As Mrs. Lion wrote yesterday, we got a new car. The old one was just turning seven. I normally don’t hold on to cars that long, but it was trouble-free, and we both liked it–a 2017 Rav4 hybrid. We had talked about replacing it, and since we liked our Rav4, I figured we could update to a newer model. After much research, well, not too much, I figured it made sense to go for a plug-in hybrid. An electric car is out of the question since even here in the Pacific Northwest; chargers aren’t all that available.
Reviews favored the Hyundai Tucson plugin hybrid, even over my favorite Rav4. Still, I tried to locate a Rav4. None were available in our state. Oregon dealers had some but were hoarding them for local customers. I went to Plan B and started hunting for a Tucson. That car proved equally elusive. After a lot of hunting, I found a dealer in Seattle who seemed to have a few. I called and learned there was just one with more due in a few weeks. This was when things started to move fast.
I called my bank and asked if they would finance the new car. I had the agreement in an hour. We drove to the dealer and looked at the car. Holy shit! There was more going on inside the cabin than the cockpit of a 737. Two large touch screens dominated the dash. It would take me all day to try to describe what we saw. Let’s leave it at the fact that you can see a lot. Also, the car pulls itself into and out of parking spaces without us needing to be inside the car.
The car has a connection to the mother ship. We can start, stop, lock, and unlock from our phones or PC’s. We can tell Alexa to start the car and set the cabin temperature. There are dozens of options to find and set. A non-engineer would have a lot of trouble managing all the stuff that goes on. I love it!
The folks at Hyundai did one thing that warmed my heart; they give free map and navigation updates twice a year. Toyota charges $169 per update. Oh, the car also drives itself. Hyundai is cagey about how they describe it, but once on the highway, you press a button, and the car does the rest. They suggest that you keep your hands near the steering wheel, but that’s all.
It’s a great toy. I just wish could figure out how to turn on the radio.
