I’ve been driving the 2011 Toyota Prius for the past week with my family in tow. For the most part, we’ve enjoyed it a lot, but only when the car is going forward. When the Prius is in Reverse, it emits a high-pitched beeping, theoretically to remind me I’m in Reverse.
Now this tone isn’t from the rear parking sensors. When in Reverse in other cars, the sensors will sound an alarm – a beeping sound – to let you know you’re about to hit something. No, no. The Prius’ feature isn’t nearly that useful. This tone just beeps continuously and incessantly the … entire … time … I’m … in … Reverse. Seriously?!  I’m responsible enough to know when I’m driving in Reverse without needing an alarm to remind me. I honestly don’t get it.

This feature would be more useful if it emitted the tone outside the vehicle to alert passers-by that the Prius is in Reverse since it’s a hybrid and creeps out of parking spaces with no engine noise.

The Prius’ Reverse alarm is a total Not in my book. Does your car have any crazy, pointless feature that you still can’t figure out? Tell us in the comment section below.
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Looking for a compact SUV that’s not your typical family hauler? The 2011 Audi Q5 could fit the bill, according to MotherProof.com reviewer Sara Lacey. This luxurious SUV has a turbocharged four-cylinder engine to make running errands fun, and its good looks will get it noticed in the carpool lane. While this car is a good fit for families with older kids, its small cargo area could be too tight for young families who need to haul large strollers and other necessities. 

2011 Audi Q5 Review
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A Holden VE Ute-based Chevy El Camino is still being considered for the U.S., according to a report by GM Inside News.
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BMW is first partner of the wide-ranging exhibition ‘The Art of Enlightenment,’ which will open at the Chinese National Museum in Beijing on 1 April 2011. Conception and organization of the exhibition at the reopened National Museum of China are the joint efforts of the National Museums in Berlin, the Dresden State Art Collection, the [...]
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The 2011 Nissan Quest is another minivan that’s undergone a redesign. The Quest’s new look lops a few inches off its exterior length, and in the interior, the second- and third-row seats easily fold forward like a crossover to create a flat load floor.  The Quest seats seven, with two captain’s chairs in the second row and a three-seat bench in the third row.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted to a comfortable position for a 6-foot driver and a 5-foot-8 passenger. The three child seats are installed in the second row. The booster seat sits behind the driver’s seat, and the infant seat and convertible seats are installed behind the passenger seat. We also install the infant seat in the second row’s middle seat with the booster and convertible in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit. In the third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible.

Here’s how the 2011 Quest did in MotherProof.com’s Car Seat Check:

Latch system: The Quest has two sets of lower Latch anchors in the second row’s captain’s chairs. These anchors are recessed in the seat bight, where the back and bottom cushions meet. The third row has one set of lower Latch anchors that’s also buried in the seat bight.

The second row’s two tether anchors (above) are at the base of the captain’s chairs, and the third row’s two tether anchors are midway down the seatback. They’re out in the open and easy to use.

Booster seat: In the captain’s chair (above), the high-back booster fit snuggly in all directions. The seat belt buckle is recessed in the bottom cushion, which could make it difficult for some kids to use, but at least it’s not floppy.

In the third row, the booster (above) also fit well after we removed the head restraint. The seat belt buckle is on a stable base that positions it high enough for kids to use independently.

Convertible seat: We struggled to get the Roundabout convertible’s rigid Latch connectors attached to the recessed Latch anchors in the captain’s chairs. Reclining the seatback helped to open the seat bight and give us a little better access. Once connected, the forward- and rear-facing convertible fit well. 

The forward-facing convertible (below) also fit well in the third row, but we had the same difficulties connecting the Latch connectors.

Infant-safety seat: Unlike the Roundabout, the Graco SnugRide infant-safety seat (below) has traditional Latch connectors. That made it much easier to connect them to the Latch anchors. This rear-facing car seat also fit well in the second row, with plenty of room for it.

How many car seats fit in the second row? Two

How many car seats fit in third row? Two
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Recall Alert: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen is recalling 71,043 of its redesigned 2011 Jetta sedan for an improperly configured wiring layout. The flaw is associated with the anti-theft system and horn. The company says there have been no injuries associated with the problem.

Models affected by the recall were built between March 2010 and March 2011. You can find the build date of your car by looking at a sticker on the driver’s side doorjamb.

A timeline was not announced, but Volkswagen will contact owners via mail. Owners can call VW at 800-822-8987 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 888-327-4236.

Recall Alert: 2011 Honda Odyssey

Honda is recalling about 2,800 2011 Honda Odyssey minivans because of a defect with the power windows, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the affected vehicles, the windows on the driver’s and front passenger’s sides may come off the track, causing them to become inoperative. The window may not be able to roll up or down, or it could drop into the front door. Because of the defect, the window could shatter into the passenger cabin, increasing the risk of injury.

The recall is expected to begin April 15. Dealers will replace the window glass at no charge. Owners can call Honda at 800-999-1009 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.
Recall Alert: 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser and 2009-11 Tundra

Toyota is recalling 1,489 FJ Cruiser and Tundra vehicles because the tire pressure monitoring system may not be properly calibrated, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In certain 2011 FJ Cruisers and 2009-11 Tundras sold with accessory light-truck tires, the tire pressure warning lamp may not illuminate if the pressure in any of the tires falls below the threshold for when the lamp should light up. Driving with underinflated tires increases the risk of tire failure and could lead to a crash.

The recall is expected to begin next month. Dealers will properly calibrate the tire pressure monitoring system at no charge. For more info, owners can call Gulf States Toyota at 800-444-1074 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.
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Washington — Volkswagen AG said today it is issuing two new recalls, including calling back 71,043 2011 model year Jetta sedans to fix a wiring problem.
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Porsche USA is challenging many Americans’ perception of Porsche sports cars—and in particular the 911—in the new ‘Engineered for Magic. Everyday’ campaign, developed by agency Cramer-Krasselt/Chicago. The TV spot features vignettes of Porsche sports car owners in a number of seemingly everyday scenes: a parent picking up kids at school, a man running a home-improvement-store [...]
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