CAA Manitoba Fall 2017 | Page 38

How much ?
find out how much it ’ ll cost to run different vehicles for a year with caa ’ s driving costs calculator : caa . ca / car _ costs alternatiVe poWer
There are alternatives to traditional gas-hungry vehicles . What ’ s on the market and what ’ s coming ?

What to Choose

The choice used to be so easy : big car , little car or truck ? But today ’ s roads are bumper to bumper with various sizes and styles , makes and models . Your first decision is what type best suits your needs and wants .
Gas-eleCtriC hybrid a special battery is connected to the gasoline engine and kept charged while running . When the car is cruising or being driven gently , the engine turns off and the car drives on its battery power to save gas . the toyota Prius , now in its fourth generation , is still the bestknown hybrid .
CompaCt / sub-CompaCt :
Easy to drive in the city , best fuel consumption and ideal for those looking to go from A to B . Small doesn ’ t mean less safe though : All cars are built to strict safety standards . The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla , both compacts , are the most popular cars in Canada . The Hyundai Accent is an example of a subcompact .
Full-size / mid-size :
Larger and more roomy , but also more thirsty for gas . A Chevrolet Impala is considered full-size ; a Ford Fusion is mid-size .
sedan : A four-door car , comfortable for two or three passengers in the rear seat .
Coupe : A two-door car with either one or two rows of seats ; more sporty but not so accessible for rear-seat passengers . Consider a coupe if you usually have just one passenger .
suV : Roomier than a car and designed to drive off-road ( though few ever really do ). Drivers like them because the taller ground clearance lets you sit up higher , and they ’ re a nice family alternative to minivans . The GMC Yukon remains a popular choice .
CrossoVer : A slightly smaller SUV that ’ s still taller than a regular car . It ’ s often the ideal choice for somebody who wants a versatile vehicle with
easy passenger access and plenty of cargo space . The Ford Edge is a crossover .
ConVertible : Usually only comfortable for front-seat passengers ; cloth tops are most common , but some hardtops are now available that are quieter and more practical in winter .
miniVan : Large , practical and handy for carrying more than five people and the family dog . One-touch sliding doors are good for loading groceries .
piCkup truCk : There are car people and then there are truck people ! If you ’ re farming , hauling or building , this is the one for you .
eleCtriC Powered only by an electric motor , cars like the nissan leaf are peppy and quiet , with a range of about 150 kilometres before needing to be recharged . tesla ’ s model s can drive up to 400 kilometres before running out of juice .
hydroGen it ’ s a clean , cheap fuel that creates no emissions except pure water , but the infrastructure isn ’ t quite there yet — there are no public refuelling stations in canada , but Hyundai operates one private facility in B . c . as lobbying for additional stations ramps up , expect more hydrogen vehicles to arrive in the coming years .
car icons ( modified ): Paulmalyugin / istock
38 Fall 2017 CAA MaNITOBa