Innehållsförteckning för January 2012 från MotorTrend

“THORIUM IS THE RODNEY DANGERFIELD OF RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS. IT GETS NONE OF THE RESPECT URANIUM ENJOYS.” SEVERAL E-MAILS arrived in my inbox last month touting a thorium-laser-powered atomic car. It produces no emissions and runs 300,000 miles on 8 grams of thorium! By the time I got around to Googling the articles in Wards and the Txchnologist, their comments sections were filled by skeptics pointing out fundamental conflicts with the basic laws of physics. Nevertheless, I did a bit more digging and ended up in contact with Dirk Sorensen—one of thorium’s biggest cheerleaders. He swiftly confirmed the scientific flaws with the car, but convinced me that thorium may indeed have a role to play in mobility. Thorium is the Rodney Dangerfield of radioactive elements. It helps heat our planet’s core,…

“I CAN FORGIVE just about every wrong the 500 makes simply because this car makes me smile,” wrote Lago. “The design is more than cute; it just brings a smile to your face,” noted Theodore. You couldn’t find a judge who didn’t think the Fiat was a good-looking car. We weren’t just enamored with the retro-chic styling. Even judges who weren’t impressed with the 500’s dynamics had to concede that the car possesses a natural charm that makes it fun to drive regardless of any faults. But while the little car won everyone over with its good looks and charming personality, we were put off by issues bubbling just below the surface. Though none of us expected it to be a drag racer, most felt it could use some more…

WHEN YOU LOOK at something like the Civic, it’s difficult to evaluate it as one car. It’s really a family of cars. There are two body styles, a high-performance model, a hybrid, a natural-gas-powered car, and one that specializes in high fuel economy. That’s a very broad range of powertrain options—one that could appeal to a wide spectrum of drivers. Fortunately, Honda provided four of its variants for Car of the Year. We got to drive the hybrid, HF, and volume-seller EX-L sedans and the Si coupe. On one hand, judges were instantly familiar with the Civic’s layout, controls, and styling. On the other hand, that indicates the all-new Civic isn’t a dramatic leap forward from the previous cars. As Jurnecka said, “This car doesn’t seem to have changed much…

LEXUS CT 200 H BASE PRICE $29,995 PRICE (AS TESTED) $35,670 POWER (SAE NET) 98 hp (gas), 80 hp (elec), 134 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 105 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 10.1 sec QUARTER MILE 17.6 sec @ 79.1 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 122 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 28.5 sec @ 0.56 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 43/40 mpg LEXUS HAS TRIED this before—and it didn’t work. Two years ago, we examined a Lexus-branded small sedan powered by a derivative of the Camry Hybrid’s drivetrain. The problem was, not many people seemed to know there was such a thing as a Camry Hybrid and concluded that it was based on the Prius’ hardware. They consequently balked at the bland-looking HS 250h’s sub-Prius mileage and super-Prius price (trying to explain the…

MINI COOPER COUPE JOHN COOPER WORKS BASE PRICE RANGE $31,900 PRICE (AS TESTED) $38,350 POWER (SAE NET) 208 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 192 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 6.2 SEC QUARTER MILE 14.6 sec @97.5 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 110 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.2 sec @0.69 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 25/33 mpg FROM EVERY vantage, the Mini Cooper Coupe says, “Come at me, bro.” Designed like (or by) a backward-hat-wearing teenage thug, the smallish two-seater burbles under idle, backfires under deceleration, tugs relentlessly at its steering wheel, and lift-throttle oversteers its way into your heart. It does the last so much that we’d half expect it to wear out its rear tires before the fronts. The John Cooper Works edition we tested may be the most entertaining Mini ever.…

NISSAN VERSA SL BASE PRICE RANGE $16,320-$19,150 PRICE (AS TESTED) $17,020 POWER (SAE NET) 109 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 107 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 9.8 sec QUARTER MILE 17.5 sec @ 80.8 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 127 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 29.5 sec @ 0.54 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 30/38 mpg ON PAPER, the Versa looks appealing. The least-expensive new car in the U.S., the $11,750 base S model comes with air conditioning and a very large back seat and trunk. The downside: Eventually, you have to drive it. The problem starts with the Versa’s price: Achieving it apparently required Nissan to suck costs out through the wheelwells. Our top-spec SL model drove as if it had no noise/vibration/harshness-deadening material, with the tinny, four-speaker stereo fighting the constant howl…

THE CAR THAT SPITES thousands of enthusiasts daily hasn’t reinvented the wheel—not that reinventing it would help alter the perceptions held by the Camry’s die-hard disparagers. But the seasoned best-seller/all-around rational transportation/whipping boy does tiptoe into Car of the Year with mild touch-ups. Most of the changes to the four-cylinder, V-6, and hybrid Camrys could be seen as gradual updates that would eventually make their way into the product line, which didn’t help the Camry’s case as the judges did their loops. The competition is looking to lessen Toyota’s clout in the midsize sedan market by stepping up their game. We’re certain the Camry will keep on trucking in the hundreds of thousands of units annually, but its alternatives are getting mighty compelling. The interior receives new materials and more…

A CERTAIN four-letter word—cute—must be a dirty one for Volkswagen designers who spent time preparing the new Beetle. (Not the New Beetle; the new Beetle.) Volkswagen’s modern, second-generation interpretation of the original Beetle was designed to be less cute and more masculine, in an attempt to attract male buyers who might otherwise consider a Scion tC, Ford Mustang V-6, or Mini Cooper. It’s styling that distinguishes the VW Beetle from those cars. Even with the 2012 Beetle’s lower roof, the coupe retains an unmistakable look. Colorful trim panels brighten the interior of even the lower-spec models with the 2.5-liter I-5 engine. Also available is Volkswagen’s turbo 200-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, with the turbodiesel 2.0-liter unit debuting later. Such a wide powertrain selection is commendable for the segment in which the…

“MONTEZEMOLO KNOWS IT’S THE CARS THAT ARE THE CORE OF THE COMPANY, AND SO ENSURES 17 TO 20 PERCENT OF TURNOVER IS INVESTED IN R&D EVERY YEAR. (THE F1 BUDGET? THAT’S A SECRET.)” LUCA Cordero di Montezemolo and I agree: The Ferrari 348 is one of the worst cars ever to wear the storied Prancing Horse badge. I’ve hated the 348 ever since one tried to kill me midway through a corner on a winding two-lane across Salisbury Plain in the early 1990s. The Ferrari chairman actually bought one before he rejoined the company in 1991 (he’d previously run the Ferrari F1 team for Enzo between 1973 and 1977), and has never forgotten losing a traffic light drag race in it to a guy in a Golf GTi. One of…

NO QUESTION that Ford Motor Company’s top executives, especially the marketing guys like Jim Farley and Mark Fields, want to save Lincoln from a Mercury-like fate. There’s some good product in the pipeline, including a new MKZ with unique sheetmetal compared with the 2013 Ford Fusion making its debut at the Detroit show in January. Those who have seen the MKZ say it’s extremely handsome, and looks as much like a Fusion as the MKT looks like a Flex. Problem is, Lincoln’s champions are not institutionalized with top-car-guy status within the organization, so you can’t always count on them to be near the top of the organization. Hence, as Ford management changes, the bean counters could get to Lincoln and undo things. Its other new product, beside the MKZ, is…

European Vacation Angus MacKenzie’s column, “Speed Thrills” (October 2011), reminded me of a trip I took to Europe, accompanied by my wife and my good friend, a native Deutschlander. After arriving in Munich, we rented a Mercedes E200 station wagon with less than 1000 kilometers on the clock. I was a little bummed that it was not equipped with the 3.2- or 5.0-liter engines as they were in the States. My friend advised me not to worry, that I would not be disappointed in its performance. He, equipped with small-scale Michelin maps, guided me onto the autobahn and showed me the name of the exit we were to use as well as the two before it, as the autobahn signs would indicate. At this, he and my wife dozed off…

AUDI A7 3.0T BASE PRICE $60,125 PRICE (AS TESTED) $66,220 POWER (SAE NET) 310 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 325 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 4.6 sec QUARTER MILE 13.2 sec @104.2 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 108 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.3 sec @0.74 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 18/28 mpg THE A7 was a tough nut to crack. At face value, it looks like an A6 in an evening gown, but despite the similarities in appearance and on the spec sheet, we quickly found differences. While the judges gushed about the A7’s style—many felt it does “four-door coupe” better than the Mercedes-Benz CLS—and its surprisingly powerful engine, the car struggled in other areas. It’s bigger and heavier than the A6, and it felt like it in the corners. Harwood succinctly summed…

FISKER KARMA BASE PRICE RANGE $96,850-$109,850* *Before federal/state tax credits PRICE (AS TESTED) $104,850* POWER (SAE NET) 403 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 981 lb-ft (comb) ACCEL 0-60, MPH 6.0 sec QUARTER MILE 14.7 sec BRAKING 60-0, MPH 110 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.6 sec EPA ECON (COMB) 52 mpge (EV mode); 20 mpg (range ext mode) CAN WE OFFER a consolation prize for looking damn good? In spite of Fisker sending a stealthy, black Karma, its seductive arches and a slammed stance never failed to harvest attention anywhere this rolling testbed went. When we say “testbed,” we actually mean it, as Fisker’s decision to even commit a Karma wasn’t made lightly. At the time of this writing, media access to the luxury extended-range electric vehicle has been very limited.…

DURING JUDGING, a small argument erupted over customer expectations versus engineering capability. Some judges argued that customers buying A-to-B commuter cars don’t care how the car handles. Others argued that’s no excuse for not building the best car possible. The Accent falls somewhere in the middle. We rather liked the Accent. It’s a pretty good-looking car inside and out. The interior packages reasonable passenger space front and rear with a surprisingly large cargo hold in a tidy exterior. It rides well on rough roads, and the chassis takes a decent set in the corners. On the other hand, it’s got drawbacks. Despite a solid, predictable chassis, the Accent doesn’t handle transitions particularly well. Any aggressive driving is immediately met with heavy understeer as the car desperately tries to go where…

AS OUR FRIENDS across town in the music business will tell you, the hard part isn’t making a hit album—it’s the follow-up. When the original CLS-Class burst onto the scene six years ago, it knocked the luxury segment on its ear and sent competitors scrambling to build their own“four-door coupes.” The follow-up, though, is facing a much tougher crowd, one that can’t decide whether to love it or hate it. Judges were conflicted on the CLS, both with themselves and with others. Some found it a striking car with a strong presence. Others pointed to the elaborate headlights and “pontoon” lines on the rear fenders in criticizing the car as overwrought and not as good-looking as the Audi A7 that is after its throne. Opinions were similarly divided on the…

MITSUBISHI I MIEV BASE PRICE RANGE $29,975-$31,975* PRICE (AS TESTED) $33,630* *Before federal and state tax credits POWER (SAE NET) 66 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 145 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 13.4 SEC QUARTER MILE 19.4 sec @ 71.1 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 132 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 30.2 sec @ 0.51 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 126/99 mpg WHEN THE second-generation Honda Insight debuted, it instantly became the least-expensive hybrid available in the U.S., undercutting the Toyota Prius by a significant margin. That wasn’t enough to transform the Honda into a sales success story, and we can’t help but see similarities with the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i MiEV. Both cars are fully electric and the Mitsubishi is the least expensive electric car you can buy in the U.S, but…

SCION IQ BASE PRICE $15,995 PRICE (AS TESTED) $15,995 POWER (SAE NET) 94 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 89 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 10.8 sec QUARTER MILE 18.1 sec @ 77.1 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 129 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 28.9 sec @ 0.55 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 36/37 mpg THOUGH THE Scion iQ is new to the United States, it’s more familiar to the rest of the world. Other countries have had these microcars for years, and Toyota is just the latest manufacturer to bring this segment to the States. The main issue is whether the U.S. market will accept them. With a miniscule 1.3-liter 94-horsepower engine, the Scion iQ is the second-least-powerful vehicle in this year’s Car of the Year competition, conceding only to the fully electric Mitsubishi…

TOYOTA PRIUS V FIVE BASE PRICE $30,750 PRICE (AS TESTED) $31,300 POWER (SAE NET) 134 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 105 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 10.1 sec QUARTER MILE 17.5 sec @78.8 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 121 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 29.5 sec @0.52 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 44/40 mpg THE PRIUS FAMILY is growing. In the V’s case, growing like it just ate a cookie with the words “Eat Me” on it. The Prius V occupies the middle ground between minivan and wagon, like the Mazda5. Unlike the 5, the V doesn’t have a third row. It’s more for those “who don’t want to remove the front wheels from their bikes,” said Lassa. It also aims smartly at those customers fed up with SUVs, but still wanting the…

AUDI A6 3.0T BASE PRICE $50,775 PRICE (AS TESTED) $57,470 POWER (SAE NET) 310 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 325 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 4.6 sec QUARTER MILE 13.2 sec @105.5 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 111 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.5 sec @0.74 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 19/28 mpg MT FUEL ECONOMY 20.4 mpg THE A6 CONTINUES on with its classic style, which received careful tailoring for 2012. The lines are as attractive as ever—the look clearly is that of the mid-level Audi sedan—and crisper than the previous generation. The new car is longer, wider, and taller, and rides on a nearly 3-inch-longer wheelbase. A major change for 2012 is that the regular A6 is not available with a V-8. (If you want that engine, you’ll have to wait for…

“FOR THOSE SEEKING A HIGH-PERFORMANCE FAMILY SEDAN, THE PASSAT TDI IS UNBEATABLE.” WHAT’S THE difference between a car you love and car you can’t live without? Answer: 30 horsepower and 22 lb-ft. Such is the case for the Volkswagen Passat TDI and me. If you missed the comparison test last month, Vee-Dub’s fresh oil-burner outclassed two of the segment’s newest gas-electrics, the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Further, the TDI’s siblings, the Passat 2.5 and VR6, beat their respective Camry and Sonata foes as well, making it a clean sweep for Chattanooga’s hottest export. And let’s just say the Passat had a decent finish in this issue’s Car of the Year contest. Here’s why I love the TDI: 236 lb-ft of torque, a cruising range of almost…

EIGHT-SPEED AUTOMATIC! Eight-speed automatic! Just take a look at the comments of testers who drove the Dodge Charger V-6 with the new eight-speed automatic, and it’s difficult to miss the enthusiasm for one of the most obvious issues rectified with the new Charger. Loh called the Pentastar V-6/eight-speed automatic combination “something of a revelation,” but noted “it can clunk if you step on the gas forcefully and induce downshifts.” For the most part, though, the eight-speed is a monumental improvement on the five-speed it replaces. As Evans wrote, “The eight-speed finally lets it shine. The car feels so much faster and smoother now…love that it won’t auto upshift in manual mode.” The Charger received one of the more substantial redesigns of all the recently redone Chrysler vehicles. Those who want…

FORD’S RELAUNCH of the Focus has déjà vu’d us back to the year 2000. At last, a real European compact bred for high speeds and great handling, made here—just like the original Focus! Editor logbooks were filled with praise for the chassis: “Dynamically the Focus is second only to the phenomenal Mini,” proclaimed Theodore. “Possibly the best-handling car in its class,” echoed Lassa. “Steering is appreciably quick and direct—a lot more natural feeling than the Elantra’s,” said Loh. Reynolds countered that, on the figure eight, the Focus seemed “very underpowered for its tires”—underbraked, too, which caused him to miss his turn-in point a few times. Comparisons with the Elantra kept popping up. “’Kinetic’ design is similar to Hyundai’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design, but less exaggerated,” opined Theodore. Many agreed with Gale…

KIA RIO EX BASE PRICE RANGE $14,050-$14,350 PRICE (AS TESTED) $18,250 POWER (SAE NET) 138 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 123 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 8.9 sec QUARTER MILE 16.7 sec @83.5 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 135 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 28.6 sec @0.57 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 30/40 mpg THIS YEAR’S all-new Rio, available as a sedan or a four-door hatch, has a revised look with more edge and attitude. It’s based on the same platform as the Hyundai Accent, but is very different visually from the scaled-down Elantra looks of its platform-mate. This is the best-looking Rio ever, a far cry from the rental-car face of the first two gens. The platform has a longer wheelbase, and the hatch—the Rio5 replacement—is wider and longer, and sits lower than…

MERCEDES-BENZ SLK-CLASS SLK350 BASE PRICE $55,675 PRICE (AS TESTED) $67,615 POWER (SAE NET) 302 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 273 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 5.1 sec QUARTER MILE 13.6 sec @ 102.9 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 109 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.1 sec @ 0.71 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 20/29 mpg THE NEW MERCEDES-BENZ SLK debuts with magic. Well, with Magic Sky Control. The technology is the latest in a series of drop-top advances from the German automaker in the last 10 years. First, we saw the Airscarf air vents integrated into the last-gen SLK’s headrests, then the trick air splitter appeared on the E-Class cabriolet. Now, we’ve got Magic, the system that can change the SLK roof panel from transparent to a darker setting that reminded one staffer of…

NISSAN QUEST LE BASE PRICE $42,160 PRICE (AS TESTED) $43,695 POWER (SAE NET) 260 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 240 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 8.0 sec QUARTER MILE 16.1 sec @ 89.8 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 130 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 29.3 sec @ 0.56 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 19/24 mpg BIGGER ISN’T always better. If you need proof, the all-new Nissan Quest is a good place to start. Right from the start, comments came pouring in about the Quest’s massive presence compared with the competition. “Winner of the biggest box award!” exclaimed Theodore. “Hard to tell the Quest from Nissan’s NV commercial trucks,” said Lassa. “Not only the size of a motorhome, the Quest drives like one, too,” complained Evans. So we weren’t fans of the Quest’s girth, but…

THOUGH THE NEW Impreza sheetmetal is much easier on the eyes than the outgoing model’s, it’s no more handsome than that of big siblings Legacy sedan and Outback wagon. “It’s new but doesn’t look it,” Hall said. “The plain-Jane design looks more cheap than functional,” added Evans. The Impreza lost 164 pounds, and a new 2.0-liter DOHC boxer has replaced its 2.5-liter SOHC boxer. The five-speed manual remains, though a CVT has replaced its four-speed automatic. The car gets up to 36 mpg highway with the CVT, even with the standard all-wheel drive. Problem is, Subaru’s CVT feels like the power-sapper it is, needs 1.4 more seconds to reach 60 mph than the manual. Subaru saved weight with redesigned seat frames and a smaller fuel tank and by switching to…

TOYOTA YARIS SE BASE PRICE $17,160 PRICE (AS TESTED) $17,340 POWER (SAE NET) 106 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 103 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 9.1 sec QUARTER MILE 17.0 sec @ 80.1 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 120 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 28.4 sec @ 0.58 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 30/38 mpg WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? The Toyota Yaris never was tops in its segment, especially after the Honda Fit launched in our market. The all-new model has lost more ground to the Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio and, yikes, especially the Chevrolet Sonic. The Yaris got left behind in our first Car of the Year cut, unloved. The five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmission options and the 106-hp engine all are carryover, though Toyota has engineered up to 38 highway mpg…

HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS BASE PRICE $15,995 PRICE (AS TESTED) $17,335 POWER (SAE NET) 148 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 131 lb-ft ACCEL 0-60, MPH 7.8 sec QUARTER MILE 16.0 sec @86.6 mph BRAKING 60-0, MPH 126 ft MT FIGURE EIGHT 28.5 sec @0.57 g (avg) EPA ECON (CITY/HWY) 29/40 mpg MT FUEL ECONOMY 30.5 mpg COTY JUDGE Theodore nailed it when he summed up Hyundai’s all-new Elantra: “If the Hyundai Elantra had the steering feel and vehicle dynamics of the Ford Focus, it would be the near-perfect C-segment car. As it is, the very high content and relatively low price will make it a great value for most consumers.” Hyundai came out of the gates strong, impressing many with its successful transfer of its fluidic styling onto such a small vehicle,…