four-wheel steer and driven by two electric motors. GM also stated that “SURUS could be used as a delivery vehicle, truck or even an ambulance — all emissions-free.” This is all they said, and no photos were added, but as soon we find any more information on this, we will let you know.
According to Trucks.com, Kenworth is also working on a hydrogen fuel cell class 8 drayage truck. Kenworth expects to launch it by the end of the year. Toyota is also working on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, “Toyota believes that hydrogen fuel cell technology has tremendous potential to become the powertrain of the future,” said TMNA Executive Vice President Bob Carter”. They currently have a vehicle called the Mirai, which is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.
Infrastructure
For this task to even be remotely possible, there needs to be an infrastructure to support it. Given that in Wyoming, it’s still possible to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere because there aren’t any gas stations, there’s a lot of work to do in at least this State. Meanwhile, compared to other States, Wyoming is just getting started at this. Find out more about hybrids and electric charging stations in Wyoming in our previous article here. There are currently only 40 hydrogen refueling stations in the entire United States; incidentally, most of them are in California.
Would you drive an all-electric or hydrogen fuel cell powered car/truck?
General Motors mentioned in their statement about driving usage and acceptance. It seems they might have a lot of work to do on the acceptance part here in Wyoming anyway. After a quick research post on Facebook, I asked my friends if they would drive an all-electric car or pickup truck. One person said they are eagerly awaiting theirs. Brian Connely of Casper, WY noted,”…If it had a range of 100 miles or so, I could use it as a daily commuter back and forth to work w/ a stop at the grocery store, etc. I want to retrofit an old Toyota 4X4 P/U to electric”. However, the majority said, no. 65% of the replies I got said no. 29% said yes, and the rest said they would drive one but not own one. Several people voiced concerns over the range of the vehicles at the moment in WY makes it difficult with the lack of charging stations. Kim Garrett said, “No, too many miles between outlets…I don’t want to be left high and dry on hwy 220 or 487 in a storm”.
Would you?
Let us know you’re thoughts. Comment below or on our Facebook post.
Toyota Reveals AWD Prius
Kelly, Kevin, and Elizabeth Winter. “GM Outlines All-Electric Path to Zero Emissions.”Media.gm.com, General Motors, 2 Oct. 2017,
by L Baures | Oct 24, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros
The Volkswagon VR6
So you make vehicles with 4 cylinder engines that fit just perfect under the hood, but you want to put in a 6 cylinder engine that fits into the same space. What do you do? 6 cylinder engines are much bigger and you don’t want to have to completely redesign and engineer a new car too. A vee (like a V6) engine takes up too much room and so would a straight 6.
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by L Baures | Oct 23, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros
Are you considering purchasing a new pre-owned vehicle and need to know how much longer are the tires going to last? Are they legal?
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