Subcompact Culture - The small car blog

The $20,000 Suzuki Samurai

2013-05-23T12:52:00.001-07:00

The duPont Registry has long been a way for people to sell interesting vehicles of all sorts. From million-dollar exotics and rare classics, to unique kit cars, duPont Registry has a little bit of everything with a spectrum of pricing to match.

Speaking of which, dR has an ad for this little vehicle on its site now. This is a 1986 Suzuki Samurai with a 305 cubic-inch Chevrolet V-8 under the hood, which is hooked to a three-speed automatic transmission. The front, and likely the rear end, are from a Chevrolet S-10 pickup.

A Samurai V-8 swap is hardly unheard of in Suzuki circles; a number of people have done it, and there are companies that will sell the swap for these little trucklets. Some will even sell you a turnkey V-8 Sammi. The amazing part of this ad, however, is the $19,995 asking price. Oh, and the fact there isn't a single paragraph break in the 573 word description, making it painful to read.

Speaking of the ad, the text refers to the Samurai as the "4-wheel drive equivalent of a Yugo," that is until it's been "transformed" into this vehicle, of course. The Samurai was a Spartan rig, for certain but it was hardly a Yugo.

I don't doubt for a second this is a nicely built and restored vehicle with a ton of work into it, as the photos clearly show. I also don't doubt it's got plenty of grunt—definitely a sleeper. But $20K for a sleepy V-8 Samurai? That's a lot of change for what is essentially a V-8-powered Yugo, no?

Samurais already sell for way-higher-than-expected prices on Craigslist. Beat-down, off-roaded-to-hell, rot-box rigs still command $3,000, with really nice versions, even well-preserved stockers, going for $5,000+. But this Samurai takes the cake for the highest priced Samurai I've ever seen.

SOURCE:
duPont Registry

2013 Great Pacific Northwest Microcar Extravaganza

2013-05-23T07:53:00.004-07:00

The 2013 Great Pacific Northwest Microcar Extravaganza is coming up, and anyone with an iota of interest in small cars or vintage cars will love it.

The event is held over three days and includes a meet and greet, a vineyard drive, and concludes with the microcar show on June 16 at McMenamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove, Oregon. I attended and took photos at the 2011 GPNW Microcar Extravaganza, and it was a hoot! Some great people and some really cool and very rare little vehicles.

In the Driveway: 2013 Ford C-Max SEL

2013-05-21T12:21:00.003-07:00

In the driveway this week is Ford's 2013 Cmax Hybrid. Ever since I saw the C-Max, I loved its looks. It's my favorite everyday hybrid in terms of aesthetics. The interior also looks great. It's size is also great. It's not very big, but it has a spacious interior.

So far, I've got about 55 miles on it, most of which are highway miles, and I'm getting and above EPA-estimated 46 MPG. The car drives very nicely so far with well-weighted steering, a quiet ride, and the handling is remarkable for a hybrid. So far, I'm quite impressed. One thing: The turning radius seems awful large.

More later; stay tuned.

French-Made Toyota Yaris Models On Their Way to U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico

2013-05-20T10:09:00.001-07:00

The latest Yaris was introduced in 2012. New Yaris models will be made in France. Photo by Curtis Reesor

A little less than a year ago we reported that Toyota's Yaris models bound for North America would have a production shift from its factory in Japan to a factory in France. Well, that has officially happened, and French made Yaris models are on their way to dealerships in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

This marks the first time in Toyota's history that it has offered European-made vehicles to the North American market. This was done due to the current Japanese Yen exchange rates that make it difficult to turn a profit on small Japanese-manufactured vehicles.

Of course, the big question will be whether or not there will be a difference in build quality; that will remain to be seen.

~~FYI, I believe the last French-made car sold in the United States was the 1991 Peugeot 405 and 505. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.~~

EDIT: I was told the Smart ForTwo is made in France.

What the Hell? VW Rabbit Pickup ... sort of

2013-05-18T08:31:00.002-07:00

My friend Paul sent me this picture from Minnesota. This is a VW Rabbit hatchback that's been "converted" into a pickup. And yes, this used to be the five-door hatchback. This is not a real Rabbit Pickup (aka a "Caddy"). Hey, someone likes it.

I wish I had more pictures of this Frankenrabbit, and this is the biggest I can really make the picture without making it any crappier.

Review: 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDI

2013-05-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

I might as well just get it out of the way: The Beetle Convertible is not the manliest car on the road. While I don’t subscribe to the whole “chick car” thing with most vehicles, I will go as far as to say that looking at the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible, it isn’t a testosterone-injected man-mobile. In fact, I got so much shit from my co-workers about this car. Comments like, “Do you need me to stop and get some flowers for the bud vase?” (No bud vase on the Beetles anymore, by the way), or “Do you get a lot of attention from guys while driving it?” Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fine. I totally expected this kind of reaction. But what about if you threw in an engine that made 236 ft./lbs. of torque? What if I said that torque came courtesy of a turbocharged diesel engine? What if I said it can also has a six-speed manual transmission? That might make some people think twice about this cute convertible, me included.

The VW Beetle was redesigned for 2012, and this year the drop-top Bug makes its debut. And while it can be had with the 2.5-liter five-cylinder or the 2.0-liter turbo gas engine, it’s the availability of Volkswagen’s 2.5-liter TDI (turbo direct injection) engine that’s noteworthy, as it become the one and only diesel convertible on the U.S. market.

If you’ve never driven a VW TDI engine, you should. It’s one of the great modern engines available on American shores. It’s got gobs of torque, is quiet, and still performs admirably. And no, it doesn’t smoke and it starts easily. Most of the usable power is below 3,000 RPM. There’s a learning curve to driving one, though. You can cruse at 40 MPH in sixth gear. Yes, it’s got that much torque. There is a little icon on the dash that tells you which gear to be in. I’d normally find such things annoying, but with this engine, it was useful. Somewhat embarrassingly, I stalled the car countless times at stoplights and stop signs. It takes a bit of finesse to learn to drive, but once you get it, it’s fantastic. In town, the car drives effortlessly and has more than enough power. With all that torque, it’s easy to spin the front tires. And while it isn’t what most people would call “fast,” it briskly gets up to speed.

On the highway, there’s ample passing power, although a downshift to fourth or fifth gear is a requisite. Revving the TDI doesn’t get you much. By the way, according to the boost gauge, this thing easily pumps out 35 PSI of boost. The shifter feel was very good, too. Don’t want it with a manual transmission (what’s wrong with you?)? It is available with VW’s dual-clutch DSG transmission, too.

On the highway, the ride is very good. It’s on the softer side, but is supple, devoid of sharp kickbacks, and unsettled feelings (I wish I could say the same thing for me). There is very good steering feel, although the car can feel heavy at times, especially during enthusiastic cornering. But at no time does it feel sloppy; everything remains in check the whole time. Remember: This isn’t a GTI or Beetle Turbo with a stiff, sporty suspension. This is the diesel.

The car is pretty quiet when traveling at highway speeds. Certainly you don’t hear the engine much. Wind noise isn’t bad for a convertible, and road noise is kept to a minimum. With the top up, I did experience squeaks from the driver’s side window when it was up. It didn’t seem to seat well in the convertible top’s rubber weather stripping, and it produced a creaking, especially over bumps.

Top-down fun is really where it’s at with the Beetle. Speaking of, the soft top is effortless to operate. There are no latches or locks to undo. Simply hold the button down, and the top opens up, even at speeds of up to 30 MPH. Once that top is down, you’ve got some choices. You can have the door windows up or down as well as small windows for the back seat areas. You have the option to fit a cover over the convertible top giving it that retro Beetle Convertible look. Finally, our Beetle had the optional $500 windscreen that is stored in the trunk. This multi-folding mesh and plastic unit comes out of a tray in the back, then unfolds and snaps into place over the rear seats. Flip up a panel and it acts as a wind buffer. It works well, at least up to about 60 MPH, at which point our screen would slam down making a loud SNAP. The first time this happened, we thought the whole thing had flown out of the car. Whether this is a failsafe so it doesn’t break or if it’s simply a defective part I don’t know. I do know when it works, it keeps the wind down nicely in the cabin.

Speaking of the cabin, I love the interior on this car. It has some interior bits that are color coordinated to the exterior finish, such as door and dash trim. No, there isn’t a bud vase anymore. There is a boost gauge, oil temperature and, well, a stopwatch, although we never really figured out why it was there. All three of the gauges are located in a small pod in the center of the dashboard. Traditional tachometer and speedometer gauges are located in front of the driver, as well as a multi-function trip computer.

My wife and I both found the convertible’s interior comfortable, even on our long trip to the coast. She did complain a bit about lack of lumbar support, and I would say the leather seats could be a bit more bolstered, but overall they were comfortable. If things do get chilly, the front seats have excellent heaters with three levels of warmth. Yes, there is a back seat to this drop top, but it’s best occupied by children or cargo as there isn’t a ton of room there. Also, if you do plan on taking a road trip, you’ll need to be careful with the amount of luggage you bring, as the trunk is pretty tiny, what with the windscreen holder in there.

Other notable interior bits include a rich sounding stereo system with satellite, navigation, and Bluetooth connectivity; easy-to-use buttons on the steering wheel (trip computer functions, stereo control, and phone control); and finally, a noticeable blind spot with the top up. Look twice before merging!

Of course, one of the main reason people buy a TDI-equipped VW is the fuel economy. This car is rated at 28 city, 32 combined, and 41 highway. We got a very good 41.3 MPG combined. The best part about it was we didn't even have to try that hard. It's been my experience than many vehicles, especially hybrids, tend to require a lot of babying in order to get close to those EPA-estimated numbers. That was not the case with this vehicle. The 41.3 MPG number was easily achievable. Also, the range is fantastic at over 400 miles per tank.

The 2013 Beetle Convertible with a TDI engine and six-speed manual transmission starts at a twinge over $29,000, with our model rounding out at $29,695. If you want a diesel convertible, this is it. No really, this is your only choice. And while I would personally prefer a Golf TDI, the Beetle TDI has its own charm to it, but if you’re a dude, don’t expect to earn much cred with your buddies. Then again, if you let them drive it, they too might be able to see past the “chick car” thing.

Behold: The Rotary Bug

2013-05-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Here's something you don't see every day. Behold: A rear-engined rotary-powered Volkswagen Beetle. Now this could be a hell of a ride. No, it isn't the first rotary Beetle, but it's the first one I've seen a quick search of YouTube after seeing this yielded a few others including the 8.57-second rotary-powered Beetle race car below. Woah. Hey Scotty—how about one of these for a project vehicle?

SOURCE:
YouTube

In The Driveway: 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid

2013-05-14T12:30:00.003-07:00

2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid

In all honesty, I didn't even know Volkswagen made a Jetta Hybrid until I saw it at the Portland International Auto Show in January. Well here it is in all of its beige glory. Admittedly, it isn't much to look at; not the epitome of excitement. The inside is very plain and simple, which I don't mind. No crazy futuristic gauges or retro-inspired chintz.

However, for what this gas-electric hybrid lacks in funky styling, it makes up for in performance. This is definitely the driver's hybrid. It's got a turbo engine and an electric motor that really makes this thing scoot under full throttle. Plus, it's hooked up to VW's DSG dual-clutch transmission. It's surprisingly fun to drive. After about 35 miles of driving, I'm getting 36 MPG.

More later; stay tuned.

Subcompact Showcase: This Swapped '78 Civic—Ruby—Is a Gem

2013-05-10T12:40:00.003-07:00

"Ruby," the 1978 Honda Civic with a 1983 Honda Accord engine swap.

Ah, serendipity. Those wonderful accidental surprises that just seem to happen. It was a serendipitous event when my wife and Subcompact Culture contributor, Mercedes, ran across this gem of a first-generation Honda Civic.

Owner Corey Daggett says he brought the car, he affectionately nicknamed, "Ruby,"from his boss. His boss was the second owner since some guy named "Frank" had restored it.

"When I got the car, there were some 1stgencivic.com stickers on the side," says Corey. He then went to the site to learn more about it.

Corey learned that Frank was apparently retired and was looking for a project to pass the time. His daughter had the old hatchback sitting around and one day he just thought, I'll restore that. Frank used a 1979 wagon for donor parts and begin to rebuild Ruby.

A 1.8-liter engine from a1983 Honda Accord has been swapped into the Civc.

Ruby was originally a 1978 Civic CVCC with a 1.2-liter engine and four-speed transmission. Now, the engine is a 1.8-liter from an 1983 Accord that has a lot of internal work, as it's been bored, stroked, balanced, etc. The CVCC (compound vortex controlled combustion) system has been removed, and a Weber carburetor, two-inch exhaust system, and K&N filter have been added. Power is now put down through a five-speed manual transmission, also out of an '83 Accord. In addition, the brakes have been upgraded, suspension worked and lowered, bumpers moved in about three inches, and the taillights and turn signals have been modified. Additionally, the car has new carpet, seats from the '83 Accord, and a lot of custom touches inside and out.

We'd say Ruby is truly a gem. From the totally appropriate gold-mesh alloys, to the bright red paint and just-right stance, this old Civic not only looks good, but really gets up and goes thanks to that engine swap. We love vintage subcompacts, and Ruby is a fine example.

Ruby truly is a gem! Definitely a great small car project.

The Smart ForTwo Electric Drive: The Smallest Entry Into the EV Market

2013-05-09T09:24:00.002-07:00

2013 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive in Portland, Oregon

When I ask what someone thinks about Portland and its culture, they typically mention its all-around funkiness, an anything goes type of an attitude, and it’s propensity to embrace all things “green.” Well, I live in Portland and believe the above statement is pretty much true. I also believe the 2013 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive EV I had the pleasure to drive last Thursday would fit wonderfully in this quirky, edgy, and all-around tree-hugging town. Along with its petite five-foot wide, five-foot high, and under-nine-foot long size, this microcar has a lot going for it. It’s a fun, completely customizable, and peppy little electric runner.

The Smart Fun Test Drive Tour came into town last week after debuting its concept pop-up experience in Los Angeles. On its way to complete an 11-city US tour, the Smart and Mercedes-Benz crew stopped in for the weekend to give both the media, as well as the public, an up-close-and-personal look at both the refreshed coupe and cabriolet ForTwo models, with an emphasis on the ForTwo Electric Drive version. Also on display was a life-size model of their Tidion safety cell, interactive displays on how to customize your Smart, and demonstrations and interviews with local Portland artists Derrick Villalpando and Thomas Hooker, both of whom did custom art wraps on a few of the Smarts.

Custom wrapped Smart ForTwo Electric drive done by artist, Thomas Hooker.

I hopped into the electric coupe model with a Smart/Mercedes-Benz rep, and off we went. Even though its size looks tiny on the outside, it is surprisingly roomy on the inside, something that hasn’t changed since the ForTwo was introduced onto the US market. The clear polycarbonate panoramic roof made a big difference in lightening up the interior, making me feel more connected with the outdoors. There are some special gauges and interior bits that differentiate the Electric Drive ForTwo from gas-powered versions.

I turned the key in the middle of the center console, the gauges came alive, and we quietly took off. After a 10 minute drive around town, I felt that the car was nimble in downtown traffic, had snappy acceleration, and definitely turned heads in eco-conscious Portland. Powered by an electric motor located between the two wheels (the motor is made by a joint venture between Bosch and Daimler), the Smart Electric Drive had enough torque and continuous power to tackle a steep 7% road grade and keep up with traffic while doing so. In its “kickdown mode” this car can generate two minutes of 55 kilowatt power, going from 0-60 mph in less than 12 seconds. It has a top speed of over 78 mph, too. It’s actually quite fun to drive, and gone is one of the gas-powered Smart’s biggest sticking points: the herky-jerky transmission. Being the car is all electric, power delivery is smooth and linear since there’s only one gear.

With a range of 79 city, 59 highway, 68 combined and an eMPG rating of 122 city, 93 highway, and 68 combined, this city slicker will get you around to most of theSm places you’d want to go, and do it pretty efficiently. And if you are on a longer drive, you can recharge with one of the many charging stations along I-5 or in the city and its surroundings, so you can further continue your road adventure. Unlike the Nissan Leaf, however, the car’s charging port is at the vehicle’s rear, which might be an issue at some charging stations since some charging station cords aren’t too long. This was an issue with the Mitsubishi i-Miev, for example. But with the Smart car’s demure size—the smallest footprint of any car on the US market— it may not be a problem.

Some other interesting facts include the fact that the Coupe and Cabriolet are designed to be 85% recyclable and over 95% “reclaimable.” They feature regenerative braking, have numerous safety features (including that aforementioned Tridion safety cell), and have intelligent charging management systems. These management systems include plugging the car into a 110 or 220 volt outlet and managing charge times and other options with communication via the Smart homepage or using a Smart phone app. Yup, there is an app for managing your Smart car’s charging habits. The app gives you charging information, charge time remaining, and expected completion time. When driving, the app’s map feature will highlight nearby charging connections and set favorite charging locations as well as estimating driving distance and tracking available battery range. Pretty nifty I have to say.

Prices for these tiny techy, eco-minded electric microcars are as follows: $25,000 for the coupe, and $28,000 for the cabriolet. Not too shabby when you consider that customers may also be eligible for federal tax credits which run up to $7,500 or state/local tax credits, further reducing the cost.

So when do they come out? Dealerships in 10 states will get these cars any day now. The rest of the country will see the roll-out afterward. There are no volume restrictions on production of these itsy-bitsy runabouts, so if you are interested in a Smart Electric Drive, there should be plenty to go around.

In the Driveway: 2013 Ford Escape SE

2013-05-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

In the driveway this week is the 2013 Ford Escape SE. This compact crossover is powered by the 178 horsepower 1.6-liter turbochraged EcoBoost engine instead of the 240 horsepower 2.0-liter EcoBoost, and it's a front-drive model, not the all-wheel drive variant. I think it looks very attractive, certainly less boring than some crossovers out there.

Initial impressions are that it has a good amount of low-end power, a modern if not somewhat futuristic-looking interior, and a lot of tech goodies. It seems to ride well and is quite comfy. Yes, it's got Microsoft Sync, and no it doesn't have the fancy swing-your-foot-under-the-rear-bumper-and-the-liftgate-opens tailgate. I tried doing that and just looked like a moron.

More later; stay tuned.

Behold: Possibly the Most Badass Suzuki SX4 Ever

2013-05-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

There aren't a whole lot of vehicles that'd make me stop what I'm doing, park the car, and jump out and take photos, but this badass Suzuk SX4 was one of them. I was literally in my car leaving the Costco parking lot in Clackamas when I saw this car. I have seen an image of it before, but did not know it was local to the Portland area.

This is likely a 2013 model since it has the revised front grille and bumper. It is a six-speed manual and has all-wheel drive. The owner has lifted it, fabbed up a tube bumper, installed some wide 15" steel wheels, and shod them with 29x10.50-15LT Interco Super Swamper tires. The whole thing is covered in a flat black finish, which only adds to the menacing look.

Other noticeable features include the modification of the fender flares, now complete with visible bolt heads (again, it only makes the car look meaner), the removal of the rear plastic "skid plate," and what appears to be a muffler delete.

Needless to say, I think this little rig is awesome. I love the direction the owner/builder took with the vehicle, as it's not something you'd see everyday ... let along every year.

I hung around the parking lot for a few minutes snapping photos hoping the owner would appear, but unfortunately, they didn't. I did leave my business card. If you're the owner of this awesome SX4, I'd love to hear all about it, so feel free to e-mail me. Or, if you are reading this, Mr. or Ms. Owner of the Most Badass Suzuki SX4, share more info about it in the comments section.

2013 Oregon Trail Rally Pics

2013-05-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

Every year I've lived in Oregon I've missed the Oregon Trail Rally (that's coming up on seven years). So this year I made sure to mark it on the calendar on May 3. Ducati Scotty and I attended the first stages of the OTR at Portland International Raceway on The rally started just after 7:00pm just as the sun was setting. It was a cool environment to watch the race, and there were a lot of rally spectators at the event. Here is a smattering of photos I took from the event.

Review: 2013 Honda Civic Hybrid

2013-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Photo by Curtis Reesor

If you frequent the blog, you’ll have seen our reviews on the 2012 Civic Si Coupe and EX Sedan, as well as the 2013 EX Sedan. The general consensus is that we liked the ’13s more than the ’12s, that the looks aren’t terribly exciting, but the cars are well built, comfortable, but generally unexciting (sans the sporty Si). This go around, we got to spend time with the ’13 Civic Hybrid. And I must say, of all the new Civic sedans I’ve driven, this one might be my favorite.

Let’s face it: I don’t expect amazing performance from a hybrid vehicle. I do, however, expect it to get good fuel economy, be comfortable, and have plenty of tech. These expectations are easily met with the Civic Hybrid. As it should, it gets better fuel economy than the gas-powered Civics, is available with leather interior, has all kinds of tech goodies such as a great digital information center, navigation, satellite radio, an above-average sound system, rearview camera, plus all the hybrid goodies like regenerative braking, electric motor assist, and all sorts of readouts about what the drivetrain is doing. However, unlike the Civic EX, you can easily achieve 40 MPG. If you opt for a Civic Hybrid with leather, it’ll cost you around $3,300 more than a similarly equipped—and fully loaded—Civic EX-L with navigation. You also cannot get the Hybrid with a moonroof or fog lamps. One other caveat: The Civic Hybrids come in six “colors,” all of which are either white, silver, or black.

From an exterior perspective, both cars have similar looks. But the Hybrid gets some unique features, such as LED running lights, blue-tinted chrome bits, unique—although not terribly attractive—alloy wheels, a small rear spoiler, clear taillights, and a different grille.

Our test car’s interior featured leather upholstery with heated front seats, Bluetooth, navigation, and just about everything you’d find in a similarly equipped non-hybrid Civic. You do get a couple of different menus on the car’s information center, such as how the hybrid system is working, and such. The Honda navigation unit still isn’t the most intuitive, but over the years, the system has gotten better.

Once on the road, the interior remains quiet and fairly devoid of wind noise. Road noise is noticeable, but not obtrusive. There’s plenty of room in both the front and back seats for four adults (five if necessary), and trunk space is generous. Overall, the car’s interior, especially when trimmed in leather, is comfortable, well thought out, and intuitive. By the way, the car is now has Top Safety Pick+ crash rating from the IIHS, so it’s got plenty of safety goods built in.

Powering the Civic Hybrid is a 1.5-liter eight-valve engine with an electric motor assisting with get-up-and-go. In fact, their system is called IMA, or Integrated Motor Assist. Making 110 horsepower and 127 ft./lbs. of torque, the car is not fast, especially when in the fuel-saving ECON mode. But even when not in ECON, the car is sluggish. I drove mostly in the ECON mode, but would shift the car from D (drive) to S (sport ) when I needed a tad bit more oomph, and I use the word oomph lightly. At 2,987 lbs., that 110 horsepower really has its work cut out for it.

One of my biggest surprises was the car’s handling. Again, while not at Civic Si levels, it was very competent both in the curves and on the highway. The steering is well balanced and feels just right. Turn-in was surprisingly good, and despite the narrow 195/65/15 low rolling resistance tires, cornering was respectable and felt very precise. Honda typically does a good job with its suspension tuning, and even for a hybrid vehicle, I’d say Honda did its homework with regards to keeping things in check. And no, it’s not ready for the autocross track, but it is better than I expected. Our Civic also features Honda’s LDW, or Land Departure Warning system. If you start to wander across a solid line on the road (either side), you’ll receive a warning indication on the dash and a chime to let you know to bring it back.

The Civic Hybrid’s fuel economy is rated a 44 city and highway, and I was able to get 40 MPG. While certainly nothing to complain about, I never was able to get close to 44, and to get 40 I really had to baby it. It should be mentioned that when in ECON mode, the car features stop/start technology. Come to a stop, and the car shuts off. Take your foot off the brake, and it comes back to life. This means less idling, which means less pollutants and increased fuel economy. It takes some getting used though.

Our tester with leather and navigation had an MSRP of $27,850 including $790 in destination. So is it worth the extra dough for more MPGs and burning less fossil fuel? I guess it depends. The 2013 Civic EX model I reviewed in March got a disappointing 25.3 MPG (it’s EPA rated at 28 city and 39 highway). Our resident motorcycle writer, Ducatti Scotty, owns a ’12 Civic sedan with the automatic transmission and gets about 30 MPG with his. I got 40 with the Civic Hybrid. If you look at combined ratings, the Civic Hybrid gets 12 more MPG, and according to the EPA, the fuel savings costs are about $450 a year. The delta? You’d have to own the Hybrid for about seven years to make of the extra purchase cost with fuel savings. Again, that’s comparing a loaded EX-L with navigation to a loaded Hybrid.

Our tester with leather and navigation had an MSRP of $27,850 including $790 in destination. So is it worth the extra dough for more MPGs and burning less fossil fuel? I guess it depends. The 2013 Civic EX model I reviewed in March got a disappointing 25.3 MPG (it’s EPA rated at 28 city and 39 highway). Our resident motorcycle writer, Ducatti Scotty, owns a ’12 Civic sedan with the automatic transmission and gets about 30 MPG with his. I got 40 with the Civic Hybrid. If you look at combined ratings, the Civic Hybrid gets 12 more MPG, and according to the EPA, the fuel savings costs are about $450 a year. The delta? You’d have to own the Hybrid for about seven years to make of the extra purchase cost with fuel savings. Again, that’s comparing a loaded EX-L with navigation to a loaded Hybrid.

Photo by Curtis Reesor.

So while I like it better than the gas-powered non-Si Civic sedans, its biggest competitor, the Toyota Prius, is still a tough competitor in the compact hybrid arena. But if you’re going set on getting a Civic EX sedan, you should pop behind the wheel of a Hybrid, and see if it’s worth the extra price to you.

The 'Teal Terror' Gets a Roof Rack

2013-05-06T12:48:00.001-07:00

This roof rack consists of the Calmini Heavy Duty Cargo Roof Rack rails, a Thule 450 Crossroads foot pack, Inno
58" load bars, and a BajaRack Mule roof basket.

One of the shortcomings of having a small vehicle can be space. And one of the most obvious times this becomes apparent is when camping. With good ground clearance, four-wheel drive, and mud tires, our Sidekick is a great vehicle for camping except for its lack of cargo capacity. However, I added a roof rack to the "Teal Terror" to give it some added cargo-hauling ability.

I already owned a BajaRack Mule roof basket, which is a very fine piece. I always wanted to utilize it on top of the Sidekick, but short of a custom fabricated rack, I wasn't sure how to attach it, since the Sidekick has a soft top. Then I was reminded that Calmini, one of the industry's most well known manufacturers of aftermarket Suzuki products, made a roof rack system that would work with my softop Sidekick.

The plan went like this: Talk to Calmini, see if they'd sell me just the roof rack's railings, sans the basket that is usually included. Attache the Thule 450 Crossroads foot pack I already had to to the Calmini rails. Use the Thule 50" crossbars I already had and bolt the BajaRack Mule roof basket to the top.

The Calmini rack uses factory holes located above
the Sidekick's taillights for the rail supports.

As you may have guessed from the picture above, Calmini sold me the roof rails sans basket. The Calmini Heavy Duty Cargo Roof Rack is composed of black powdercoated tubes, a few brackets, and all the hardware you'll need to install the system. I'm sure their basket is nice, too, but I simply didn't need it.

Calmini's rack is a pretty straightforward installation. Pop off a couple of small panels above the taillights to expose two holes. The rear supports bolt in here. Drilling is required to mount the top brackets to the roof. After measuring and carefully drilling into the body, the roof rails were installed. Everything lined up as it should. On to phase two.

The Thule 450 Crossroads feet attached flawlessly to Calmini's circular tubes. Unfortunately, the Thule 50" bars, which fit ideally on our Subaru WRX, were too short for this application. We priced out some Thule crossbars, but ended up going with 58" load bars from Inno as they were about $20 less expensive than the Thule bars. Once the load bars were fit up, we attached the BajaRack Mule roof basket.

I know what you're thinking: What about the soft top's functionality? I likely have lost use of the "sunroof" feature, where the front part of the soft top flips open. However, I should still be able to fully remove the top if I choose to. I don't frequently go fully topless because ~~it scares children~~ it's a pain in the ass to remove the top, and when Mercedes is with me, she burns easily, so the top stays on anyway. Removing the side and rear windows still gives you plenty of wind in your hair, or if you're like me, what's left of it.

Thule's 450 Crossroads feet work well on the Calmini's round roof rails.

I'm pleased to say the system feels very sturdy, and as a bonus, with the roof basket on, it's remarkably quiet at highway speeds. And in addition to being able to carry cargo in the basket, it also gives me a place to mount an awning for camping, and a shovel or Hi-Lift. I can't wait to put it to good use. Who's up for a camping trip?

The complete setup feels solid and will be very functional.

Nissan Announces Juke NISMO Pricing

2013-05-03T12:25:00.001-07:00

Nissan is expanding its NISMO (Nissan Motorsports) offerings, and the first of those NISMO vehicles will be the Juke NISMO. This Jukue features 100 parts not found on a standard Juke. Unfortunately, a manual transmission on the AWD version isn't one of them. A manual trans is available on front-drive models, just like other Jukes.

The Juke NISMO will be available in white, silver, or black, and features some unique exterior bits such as red accents, 18" wheels, a NISMO body kit, a NISMO-tuned engine making 197 horsepower (vs. 188 hp on S and SV models), as well as a NISMO-tuned sport suspension.

Pricing for the Juke NISMO starts at $22,990 plus destination. Juke NISMO goes on sale this summer.

LINK
Nissan Juke NISMO (NissanUSA.com)

Question: What Subcompact Car Would You Build Into a Rally Car?

2013-05-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight we're headed to Portland International Raceway for the first day of the 2013 Oregon Trail Rally. While I'm really looking forward to the high-horsepower AWD rally beasts, I'm equally looking forward to the small cars, such as the Tag Rally Sport Yaris, the Scion xD rally car, and others.

While I'd love to rally our WRX or turn our Yaris into a rally racer, I've always wanted to build a Subaru Justy rally car. No, it wouldn't be very fast at all. However, it might be a good foray into the world of rally. It certainly would be low-buck, or at least the initial purchase would be.

People have built Justy rally cars all over the world, so it certainly wouldn't be the first. Take the car above, which came from NASIOC.com (North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club). And while I really can't think of one advantage it'd have over other cars, other than it's a tiny, inexpensive 4WD vehicle, I've always thought about getting one and using it as a rally car. Maybe start out with some rallycross, then some stage rallies.

So what subcompact car would you like to build into a rally car?

April 2013 Subcompact Sales

2013-05-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

The last couple of months have not been good for subcompact car sales. However, buyers in April turned things around for many makes. The venerable Honda Fit, although an aging design, was up a healthy 28.5% from last year, and is even looking to sell better than last year overall. Chevrolet's Sonic is also up quite a bit, and is on par with sales from 2012. The MINI Countryman was also up more than 20%, and several others were also showing positive results.

The big loser for a second consecutive month was Scion's tiny A-segment iQ, which is down more than 60% for April and 60% from this time last year. The iQ's target competitor, the Smart ForTwo, sold nearly twice as well. The iQ's subcompact family member, the Toyota Yaris, was also down a lot—more than 50%. The fun but slow-selling Mazda2 was also down significantly.

Make/Model	Apr. '13 vs. Apr. '12	Units, Apr. '13	YTD 2013 vs. 2012	YTD
Honda Fit	+28.5%	4286	-0.1%	15819
Chevrolet Sonic	+27.6%	8151	0%	28260
MINI Countryman	+21.6%	1864	+18.3%	6703
Honda CR-Z	+16.4%	405	-6.1%	1595
Ford Fiesta	+18.4%	6080	+7.0%	22108
Kia Rio	+13.1%	4531	-2.4%	14349
MINI Roadster	+9.7%	283	+82.2%	938
Kia Soul	+5.6%	11311	-6.9%	40324
Fiat 500	+1.0%	3899	+6.0%	13511
Hyundai Veloster	-2.2%	3120	-20.8%	9477
MINI Cooper /S Hardtop	-2.7%	507	-18.4%	1226
MINI Cooper /S Clubman	-5.8%	2469	-6.2%	8859
Mazda MX-5 Miata	-11.6%	612	-13.9%	1847
Smart ForTwo	-12.7%	667	-5.5%	2860
Nissan Versa	-14.2%	7155	+6.7%	46442
Nissan Juke	-15.3%	2445	-6.3%	11511
Nissan Cube	-18.3%	468	-8.7%	2419
MINI Cooper /S Convertible	-21.3%	400	-29.5%	1238
Hyundai Accent	-23.2%	4730	-24.3%	18644
Scion xD	-26.1%	705	-21.0%	2737
MINI Coupe	-42.1%	168	-40.3%	613
Mazda2	-46.2%	564	-51.2%	4060
Toyota Yaris	-53.6%	2066	-34.9%	9401
Scion iQ	-61.7%	384	-60.0%	1393
Chevrolet Spark	--	3121	--	11903
Buick Encore	--	2916	--	7869
MINI Paceman	--	95	--	264

Numbers reflect sales in the United States.

New Royal Enfield Plant Opens

2013-04-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

Royal Enfield rolled the first bike off the assembly line at its new plant today. The new plant was built to increase their production capabilities and was finished in only eleven months.

Royal Enfield rolls out first motorcycle from Oragadam plant

In the Driveway: 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDI

2013-04-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates to the blog, however, we were soaking up the sun in California last week. Yes, a bona-fide vacation with our WRX in the Cali countryside. Full trip report coming soon.

Speaking soaking up the sun, in the driveway this week is the 2013 VW Beetle Convertible with the TDI engine and a real six-speed manual transmission. Yes, a six-speed diesel convertible!

As we mentioned in our previous VW Beetle Turbo review, we think Volkswagen did a nice job with the Beetle's recent refresh, and that goes for this convertible, too. I've briefly driven this vehicle before and love the torque, the smooth-shifting transmission, and easy-to-use top. We'll see how it is over a week's time and if we like it as much as we initially did. Stay tuned.

The Tag Rally Sport Yaris Exhaust

2013-04-29T20:47:00.003-07:00

The Tag Rally Sport Toyota Yaris rally car is going to make its debut this weekend at the Oregon Trail Rally. You're read about it, now hear it. This is the custom Nameless Performance exhaust system, and I must say, it sounds wicked.

Check out the Team Tag Rally Sport Facebook page here, and look for the Subcompact Culture Decal on the driver's side rear bumper this weekend!

Review: 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT

2013-04-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Photo by Curtis Reesor

The abbreviation GT immediately means something to car people. Standing for Gran Turismo or Grand Tourer, the letters often conjure up images of high-performance machines: Ford Mustang GT, Pontiac GTO, Volkswagen GTI, for example. But how about a Hyundai Elantra? Probably not the first car you might think of. The 2013 Elantra GT is a five-door hatchback, just like the original Elantra GT, which was offered beginning in 2001. And much like that early model Hyundai, there’s little in the way of GT-style performance from this Elantra despite the name.

Powering the Elantra GT is the same DOHC 1.8-liter four-cylinder found in the other Elantra bodystyles. It makes 148 horsepower and 131 ft./lbs. of torque. Power is adequate, but that’s about it, and the engine is somewhat loud. Our test model came equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTROINC and Active ECO systems. The transmission shifts smoothly, and you can manually shift it if you’d like. The one thing I did not like, however, was the power delivery. The gas pedal feels stuff, making it herky-jerky to drive in traffic, sort of that on-or-off feeling, which makes it difficult to drive smoothly.

Photo by Curtis Reesor

In the handling department, the GT again does not live up to its namesake. Simply put, the sport suspension feels too soft and the tuning just feels off. When pushed into a sweeping corner, the chassis seems to get twisted up, unsettled, and a bit floaty. There are three steering, which are selectable via the button on the steering wheel itself. You can choose from normal, comfort, and sport modes. I found the sport mode to be too heavy and sensitive. Normal seemed felt a bit twitchy still, too. The comfort mode was definitely the most natural feeling. Regardless, none of the settings helped the lack of on-center feel. I always felt like I was correcting the car, even while diving in a straight line. All of this leads to a GT namesake that doesn’t feel very sporting in the curves. The car is happiest on the open highway, where its soft suspension rides favorably. Additionally, the cabin remains quiet at speed, with little wind noise and moderate road noise.

Photo by Curtis Reesor

The good news is that the Elantra GT’s interior is its high note. The materials are of high quality, and the design is modern if not somewhat futuristic. Like I mentioned in my Elantra Coupe review, the interior is comfortable, and the ergonomics are good. The standout feature is the panoramic roof. Press the button to open it, and the fabric interior sunshade parts in the center, and retracts to both ends of the vehicle. It’s really cool, as evidenced in this video.

You can choose to just open the fabric up for light, or have the front section of the roof slide back to review a good sized opening to let the sun in. Definitely one of the sweeter sunroofs I’ve seen. Also of particular note is the bass-rich sound system that really kicks. A comfortable interior, great sound system, and awesome sliding glass roof equate to a fun combination. I just wish the car had about 50 more horsepower and a more sporting suspension. One could look to the aftermarket for a different suspension system. And why isn’t this car available with the 200 horsepower engine from the Veloster? Now that would make this a true GT vehicle.

Unfortunately, like its Coupe cousin, the Elantra GT did not deliver in the fuel economy department. Rated at 27 city, 37 highway, we could only eek out a disappointing 24.9 MPG in mostly city driving. This was better than the 22 MPG out of the Coupe, however.

Photo by Curtis Reesor

Our Elantra GT tester came in at $23,015, which includes the $775 destination fee. Overall, a pretty sound deal. I feel this is the kind of car that looks good, is comfortable, but just doesn’t have the driving experience to back it up. Frankly, for most people, it’d probably make a fine daily driver or commuter. It’s certainly practical enough, and it’s likely you could hit the city MPG pretty easily (my commute is very hilly). Despite its GT moniker, it isn’t much of a driver’s car compared to similar vehicles like the Volkswagen Golf, Mazda3, or Ford Focus. Plus, I like it much more than the impractical Coupe. It’s definitely worth a drive, but just don’t expect too much GT from this GT. Now about that Veloster turbo engine …

In the Driveway: 2013 Honda Civic Hybrid

2013-04-19T12:21:00.002-07:00

In the driveway this week is the 2013 Honda Civic Hybrid. Much like the '13 Civic EX Sedan we reviewed, this version features the redesigned front and rear ends, as well as interior and suspension changes.

I didn't think I'd like this one as much as I do, frankly. I haven't been a huge fan of the non-Si trim level Civics recently, but this one seems to work for me. Currently getting about 37 MPG after about 70 miles. It's rated at 44 MPG, but due to my city-style commute in Portland's hilly geography, I rarely achieve the city rating.

More later. Stay tuned.

The Tag Rally Sport Yaris Race Car

2013-04-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

WRX. EVO. Yaris? The First two names are synonymous with rally racing, but the Yaris—maybe not so much. However, there are people around the world who campaign the tiny front-wheel-drive Toyota as a rally racer. And now there's another team to add to the list: Tag Rally Sport.

Based out of Colorado and Rhode Island, Tag Rally Sport, a woman-owned new-age motorsports marketing agency, will campaigning their 2007 Yaris liftback in Rally America's B Spec class. Piloting the Yaris will be Tracey Gardiner, owner and president of Tag Rally Sport.

So how does one decide they want to build a Yaris rally car? For Tracey, it all started in Ireland ...
Tracey and her husband lived in Ireland for a few years and spectated at rally races regularly. When they moved back to the U.S., Tracey's husband bought her a four-day Rally Experience class at Team O'neil's rally school in New Hampshire.

"His thinking was that after the first day I would be thinking, yeah, it's not for me," said Tracey. "He called me that first night and asked, 'So how was it?' My reply was, 'AWESOME!'"

In fact, she found rally racing so awesome that she ended up racing a 2001 Subaru in a stage rally in 2010, and did four of the six Rally America events in 2011. In 2012, she ran the entire Rally America series in the Open Light class.

So how does the Yaris factor in?

Gutting the Toyota Yaris en route to becoming a full-fledged rally car.

Back in 2007 she and her husband bought a 2007 Yaris liftback to save some cash on gas, and she said it turned out to be a fun little car. When she started rallying in 2010, they joked about someday turning the Yaris into the rally car. Well low and behold, that's exactly what happened, and the announcement of the B Spec class in 2012 was the deciding factor.

At the 2012 Olympus Rally they met Nameless Performance. Nameless serviced the Subaru, and eventually, building the Yaris into a rally car came up. Some time later, the Yaris got driven from Colorado to La Center, Washington and the build got started.

Full roll cage with six-point racing harnesses and Sparco racing seats.

The first thing to get added was a custom roll cage—a wise and necessary first move for a legitimate race car. Next up, new Sparco seats, six-point harness, a quick-release steering wheel, and a Terratrip rally computer. Custom skid plates, a Nameless Performance exhaust system, and some EBC brakes were also added. The crew installed an MCA suspension system from Australia and custom wheels and gravel tires. A custom light pod was also added to illuminate the night.

"It looks pretty mean," said Tracey. We agree.

Light pod, fresh air scoop, and other details as the Tag Rally Sport Yaris comes together.

"I jokingly asked if they would be able to keep the cupholders; not for racing, but for when we are transiting to hold our water bottles. They said yes!" Tracey remarks how they can still get a water bottle in the door panel between the rollcage and door. She also says the car has most of the dash, including the gloveboxes.

The Tag Rally Sport Yaris will make its racing debut at the Oregon Trail Rally (May 3–5).

Frankly, we love this car. A small, compact, lightweight race car, that goes to show you don't have to have big-time dollars and big-time power to go racing. We wish Tag Rally Sport the best in their racing endeavors, and look forward to seeing the car in person at the Oregon Trail Rally. We also hope they kick some butt.

Maybe someday the Subcompact Culture Yaris will end up as a rally car. As with Tracey's story, you just never know.

The Tag Rally Sport Yaris sporting a Subcompact Culture decal! Look for the car at the
2013 Oregon Trail Rally in May.

Chevrolet Cruze Diesel Details

2013-04-18T07:23:00.004-07:00

The U.S. market is nearly devoid of diesel passenger vehicles, but Chevrolet is throwing its hat into the ring with the Cruze 2.0TD. This turbo diesel will get 46 MPG highway and up to a 700 mile range. Pretty impressive. For comparison's sake, the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta TDI gets 46 MPG on the highway; a Toyota Prius gets 48.

However, diesels have an appeal all their own, and there's the huge helping of low-end torque—258 ft./lbs. to be exact. It also makes 148 horsepower, if you were wondering, which you probably were. By the way, it'll run on up to 20% biodiesel.

There will also be a boost feature that will allow the engine to spike up to 280 ft./lbs. of torque for 10 seconds when drivers need a big more get-up-and-go. The car will only be available in upper trim levels and with an automatic transmission. The car starts at $25,695 including freight.

While I wish it were available with a manual transmission, I'm glad to see another mainstream company entering the diesel passenger car market. Plus, it gives me hope that other manufacturers will follow suit. Sales begin in May/June.

LINK
Chevrolet Cruze Diesel