Author: Family Friendly Daddy Blog

9 Comments Posted on June 1, 2014March 5, 2024 Uncategorized

2014 Toyota Prius: Family Friendly Car Review

Welcome back to the official “family friendly car review” by Nick Shell, the daddy blogger of Parents.com’s The Dadabase. On the side, I review cars.

This week’s featured vehicle is the 2014 Toyota Prius.

Let me go ahead and address the elephant in the car showroom:

Yes, I am a vegan and I am married to someone from California. By default, I realize that pretty much automatically means I have to like a Prius.

But… the thing is, how can anyone not love a car that averages 50 miles a gallon!

That’s right: 51 highway, 48 city, and 50 combined. (The tank holds 11.9 gallons of fuel.)

We drove the Prius from Nashville to Atlanta and back on the same tank of gas. That made the road trip so much more enjoyable for a dad who is super “budget conscious.”

Just for the record, I am super serious when it comes to saving money. In our household, we have no smart phones, no cable or satellite TV, and our electronics are so old they are laughable.

So for me, one of the most important things about a vehicle is how much I save on gas.

As I’ve been doing these reviews since September, something I have observed is that, loosely, for every mile per a gallon better one vehicle gets, it saves about $200 per year in fuel costs.

In theory, if your vehicle gets 20 mpg, compared to your friend’s vehicle that gets 21, your friend would spend $200 more in gas in the year 2014.

So imagine a car that gets 50 mpg! That’s a lot of money saved. In a year’s time, that’s $1,100 compared to the average new vehicle.

As for my 3 and a half year-old son’s favorite part of the 2014 Toyota Prius, he proclaimed: “Daddy, the thing I like about this car the most that I can see out the windows!”

(It’s interesting that I never prompt him to give his opinion; he just automatically gives me his imput within the first 5 minutes of the drive!)

In closing, I personally am a huge fan of the Prius. But then again, as a vegan married to a California girl, I’m supposed to think that, right?

Decide for yourself. Here are the fuel facts, courtesy of fueleconomy.gov:

	X 2014 Toyota Prius

	1.8 L, 4 cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios)
	MSRP: $24,200 – $30,005

EPA Fuel Economy

Regular Gasoline

Combined MPG:50	MPG
Combined MPG:50	City MPG:51	Highway MPG:48
combined city/highway	city	highway

2.0 gal/100mi

EPA range: 595 miles

595 miles
Total Range

Unofficial MPG Estimates from Vehicle OwnersLearn more about “My MPG”
Disclaimer

User MPG estimates are not yet available for this vehicle

You save or spend*

Note: The average 2014 vehicle
gets 23 MPG

You SAVE

$6,500

in fuel costs over 5 years

compared to the
average new vehicle

Annual Fuel Cost*

$1,100

Cost to Drive 25 Miles

$1.84

Cost to Fill the Tank

$44

Tank Size

11.9 gallons

*Based on 45% highway, 55% city driving, 15,000 annual miles and current fuel prices. Personalize.

MSRP and tank size data provided by Edmunds.com, Inc.

Range on a tank and refueling costs assume 100% of fuel in tank will be used before refueling.

4 Comments Posted on May 27, 2014 Uncategorized

2014 Hyundai Santa Fe LTD FWD: Family Friendly Car Review

Thanks for coming back! Hi there, I am Nick Shell, the daddy blogger of Parents.com’s The Dadabase, but on the side, I review cars.

This week’s featured vehicle is the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe LTD FWD, which my wife said might possibly be her favorite car I have reviewed so far. She really like how the seats had heaters and “coolers” built in to them.

As for my 3 and a half year-old son, these were his words during our first drive in it:

“Daddy, this car: awesome. This car is awesome!”

He particularly loved the panoramic sunroof. Basically, the entire ceiling is glass, and the front half of it opens up.

At one point, he explained, “Daddy, the sun is getting in my eye- and it’s getting in my chip’s eye too.”

But it sure was cool to have that feature as we took our mini-road trip a couple of hours away to my hometown in Fort Payne, AL for Memorial Day Weekend.

One feature that I particularly found helpful was how I was able to see in real time, how many miles per gallon I was using. During my road trip, which was mainly Interstate, I averaged right over 25 miles per gallon, which is exactly what the “window sticker” said it gets.

I would have never given the Hyundai brand a second thought had I not reviewed two of them now, but I am officially impressed by Hyundai. They actually make really nice and impressive cars!

And that’s not even mentioning their amazing warranties…

Well, don’t just take my word for it- check out these stats and pictures and form an opinion for yourself.

As for my family, I can honestly say we truly loved driving the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Standard Features:

5 year/60,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty

10 year/100,000 mile Powertrain Warranty

7 year/Unlimited mile and Perforation Warranty

5 year/Unlimited mile Roadside Assistance

Advanced Safety Technology:

Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) with Traction Control

ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution & Brake Assist

Blind Spot Detection System

Powertrain Technology:

3.3 L Gasoline Direct Injection V6 Engine

290 Horsepower @ 6,400 RPM

Fuel Economy:

21 MPG average: 18 city/25 highway

Annual fuel cost: $2,500

Catch me again next week when I review the 2014 Toyota Prius!

1 Comment Posted on May 19, 2014 Uncategorized

Family Friendly Car Review: 2014 Nissan Versa Note SV

Welcome to this week’s family friendly car review! I am Nick Shell, the daddy blogger of Parents.com’s The Dadabase, but on the side, I review cars.

This week’s featured vehicle is the 2014 Nissan Versa Note SV, America’s best-selling entry hatch, which makes the first Nissan vehicle I have ever driver or even ridden in.

Because I just reviewed the Fiat 500 a few weeks ago, I kept being reminded of it as I drove the Versa. So what I would like to do in my family friendly car review of the 2014 Nissan Versa Note SV is to show what differences I noticed.

The Versa is slightly larger than the Fiat 500; noticeable in the backseat, not to mention the Versa has 4 doors as opposed to just 2.

So obviously, it’s easier for an adult to fit in the back seat of Versa. The trunk of a Versa is also slightly larger than the Fiat 500; but not by a whole lot.

Despite this, the Versa gets slightly better gas mileage: The Versa averages 35, while the Versa averages 32.

However, the Fiat 500 costs nearly $3000 more than the Versa; not to mention, the Fiat will cost you an extra $400 in fuel annually.

I will say that the Fiat 500 definitely felt like it had more “get up and go.” That would probably explain the slightly better gas mileage in the Versa.

However, the Versa came with cooler accessories.

The radio on the Fiat 500 was extremely minimal; not having a screen for SiriusXM. Plus, it had no cameras.

That’s where the Versa really impressed me: its visibility.

It is so easy to see in the Versa. While the Fiat has a blind spot so bad on the driver’s side there is a special mirror to compensate for it, the Versa has no blind spots.

Additionally, the Versa comes with the coolest rearview camera, and something they call the Around View Monitor, which is awesome: It’s basically like having an aerial view of the car, so you can literally see all around you. Very cool and innovative!

So, bottom line, both the Nissan Versa and the Fiat 500 are fun cars, but it just depends on what matters most to you:

The Nissan Versa is better on gas, has better visibility, has slightly more room, has better visibility, and costs less.

Meanwhile, the Fiat 500 feels like it has more power and definitely has a unique look to set you apart on the road.

Here are the stats:

2014 Nissan Versa Note SV

Mechanical & Performance:

1.6 Liter DOHC 16-Valve 4-Cylinder Engine

Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)

Front and Rear Stabilizer Bars

Power-Assisted Vented Front Disc/Rear Drum Brakes

15” Steel Wheels w/Full Wheel Covers

Active Grille Shutter

Other Features:

Divide-n-Hide Adjustable Floor

NissanConnect w/Navigation System

Around View Monitor

Government Safety Testing Pending.

Fuel Economy:

31 city/40 highway: 35 combined

Annual Fuel Cost: $1500

Total Price As Shown: $19,545.00

3 Comments Posted on May 5, 2014 Uncategorized

Family Friendly Car Review: 2014 Hyundai Azera Limited

“This thing doesn’t drive, it hovers.”

That’s the first thing that ran through my head after driving the 2014 Hyundai Azera Limited today.

Until this week, I had never even been in Hyundai. But now I know, driving a Hyundai is sort of like driving a cloud.

I guess that idea is only reinforced by the fact this one comes with a panoramic tilt-and-slide sunroof. So it’s almost like having a convertible; since, in essence, the walls and ceiling are made of glass and can all be opened.

Another phrase I would like to use to describe the 2014 Hyundai Azera is “user friendly.”

I have reviewed cars in the past where it took a day or so to really get a feel for where everything is and how everything works.

Not in this car. Everything just makes sense. I liked that there were plenty of easy to access compartments to place the keys, my phone, my camera, and my son’s snacks.

It’s also very easy to fold up the back seats to access the trunk. That’s a feature my 3 year-old son holds very dear, because he likes to crawl through it.

So bottom line, this is a fun family car to drive. Our family loves it. Nice and easy, but also fancy too.

I always got Hyundai mixed up with Honda. Not anymore. Based on this particular one, the 2014 Hyundai Azera, I have a very high opinion of the company.

It’s got a different feel to it all together. Interesting… in a good way, is how I want to phrase it.

Standard Features:

3.3L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) V6 Engine

293 Horsepower @ 6,400 rmp/255 lb-ft Torque @5,200 rpm

Dual Continuous Variable Valve Timing

6-Speed Automatic Transmission w/SHIFTRONIC

Active ECO System

18-inch Hyper Silver Alloy Wheels w/P245/45R18 Tires

This vehicle has not yet been rated by the government for overall vehicle score, frontal crash, side crash or rollover risk.

Fuel Economy: 19 city/29 highway; 23 combined

Annual Fuel Cost: $2,300

Total Price as Shown: $37,905.00

1 Comment Posted on May 5, 2014 Uncategorized

Family Friendly Car Review: 2014 Lexus 9550A IS-F 4 Door Sedan

It’s not often I end up behind the wheel of a luxury car with a V8, so when I do, I must put the pedal to the metal to test out the engine. And I did.

Thrills were had… for the whole family, not just the driver. I’ll just leave it at that.

The 2014 Lexus IS-F is the head-turning, sophisticated monster machine you would expect it to be. Again, the thing has a V8; in case you missed that. After all, the speedometer cuts off at 210 mph!

While the official government safety tests had not taken place by the time I test-drove this car for a week, I can tell you this: It’s a solid mass.

You can tell by how heavy the doors and trunk door are. But with a V8, the 2014 Lexus IS-F can move despite its bulk.

Until driving one myself, I can honestly say I never saw a Lexus IS-F on the road. Granted, I had a car enthusiast ask me a few weeks ago if I would ever get to test out a Lexus IS-F, then I got one last week.

That tells me this is a rare, elite vehicle for those who are looking for the sportiest, meatiest luxury sedan made by Lexus.

Granted, I’ve also driven the Lexus cars with a V8, but for fact the Lexus IS-F only has 4 seats, it by default says “faster.”

As I will be explaining in an upcoming Parents.com story, what my son loved most about it was that he figured out he could crawl through back seat into the truck.

He declared, “Daddy, this car is the bestest one!”

Performance Features:

5.0 Liter DOHC, 32 Valve V8, Direct & Port Injection, WT-iE (intake), WT-I (exhaust)

416 Horsepower, 371 lb-ft of Torque

8-Speeed Sport Direct-Shift Transmission

19” BBS Forged Alloy Wheels

This vehicle has not yet been rated by the government for overall vehicle score, frontal crash, side crash or rollover risk.

Fuel Economy: 16 city/23 highway; 18 combined

Annual Fuel Cost: $3,100

Total Price as Shown: $67,250.00

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