Posts tagged Mini Cooper
Kia Soul Wagon
Oct 13th
The 2011 Kia Soul brings hipster styling and a fun-to-drive nature to the realm of the practical hatchback. Pros: Loads of available features, highly customizable, user-friendly controls, ample passenger space, surprisingly fun to drive, low price, long warranty. The Kia Soul receives a few improvements for 2011, with new rear shock absorbers and standard rear disc brakes (replacing last year’s rear drums) being the most notable. Other minor changes include new door handles, push-button start, a trip computer and heated outside mirrors. Kia’s engineers also managed to infuse the Soul with peppy engine performance (at least on the upper trim levels) and sporty handling. Together, they make the Soul a surprisingly fun-to-drive small car that’s still a cinch to maneuver around tight city confines in relative comfort. On the highway, last year’s Soul had a choppy ride quality, but the new rear shock absorbers should at least partially remedy that problem.
We rate the 2011 Kia Soul highly among the overtly boxy competition that includes the Nissan Cube and Scion xB. Both can accommodate more cargo than the Kia with their rear seats stowed, but the Soul scores points for having the most attractive design in our eyes. There are a few more conventional choices as well, such as the Honda Fit and the Mini Cooper Clubman, they, too, have sharp styling, athletic handling and surprising cargo versatility. But the Kia Soul gets just about everything right. And for that, we think it’s worth adding to your short list.
2012 Fiat 500
Oct 13th
We’ll have to wait and see about its reliability, but the 2012 Fiat 500 is yet another stylish subcompact that proves that small can be cool. Pros: Adorable styling, highly customizable, fuel-efficient, surprisingly spacious for two people. Cons: Wait-and-see reliability, limited dealer network, less cargo room than rivals, cramped for four people. There was once a car so small it made the Mini seem like a Big. A car so cute the animators of the movie Cars did little to transform one into the adorable “Luigi.” A car that if you saw one on the streets, you’d swear it was a child’s scale replica. That car was the Fiat 500, or Cinquecento en Italiano, and it left such an indelible impression during its 18-year lifespan that Fiat performed a Mini-like resurrection to it three years ago. Now, with Fiat purchasing Chrysler last year, the 500 has been chosen to be the pioneer model to reintroduce the Fiat brand to North America.
The 2012 Fiat 500 certainly has the potential to be the next big (or rather, small) thing. While the original 500 was the size of a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, the nuova 500 looks far more like a regular car — albeit a tiny one. Compared to a Mini Cooper, it’s 6 inches shorter in overall length and 2 inches narrower. However, it is also more than 4 inches taller, allowing for an elevated seating position that not only increases visibility but creates more interior legroom. The result is a cabin that is surprisingly spacious, with more rear legroom on hand than its British nemesis (not that that’s saying much).