KIA SOUL EXTERIOR LOOKS BIGGER - KIA SOUL EXTERIOR IS SMALL

With a wheelbase of 100.4 inches, the height of a 5ft-3inch human, width similar to that of The Good Car Guy's height, and length of The Good Car Guy plus Yao Ming, the new Kia Soul sounds large. Put another way, the new Kia Soul has a wheelbase just 2.4 inches longer than that of the new Honda Fit. The Soul and the Fit are equally lengthy but the Soul is 3.4 inches taller and more than 3.6 inches wider. 

Thus, the new Kia Soul should be about as easy to park as Honda's small hatchback, a constant GoodCarBadCar.net favourite. More importantly, with a little extra height and a little extra width, the Soul should be able to find more space for people and their stuff inside. 

Why is this important? Well, the Kia Soul will offer more horsepower than the Honda Fit (probably not a direct or terribly indirect competitor, either) in both standard and optional trim but will more than likely weigh more than the Honda, too. Korean cars are typically a smidge heavier than their dimensions would lead us to believe while Hondas are usually a little lighter than their dimensions suggest. With excellent down-the-road dynamics, Honda's hatchback has made a name for itself as the enthusiast's choice in a segment auto enthusiasts avoid with passion. The Kia Soul has ignited some excitement from all parts of the consumer audience with attractive styling and a potentially awesome cargo/fuel economy ratio. 

It was because of this excitement that The Good Car Guy thought it necessary to bring to your attention that the Soul isn't a large vehicle - and that's a very good thing. Kia appears to have hit the proverbial sweet spot in North America right now. Automobile owners still want space but are fearful that gas prices will strike them in their gut again, right where their Ford F-150 resides. If people can have their space with fuel efficiency while looking cool, they'll be excited. 

That's not to say that the Honda Fit doesn't cut muster anymore. After all, The Good Car Guy likes the second-generation even better than the first, and the first generation was one of twelve cars labelled by GoodCarBadCar.net as the cars The Good Car Nation should drive in 2008. Kia seems to have taken the Fit's game up a notch, however. Expect fuel economy to come down slightly from the Fit's impressive 27/33mpg, but not so far as to wish you were back in your lumbering SUV.

KIA MANIAC

Straight out of 1983, Kia is running a pretty hilarious commercial with a 'salesman' selling cars like he's never sold before. The clip is ↓

Start the rumour mill here: Toyota should base their next commercial on a showroom variant of Footloose, starring..... that's right, Kevin Bacon. I can't think of anything funnier than the You Got Served guys appearing in a Buick advert, though.

KIA SOUL AD - TWO MORE CLIPS

The Good Car Guy just revealed, via YouTube, two of Kia's early Soul promo videos. Check them out here. Two more are below. Man, but don't it look good?

KIA SOUL AD - TWO CLIPS

Act surprised, if you like, that Kia's early promotion of the Soul isn't based more significantly on the vehicle. Apparently Kia wants to warm you up to the name. That's fine with The Good Car Guy. The Soul is just so good-looking, is going to be such good value, and apparently feels good and drives alright, too. What more want ye? More clips are coming, but for now, check out the first two found on YouTube. Remember, because the Soul won't be on sale until after January 1st, it won't be eligible for The Good 12.

NORTH AMERICA, HERE IS YOUR KIA SOUL

Sometimes it's the bumper height or the width of the seats. Other times its the placement of the blinkers or the size of the wheels. But you rarely notice anymore. We're speaking of the difference between the European, American, Canadian, Japanese, and Australian market vehicles. And many more nations that have slight restrictions on different things; things like bumpers and blinkers.

So spot the differences if you will, but one way or another, this is the Kia Soul meant for consumption in North America. Not eligible for The Good 12 v2.0 because of its late on-sale date (see last year's intro for rules), the Soul will surely be a competitor for one of twelve spots on The Good Car Guy's list of recommended vehicles for The Good 12 v3.0.

Terrific value should be easy to come by - the Soul will be priced between the Rio and Spectra. Kia got the image right. The Soul is tough but still modern and edgy and quite handsome. And though you'd expect the option of all-wheel drive on a vehicle that looks like the Kia Soul, the absence of such an option will help keep the cost down for everyone. 

KIA'S GOT SOUL

Familiar with Sunny Kim? No? I wasn't either, until two minutes ago. Apparently she's a Korean jazz musician and in all likelihood... Sunny's got soul.

And apparently that's a very Korean trait. Kia also has Soul. And they'll give you an opportunity to have Soul, as well. The production Soul will look remarkably similar to this SEMA-shown Kia, but the suicide doors will be conventional openers when it comes time for production.

HOW CONSUMER REPORTS RELIABILITY RANKINGS RELATE TO GCBC AWARDS

Late last year and in early 2008, The Good Car Guy handed out twenty awards. Well, let's be honest: eight of them were shameful awards. The Good 12 and The Bad 8  place significance on vehicles that can be purchased by people you and I know - no Ferraris, Lamborghinis, or Bentleys. Of the hundreds and hundreds of different models available to the North American consumer, The Good 12 tells you which you should buy if at all possible in 2008 and The Bad 8 makes very clear which cars you should not buy if at all avoidable.

Of course, those vehicles are in the running for 2009's Good 12 and Bad 8. If they're still the best, they ought to be recognized that way. But before that comes, it appears that Consumer Reports has released its reliability rankings, pieces of news in which many consumers (how ironic) place a great amount of trust.

So, how do those rankings compare with The Good 12 and The Bad 8? Have a look below.

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Small Cars: Consumer Reports says the Scion xD and Mini Cooper Clubman are at or near the top while the Nissan Versa sedan is the worst. The Good 12 holds fast on the regular Mini Cooper while the Versa sedan resides in The Bad 8.

Family Cars: Consumer Reports puts the Toyota Prius and Kia Optima at or near the top with the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger platform-mates at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent on the topic.

Sporty, Coupes, & Convertibles: Consumer Reports places the Lexus SC430 and Volco C30 at the top with the Chrysler Sebring convertible and Saturn Sky at the bottom. The Bad 8 has both the Sebring and Lexus SC in its grasp.

Luxury Cars: Infiniti's M35 and Lexus IS250 are CR's most reliable; the V8-powered Cadillac STS and V8-powered Mercedes-Benz E-Class are at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net speaks neither well or ill of all four.

Minivans/Wagons: The Toyota Matrix and Scion xB are the best of the bunch in CR's rankings, the Chrysler twins (Town & Country, Grand Caravan) are the worst. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent.

In the SUV/truck arena, the Toyota Tundra; Honda Ridgeline; Toyota Sequoia; Honda Pilot; Lexus RX400h; Honda Element, and Toyota FJ Cruiser are all leaders of their respective packs. Conversely, the Ford F-250; Land Rover LR2; Saturn Vue in V6 all-wheel drive form; Land Rover Range Rover; Volkswagen Touareg; V8-powered and diesel-fired Mercedes-Benz GL-Class; and the Dodge Dakota 4x4 are all unreliable by Consumer Reports' standards.

One more thing: Consumer Reports also said the Honda Fit; smart fortwo; and Infiniti G35 are "also very reliable". Those cars are in The Good 12.

MOTOR TREND NAMES SUBARU FORESTER ITS SUV OF THE YEAR

On its website, California-based Motor Trend has announced that the Subaru Forester is their SUV of the Year.

Other SUVOTY contenders included the BMW X6, Infiniti FX and EX35, Honda Pilot, Kia Borrego, Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Journey, Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Flex, Nissan Murano, Lexus LX570, and Toyota Sequoia. The Good Car Guy profiled the Forester in a 3 To Beat back in February where it performed admirably as well as in Part III of Dreams VS Reality with the Infiniti FX45 and Porsche Cayenne. Subaru's advertising for the Forester has garnered plenty of positive attention, as well.

Although there are dozens of different numbers that Motor Trend factored in when determining the SUVOTY, read below to see a list of the contenders in order of their fuel efficiency as tested by MT. In an era where fuel is expensive and families are struggling, the efficiency of family haulers is more important than ever. 

Subaru Forester (awd): 20.1 mpg

Volkswagen Tiguan (fwd): 17.3 mpg

Nissan Murano (fwd): 17.3 mpg

Subaru Forester (turbo awd) 16 mpg

Infiniti EX35 (awd): 15.8 mpg

Honda Pilot (awd): 14.9 mpg

Ford Flex (awd): 14.9 mpg

Dodge Journey (3.5L awd) 14.9 mpg

Kia Borrego (V8 4wd): 13.6 mpg

Lexus LX570 (4wd): 13.2 mpg

BMW X6 (I-6 awd): 13.2 mpg

Infiniti FX50 (awd): 12.9 mpg

Toyota Sequoia (4wd) 12.8 mpg

Chevrolet Traverse (awd): 12.1 mpg

TOYOTA YARIS DOMINATES CATEGORY IN CANADA

Deciding whether or not to import subcompacts to Canada is similar to determining whether or not hockey should be shown live on television, Uh, yeah.... do it.

Gasoline prices have almost always been a little bit higher in Canada than south of the border. That's part of it. Vehicle prices have almost always been inordinately high in Canada, as well. Combine these two factors and you see why the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla post huge sales numbers, not the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. 

(For Canada's full auto sales stats from September, click here)

And if everything is bumped down a notch in size, you find success for the smallest cars; the subcompacts. The best-selling car in Canada sits inside a Honda dealership; one rung above the Good 12-winning Honda Fit. Toyota's venerable Corolla is positioned above the little Yaris, sedan and hatchbacks. The Hyundai Elantra and Kia Spectra have teammates below, as well. That'll be the Accent and Rio; sedans and hatchbacks available here, too. Mercedes-Benz has (sort of) gotten into this game. Perhaps we shouldn't say "sort of". After all, if Mercedes wants to sell some smart fortwos, sales will have to be stolen from the aforementioned subcompacts. Nissan, of course, is in the game with the Versa, a roomy subcompact beneath the Sentra.

(Click here to read The Good Car Guy's review of the Yaris, Driven here)

Here's a brief look at subcompact sales in Canada in September. Not all Numbers are meant to be placed in direct comparison with all the others, so pay attention to what you're reading.

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301 - total sales of the smart fortwo in Canada during the month of September. Small, but up 871 percent from last September

1,608 - total sales of the Bad 8-losing Nissan Versa in September, a 27.3% decline from last September but still more than the Sentra that sold just 1,109 in a month where Sentra sales were up 41.6%

2,866 - total Hyundai Accent sales in the month of August, a 66% increase over the previous August. Heavy advertising of a special $9,995 Accent helped the cause, no doubt.

905 - total Kia Rio sales in September, down from 960 in September of '07. Year-to-date totals show an increase of 1,792 from January-September

1,536 - total Honda Fit sales in September, up 72% from last September; and some are likely waiting for the soon-to-arrive next-gen Fit

3,975 - total sales of the Toyota Yaris hatchbacks and sedan in September, up 85.4% over last September and more than the Fit; Versa; and fortwo combined

Click here to read about The Good Car Guy's review of the Honda Fit, or here for the Nissan Versa, 

or here for the whole smart label

KIA SAYS THE SOUL IS "MOST SIGNIFICANT-EVER MODEL"

Something about the Kia Soul has grabbed the attention of The Good Car Guy since its inception as a concept. Searching for more info about the Soul on GoodCarBadCar.net reveals: its debut, then modified versions, an analysis of potential competitors, and finally a thorough photo update.

Perhaps it is the unique design of this little Kia, its purpose as a functional vehicle that happens to be stylish, or all that accompanies the Soul that makes it so appealing. Low prices, good fuel economy, decent quality, plenty of space, style inside and out - that's a recipe for success. 

North American Kia buyers will find a 2.0L with 140 horsepower under the hood sending power to the front wheels with a manual or automatic transmission. 

In Europe, Kia Soul customers can choose between a diesel and a 'petrol', both of which generate 124 horsepower. The diesel is a torque-monster, with 188 lb-ft available at 2000rpm. The gasoline-fired 1.6L engine will produce just 115 lb-ft of torque. These European Souls should accelerate to 60mph between 10 and 11 seconds. That 1.6L diesel should be good for the equivalent of 46 US mpg, as well.

The Soul will stand over 63-inches tall. That's about seven inches lower than a Honda Element. Disc brakes all around, stability control, and six airbags will be standard equipment around the globe.

What does this all mean? Kia says the Soul is their most significant model ever. 

2008 & 2009 KIA RONDO RECALLED FOR FUEL PUMP PROBLEM

Without an official count (a count you can do at GoodCarBadCar.net's Recall section), it seems as though, more often than not, NHTSA recalls affect fuel. In reality, cars aren't very dangerous without fuel. Thrust gasoline into the mix and the assorted devices that hold it, pump it, and suck it, and the safety administration gets frightened.

And they find problems. This time, the problem rests under the Kia Rondo. Rondos from model years 2008 and 2009 - 6,680 of them - that are equipped with the 2.4L four-cylinder may have a weak fuel pump. If not enough fuel gets to the engine, igniting could be difficult; stuttering could be bothersome; and more severe impairment could be dangerous.

Kia will be replacing the fuel pump sub-assembly with an "improved part". I should hope the part wouldn't be worse than the first.

THE KEE BY KIA

There've been rumours, and then innuendo, and then verifiable rumours. Kia would debut a coupe concept at Frankfurt with the purpose to evolve, expand, and further Kia's brand image by way of strong styling. The Kee certainly not going to further the brand by way of powertrain since Kia chose to drop a low-powered 2.7L V6 (197bhp?) in the engine bay.




But this is the new corporate look for Kia. Do recall Subaru's new aviation look which lasted all of.... several months before the Legacy rejected it forever, the Impreza facelift was simply a runout model, and the Tribeca appeared with a new face. These grandiose announcements and debuts don't always dig as far into the future as we are made to believe, but expect Kia to at least grow more bold. The Kee is just the start.

KIA KND-4 - Frankfurt Auto Show

Kia doesn't really expect you to look at the KND-4 concept and then walk away thinking about its engine, or techy features, or Blu-ray player. They want you to like the way it looks. And it looks good. Attention-grabbing. Strong proportions. I wouldn't really suggest it is a GoodCar type of vehicle, but it does fulfill Kia's goals.


The KND-4 looks infinitely more expensive than the current Sportage (I guess every concept looks expensive with their jeweled headlamps and gigantic wheels) and a notch or two more aggressive. Don't go all SUV-hater on me, either - this Kia's four-cylinder diesel won't suck Saudi Arabia dry.

THE KIA SOUL PICTURE GALLERY HAS GROWN

The Kia Soul looks like a wonderfully inexpensive competitor for the Honda Element, but you can bet your bottom dollar that any small car buyer (Civic, Matrix, Scion xB) will gravitate to a vehicle that looks good with a good-looking price tag. Kia is talking about the Soul fitting somewhere between or alongside the Rio and Spectra. Fortunately, this oh-so-practical and utilitarian vehicle has more viewpoints now. The gallery is below. Take special note of the side-on shots of the interior. It's nothing spectacular but it is new and a little splashier than what we've come to expect from Kia. By the way, Kia has revealed that the Soul will be powered by a 2.0L engine with 140 horsepower for those of us in North America.

KOREAN CAR SALES INCREASE - NUMBERS

Hyundai ranks seventh in the United States in automotive sales. Hyundai's Korean compatriot and underling, Kia, is posting improved sales all around the globe. How did this happen? As Hyundai introduces the Genesis sedan, Kia is soon to upgrade the Amanti to become more Hyundai Azera-like. Kia is just rolling out its gigantic SUV, the Borrego. Hyundai's largest SUV, the Veracruz, is in some eyes better than the Lexus RX. But....

That's a small part of the Hyundai/Kia success story in America. Check out the U.S. sales stats below. Remember the models that have succumbed to the current state of the American automotive marketplace: Hyundai's Sonata, Azera, Santa Fe, Tuscon, Tiburon, Entourage and Kia's Amanti, Sedona, Sportage, and Sorento.

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56.2 - percentage sales jump for the Hyundai Accent (compact hatchback and sedan) over the first half of this year compared with January-July of 2007

51.7 - percentage sales jump for the Kia Rondo (mini-minivan) over the first half of this year

40.4 - percentage sales increase posted by the Kia Optima (midsize sedan) during January-July of '08

7,048 - total sales of the Hyundai Veracruz (large crossover) through July of this year, up from 5,226 Veracruz sales in the first six months of 2007

28 - percentage increase in Kia Rio (compact hatch and sedan) sales (to 24,668) through July of this year

72,432 - total Hyundai Elantra (small sedan) sales in the first half of 2008, up from 57,914 during the same period of 2007

5,940 - increase in sales of the Kia Spectra (small sedan) comparing the first six months of 2008 with the same period of 2007

STRANGE TIMING FOR TRUCK ADVERTISING IN MONTHLY MAGS

Depressing though the good-looking Mazda CX-7's test numbers from Motor Trend's September issue may be (0-60mph in 7.7 and 17 miles per gallon), especially in light of the Subaru Forester's impressive statistics (0-60 in 6.6 and 19.6 mpg), it's downright alarming the extent to which low mpg vehicles were advertised in the issue that's already on newsstands.

It's not a hard case to make: heavily market the products that you're struggling to sell. Make the buyers aware. On the other hand, expensive advertising directed toward an ever-shrinking market - especially when the products mentioned are already very well-known.... now that seems a little bit silly.

Surely different marketing executives would present differing views on the merits of extensive truck advertising. In a year when the long-time best-selling vehicle in America, Ford's F-150, has been out-sold by four cars over the last couple months, some of the numbers you'll see below are surprising.

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2 - pages of advertising GMC placed inside the cover for the Acadia, a 19mpg large crossover

2 - pages of advertising Mercedes-Benz placed for the 15mpg C63 AMG

1 - page of advertising for the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, a 20.5mpg SUV

12 - pages of advertising (including a centrefold) for the Chevrolet Silverado which is, at best, a 17.5mpg pick-up truck

1 - page of advertising for the Cadillac CTS, a 22mpg luxury sedan

2 - pages of advertising Dodge placed with business-reply mail for the Ram pickup

1 - page of advertising for the 19mpg Honda Pilot

1 - page of combined advertising for the 22mpg Nissan Maxima and the GT-R

1 - page of advertising for the Infiniti FX which is, at best, a 19mpg sporty crossover

1 - page of advertising for the Toyota Matrix, a small hatchback that can achieve a combined 29mpg

1 - page of advertising for the new Kia Borrego, a body-on-frame large SUV that's available with a V8 but can touch 19mpg with a V6

1 - page of advertising for the 26mpg Suzuki SX4 on the inside of the back cover

1 - page of advertising for the 25.5mpg Acura TSX on the back cover

18.8 - average (best) combined MPG rating of the first five vehicles you'll see advertised in Motor Trend's September issue

22.8 - average (best) combined MPG rating for the final seven vehicles you'll see advertisied in MT/09

KIA SPECTRA - Driven

Your acquaintance with Kia may be considered brief. You may believe Kia's history to be short and their reputation still tainted by the relatively recent past. A low quality loner, some have said.

But Kia is South Korea's oldest car company. That fact means that Kia has a longer history to draw on than Hyundai. What you remember from the first Kia's you laid eyes on has little resemblance to what Kia produces now, nor does it really matter. And Kia Motors, senior Korean automaker, has actually been a part of Hyundai Motor Company since 1998.


Lesson learned. Preconceptions are often misconceptions, and one such mispreconception involves the idea that Kia's are cheap. Inexpensive, for sure. When I first drove a Kia Rio (previous generation) I was alarmed at its price tag. It was apparent to me that the Rio I drove featured one of the lowest price tags of any new car on the continent, but was still overpriced. The car did change gears, but I wondered how. The vague, rubbery shifter I was in control of seemed to have no connection to the real mechanical world. Interior materials were comprised of plastics hard enough to injure sensitive fingers and fabrics coarse enough to cause rashes.

Yet with the flick of a switch, the next Kia Rio became a highly competitive subcompact. Likewise the Kia Sephia/Spectra, whose named evolved into Spectra & Spectra5. Kia's compact underwent a revolution to become a worthy candidate for buyers searching in the mid-to-high teen $ market.

Let's be honest from the start. If you, the buyer, can buy a Honda Civic.... do so. However, the Spectra is worthy of your dollars. This is GoodCarBadCar, but in all honesty, what turns a BadCar into a GoodCar these days is not usually increased reliability and roadworthiness. Rather, a GoodCar must possess some cool, something new, something ingenious. A GoodCar must stand out from the crowd.

The Kia Spectra isn't overtly cool, new, ingenious or outgoing. Thus, we can't truly name the Spectra as a top choice in the crowded Civic/Mazda3 field. Nevertheless, the Spectra will fulfill the demands of its owner, it will likely be a solid and reliably machine (if J.D. Power is to be believed) and it will do all this without harming your wallet.

We drove a Kia Spectra 902 kilometres to Prince Edward Island, around the Island, and back home. Our fuel economy was superb, at 7.31 litres used every 100 kilometres. Energuide's combined rating is 7.45L/100km. The aforementioned segment dominator from Honda has a combined rating of just 6.95L/100km.

The Spectra saw a wide variety of roads on a trip to the in-law's wedding. Construction was everywhere prior to the Confederation Bridge, and the frequent stints on rough pavement proved the Hankook tires to be the main cause of excessive noise, rather than poor wind sealing or sound deadening lack. During the first 300 km of the trip, Spectra was leading a UHaul, so twisty sections of the highway were not used and abused. Kilometres 301-599 were wholly based on PEI, where typical side road speeds are substantially over the posted limit. We were not able to enjoy awesome Route #955 through Murray Corner, New Brunswick as we did in the previous week's Nissan Versa (read that test drive here), but PEI still offers up some fun.

Spend 900 kilometres in any car over a short timespan and you notice the highlights and lowlights of the cockpit and passenger compartment. The interior design had no visual flair, but the positioning of each button was aligned properly. Lacking visual flair is one thing; but the appearance of singular elements as though they belong in cheaper cars isn't necessary. In this day of beautification, bling, and bold design, give me a cool shifter. Not something out of a late 80's Ford.

Enduring the monotonous drive from Aulac, NB to Borden, PEI requires decent passing punch. One lane each way, never a division. In late June, the Nissan Versa struggled on this patch. The Spectra provided more punch than its sub-140 bhp would suggest. A little thrashy at the top end, but the job was done. As four-speed automatics go, the Spectra's was actually a bit of a snappy shifter. Revs didn't disappear with each successive climb through the ratios. A brief stint in a late-model Nissan Sentra not long after showed me, once again, the agony of significant rev drop-off between first and second gear.

Kia's Spectra is no sports sedan. It doesn't drive as sporty as a Mazda3, doesn't look as sporty as a Mitsubishi Lancer, and doesn't sound as sporty as a Honda Civic. For a large percentage of the population, sporty sounds and looks and mannerisms don't matter. For a percentage of that percentage, design flair and external differentiation matter even less. It is for these people that the Kia Spectra matters much.

Transportation is a wonderful thing. For those who seek a great destination; a great view - and care little about the journey - a Kia Spectra can carry them down Route 225 from Cornwall to Kinkora to behold a sunset unlike anything our small party of travelers had ever seen. They can park in front of a small church, look at over an old cemetery, and forget about how they got to this place. Some people just want to see the sunset.

For the rest of us, problems arise. The sun was quickly falling. We could see that it was going to be an impressive sight if only we could come upon a suitable perch to 'view the view'. The Spectra got us to Hartsville Presbyterian in time.... but just barely. A few tighter corners, a few more revs, maybe some stickier tires and a bit more low-down urge. That's what we needed. Just give us a bit more time to savour the view.

LAST WEEK'S VEHICLES

Daily routines of freelance auto writers differ from other professions, that's true. But the day-in-day-out pattern isn't full of test drives in the newest and greatest cars. I drive the cars of the people. Over the last week, from July 1st to July 7th, I drove an odd mix of automobile. There'll be a more thorough write-up of one of the cars soon, but for now, listen to the mix.

When the local Kia dealership started to push inexpensive new cars into my hometown, the word inexpensive did not come readily to mind. Cheap. Few cars undergo a transition as positive and noteworthy as the Kia Spectra, however. From the Spectra/Sephia of the late 90's and into the 00's to the Spectra you see on dealer forecourts now - there was a mighty big change. Changes, really. Cheap is no longer an applicable terminology. (Inexpensive still works.) Performance is a little more sprightly. The overall appearance of the Spectra could be characterized as handsome, rather than antiquated. I drove a new Kia Spectra 902 kilometres on a wedding trip to Prince Edward Island and back. The trip ended on the morning of the 3rd.

As with the Nissan Versa from the weekend before, I was pleasantly surprised, this time more so. The Spectra is a better car than the Versa, but it also costs more. In the eyes of most consumers, the Spectra must compete with the Honda Civic and Mazda3, under whose light the Spectra shines less brightly. Unlike the Civic, the Spectra comes in hatchback and sedan body configurations.

Transportation was also provided by a Pontiac Grand Am, the Grand Am that was succeeded by the Pontiac G6. The Grand Am was a longtime member of the Pontiac showroom, but by the end of its run was not able to compete in the size and price class in which it found its home. The final generation was somehow stuck between Corolla/Civic/Focus and the Camry/Accord/Taurus. The situation was similar to the Ford Contour, the Contour being a decent car that just didn't fit into Ford's lineup.

Going back to the late 90's and seeing that 175 thrashing horsepower was meant to compete doesn't surprise me. It was a different era. Things that surprise me include the huge steering wheel and a stereo volume knob that may or may not obey your commands. Turn to the right, volume goes down. Turn to the right, volume rises. Hmm? It's an old car, you say. Sure, but you know GM didn't care about things like the volume knob in 1999. Consumers do. General Motors is learning.

Even though I believe that a proper Subaru Legacy wagon (as tested here) is one of the best all-around cars on the road, people continue to purchase Subaru Outbacks. As you wish. The previous iteration of the Outback is still a very common sight on roads 'round here. With acres of cargo space to enjoy all year round and an all-wheel drive system which aids in awful winter conditions, the Subaru is a perfect everyman vehicle. Outbacks are a nice used purchase as well. Terrific reliability and interiors that stand up to a beating. There were no hi-po turbocharged Outbacks back in the early part of this millennium, and there's nothing too flashy about the car on the inside or out. It's just a plain good car. That's what this site is all about.


Ford has been making the Ranger, without significant changes, for what seems like a lifetime. My lifetime. Altered and adjusted. Bobbled and bolted on. Differentiated, but not distinguished. Changed, but not significantly. I drove a newer Ranger with a 5-speed manual. I was with a friend who was borrowing the Ranger from the man who would become his father-in-law in 24 hours. The friend had driven the Ranger before and found the clutch and shifter 'not suited to his style', shall we say. This is the style of one who drives a 1992 VW Passat with a manual. That car requires good clutching style. To gain ownership and possession of a new mattress and boxspring, the friend required the Ranger. But the friend didn't want to drive the Ranger, so The Good Car Guy was given the keys and told to write a favourable review.

The Ranger was fun. In a 1989-dirt-road-bumps-and-yumps kind of way. Except we were on smooth city streets. It was fun to work that odd clutch and absolutely imprecise shifter. In a dump-truck-on-the-oil-sands kind of way. The truck did its job, however, and did it perfectly. There's torque up down in there somewhere, I reckon. It held the bed, and visibility was only slightly restricted. The Ranger would be a great city truck if its ride were to be improved. This is no Toyota Tacoma, not even a Dodge Dakota. Small, unrefined, and haggard even when new. People keep buying Rangers, though. Lots of them. The market for small trucks could grow disproportionately if gas prices continue to rise. Rangers are an easy and cheap way into a truck. It'll do the job.

JULY SEDAN DEBUTS Part II - KIA FORTE

Remember the Kia Sephia? Forget it. Years and generations on, the next Kia built to compete with the Honda Civic will be called the Forte. Building on the fairly decent driving dynamics of the Kia Spectra, the Forte adds looks.

Yeah, looks matter; even at this low price point. However, cars need a lot more than looks to win battles against such stoic-but-solid competitors as Toyota's Corolla. When buyers come walking into dealers looking for their first car or first new car and need to hit a price point in order to continue paying rent or tuition, a vehicle's reputation as the best-looking car in its class quickly falls by the wayside. This ain't Audi A3 vs BMW 1-Series. 

Not to understate the clean and classy lines of the Forte. Although not a body double for the latest Mitsubishi Lancer, it's easy to see a similarly modern interpretation of strong & small design. Kia will introduce the Forte in Korea with a 1.6 litre 4-cylinder. Even with wicked high fuel prices on this continent, it seems too far-fetched to think Kia won't offer an engine capacity of at least 2.0 litres; which is the size of the Forte's second engine in Korea.

Unintentionally timed to coincide with BMW's web introduction of the next 7-Series, Kia hasn't managed to take the brand that far. You can bet the Forte will be a greater success than the Spectra in the same manner that the Spectra out-performed the Sephia.

MOTOR TREND'S MIDSIZE SEDAN SUMMARIES

Surprised that the most expensive and most expensive to fuel sedan won first place in Motor Trend's comparison of the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, and Volkswagen Passat? $29,333 ought to beat $22,235, shouldn't it? But in a test where fuel econony matters matter, does the $29,333 car with 22.8mpg on premium gas beat the $22,235 with 23.8 on regular? Well, it does if 0-60 flies by in 6.7 seconds. Here are MT's verdicts with a 1-10 rating from The Good Car Guy, with 10 being complete agreement and 1 being complete disagreement: 

1st Place: Volkswagen Passat - 

Despite a high sticker and thirst for premium, wins by a nose due to driving fun. 

GCBC Agreement: 5

2nd Place: Hyundai Sonata - 

Only lacking the VW's verve; our #1 pick if family comes first.

GCBC Agreement: 7

3rd Place: Toyota Camry - 

Efficient, well executed, it's the sound, yet charmless choice.

GCBC Agreement: 7

4th Place: Honda Accord -

Polarizing looks inside and out can't hide a great engine and chassis combination.

GCBC Agreement: 3

5th Place: Ford Fusion -

Surprisingly athletic chassis hampered by wheezy engine and irritating transmission.

GCBC Agreement: 6

6th Place: Kia Optima -

Though due for a refresh, Kia finishes on top of the second tier. Room and economy are fine, it just needs the same refinements the Sonata received.

GCBC Agreement: 8

7th Place: Nissan Altima -

Steepest sticker, yet not the best ride, performance, or value. CVT and light steering create an effortless drive, yet fully loaded, it still seems lacking.

GCBC Agreement: 9

8th Place: Chevrolet Malibu -

Poor finish for arguably the best looker. Shame that sexy skin hides a weight problem the underpowered Ecotec can't handle.

GCBC Agreement: 6

9th Place: Mitsubishi Galant -

Looks old, feels older, and saddled with many of this comparo's worsts, including power-to-weight and EPA and observed fuel economy.

GCBC Agreement: 10

10th Place: Dodge Avenger -

Drum brakes, four-speed trans, cheap plastics, and poor economy make this a frightful drive. Gaps between last and first don't get any wider than this.

GCBC Agreement: 10

Which cars were missing from the test? Former losers and models soon-to-be replaced. The Subaru Legacy could've finished mid-pack. Mazda's upcoming 6 will charge to the top of the field. Pontiac's G6 would compete with the Galant and Avenger (or Chrysler Sebring) for rear guards. The Saturn Aura is commonly regarded as a lesser Malibu. Check back tomorrow for more detail on MT's controversial winner.