Selasa, 25 Desember 2012

2013's The Good 12 - BMW 328i - $35,000-$40,000

BMW 328i
Until the F31-generation 3-Series Touring arrives and shows us what rooflines were meant to be, the 3-Series sedan does a fine job of showing us what a luxury car ought to be. 

The Good 12 2013 logoBMW is still benefiting from its long cultivation of the 3-Series brand. You can have at least this much horsepower and at least this much equipment for substantially less money in just about any 3-Series rival. Yet the 3-Series remains the more desirable car. 

It still handles wonderfully. Of course there's not the delicacy you'd enjoy in a 2002tii - get over it. And no, it doesn't steer like an E30 M3. Neither do any of the 328i's competitors.

 Apparently, most buyers don't care about the 3er's dynamic decline, nor do they appear concerned about its expense. We want a mix of power and efficiency, a blend of luxury and lightness, a union between handling priorities and ride quality. The 328i provides the right brew, and does so while looking better than it has since 1991.

 As for the advancement of the breed, the 328i now has as much horsepower as the E36 M3 of 1998. In fact, the 328i now has 8% more torque than that car and only weighs 9% more. The EPA city fuel economy rating has improved 35%, the highway figure is 27% better. The state of the modern sport sedan ain't so bad after all.

-----

Engine: 240 horsepower; 255 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $36,500 / $39,990

City Fuel Economy: 22-23 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: If the market determines whether an item is priced appropriately, the 328i is perfectly priced. But to those of us who didn't pay the price, the 328i is the most expensive car of its kind with the most expensive options.

Sales Stats: The overall 3-Series range is America's best-selling premium vehicle line; Canada's too. Its best-selling competition, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, is selling better than it has in years, however. 

 Viable Alternatives: The Audi S4 is quick. The Volvo S60 is comfortable. There's a new Lexus IS on the way. The list goes on.


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,

2013's The Good 12 - Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - $40,000-$45,000

FORD F-150 SVT RAPTOR
GoodCarBadCar was quick to honour the Ram 1500 range with a Good 12 placement, but for customers aiming to spend a little extra, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is downright irresistable. 

The Good 12 2013 logoSure, an off-road truck isn't every pickup buyer's dream vehicle. Maybe you don't need 411 horsepower. Perhaps a foot of suspension travel is too much for you. Gigantic skid plates might not be your cup of tea. Tires that are more than a foot wide and nearly three feet tall possibly offer a greater degree of curb-crawling competence than you can manage.

 Yeah, the F-150 SVT Raptor is just too much truck for some pickup buyers. 

For the rest of us, the idea of owning a comfortable, fast, and overwhelmingly effective truck is exciting, even thrilling. Only without the typical Raptor graphics, please. Garish isn't goodness.

-----

Engine: 411 horsepower; 434 lb-ft of torque from a 6.2L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $43,340 / $56,599

City Fuel Economy: 11 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: The Raptor is more than half a foot wider than a typical F-150. That doesn't make parallel parking the Raptor in a downtown parking garage a task for the fainthearted. 

Sales Stats: The Raptor is just one niche model in the vast F-Series range. The F-Series range happens to be the best-selling vehicle line in North America. 4.6% of all new vehicles sold in North America in the first eleven months of 2012 were F-Series pickups.

 Viable Alternatives: The Mopar Ram Runner?


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,

2013's The Good 12 - Chevrolet Suburban - $45,000-$50,000

CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
The Chevrolet Suburban's downsides are widely known and easily explained in a nutshell. Suburbans are vast, and while that pays dividends inside, the size of this behemoth sucks, both in parking lots and at the fuel pump. Additionally, the eleventh-generation Suburban is nearing the end of its term, and its interior styling was never the most modern to begin with.

 The Good 12 2013 logoThe penalties we pay for Suburban ownership are nothing compared to the perks we enjoy during Suburban ownership. It's a veritable school bus, and with seats folded, it's a genuine cargo van. Suburban 1500s have a theoretical range of 540 miles. 

 The long wheelbase limits off-roading, but only to a degree: there are nine inches of ground clearance. Even in the third row, leg room stretches to 35 inches, just a speck less than you'll have in the back of a Civic. 

 Best of all, the Suburban can be a school bus and cargo van at the same time. Having seated eight of your besties, you can also throw in 45.8 cubic feet of their luggage. That's significantly more cargo capacity than you'll find behind the second row of the Chevrolet Equinox. The Toyota Camry's trunk is only one-third the size.

 Space equals luxury. Given how much Chevrolet is charging for a Suburban these days, it better be luxurious in one way or another.

-----

Engine: 320 horsepower; 335 lb-ft of torque from a 5.3L V8 or 352 horsepower; 382 lb-ft of torque from a 6.0L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $42,545 / $52,610

City Fuel Economy: 10 - 15 

It's Not Perfect: There are plenty of fine Suburban rivals, not the least of which is its twin, the GMC Yukon XL. Cadillac's $66K Escalade ESV is a high-end option. Toyota's Sequoia and Ford's Expedition also feel a bit fresher. In other words, the Suburban is getting old, and we expect a bit more finesse from a new SUV these days, even if it is more than 18 feet long.

Sales Stats: Obviously GM isn't selling as many full-size, truck-based sport-utility vehicles as it did a decade ago. But automakers aren't selling as many vehicles as they used to in general, as the market is simply not the size it once was. Nevertheless, America remains a much larger market for jumbo SUVs than Canada. Although the overall U.S. new vehicle market is between eight and ten times bigger than Canada's, Suburban volume is 46 times better in the U.S.

 Viable Alternatives: Rather obviously, the GMC Yukon XL. The Ford Expedition and Toyota Sequoia are also impressive.


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,

2013's The Good 12 - Dodge Ram 1500 - $30,000-$35,000

RAM 1500
There are probably about 1951 different Ram permutations that end up with a price somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000. One important new version is the V6-powered 2013 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab. Relatively efficient, suitable for work and family life, and decently equipped, the $34,585 SLT V6 Quad Cab will now be a commonly seen truck. The 305 horsepower and 269-lb-ft generated by the V6 are impressive figures, limited only by the high engine speeds at which they're achieved.

The Good 12 2013 logoThe Ford EcoBoost-fighting V6 is only one part of what makes the Ram pickup range the one to consider. Let's be clear: there are countless reasons for the F-Series' marketplace dominance. You'll probably be satisfied with a Chevrolet Silverado, you'd have fun with the Nissan Titan's 5.6L V8, and the Toyota Tundra is a big truck on a continent that loves big trucks.

This Ram has a lot going for it, however, not the least of which is that new V6 engine. The rumbling Hemi V8 remains the most alluring truck engine on the market. Though not F-150-like inside, the Ram's interior is so far beyond what GM is currently offering. 

 Much of the Ram's appeal continues to be its styling. Pickup trucks ought to be this aggressive, and the Ram's near-perfect truck design details - the forward-leaning crosshair grille and thick-spoked wheels especially - cause other trucks to appear almost unassuming. 

-----

Engine: 305 horsepower; 269 lb-ft of torque from a 3.6L V6, 310 horsepower; 330 lb-ft of torque from a 4.7L V8, or 395 horsepower; 407 lb-ft of torque from a 5.7L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $22,590 / $19,995

City Fuel Economy: 14-18 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: The Ram is not a Ford F-150, and that alone is enough for many buyers to  avoid the truck formally known as a Dodge. As is the case with other trucks, Ram's diesel engine is unfortunately not available in non-HD versions.

Sales Stats: Consistently America's third-best-selling truck and Canada's second-best-selling truck (and second-best-selling vehicle), the Ram pickup range is the highest-volume nameplate in the Chrysler Group's lineup.

 Viable Alternatives: Thinking specifically, the Good 12-winning Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is a statement maker, a veritable maker of statements. In general, it's hard to find a bad full-size truck. The replacements for GM's twins appear to be very livable products, too.


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,

2013's The Good 12 - Fiat 500 Turbo - $15,000-$20,000

FIAT 500 TURBO
2013 Fiat 500 Turbo
Remember all the times you questioned whether 101 horsepower was enough in a modern automobile? Fiat heard your concerns.

 The Good 12 2013 logoThe 135-horsepower 500T is no Abarth. This wasn't the car Tracy Chapman was singing about. But it's plenty swift. Horsepower is, after all, up 34% in a car which weighs just 5% more. It is indeed the 500T's weight, the wonderful lack of weight, which makes it such a worthwhile drive.

 Tipping the scales at just 2477 pounds, the Fiat 500 Turbo is spectacularly maneuverable and eminently chuckable. Rather fortunately, the 500's ride never deteriorates the way you'd expect from a car with less than eight feet of wheelbase. 

 Fiat did more to this 500 than just up the underhood ante. There's a subtle bodykit, upgraded brakes, and the 500 Sport's suspension. 

Compared with more conventional cars like the best-selling Honda Civic, Good 12-winning Kia Rio, and pricier Volkswagen Golf, the 500 is a bit of an oddball. Yet its flair is distinctly Italian. In North America, unless you can afford a Ferrari, Maserati, or Lamborghini, the 500 is the only way to find that seductive flair.

-----

Engine: 135 horsepower; 150 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 1.4L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $19,500 / $18,495

City Fuel Economy: 28 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: There are rear seats in the 500T, but they're difficult for an adult to access and even more difficult for an adult to tolerate for more than a moment. Some interior parts don't measure up to the high quality of other parts. Too cute can also be too much of a bad thing. And though clearly not a guzzler, fuel economy isn't the 500's strong suit.

Sales Stats: There was one rival in view when Fiat returned to North America. Fiat's 500 is easily outselling the whole Mini brand in Canada, and in the U.S., the 500 is right in line with equivalent Minis. The turbocharged mid-range car will only generate greater Cinquecento volume.

 Viable Alternatives: The Mini Cooper springs to mind.


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,

2013's The Good 12 - Volkswagen Golf GTI - $20,000-$25,000

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI
2013 Volkswagen Golf GTI Detroit alloys
At first blush, the Volkswagen GTI has aged, a process made more evident now that it's been overshadowed by the much more powerful Ford Focus ST.

 Ah, but only like a fine wine.

 The Good 12 2013 logoPower isn't everything, and the fact that the Focus's turbocharged 2.0L generates an extra 52 horsepower and 63 more lb-ft of torque while drinking less fuel doesn't necessarily make the Ford the more desirable car. Personally, I don't care for the boy racer look. The Focus's centre console also resides too close to the driver's right leg, something that might not bother you, but it drives me crazy. 

 Ford made tremendous strides with the second-generation Focus. GoodCarBadCar honoured the Focus Titanium hatchback with a Good 12 victory just last year. But the Golf remains the more premium-feeling machine, the one you might want to keep for life, not just until something newer and flashier hits the auto show circuit. In these conflicting sporty trims, the Focus ST might be the better drive, but is it a car I want to use as my family's daily driver? My nephews would love it. My wife's aunts would continue to believe I'd never grown up.

 But a Golf, a fast Golf riding on the best wheels the automobile world has to offer, satisfies so many different cravings. It's a German turbocharged hatchback with room for five. Seriously, what more could you want? 

 Apart from the Focus ST's engine and lower price tag, of course.

-----

Engine: 200 horsepower; 207 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $23,995 / $29,375

City Fuel Economy: 21 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: The GTI's highway fuel economy, 31 mpg, is fine for a car of this nature. But that city figure isn't pleasant. It could also be difficult to reconcile the 2013 purchase of an Mk6 GTI when you quite rightly suspect the Mk7 GTI will be better. The GTI isn't a rear-wheel-drive dream like the Subaru BRZ. Unfortunately, the BRZ and its twin, the Scion FR-S, have virtually unusable rear seats and aren't nearly as pleasant to live with on a daily basis.

Sales Stats: Through eleven months, 40% of the Golfs sold in the United States in 2012 were of the GTI variety. Combined with the Golf R, Golfs that don't use a diesel or 2.5L five-cylinder accounted for just a bit under half of all Golf sales. In Canada, the Golf line ranks in the top 35 of all new vehicle nameplates, some 60 spots up on what the Golf does in the United States.

 Viable Alternatives: The Ford Focus ST, Mini Cooper S, and Fiat 500 Abarth all have the ability to amuse.


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,

2013's The Good 12 - Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - $25,000-$30,000

JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Strange as it may sound, Jeep's stretched Wrangler is a pleasant place in which to spend time. A decent sound system, ample room, and moderate equipment levels are just the beginning. Visibility, paired with the Wrangler's squared-off corners, makes maneuvering the Unlimited in tight spaces a breeze. Compared to many SUVs with this level of interior capacity, city life in the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is easy.

 The Good 12 2013 logoAnd don't act as though interior capacity isn't a reason to buy the Wrangler Unlimited. When contrasted with the regular-wheelbase Wrangler, it's the only reason. Seats up, the Unlimited has 163% more capacity for camping gear. With the rear seats down, the Unlimited has 91% more cargo volume. Not that we're submitting the Escape as a Wrangler Unlimited rival, but the Ford has three fewer cubic feet of cargo volume. 

 The Wrangler's other attributes? It will take you through flooded valleys and up snow-covered mountain trails. This much you knew. 

 You also know that it looks like a Jeep: iconic, influential, memorable, and nearly mythical in its status as an off-roader. Perhaps it's not your cup of tea, but factually speaking, it is a do-it-all SUV. To end up as a vehicle that's capable of so much more than you need it to be, Jeep needed the Wrangler Unlimited to make some sacrifices. Some are more difficult to accept than others; none are insurmountable.

-----

Engine: 285 horsepower; 260 lb-ft of torque from a 3.6L V6

Base USD/CAD Price: $25,695 / $30,045

City Fuel Economy: 16 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: Highway stability isn't the Wrangler's forte. Maintaining the straight-ahead requires more concentration than in most vehicles. Fuel economy is better than it used to be, but the city figure still makes the Wrangler a difficult pill to swallow for a buyer who's also considering a Kia Sorento or Nissan Pathfinder.

Sales Stats: The Wrangler is one of North America's best-selling SUVs, not just in comparison to other rough-and-tumble bruisers like the Toyota FJ Cruiser (which sells once for every twelve Wranglers) but crossovers like the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot, too.

 Viable Alternatives: For those who want to be different, the Toyota 4Runner is more costly, but it's an awfully attractive proposition.


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,

2013's The Good 12 - Kia Rio 5-Door - Sub $15K

KIA RIO 5-DOOR
2013 Kia Rio 5-Door
$15,000 doesn't buy you what it used to. No longer can an Acura Integra be acquired for $12,580, as it could 20 years ago. These days, sub-$15K cars are subcompacts and subcompacts only. 

The Good 12 2013 logo
If a new car is a must-have, if you refuse to take a bit of risk on a '97 BMW 740i for $5000, you owe it to yourself to purchase the subcompact that looks better than all the others. The one with a terrific warranty, class-leading horsepower, and available Chestnut paint. 

 Most importantly, it's best to consider the subcompact which features an interior capable of impressing jaded buyers who usually spend $25,000, not $15,000. The quality of materials is better than expected. The layout is mature. If you want to spend more than $13,800 - and you will want to - upper trim levels are reasonably priced and very well equipped.

 Overlooking the fact that many consumers still struggle with the thought of owning a Korean-badged car, the sophisticated image presented by a debadged Rio riding on 17-inch alloys is undeniable. It's a high-class looker.

 For a buyer with few dollars to spend and a need for a decent amount of space, the Rio is unbeatable. Fortunately, buyers can rarely go wrong in the subcompact segment these days. No, inflation and cancellation mean you won't be buying a new $12,580 Integra in 2013. But the Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, Honda Fit, and this Rio (especially) are all worth test driving.

-----

Engine: 138 horsepower; 123 lb-ft of torque from a 1.6L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $13,800 / $14,195

City Fuel Economy: 28-29 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: The Rio's front seats leave something to be desired. Its rear bench is also too flat. And it would be nice if Kia figured out how to make the Rio corner like the similarly-swift Sonic.

Sales Stats: The Rio ranks second in its class in Canada, quite a distance behind its sibling, the Hyundai Accent, and is frequently one of Canada's 30 best-selling vehicles. South of the border, where subcompacts don't make as much of an impact, the Rio is one of the 90 best-selling vehicles in the United States. Rio sales more than doubled in 2012.

 Viable Alternatives: The subcompact class is filled with worthy cars. I can have fun driving a Ford Fiesta, Mazda 2, or Honda Fit. The Rio's Hyundai partner, the Accent, is very much a Rio in many ways. Chevrolet's Sonic is handsome and quick on its feet. And thinking even smaller, the new higher-powered Fiat 500 Turbo is Good 12-winning Italian sweetness.


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,

2013's The Bad 8 - Toyota Corolla CE

TOYOTA COROLLA CE
Like any good Mac user, I perpetually believe that every Windows user is in a constant state of frustration with a computer that's in a constant state of disrepair.

 Likewise, Toyota Corolla drivers like to believe that drivers of every other car - especially those vile Hyundais, Kias, Chevrolets, and Fords - are forever visiting their dealer with never-ending warranty claims.

2013's The Bad 8 logo
Drivers of the basic Corolla don't seem to understand that reliability can be found in other more stylish, more powerful, more fuel efficient, more refined, better equipped, and less expensive cars.

 The Corolla CE, as it's called in Canada, is a $15,450 CDN car lacking air-con, power door locks, and keyless entry. The door handles are that nasty black, rather than body colour. You'll need to upgrade through two packages to get power windows and cruise control. If you select the automatic transmission option, it's a 4-speed. Because the Corolla CE wants you to believe it's 2003. You might as well put Hey Ya! on repeat.

 In my jurisdiction, a typical 5-year finance arrangement on a Corolla CE that includes power locks and windows plus an automatic transmission results in a taxes-in monthly payment of $395. Hyundai's more powerful and efficient Elantra - which uses a 6-speed automatic, generates more power and superior fuel economy while also looking a lot better inside and out - costs a few dollars less each month. Mazda's 3 is cheaper, too. Honda's best-selling Civic costs only a bit more than the Corolla but is an infinitely better car in every meaningful way. 

 No wonder the Civic, Elantra, and 3 all sell more often than the Corolla in Canada. They shake it like it's a Polaroid picture.

-----

Alternatives: The aforementioned Civic, Elantra, or 3. Kia's 5-door Rio hatchback is an impressive vehicle for the price. It must be said, the Toyota Prius C is interesting, too.

Base USD/CAD Price: $16,230 (Corolla L) / $15,450

It Sucks, But... It's a Corolla. So you can drive it to the moon and back and it will still be your baby. A baby you respect, but not a baby you can love.

Sales Stats: The Corolla has been and will continue to be one of the three or four best-selling compact cars in North America and around the world. A new version will bow soon, and hopefully it will be a little more exciting.


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,

2013's The Bad 8 - Lincoln MKS

LINCOLN MKS
Originally, the Lincoln MKS had but one stylistic fault. And that's where this story gets really bizarre. Lincoln's designers took that one fault, the MKS's ungainly schnoz, and enhanced it. No, enhanced is the wrong word. 

 Lincoln amplified it. Exaggerated it. Embellished it. They took an ugly Santa Claus sweater and ironed on snowman appliques.

 2013 the bad 8 logoIt's established then. The Lincoln MKS only looks good in the dark. 

 The MKS has other problems, though. It's big inside, yes, but it's huge outside. The gargantuan exterior doesn't pay off inside to the degree you'd expect. With just two extra inches of length, the Mercedes-Benz S350 BlueTec has 18% more interior passenger volume. 

 The 365-horsepower EcoBoost six-cylinder is only as eco-friendly as the 402-horsepower V8 in the Mercedes-Benz E550 4Matic.

 The Lincoln MKS is far from pretty. Sadly, it's not as roomy as it could be, not as powerful as it should be, and not as fuel efficient as they lead us to believe it might be.

-----

Alternatives: Like big American cars? Why not drive the Chrysler 300C? Like big luxury cars? You should consider the Audi A6. Like Lincolns? The new MKZ is unusual, but its retractable roof is cool.

Base USD/CAD Price: $42,810 / $47,700 

It Sucks, But... You could get the very similar but much better-looking Ford Taurus SHO for $39,200.

Sales Stats: Canadians don't know the MKS exists. In the U.S., the MKS sold just once for every 3.6 Cadillac XTS sedans in October.


Diposting oleh di Tidak ada komentar:
Label: , ,
Langganan: Postingan (Atom)