Wheels
February 23, 2017
INSIDE
CARS » TRUCKS » SNOWMACHINES » ATVS
• Kia Niro: Affordable hybrid SUV • Dealer’s Corner: Make an adjustment • Click and Clack: Look at alignment • Toyota Corolla: 50 years old and upgraded
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Give yourself a driving adjustment By Alexandra Swenson, DC OWNER OF LIFE SPROUT CHIROPRACTIC
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recent survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that the average American spends 17,600 minutes driving per year. That’s a lot of driving! That’s also a lot of sitting. For many of us, the comfort and ergonomic set up of a car may not factor in at the top of the list when we are purchasing a new or used vehicle. However, when we already spend so much time sitting (the average American sits 10 hours a day at work) having a car seat that provides the correct support for your spine is vital to your long-term health and staying pain free. The low back in particular takes a heavily increased load when we are seated, and it multiplies quickly when we are seated incorrectly. This leads to increased risk of injury and pain. Here
DEALER’S CORNER are suggestions for what to look for in an ergonomically supportive vehicle and some ideas on how to improve your driving comfort in your current vehicle. Let’s start with what you should look like when sitting — in your car or anywhere else. Your spine has four normal curves that should be maintained in any position: a lordotic curve in the neck and low back, and a kyphotic curve in the mid back and tailbone region. From the bottom to top, your knees should not be higher than your hips. Your shoulders should be back and your back straight so your lumbar curve and your abdominal muscles are engaged. Your arms and shoulders should be relaxed and not hunched forward, back, up or down. Your head should be over your shoulders with the middle of your ear centered over the
middle of your shoulder joint. Now that we have the picture, here’s how you get there in your car: • Car seats can be restricting and confining, so to get to the correct position it is recommended by ergonomic experts that you begin with your seat all the way back, as low to the floor as possible, and reclined 30 to 40 degrees. Adjust the seat height first so that your knees are below your hips. If you can’t adjust your seat height, add a firm seat cushion to gain some height. • Slide the seat forward so you can reach the pedals without moving forward on the seat. Next bring the seat back up to 100 to 110 degrees to give your lower back the best support with the least pressure on the discs of your lumbar spine. • Adjust the steering wheel so it can be grasped without reaching or hunching your shoulders and neck. • The headrest should hit in the middle of the back of your head. A note on headrests: Headrests, airplane seats
and recliners have a tendency to push your head further forward because their angle is set too steep for normal spinal position. If yours is adjustable, do your best to adjust it so your ear can be positioned directly over your shoulders. • Adjust all mirrors so you can see without changing your position. You will know if you are starting to slouch if you start to feel like your mirrors are positioned incorrectly. These tips should help keep you safe and comfortable while driving. But remember, the best thing you can do for your spine and overall health is move. When you can (and on long trips), walk, run, bike, ski, or dog sled where you need to go. Dealer’s Corner is an occasional feature presented by the Daily News-Miner and is made available to Interior Alaska automotive, ATV, snowmachine and motorcycle dealers. Craig Compeau is president of Compeau’s, a fourthgeneration Fairbanks family recreational products business.
Check alignment first when car sways on the road Dear Car Talk:
I have owned my 1983 Datsun (Nissan) 280ZX Turbo since it was 6 months old. It has only 125,000 miles. It has never been in an accident. Recently I had it repainted, got new tires, muffler, suspension, struts, tie rods, calipers, new bearings, brakes, new air conditioning unit ... pretty much everything on it is new, including the reupholstered bucket seats. The problem I have is that the front end now sways, or “floats,” back and forth on the highway; it almost feels like I’m driving on ice or hydroplaning. Two separate mechanics have looked at it and can’t figure out what is causing this. Any ideas? Please don’t tell me to get rid of it — it was a birthday present from my husband 33 years ago. Thank you so much! — Elizabeth I can tell that this car has great sentimental value to you, Elizabeth. So, look
at the bright side: This steering problem will keep you from racking up too many miles on this beauty in the future. You’ll never have to upholster the seats again. Actually, it sounds like a classic case of a car that’s out of alignment. For instance, if you have one front wheel that’s pointing straight, and the other front wheel is even slightly pointing in or out, it’ll feel like you’re driving on roller skates. It’s hard to imagine that two different mechanics would have failed to check that, but I guess it’s possible. So the first thing you should do is
take it to a good alignment shop and ask them to align it. And don’t forget to check the rear wheels, too. That’s something they may have missed. If it can’t be aligned, then you’ve got a deeper problem. It’s hard to believe that a wrong suspension part was used — usually the wrong parts just won’t fit — but I suppose that’s possible. The other thing that can make a car impossible to align is an accident — something that distorted the shape of the frame or a front-end component. Maybe that time you lent it to your cousin Leo and he hit that huge pothole, he bent a control arm or something. Or something could have happened in the shop. I once dropped a car off my lift. In fact, it was a Nissan Z! That car was never to be aligned again. Actually, it was aligned right to the junkyard after the insurance company declared it a total loss. But it doesn’t take falling on its side from 6 feet in the air to bend a key com-
ponent, and it’s possible that something happened to your car that you’re not aware of. The other thing that could possibly cause this is bad tires. I know your tires are new, but if there’s some tread separation or some other defect, that could cause squirming. Bad tires are more likely to squirm at lower speeds and create a wobble at high speeds, but I wouldn’t rule out a bad tire. An easy test is to ask your mechanic to try swapping the front tires and rear tires to see if that makes any difference. If it’s better, that suggests you’ve got a bad tire up front right now. But start with the alignment. Your symptoms are classic, and if it hasn’t been properly aligned, an alignment could fix everything. Good luck. Got a question about cars? Write to Car Talk in care of this newspaper, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk.com. (c) 2017 by Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Study: Most drivers, not just young, are taking risks By Dee-Ann Durbin ASSOCIATED PRESS
DETROIT — Young drivers aren’t alone in behaving badly on U.S. roads, a trend that could be contributing to a spike in highway deaths. Well over half of drivers in every age group have texted behind the wheel, run a red light or driven faster than the speed limit in the last 30 days, according to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Younger drivers are the worst offenders. Eighty-eight percent of drivers ages 19 to 24 admitted to at least one of those behaviors. But even mature drivers skirted the rules more often researchers expected. For instance, 10 percent of drivers between 60 and 74 have texted or sent email from behind the wheel, while 37 percent of drivers over 75 said they’d driven through a light that had just turned red. “It was a surprise that there were relatively high rates of these behaviors among the drivers we think of as safer,”
said Lindsay Arnold, a research associate with the AAA Foundation. Arnold said the responses were similar to those in past years, indicating a troubling trend. In 2015, U.S. traffic deaths rose 7 percent to 35,092, the largest single-year increase in five decades. They’re expected to rise again in 2016 when that data is finalized. “It points to the need to improve driver behavior if we’re going to reverse this alarming trend,” Arnold said. Teen driver education campaigns have had some success, foundation spokeswoman Tamra Johnson said. Now the organization is considering the best ways to reach drivers of other ages. The study found broad agreement on some issues. Eighty-seven percent of drivers said they have never driven when they thought they were close to the legal alcohol limit. Ninety-five percent said they had never driven within an hour of using marijuana. Eightyeight percent of drivers say it’s unacceptable to drive without a seat belt, and 82 percent support laws requiring
motorcycle riders to wear helmets. But drivers’ behavior sometimes contradicted their own instincts. More than three-quarters of drivers say it’s unacceptable to text or email while driving, but 31 percent had done so in the last month and 8 percent do so often. Ninety-six percent of drivers say drowsy driving is a serious safety threat, but 29 percent had recently driven when they were so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open. The study questioned 2,511 licensed drivers aged 16 and over. Among its findings: • The youngest drivers — those ages 16 to 18 — were less likely to engage in speeding, running red lights or texting while driving than drivers in their 20s through 50s.
• Eighty-three percent of drivers — and 86.5 percent of drivers 75 or older — said they were more careful than other drivers on the road. • Just over half of drivers feel seriously threatened by drivers talking on cell phones, but 68 percent made a call while driving in the last 30 days. • Drivers ages 40-59 were the most likely to use a hands-free phone in the car. Drivers ages 16-18 and 75 or older were the most likely to hold their phones and talk while driving. • Twenty-three percent of drivers — and 36 percent of those ages 19 to 24 — think it’s acceptable to drive 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway. Forty-six percent of drivers say they have driven that fast on a freeway in the last 30 days.
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Thursday, February 23, 2017
2017 Kia Nero
A very affordable hybrid SUV Ann M. Job ASSOCIATED PRESS
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ia’s ne wes t vehicle, the 2017 Niro, is the lowest-priced, gasoline-electric hybrid SUV on the market and is rated as high as 50 miles per gallon in combined city/highway travel.
Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $23,785 for a front-wheel drive, five-seat Niro FE with four-cylinder engine mated to an electric
motor and lithium ion battery pack to generate a total of 139 horsepower. The base price includes an automatic transmission, rearview camera, keyless entry, cruise control, seven air bags, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, audio controls on the steering wheel and a 7-inch display screen in the middle of the dashboard. Even with luxury features added, such as a Harman Kardon premium sound system, leather-trimmed seats, power sunroof, navigation system and heated steering wheel, the Niro still can be priced under $31,000. This pricing undercuts other hybrid SUVs
that combine power from an onboard electric motor with a gasoline engine for optimum fuel mileage, such as the 2017 Toyota RAV4, which starts at $29,990. However, Toyota’s 2017 Prius c small hatchback remains the lowest-priced hybrid car in the United States with a starting MSRP plus destination charge of $21,035. While affordability is the Niro’s most attractive trait, this small SUV also appeals with its comfortable seating positions, pleasant driving traits, decent passenger space and flexible, SUV-like cargo room.
Similar in size to the 2017 Honda HR-V and Buick Encore small SUVs, the five-door Niro slots below the Sportage as Kia’s smallest SUV. The Niro is sold only as a hybrid, so the onboard electric motor and lithium ion battery pack supplement the rather meager power — 104 horsepower and 109 foot-pounds of torque — of the 1.6-liter, double overhead cam, direct injection, four-cylinder engine. Maximum horsepower totals 139, while torque can peak quickly at 195 foot-pounds to move the Niro in KIA » 5
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Thursday, February 23, 2017
KIA
Continued from 4 plucky, but not overtly sporty, fashion. There’s no droning or stressing of a continuously variable transmission in the Niro during acceleration as there are in most other gas-electric hybrids. Kia uses a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission in the Niro for more natural-feeling gearing and responsiveness. It worked well most of the time in the test Niro Touring model. But occasionally, the transition between power sources felt less than seamless. Regenerative braking and the engine help replenish the battery pack, but a plug-in Niro is due later in 2017. The top fuel mileage of 52 mpg in city driving and 49 mpg on highways is for the base, Niro FE model, which weighs the least. City mileage is rated higher than highway mileage because the electric power is able to assist more often in city travel. The test Niro Touring, which is the heaviest of all Niros at well over 3,200 pounds, was rated at 46/40 mpg by the U.S. government and averaged 38.8 mpg during the test drive with some aggressive driving. This real world mileage translated to an impressive
462 miles on a single tank of fuel. The Niro, which is wider than the HR-V and Encore, felt stable and roomy and had an unexpectedly quiet interior. Back-seat passengers have 37.4 inch-
es of legroom, while there’s nearly 42 inches for front-seat riders. Headroom all around is more than 39 inches. The luxury features in the Touring
model included heated and ventilated front seats, memory driver seat, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, turn signals in the outside mirrors, front and rear park assist, leather, sunroof, 18-inch wheels, and premium audio. Outside styling is mainstream and not particularly memorable, but everything was easy to understand and well organized inside the Niro. Rear seatbacks fold down flat to expand cargo space. The cargo floor sits up at bumper level, so there’s no lifting heavy objects up and out. All-wheel drive is not offered on the Niro, and towing capacity is limited.
FACT SHEET 2017 Kia Niro BASE PRICE: $22,890 for FE; $23,200 for LX; $25,700 for EX; $28,000 for Touring Launch Edition; $29,650 for Touring. PRICE AS TESTED: $30,545. TYPE: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-passenger, gasoline-electric hybrid, small sport utility vehicle. ENGINE: 1.6-liter, double overhead cam, Atkinson cycle, direct injection four cylinder mated to a 43-horsepower electric motor and lithium ion battery pack. MILEAGE: 46 mpg (city), 40 mpg (highway). TOP SPEED: 115 mph. LENGTH: 171.5 inches. WHEELBASE: 106.3 inches. CURB WEIGHT: 3,274 pounds. BUILT AT: Korea. OPTIONS: None. DESTINATION CHARGE: $895. — By The Associated Press
“When your car is in alignment it runs better and smoother longer. Your spine is the same way - a proper alignment can make all the difference between a life survived and a life well lived!” 505 Illinois Street Unit 4
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www.lifesproutchiro.com
Dr. Aimee Dr. Alexandra Burgess, DC Swenson, DC Terin Simington - LMT • Zoey Conner - LMT • Diane Cryer - LMT Tom Walton - Adv. Rolfer • Debby Thomas - MPT
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Corolla turns 50 New styling, safety features introduced Ann M. Job, FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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oyota has marked 50 years of its stalwart and economical Corolla by giving it new styling and features and a nicer interior while keeping it under $20,000. The base model, the Corolla L starts, at $19,385, including the destination charge. It comes with a 132-horsepower four-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission that a driver operates like an automatic. For the first time, the cheapest model comes standard with a backup camera and Toyota’s pre-collision system suite, which includes pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, radar cruise control and automatic high beam headlights. Buyers won’t find all of these features standard on competitors priced this low, nor will they find the Corolla’s expansive, 41.4 inches of rear seat legroom. With its start as a basic small sedan in Japan in late 1966, the Corolla grew into the world’s best-selling car, with more than 43 million sold and counting. It has been a best-seller in the U.S. for decades. Last year, for example, Toyota sold more than 1,000 Corollas a day, which made it the second-most popular car after the larger Toyota Camry. The 2017 Corolla is a recommended buy of Consumer Reports, which rates its reliability as better than average. At J.D. Power and Associates, which has conducted annual dependability and initial quality surveys with car owners for decades, the Corolla has typically ranked among the best. Meanwhile, the National Highway Safety Administration gave the 2017 Corolla a full five stars, overall, in government crash tests. The Corolla isn’t sporty, but its new front styling is interesting, with revamped headlights and an aggressive-looking grille. It has the same 1.8-liter,
COROLLA » 7
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Thursday, February 23, 2017
COROLLA
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
IN BRIEF
Continued from 6 double overhead cam, inline four-cylinder engine that it’s had for years. It isn’t turbocharged and the test-driven model, a 50th Anniversary Special Edition Corolla, produced an anemic 128 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400 rpm. The continuously variable transmission contributes to the less than sporty feel because it works so hard to maximize fuel economy and can drone loudly during acceleration. The “sport” mode button in the test-driven Corolla made it act more like it had an automatic transmission with pre-set gears, but the car defaulted out of “sport” every time it was turned off. In mostly city traffic, the tested car got 28.8 mpg for a decent travel range of 380 miles on a single tank of regular gasoline. The federal government rating for the car is 28 mpg in city driving and 35 mpg on highways. Nothing has changed in the Corolla’s suspension, and road bumps can be felt much of the time. The interior is nicer, thanks to upgraded seat materials, new climate control interface, new circular air vents and a decent-sized display to view
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Jeep stuck in sand Pacifica, Spider dune for 40 years to be win top ranking The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica and the removed this week Fiat 124 Spider have been named
images from the rearview camera. While drivers don’t sit real low to the pavement in the Corolla, they don’t sit up high enough to see around or through the windows of larger vehicles in front of them as they would if they were in a van or SUV. The bench seat cushion in the Corolla’s back seat is short, so it doesn’t provide a lot of thigh support. But the rear floor is flat, the Corolla’s rear doors open quite wide to ease entry, backdoor windows go down all the way, and long items can fit into the Corolla’s 13-cubic-foot trunk because rear seatbacks fold down.
FACT SHEET 2017 Toyota Corolla 50th Anniversary Special Edition BASE PRICE: $18,500 for L; $18,935 for LE; $19,335 for LE Eco; $20,445 for SE; $21,665 for SE 6MT; $21,825 for XLE; $21,900 for 50th Anniversary Special Edition. PRICE AS TESTED: $24,517. TYPE: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-passenger, mid-size sedan. ENGINE: 1.8-liter, double overhead cam, inline four-cylinder with VVT-i. MILEAGE: 28 mpg (city), 35 mpg (highway). TOP SPEED: 111 mph. LENGTH: 183.1 inches. WHEELBASE: 106.3 inches. CURB WEIGHT: 2,950 pounds. BUILT AT: Blue Springs, Miss. OPTIONS: Power tilt/slide moonroof $850; paint protection film $395; illuminated door sills $309; universal tablet holder $99; rear bumper protector $79. DESTINATION CHARGE: $885. — By The Associated Press
TRURO, MASS. — A Jeep that has been stuck inside a Massachusetts sand dune for 40 years is set to be removed. The Cape Cod Times reports the Jeep Wagoneer is entombed in a garage in Truro that became overtaken by the dune decades ago. Basil Musnuff ’s mother owns the property. He says he began visiting in the 1970s and has never seen the Jeep driven. Musnuff says the family has wanted to get the Jeep out of the collapsing garage for years but the town wouldn’t let them move the sand due to concerns about the dune system. Town officials recently changed their approach to the shifting sands and asked the family to remove the vehicle. The removal is scheduled for Friday, weather permitting.
the Best Cars for the Money in their respective categories by U.S. News & World Report. The Chrysler Pacifica was named the Best Minivan for the Money and, according to U.S. News & World Report, it “represents a jump forward for not only the Chrysler brand, but also for what minivan shoppers can expect from the class.” The Fiat 124 Spider, named Best Sports Car for the Money, “will appeal to drivers looking for a sports car with nearly unparalleled agility” and “delivers an excellent combination of capability, interior quality, and affordability,” according to U.S. News. The Best Cars for the Money methodology combines quality and value data into a composite score. — Distributed by The Associated Press
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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Thursday, February 23, 2017
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