Road & Travel Magazine's Blog

2013 Kia Optima SX Sedan Road Test Review

This Ain't Your Grandma's Car!

by Courtney Caldwell

I’ve never fancied myself much of a sedan girl. More like a speedy sports car siren or a mother trucker… the latter of which was my first priority for many years when rearing rugrats and camping out by babbling brooks in the back woods of New England. But this week, priorities changed when the new 2013 Kia Optima SX sedan was delivered as our test car. What a looker!

“Is that the new Jaguar,” one man shouted from across the parking lot. “No, it’s the new 2013 Kia Optima,” I yelled back. “Wow, woulda' never guessed,” he said shaking his head with surprise.

And that’s the reaction the Snow White Pearl Optima received all week long. Driving this car was like having a new puppy. Everyone wanted to stop and pet it, stoop down and take a closer look, inspiring miles of smiles and constant curiosity. I found one woman peering into the windows with her hands cupped around her eyes to get a better look inside. Approaching the car, I asked, “What do you think of it?” Startled and somewhat embarrassed she was caught, she replied, “Oh, so sorry, I wasn’t being nosy but this car is just so gorgeous. I had to get a closer look. I can’t believe this is a Kia!”

The beautiful black and white Nappa leather trim interior was surprisingly stunning upon opening the door. Not only elegant and upscale in appearance but also spurring sensations of a sexy sports car. Our SX test model came with the premium touring package, which included 18” luxury design alloy wheels with red brake calipers presenting a lower, wider stance in appearance, appealing to those who need practical but love performance. The SX delivers both. The chrome accent rear spoiler completed the overall exterior look and style of the Optima placing this unique sedan in a class above its 2012 predecessor. The new 2013 SX dispels any myths about a sedan being for old folk… this ain’t your grandma’s car! For full review, click here.

2012 Sexy Car Buyer's Guide - Top 10 Sultry Sports Cars

by Martha Hindes

Smokin’ hot and haunchy, lithe, taut and delicious – all steamy words that can launch a major vehicular daydream, a memory of tamed tracks of the past, of “Gotta Have” ambitions. After all, big girls, like their big boy counterparts, thrive on the lure of the heat of a truly sexy car. Any reason not to? At ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine, we don’t think there is. In fact, we consider possessing “the sexiest driving machine” or comparably alluring set of wheels a right of sisterhood for any woman who puts such an acquisition high on her wish list for owning a car with the most sex appeal. Truly a refection of her own inner soul. Click here to see the Top 10 for 2012.

 

Women Ask Tougher Questions When Car Shopping

Women Ask Tougher Questions on Safety, Incidents

Are women more thorough than men when shopping for a vehicle? LeaseTrader.com analyzed customer transactions during 2011 when out-of-state lease transfers occurred and found that more women ordered third-party vehicle inspections compared with men. When women were on the “buyer” end of a lease transfer they ordered a vehicle inspection 67.2 percent of the time, compared with 54.5 percent for that of men.

Vehicle lease transfers processed through the LeaseTrader marketplace include the option for a vehicle inspection conducted by a third party company, anywhere in the country. This service is mostly ordered when the car is located in a different region and the interested party can’t easily travel to see the car first-hand.

Women buyers also ask different and more thorough questions than men buyers. A review of customer correspondence patterns during 2011 also revealed that women buyers inquired about specific areas in terms of safety performance, incident history and a general sense of a vehicle’s overall functionality given certain circumstances. The majority of correspondence from men buyers primarily covered a vehicle’s overall driving and engine performance, aesthetics and vehicle technology, and some minor safety features. [Full Story]

How to Elimate Jet Lag by Dr. Jo Lichten

Our internal body clock is regulated by circadian rhythms that respond to daily light/dark cycles. When we travel over time zones, these abrupt changes confuse your body clock and cause what is referred to as jet lag. Symptoms of jet lag include fatigue, sleep problems, irritability, queasiness, upset stomach, headache, and grogginess or difficulty concentrating. Jet lag symptoms appear to be more severe when flying east or crossing three or more time zones.

To prevent jet lag, follow these tips:

• Start out well rested.

• Drink plenty of water.
  Dehydration worsens the symptoms of jet lag; so try to drink at least eight ounces of non-caffeinated fluids before, during, and after your flight. Go easy on the alcohol and caffeine; besides dehydrating you, they will also disturb your sleep pattern. See all tips here.

Top 10 Getaways for Parents without the Kids

Enjoy a Kid-Free Holiday at a Top 10 Getaway for Parents

As the kids are transitioning back into school mode, call in the grandparents and ask them to baby-sit while you and your significant other take a kid-free vacation.  Of course you love the kids, but sometimes we all need a break from the little rascals. Below are five parent getaways worth checking out over the next few months.

• Lunenburg, Nova Scotia - In 1995, the old town of Lunenburg on Canada’s east coast was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its survival as a British colonial settlement. This quaint coastal village off Mahone Bay is the perfect place to book a bed-and-breakfast or small cottage and explore the history, do a little kayaking or simply unwind. Let Lunenburg’s small-town charm and the tranquil seaside views win you over. When looking for things to do, visit Bluenose, the world-famous wooden racing schooner, check out the Fisheries Museum and learn about the salty men who navigated the Atlantic, then head over to the Ironworks Distillery for artisan spirit tastings.

• Portofino, Italy - The words “Italian Riviera” are usually enticing enough to dust off the suitcases, and Portofino is considered to be the most beautiful harbor of them all. What was once a quaint fishing village is now a popular boating and yachting destination. The best place to stay is on a boat, and there are plenty of exquisite restaurants and high-end boutiques that line the harbor. If sleeping on dry land is more your style, travel the sea by water taxi to other towns along the Riviera, including Genoa and San Fruttuoso. And, if you haven’t seen enough breathtaking scenery, head up to Castello Brown to check out the beautiful views and stunning gardens. Full story

Take Time for Yourself with a Dude - At a Dude Ranch

A Directory to the Finest Dude Ranches for Women by Patti Schmidt

The Homestead Ranch
Matfield Green, Kansas
Prairie Women Adventures and Retreat
[read our story about The Homestead Ranch]

The Homestead Ranch is a 4,000-acre working cattle ranch in the Kansas Flint Hills. Wildlife is abundant and Native American arrowheads and tools still crop up in pastures and creekbeds after spring rains. Owner Jane Koger, a fourth-generation rancher, and her mostly women ranch crews have been handling things for 20 years. William Least Heat Moon wrote about Jane and the others in Chase County in his book PrairyErth, the American Library Association's Best Work of Nonfiction for 1991. The county is the geographical center of the U.S.

Programs: Prairie Women Adventures and Retreat offers several programs: two three-day Prairie Ecology programs, which focus on the ecology and use of native prairie plants and four horseback riding programs, for those who want "just a little more time with the horses"; one branding vacation, where guests will help inoculate, brand, and band (turn bull calves into steers) them; and one pasture-burning program each spring. Program manager Ginifer Maceau stressed that this ranch does things "the preferred Humane Society way; for example, we freeze brand rather than hot-iron brand." She believes women are a lot more comfortable with that.

Amenities: Guests reside in a modern bunkhouse: up to two in the one private bedroom; the other 10 guests sleep dormitory style in the bunkhouse, which is heated, air-conditioned, and includes a hot tub on the deck. All meals are provided; the afternoon I spoke with Maceau, they were having teriyaki beef kabobs, rice pilaf, salad, fresh bread and lemonade pie with strawberries.

For more information: contact Prairie Women Adventures and Retreat / The Homestead Ranch Guest Programs at (620) 753-3416.
Website: http://www.guestranches.com/homestead
Email: [email protected]

Wilderness Trails Dude Ranch
Durango, Colo.
Women's Week

The San Juan Mountains and the Los Pinos Valley lend this 160-acre ranch beauty; it also shares a fence line with the Piedra Wilderness Study Area. The Roberts family-Gene, Jan, Randy, Lance, and Erika, who have owned it since 1970- are responsible for its designation in Gene Kilgore 's Ranch Vacations as "one of the finest ranch vacation experiences in the country." At times of the year other than Women's Week, especially in summer, families provide this ranch about 95 percent of its often repeat customers.

FULL ARTICLE

Top 10 Getaways for a Kid-Free Holiday

As the kids are transitioning back into school mode, call in the grandparents and ask them to baby-sit while you and your significant other take a kid-free vacation.  Of course you love the kids, but sometimes we all need a break from the little rascals. Below are five parent getaways worth checking out over the next few months.

• Lunenburg, Nova Scotia - In 1995, the old town of Lunenburg on Canada’s east coast was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its survival as a British colonial settlement. This quaint coastal village off Mahone Bay is the perfect place to book a bed-and-breakfast or small cottage and explore the history, do a little kayaking or simply unwind. Let Lunenburg’s small-town charm and the tranquil seaside views win you over. When looking for things to do, visit Bluenose, the world-famous wooden racing schooner, check out the Fisheries Museum and learn about the salty men who navigated the Atlantic, then head over to the Ironworks Distillery for artisan spirit tastings.

• Portofino, Italy - The words “Italian Riviera” are usually enticing enough to dust off the suitcases, and Portofino is considered to be the most beautiful harbor of them all. What was once a quaint fishing village is now a popular boating and yachting destination. The best place to stay is on a boat, and there are plenty of exquisite restaurants and high-end boutiques that line the harbor. If sleeping on dry land is more your style, travel the sea by water taxi to other towns along the Riviera, including Genoa and San Fruttuoso. And, if you haven’t seen enough breathtaking scenery, head up to Castello Brown to check out the beautiful views and stunning gardens. Read more.

Adventure Tours for Women Travelers

Get Gutsy on These Exciting Adventure Tours for Women

Attention Women Travelers! Every have a hankering to go out and do something wild? Or have you wanted to go somewhere out of the ordinary, but just couldn’t find someone to share the experience? Well, chances are you’re not the only one. Women of adventure now have a plethora of choices for the closet thrill seeker inside you.

So, if your friends want to lounge around a posh hotel and get pampered, but you want something with more thrills & chills, check out these adventure groups and get whisked away to wherever the wind blows…

Adventures in Good Company

Say good-bye to the stress and clutter of daily life. Reconnect with what is truly essential. Spend a few days—or a few weeks—in the peace and splendor of some of the world’s most beautiful natural locations. Reinvigorate your mind…rejuvenate your body…nurture your spirit. And share the adventure with other active women as you laugh, support, and inspire each other to take on new challenges, both on your journey and in your life.

[Learn More]

Women Adopt Eco-Friendly Car Technology

It's not surprising that women are eagerly adopting the new breed of environmentally friendly vehicles that boast updated technologies. The perks of purchasing a hybrid electric or natural gas car go above and beyond environmental benefits; they open the door to tax incentives, express driving lanes and even free parking. And with gas prices at record highs, considering an eco-friendly car is a practical decision that can save time and money.

For its Women's Car Guide section, Edmunds.com, the premier online automotive resource, spoke to women across the U.S. to learn the benefits and drawbacks of owning these eco-friendly cars, presented in series entitled "How Far Would You Go For the Planet?"

"Women are very sensitive to their impact on the environment," said Joanne Helperin, senior features editor for Edmunds.com. "And an increasing number of women are interested in purchasing 'green' vehicles for other, more practical reasons, including significantly better mileage, access to free parking or express driving lanes and significant tax incentives."

[Read full story]

How to Fly First Class For No More Than Coach

Fly first class for no more than coach? Not only is it possible, such fares are available all the time, says Unpublished Airfare Analyst Matthew Bennett. Bennett, also known as "Mr. Upgrade," has launched a web site that posts free and low-cost upgrade deals on dozens of domestic and international airlines — firstclassflyer.com. "Since first and business class travelers represent less than 20 percent of the total airline passenger market, not much has been done to identify these little-known offers," said Mr. Upgrade. "Our job at firstclassflyer.com is to continually research all those elusive specials. They're available — if you know where to look. If there's a deal out there that will get our subscribers an upgrade, we'll find it."

First Class Flyer's paid subscription service will have you sitting pretty, knowing you booked the best seats and value for your money.

For more air travel advice, visit RTM's Airline Rules Section.