10 "hidden gem" cars I don't see enough of on the road

Cadillac CTS Coupe

I saw a Cadillac CTS Coupe in town the other day, which reminded me how well-designed it is. The wedge shape is distinct, aerodynamic, and downright sinister...love it! But I don't see enough of these cars on the road for some reason. Click through for some other examples of great cars that people should buy more of.

Lexus CT

The CT is based on the Prius but sooo much cooler looking. LED lights, an interesting computer mouse-like dashboard controller, and the Prius-like gas mileage make this car a true unsung hero. My guess is that the CT's more traditional station wagon-like roof scares people off? Americans prefer sedans and fastbacks to station wagons, which would suggest that the Prius' more sloped trunk (and lower price point) have led to its success.

Hyundai Veloster

Having driven the Veloster through Zipcar, I am an instant fan. A lot of people complain about its space-age styling, but I think that's what makes it so interesting. The hidden third door makes getting in and out of the backseat easy, while retaining the car's coupe-like looks. I haven't seen too many of these cars on the road despite its attractive price...

Honda CRZ

The CRZ channels the CRX's awesomeness of the late '80s, but with updated technology, a sleeker body, and a hybrid engine. The CRZ's two seats and evidently sluggish engine are what I believe have made it a slow seller, but it's a shame, because I thought it would be a huge hit -- the next de facto teenager car. Maybe the article I recently read saying that fewer teens are driving works against the CRZ's favor.

Buick Regal

The Buick Regal, which is based on the European Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, is one good looking car - inside and out. GM failed to bring the Opel Astra to Saturn - probably because they had to sacrifice so much of its technology for the Saturn's low price point - but the Buick doesn't have to make those sacrifices. Despite this car's awesome looks, I don't see many on the road. Hopefully younger car buyers will get over the fact that it's a Buick and see the car for what it is!

Ford Fiesta ST

I see a lot of Focuses (Foci?) on the road, but not many of the smaller Fiestas. I drove the Fiesta off-road last year and had a BLAST. It is peppy, attractive -- even more so now with the Aston Martin grille -- and uses high-quality interior materials. Owning this car doesn't make sense in rural territory, but in urban and suburban environments, it is a great alternative to the ancient Smart car or drab Yaris. Americans should give the Fiesta a chance!

Audi A3

I see many more A4 Sedans than I see A3 Sportbacks, even though the A3 has a similar engine, is cheaper, and uses many of the same interior materials. Having driven the A3 through Zipcar, it has become one of my favorite "hidden gems".

Ford Taurus

This may strike you as an odd choice, but for some reason I don't see too many Tauruses on the road. I think it is a handsome looking car, has a well-appointed interior, and is a far cry from the Tauruses of last decade. I'd like to see more on the road -- other than Police cars.

Cadillac SRX

The SRX is, for all intents and purposes, a strong contender in the entry luxury SUV market. But for some reason, I see many more Lexus RXs and Infiniti FXs than SRXs. Having driven the SRX myself, I was quite impressed by the quality of the interior, the faux-hand stitched dashboard, etc.

VW CC

The CC was supposed to be VW's attempt at knocking the Mercedes CLS off its throne at a much lower price point. While the CC arguably does not cause nearly the same emotional impact that the CLS has, it is still a looker in today's world of mostly boring midsize sedans. I see many more staidly Passats than the expressive CC. What gives?

You Are What You Drive: 2012 Presidential Candidate Edition

If you have all been following the 2012 presidential race as closely as I have, you may sometimes wonder: if the Democratic and Republican candidates were civilians, what car would they choose? Suppose they were able to pick any car they want - including non-American-made cars - and actually have the pleasure of driving themselves. This post goes to the very heart of this blog - I will attempt to hypothetically match candidates with cars that share similar attributes. Because as I always say, you are what you drive. Click through for the analysis.

President Barack Obama

Volvo XC60

President Barack Obama
First Place: Volvo XC60
Runner Up: Buick Enclave

Let's start off with the only Democratic candidate, President Obama. Of course, in real life, he was known to drive a Chrysler 300, but any public figure running for office has to drive American. Removing that constraint, I could see the President driving a Volvo XC60. I would have said Saab 9-5, but given Saab's bankruptcy, Volvo makes most sense. President Obama is an intellectual, calm, thoughtful person - not flashy. He needs enough room to drive around his wife and 2 children, so he needs something with enough room. I could see him driving an SUV more so than a minivan. The Volvo XC60 clearly fits the bill here.

Mitt Romney

Audi A8

Mitt Romney
First Place: Audi A8
Runner Up: Mercedes-Benz S500

Moving onto the Republicans: The presumptive nominee Mitt Romney is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. While campaigning in Detroit, Romney slipped up and said that his wife Ann "drives a couple of Cadillacs" and that he has driven a slew of American cars and trucks. Of course, he said that to try to gain Michigan's support. If he were a civilian, I could see him driving an Audi A8. For all his wealth, Mitt Romney does not seem like a showy guy; he appears to be a smart, hard-working family-oriented guy. The Audi A8 is the perfect car for an executive who wants all the comfort and speed of a high-end luxury car, but wants to blend into the crowd. It is very easy to overlook an A8 or mistake one for an A6.

Rick Santorum

Toyota Sienna

Rick Santorum
First Place: Toyota Sienna
Runner Up: Toyota Camry

Rick Santorum, who recently dropped out of the race, was best known for campaigning in Iowa driving a Ram pickup truck. He wanted the blue-collar, hard-working American, salt-of-the-earth image, and frankly, I think he achieved it. However, in actuality, I see him as more of a minivan guy. He is highly concerned with family values, and does not seem to be a very exciting guy (I could never in a million years see him driving a Ferrari, let alone a Miata, even though he probably could afford one). Santorum has a pretty large family of his own, so I think the Sienna makes logical sense. The Honda Odyssey has too much pizzazz to make a good fit here.

Newt Gingrich

Cadillac DTS

Newt Gingrich
First Place: Cadillac DTS
Runner Up: Lincoln Town Car

Newt Gingrich has an "old money" feel to him. I could see him driving a fully loaded dark red Cadillac DTS with gold emblems and a tan landau top. Nothing too technical or convoluted - no fancy navigation screens or night vision. Unfortunately, the DTS is not the most fuel efficient car on the road, which would go against his vision for $2.50 gas prices, but then again, that was a campaign gimmick, right? He'd better hurry up, because the DTS will go out of production pretty soon...

Ron Paul

Chevy Silverado

Ron Paul
First Place: Chevy Silverado
Runner Up: A 10- or 15-year old Toyota Camry

Of all the candidates, Ron Paul is probably the most unassuming, and least concerned with prestige and image. Simply put, Ron Paul has a strong message and is dedicated to gaining support for his cause. Everything else is secondary to that. He evidently lives in a modest house in Texas, and likewise, I could not see him driving a flashy car. The Chevy Silverado fits the bill here - it is a no-nonsense workhorse with plenty of room to haul campaign signs and flyers.

Jon Huntsman

Fisker Karma

Jon Huntsman
First Place: Fisker Karma
Runner Up: BMW M5

"The other Morman" formerly in the race, Jon Huntsman, seems a little less up-tight than Romney. I could easily see him driving a flashy car or a sports car. As the son of a chemical tycoon, Huntsman likely has an interest in technology and sciences, and would appreciate the tour de force that is the Fisker Karma. It is environmentally responsible too. I would have picked a Chinese car for Huntsman, but at this stage, I doubt he would want to drive any of them.

Rick Perry

Ford F-150 Harley Davidson Edition

Rick Perry
First Place: Ford F-150 Harley Davidson Edition
Runner Up: Ford SVT Raptor

Rick Perry exudes the macho image, similar to that of George W. Bush. He is a Texan at heart, and I picture him using a Ford F-150 to round up cattle, drive to the oil refinery in the desert, and go on an off-road hunting expedition. Whether or not he actually does these things, who knows. I am not trying to stereotype Texans, but it is hard not to have this image of Rick Perry.

Michele Bachmann

Lexus RX350

Michele Bachmann
First Place: Lexus RX350
Runner Up: Mercedes-Benz ML550

When I think of Bachmann, the Lexus RX350 immediately comes to mind. It is the quintessential SUV for the strong, successful, well-off working mother. Michele and her husband have taken in a number of foster children, so she would need enough space to haul kids to school, sports, music lessons, etc.

Herman Cain

Cadillac Escalade

Herman Cain
First Place: Cadillac Escalade
Runner Up: Infiniti QX

Herman Cain is a successful businessman, has a strong sense of humor, and probably likes to have fun. The Escalade is the perfect fit for Mr. Cain - it is big, flashy, and luxurious. And there is plenty of room to store pizzas in the back!

Favorite Car Lists #3: Coupes/Convertibles

Mercedes SLS AMG

It has been awhile, but it's time for the third installment of my favorite car lists - this time, coupes and convertibles (basically, anything with 2-3 doors). Click through to see - do you agree with my lists?




If I had $30,000 to spend on a coupe/convertible, I would buy:
1. Volkswagen GTI
2. Dodge Challenger
3. Mini Cooper S
4. Chevrolet Camaro
5. Volkswagen Beetle

If I had $60,000 to spend on a coupe/convertible, I would buy:
1. Mercedes E350 Coupe
2. Mercedes C350 Coupe
3. Audi S5
4. Cadillac CTS Coupe
5. BMW M3 Coupe

If I had $100,000 to spend on a coupe/convertible, I would buy:
1. Porsche 911 Targa 4
2. Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe
3. Jaguar XKR
4. Cadillac CTS-V Coupe
5. Mercedes E350 Coupe

If I had $200,000 to spend on a coupe/convertible, I would buy:
1. Mercedes SLS AMG
2. Aston Martin V12 Vantage
3. Audi R8
4. Maserati Gran Turismo S
5. Porsche 911 Turbo S

If money was not an object, I would buy the following coupes/convertibles:
1. Bugatti Veyron
2. Mercedes SLS AMG
3. Lamborghini Aventador
4. Lexus LFA
5. Aston Martin One-77
Honorable Mention: Ferrari 458 Italia, McLaren MP4-12C

Volvo S40 review...an interesting, yet odd car

A few months ago, Volvo announced that the S40 sedan and V50 wagon will soon be discontinued. After I had a chance to flog a Zipcar S40 this weekend, I understand why...sort of. The S40 has a number of lovable quirks, but I don't think it ever found its place amongst the sea of other entry luxury sedans. Click through to see my impressions.

The S40 never competed with the serious contenders -- the C-Class, 3-Series, A4, IS, G, TL, and CTS -- but it never intended to. It is priced in the mid-to-high $20ks, well below the aforementioned competitors, and in part due to its smaller size, the S40 finds itself competing with entry-entry-luxury sedans, like the Saab 9-3, Acura TSX, and Audi A3. Buyers in this range want a sporty European sedan without the high price point. The Chrysler 300, Buick Regal, Dodge Charger are larger yet attractive, luxurious American alternatives, but don't likely raise the pulse of a prospective S40 buyer. A top-of-the-line Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, or Chevy Malibu may have some of the creature comforts the S40 buyer is looking for, but are probably way too boring. Volvo is a respectable name associated with safety, and the S40 has an intelligent, attractive Swedish-looking design, inside and out. The S40 is largely unchanged since its redesign in 2004, but it still looks fantastic on the road. When you tell your co-workers that you drive a Volvo, you will appear to have good taste in a humble manner.

So, I get the competitive positioning, but how is the car to drive? Unfortunately, it's a mixed bag. The biggest disappointment was the car's acceleration. The only engine available is a 227hp 5-cylinder turbocharged engine, but I felt like the S40 only had 2 speeds: low and low/medium. If I wanted to go fast, mashing the gas pedal to the ground would produce the same predetermined-feeling acceleration trajectory as if I was to step on the pedal halfway. I don't think my lack of excitement is caused by general turbo lag. In comparison, I felt like the turbocharged Audi A3 was ready for blast-off at my beck and call. The various turbo Saabs I've driven (yes, including my '92 9000!) were peppier than the S40. One positive aspect of the engine: its sound. The 5-cylinder has a pleasing purring sound, quite similar to the VW Golf's 5-cylinder engine.

The S40 has a decidedly Swedish-looking interior. Some people don't love it, but I think the thin center console is really attractive and practical, since you can store things behind it. The Zipcar model I drove had fake plastic looking metallic trim, and would look much better with the optional wood grain pattern. Compared to the A3, the radio and dashboard gauges look ancient...a reminder that the car hasn't had a meaningful update since 2004. However, all of the basic ingredients of an entry-luxury sedan interior are there: leather seats, in-dash phone, premium audio, sunroof, power and heated seats, automatic climate control, etc. The seats are very ergonomic and great for long trips.

Don't mind my leg in the picture :)

This weekend I had to buy a coffee table and area rug at Ikea. The Ford Escape or Toyota Tacoma may have been more practical, but I really wanted to drive a Swedish car to Ikea (now I can cross that off my bucket list). The coffee table was packaged (unassembled, of course) in a thin but wide box (55" x 31" x 3") and the store clerk worried that it may not fit in a standard sized sedan. However, the rear seats folded down easily and the large box and long rug surprisingly fit in the trunk quite nicely. Major +1 in my book.

Plenty o' room for cargo!

To summarize, would I buy this car if I was in the market? Probably not - the Audi A3 would win without question. However, the S40 would probably win my money over the Saab 9-3. While Volvo strategically sends the S40 to its grave, the entire Saab brand is on the brink of extinction.

Here are the pros and cons of the S40:

Pros:

• Looks fantastic inside and out
• Ample room for large objects
• Decent brand prestige
• Good value for the money - premium features for an entry-entry luxury price

Cons:

• Sluggish engine
• "Aluminum" trim looks and feels cheap
• Outdated audio / entertainment interface

Three reasons why I would not buy a 2011 Infiniti

As I go through the current Infiniti lineup, my grievances really boil down to 3 categories:

1) The weird "podium-style" dashboard
2) The fact that each car has a near-identical Nissan counterpart, either as a US or JDM model
3) Disappointing exterior styling compared to competition

I can't comment on the ride, acceleration, braking, etc., as I have not driven any of Infiniti's current cars, but that is not the point of this post. From reading popular auto mags, most reviewers draw the same conclusion anyway: Infinitis produce decent performance, but are either on par with or slightly worse than European competitors. When was the last time you saw an Infiniti win a car comparo? I can't even remember.

Click through to see my explanation.


Reason #1: Podium-style dashboard

Current Infiniti M

Last-gen Infiniti M

The quality of Infiniti's materials is certainly up to par, but there's something very unflattering (in my opinion) about the layout of Infiniti's interiors. Every time I sit in an Infiniti, I can't help but reminisce about sitting in a Nissan Quest, or any other minivan for that matter. Look at the angle of the instrument panel under the clock in the last 2 generations of Infiniti Ms, and compare it to the last 2 generations of Nissan Quests below - it is a very unique angle specific to Nissan, and I can't imagine it is as ergonomic as, say, the traditional vertically-oriented dashboards of the E-Class, 5-Series, or A6. The angle of Infiniti's dashboards was even worse 5-7 years ago - kudos to Nissan for toning it down in recent years - but they clearly have a lot of work left to do.

Current Nissan Quest

Last-gen Nissan Quest

Infiniti's weird dashboard angle also affects just about every other model, including the G, FX, and the now-discontinued Q (see pictures below). The Q was by far the worst offender. The QX escaped the wrath, but has so many other issues to discuss later.

Infiniti G / EX interior

Infiniti FX

Discontinued Infiniti Q - the worst offender!!

Reason #2: Nissan Clones

Infiniti has a checkered past in its efforts to differentiate its clone models from their Nissan counterparts.

Nissan Skyline / Infiniti G

The Infiniti G was sold in Japan and other countries as the Nissan Primera in early years, and now as the Skyline. As a car enthusiast, this practice cheapens the prestige of the Infiniti brand. Not every US car buyer knows this (and many do not care), so Infiniti is able to sell cars. Think about it - Mercedes are sold as Mercedes everywhere, and same goes for BMW, Audi, Cadillac, etc. The 3 Japanese luxury brands (Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus) came to the US in the early 1990s to try to establish themselves as legitimate luxury competitors, but are still sold under the non-luxury brands (Honda, Nissan, and Toyota) in other countries. Would the Infiniti G37 sell as well in the US as a Nissan Skyline? Definitely not. Buyers pay more for the Infiniti brand. I will not be fooled into paying a premium price for an Infiniti that is sold as a Nissan elsewhere!

Nissan Fuga / Infiniti M

The Nissan Fuga / Infiniti M has the same problem as the G, in terms of rebadging a car in the US that is sold as a Nissan in Japan.

Nissan Patrol / Infiniti QX

Funny how the Nissan variant looks (slightly) better than QX. Simple is always better, Nissan! Also, not shown here, the previous-gen QX56 was an exact replica of the short-lived Nissan Armada, both of which were sold in the US market. In my eyes, that dynamic had a terrible effect on the cachet of the original QX56.

Infiniti I / Nissan Maxima

I know the focus of this post is current Infinitis, but I need to mention the I35, which is fortunately not in production anymore. I despise this car. It was a lightly disguised Nissan Maxima (another car whose existence I do not understand), but made more unattractive by fussy styling - interior and exterior. At least the Infiniti J30 had a distinctive look (even though it is not everyone's cup of tea).

Infiniti QX4 / Nissan Pathfinder

I also have to mention this old "gem", also fortunately no longer in production. Nissan affixed a slightly modified front-end on the Pathfinder, swapped the logos, and put 3-spoke wheels on the car, and US buyers actually paid a premium for the QX4! Unbelievable. Say what you will about the Lexus RX, at least it did not resemble anything similar in Toyota's lineup.


Reason #3: Uncompetitive Styling

Infiniti EX

When I saw the Infiniti EX in pictures for the first time, I thought they were targeting the Tiguan / GLK / Q5 / X3 market, but when I saw the car in person, it looked more like a station-wagon version of the Infiniti G. The black molding running around the entire car doesn't work well - I think they were going for the Volvo XC70 / Audi Allroad look, but the EX falls short and looks cheap. Otherwise, the car doesn't look bad - I like the FX-inspired taillights and the G-inspired front end. What a shame.

Infiniti QX

See my post about portholes - they ruin this car, and only belong on Buicks. The proportions of the car are also way off - the front end looks distorted, the sides are too slabby, and the rear end is droopy and blobby. Who in their right mind would buy this over the abundant large-SUV competition (Mercedes GL, Jeep SRT8, Escalade ESV, Lexus LX, Toyota Land Cruiser)?

Infiniti FX

Generally speaking, I think the FX is one of Infiniti's brighter spots. When it first came out, it was very unique-looking and had a distinct exhaust tone. But there are a couple pitfalls I want to point out in the latest redesign: first, the air vents on the sides are gaudy and unnecessary (again, see my air vent post - Infiniti is a repeat offender!). The headlight arrangement is also quite odd - I almost like it, but the proportions are a tad awkward. It's missing something, but I don't know what!

Infiniti M

I really dislike the rear-end of the M. It is exceedingly uncompetitive compared to European and even American competition. The trunk line resembles the Suzuki Kizashi (not flattering!). I like the character lines on the sides, but don't love them. I can't tell if the side profile resembles a Maserati Quattroporte or a last-gen Buick LaCrosse...but I'm leaning toward the latter. And we've already talked about the interior...

Infiniti G37

This leaves us with the G37. I think the styling has actually improved with each iteration - the current version is quite muscular and attractive. Plus, the exhaust note is pleasantly distinctive. However, I have to compare this to the C-Class coupe and sedan, A4/A5, CTS coupe and sedan, and 3-Series coupe and sedan, and conclude that the G37 styling is not compelling enough to win my $40k. To be fair, I do believe the G37's styling is more appealing than the IS and TSX, but that's not saying much.