What Does the ‘Brake Hold’ Button Do in a Car?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

There are so many technical features and buttons in a new car today that it can be hard to figure out what each one does. Of course, if you buy a new car, you can always thumb through the owner’s manual and figure everything out. Or you can simply push every button and see what it does. But one button that you might not figure out is the “brake hold” button, which can be found in some of the newer cars on the market today.

What is the “brake hold” feature?

Brake hold button in the 2021 Honda Accord | Joe Santos

RELATED: The Best Safety Features You Should Be Looking For

Not every new car you step into will have a “brake hold” feature, but if you purchased a new Honda or Acura in the past five years, then it most likely will. In those cars, the “brake hold” button is located on the center console, right below the gear shifter (or buttons). This button should not be confused with the car’s parking brake, which is usually labeled with a circled “P.”

Instead, the brake hold button can be toggled on and off with a simple press when the car is in “park” or “drive,” as long as the driver’s seatbelt is buckled. When activated, a light will illuminate in the instrument panel indicating that it’s on and the brake hold feature will hold the car in place whenever it’s brought to a complete stop. It will hold the car in place for up to 10 minutes, during which time the driver can completely remove his or her foot from the brake pedal. To release the brake hold, the driver can simply step on the accelerator and drive.

What’s the point of using the car’s brake hold feature?

RELATED: Your Brakes Might Be Worse for the Environment Than Your Exhaust

While bringing your car to a complete stop and having it stay there seems like a pointless automatic magic trick, it’s not. According to MSN Autos, one of the reasons you would want to use the brake hold feature is when you’re sitting in stop-and-go traffic as being able to remove your foot from the brake pedal can be a relief.

Another good use for the brake hold feature, as we have personally found in the past, is when you’re sitting in a drive-thru at a bank or a fast-food restaurant. Have you ever found yourself patiently waiting in a drive-thru line and constantly putting the car in “park” when doing so? The brake hold feature can do away with that need completely as you’ll simply have to release your foot from the pedal instead of messing with the gear shifter.

Is “brake hold” the same thing as “hill start assist?”

Brake hold feature a Honda Accord instrument panel
Brake hold feature a Honda Accord instrument panel | Joe Santos

The car’s “brake hold” feature is different than the “hill start assist” feature, however, they have the same concept. The “hill start assist” feature holds the car’s brakes in order to prevent it from rolling back when it’s on an incline. For example, if you bring the car to a complete stop at the top of a hill, the hill start assist will hold the car – usually for a few seconds – so that the driver can easily accelerate without the dangers of rolling back.

This feature is also popular on many new cars equipped with manual transmissions as it can be helpful when having to modulate the clutch pedal. On the other hand, the “brake hold” feature is mainly used when driving normally, although it can be used on inclines as well.

The post What Does the ‘Brake Hold’ Button Do in a Car? appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Another Rare Toyota Supra- This Time It’s New

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Toyota is shaking up the ever-controversial Supra once again. This time, in the form of an exclusive limited-run release for North America only. It’s not very often North America gets the spotlight with Japanese cars. Many famous Japanese badges are illegal until 25 years or older per U.S law. Thankfully, this isn’t the case with the Supra A91 CF Edition. In case you were wondering, CF does stand for “carbon fiber” here, and not “cloned from” as in Z4.

C for Carbon…

The Supra’s carbon rear spoiler | Toyota

There’s lots of it as well, with carbon visible from all four sides of the burly new sports car. It certainly lends a premium look to Toyota’s halo car, especially in the rear. Planted over the existing rear lip, a glossy new piece of carbon accentuates the shape of the rear deck. Not a bad look, but not the basket handle wing some were hoping for.

The carbon fiber doesn’t stop there either. Lower down the rear, the plastic canards were replaced with carbon ones, still helping to pull air out from under the Toyota sports car. On either side of the Supra, rocker panels have been replaced with more carbon fiber, bolstering the already aggressive look of the car. Finally, there’s a nice big carbon splitter at the front, along with some spicy new wheels at all four corners.

And F for fiber

Carbon fiber accents on the Supra CF's nose and runners
The Supra CF | Toyota

RELATED: Is the 2021 Range Rover a Better SUV Than the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser?

Moreover, these changes aren’t just to make the Toyota look pretty. The rear spoiler serves to increase downforce at the rear by upping the surface area of the spoiler. Whether this is true or just marketing mumbo-jumbo still isn’t clear yet, and Toyota hasn’t announced any figures to support these claims. However, if the rear aero is improved, it’s safe to say the rest of the car could see some minor performance increases with the new carbon bodywork.

One would hope, as nearly all of the media surrounding the CF edition show the newly debuted car in a wind tunnel. Speaking of the debut car, the white color shown above is one of three color options on the new CF edition. Other options include Phantom Grey (below) and Nitor Yellow. If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the Nitro Yellow Supra in person yet, it’s hard to miss, and certainly a special color.

Worth it over a standard Toyota Supra?

The A91 Toyota Supra sits under the lights at an auto show
The standard 2020 Supra | Sjoerd van der Wal via Getty Images

Down to brass tacks, then. Is the “exclusive” Toyota Supra A91 CF Edition worth the extra cash over a standard model? Presently, the 2021 Supra can be found with 382 hp starting at $51,000 before options. The CF makes the same power, so it’s all about those aero changes, and whether they have any real effect on the car’s performance. Frankly, the pricing will make all the difference, and the Japanese brand has yet to announce any for the limited-run Supra. BMW or not, the new Supra is a handsome sports car with potent power and handling, and a little carbon fiber can’t hurt, cant it?

The post Another Rare Toyota Supra- This Time It’s New appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Ford Wants to Take Its Bronco Owners Off-Roading

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Manufacturers offering a sort of orientation isn’t a new thing. Ferrari will give you a track day if you buy one of their cars, complete with instruction. So will Toyota, should you buy a new GR 86. Now, Ford will show you the ropes in your new Bronco off-road. Rather, “Off-Rodeo” as Ford calls it. Registration for the first event at Horseshoe Bay in Austin, Texas is now open, with June 28, 2021, selected at the start date.

What is Ford’s Off-Rodeo?

The subtle grille of the new Bronco | Ford

New owners of the Bronco and Bronco Sport will be able to attend this Off-Rodeo and learn how to hoon around in the dirt while under the watchful eye of “industry experts” according to the American brand. As said above, the event will take place at Horseshoe Bay in Austin, a resort built around the southern branch of the massive Colorado River, with plenty of adverse terrain to offer, as well as cushy resort accommodations.

Instruction will be given on several of the new Ford Bronco’s features, like G.O.A.T modes and an EV-like one pedal terrain driving assist. Evidently, the former requires a little more explanation. G.O.A.T stands for “Goes Over All-Terrain” and refers to the Bronco’s drive selection modes with settings for a range of terrain types. However, the single pedal mode seems pretty self-explanatory. The Bronco will slow to a crawl without any brake input from the driver. A nice touch, especially in models with the 7-speed stick shift.

Let your Bronco run free

The Bronco interior with no roof or doors and a manual transmission
The manual transmission in the Bronco | Ford

RELATED: This Ford Mustang Model Is 1 of the Best Sport Options Under $40,000

While the expertly crafted routes through the Texan countryside are a freebie for buyers, the act of getting there isn’t, so be prepared to pony up a little more cash. Bronco customers are responsible for their own transportation to and from Horseshoe, as well as a stay at the resort. Presently, a room is going to run you right around $300 a night.

However, Texas isn’t your only option as a newly minted Bronco owner. Ford’s website lists Moab as another destination, as well as an unspecified location in the northeast and Mt. Posoti in Nevada. Both will take place presumably after the inaugural Texas event. It’s certainly not a bad way to spend a weekend. Thankfully, Bronco owners will get a $250 voucher to cover expenses, which makes the trip significantly cheaper should you only stay for the night.

Learn to off-road before you go

The yellow Ford Bronco plays sideways in the sand
The Bronco, sans doors | Ford

Ford is taking a two-pronged approach with the Off-Rodeo, offering a tutorial for both new owners and new offroaders alike. Frankly, it’s not a terrible idea to teach new off-roaders some trail etiquette and safety techniques. Off-roading can be a perilous sport if mishandled, so it is strongly recommended you educate yourself before attempting for the first time. That said, the Off-Rodeo promises to be a fun and unique way to draw in potential Bronco buyers, and make loyalists of the existing ones.

The post Ford Wants to Take Its Bronco Owners Off-Roading appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Is Getting the ‘Invoice Price’ on a New Car a Good Deal?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

When shopping for a new car, it can be daunting trying to figure out how much you should pay in order to get a good deal. Of course, you could always try and negotiate with a car salesperson by calling out random lowball numbers hoping that they come to a lower price that you’ll be happy with. But it actually pays to know what you’re looking at when they present you the final price of the car.

In that case, it’s important to understand the difference between a car’s MSRP and invoice price But is buying a new car for its invoice price generally a good deal?

What is a car’s ‘invoice price?’

A man examines a new car sticker. | Tim Boyle via Getty Images

RELATED: How to Get a Good Deal Amid Used Car Price Spikes

The invoice price of any new car is the price that the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car, reports Car and Driver. If a buyer pays more than the invoice price of the car, then the dealer gets to keep the profit, as does the salesperson that sold the car. However, you can, in some cases, negotiate the car’s price to lower than the invoice amount.

The invoice price is technically only an estimate

While any dealer will handily tell you that the car’s invoice price is the price that they pay the manufacturer, that’s not technically true. Car and Driver also report that a new car’s invoice price is essentially a rough estimate, as there are other factors involved.

One factor is called “hold back,” which is a portion of the car’s MSRP (suggested full price) or the invoice price. After the car is sold, the manufacturer will typically give the holdback percentage to the dealer for selling it.

This goes to show that the invoice price is not the dealer’s rock-bottom price for the car as you can technically use the additional hold back as a negotiation tool. Just keep in mind that not every dealer will be willing to subtract their hold-back percentage from the deal, but it’s always worth a shot.

Negotiating the price of the car

A saleman helps out a customer at a Ford dealership August 3, 2009 in Downers Grove, Illinois.
A salesman helps out a customer at a Ford. | (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

RELATED: Is ‘Employee Pricing’ Really a Good Discount or Just a Scam?

When starting negotiations with a car dealer, most buyers will tend to start from the MSRP and work their way down to the invoice price or below. However, Car and Driver recommends starting from the dealer’s cost and moving up, instead. In order to negotiate in this fashion, you can ask the salesperson for the invoice price of the car when you sit down to talk about pricing.

Most salespeople nowadays will handily show it to you in order to show you why you’ll need to pay a little more than the invoice price since that’s what they would want. But if you stick to your guns and hold firm on getting the invoice price or below it, then you could get a much better deal than you thought.

Is the invoice price a good deal?

Fuel Economy information is displayed on the window of a 2016 Hyundai Sonata SE. | Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In some cases, yes. For example, if the car that you’re buying is in high demand, then you could be lucky to even get to the invoice price, to begin with. In that case, buying the car at invoice would be a good idea.

But considering there are factors like holdback and other incentives that dealers get from the manufacturer, you could be leaving money on the table by accepting the invoice price. According to Car Direct, you should pay no more than 5% over the car’s invoice, if not much less, in order to get a good deal. So anything less than the invoice price would be great, if not ideal.

The post Is Getting the ‘Invoice Price’ on a New Car a Good Deal? appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by