Buckling precious cargo into a late-model vehicle has gotten a bit easier in the past year, the Institute’s LATCH ease-of-use ratings show.
IIHS launched its ratings of child seat installation hardware in vehicles in June 2015. Out of 102 vehicles rated at that time, the majority were poor or marginal. Today, a total of 170 current models have been evaluated, and most are good or acceptable. Three models — the Audi Q7, Lexus RX and Toyota Prius — earn the top rating of good+, a distinction that no vehicle achieved last year.
A properly installed, age-appropriate child restraint can protect a child much better in a crash than a safety belt alone. LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, is intended to make it easier for caregivers to install child restraints properly. Child restraints installed with LATCH are more likely to be put in correctly than restraints installed using the vehicle safety belt, IIHS research has shown.
Even with LATCH, installation errors are common. The Institute’s ratings are based on key ease-of-use criteria that have been shown to minimize mistakes.
Call it a homecoming.
When Toyota introduced Lexus to the U.S. market in 1989, the Georgetown, Ky., plant – its first stand-alone vehicle manufacturing facility in America – was just in its second year of producing the Camry.
Fast forward 26 years and that same plant is celebrating the start of U.S. Lexus production. Today at a ceremony fit for a luxury brand king, the first-ever U.S.-produced ES 350 was unveiled before several thousand proud team members in Georgetown. And, just like a newborn foal at the nearby horse farms in Central Kentucky, the newcomer was brought into the world with plenty of TLC and hope for a bright future.
“This is really a proud moment for us and brings us full circle,” said Wil James, president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. “To be the first wholly owned plant, building the number one best-selling car in America, the Camry, for 13 years in a row, and then to be selected to build the first Lexus is truly a tribute to our team members.”
For the past two and a half years, the Kentucky plant – Toyota’s largest in North America – has been gearing up to make the ES 350, Lexus’ best-selling sedan in the U.S. In all, $360 million was invested toward a new dedicated assembly line, adding 750 new jobs. Total capacity for the new line will be 50,000 vehicles.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7655351-lexus-kentucky-plant-es-350/
Hyundai introduces convention-shattering Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept
Hyundai revealed its innovative Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This fresh concept reflects a completely new interpretation of truck utility for a new generation of buyers, especially Millennials, who represent the second-largest population of car buyers.
“The Santa Cruz crossover truck concept meets the unspoken needs of a growing Millennial lifestyle we call ‘Urban Adventurers’,” said Mark Dipko, director, corporate planning, Hyundai Motor America. “This new crossover allows them all the expandable utility they need throughout their active week, from work-life professionalism, to social interests, to a whole variety of outdoor pursuits, without the typical compromises they have come to expect from the industry’s current product offerings.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7400451-naias-2015-detroit/
Micah Muzio, managing editor for Kelley Blue Book, offers sneak peak at auto industry’s most coveted event.
“Every year we invite some of the biggest names in the aftermarket tuning community to build some of the most exciting vehicles at SEMA,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “We wanted this year’s builders to develop performance and luxury in tandem, and from what you see from our lineup of vehicles, they have exceeded our goals on every measure.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7278251-sema-show-2014-kbb-toyo-tires-hyundai-lexus-kia/
To announce the first-ever RC 350 sport coupe and RC F performance coupe, Lexus today launches a comprehensive marketing campaign that showcases the vehicles across a variety of media platforms. The RC/RC F marketing campaign mirrors the story of the coupe itself—which was built from a blank canvas, unconstrained by existing designs and convention—and is centered on the theme of shattering limits.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7341251-lexus-rc-350-sport-coupe-rc-f-performance-coupe/
http://www.osv.ltd.uk/lexus.php Historically, the SUV and hybrid crowd have gotten along about as well as cesium and water. The two factions have fought over environmental resources since day one -- the SUV set defending their entitlement to gulp down fossil fuel while trampling vegetation, and the hybrid lot doing their best to conserve the environment and reduce petrol use...See More http://www.osv.ltd.uk/lexus.php
http://www.osv.ltd.uk/lexus.php What to make of the Lexus CT200h? On the outside it looks like some tuner inspired by The Fast and Furious movie series, but under the sheet metal, it has mechanical bits designed to make a Greenpeacer swoon. It's quite the contradiction. With the CT200h, Lexus is hoping to fill a gap that no one knew existed...See More http://www.osv.ltd.uk/lexus.php
http://www.osv.ltd.uk/lexus.php
What to make of the Lexus CT200h? On the outside it looks like some
tuner inspired by The Fast and Furious movie series, but under the
sheet metal, it has mechanical bits designed to make a Greenpeacer
swoon. It's quite the contradiction. With the CT200h, Lexus is hoping
to fill a gap that no one knew existed...See More
http://www.osv.ltd.uk/lexus.php
http://www.osv.ltd.uk/lexus.php
Historically, the SUV and hybrid crowd have gotten along about as well
as cesium and water. The two factions have fought over environmental
resources since day one -- the SUV set defending their entitlement to
gulp down fossil fuel while trampling vegetation, and the hybrid lot
doing their best to conserve the environment and reduce petrol
use...See More http://www.osv.ltd.uk/lexus.php
KBB.com’s Micah Muzio reveals track ready Lexus, athlete inspired Acura, performance flagship from Subaru and the newest Michelin tire.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/64639-kelley-blue-book-kbb-naias-2014-north-american-international-auto-show
CHI & Partners announce the launch of ‘Swarm’, the second project in the Lexus ‘Amazing in Motion’ global brand campaign series.
‘Swarm’ is the result of a creative and innovative collaboration between Lexus, Director Sam Brown of Rogue Films and KMel Robotics. ‘Swarm’ takes existing quadrotor technology out of its typical engineering environment and moves it into real world settings and locations. The result is a playful story of quads exploring the city at night while we sleep.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/64149-lexus-launches-swarm-amazing-in-motion
The 2014 model-year brand and category winners of the annual Best Resale Value Awards, recognizing vehicles for their projected retained value through the initial five-year ownership period, were announced today by Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used car information. Both Toyota and Lexus earned top honors for best brand and best luxury brand, and each of those top brands had six segment winners from a total of 22 different segments. Honda earned three segment awards, while Chevrolet captured two segment awards and placed an impressive three vehicles in the overall top 10 list.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/63131-kelley-blue-book-kbb-2014-best-resale-value-awards/
