Posts Tagged ‘Compact Car’

Volkswagen executives are probably wishing they had toned down the hubris a few years ago. Back then, they touted the compact Jetta as a legitimate competitor to entry level sports sedans like the Acura TSX and Audi A4.

But sales never kept up with the fifth-generation Jetta’s nimble handling. The Vee-Dub’s premium appointments required a premium price and most shoppers chose to save a few pennies and invest in segment stalwarts like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

With pressure on to triple sales volume by 2018, the folks at VW chose to abandon the premium path and take the road most traveled. The all-new 2011 Jetta went on a strict pricing diet and came to market about $1,700 lighter. It now stares down its rivals with a very competitive base price of $15,995.

To reduce price by that much, Volkswagen had to unleash a swarm of bean counters and engineers to get costs back under control. Their work was extensive but thoughtful and Volkswagen was able to retain much of the Jetta’s premium appeal while trimming away key items that were over-spec’d and under-valued.

Gone is the multi-link rear suspension of the fifth-generation car. Same for the expensive soft-touch plastics in the cabin. Even the rear brakes received scrutiny, with lower “S” and “SE” trim levels now leaving the factory with old-school drum brakes in place of modern disc brakes.

Enthusiasts and owners of the previous Jetta may notice a few of these cost-cutting moves, but shoppers who are new to the brand will not. The 2011 model is what Jettas have always been: a business class car for an economy class price.

Getting down to the nuts and bolts, this new Vee-Dub is a smidge larger than its predecessor and stretches rear seat leg room by 2.7 inches. That’s a mere 0.3 inches shy of the back seat found in the long wheelbase BMW 7-Series, the company notes. Trunk space is a suitcase-swallowing 15.5 cubic feet; half-a-cube larger than the midsize Toyota Camry.

Inside, the Jetta’s cabin is missing a few chrome accents here and there, but still manages to impress with high quality switchgear and controls that are clear and easy to operate. It’s a very tidy, smart place to be and a pleasant alternative to the space-age interior of the Civic and the dreary gray of the Corolla.

Spend a few extra bucks and you can equip your new VW with keyless entry and ignition, touchscreen navigation system, and bluetooth hands-free phone system. All of these features are nice to have, though the Jetta is not unique in offering them.

The only major disappointment is the abundance of hard plastic for the dashboard and door panels. These components sound hollow and cheap if you knock on them, though they are no worse than what you’ll find in the segment’s best-sellers.

German cars tend to come with a bevy of engine options and the 2011 Jetta is no exception. By the end of 2012, shoppers will have five engine choices in a segment that generally offers two.

The base engine – found only in the entry “S” trim level – generates a mere 115 horsepower and has 0-60 acceleration times that are a class below. You won’t find many of these on dealer lots, though, as these cars tend to exist primarily so that Volkswagen can advertise a low base price and lure people into their showrooms.

The engine that you are likely to find is a 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine with a generous 170 horsepower rating. Acceleration performance is solid and the 24 city /31 highway fuel mileage bests the optional engines found in the Toyota Corolla and Mazda 3.

Alternative fuel fans will soon have their choice of diesel or hybrid power, too. The popular 4-cylinder TDI diesel engine is untouched from last year’s model and achieves fuel economy in the mid-30’s while still managing to produce 140 horsepower.

There are few details on the gasoline-electric hybrid right now, though Volkswagen has confirmed that their system is a “full hybrid” that’s capable of running at low speeds on electric power alone, just like the Toyota Prius.

A sporty GLI trim level will rejoin the Jetta lineup in a few months, packing a 200-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. The GLI will also boast a few cosmetic changes and a sport-tuned suspension that returns the missing multi-link rear suspension to the spec sheet.

If you’re clamoring for a Jetta with more cargo capacity, the SportWagen will receive fresh sheetmetal sometime next year. The current model offers nearly 67 cubic feet of storage space, making it one of the best family cars you can buy for the money. Wagons have a retro-hip appeal for young parents these days and we won’t be surprised if sales jump thanks to the new and improved pricing.

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta is on sale now and we’re anxious to see if the company’s new direction will resonate with buyers in this segment. Though the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla are the most obvious competitors, VW must also stand out against the refined Chevrolet Cruze, lively Mazda 3, and handsome Kia Forte. And in a few more months the pressure will build with the launch of the all-new Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra.

With competition this fierce, Volkswagen is going to need all the fahrvergnügen it can get.

Attention, Ford Fans!  Cancel those weekend plans because the 2012 Ford Focus configurator just came online and is ready to offer hours of entertainment.

The Blue Oval’s new compact car will hit the tarmac this spring in sedan and hatchback form, with a starting price of $16,270. Based on our test drive of the hugely impressive 2011 Fiesta subcompact, we expect great things from this new Focus.

We had a chance to take a sneak peek at the new car at last year’s New York Auto Show and were smitten by the energetic design. With its angry trapezoidal grille and chiseled lines, the Focus sedan and hatch are easily the most aggressive looking cars in a segment that’s long been dominated by the staid Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

Inside, Ford has loaded up the car with a long list of standard features. You’ll find power locks, windows, and mirrors on the comfort side and a full complement of air bags and electronic stability control on the safety side.

For $995, you can add a Sony audio system and MyFord Touch with enormous 8-inch color touchscreen display. A $1,395 Premium Package adds leather, rain-sensing windshield wipers, 17-inch alloy wheels and a few other goodies. There will even be a $695 Parking Technology Package that can automatically parallel park your Focus for you, trumping most luxury cars in the process.

Those features do add up, though. We loaded up a Focus hatchback with the Titanium package and every goodie we could find and ended up at $28,555. We’ll have more real-world pricing information for you car-shoppers once the new Focus launches and TrueCar can tell us what people around the country are actually paying at the dealership. Stay tuned.

Under hood is a new 2.0-liter engine that’s been fitted with Ford’s Ti-VCT technology, an advanced feature that boosts power, responsiveness, and fuel economy.

Final horsepower and mileage figures have not yet been released, but we’ve sampled this technology in the Fiesta and were mighty impressed with the results. We’re expecting about 150-160 horsepower and 35-38 miles per gallon on the highway.

How will you outfit your 2012 Focus? Sedan or hatchback? Automatic or manual? We’ll take our hatch loaded in Tuxedo Black Metallic, please!

In case you haven’t noticed, Kia is on a roll lately. The South Korean automaker has been cranking out one hit product after another for the past two years, from the youthful Kia Soul to the family-friendly, 7-seater Kia Sorento. Sales in this down economy are so far up an impressive 14.4% from last year.

If early reviews from owners on Honk are any indication, the 2010 Kia Forte is set to continue that winning streak.

Much of Kia’s recent success can be attributed to a strong emphasis on design. Peter Schreyer was lured away from a 25-year career at Audi in 2006 and the famed designer has since been hard at work revamping the entire Kia lineup. Under Schreyer’s direction, new models now have a consistent look – described from within the studio as, “simplicity, but with precision.”

The new design language works well on the Forte. Nothing about the car’s appearance is cheap or fussy. Each line has a purpose and catches your eye in a way that makes the vehicle look solid and substantial.

The upward-sweeping beltline gives the car a wedge-like profile and energetic stance. Follow it down the car, past the front fender, and the line becomes the leading edge of the hood before wrapping back around to the other side of the car. Smooth, seamless, solid.

It’s rare to get this level of sophistication in such an affordable car. Parked next to its competitors the Forte looks handsomely understated and thousands of dollars more expensive.

Fortunately, beauty is more than skin deep on this new Kia thanks to a generous list of standard features. Younger buyers will no doubt appreciate the standard Bluetooth hands-free phone system and USB audio input jack. Families will love the standard anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control system, and side air bags.

Even the Forte’s standard 2.0-liter engine has something to brag about, offering a stout 156-horsepower and up to 36 miles per gallon on the highway. A larger 2.4-liter engine is available with 173-horsepower, though mileage does drop by a few miles per gallon.

One small downside is that you’ll have to buy an optional $600 Fuel Economy Package to achieve the highest MPG rating. The package includes aerodynamic upgrades and a more efficient 5-speed automatic transmission among other nifty tricks. It’s a steep price to pay for two miles per gallon.

The other option packages are reasonably priced and logically arranged. Step up from the base LX to the mid-grade EX trim level and the Forte gets an upgraded audio system, power windows and locks, cruise control, and upscale sideview mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators. The sporty SX trim level adds a sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, and trip computer.  Leather seats and a sunroof are optional on both the EX and SX trim levels.

One option you won’t find – at least for now – is a factory navigation system. This seems like a missed opportunity to me since competitors like the Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, and Mazda 3 all offer the feature. Maybe Kia was just waiting for their excellent UVO voice-activated multimedia system to debut first?

(And speaking of later, Kia tells us that a smart 5-door hatchback with a bit more cargo space will come to market this fall. It’s sure to be a great choice for those who love to do more with less.)

On the upside, safety ratings for this Kia compact are excellent. The Forte was named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: an award that requires top scores in front, rear, and side impacts, a rollover test, and the availability of electronic stability control. Only 51 vehicles received this honor in 2010 out of over 300 new models.

And as with many Kia products, the Forte is a smart buy thanks to attractive pricing and a class-leading 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. The sedan starts at a mere $13,695 and the coupe starts at $16,595. (See what people in your area have actually been paying here.)

Kia has much to be proud of with this new Forte. It’s a stylish, well-equipped ride that I think has earned its place among the leaders in this class.