A Girls Guide to Cars is Coming to the Cleveland Auto Show!

Cleveland Auto Show
#CLEAutoShow by @ChristyWoj

Free tickets, fun activities and the latest from Toyota. Why spend the week sitting at home?

We love auto shows and so should you. There is no better place to shop for a new car, let the kids sit in the driver’s seat, even let your significant other think he has a say in your next new ride!

We are heading to the Cleveland Auto Show in partnership with Toyota to help kick off the annual auto show. Here’s what we love about auto shows:

  • Pressure-free, stress free car shopping; you can’t actually buy a car at an auto show!
  • Ask a ton of questions. Auto shows are staffed by product specialists who are highly trained and knowledgeable about the models on display. They can answer technical and mechanical questions, tell you about the car’s features and more.
  • Take a test drive. Drive all the models on hand and get a feel for the car’s technology, active safety features and infotainment system. Even family members can hop in the car and give you an opinion (be sure to check the ride and drive rules for details about who can ride along)
  • Shop across models or brands; it would take all week to do the comparison shopping you can do in one day at the show
  • Get a primer on technology, such as Toyota Safety Sense, a suite of safety systems that can prevent a crash, keep you focused in your lane and make driving easier at night
  • Can’t decide SUV or minivan? Small crossover or full sized SUV? Sedan or hatchback? This is the place to try them all out
  • Find a luxury car that meets your budget. Not all luxury models are astronomically priced
  • Learn why trucks are so popular (keep reading for more on this!)
  • Get price information and start to plan your new car budget
  • Learn about incentives, special pricing and manufacturer rebates

And, keep reading to find out how you can win tickets to the Cleveland Auto Show. We will give away 5 pairs of tickets for the opening weekend and 5 more pairs for the final weekend, March 2-4, 2018.

Find Your Luxury Ride at the Cleveland Auto Show

2018 will be a big year for luxury cars. Many people are taking home more cash due to the new tax laws. And, luxury cars are a good investment; they hold their value longer. Upgrades such as leather seats and top technology can result in higher resale value.

And if you are the type of buyer who holds on to a car for 100,000 miles or longer, investing in top grade finishes isn’t just a luxury, it’s a necessity: these features are typically more durable, more timeless and If you’re going to spend 5 or more years in car you want to really love being in it!

Cleveland Auto Show
The 2019 Toyota Avalon. Photo: @Metrodetroitmom

Experience the Redesigned and Luxe-Filled Avalon

One of the biggest auto stories of the year is the redesigned Toyota Avalon. This is Toyota’s largest and most luxurious sedan and the redesign gives it a refined new look with a diamond cut grille, a sculpted exterior and luxury details. Toyota’s top of the line sedan features a 3.5 liter V6 engine or a 4 cylinder hybrid and multiple drive modes including Sport and Sport+.

However, Toyota went even further with over the top finishes and appointments. Avalon will be the first in the Toyota lineup to feature Apple Car Play, a technology we just love; just plug in your iPhone and it is mirrored on the touch screen, allowing you to play your music, make calls and send and receive texts.

The new Avalon will also feature Toyota’s Entune 3.0 infotainment system, a WiFi Hotspot, Qi wireless phone charge pad and Toyota’s Remote Connect system for smartwatch and Amazon Alexa connectivity. Keeping up with the luxury standard, it will feature leather seating and surfaces throughout and a premium JBL sound system featuring Clari-Fi, which enhances compressed sound files for a richer, fuller experience.

What we thought of the Toyota Avalon Hybrid

Why are Trucks so Darn Popular? Find Out In Cleveland

These are not your grandpa’s bucket o’bolts that jostle and jar you all the way to the grocery store. They are plush, comfortable and quiet, and yet, hugely capable when it comes to towing, hauling or going off road. Hop in the cab of a Toyota Tacoma or Tundra and get a feel for the view from the cab and what it might be like to own a truck that, literally, can do it all.

Thinking a truck might fit your life? Here’s what we thought of the Toyota Tacoma

@Toyota has added an Adventure version to their RAV4 lineup. The 2018 Adventure #RAV4 comes in all wheel drive or front wheel drive. It is built for drivers who love outdoor sports and activities and although it’s not a 4 wheel drive, in AWD it can be capable in many off road situations. It has extended fender flares, heated outside mirrors, heated seats, heated leather wrapped steering wheel, and the ride height is slightly higher. It comes with all weather mats throughout. A huge addition is the ability to tow. The Adventure can tow up to 2,900 pounds in FWD and up to 3,500 pounds in AWD. You do have to add a Tow Prep Package to the SUV, otherwise it will not have a tow hitch. With the addition of the towing they have also added hill descent control. Hill descent is not the only added safety feature. They also added Toyota Safety Sense with lane departure assist with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, and trailer sway control. Starting MSRP starts at $27,700 and tops out around $38,000. #toyotadfw #dfwlovesautos #letsgoplaces #suv #toyotarav4 #carporn #carlife #instacar #cargram

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Need a Bit More Adventure in Your Life?

We love our luxury and getting out in the country, away from the hustle of the city, is a luxury too. We need cars that can go as easily from the city to the lakeside as we do. Meet the Toyota RAV4 Adventure. Toyota added features to its popular mid-sized SUV to combine the comfort of a crossover with the capability of Toyota’s trucks. The result is an SUV with higher ground clearance, dynamic all wheel drive and protective coating on the rocker panels and wheel wells. Inside it has comforts like heated seats and steering wheel, all-weather floor and cargo mats and a household plug.

Our look at the Toyota RAV4

Cars, Test Drives, Fun and Free Tickets

The Cleveland Auto Show runs from February 23rd through March 4th. Tickets are $13 for adults, $11 for seniors and kids 7 -13; children under 6 are free. Heroes Day, which honors military and first responders with free admission, is March 1st, and Family Day, which offers free admission to kids under 15, is February 26th. Or, enter to win one of 10 pairs of free tickets courtesy of A Girls Guide to Cars, Toyota and the Cleveland Auto Show. Just enter below.

And after you’ve seen the show, hop in a Toyota for a spin around the block and compare it to one of the other 14 brands available for test drive. Bring your license, take a breathalyzer test and fill out a form, then hop in the driver’s seat for a quick spin.

Enter to Win Tickets!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


A total of 10 pairs of tickets will be given away: 5 pairs on Friday February 23rd and 4 additional pairs on March 1st, plus a pair of tickets and a $100 gift card, will be awarded. All  tickets are valid for entry during any public day of the Cleveland Auto Show. Contest rules: Entries must be completed by midnight February 28, 2018. No purchase necessary; contest open only to US residents and subject to the laws of  Ohio. Winners will be notified by email by March 1, 2018. Winners MUST pick up tickets in person at the Cleveland Auto Show, One I-X Drive, Cleveland, OH 44135, between March 1, 2018 and March 4, 2018. Winners may be asked to provide identification to receive their prize. Prize value $26 per prize, not exchangeable for cash or other items. Grand prize value is $126. A total of 10 pairs of tickets will be awarded and a total of 1 grand prize will be awarded.

Disclosure: This post is part of a program sponsored by Toyota.

Mary Moore
Mary Moore

Mary Moore is a frequent road tripper, vintage car collector, and quirky travel enthusiast. One might say that her appreciation of how a vehicle looks and performs is deep-seated in her "Motor City" roots. It was this appreciation, and love of writing, that drove her interests in automotive journalism after earning her Bachelor Degree in Marketing from Western Michigan University. That and maybe the opportunity to work at home in her pj's on snow days if she wanted to. When Mary's not writing about the thrill of the track or sharing inspiring stories of the women she admires in the automotive field, she's sharing her own stories about life and travel on her blog, RaisingDickandJane.com. Mary currently resides in a state that is cold more frequently than it is warm. She appreciates her career choices daily.

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