2011 New York: Hits and Misses

[ahmed_7erzon]

Kia Rio

Photo: Kia

MG: Hit: Kia’s new design language looks pretty good on its smallest sedan. With those distinctive looks, 40 mpg, and Kia’s track record for decent pricing, they will be only one outcome — lots of happy customers. Also great to see “stop-start” showing up on a high-volume, low-cost vehicle like Rio.

LW: Hit. Hot on the heels of the four-door hatch, the Rio sedan was unveiled at the New York Auto Show. Whatever Kia did to coax designer Peter Schreyer away from Audi, they'd better keep doing it because the new lineup is stylish and refined; words you'd never have used when talking about Kia a mere five years ago. Leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessors in terms of styling and technology, the Rio boasts phenomenal mileage, an idle-stop function and UVO, the Microsoft-powered interactive infotainment system.

Chevrolet Malibu

Photo: General Motors

MG: Miss: I give it a “Miss” but consider it a shot off the post. Very close. It’s a handsome car, and the eAssist system with stop-start features on the Eco model makes it a great alternative to full-on hybrids. But the current Malibu had a more distinctive look — this revised one looks too much like a larger Cruze.

LW: Hit. I can't say I'm crazy about the grill, but then I didn't like that honeycomb brightwork when used on the otherwise pretty Solstice either. Aside from its looks, the grille itself helps to reduce wind resistance with the use of "active grille shutters". And it’s got a great Camaro-esqe backside. Debuting simultaneously in Shanghai and NYC, the Malibu represents an important investment in General Motor's global future, similar in design and approach to the Cruze.

Volkswagen Beetle

Photo: Volkswagen

MG: Miss: It looks refreshed, with a new sportier attitude. Lots of great engines too. But the excitement of seeing a born-again Beetle on the road has come and passed. Now it’s just another car. You can’t fault VW from trying to make Beetle into a cult brand like Mini, but seems too mainstream for such a role. But again, a nice re-think that will certainly add volume to the VW’s ambitious growth plans.

LW: Hit, hands down. I don't care how popular the previous model was - its bubble-headed cartoonish-ness always left me cold. The new Beetle, which simultaneously debuted in Shanghai and New York, returns to its Porsche-related roots yet still manages to maintain the all-important Bug cuteness. Most importantly - the new Bug now comes with a dollop of performance and handling.

Nissan Versa

Photo: Mike Goetz/Auto123.com

MG: Hit: I like this strategy — when everyone else is zigging, go zagging. Compared to its “B” car competitors, the Versa stands out, with lots of room, and a more mature personality. Nice powertrain upgrades too, notably the dual-injector fuel injection system and the new, super-compact CVT, which adds a “world first” — an auxiliary gearbox using planetary gearing, allowing for 38 mpg highway mileage.

LW: Miss. Although I'm relieved to see that it’s lost the droopy bottom of the previous model, the Versa - a perennial top seller in this all-important segment, induces nothing but mind-numbing, yawn-stifling boredom in me. Sure, it's got a huge interior with more legroom than the Lexus LS and a voluminous trunk, but it joins the legions of nondescript commuter sedans coursing our freeways like a steady stream of foil-wrapped baked potatoes. Yawn.

Lexus LF-Gh

Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com

MG: Hit: The Lexus LF-Gh debuts the brand’s new face and it’s very dramatic and necessary. Up close and under the lights, the LF-Gh was an eyeful to take in — lots of really cool details and creases and interesting surfaces. I guess you couldn’t call it beautiful, but I don’t think that’s what Lexus was striving for here. This is more about standing out in a crowd, and broadcasting that you’re both technically advanced and accommodating to occupants. And I think it does that very well.

LW: Miss. I think. Lexus didn't really reveal enough at the launch to form a decisive opinion of this new sedan that reportedly represents an "entirely new design approach" yet other than a really awesome geometrically-carved concept-car snout, looked pretty much like any other Lexus sedan currently out there. It apparently has a hybrid drivetrain, although they didn't say which one, and a new driver-oriented cabin boasting premium materials, which was impossible to see through the blacked-out glass.

Grand Cherokee SRT8

Photo: Chrysler

MG: Miss: I’m sorry, but a big honking SUV with a big honking V8 when everyone is expecting gas prices to shoot up like pinball scores? The idea maybe a victim of timing, but the execution looks pretty darn good. The regular Cherokee is more talented “off road” than most SUVs; now you can add “on track” prowess to its repertoire.

LW: Hit. This is the kind of vehicle that earns you the one-finger salute in university towns with environmental studies programs (like mine). And although I should probably cop a responsible, urbane attitude and give it a haughty thumbs down - this well-executed SUV is so full of angry attitude that I can't help giggling in delighted approval.
Scion FR-S

Photo: Toyota

MG: Hit: Light weight? Rear wheel drive? Exotic car profile? Interesting new boxer engine? Moderate price? Hit or miss? You kidding me? If we don’t encourage these kinds of cars, what should we encourage? Another crossover? Do you get my point? I hope so, because I’m all out of questions… Except for this last one: Do you think the production version of this car will be able to cash the go-fast cheque written by the racy body lines?

LW: Hit. Lord knows Toyota needs an injection of excitement. Let’s hope the actuality somewhat resembles the promise. Gorgeous concept cars like the FR-S are often like long-anticipated Christmas presents of old that often turned out to be socks… but Toyota insists that the FR-S will "inspire a new model coming to the Scion brand next year". The concept had a rich cherry paint that left most of the auto press sighing with wistful longing, and 20-inch wheels that will probably never see production.

Subaru Impreza

Photo: Subaru

MG: Hit: Subaru sticks to what it does best — practical and fuel efficient all-wheel drive vehicles. The Impreza is right on the money here. It’s handsome enough, and Subaru didn’t feel the need to keep increasing power at the expense of fuel efficiency. It should be one of the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive vehicles on the market, and there’s nothing cheap about it.

LW: Miss. Why, with a history of design that has endeared itself to fans through its very eccentricity, has Subaru been steadily watering down their distinctive image? And yet it claims to be "debuting bolder, more dynamic designs". Nonetheless, the new Impreza, always a sales success returns with greater fuel economy and a higher level of refinement. But, unfortunately, less character.

Mercedes A-Class Concept

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

MG: Hit: In a world gone crazy for over-the-top grilles, the A-Class Concept pulls off a cracker. It’s bold and beautiful. The rest of the car isn’t too shabby either, and signals that Mercedes-Benz will make a fairly dramatic production A-Class. The A-Class Concept was also shod with my favourite set of wheels, of any car at the show.

LW: Hit. The compact A-Class represents a departure from Mercedes traditional Teutonic stuffiness, with dramatic styling and a colourful instrumentation that rivals the Honda CRZ for space-age technological weirdness. A global car that's aimed at a more youthful audience, the A-class boasts all the necessary connectivity and is theoretically powered by a four-cylinder BlueEfficiency engine with hints of EV, hybrid and AMG versions to come.