The Cartrast Blog

Having kickstarted the minivan segment in 1983 and with over 15 million of them sold since then, Chrysler has made a significant update to the Pacifica. All-wheel-drive is now available while retaining the vaunted Stow ‘n Go seating capability. In addition, the front grille and exterior lights have been redesigned. The plug-in Pacifica Hybrid remains part of the lineup, with an all-electric range of more than 30 miles when fully charged.

Ford has a new entry in the hyper-competitive compact SUV segment with the Bronco Sport. Available with all-wheel-drive only, the Bronco Sport is designed to be a more practical way to engage in outdoor activities while providing a high degree of usability in urban environments. To emphasize that nature, the Bronco Sport can accommodate two mountain bikes standing up in the cargo area with the back seats folded down.

For 2021, the 7-place Atlas has received a major update both on the inside and outside to further stand out from the competition, while continuing to offer Volkswagen’s take on the affordable family SUV. A welcome change is that customers in snowier climates looking for a more fuel-efficient Atlas can get the 4-cylinder engine paired to VW’s 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system, while numerous once-optional features have now become standard.

During the last ten years, over 1.1 million families have purchased the Honda Odyssey in the United States, being the first minivan to have a third-row seat that folds flat into the floor, a built-in vacuum cleaner, and the first in-cabin rear seat viewing system (CabinWatch). For 2021, Honda has made the Odyssey even more appealing to growing families with refreshed styling on the outside as well as some upgraded features.

In May, Toyota debuted a redesigned Sienna which is going on sale this fall. Now in its fourth generation, the Sienna comes with a hybrid powertrain standard and can also be optioned with an onboard refrigerator. In addition, the Sienna retains its popular all-wheel-drive option and all Siennas are rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds, both welcome characteristics for outdoors-oriented families.

In June of this year, Nissan debuted a completely updated Rogue, one of the best-selling compact SUVs in the United States. Most of the visible changes are on the outside, with standard LED headlights and a redesigned grille. With the revised Rogue, Nissan hopes to deliver an ownership experience that was not so long ago available only in much more expensive vehicles.

Hyundai’s Elantra has been a popular choice in the competitive compact car segment during the last decade. With its attractive styling and tremendous amount of features for a reasonable price, the Elantra has become a popular new car choice. However, as the competition updates its products, Hyundai has followed suit, completely redesigning the Elantra for the 2021 model year.

Over the weekend, while most people in the Bay Area were planning their schedules around the 49ers-Vikings playoff game, Cartrast went to the Silicon Valley Auto Show, the largest consumer exhibition that takes place at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Put on by the Silicon Valley Auto Dealers Association, we had an excellent time at the event, sampling some vehicles on the Ride and Drives surrounding the show, getting an in-person look at the upcoming Ford Mustang Mach-E, snapping photos of all the cool cars we saw, and sitting in the driver’s seats of as many vehicles as we could.

Having a pre-approval letter is an important advantage to have when financing a new car purchase, but one that many car shoppers don’t obtain. Getting a pre-approval letter is actually a straightforward process, especially from your local bank or credit union, and is tremendously valuable during the car shopping process. Here are some notes that will help.

Last week, the Cartrast team went to the San Francisco Auto Show to learn more about the 2020 models. As we went during one of the public days, the show was a crowded affair, with plenty of people viewing and sitting in the various vehicles on display.

As a car shopping company, Cartrast knows that the purchase of a new vehicle is just the beginning of an exciting journey. Driving to new places, taking turns at high speeds, and exploring the world is all part of the fun. One not-so-fun part of the journey is parking your new wheels. Unfortunately, parking can be a real pain sometimes, and new vehicle owners can be particularly concerned about whether they’re parking in a safe place where their car won’t get damaged. That’s where ParkStash can come in.