TireKicker

2012 Lincoln MKT

2012-01-30T18:45:00.001-07:00

The 2012 Lincoln MKT.

It's been nearly a year since our review of the Lincoln MKT (that one with EcoBoost), so we requested another, this one with the standard 3.7 liter Duratec V6, from Fiesta Lincoln in Mesa, Arizona.

The differences? You give up 87 horsepower (getting 268 instead of 355), get one mile per gallon more in both the city and highway EPA estimates (17 and 24) and keep $1,995 in your pocket (paying a base price of $44,300 instead of $46,295).


Rear view of the 2012 Lincoln MKT.

With that vast a difference in horsepower, there's no way it's not going to be noticeable...and it was. But, surprisingly, I didn't miss it. Truth be told, as great a bargain as the EcoBoost is (where else can you pick up an additional 85 horses for under 2 grand and give up so little in the way of fuel efficiency?), the 268 horses in the Duratec V6 is more than sufficient to move the MKT in 99% of most people's driving.

The styling is still a love it or hate it proposition (we've warmed up to it), and the overall driving experience is not unlike the Lincoln MKS sedan, which we've always enjoyed.


The 2012 Lincoln MKT interior.

Of course, what the MKT gives you that the MKS can't is space. Space for seven people with the third row seats up...five people and a lot of groceries, suitcases or golf bags with the third row folded down.

Our tester came stock, which kept the price, with destination charges, just under $46,000. That meant no HD radio (meh), and no nav system (your phone does that), but those were tradeaways we could live with. At $46,000, the MKT is a capable, well-priced luxury wagon well worth your time and attention.

2012 Toyota Prius V

2012-01-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

The 2012 Toyota Prius V.

Toyota's expansion of the Prius into a full family of cars begins here with the Toyota Prius V.

We can hear the puzzled readers now: "Prius V? What are Prius A through U like?" No, this is V as in roman numeral for the number 5. So it's "Toyota Prius 5". Why? Because it has five doors.

Rear view of the 2012 Toyota Prius V.

The fifth door is that big back one. It's called a door instead of a tailgate or liftgate because Toyota, like most manufacturers, can't quite bring itself to call this a "station wagon". But c'mon...look at that profile. In fact, look at that fifth door when it's open:

The "fifth door" of the 2012 Toyota Prius V in its open state.

That, folks, is a station wagon. And that, folks, is a good thing. Because station wagons, like their 90s replacement, the SUV, have rear seats that fold flat, resulting in some extremely useful cargo capability.

The Prius V comes extremely well equipped (17-inch alloy wheels, electronic braking and traction systems, airbags, smart keys, tire pressure monitors, LED headlamps, foglamps, power heated and folding outside miorrors, a display audio/navigation system with Toyota's terrific Entune entertainment system plus AM/FM/CD/mp3/SiriusXM/HD radio, Bluetooth, automatic climate control and more for $29,990.

Our tester had the Advanced Technology Package (Hard drive, JBL audio, backup camera, Advanced Voice Recognition, Text-to-speech, dynamic radar cruise control, panoramic moonroof and a batch more) for $5,580, floor mats and trunk mats for $225 and alloy wheel locks for $67. Delivery and processing was $760, for a bottom line of:

$36,622.

Yes, that is the most expensive Prius we've ever tested. But it's also the most loaded, the most practical and the one young eco-friendly families might be most likely to take on a long summer roadtrip, when all those bells and whistles will make things considerably more pleasant.

Now they just need DVD screens in the back of the front headrests...

2012 Toyota Prius V

Base price: $29,990.

As tested: $36,622.

Likes: The extra utility of the wagon style.

Dislikes: We're not that far from a $40,000 Prius.

EPA estimates: 44 mpg city/40 mpg highway.

2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec

2012-01-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec.

Let's settle one thing right now. This is not the car that will keep Ford's Mustang up all night, shivering from fear in its corral. If, in the early days of the Genesis Coupe, that was true, the rapid development of the 'Stang into a performer in 6-cylinder guise and an outright muscle car with the V8 has moved the target.

So let's assess the Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec for what it is. A smartly styled, aggressive Asian sport coupe. The Toyota Supra of our time perhaps....for our time's equivalent of Celica GT money.

The 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec rear view.

That's the first big suprise about the Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec...what you get for your money. The manual transmission version, like our tester, starts at $26,750. For that you get the body you see above and a 300 horsepower 3.8 liter V6 under the hood. It handles well, too, applying that power to the pavement through the rear wheels and benefitting from a 5-link independent rear suspension, a track suspension and strut brace, 19-inch wheels with summer tires and Brembo brakes, plus a Torsen limited-slip differential...and it comes with electronic stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution with brake assist and a full complement of airbags and active front head restraints. Standard.

The six-speed manual? The slickest this side of Honda (nice lesson learned on Hyundai's part).

The 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec interior.

Slide inside and you'll find black leather bolster/red cloth seats (in ours) and lumbar support for the driver, air conditioning with outside temperature display, keyless entry and alarm, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a multi-information display, power windows, locks and mirrors, an AM/FM/XM/CD/mp3 audio system with an iPod/USB/Auxiliary connection and steering wheel audio controls, Bluetooth and fog lights.

Oh, yeah. And a full tank of gas. And you haven't added a single option. The tab is still at $26,750. All they could find to add to ours was carpeted floor mats ($105), a cargo net ($50) and an iPod cable ($35). From the looks of the window sticker, freight and handling was thrown in free, so the total price rings up at $26,940. A remarkable bargain. Especially when you remember this is a Hyundai, which means you get a 5 year/60,000 mile new vehicle warranty, a 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty, a 7 year/unlimited mile anti-perforation warranty, and 5 years/unlimited mile roadside assistance.

It's a ball to drive, a definite attention getter and an absolute screaming bargain.

Maybe Mustang ought to sweat just a bit.

2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec

Base price: $26,750.

As tested: $26,940.

Likes: Styling, handling, manual shifter.

Dislikes: Not seeing more in traffic.

EPA estimate: 17 mpg city/26 mpg highway.

2012 Mazda 3 Skyactiv First Drive

2012-01-09T18:44:00.001-07:00

The 2012 Mazda 3 Skyactiv.

Regular TireKicker readers know we've always loved us some Mazda 3. It's a fun, tossable little sedan (or hatch, you choose) for a reasonable price with better than average performance and fuel economy.

So what would juice the excitement factor? Well, more fuel economy would be a good place to start.
Mazda's been behind the 8-ball on that one, with a lot of people remembering that rotary engines aren't the best in that regard (never mind that the only Mazda still using a rotary is the RX-8, now in its last year of production) and Mazda being the lone ranger among the big 4 Japanese carmakers (Toyota/Lexus, Honda/Acura and Nissan/Infiniti being the others) not to have hybrids in their lineup.

Rear view of the 2012 Mazda 3 Skyactiv.

Not that the 3's a gas guzzler by any means. The EPA says 22 city/29 highway for the standard Mazda 3 5-door with the 167 horsepower 2.5 liter four-cylinder and a 5-speed automatic.

But Skyactiv makes it better without making it a hybrid. According to Mazda, Skyactiv's engine produces 10-15% more low-range torque, and 15% lower fuel consumption than their previous 2-liter engine (which was EPA rated 24 city/33 highway).

Engineering and material changes resulted in a 220 pound weight savings along with 30% better body rigidity (which translates to better handling). Then there's a vastly improved six-speed automatic transmission. Bottom line: The EPA estimate for the Mazda 3 5-door jumps to 27 city/38 highway.

We borrowed one for a week from Chapman Mazda in Phoenix. We put fewer than 100 miles on it and most of that was city streets...very little freeway driving...and we saw 29.5 miles per gallon. So the estimates are well within the realm of possibility.

The 2012 Mazda 3 Skyactiv interior.

And best of all, the Skyactiv is gimmick-free. It drives exactly like a regular 3...except a bit smoother and handling a bit more athletically. All good things. And so's the price. $19,300. Ours came absolutely stock. Zero options. We didn't feel deprived. With delivery charges, the tab came to $20,150.

Again, these are impressions gleaned from fewer than 100 miles at the wheel, but the Mazda 3 Skyactive made a strong first impression. We're expecting one from the manufacturer for a more in-depth analysis very soon.

From TireKicker To You

2011-12-31T21:17:00.000-07:00

2012 Jeep Wrangler

2011-12-05T12:33:00.001-07:00

The 2012 Jeep Wrangler.

Regular TireKicker readers know of my fondness for purposeful, iconic design. Well, right up there with the Porsche 911 (but one heck of a lot less expensive) is the Jeep Wrangler.

Remarkably, I've never owned one. This, despite spending 16 years of my life in the High Sierras and 27 in the Desert Southwest. Came close once, in Reno in 1978. But the CJ (as it was then known) was crude, thirsty and expensive. I bought a Toyota Corolla instead.

Now, though, the Jeep Wrangler appears to be in a sweet spot...having acquired comfort, practicality and everyday usefulness (well, some of those things, anyway) without sacrificing its rugged go-anywhere capabilities.

A lot of credit for that goes to the new Pentastar 3.6 liter V6. 285 horsepower, 260 pounds per foot of torque...and it's standard in every Wrangler...even the base $22,045 Wrangler Sport. That engine brings with it a much better mileage picture, too...EPA estimated 17 city/21 highway.

Our tester was the two-steps-up Sahara, which adds air conditioning, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, power locks and windows, body-color fender flares, deep tint sunscreen glass, and 18 inch satin silver painted wheels. Base price for the Sahara: $27,970.

2012 Jeep Wrangler interior.

The other major improvement in the Wrangler? The interior. Chrysler/Fiat (or Fiat/Chrysler)'s attention to detail in the cabins has spread to the Jeep and it is now a remarkably nice place to be, while still maintaining the ruggedness of materials and construction a real Jeep needs.

Our Sahara also had a big batch of optional equipment...leather-trimmed seats (heated in front) for $900...Customer Preferred Package 24G (a remote USB port, electronic vehicle information center and Uconnect voice command with Bluetooth) for $385...a 5-speed automatic transmission with hill descent control for $1,125...Trac-Lok limited slip rear differential for $295...a body-color 3-piece hardtop with rear window wiper, washer and defroster and a storage bag for $1,715...a Media Center upgrade (AM/FM/SiriusXM/CD/DVD/mp3/HDD/Navigation system with SiriusXM Travel Link and a 6.5 inch touch-screen display) for $1035 (a bargain when you consider many nav systems are $2,000 or more)...and a remote start system for $200.

Fold in the $800 destination charge and the bottom line is $34,425. No, that's not cheap. But it's not outrageous, and it's possible to shave almost 12 grand off that price and still get the great engine, decent interior accomodations and off-road and poor weather capability.

The Wrangler is getting very close to being an offer too good to pass up.

2012 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Base price: $27,970.

As tested: 34,425.

Likes: New Pentastar V6 engine, vastly improved interior, and it's still a real Jeep.

Dislikes: Can I get back to you on that?

EPA estimate: 17 mpg city/21 mpg highway.

2012 Mazda 6 Review

2011-11-29T15:05:00.002-07:00

The 2012 Mazda 6.

There are great mysteries in automotive journalism, as in life itself. The one I've been pondering lately is why you don't see more of the car pictured above on streets all over America.

The car is the 2012 Mazda 6, and as we've been telling everyone who'll listen for years, if you're shopping for a family sedan, this car absolutely needs to be on your test drive list. Not only does it hold its own in every comparison with Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion and Chevy Malibu, it's arguably a more satisfying car to drive.

The 2012 Mazda 6 interior.

That is actually just a "Mazda thing". They focus more on driver involvement...and, as we've mentioned in reviews of other Mazdas, they live up to their slogan "Always The Soul of a Sports Car".

The 2012 Mazda 6 we drove recently came from Chapman Mazda in Phoenix. And it came absolutely stock. No options. A base price of $21,240 gets you a 2.5 liter V6 with 170 horsepower and a 5-speed automatic transmission. 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, dynamic stability control, air conditioning, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, an AM/FM/Sirius/CD/mp3 audio system with six speakers and an auilary jack, power windows and door locks.

Tack on $795 for delivery, processing and handling and the bottom line is $22,035. Very, very, very reasonable for any family sedan...and with this one, you get the added fun quotient.

Seriously. Drive one. Thank us later.

2012 Mazda 6

Base price: $21,240.

As tested: $22,035.

Likes: Solid, roomy and fun to drive.

Dislikes: None.

EPA estimates: 22 city/31 highway.

2012 Porsche Cayman R Review

2011-11-20T08:18:00.001-07:00

The 2012 Porsche Cayman R.

Purity meets sheer, unbridled lust.

The purity in this case is purity of purpose, purity of design and purity of intent. What was once the beginning, middle and end of what it meant to build cars at Porsche. And while the brand now also includes such things as hybrid SUVs and four-door GTs, anyone who doubts that Porsche still can build a pure sports car need only spend some time behind the wheel of the 2012 Porsche Cayman R.

We were fortunate. We got six days.

It's been a while since we've driven a Cayman...before the launch of TireKicker, in fact, so some basic facts would probably be helpful. The Cayman is a light, mid-engined 2-seater that costs less than a 911, and is very nearly as satisfying a car to drive....especially fast, especially on winding roads.

Rear view of the 2012 Porsche Cayman R.

The Cayman R? Well, it's a race car that's street legal. For $66,300 (as opposed to the $51,900 base price of a standard Cayman), it gives you an extra 55 horsepower (330, to be exact, from a 3.4 liter horizontally opposed six, which replaces a 2.9 inline six in the Cayman), an 8/10ths of a second quicker sprint to 60 miles per hour (4.7), and 10 more miles per hour on the speedometer when you hit top speed (175).

If that seems like a large payoff for only 55 horsepower, it is. Those numbers are possible because the Cayman R also takes away. Air conditioning? That adds weight. Toss it! Audio systems? What's German for "ditto"? Besides, with the windows down (no air, remember?) you won't hear anything but the gorgeous roar of that awesome little engine, anyway.

The 2012 Porsche Cayman R interior with a big hole where the audio system isn't.

If you look at the photo above, you'll see the big hole where the audio system should go. But look a little bit above center along the very left edge of the picture. See that bit of red? That's a cloth strap. Same material seat belts are made of. Pull on it and it opens the door. Hey, handles aren't weightless, you know.

All this adds up to a weight savings of 110 pounds. And while you may not think that's much (obligatory, tasteless and obvious Wal-Mart shopper joke goes here), it's enough, when paired with the 55-horsepower bump to make the Cayman R one very fierce little machine.

Or I guess. Full disclosure: The Porsche PR folk know that autojournos tend to be lightweights (in terms of acceptable levels of discomfort) and that in Phoenix, the mercury can tickle 100 right up to Halloween. So the Cayman R they put in the press fleet had a few option boxes checked...including the ones that put the air conditioning, audio system and even navigation back in. While they were at it, automatically dimming mirrors, Bi-Xenon headlamps with cornering lights, the Sound Package Plus, the Sport Chrono Package Plus, a universal audio interface and an XM satellite reciever got into the car too. And the wheels were painted black...an $1,815 "exclusive option".

So the Cayman R I drove went from $66,300 to $79,285 and that 110 pounds probably went right back into the car...and maybe then some (A/C compressor, audio head unit, speakers...).

And?

It's still the most fun you can have on four wheels. The sound, the feel, the motion, it's all just unbelievably right. And it's nowhere near as punishing in terms of ride as I'd expected from the Spartan purity involved. I could live with this car as a daily driver.

Here's how good it is: If I lived somewhere where air conditioning wasn't a requirement, I'd buy one absolutely box stock. I'd listen to the engine through the open window (and I love a good audio system). I can get my iTunes from the iPod when iGethome.

This is essence of Porsche..

Brilliant.

2012 Porsche Cayman R

Base price: $66,300.

As tested: $79,285.

Likes: Power, handling, (relative) comfort, form and function in perfect harmony.

Dislikes: One of the cupholders (the one nearest the driver) was jammed. Probably by a previous journo. And even if it hadn't been, the cupholders in this car can barely handle a 12-ounce can of soda. And it's best if that can has never been opened. And then it hit me...what the hell do I need to put in there anyway? Just drive. If I get thirsty, I'll pull over somewhere, get a drink and make about 50 new friends in the parking lot.

EPA estimates: 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway.

2011 Kia Optima Turbo Review

2011-11-19T15:27:00.001-07:00

The 2011 Kia Optima Turbo.

It occurs to me I don't know the Korean word for "hat-trick". Or the one for "three-peat".
It's just never come up.

Until now.

If the face above looks familiar to regular TireKicker readers, that's because it is. It's the Kia Optima Turbo. On September 10, we reviewed the base Optima, on October 11, the Optima Hybrid, and now, on November 19, it's the Turbo's turn.

One car, three powerplants. The standard Optima has 200 horsepower, the Optima Hybrid packs 166 horsepower from its gasoline engine and an additional 40 from the electric, for a total of 206 (and neither of those cars is slow) and the Optima Turbo brings 274 horses to the party.

Rear view of the 2011 Kia Optima Turbo.

You also get a sport-tuned suspension, high performance dampers and 18-inch tires with Sport Design Alloy wheels...which are controversial, but we like 'em.

The rest of the car? Loaded like Lindsay Lohan on a Friday night. Dual-zone climate control, AM/FM/CD/mp3 audio system with Sirius satellite radio, USB, auxilary jacks and Bluetooth. Leather. power everything. HID headlamps. LED taillamps.

For $25,995.

Yes, you read that right. A loaded, big luxurious and sporty sedan that looks like the two pictures above and has 274 horsepower for five bucks shy of 26 large. The uplevel standard Optima (the EX) starts at $22,495. The Optima Hybrid begins at $26,500.

The 2011 Kia Optima Turbo interior.

Yes, a mere $505 spread between the Turbo and the Hybrid. Odds are, though a Hybrid intender won't seriously consider the Turbo and vice-versa. So your question will be "should I spend the $3,500 extra to move up from the Optima to the Optima Turbo and party with those 74 extra ponies under the hood?"

The good news is that if you do, you'll pay the smallest imaginable penalty in gas mileage. Here are the EPA figures:

Optima: 24 city/34 highway

Optima Turbo: 22 city/34 highway

A draw on the highway...a two mpg penalty in the city.

Operating purely on base price, the Turbo makes a strong case for itself. But base price is only part of the story. For as our Optima got optioned up to $27,440 from $22,495, the Optima Turbo didn't sit at $25,995. Two option boxes got checked by the Kia PR people...both with sizable price tags.

The Technology Package (Navigation with back-up camera, Sirius Traffic, and an 8-speaker Infinity audio system): $2,000.

The SX Premium Package (Panoramic sunroof, power front passenger seat, driver seat memory, heated and cooled front seats and heated ourboard rear seats).

With $695 freight and handling, the bottom line becomes $30,840. And that becomes a fairly pricey Kia, as good and as fast as it is.

The good news is that nothing in either of those two packages is indispensable (though the 8-speaker Infinity upgrade to the audio system is awfully nice), so you could just go stock and come in below $27K.

Frankly, all three Optimas amaze us, and we've been driving and noticing the continual progress of the brand. If you haven't driven a Kia in a while, or ever, you'll be astonished.

During our week with the Turbo, I had a parking lot conversation with a guy who drives a 5-series BMW, had just test driven the Kia Optima Turbo and was considering trading. Not because the Optima Turbo is a match for the Bimmer, but because it gets him most of what he enjoys in the BMW and puts money back in his pocket for other things like food, clothing, shelter and education for his kids.

Any one of the Optimas (Optima, Optima Hybrid, Optima Turbo) would be a solid choice. The Turbo's the most fun.

2011 Kia Optima Turbo

Base price: $25,995.

As tested: $30,840.

Likes: Styling, room, comfort, power.

Dislikes: None.

EPA estimate: 22 mpg city/34 mpg highway.

2012 Audi A6 Review

2011-11-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

The 2012 Audi A6.

Thirty years ago, Audi changed the automotive world with the styling of the Audi 5000. A design so pure, so fundamentally right, that it essentially survives today...just refined and improved as time, and technologies change.

For a lot of people (and a lot of rival automakers) the Audi A6 is a benchmark for five-passenger family sedans. The only reason you don't see one in every driveway is that they don't come cheap...$41,700 is as low as they go (for the A6 Premium 2.0 TFSI). And the prices get higher along with the engine displacement, the number of cylinders and the number of wheels driven.

Side view of the 2012 Audi A6.

In the case of our tester, it was one liter of displacement, one additional cylinder and two more wheels putting power to the road. Audi sent us the A6 3.0 TSFI quattro (all-wheel drive) with Auto Tiptronic. Base price: $49,900.

As always, with Audi, what you get for that price adds up to good value. There's the 310-horsepower supercharged V6, an 8-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic, 17-inch alloy wheels, anti-lock brakes, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 8-way power heated leather front seats and a bunch of what are rapidly becoming the "usual" items (check Audi's website for the comprehensive list).

And then we got the options. $475 for the Aviator Blue metallic paint (which is gorgeous), $500 for Audi side assist (to keep you from drifting out of your lane into another car), $1,400 for LED headlights, $1,500 for the 19-inch Sport Package, which upgrades you to 19-inch wheels, summer performance tires, a sport suspension, a 3-spoke multi-function steering wheel and shift paddles...and $6,880 for "Prestige".

2012 Audi A6 interior.

"Prestige" is a package that gives you the sportier S line exterior treatment, upgrades you to 18-inch wheels (17s are standard, but if you remember an item or two back, this one jumped to 19s), Audi Navigation plus with MMI touch, Audi Connect, front and rear parking sensors, four-zone climate control, front seat ventilation, a Bose surrouns Sound system including HD Radio, Xenon Plus headlights with LED daytime running lights (again, another package bumped the headlights up to LEDs as well), adaptive headlights, power steering column adjustment, ambient lighting and a 7-inch color driver information system.

Total price with destination charge? $61,530.

If the list that pushed us over $60K sounds awfully tech-heavy...it is. But it contains two exceptionally cool things.

The 2012 Audi A6 navigation screen.

Yep...someone finally figured that an in-car nav display would look a lot better if you laid the Google Maps satellite view in with the map. Regular readers know we're not big in-dash navigation fans (expensive, rapidly obsolete, your phone does all that now), but if you have to have one, having one that allows you to see more than just some abstract lines on a colored background is a definite improvement.

The other? Well, the car has to have an internet connection to sync up the map and the satellite image, so Audi decided to share it. Equipped like ours, the A6 is a rolling Wi-Fi hotspot (that's the Audi Connect mentioned above). It comes with a complimentary 6-month subscription. So for that first half a year, the 3G signal feeding the nav system also puts a Wi-Fi signal into the cabin, keeping your cell phone data usage down (after that, you'll be paying). It connects easily and works brilliantly.

So how's it drive? Phenomenally. Audis are usually near-perfect in terms of balance and handling (especially the all-wheel drive quattro) and the A6, lighter and more powerful for 2012, simply improves upon that. The interiors continue to be world-class. And thanks to the 8-speed automatic, fuel economy is very good for this size and power.

Cheap? No. Reasonable? Barely, and that depends on your income. But worth it in terms of enjoyment and satisfaction? Absolutely.

2012 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI quattro

Base price: $49,900.

As tested: $61,530.

Likes: Styling, balance, interior design and materials, Audi Connect in-car Wi-Fi.

Dislikes: The climate control was fussy...shutting down after a few minutes and then re-starting. Might just have been our tester. But at $60K plus, buyers will be expecting...demanding...perfection.

2012 Toyota Yaris Review

2011-11-02T16:04:00.001-07:00

The 2012 Toyota Yaris 5-Door front view.

As unloved as the last-generation Toyota Yaris was, this new one will surprise a lot of people. We were among the Yaris' few fans here at TireKicker...considering it a perfectly good sedan in its class...but with a lot of competition at its price-point. It wasn't helped, among automotive journalists or buyers, by the fact that it wasn't an especially attractive car.

Well, Toyota has fixed that, with a 5-door Yaris design for 2012 that pictures don't do justice to. It is an utterly contemporary small car, with clean, crisp lines. It just plain looks good as you walk up to it.

2012 Toyota Yaris rear view.

In fact, in midlevel LE trim, the Yaris now has a polished, agressive look to it.

In 5-door form, your choices are the base L at $15,140, the LE at $16,100 and the SE at $16,400.

Our LE's standard gear included 15-inch steel wheels with wheel covers (the SE bumps you up to 16-inch alloys as shown above), anti-lock brakes, 9 airbags, tire pressure monitoring, color keyed outside mirrors (they're black on the L), air conditioning, remote keyless entry, power door locks and window, a tilt steering wheel with audio controls, an AM/FM/CD/mp3 audio system with HD Radio (AM sounds like FM, FM sounds like CD and many FM stations have additional channels that are usually commercial-free) and iPod connectivity and Bluetooth.

In fact, standard gear is all our tester had, apart from cruise control ($250) and carpeted floor mats ($180). With $760 added for delivery and handling, the bottom line came to $17,290.

The 2012 Toyota Yaris interior.

The inside is every bit as improved as the outside...if not more so. The funky center-of-the-dashboard speedometer is gone, replaced by a clear, legible gauge cluster directly in front of the driver. And materials have taken at least a two-level jump in the right direction.

Power? Well...it's 106 horses through a four-speed automatic transmission. This is not a pocket rocket. But as a reasonably-priced, comfortable, well-built commuter car, the Yaris has definitely moved up on our list of choices this year.

2012 Toyota Yaris 5-Door

Base price: $16,100

As tested: $17,290

Likes: Exterior and interior styling, attention to detail, quality of materials, fuel economy.

Dislikes: The looks now suggest a level of performance the car can't deliver. An engine/transmission upgrade and some suspension part swaps could probably fix that.

EPA estimate: 30 mpg city/35 mpg highway.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle Review

2011-10-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle.

13 years ago, a local Volkswagen dealer tossed me the keys to one of the first New Beetles. It wasn't set to go on sale for about a month. To say I got attention would be an understatement. People raced up behind, beside and in front of me to get a look. People stopped me to talk about it. People leaned out of the windows of moving cars to snap pictures with their disposable film cameras and 1 megapixel digitals.

Every last one of them was female. From that moment on, the New Beetle and the pejorative "chick car" were inextricably linked.

The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle roof, spoiler and taillamp.

In re-doing the car, VW had to somehow make the car more appealing to male drivers. They were also fighting the fact that most people, including some fans, had gotten mighty bored. The New Beetle was....very, very old, with only the most superficial of freshenings in its 13-year run.

The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle side view.

They did it.

It was like 1998 all over again. Except, this time...the enthusiasm, the parking lot conversations, the thumbs-up in traffic, the photos snapped in moving traffic on 8-megapixel iPhones...all came from guys.

The Beetle (VW has retired the "New" from the name) has gone from feminine, frugal and flower-power (remember the bud vase next to the steering wheel?) to bad, butch and bitchin'.

Now, admittedly, our test Beetle was the Turbo, which helps considerably. But ours was white with black stripes, the polar opposite of what you see above, and we still got raves from the guys. The more aggressive lines...especially the roofline that blends seamlessly into the tail and the longer hood and more blunt nose...had them acting like they'd just found a Porsche 911 they could afford.

That. my friends, is crazy talk. But...the Beetle does look better and drive better than the car it replaces.

Base price for a Beetle is $18,995. It'll come with a 170 horsepower 2.5 liter five-cylinder and a six-speed automatic (manual transmissions come online later in the model year).

The Turbo gets you an additional 30 horsepower and 30 extra pounds per foot of torque, a DSG dual-clutch six-speed automatic...and it gets better highway mileage than the standard Beetle...and the same city mileage (22 city/30 highway). Hard to find a downside to simply stepping up to the Turbo, other than the $4,400 price difference.

The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle interior.

For the base price of $24,495 (the manual, when available, will go for $23,395) , the Beetle Turbo adds suspension upgrades, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, three-color ambient lighting, larger brakes with red calipers, a second glovebox above the first, sport seating surfaces, 18-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, foglights, alloy pedals and additional gauges.

So where does it rank in the premium compact spectrum? While in a marketing sense, this is a direct competitor to the Fiat 500, it's actually a completely different kind of car...far more sporting in character.

The Mini, then? Good question. Been years since Mini's sent anything our way other than the hyper-hot rod John Cooper Works convertible last year. Couldn't make a comparison. Yes, BMW, that's a hint. You have our phone number. I will say this, though...Mini drivers were among those giving us thumbs up in traffic.

The great irony in all of this is that the Beetle, the car that broke the cycle of "Longer! Lower! Wider!" in new car design in the U.S. 50 years ago, has saved itself by being all three of those things...and more.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo

Base price: $24,495.

As tested: $24,495.

Likes: Styling, performance, fuel economy.

Dislikes: Lack of a manual transmission until later in the year.

EPA estimates: 22 city/30 highway.

2012 Acura TL Review

2011-10-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

The 2012 Acura TL front view.

I am not a fan of plastic surgery. Too many botched jobs out there reminding us every day that the nose wasn't really that big or other bits weren't really that small. In the case of the 2012 Acura TL, however, I'm prepared to say that sometimes a nose job is really what the patient needed.

In case you don't remember the 2009, 2010 and 2011 TL, here's the "before" picture:

The 2009-2011 Acura TL front view.

If you think it's not so wonderful in pictures, trust me...that's a flattering angle. A change was needed...and now, we have one. The TL is, as it was before 2009, a conventionally handsome sport sedan.

The good news is that overall, the package as a whole has had a chance to jell, too. While not the canyon-carver that the TL with SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) is, the TL holds its own quite nicely. Up front is a 3.5 liter V6 that makes 280 horsepower and it's hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission with Sequential SportShift. There's also four wheel disc brakes, front double-wishbone suspension, a rear multi-link suspension, electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering, and a high-flow sport-tuned exhaust system.

Our tester was the Advance model...a package that includes a blind spot information system, ventilated front seats, 18-inch alloy wheels and all-season tires, as well as the Tech Package (navigation, backup camera, AcuraLink communication system with real-time traffic and weather, leather sport seats, push-button ignition, GPS-linked, dual-zone automatic climate control and keyless access with a security system...plus an AM/FM/CD/DVD-Audio/SiriusXM/Hard Disk Drive Dolby Pro Logic II ELS Surround Sound audio system, along with an auxilary jack and USB connection for your personal music player (as astonishing as the demo disc of the DVD Audio system sounds, it's a very nearly dead format, overtaken by the comparatively low-fi iPod).) in the base price of $41,535.

The 2012 Acura TL rear view.

Yes, I said GPS-linked climate control. No, I'm not kidding. Here's Acura's explanation:

The GPS-linked automatic climate control system further enhances occupants' comfort level by tracking the sun's position and intensity. The GPS positioning technology monitors the sun's location relative to the car's position while a sensor on the dash measures the sun's intensity. By knowing which part of the cabin is receiving the sun's rays, the system compensates to keep each side of the cabin at its designated temperature. The system is completely automatic and requires no manual adjustments, regardless of outside conditions.

Wow.

Base price is also bottom line in the case of our tester. Zero options, just the standard $885 destination and handling charge, which made the final tally $42,420. For that, in addition to what we've already mentioned, you get the full complement of airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution, active head restraints, tire pressure monitoring, a power moonroof, LED taillights and fog lamps.

The 2012 Acura TL interior.

Inside? Well, like most Honda products of the past few years, it's a gadget and button fest. But as other manufacturers have chased that particular rabbit, we've had a lot of opportunities to get used to it.

Other no-cost goodies: Driver recognition memory system, power seats (10-way for the driver, 8-way for the front passenger, both heated), HomeLink, Bluetooth, steering wheel-mounted controls for audio, phone, cruise and trip computer).

While 280 horsepower isn't epic power for a sport sedan in 2012, it is more than adequate to move the TL with some authority. And there's a bonus...better than typical gas mileage for its class. The EPA says 20 city/29 highway.

Overall, the TL is an attractive package. And more so than last year. Especially from the front.

2012 Acura TL

Base price: $41,535.

As tested: $42,420.

Likes: Balance, handling, a superb (if technically outmoded) audio system, new front styling.

Dislikes: If Honda can clean up the nose of the TL, they have to be able to get the button count in the cockpit down to three dozen or so.

EPA estimates: 20 city/29 highway.

2011 Chrysler 300 Review

2011-10-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Chrysler 300.

This is the second 2011 Chrysler 300 the press fleet folks have sent our way in the past few months. I wrote about the first one for High Gear Media's Carnewser.com a couple of weeks back. That first car came option-free...sporting a price tag $7590 less than the 2011 Dodge Charger reviewed here on TireKicker in late September.

The Carnewser.com piece focused on my trying (and failing) to understand why Chrysler, working to set itself apart as an upscale brand would build and sell such reasonably priced examples of their flagship, the 300.

Since then, though, word has come that Chrysler's dropping the ax on the Dodge Grand Caravan. Come 2013, they'll only be selling the Chrysler Town and Country, setting off speculation that once Fiats, Alfa Romeos and Lancia-sourced Chryslers begin appearing in showrooms, the product mix between those brands, Dodge and Jeep may be very different from what we see now.

So let's assume a plan is in the works and assess the 300 on its own merits, absent percieved price crowding with its cousin, the Dodge Charger.

The 2011 Chrysler 300 rear view.

First of all, even in base form. the 2011 Chrysler 300 is drop-dead gorgeous. It's a completely different design from the last generation, relying on subtle cues to tie the two together. The details are superb and the effect sets the 300 apart as the only big American sedan of its kind.

The new Chrysler Pentastar V6 is a revelation...strong, smooth and economical. Even with a five-speed automatic (an 8-speed is on tap for 2012), the EPA says 18 city, 27 highway, and we saw a rock-steady 20 miles per gallon in a week of nothing but city streets.

The 2011 Chrysler 300 interior.

Like example number one, this 300 was the base model, with a base price of $27,170. Unlike the first car, this one had options...but just two. $295 for Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat exterior paint, and another $295 for Customer Preferred Package 27E...Chrysler's Uconnect voice command with Bluetooth.

Fold that in with the standard equipment (4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, stability and traction control, brake assist, hill start assist, all the airbags a car can hold, power locks, keyless entry and pushbutton start, 8-way power driver's seat, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, an AM/FM/Sirius/CD/mp3 audio system with 6 speakers and USB and auxilary connections, and dual-zone climate control and while you don't have the pinnacle in luxury, you do have a remarkably equipped, very quiet, comfortable and reasonably quick big sedan for $28,585 with destination charges.

I've decided to stop worrying about why Chrysler offers this car for so little money. There are people who will be very glad they do.

2011 Chrysler 300

Base price: $27,170.

As tested: $28,585.

Likes: Room, quiet, fuel economy for its class.

Dislikes: Pairing and connecting phones with the Bluetooth system is a lengthy, hit-and-miss proposition.

EPA estimate: 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway.

2011 GMC Terrain Review

2011-10-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

The 2011 GMC Terrain.

As easy as it is to take potshots at badge engineering (taking one vehicle, putting a different grille, taillights and nameplate on it and calling it something else), think about what it must be like to be a corporate cousin of a big volume brand like Chevrolet. You need product or your brand won't survive, and the fact, even prior to the great recession and Carpocalypse, is that the bucks aren't there to build unique vehicles for each brand. Platform sharing...and the more blatant badge engineering...are the only way to go.

That's GMC's lot in life and has been for decades. They finesse it by positioning themselves as more upscale...a good play for Acadia, Yukon and Yukon XL..a mixed bag when it comes to Sierra pickups, and for the Terrain? Well, it's gotta be a tough sell. Or so you'd think. The Terrain actually sells mid-pack among 12 compact crossovers (the other 11 being the Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, Jeep Patriot, Jeep Compass, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-7).

The 2011 GMC Terrain rear view.

Not that there's anything wrong with the Terrain. It's just that in the small crossover segment, there's only so much you can do to differentiate it from its sister under the skin, the Chevrolet Equinox.

GMC sent us a loaded Terrain SLT-2 AWD (all wheel drive). $31,650 base price, and after $6,435 worth of cargo management packages, navigation, audio system upgrades, swapping the 2.4 liter 4-cylinder for the 3.0 liter V6, the rear seat entertainment system, 19-inch wheels and trailering equipment, the bottom line (with $810 destination charge) was $38,895.

That's $2,010 more than the similarly equipped 2010 model we tested last year, and also a couple grand less than loading up a 2011 Equinox in similar fashion would cost you.

The 2011 GMC Terrain interior.

And there's the trouble. It really is an Equinox. Is the GMC nameplate or the blockier, arguably more masculine stying of the Terrain worth $2,000? For a few thousand people a month, the answer is yes.

2011 GMC Terrain AWD SLT-2

Base price: $31,650.

As tested: $38,895.

Likes: Room, comfort.

Dislikes: High price as tested, low-ish gas mileage.

EPA estimates: 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway.

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid Review

2011-10-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid.

As impressed as we were with the 2011 Kia Optima just a month ago, nothing could have prepared us for the Kia Optima Hybrid.

Here's the recipe: Take everything that makes the Optima a winner, and add a hybrid powerplant. But make it a hybrid powerplant that delivers the mileage. 24 mpg city/34 highway in the gasoline Optima becomes 35 city/40 highway in the Optima Hybrid...good enough to vault into 7th place on TireKicker's Top 10 Fuel Savers, ahead of smaller, lesser-performing cars like the Honda CR-Z and Lexus HS 250h.

The 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid rear view.

Best part of it all? The price spread between gasoline and hybrid is small as such things go...$4,005. Now, admittedly, that's the difference between $22,495 and $26,500. But if your priorities include using less gasoline and putting fewer pollutants into the air, there are higher prices to pay.

Much like the gasoline version from a month ago, this Optima Hybrid was loaded. You might remember the $22,495 wound up being $27,440. Well, in this case, a single option, the $5,000 Premium Technology Package (Nav system with backup camera, Sirius Traffic, an Infinity audio system, panoramic sunroof, auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink and compass, upgraded 17-inch tires with alloy wheels, auto-leveling HID headlamps, leather seat trim, driver's seat memory, heated and cooled front seats, heated outboard rear seats, a heated steering wheel and power front passenger's seat) ran the price with $750 freight and handling to $32,250.

Yeah, that's a pricey Kia. But again, it's less than five grand above the loaded gasoline version.

The 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid gauge cluster.

So...the big question: How's the mileage? Well, we did 225 miles of purely city street driving over the course of a week, and got 31.0 miles per gallon. Yes, the EPA estimate is 35 city, but the small print under that number says "expected range for most drivers 29 to 41 mpg". So we're in the ballpark. As always, your mileage may vary. I'd bet on having hit 35 had we done our usual amount of freeway driving...and on a roadtrip, 40's probably realistic.

Bottom line: Kia's on a roll, and the Optima is a contender not just among family sedans, but among alternative-energy vehicles as well.

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid

Base price: $26,500

As tested: $32,250

Likes: Styling, smooth power, impressive mileage for its size.

Dislikes: Overly sensitive tire pressure monitoring system.

EPA estimates: 35 mpg city/40 mpg highway.

2012 Fiat 500C Review

2011-10-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

The 2012 Fiat 500C.

Regular TireKicker readers know I am hype-averse. The more something gets promoted, plugged, built-up, the more skeptical I am about it.

So, a dumb commercial featuring J. Lo and the Fiat 500C is a great way to turn me all the way off:

And, I'll admit...even before that started airing, I had my doubts about the Fiat 500. It looked like another super-sized re-creation (the original 500 could probably fit in the passenger space of the new one) of a cute car from 50 years ago that almost no one in North America has ever seen, much less driven. And the changes required by government regulation and consumer preferences in the intervening half-century insured that, despite a distinctive appearance, this would very likely be just another contemporary small car.

But, as Brock Yates once said about driving a Yugo for Car and Driver, "It's a car magazine. We drive the sunsabitches." So I did.

It went back to Fiat 24 hours ago after a week and 250 miles with me.

I miss it.

The 2012 Fiat 500C front and side view.

While still waiting for our time in a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle, I can tell you this: The Fiat 500 is a terrific little car. The styling is a mood elevator and conversation starter. You'll make a lot of friends just getting out of the car to run into the grocery store. Its 1.4 liter four-cylinder and 6-speed automatic provide a good blend of performance and fuel economy. It cruises at 80 on the freeway without the least bit of drama and with a surprising lack of noise and vibration. You sit upright and tall in the car, aided by the arching roof. I'm six feet even, and I had headroom to spare. And the seats might be the most comfortable chairs we've been in since TireKicker launched more than three years ago.

It is, as I thought it might be, a contemporary small car...but in the best possible way.

The charm factor was amplified by the fact that our tester was the 500C...the convertible. Or giant canvas sunroof model. Whatever. Just look at the photo at the top of this review and know that it opens to three positions...just back of the front seats, just behind the rear seats, or all the way down. And since it doesn't raise into the air or fold, you can open or close it while driving.

In the first two positions, wind noise and the feeling of a breeze through the cabin are muted. This is a convertible you can drive without mussing your hair. All the way back, and you get the sensation of the breeze circulating through the cockpit, but you still can carry on a conversation without raising your voice.

Interior of the 2012 Fiat 500C.

Our tester was the top-of-the-line Fiat 500C Lounge. Base price of $23,500, bringing with it leather seats, the six-speed automatic, a full batch of airbags and reactive head restraints, along with a driver's side knee airbag. There's also electronic stability control, hill start assist, rear park assist (a good idea, since the rear window is smallish with the top up and with it folded, the resulting stack blocks some of your rearward view), four wheel antilock disc brakes, speed control, power door locks, a security alarm, remote keyless entry, tire pressure monitoring, intermittent wipers, automatic climate control with micron filter, driver seat memory, power windows, a Bose premium AM/FM/Sirius/CD/mp3 audio system with USB and auxilary jacks, Bluetooth, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, tilt steering column, and a vehicle information center.

Options? Our car had two...Customer Preferred Package 22J, the Luxury Leather Package...leather-trimmed heated front bucket seats and an auto-dimming rearview mirror for $1,250...and $300 to upgrade the 15-inch aluminum wheels. With destination charge of $500, the bottom line is $25,550.

No, that's not cheap for a small car...but the Fiat 500C isn't meant to be cheap (although you can buy a base hardtop with a manual transmission for $15,500 and a less lavishly-equipped convertible, the Fiat 500C Pop, for $19,500). It's a premium small car. A Mini Cooper convertible can't be had for less than $25,650 base...$100 more than our 500C's as-tested price. Yes, the Fiat has 20 horsepower less than the Mini...but it weighs 100 pounds less.

So does Fiat beat the Mini? Maybe. It's been years since BMW has sent a Mini our way (save the high-performance, high-pricetage Mini John Cooper Works Convertible we reviewed a year and a half ago), so, as with the 2012 Beetle, we can't make a direct comparison yet. But we will say this much: The Fiat is a very strong contender. Underestimate it at your own risk.

2012 Fiat 500C Lounge

Base price: $23,500.

As tested: $25,550.

Likes: Interior room, 3-position convertible top, great seats.

Dislikes: Vehicle information center confusing. The trip computer in ours either didn't work or we couldn't understand it in a week. Neither of those is a good thing.

EPA estimates: 27 mpg city/32 mpg highway.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts offer out a wide range of car lease deals including deals on Mazda contract hire.

2011 Hyundai Elantra Review

2011-10-05T19:52:00.002-07:00

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra.

It's the one-two punch the Japanese have been dreading.

A little over two months ago, we reviewed the 2011 Hyundai Sonata...the upshot being that Hyundai, for 20 years the Korean underdog, had now built a credible competitor to the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord (and everything else in the family sedan segment too...Focus, Malibu, Passat...).

Well, just as Accord has Civic and Camry has Corolla...Sonata has Elantra...but it's better than that. The Elantra, the smaller of the two, is as good in its class as the Sonata in its and maybe better. It's reminiscent of the days when Accord and Civic were so good you couldn't begin to come up with a reason to buy anything else.

Rear and side view of the 2011 Hyundai Elantra.

The fact is, the Elantra is every bit as good a car as the Sonata...it's just smaller and gets significantly better gas mileage (29 city/40 highway to the Sonata's 22/35...both equipped with automatic transmissions).

Now that paragraph above is a big deal, because I don't believe the Civic is as every bit as good a car as the Accord (though we haven't had a 2012 Civic at TireKicker World Headquarters yet), nor that the Corolla is every bit as good a car as the Camry. Once upon a time, they were, but it's been more than 10 years since I would have put my name anywhere near that assertion.

But the Elantra is. There are no penalties to be paid for its junior status. The styling is fluid and exciting, the power, like the Sonata's, more than adequate, the ride and handling ditto.

The one we tested was the top-of-the-line Limited with the Premium Package. You may remember, our Sonata was a one rung up from the bottom SE with only one option: Floor mats.

As a result, far from being an econobox torture chamber, this is what the interior of our Hyundai Elantra Limited test vehicle looked like:

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited interior.

The Limited starts at $19,980, with ESC, traction control, ABS, four-wheel disc brakes, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist, a full complement of airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system standard.

Oh, yeah...and 17-inch alloy wheels, a power sunroof, fog lights, air, a six-speaker AM/FM/XM/CD/mp3 audio system with iPod/USB and auxilary jack, power windows, locks and heated mirrors, remote keyless entry with alarm, Bluetooth, steering wheel-mounted audio, cruise and phone controls, a tilt and telescoping steering column, trip computer, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, leather seating surfaces with heated front and rear seats and a full tank of gas.

That Premium Package we mentioned above adds $2,000 for a nav system with a high-resolution 7-inch touchscreen, a backup camera, a premium audio system with external amp, automatic headlights and proximity key entry with pushbutton start.

$95 for floormats, $35 for an iPod cable, and we're done at $22,110.

Yes, I know that's only $1,305 less than the Sonata we tested. I'm fine with that. Seriously. Look at it another way. It's only $1,620 more than the Chevrolet Cruze ECO, gets 1 mile per gallon more in the city and two less on the highway (in our testing, we saw 26.9 in 80/20 city street and freeway driving in the Elantra versus 29.2 in the Cruze ECO).

If I was playing with my own money, I'd make the choice between the Sonata and Elantra based on size and room needed. And the Elantra is remarkably roomy inside for its size class, with a surprising amount of trunk space.

Pity Honda and Toyota. It's gotta be rough to have Hyundai make a strong showing in one segment this year. But two?

2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited

Base price: $19,980

As tested: $22,110

Likes: Styling, features, fuel economy.

Dislikes: Can I get back to you...or not?

EPA estimate: 29 mpg city/40 mpg highway.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze ECO Review

2011-10-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze ECO.

Comes now our third test of a Chevrolet Cruze in the past five months. Each one has been a different flavor. We started out with the loaded Chevrolet Cruze LTZ. Loved it, but for $24,000 and change as tested, we'd better have.

Then just about two months ago, it was almost the opposite end of the spectrum...the Chevrolet Cruze 1LT (one level up from the base Cruze). Also a thumbs-up, and at a more reasonable $18,995.

Now it's the Chevrolet Cruze ECO. What makes an ECO an ECO? Well, mostly it's the 1.4 liter ECOTEC engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission with ECO overdrive. But to tell it apart from the other Cruzes in traffic, you'll probably have to look at the trunklid.

The lone giveaway...the discreet "eco" badge on the trunklid of the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze ECO.

If the ECO otherwise looks like a well-equipped Cruze, that's because it is. The base price of $19,245 brings with it the expected practicalities (stability control, ABS, multiple airbags) and some uplevel niceties that the ECO name doesn't imply (security system, keyless entry, OnStar, tire pressure monitor, deluxe cloth seat trim, USB, Bluetooth, XM, a tilting, telescoping, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17 inch alloy wheels and an Aero Performance Package...lower front grille air shutter, mid-body aero panels and front fascia air dam).

Now, that Aero package, while making the Cruze ECO look sporty, is actually there in service of the ECO's primary mission...fuel economy. Through aids like that, the substitution of a tire sealant and inflator kit for a spare tire, a smaller gas tank (12.6 gallons instead of the 15.6 gallons in other Cruze models), economy-minded gearing and the marvels of computers working to squeeze every mile out of every drop of fuel, the ECO takes the same 138-horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged four cylinder and gets an EPA estimated 28 city/42 highway miles per gallon. It's 24/36 in the 1LT and LTZ.

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze ECO interior.

Of course, as the EPA says "your mileage may vary", and as my Dad used to say "it's all about the nut holding the wheel". Our friend and colleague Nina Russin at Carspondent got 44.8 miles per gallon driving it like she stole it. A week later, it was in my hands and in 300 miles (about 20% urban freeway and the rest city streets), I only managed 29.2.

Still, that's in the ballpark for the EPA city estimate, and not a lot of cars get there. In fact, most don't. And overall, the ECO is our favorite Cruze. It looks good, is well equipped, has a nice interior and one of the best manual shifters we've found in a domestic car (not Honda-level, but close). Ours had one option, the Driver Convenience Package, which gives the driver a six-way power-adjustable seat and rear parking assist for $495. So with a $750 destination charge, the bottom line was $20,490. That's a sweet spot for a car in this class and with this level of equipment.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze ECO

Base price: $19,245

As tested: $20,490

Likes: Styling, comfort, economy, slick manual shifter.

Dislikes: USB not fully compatible with iPhone.

EPA estimate: 28 mpg city/42 mpg highway.

2011 Dodge Charger Review

2011-09-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Dodge Charger.

I'll admit it. I was among those who thought naming a four-door sedan "Charger" was an act of sacrilege and doomed to failure. After all, the real Dodge Charger was a two-door.

Well, as Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, "foolish consistency sucks" (or something like that). Fact is, Dodge has built a very good sedan and calling it "Coronet" (the four-door the original Charger was based on) would have been a far worse idea.

And, Dodge has dialed up the menace factor for the 2011 Charger. Look at the picture above. That's a six-cylinder family sedan. Pretty cool.

It helps enormously that under the new sheetmetal is a new six...the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with variable valve timing. Not only is it smooth and refined...it packs 292 horsepower. That's close to 100 horses more than the previous base engine...and only 58 fewer than the Hemi option used to bring. Suffice it to say, it gets up and runs. It's mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission and gets a very respectable 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 on the highway, according to the EPA.

The 2011 Dodge Charger rear view.

Our tester was a Charger Rallye Plus. It started as just a base Charger SE ($25,170), which comes with a full complement of airbags, reactive head restraints, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, electronic stability control, all-speed traction control, hill start assist, rain brake support and ready alert braking.

Next comes the "27J Charger Rallye Plus" package. $4,000 that buys you an 8.4-inch touch-screen display, Uconnect Touch, voice command with Bluetooth, Bluetooth streaming audio (just because you have it for hands-free phone doesn't mean you can play music too...but here you can), Sirius satellite radio, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with microphone, a remote USB port, an audio jack, a 276-watt amplifier and six premium speakers. There's also a remote start system, security alarm, dual-zone automatic climate control, humdity sensor, universal garage door opener, Nappa leather seats (heated in the front and rear...and 8-way power controlled with 4-way lumbar adjustment for the driver and front passenger), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-wrapped shift knob, a heated and cooled front console cupholder, a compass, front overhead LED lighting, front and rear LED map pockets, driver and passenger lower LED lamps and an upgrade to 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels.

Stopping right there would give you a remarkably well equipped car for $29,170...even the destination charge of $825 wouldn't send you past $30K.

The 2011 Dodge Charger interior.

But Dodge wanted us to sample all the goodies, so the press fleet crew packed this one with:

The Driver Confidence Group ($1,495 for blind spot and cross path detection, rear parking assist, a backup camera, low-beam HID headlamps, rain-sensitive windshield wipers, SmartBeam headlamps, outside mirrors that automatically adjust when you put the car in reverse, and a driver's side automatically-dimming outside mirror).
The Driver Convenience Group ($575 for power adjustable pedals with memory, memory for radio, seat and mirrors, and a power tilt/telescoping steering column).
The Adaptive Cruise Control Group ($925 that goes to adaptive speed control, forward collision warning and a heated steering wheel).
The Navigation/Rear Backup Camera Group ($450, integrating a Garmin navigation system with the already-there backup camera and 8.4-inch color touchscreen).
The Rallye Appearance Group ($1,195 for an upgrade to a 506-watt amplifier, 9 amplified speakers with subwoofer, a further jump up to 20-inch chrome-clad aliuminum wheels, 245/R20 all-season performance tires, a rear body-color spoiler and performance suspension).
A power sunroof ($950).

And that, folks, is that. Total price: $35,585. Yeah, there are some things I could quibble about (like how a 506-watt amplifier and speakers wound up in an "appearance" group), but the fact is, this car was a complete joy to drive. It looked great, it drove well, the new interior is just wonderful, it had every imaginable convenience. Yes, you could make do with less for a daily 20-mile commute. But this car whispered things like "Hey, let's go to Denver for lunch." And Denver's 821 miles from TireKicker World HQ. Plus, it can blow the doors off any other domestic family sedan that isn't packing a Hemi.

"Charger" was the right pick, after all.

2011 Dodge Charger Rallye Plus

Base price: $25,170

As tested: $35,585

Likes: Styling, power, handling, attitude and a great new interior.

Dislikes: Some silly option packaging on the part of Dodge's marketing guys.

EPA estimate: 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway.

2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review

2011-09-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring PRHT.

A sure-fire smile inducer at TireKicker is to toss us the keys to a Mazda MX-5 Miata. Tight, quick, fun...everything the MGs, Triumphs and Healys of the 60s were aiming for, but could never quite get that quality thing down.

It's been about a year and a half since Mazda put one in the press fleet, and it's a scientific fact that your body never outgrows its need for a week in a primal roots sporting machine, so we borrowed one from Chapman Mazda in Phoenix. And the one we got was the least primal of the bunch...the Grand Touring PRHT.

What's that? Well, it's an MX-5 Miata loaded with just about everything you can get...including a retractable hardtop. Modern retractables (the first ones from Ford in the late 50s were engineering and electrical nightmares) are simple, slick and for the most part, the best of both worlds...the sun and wind in your hair when you want it, protection from the elements, prying eyes and sticky fingers when you don't (all a thief needs to get into your ragtop when it's parked is a good knife).

The only real downsides are weight and cost. Mazda's kept the weight penalty under a hundred pounds, which is a good thing. The base price of the Grand Touring PRHT (Power Retractable Hard Top) is $5.570 more than your base MX-5 Miata...go for the 6-speed automatic instead of the 6-speed manual and it's $6,570.

The 2011 Mazda Miata MX-5 Grand Touring PRHT. Zoom-Zoom and a smile.

Choosing the automatic also costs you 9 horsepower...down to 158 from 167 with the stick. That's how ours was equipped.

If you're thinking the base price is getting up there, you're right. $29,650 is where ours started. The good news is that besides the retractable, you're getting a lot of nice equipment for your money. Automatic climate control, leather-trimmed seats (heated with 5 settings), a leather-wrapped parking brake and a Bose audio system with AudioPilot 2.

The 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata gauge cluster.

Fold in the one and only option on our car, the Premium Package (anti-theft alarm, advanced keyless entry system, Bluetooth, Xenon headlights, dynamic stability and traction control and Sirius Satellite Radio) for $1,650 and $795 delivery, processing and handling fee, and the sticker reads:

$32,095.

Yeah, you can get a base MX5 Miata for about $23,000 or anywhere between $23,000 and $32,000. But there's nothing wrong with this approach either...it's the Uber-Miata.

2011 Mazda Miata MX-5 Grand Touring PRHT

Base price: $29,650

As tested: $32.095

Likes: Styling, character, handling, drivability, overall fun factor.

Dislikes: The retractable hardtop isn't insulated...on a 105-degree day, the A/C is barely able to counteract the heat seeping into the cockpit.

EPA Estimate: 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway.

2012 Infiniti M Hybrid Review

2011-09-22T20:27:00.001-07:00

The 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid rear view.

In a break with (sometime) TireKicker tradition, we're showing you the rear view of the Infiniti M Hybrid first, because it is how you will most likely see one. You see, just yesterday (9/21/11), no less than an adjucator from the Guiness Book of World's Records and the UK's CAR Magazine certified the M Hybrid as the world's fastest full hybrid.

Now, its 0-60 time of 5.0 seconds is plenty impressive, but CAR decided real speed is best measured in quarter-miles, and there, the M Hybrid did it in an average of 13.9 seconds...tying the 1/4 mile performance of a 1982 Lamborghini Countach, coming within a tenth of a second of the 1998 BMW M3 and within three-tenths of a second of the 2007 Aston Martin Volante and the 2007 Porsche 911 Carerra.

That's gonna sell some cars.

2012 Infiniti M Hybrid. The World's Fastest Full Hybrid.

I'd been driving one for six days when the news broke, and I was already a fan. I could tell, just from the seat of my pants, that this was a phenomenally quick, smooth luxury sedan that just happened to be hybrid-powered.

Not exactly a surprise, really, since it was only five months ago that we got all excited over the gasoline-powered M37.

The surprise was this felt just as good and we knew we were saving gas, at a price only about $7,000 more than the gas version. Yeah, we know...seven grand is seven grand, but Infiniti could have charged more (there are hybrids out there running much closer to a $10K premium over the gasoline-powered equivalent).

The EPA says 27 city/32 highway for the M Hybrid...and we didn't quite get there. In our 500 miles of 70 percent city street/30 percent urban freeway driving, we only averaged 24.9. But then, there's something about that magnificent power package (30 horsepower more than the gas version) that tells you to go ahead and plant your foot in it. I wish I could claim will power, but I can't. Still, that tops the 18/26 EPA estimate for the gasoline M37.

And the fact that the M Hybrid allows you (under the right conditions) to run up to 62 miles per hour on electric power doesn't enforce light-footedness the way hybrids that dip into the fuel tank above 25 miles an hour do.

2012 Infiniti M Hybrid interior.

It all starts at $53,700 with an impressive list of standard features. Too long for me to re-type. Wanna know what they are? Infiniti's M Hybrid webpage has that covered. Our tester added the Delue Touring Package (Japanese White Ash wood trim with genuine silver powder accents, semi-aniline leather appointed seating, a Bose 5.1 channel 16-speaker Premium Audio system, Forest Air filtration, a suede-like headliner, soft double-stitched meter hood and power rear sunshade) for $3,800.

Next was the Premium Package (hard drive navigation system, 8-inch color touchscreen display, voice recognition, XM NavTraffic and NavWeather, Zagat Survey restaurant review, climate controlled front seats and a heated steering wheel) for $3,350.

The little stuff? $650 for 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, $360 for illuminated kick plates and $200 for a trunk mat, trunk net and first aid kit. Toss in destination charges of $895 and the bottom line is $62,955.

And it feels like so much more. Even if it weren't the fastest, we'd love it.

2012 Infiniti M Hybrid

Base price: $53,700

As tested: $62,955

Likes: Styling, power, quality of materials, power, workmanship, power and...did we mention power? Oh, yeah...and better mileage, too.

Dislikes: A little hesitation off the line as the car wakes up and brings the engine back to life.

2011 Jeep Patriot Review

2011-09-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Jeep Patriot

It was easy to dismiss the Jeep Patriot when it first hit the streets (and trails) a couple of years back. Part of it was guilt by association, having been introduced to the public at the same time as the first-ever non-Trail Rated Jeep, the almost identically-sized Jeep Compass.

But while the Compass was (and is, despite some upgrades) a Jeeped-up Dodge, the Patriot was (and is) a real Jeep. In many ways, it's the spiritual successor to the 1984 Jeep Cherokee.

1984 Jeep Cherokee

Yes, if you dial the wayback machine 28 model years in reverse, you'll find people wondering what was up with this very small Jeep, which replaced the huge (in retrospect) Cherokee (itself a cut-down version of the 1963 Wagoneer).

The Patriot's like that. First impression is it's too small to be a Jeep, having been exposed to Grand Cherokees, Commanders and even Libertys. But drive it a few minutes and you'll find it's the back-to-basics vehicle that Jeep's been needing.

Our tester was the Patriot Latitude 4X4, but the window sticker shows that it was optioned up to Latitude level from a base Sport model.

We'll break that down for you. Jeep Patriot Sport 4X4. Starting at $17,695, it's only $1,700 more than the Sport 2-wheel drive model. Stepping up to the 4X4 gives you the 2.4 liter DOHC 16-valve engine and 165 horsepower instead of the stock 2.0 liter, 141 horsepower four.

You also get three transmission choices: A Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), a CVT with AutoStick, or a five-speed manual. Personally, I'd go with the stick, but the Jeep press fleet chose the CVT with an off-road crawl rate. And, honestly, it was a very good, very smooth CVT. I had to be reminded that was how the Patriot was equipped, which means it felt natural...like the best (Nissan, Subaru) CVTs.

2011 Jeep Patriot Interior

The standard equipment list also includes a full complement of airbags, electronic stability control, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, hill start assist, brake assist, speed control, Security Key Theft Deterrent System, a removable/rechargable LED flashlight, rear window defroster, wiper and washer, tire pressure monitoring, an AM;/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with audio jack, and a center floor console.

All in all, that's a cut above the basics in a very competent little Jeep for only $17,695. I'd buy one like that.

Except.

It hadn't occurred to me in a long, long time...especially living in Arizona, but there are cars for sale in this country (not many) where air conditioning is an extra-cost option. And the Jeep Patriot is one.

So our Patriot came with Customer Preferred Package 28B, which gives you air conditioning as well as an upgrade to 17-inch aluminum wheels, power heated manual fold away mirrors, body color door handles and liftgate applique', height adjustable drivers' seat, power windows, speed-sensitive power door locks, remote keyless entry, illuminated entry, steering wheel mounted audio controls, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, rear 60/40 reclining and folding seat backs, a fold-flat front passenger seatback, heated front seats and a 115 volt power outlet.

That package is $3,700. Making the price (so far) $21,395. Which is actually a few bucks cheaper than starting with the Latitude 4X4.

But the option list goes on...another $3,400 worth, give or take. The Security and Convenience Group gets you supplemental front seat-mounted side airbags, a security alarm, auto-dimming rear-view mirror with microphone, electronic vehicle information center, universal garage door opener, adjustable roof rail crossbars and a soft tonneau cover for $750. All nice stuff to have.

Then there's the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Group: All-Terrain tires, brake lock differential, hill descent control, a full-size spare, skid plates for the transmission, oil pan and fuel tank, tow hooks, an engine oil cooler, trailer towing wiring harness, all-season front and rear floor mats and a "Trail Rated" badge for $500. Those are essentials. I'd absolutely check that option box.

The CVT with off-road crawl ratio? That's an extra $1,000. Again, I'd go with the manual if it was my money.

Ours also came with the Media Center 430, which adds a 30 gig hard drive that can hold 6,700 of your favorite songs (depending on length...depending on Ramones or Rachmaninoff, your storage capacity may vary), and a 6.5 inch touch screen display. That's $640. As with nav systems, odds are your phone can do this.

And finally, $375 for the Uconnect Voice Command with Bluetooth. It adds a USB port for mobile devices, and Sirius Satellite Radio with a 1-year subscription. I'm a huge believer in hands-free mobile when driving...I'd probably say yes for the Bluetooth alone.

With $700 destination charge, the bottom line winds up at $25,410. And that's a long way from the $17,695 we started at. But it's not unreasonable. It is far less expensive than the average SUV, which doesn't have the Patriot's capabilities (as equipped), and it's actually less expensive than the average family sedan today. And we'd knock a grand off that sticker by shifting it ourselves.

2011 Jeep Patriot

Base price: $17,695

As tested: $25,410

EPA estimate: 20 mpg city/23 mpg highway

Likes: Compact size, low base price, real Jeep capability, fuel economy, dramatically improved interior.

Dislikes: Air conditioning and Bluetooth should be standard.

Every Breath You Take: OnStar's Watching You (Even If You Cancel)

2011-09-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

New privacy policy at OnStar: Starting in December, they're tracking your car and your speed even if you cancel your subscription. And they reserve the right to sell the data. Story from Wired Magazine.

2012 Mazda 3 Review

2011-09-14T19:50:00.002-07:00

The 2012 Mazda 3.

A truly great small car is a wonderful thing. For a long, long time, my vote for best ever went to the 1984 Honda Civic I bought brand new and kept for 14 years and 144,000 trouble-free miles.

But some time back, the old Civic got passed by a small car with all of its virtues (compact size, good interior space, fuel economy and a bigger dose of fun-to-drive than anything else in the class) and all the improvements more than a quarter-century can bring: The Mazda 3.

We've driven and raved about Mazda 3s before. In fact, the 2008 Mazda 3 was one of the first TireKicker reviews, on our third day of existence. And a little over a year and a half ago, we sampled the new-gen 2010.

But a year and a half is a long time not to be driving and talking about one of the best buys in all autodom, so we arranged with Chapman Mazda in Phoenix to borrow a just-arrived 2012 Mazda 3 for a week.

Rear view of the 2012 Mazda 3 5-Door

This time, we drew the Mazda 3 S 5-Door Touring model. There are only two flavors of the Mazda 3 5-door...Touring and Grand Touring. The difference between the two cars? $1,570, which buys a power moonroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather-trimmed sport seats, heated front seats with 5 settings, an 8-way power driver's seat and a 6-CD, 10-speaker Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound system.

Which is one serious value for $1,570.

But sticking with the S is by no means roughing it. Both cars have the same 2.5 liter DOHC 4 with 167 horsepower that feels like a good 90 more. Both come standard with a 6-speed manual transmission and an EPA mileage estimate of 20 city/28 highway.

Ours had the 5-speed automatic, and in testament to how good the computer progamming behind modern automatics has become, the automatic gets better mileage than the stick...bumping up to 22 city/29 highway.

The automatic was the only option...putting the base price at $22,000 even, plus $795 delivery, processing and handling. So $22,795. For that you get 4-wheel disc brakes, electronic power assisted rack and pinion steering, front and rear stabilizer bars, 17 inch alloy wheels, and the most fun you've had while driving in a long, long time.

Simply put (and we've said this before), Mazdas love to run. They're happy machines. The smiley face front ends are no coincidence. They handle like they're on rails. They live up to the corporate motto "Always The Soul of a Sports Car".

2012 Mazda 3 interior

Look at the instrument panel in the picture above. Everything simple, direct and right where your hand expects it to be. Not to mention tastefully designed and of very good materials and craftsmanship...way beyond what $22,000 normally buys.

The Mazda 3 spent many months on the TireKicker Top 10 Cars (So Far) list early on. With the 2012 Mazda 3, it's back. If you're looking for a small car that you'll love to drive, you've just found it.

UPDATE: If the five-door is so good, how's the 2012 Mazda 3 four-door?

The 2012 Mazda 3 4-Door Sport.

Surprisingly good. Now, you may wonder why there'd be a surprise when all that's different is the number of doors...but that's the thing...the Mazda 3 5-door and 4-door have three big differences beyond the roofline.

One, the Mazda 3 i Sport 4-door (also borrowed from Chapman Mazda in Phoenix) packs a bit less power...148 horses instead of the 167 in the 5-door (you can get the hotter engine by stepping up to the S model four-door).

Two...that difference in power makes a significant difference in mileage: The EPA says the 4-door should get 24 city/33 highway as opposed to the 22/29 in the five-door (both those figures are for the automatic versions...the stick in the four-door bumps it up to 25/33).

And three...price. The Mazda 3 i Sport 4-door starts at $17,555 with the automatic transmission, $2,445 less than the 5-door tested above. Want one for even less? Go with the stick and the base price for the 4-door drops to $16,845. And, if you live in a place where you can live without air conditioning and an outside temperature display, there's the Mazda 3 i SV 4-door at a mere $15,200.

Apart from those three things, everything we said about the 5-door goes for the 4-door. It's a truly terrific small sedan. Once again, we got one without options and the final cost (including delivery) was $18,350...making it the second lowest-priced (as tested) car we've driven this year. The lowest? The 3's baby brother...the Mazda 2.