Jumat, 23 Desember 2011

2012's The Good 12 - Porsche Boxster Spyder


PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER


2012 Porsche Boxster Spyder
As if it wasn't enough that the Porsche Boxster was one of the best cars in the world to drive, in Spyder form, it's also one of the best at which to gander. 

GoodCarBadCar The Good 12 2012
We're nearing the end of the line for the current, second-generation Boxster. The Spyder, therefore, is not long for this world. A person who regularly adopts glass-half-empty characteristics would have to acknowledge that there is nothing wrong with this car. In the common parlance of positive people, that means it's perfect. 

The Porsche Boxster Spyder is perfect.

True, the Kia Rio costs less. The Nissan Juke consumes less fuel. The Chevrolet Suburban carries more people. The Jeep Wrangler comes with both a soft top and a hard top. The Volkswagen GTI offers German performance for less. But it's the fact that those other cars do other things well that so aptly highlights the Boxster Spyder's perfection. This car almost looks silly doing anything but driving.

Don't get groceries in a Boxster Spyder, because people will see it sitting in a supermarket parking lot. Don't let your new Boxster Spyder be seen anywhere within ten miles of home - we'll all know you didn't drive far enough. If you have a car like this, one that begs to be driven, one that asks for nothing else and provides little else, please just drive it. Fast and far.

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Engines: 320 horsepower; 273 lb-ft from a 3.4L boxer six-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $61,800 / $70,500

City Fuel Economy: 19-20 miles per gallon

It's Not Actually Perfect: The Boxster is sparsely equipped by intention. There are certain options you may require, of course, but others you may not: the dreadful $3140 cream white paint comes to mind. Should automatic climate control cost $1760 in a car that costs $61,800? Should heated seats be a $525 option when, in Canada, they're standard in a $15,595 Kia Rio?

Sales Stats: Porsche says low inventory has hurt Boxster sales of late. Though the range has the lowest base price of any Porsche, the Boxster doesn't have the mass market appeal of a retractable hardtop nor the benefit of rear seats. Therefore, the Porsche is routinely out-sold by the Audi TT, BMW Z4, and Mercedes-Benz SLK. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Porsche Boxster range can be viewed here.


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2012's The Good 12 - Nissan Juke

NISSAN JUKE
2012 Nissan Juke Grey
Remember when Elaine's roommate, George's girlfriend, got the nose job? Things didn't turn out so well. So before you ask Nissan to take the Juke to some Hollywood miracle surgeon, keep that memory in mind.

GoodCarBadCar Good 12 2012
Besides, aren't we all adjusting to the Juke's nose? At first it was frightening, then just a little scary, then offensive, odd, and unique before finally becoming cute. Now the Juke's previously unsightly face is just part of the little Nissan's personality.

And boys does the Juke ever have personality. From the way the tiny turbocharged engine ramps up the power to the way the all-wheel drive Juke effortlessly rotates around a corner under full throttle, the Juke exudes happiness in an era when cars have grown so serious. Tell a joke. At the very least, have a sense of humour. Joie de vivre, and all that.

The Nissan Juke is loaded with features, though not overloaded with the feeling of costliness. But therein lies the Juke's greatest asset: it's cheap. Few cars under $30,000 offer more thrills per minute. No other car, at any price, offers such a quantity of thrills while consistently causing passersby look twice, once out of horror; once more out of curiosity. 

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Engines: 188 horsepower; 177 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $19,770 / $19,998

City Fuel Economy: 25-27 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: Rear seat space is at a premium, too serious a premium if you'll typically have rear seat passengers any larger than Nathan Gerbe. Moreover, rear seat space was not sacrificed with cargo room in mind, as load-lugging isn't the Juke's forte, either.

Sales Stats: Had Nissan intended for the Juke to take over the small crossover world, they probably would have insisted the designer come up with a less controversial face. In fact, the Juke is a small-time hit, out-selling the Volkswagen Tiguan, Mini Countryman, and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in the United States. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Nissan Juke can be viewed here.
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2012's The Good 12 - Land Rover Range Rover Evoque


LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER EVOQUE

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Coupe Fuji White
There's no doubt the Range Rover Evoque has already won more prestigious awards. Top Gear named it the magazine's car of the year, for example. The Evoque is not a very powerful vehicle. It's not especially spacious inside. Dealers require a rather large wad of cash before they'll hand one over. They'll even ask for more money if you want fewer doors.

If the Evoque doesn't represent good value, prodigious power, or rational thinking, why does every motoring publication want to lavish such praise upon it? 

GoodCarBadCar The Good 12 2012
Well, have you seen one? Not just in these pictures - have you actually spent time walking around a new Range Rover Evoque? Did you take the time to savour the seductive lines of its interior? Have you seen an Evoque drive by looking for all the world like the kind of stylish concept vehicle other automakers decide not to build? If so, was it the Orkney Grey Metallic Evoque? Did it ride on the 20-inch Shadow alloys? 

Fortunately, the Evoque is a capable handler and can even cope with moderate off-road excursions. It's not as though Land Rover equipped this stunning supermodel of a car with the brain of a delinquent fourth-grader. The Evoque is actually a very good car.

Yet, if the new Land Rover Range Rover Evoque wasn't quick or fun to drive; if it was a bit truckish; if it was even more expensive, it wouldn't matter. We would still want a new Range Rover Evoque in our driveways. No, it may not have landed a coveted spot in The Good 12, but it would have remained hugely desirable. I mean, have you seen one? Have you spent time walking around a new Range Rover Evoque? Did you take the time to.... 

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Engines: 240 horsepower; 251 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $43,995 / $46,995

City Fuel Economy: 18 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: The vehicles most shoppers would consider cross-shopping after testing a Range Rover Evoque include the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLK350. All three are worth buying. All three cost less than the Evoque.

Sales Stats: The Evoque is fresh on the market but sales figures are constantly updated here.


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2012's The Good 12 - Land Rover LR4


LAND ROVER LR4

2012 Land Rover LR4 Bournville
The Land Rover LR4 is classic. A quick glance reveals the same boxy and evocative shape the LR3 and Discovery used before it. Its all-road abilities remain steadfast, key to the LR4s appeal. Interior appointments are better than ever. Powering the LR4 is a 5.0L V8 which makes the old Discovery, with its 4.0L 182-horsepower V8, feel like it's standing still.

GoodCarBadCar The Good 12 2012
There's no doubt the LR4 is a larger luxury sport-utility vehicle, and with this size and status come a whole host of more car-like rivals which cause the Land Rover to feel a little low-tech. At first.

The LR4 comes alive when the harmon/kardon stereo launches into Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue, when the big V8 propels you gently to highway speed like a smooth wave that never breaks. When you  raise the suspension to avoid the basketball in your driveway. When you lower the suspension in pursuit of aerodynamics which might assist you in your quest for 13 mpg. When you handle a traffic jam by putting two of the Land Rover's wheels up on the sidewalk, causing every other driveway to laugh at your audacity, just a little, before realizing they want one, too. 

Yes, that's when the LR4 comes alive, when, as an inanimate object, it manages to preternaturally acquire the confidence of one which knows other vehicles crave its cunning and competence.

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Engines: 375 horsepower; 375 lb-ft of torque from a 5.0L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $49,750 / $59,990

City Fuel Economy: 12 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: You know what might be worse than the LR4's 12 city miles per gallon? The LR4's highway rating is a barely tolerable 17 miles per gallon. Oh, by the way, the LR4 drinks premium. And it's not much of a handler: though capable in corners, many of the LR4s more successful rivals take corners like tall sports cars.

Sales Stats: Time was when the LR4's predecessor, Land Rover's Discovery, had few rivals to consider and just one in-showroom competitor. Now the LR4 must fend off numerous luxury crossovers (albeit in a larger market) as well as the Range Rover Sport, LR2, and the new Evoque. Sales dropped 59% from 2002 to 2010. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the LR4 can be viewed here.


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2012's The Good 12 - Kia Rio 5-Door


KIA RIO 5-DOOR

2012 Kia Rio 5-door
Less than ten years ago, less than two generations ago, the thought of a Kia Rio entering The Good 12 would have been so unthinkable as to not even be laughable. The 2001-2005 Kia Rio's automatic shifter slammed into drive with the charm of an ox running through a chain link fence. The engine, rough and cacophonous, struggled to be heard above the excessive wind and road noise created by a car that seemed to have left the factory without sound deadening materials. It was slow, crude, painful, and embarrassing.

GoodCarBadCar The Good 12 2012
The 2012 Kia Rio 5-Door, on the other hand, is now being recommended as one of the 12 cars you should consider in 2012, and not just for buyers with the bare minimum to spend. The Rio's interior is a winner: ergonomically correct, filled with well-built buttons, even fitted with some visually interesting switches. There's space to be found in the rear, and believe it or not, it's easier to get comfortable back there than in the 2012 Accent.

The interior may be what keeps your attention, but it's the exterior that brought you to a Kia store in the first place. From the scalloped body sides to the SEAT Leon-like tail to the aggressive nose and the fancy wheels, the 2012 Kia Rio hatchback is - subjectively, of course - the best-looking car in its class, and by a healthy measure. 

A true measure of whether an automaker nailed it or not is found by asking yourself if you'd be willing to pay even more than the asking price. Don't tell Kia, but the loaded Rio 5-door SX (EX Luxury in Canada), with its backup camera and leather seating and heated seats and navigation and automatic climate control and UVO, is worth more than $21,000 CDN. 

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

Base USD/CAD Price: $13,600 / $14,095

City Fuel Economy: 30 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: Big wheels and bulging fenders do not a hot hatch make. The Kia Rio 5-door looks like a fine candidate for the Hyundai Veloster's upcoming 1.6L turbo, but in the meantime, the Rio's humble subcompact roots are apparent in its on-road demeanor.

Sales Stats: In recent years Rio sales have taken a tumble, falling 29% in the United States and 30% in Canada in 2010. The Rio may end up falling under the Hyundai Accent's shadow despite its handsome lines, but Rio sales are surely about to improve. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Kia Rio hatchback and sedan can be viewed here.


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2012's The Good 12 - Jeep Wrangler


JEEP WRANGLER

2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Arctic Edition Profile
If the 2012 Jeep Wrangler was a hopeless on-road device, would we care that it could go anywhere at anytime? No. After all, the vast majority of time you'll spend in your new vehicle won't be traversing red dirt roads in coastal Prince Edward Island after a winter of storms that demolished all semblance of roadness. More likely, your vehicle's main chore is taking you to work.

GoodCarBadCar The Good 12 2012
Fortunately, the Wrangler is comfortable enough for menial tasks. Visibility, even in the Wrangler Unlimited, is sublime. The Wrangler's corners are clearly marked, making the process of squeezing through traffic as easy as it would be in a vehicle that didn't have electronic sway bar disconnect, 10.2 inches of ground clearance (Wrangler Rubicon), or approach and departure angles of 44.6 and 40.6 degrees (Wrangler Sahara). 

Wranglers are popping up in the driveways of former midsize sedan owners and luxury SUV buyers everywhere. Sure, that's because Jeep finally installed a properly powerful V6. But it's also because the Wrangler's interior is no longer where you send the kids after they've committed heinous acts on the family hamster. 

It's nice in here. Things even feel nice. And if you want more things, you can have'em, although a basic Wrangler Sport is basic indeed. Crank them there windows. Reeeeach to unlock the passenger door.

The Jeep Wrangler still isn't for everyone. Hopefully it never will be. Yet it's an increasingly common choice for mainstream car buyers. Thankfully, as of 2012, the Jeep's squared-off styling and prodigious capabilities mean no one can accuse the Wrangler of being anything less than interesting, even if it's overwhelming success has made it ubiquitous.

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

Base USD/CAD Price: $22,045 / $22,595

City Fuel Economy: 16-17 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: Positioning the Wrangler on the highway isn't challenging. Maintaining that position, however, is another thing altogether. And though the Wrangler may be one of the least-expensive convertibles on sale today, managing its two tops isn't equivalent to pushing a button in an SL-Class Benz. And the short-wheelbase two-door Wrangler? Don't expect to carry much cargo when the rear seat is filled with humanity.

Sales Stats: Wrangler sales are better than ever in no small part because of the impact the four-door Unlimited has had on popularizing the Wrangler ethos. The jeepiest of Jeeps is routinely one of the 10 best-selling SUVs, both in Canada and the United States. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Jeep Wrangler can be viewed here.


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2012's The Good 12 - Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback


FORD FOCUS TITANIUM HATCHBACK

2012 Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback
Replace the Blue Oval on the front grille and the new 2012 Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback looks like a premium-priced competitor for the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz B-Class. In truth, the high-end Focus equipment lines do drive the price up to uncomfortable levels, but the Focus is so well-equipped in the mid-$20Ks that it shouldn't matter. 

GoodCarBadCar The Good 12 2012
Any new car buyer willing to accept the fact that they don't need a humdrum midsize sedan or an overpriced entry-level luxury car will be able to accept the Focus's sticker price. On handsome multi-spoke wheels or aggressive five-spoke rims, the 2012 Ford Focus Titanium certainly appears to be a classier proposition than a mid-range four-cylinder Fusion.

Class has a lot to do with the Focus's Good 12 selection. In styling terms - perhaps not in texture - the Focus's interior feels a notch above most of its traditional compact rivals. Rear seat comfort is much better than in the Chevrolet Cruze. Hatchback practicality is something you won't encounter in the 2012 Honda Civic. The engine's refinement and torquey nature won't have you wishing for the Civic's lesser-powered 2.0L, either. 

Outside of the upper trim levels, the Focus, particularly in sedan form, retains its attractive lines but is fitted with impoverished exterior trim and cheapskate wheel covers. As an S or SE, the Focus looks like a rival for the Nissan Versa sedan, not the Hyundai Elantra. Move up the ladder and the kitted-out Focus Titanium commands a second and third glance. That's the kind of response that makes you think living with a domestic compact car could be free of compromise and sacrifice.

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Engines: 160 horsepower; 146 lb-ft of torque from a 2.0L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $22,700 / $25,099

City Fuel Economy: 27 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: It's not a feeling shared by everyone who sits in the driver's seat of the 2012 Focus, but it's distinctly possible that you'll feel as though the low roof, nicely-bolstered seats, and wide centre console will invade your personal space. The car is roomy. The cockpit, regardless of its technical dimensions, might lead you to believe you're sitting in a Fiesta or Ka, not a Focus.

Sales Stats: It's not overly surprising that U.S. Focus sales fell 41% between 2002 and 2010 while Canadian Focus sales slid 13% between 2005 and 2010. The Focus was an aging model, not really inspiring anyone to spend money in the latter years of its lifecycle. The new Focus is another story, and despite limited supply, U.S. and Canadian sales were up 1.1% and 11%, respectively, through the first eleven months of 2011. Those figures are still down substantially from what they were a decade ago. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Ford Focus range can be viewed here.


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