Car of the year

Small car (between $16k and $21k) nominess:
Kia Rio
Hyundai Accent
Chevrolet Sonic

All of these subcompacts represent a giant leap improvements over their predecessors. While I always have soft spot for Accent, its a toss between Sonic and Rio as the final winner. While I love the way Sonic handles, I can’t get past its digital instrumentation while Rio’s feature amenities are just too attractive. So my pick would be the Kia Rio.

Winner: Kia Rio
Runner up: Chevrolet Sonic

Small car (above $21k) nominess:
Ford Focus
Hyundai Elantra
Honda Civic
Subaru Impreza

The playful Civic has finally become a thing of history, so does its title for the best compact. I love the way Subaru transformed a little quirky duckling into a caterpillar called Impreza. However, its nowhere near these two finalists when it comes to market significance. If there isn’t a Focus, Elantra could have taken this category with flying colors. While its hard to overlook Elantra’s sharp styling and feature amenities, Focus takes the title simply due to the market significance this European-inspired compact provides. Add to the fact that it handles like a diggin’ with the class-leading interior quality, its easily taken the title in this category.

Winner: Ford Focus
Runner up: Hyundai Elantra

Family car nominess:
Kia Optima
VW Passat TDI Clean Diesel
Toyota Camry

Just like Focus and Elantra, family car category is another hard pick between Optima and Passat TDI. Passat’s upsized dimensions finally appeal to North American, especially with its TDI Clean Diesel and VW’s typical lovely interior appointments. However, Optima in 2.0T guise is something hardly resistable. While the rest of the segment used to stand for bland and boring, Kia is able to make a statement with its stunning Optima. 277hp 2.0T could run on Regular 87 gasoline is just a delightful icing-on-the-cake as this segment winner.

Winner: Kia Optima
Runner up: VW Passat TDI Clean Diesel

People mover nominess:
Mazda5
Chevrolet Orlando
Toyota Prius V

The V makes a welcome addition to the world’s best-known hybrid franchise. However, its the choice between 5 and Orlando. While 5 has always setting the tones in the people mover category, especially with its Zoom..Zoom dynamics, Orlando came in with more versatile interior configuration. I always love 5, as I have recommended countless people to choose it. Its the Orlando which represents a first major serious rival to take on the venerable 5. So that makes Orlando a slight winner over the 5 despite its lack of belly under the bonnet.

Winner: Chevrolet Orlando
Runner up: Mazda5

Luxury car nominess:
Infiniti M Hybrid
Chrysler 300C
Acura TL SH-AWD

TL’s sweet combination of sharp handling with SH-AWD and 3.7 liter V6 is something irresistable, mainly due to its more pleasing styling clues. As for the M, its as good as it gets for a luxury hybrid. My pick, however, has to be 300C. The hosts of improvements Chrysler has put through its flagship are amazing. Refinement, performance, dynamic abilities, quality and less polarizing styling. All of these have made 300C a dead giveaway winner over the more reputable Japanese rivals.

Winner: Chrysler 300C
Runner up: Infiniti M Hybrid

Prestige car (money no object) nominess:
Audi A7 Sportback
Mercedes CLS
Hyundai Equus 5.0

2 decades ago, no one would ever believe this Korean giant is able to come out with a flagship as defining as the Genesis. Hyundai has taken a step forward with the Equus. A luxury cruiser which wouldn’t look out of place in a golf course crowded with German and Japanese counterparts. CLS continues to set the trend for a 4-door coupe which it had created. But the A7 has taken this segment simply because of its market impact. In a segment where they would never accept a hatchback, Audi has innovated with the A7 Sportback with runaway succeed. The A7 3.0T takes the title with its nifty Audi Driver Select adjustable dampers and significance it had created by selling most expensive hatch in North America, both literally and figuratively.

Winner: Audi A7 Sportback
Runner up: Mercedes CLS

Sports/performance (below $50k) nominess:
Hyundai Veloster
VW Beetle 2.0T
Honda Civic Si Coupe

This segment is all about affordable fun. Unfortunately, the one which set the standard has to take a backseat to those newcomers. I have applauded VW for the giant leap forward with The Beetle. Its 2.0T 200hp guise is just a nice prediction of how the incoming Beetle R could foreseen. On the other hand, Veloster is the new standard for affordable, sporty and fun. Its the 21st century CR-X which Honda won’t be able to do with its disappointing CR-Z. Even without the rumored turbocharged, Veloster already put lots of smiles on my face. Its a tie in this very tough segment. Beetle has advanced from a fashionable car into a properly executed sporty car, while Veloster is the new yardstick for other carmakers to judge when it comes to affordable cool.

Winner(s): VW Beetle 2.0T tie Hyundai Veloster
Runner up: Honda Civic Si Coupe

Sports/performance (above $50k) nominess:
Audi TT-RS
BMW 1M
Porsche Cayman R

Another tough segment. 1M is the first BMW that I actually find the “soul” of what BMW used to stand for in E30 and E36. Unfortunately, its just looks like a 135i with bad nosejob. TT-RS’s sweet I-5 turbocharged engine brings back Audi’s performance tradition of I-5 turbo + Quattro traction in a furious package. We loved Cayman, love Cayman S even more and we could died for a Cayman R. Dual trunks, midship engine, a choice of 6-speed manual or PDK in a world-setting suspension. The only drawback is asking for more seat time on a Porsche track event.

Winner: Porsche Cayman R
Runner up: Audi TT-RS

Sports sedan/coupe nominess:
Buick Regal GS
Hyundai Genesis 4.6 R-Spec
Mercedes C-Coupe

Buick Regal was good enough to win our coverted COTY. GS taken it to another level. Unlike the ugly duckling of the past, C-Coupe finally has the good looks to back up its mechanical ingreidents. While C250 is good enough for most drivers, its the astounishing C63 AMG, which is the rocketship of this compact Mercedes coupe. Back in 2008, Hyundai has taken the world by storm with the introduction of the Genesis. Their latest upgrade with 4.6 liter V8 plus all the goodies have made it a clear winner in this group. A simple revision already made a great car even better, just imagine the next generation…:)

Winner: Hyundai Genesis 4.6 R-Spec
Runner up: Buick Regal GS

Exotic performance (money no object) nominess:
Audi R8 GT
Ferrari 458 Italia
Porsche 911 GT2-RS

If you want the absolute best, just take the absolutely the best car in the planet. GT2-RS is raw, R8 GT is civilized. 458 Italian just represents ultimate Italian fun. All of these cars have awesome handling, absolute acceleration that could taken your breath away with heart-pounding braking prowess. 458 is the clear winner. Absolute best. No contest.

Winner: Ferrari 458 Italia
Runner up: Audi R8 GT

Convertible nominess:
Chevrolet Camaro
Fiat 500
Mercedes SLK350

On a hot sunny day, nothing else is better than driven in a ragtop. 500 is the most affordable Italian ragtop available, its also looks as cute as a bug. Just be patient when you stomping on the gas pedal. Camaro represents of what can a ragtop be made from a nicely engineered muscle car despite of its form-over-function. With SLK on its 3rd iteration, Mercedes has finally got it right…absolutely right, so it picks our convertible of the year winner.

Winner: Mercedes SLK350
Runner up: Chevrolet Camaro

SUV/CUV ($50-70k) nominess:
Mini Cooper S Countryman
Dodge Durango
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

SUV/CUV (Luxury) nominess:
BMW X3 XDrive 35i
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8
Mercedes ML350 Bluetec

Both the Durango and JGC’s huge European influence through new M-Class’s chassis have paid divided on their exceptional road manners. Durango used to stand for crappy, cheap and practical. It has become a classy, sophiscated and continue to be practical crossover which is able to sit 7 persons. Its pretty much a default pick above the sluggish Explorer and cramped Evoque in $50k-70k SUV/CUV segment.

As for luxury, its the pick between 2 chassis silibings. The choice between awesome performance with poor fuel economy or excellent performance with great fuel economy is tough. But, just like SLK for ragtop, Mercedes finally got ML right 3rd time a champ. So I pick the ML with that great diesel engine.

Winner: Dodge Durango
Runner up: Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Winner: Mercedes ML350 Bluetec
Runner up: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8

Our next two new categories are all related to the environment. EV and Green car for 2012.

Electric car nominess:
Chevrolet Volt
Nissan Leaf
Mitsubishi i-MIEV

Green car nominess:
Chevrolet Cruze Eco
Buick LaCrosse e-Assist
VW Passat TDI

EV will never be in the mainstream because of the “juice”. In order to choose our best EV, we determined which of this candidate is toughest to run out of gas….ouch batteries while offering best of space and value. i-MIEV is just too tiny for its own goods even with price advantage. Leaf is a full EV with typical Nissan quality. Its the Volt which is the engineering yardstick when it comes to EV. It has a small gasoline engine to keep Volt running when its out of batteries, while using regenerative braking to keep it recharging before full electric starts to kick in all over again. Plus it handles like a normal car with expected feature amenities for its price tag. Most of all, it looks like a normal car than science experiment is a big bonus.

Cruze Eco and LaCrosse e-Assist are another prime examples of fine GM engineering. Both of these GM products are able to achieve close to posted fuel economy figure, even if e-Assist is a battery-assisted variety while Eco is pure compact with fuel saving technologies built, when it comes to aerodynamics and gearing. However, none of them are able to beat the best of a gas burner, especially one comes from the land of Wolfsberg. With the enlarged Passat with TDI Clean Diesel, its hard to choose the other two great GM products over this VW because of the packaging it offers. Its real life fuel economy is so amazing for such a large car, its easily pick as Green car winner.

Winner: Chevrolet Volt
Runner up: Nissan Leaf

Winner: VW Passat TDI Clean Diesel
Runner up: Chevrolet Cruze Eco

Winners of 2012 Car of the Year
========================
Small car (between $16k-21k): Kia Rio
Small car (above $21k): Ford Focus
Family car: Kia Optima
People mover: Chevrolet Orlando
Luxury: Chrysler 300C
Prestige: Audi A7 Sportback
Sports/performance (below $50k): Hyundai Veloster tie VW Beetle 2.0T
Sports performance (above $50k): Porsche Cayman R
Sports sedan: Hyundai Genesis 4.6 R-Spec
Exotic performance: Ferrari 458 Italia
Convertible: Mercedes SLK350
SUV/CUV ($50k-70k): Dodge Durango
SUV/CUV (above $70k): Mercedes ML350 Bluetec
EV: Chevrolet Volt
Green car: VW Passat TDI Clean Diesel

In the past few years, there are many carmakers are able to make in road as much as Hyundai and Kia. Their huge product offensive, long warranty, bold styling, value packaging and improving residual value have transformed carmakers, which used to be considered as a pathetic joke, into true contenders. So we will give our first manufacturer(s) of the year to both Hyundai and Kia.

Manufacturer(s) of the year: Hyundai and Kia

In a segment which it always stands for boredom, Peter Scheyer, the man who was responsible for designing the original Audi TT and VW New Beetle, two of the most iconic designs in history. He has taken Kia from a carmaker with no character at all, into the most attractive mainstream carmaker. Kia Optima, which compete in the most mainstream of the mainstream segment in the industry. Mid-size family sedan. This car’s perish character and personality have completely taken the class by storm. It looks stunning, it has style in spades while keeping form-follows-function in all design details. All have done without losing the space and practicality consumers are looking for in a mid-size sedan, which would also be serve as a proper sports sedan for those who seek some driving fun.

Design of the year: Kia Optima

Our car of the year has to be a game changer. A vehicle which is able to change people’s perception of a certain makes or a particular segment. Korean, in particular, is the one who consistently able to produce game changers in recent years. The same goes for the American. Our final candidates are as follows:

Chevrolet Volt
Kia Rio
Kia Optima
Ford Focus
Hyundai Veloster
VW Passat TDI Clean Diesel

If I am one of those “greenies” who think EV is the vehicle of the future, I would have pick the marvelously engineered Chevy Volt. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. I love the Ford Focus. It gives a completely new meaning to what an entertaing compact can also feel expensive. Passat represents VW finally got what North American want. A comfortable family sedan with efficient diesel engine with aplentry of interior space. Veloster is the new star when it comes to affordable fun. But that’s not matters most during economy downturn. That means its down to two Kias. In just a decade ago, I won’t believe I would have said with their god awful Sephia and Sportage. Both the Optima and Rio have changed the names of the game, in both the family and subcompact classes. My final pick has to be the Rio. Not only does it has a sense of style, it has the character which is a rarity in this boring segment. Combined with the sporty driving experience and unparallelled feature content, add the affordability and build quality. It presses all the right buttons, both emotionally and rationally, as Directshift’s 2012 overall Car of the Year winner.

Directshift’s 2012 Overall Car of the Year winner: KIA RIO

Small car of the year nominess:
Mazda2
Ford Fiesta
Chevrolet Cruze

Both Mazda2 and Fiesta are the perfect example of how European get around their narrow roads. These 2 cars represent the best of subcompacts when it comes to interior space, feature content and driving dynamics. With the Fiesta, you got both traditional sedan and a hatchback. With the Mazda2, it offers a sleek-looking hatchback with style. While Fiesta offers more of a sublime ride quality, Mazda2 remains true to Mazda’s Zoom..zoom driving pleasure. Over the last decades, no one would ever describe Cavalier and Cobalt as contenders. Those are just cheap roundabouts destined for rental car purpose. The Cruze has changed all that. It all begins with the wonderfully refined 1.4 liter turbo engine, a superb interior and world-class driving experience that is able give any of its Japanese rivals a serious run for their money. This is a very tough category. While I am a huge fans of any subcompact, its the Cruze that takes the title. That’s primarily because GM has done a great job with the Cruze. With proper engineering, its able to transform any poorly executed product into a world-class product.

Small utility of the year nominess:
Scion Xd
Ford Transit Connect
Nissan Juke

With the introduction of the Scion brand into Canada, Toyota has given a huge breathe into the youth market which this Japanese giant desperately needed. The Xd offers plenty of interior space, a hippy boxy looks and a proven powertrain. However, this is certainly not a new concept in this arena. Pity. The Transit Connect is the perfect example of how an European-breed utiltiarian vehicle is able to do wonders on our wide North American roads. Its European roots shine through when driven the Transit Connect through twisties. There are lots of useful interior space with comfortable 5-seating position. Its level of practicality and versatility are good enough to make put any of those SUVs out of your mind. The 2.0 liter with 4-cylinder provides adequate performance. The Juke is a vehicle which Nissan thinks it will appeal to young audience who wants a stylish little crossover. Juke is certainly surprise us with its exceptional AWD, turbo 4-cylinder and direct fuel injection. While the standard 5-speed manual feels crisp and responsive, the optional CVT is just too noisy for our liking. That said, its the Ford Transit Connect which takes our first Small utility of the year. Believe us, you won’t find any vehicle within its price parameter that offers as much character as with its practicality. The Transit Connect proves it doesn’t need trillion horses to be desirable.

Family car of the year nominess:
Hyundai Sonata
Suzuki Kizashi
VW Jetta TDI

Talk about diesel, the first word that comes to mind is Volkswagen. Their latest 2.0 liter TDI with 140hp and 236 lb/ft of torque have proved to be one sweet ride. When it placed beneath the new Jetta, it makes the once bland ride suddently feels exciting and energetic. As for the new Jetta, it has more interior space and lower price tag than any of its predecessors. The single biggest improvement has to be the limo-like legroom. Unfortunately, all of those price reduction have meant the interior materials have cut corners. Pity. The Kizashi is the definite example of how an exceptionally handled Japanese famly sedan got hammered by a gearbox. While it offers class-rivalling handling dymanics with top-notch AWD system, the noisy CVT has hammered its performance potential when it time to fully exploited this ride. That left us to the obvious choice in this segment. The latest Sonata has redefined what a great family sedan should be. Unlike most cars in this category, it has a sleek looks with a ounce of character. There are plenty of features, with both 2.4 liter and 2.0T, both with directly fuel injected technlogy. What makes the new Sonata Turbo so impressive is Hyundai is able to engineered a 274hp engine with the compression ratio to drink Regular 87 gasoline. This kind of engineering prowess can leave only Japanese and German to dream about.

When the kids have grown-up and Baby Boomers have more disposable income, that means for more choices when it comes to luxury cars. We have divided our luxury car segments into both “luxury”, “upper luxury” and “prestige”. In fact, all of these cars are also good enough to be considered as sports sedans.

Luxury car of the year nominess:
Volvo S60 T6 AWD
Buick Regal Turbo
Infiniti G25S

Volvo’s S60 combines Swedish sensibility, sportiness and style into one single equation. Unlike so many Volvo have gone before, the T6 with 300hp + Haldex AWD actually a treat to drive. It has enough safety features to properly called it a Volvo, while luxurious enough to challenge many of those German rivals. G-series has always been the bread-and-butter of the Infiniti range. Their latest G25 broaden the customer range with 215hp engine, a tight chassis and a comfortable interior. It also more efficient than the rocket-like G37 when it comes to fuel economy. Lexus and Acura, watch your back, cause Infiniti is coming right behind you. Talk about sporty and Buick, people would have thought you are crazy. That’s until the arrival of the new Regal. With 220hp 2.0T Opel-derived sports suspension, well-appointed interior and classy exterior. The new Regal takes our title as best luxury car of the year.

Upper luxury car of the year nominess:
Infiniti M50S
Mercedes E350 Bluetec
Saab 9-5 2.8T XWD Aero

Saab has been a company with a roller coaster kind of ride lately. It was saved by Spyker at the begining of the year. The new 9-5 is their first entirely new car in the last 14 years. Its a giant leap forward when it comes to interior amenities, performance, fuel economy and dynamic abilities. The XWD also handles apart with Aero suspension. Sadly, the whole package has been hammered by an interior that doesn’t feel like a proper luxury car. That means our upper luxury car title is the fight between Mercedes’s great new 3.5 liter Bluetec diesel sedan versus Infiniti’s sporty offering. While we have been smitten by Infiniti’s amazing performance from a 5.0 liter V8 and superb sports suspension, its hard to resist the amount of torque provide by Bluetec’s diesel. 400 lb/ft to be exact. Nothing else is better than driving a Mercedes E-Class with 4-cylinder fuel economy and V8 torque surrounded by all the toys one could possibly wanted.

Prestige car of the year nominess:
Audi A8
Jaguar XJ
Mercedes CL550

Jaguar’s XJ has long been the traditional British luxury car. It offers unique style and taste in a segment dominated by lookalikes. The new XJ has completely changed all that. It has a bold new style both inside and out. The Portfolio also has great performance and handling bits to match its goods. The most importantly, Jaguar has improved the interior space in order to match its competitions. The A8 has been our favourite prestige car for a long time. That’s primarily due to its innovative approach to weight saving and minialist styling exercise, one that’s completely different than the lookalikes which we considered as class volume leaders. The new A8 improves on what has been the class-leading interior design and driving experience, with the efficient 4.2FSI V8 to match its grace. One of the lookalike class leaders of the segment have breed the sleeker looking coupe sibiling. The Mercedes CL500 is loosely based on the S550. With a 5.5 liter V8 and 4-Matic AWD, it combines the pace of an S-Class with the unique style of a CL-Class. To make it more of a surprise, its ride comfort is wonderfully sublime with somewhat resemblence of a handling. However, it was a tough choice between the Jaguar and Audi. While the XJ feels like a breath of fresh car in the class of lookalike, there are still some of the British ergonomics weirdness that we still find it unacceptable in this class of vehicles. That means we have to give the title to the A8 4.2 Quattro.

Sports coupe used to be a dying segment. Its coming back with venegance. All these 3 cars represent different thinking, only 2 are close enough to be the final winner.

Sports coupe of the year nominess:
Scion tC
Cadillac CTS-V
Infiniti IPL G Coupe

The tC is based on European Toyota Avensis, paste a Camry powertrain and well-sorted suspension. Make it sporty looking, sell it through a youth channel and we have the new Scion tC. Although it handles decently while ride comfortably, the use of interior materials and lack of driving fun have completely taken the tC out of the winning title. What IPL stands for Infiniti is what V stands for Cadillac. While the IPL doesn’t feel much different than the G37S, it represents a great first step for Infiniti. The CTS-V is just an amazing piece of engineering masterpiece. Cadillac’s bold style has produced lots of attention, then add the 550hp supercharged V8, a world-class chassis and suspension. The whole experience is similar to drive a more comfortable, civilized Chevrolet Corvette with the cachet of a Cadillac. Astounishing, indeed.

Small crossover of the year nominess:
Hyundai Tucson
Kia Sportage
Mitsubishi RVR

The RVR is basically a baby Outlander, that’s why its called Outlander Sport in the States. It shares the same platform but with a shorter footprint. The nifty AWD has provided sure-footness handling with the right amount of interior space to boot. Sadly, the whole package has been killed by the Chrysler/Mercedes/Mitsubishi joint venture CVT. Its noisy right from the standstill to the highway merging speed. In the past, if you mentioned the word “Sportage”, everyone would rush away simply because it was the most terrible car I have ever driven. The new generation represents a huge step forward, its able to take on the set from the class leaders. Dynamax AWD + ESC which uses the steering as the frontal action make for one great system. The Tucson has long been our favourite in the compact crossover segment, simply due to its combination of decent handling, lots of interior features and great build quality to match its cute looks. The latest version has improved in every way. However, its the Kia Sportage who is going to take the title. Sportage’s cool new looks, a great interior mated with the world-beating AWD simply wouldn’t go amiss.

Mid-size crossover of the year nominess:
Ford Edge
Mitsubishi Outlander
Kia Sorento

Ford has been on a roll lately, Edge is one of their prime examples of great products. With the new 3.5 liter V6, the Edge Sport has tons of performance and dynamic abilities to match its good looks. Then add the MyFordTouch which is a great new technology, both initutive and useful, into the practical package. The Edge Sport is a pretty hard crossover to beat. The Outlander received a minor facelift with improved interior materials and AWD. It handles decently with proper steering feel and feedback, while comfortable enough on a long road trip. That’s except for the tiny 3rd row seat and a lack of proper cargo space. For 2011, Kia has transformed the body-on-frame Sorento into a full unibody Sorento. The desired effect is unibody provides much better place for suspension to hang its heads. Both the 4 and V6 engines provide decent enough performance. Add plenty of safety and luxurious features on top of the attractive appearance, it makes the Sorento our new mid-size crossover of the year.

On the subject of crossovers. How well will the a just reborn niche manufacturer going to face with the mainstreamers in this fiercely competitive segment? Both Saab 9-3X and 9-4X will certainly tell on next year’s crossover segments.

All of these crossovers, however, still don’t make as much senses as a dying segment: station wagon. This year, we have seen the dismiss of Volvo V70, BMW 5-Series Touring and VW Passat wagon. Next year, on the other hand, Saab will be bringing the 9-5 Sportcombi. While, hopefully, Hyundai Canada is able to get their Sonata wagon that they wish for. They will be joining the ranks of Audi A4 and A6 Avants, BMW 3-Series Touring and Volvo V50 in this diminishing segment. The introduction of E-Class wagon and CTS-V make up for the lost this year.

The difference between a crossover and SUV is latter able to do proper off-roader. Here are the nominess for our SUV of the year for 2011.

SUV of the year nominess:
Porsche Cayenne
VW Touareg
Jeep Grand Cherokee

When the original Cayenne launched in 2003, it has generated enough controvseries in Porsche community as in any enthuisast’s part. However, it has been the benchmark when it comes to proper way of combining the off-road capability with on-road prowess. Cayenne Turbo has proved that with ease. The new version has improved the highly criticized interior and ride quality. Turbo’s performance has been nothing less than astounishing while the base V6 is more than enough. Add the Porsche cachet and quality, you won’t find anything else better than this. That’s until you check out the optioned out price. While the Touareg is loosely based on the same platform as Cayenne, it doesn’t feel ashamed with it comes to off-roading and on-roading drivability, in fact, it drives every but as good as the Cayenne sans the breathtaking performance. The 4.2 liter V8 FSI has provided plenty of performance given its 2-tonnes weight. Before the introduction of the Grand Cherokee, everyone thought Chrysler is no longer able to compete with its aging engineering and outdated design. The new Grand completely changed all that. It all begins with an interior that is able to put any luxury car to shame. The Penastar V6 is able to provide both performance and economy with style, while V8 just has aplenty of full-out fun. Then add the versatile cargo space and attractive price, the new Grand is the obvious winner of our SUV category.

Convertible of the year nominess:
BMW Z4 SDrive 3.5iS
Nissan 370Z Roadster
Porsche Boxster Spyder

Beneath the duff name is BMW’s new yet disappointing roadster. Except for the fact that it has 300hp and 300 lb/ft of torque through the twin-scroll turbocharged 6-cylinder engine, the rest of the car doesn’t live up to what a roadster should be. Its heavy, it handles like a pig and ride like a unladen full-size truck. You have to wonder why would anyone consider one except for that arrogant blue-and-white propeller emblem on the hood. Unlike the Z4, 370Z represents a true roadster based on its coupe form. Not only does it hold a significant price advantage over its competitions. Its sweet 3.7 liter V6 mated with 6-speed manual gearbox adds spice to the party. Combined the fact that the styling is drop-dead gorgeous and Nissan finally gives Z’s interior proper attention-to-details. The Z roadster is a delightful icing-on-the-cake. Take the world’s best roadster, put it on a diet and lose that electric roof. The Boxster Spyder is what a modern day 356 Spyder and much more. Along with the superb midship engine/rear-wheel-drive, a suspension technology that set the world standard. Its equally at home on the racetrack as well as on a sunny day cruising on black top twisties. The Boxster Spyder represents what a fun roadster should be. While the Boxster is $11000 more than the equivalent 370Z, its also $11k more car than the Nissan. So it takes our convertible of the year.

Last but not least, is our favourite category. A segment that most of us couldn’t afford when it comes to price. That’s exotic performance car of the year. Here are the nomines.

Exotic performance car of the year nominess:
Audi R8 V10 Spyder
Mercedes SLS AMG
Porsche 911 Turbo S

Riding on the succeed of the coupe, Audi introduced the even prettier Spyder. Along with the coupe, the Spyder comes with the awesome 525hp V10. The biggest smile is all come from the romance of driving the R8 Spyder, which seems to be the ingredient which lack in other sensible Audi products. The SLS AMG is basically a reincarnation of legendary Mercedes Gullwing. In this day and age when both Audi, Porsche and Ferrari get their fair shares of everyday exotic cars. Mercedes needs a car of such caliber to compete. SLS AMG is such a beast. Its not only the best handling Mercedes ever, it also sounds apart. The AMG-tuned 5.5 liter V8 turns out 563hp with 7-speed dual clutch gearbox have said it all. When it comes to the benchmark of all sports car, no one would ever forget about Porsche 911. Porsche engineers just can’t best alone. Their latest upgrade to the 911 Turbo S has picked up 30 more horses on top of “garden variety” 911 Turbo, add all the PASM, PSM and PDK which symbolize the best of German engineering has to offer. There is nothing else feels more like driving a race car than a 911. All have done without losing the daily civilization of driving a sports car to the grocery store after work. All have said and done, the 911 Turbo S narrowly beaten out R8 V10 as our exotic performance car of the year. The SLS just plain needs a more sports car like interior to compete with its peers. Its just feels too darn much like an E-Class inside.

Finalists for 2011 Car of the Year
=========================
Small car: Chevrolet Cruze
Small utility: Ford Transit Connect
Family car: Hyundai Sonata
Luxury car: Buick Regal
Upper luxury car: Mercedes E350 Bluetec
Prestige car: Audi A8
Small crossover: Kia Sportage
Mid-size crossover: Kia Sorento
SUV: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Sports coupe: Cadillac CTS-V
Convertible: Porsche Boxster Spyder
Exotic performance: Porsche 911 Turbo S

2009 was certainly a dark age of the domestic auto industry, the sun starts to shine again in 2010. Both GM, Ford and Chrysler have their fair share of winners. Our final winner is a dogfight between GM products. Chevrolet has completely transformed an unremarkable Cobalt and Cavalier into one serious contender, one that is able to take the best from Honda, Mazda and Toyota. That car is the Cruze. As for the Buick Regal, who would have thought Buick is able to produce such a great handling luxury sports sedan a decade or so ago, with those mashmellow LeSabre, Park Avenue and Century. The Regal’s initial sales volume and demograhics have proved Buick has started to change the perception, as a luxury car for those who have one leg into the grave, into the younger audience that GM has hope for. At the end of the day, we picked Buick Regal as our 2011 overall car of the year for this simple reason.

OVERALL 2011 CAR OF THE YEAR: BUICK REGAL

This year, we divided small cars into 2 sub-categories, both above and below $23 grand. We also have seen the resurgence of hatchbacks in these affordable segments.

Small car of the year (below $23k) nominess:
Kia Soul
Nissan Cube
Toyota Yaris

The Soul serves as a halo vehicle for Kia because of its cute-as-a-bug styling and loads of standard features. In the 4U version, it got all the standard ESC and ABS without having to add them in a package is a real bonus. While the standard 122hp 1.6 liter 2U got decent enough power, its the 4U’s 142hp 1.8 liter that seal the deal. The Cube, is as its name suggests, looks like a box that it came in. With the 1.8 liter 122hp engine with an efficient CVT gearbox, a versatile interior and unique character. This car will definitely do well for Nissan as an entry-level subcompact for years to come. The Toyota Yaris, a replacement to the once trendsetter Echo, received a facelift for 2010. Despite of its hosts of improvements, it remains too plasticky and not practical in this field of subcompact. Not to mention its just too expensive if you opt for the loaded one. By a narrow margin, Soul wins our small car of the year below $23 grand simply because of the standard ESC and ABS in the 4U. Its amount of cargo space and plenty of power sold at a superb price has made it an obvious winner in this category.

One vehicle that is worth waiting for in this subcompact segment is the 2011 Ford Fiesta. The Fiesta will be the 1st car that is going to be nominee for our 2011 overall car of the year.

Small car of the year (above $23k) nominess:
Mazda3 Sport
Hyundai Elantra Touring
Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback

When the Lancer debut back in 2007, we loved it so much that we hailed it as our overall car of the year. It has served well as Mitsubishi’s comeback kid. Fast forward 3 years, Mitsubishi introduced the Sportback version. While GTS’s 168hp 2.4 liter is good, its the Ralliart’s 2.0 liter turbo with dual clutch gearbox that is one hell of a car. Its a light Evo without feeling losing anything. While the Ralliart gains in performance, Ralliart’s sloppy C-pillars have cut down rear headroom and cargo space. What a pity. There aren’t any carmaker has come a long way as much as Hyundai. It was known for building crap cars like Pony and Stella 2 decades ago, to our favourte Genesis today. The Elantra Touring is a great example of Hyundai’s car building philosophy. It combines an attractive package right from the powertrain the interior ambience. The European driving experience and smooth 138hp 2.0 liter engine have given us great impressions right from the start. Mazda3 has always been considered as a gold standard in compact class. The combination of excellent performance, even with base 148 2.0 liter GS in sedan. Mazda3 Sport’s 167hp 2.5 liter is just a screamer. Sporty driving dynamics and classy interior quality are truly defined its class leading status. In terms of versatility, the sedan is good and hatchback is great. Because Mazda3′s shoe is too large to fill, we have to give it our nod for small car over 23 grand.

Family car of the year nominess:
Subaru Legacy
Buick LaCrosse
Ford Taurus

Subaru Legacy, just like the rest of the Subaru line-up, has given a much more mainstream looks than its predecessors. However, it doesn’t sacifice its performance and AWD capability defined by this quirky Japanese brand. Right from the 2.5i’s 170hp with CVT to the amazing 2.5GT, Legacy got all the areas covered. The CVT has worked surprisingly well with the boxer engine, which is a perfect mate to Subaru’s assymertical AWD. 2.5GT is a screamer while 3.6 H6 serves as a good alternative to many European sports sedan. Its a pity Legacy no longer available in wagon form. When you mentioned the word “Buick”, the association of “1 leg in the grave” has been stereotyped. The LaCrosse is about to change that with good driving dynamics, a beautiful interior and a sweetheart of an engine. While the styling looks a bit too generic, it actually got a style called its own. The original Taurus was such an innovative car 2 decades ago, the last few Taurus were simply an insult to this great nameplate. The latest Taurus is about to change that. Not only does it got some style, the 263hp 3.5 liter Duratec has some power under its belly. The availability of both front and all-wheel-drive will appeal to different buyers. Ford has managed to produce some of the best interiors in domestic industry. The Taurus handles surprisingly well, without losing the ride comfort of an American sedan. This is another tough segment. Our final racking was between the Ford Taurus and Buick LaCrosse. At the end of the day, we chose the Ford Taurus simply because it represents a more significant step forward for an American car company. 2 decades ago, Taurus was the benchmark which Toyota and Honda have to measure against. A decade ago, Taurus was an unremarkable car with ugly styling. The latest one not only brought back the once halo nameplate, it also signifies how far Ford has come in the last few years.

After we announced the winners of the most mainstream segments in the market, its time for us to introduce the nominess of our new category.

Green car of the year nominess:
Honda Insight
Toyota Prius
Ford Fusion Hybrid

The Honda Insight was a quirky little car which focus only on fuel economy. The new Insight is a more complete package. Honda doesn’t sacifice the fuel economy of the original car while bringing the new Insight with more space, more power and more competitively priced. It handles exceptionally well for a hybrid, just a pity the ride quality is so bouncy and rough at times. If there is one iconic vehicle that represents the hybrid revolution, it has to be the Prius. Just like the new Insight, the Prius is going mainstream with its 3rd generation. The interior is practical and finally, Prius is available with an EV mode that can cruise with battery alone for maximum efficiency. Despite that, we still couldn’t get close to Toyota’s claimed fuel economy figure. The Ford Fusion is a hybrid that is virtually no compromise. The Aktinson cycle has worked exceptionally well with the gas engine to provide best fuel economy at all times. Its not only drive like any Fusion, it rides like one. Despite the lack of fold down rear seats, Fusion remains practical at all times. Best of all, we managed to get fuel economy that is closet to Ford’s claim. That alone enough to give Fusion Hybrid our first Green car of the year award.

Because luxury segment doesn’t have enough cars to fulfill this year, we will go straight to “money no object” prestige category. There is, however, one car worth mentioning to be a nominee in the luxury category. That’s BMW is exceptional 335d with 3.0 liter turbo diesel engine. This car is good enough to be our favourite 3-Series right now, even without a proper 6-speed manual and availability of Touring sportswagon.

Prestige car of the year nominess:
Mercedes E550 Coupe
BMW 750Li
Porsche Panamera

If there is one car represents Mercedes brand, that has to be the E-Class. The E-Class has long been Mercedes’s bread-and-butter product. For 2010, Mercedes introduced the new E-Class. The new E-Class has a more boxy looks that appeal for more substance. It also solves many of its predecessor’s quality problems. The E550 Coupe is not only looks apart, it also performs like what a Merc should be. The chassis is solid while handling is forgiving, if not exactly entertaining, the Mercedes way. Add a 382hp 5.5 liter V8 and a sublime ride quality, you got a perfect grand touring coupe. BMW’s 7-Series used to be consider as the benchmark in the upper crest, not anymore. Even if BMW has given the 7-Series a better appearance, more initutive i-Drive and all the electronic nannines you could possible want in a flagship BMW. Its no longer the trendsetter for the upper class. While the 400hp 4.4 liter V8 scored with twin-turbo, its hefty curb weight won’t save its cumbersome dynamics and questionable front end styling. That left our the obvious winner in the prestige segment. Panamera not only provides what one expects from Zufferhensen. Sporty driving dynamics and awesome performance. Its interior is very well-made and layout. While 4-seater does have some compromise, it got more than enough space for most getaway. Its also a upper luxury car that look at home as much as in the golf course. If the 400hp V8 isn’t enough, there is always a 500hp twin-turbo V8 with DPK would definitely make your heart pounding.

Sports sedan of the year (below $50k) nominess:
Kia Forte Coupe SX
Mazdaspeed3
Ford Taurus SHO
VW Golf GTI

Kia’s first foray into the sports compact is a nice one. the Forte Koup not only offers plenty of bang-for-the-bang, its 2.4 liter 173hp engine provides more than enough grunt and handling dynamics that is as good as anything else in its class. If there is one thing that ruled out the Forte as the winner in this segment is its rubbery and notchy shifter. Mazda3 has always been one of our favourite cars, Mazdaspeed3 makes a great car even better. It all begins with a messaged 2.3 liter turbo engine that bumps out 263hp and 280 lb/ft of torque. Even with so much torque going through the front wheels, it remains a truly wonderful car to drive thanks to smart chassis and suspension tuning. Combined with a beautiful interior, you can a delightful icing on the cake. Unfortunately, its slight torque steer has made us wish for an AWD system. After a 9 year hitaus, the Taurus Super High Output is back with force. The new SHO receives a much needed chassis improvement, including a better steering and Haldex AWD system. The icing on the cake is the engine. The 3.5 liter Ecoboost engine gives out 365hp and 350 lb/ft of torque without any serious turbo lag, all return with reasonable fuel economy. It is also surprisingly refined and civilized given its sporty intentions. Exactly how you can improved an already perfect car? VW Golf GTI is a prime example of how to improve a breed. It takes a wonderful 200hp 2.0T engine, a class-leading dual clutch or manual gearbox with a well-sorted out suspension. Then combined with a superb steering and delicate chassis while wrap in a practical yet nice-looking package. The result is a hot hatch that is able to haul groceries from Costco while having fun on black top twisties. As usual, the final tally was between MSP3 and Golf GTI. Our take is the Golf GTI, as its a more balanced dynamic package that combined Teutonic integrity and rigidty. Even with less horsepower than the MSP3, its overall chassis balance and fitness are more appealing to us.

Sports sedan of the year (above 50k) nominess:
Audi S4
Mercedes E63 AMG
Jaguar XFR

Based on a very worthy sports sedan, the new S4 has taken the A4 chassis to a new height. It all begins with a 333hp 3.0T supercharged engine, a rear-bias Torsen Quattro system with Audi Drive Select. Plus the Sport Differential that is able to distribute the power side-by-side. The result is nothing less than astounishing. AMG used to stand for straight-line performance but handling not anywhere close to its rivals. Mercedes decided to change that with the E63 AMG. With a 6.2 liter V8 that delivers up to 518 ponies, a balanced chassis and an interior that is very welcoming. All have done with proper handling dynamics that only has to take a backseat to smaller C63 AMG. You got a very sweet package. While previous S-Type R was an also-run in an upper luxury sports sedan class. The new XFR has given Jag a much needed boost, in terms of driving experience and character. Along with 510hp and wel-honored chassis, it got an interior that is no longer feels as old school as Jaguar of old. If only the Jaguar Drive Selector would work more initutively with the paddle shifters. However, our choice goes to the new S4. It is nearly half the price of both the Jag and Merc but its definitely not half the car. Its more than capable to challenge the other 2 rivals when it comes to racetrack and on a twisty mountain roads. You aren’t likely to run into a better deal when it comes to buying a sports sedan. Its pity the new S4 isn’t come with an Avant sportswagon anymore.

Sports car of the year nominess:
Ford Mustang
Nissan 370Z
Hyundai Genesis Coupe

The Ford Mustang has long been a muscle car favourite. As it combines classic good looks with decent performance. The new one has keeping with its tradition while giving it a much needed interior, which is a huge improvements over its predecessors. When it comes to handling, its the best of all the muscle cars. Its capable on both the racetrack and it is on the open road. Since the introduction of the Z, Nissan has defined what a true performance value really is. As its 3.7 liter V6 engine in full boiling, the Syncromatch 6-speed manual gearbox match it perfectly like a harmony. As with the Mustang, 370Z finally received the interior that it deserves back in 350Z day. When it comes to talking about bang-for-the-buck, there is a new kid in town. This kid is from South Korea called the Genesis Coupe. With the 3.8 liter V6 that bumps out 306hp to a sweet FR platform. A superb driving dynamics with plenty of driving pleasure delivered through the delicate chassis. All come in a package that is priced lower than its direct rival, you got this year’s sports car winner.

Performance car of the year nominess:
Audi R8 V10
Porsche 911 GT3-RS
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Talks performance car, no one would ever forget about Porsche 911. GT3-RS is a race ready track version of the already amazing GT3. Although it feels a bit harsh on the road, its full capable on the racetrack given its race car status. When Chevrolet introduced the ZR1, it 638hp supercharged motor has made Z06′s 505hp rather tame. Combined with a full race-ready chassis and a sweet 6-speed manual, all you got is possibly the best car GM has ever come out in history. If the original R8 V8 already set a new standard. R8 V10 just takes it to another level. Along with the 525hp 5.2 liter V10, the sweet 6-speed manual gearbox and magentic ride suspension. You got a ride that is equal to anything else on the racetrack, without losing the civilization one expects from this Ingolsdadt firm. As much as we love the 911 GT3-RS, our final choice has given to the R8 V10. We just feel its a more all-rounded performance car as a whole.

Convertible of the year nominess:
Infiniti G37
Ford Mustang
Lexus IS350

The G37 signifies Infiniti’s forey into the convertible market. It begins with a wonderful chassis with a 3.7 liter V6 engine. It also looks apart despite of its rather dismal trunk space. But it gains back with excellent value equation when it comes to feature laden content. Best of all, this car is the prove that Infiniti is fast gaining back the market share once lost to its Japanese rivals. One of G37′s direct rival is Lexus’s new IS350. Just like G37, its a fully retractable hardtop convertible that is good for all season open-top motoring but the lack of trunk space. Unfortunately, IS350 also lacks the real potent performance and dynamic capability of what makes the G37 so attractive. Just like the Mustang coupe, the new Mustang convertible received a much needed interior and dynamic improvement. The availability of both V6 and V8 engines would appeal to most audience. Along with classic good looks and lots of standard features, the Mustang convertible will certainly do well for Ford. Our convertible of the year winner goes to Infiniti’s G37. The combination of a nice chassis and a great engine at such a value package is attractive, it also serves as a halo car for Nissan’s luxury division.

Wagon of the year nominess:
Cadillac CTS
VW Golf TDI
Audi A6 3.0T

If we have to choose our favourite American luxury car, CTS should be the one. For 2010, Cadillac introduced a CTS sportswagon. This wagon has anything you want in a CTS with the extra cargo space, its also as capable as its sedan silibing does without have to give us anything. As with any compact wagon, it looks sleeker than a sedan. Unfortunately, the 304hp 3.6 liter needs more power to push this hefty wagon around. If its a CTS-V, it could possibly take our award already. Replacing the 3.2 V6 in A6 Avant, this 300hp supercharged motor already proven to be a beast. It all doesn’t have to sacifice fuel economy with wonderful acceleration. The handling is as delicate as one you expect in an Audi, as its Torsen Quattro and precise steering have proven it to be a capable performer. VW finally ditched the short-lived Rabbit badge for Mk5 in flavor of the evergreen Golf badge in Mk6 guise. The Golf receives an even richer interior materials, a recalibrated chassis and a 2.0TDI that has proven its worth in our long-term Mk5 Jetta wagon. Along with 140hp, it got 236 lb/ft of torque while returning only 6 liters per 100km average. Combined with sporty handling and a superb highway ride, it aces our wagon of the year award.

Crossover of the year nominess:
Subaru Outback
Toyota Venza
Chevrolet Equinox

The Outback has always been a jacked up Legacy wagon at best, Subaru has made no bones about it when they invented this segment. The new Outback has improved what its predecessor lacks. It got more space, more engine choices right from base 2.5i to uplevel 3.6 H6 and an excellent symmertrical AWD system. The higher center of gravity doesn’t detract anything when it comes to driving experience. It has a big shoe to fill as Outback has to take Legacy wagon’s loyal customers along when latter is gone for 2010. Based on the Camry platform, the Venza is the sportiest handling of the whole chassis family. Its not only looks apart, the Venza has 2 potent engines. The uplevel 3.5 liter V6 with 268hp is a sweetheart. Along with a nice interior and decent amount of cargo space, the Venza would have Toyota executives worry about Highlander’s existence. The new Equinox was the 1st vehicle introduced after GM filed for bankruptcy. If the Equinox is any indication, it means the giant is back. The outgoing Equinox’s nasty interior materials, blend styling and unsophiscated handling/ride quality have become a things of history. The new one is a competitive crossover with good performance, handles exceptionally well and looks quite good. Its also priced attractively compare to many of its rivals. The optional 3.0 liter V6 with 264hp is as refined as any Japanese rivals. It also got many nifty features that shown Chevrolet engineers’ attention-to-details. While all 3 contenders are all excellent cars, our crossover of the year goes to the Chevrolet Equinox as its the most significantly improved of the bunch.

Premium SUV of the year nominess:
Audi Q5
Volvo XC60 T6
Mercedes GLK350

When Mercedes introduced the GLK, we know its bound to be a hot seller due to its attractive price point and loads of standard feature. It also good decent handling and ride like a Mercedes does. The 268 hp 3.5 liter V6 with 7-speed manumatic gearbox is a nice match with the whole chassis. The XC60 could well be the sportiest Volvo ever made. Along with its excellent T6 engine that provide decent amount of torque and refinement, its ride quality is sublime. In the interior, Volvo’s hallmark seats and Swedish interior design are proven it to be a contender in this competitive segment. However, both of them lack the overall packaging of our winner. The Audi Q5. With 265hp 3.2 liter V6 and a 6-speed Tiptronic gearbox, the Q5 already have a sporty feel. The Torsen 40/60 Quattro system and optional Drive Select have added wings to the tiger. This is the sports car of the compact SUV. As sporty as it is, Audi doesn’t sacifice anything when it comes to cargo versatility and interior ambience. As expect from an Audi, the class-leading interior materials and design are something to die for. While the sporty driving experience is something you are looking forward to after starting the car.

Luxury SUV of the year nominess:
Acura MDX
BMW X5-M
Lincoln MKT

If you are looking for an SUV with beast like performance, BMW’s X5-M is the one to beat. With 555hp 4.4 liter V8 twin-turbo, its as fast as any sports car with the interior space to boot. It also got a sharp handling but ride comfort is a trade-off, no matter how soft you set it into M-Drive. The Lincoln MKT is loosely based on Ford’s highly rated Flex. The uplevel Ecoboost 3.5 liter V6 twin-turbo has proven its worth when it comes to performance and efficiency. Unlike large Lincolns of the past, its quite a capable handler with superb comfort. However, its garish styling takes something to get used to. That left us to our winner of the luxury SUV segment. If you are seeking for an SUV with plenty of luxury features, sporty handling and good performing engine, MDX is the obvious choice. For 2010, Acura has revised the gear ratio for better acceleration while returning impressive fuel economy for large vehicle. The cornering is confidence-inspiring without losing all the fun one expects from Acura. Ride quality is simply outstanding given MDX’s sporty dynamics. All in all, an obvious winner.

Winners for 2010 Car of the year
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Small car below $23k: Kia Soul
Small car above $23k: Mazda3 Sport
Family car: Ford Taurus
Green car: Ford Fusion Hybrid
Prestige car: Porsche Panamera
Sports sedan below $50k: VW Golf GTI
Sports sedan above $50k: Audi S4
Sports car: Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Performance car: Audi R8 V10
Convertible: Infiniti G37
Wagon: VW Golf TDI
Crossover: Chevrolet Equinox
Premium SUV: Audi Q5
Luxury SUV: Acura MDX

2009 has to be the saddest year of the auto industry for decades. Both GM and Chrysler declared bankruptcy. Brands like Pontiac and Saturn will be going the way of Oldsmobile and Plymouth. Volvo’s future remains uncertain at this point of writing. This year hasn’t seen any particularly significant car that has changed the industry, unlike last year’s Hyundai Genesis. While the Audi R8 V10 has, once again, raised the benchmark when it comes to daily supercar. Its price tag won’t make it into the overall winner. But certainly would be a horonable mentioned. However, our overall car of the year is from the same German manufacturer. With its overall pricing and packaging, it has changed the scene of both sports sedan and luxury sedan. This car not only makes those who will be buying any entry-level luxury sedan think twice, it also would make those who are shopping for a much more expensive upper luxury sports sedan think twice before signing the dotted line. It got a wonderful powertrain, handles like its on rail, safe, comfortable and come with all the toys one could possibly wanted for making driving fun. Just like its more expensive R8 silibing when its comes to supercar class, it has reset the standard of what a sports sedan should be. DirectShift’s 2010 overall car of the year is the Audi S4.

OVERALL 2010 CAR OF THE YEAR: AUDI S4

With gas prices at the paramount, small is big this year. We have divided small cars into 2 different categories, those below and above 20 grand. Here are the nominess.

Small car of the year (below $20k) nominess:
Honda Fit
Chevrolet Aveo/Suzuki Swift+
Smart Fortwo

While the original Smart For2 was quite an innovative concept, it was nasty to drive and cheaply made. The 2nd generation has improved both ride quality and use of materials by a huge margin. With the inception of a gasoline motor as a replacement to the diesel, while shifting quality is a quantum leap forward. Unfortunately, it remains impractical and overpriced in this segment. The Aveo, as well as Swift+, is another example of how to improve an unremarkable car. The new car marks a big improvements in every conceptable areas without losing the city-friendliness of its predecessor. Its more refined, more comfortable, better build with acceptable dynamics. That leaves us to the new Honda Fit. When the original Fit first introduced back in 2007, it already been named as the benchmark in this highly competitive segment. The 2nd generation marks a much better car than it replaces. More interior space, better chassis rigidity, smarter gearbox and a handling dynamics that feel more like a hot hatch than an affordable subcompact. Combined with the superb 1.5 i-VTEC with 5-speed automatic, its a clear winner in this segment.

Small car of the year nominess (above $20k) nominess:
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe
Saturn Astra

Both the Corolla and Matrix/Vibe are basically same car underneath with different skins. The 1.8 liter in both Corolla and Matrix/Vibe are refined and quiet, while both serve as a point A to B appliance exceptionally well. The 2.4 liter has served Matrix/Vibe equally well with the exception of the aging 4-speed automatic. The reactive AWD system doesn’t help matters neither. At the same time, their use of interior materials and driving experience are subpar compare to our winner in this segment. That is the Saturn Astra. This is basically the same car sold in Europe as Opel Astra. The balanced combination of power, handling dynamics, styling, quality and active safety feature are incomparable in its price ladder. Having Stabiliztrak standard in this segment is something never heard of. Plus the entertaining driving experience, a refined 1.8 liter Ecotec and excellent interior quality make it a clear winner in this segment.

Here in Directshift, we defined family car as a category slots in between sports sedan and small car. This category usually reserves for Japanese manfacturers. Is it the same? Here are our nominess.

Family car of the year nominess:
Chevrolet Malibu hybrid
Mazda6
Nissan Maxima

After the successful introduction of new Malibu last year, GM decided to give Malibu an environmental-friendly boost with its best family sedan ever. The result is a hybrid that handles as well as its gasoline silibings, with significant price advantage over its competitions. Maxima’s VQ35DE has always been the benchmark V6 engine in the industry. Nissan have put lots of thought into the chassis and suspension tunings to make Maxima a sporty sedan again. However, with 290hp on the front wheels isn’t so much a good idea even as a family sedan. The interior materials and fit-and-finish are much improved over its predecessor. Is it the “4DSC” in the making? Certainly its not. If you want a family car that drives like a sports car with the ambience and comfort of a family sedan, look no further than the Mazda6. While the outgoing Mazda6 was great enough to earn our car of the year in the past, the new one is even better. The base 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine with 170hp is plenty, optional 277hp 3.7 liter derived from CX-9 is overkilled. Interior is loaded and finally come with a proper real seat space. Its also beautiful enough to grace the roadway. That set, Mazda6 earns our pick for family car of the year award.

Sports sedan of the year nominess:
Audi A4
Pontiac G8
VW Passat CC

The Audi A4 has always been the crowd jewel of sports sedan. Its not only looks stunning with class-leading interior design, its also a lot fun-to-drive in both front and all-wheel drive models. For 2009, Audi redesigned their bread-and-butter model with larger dimensions for better interior space. The optional Audi Select Drive have transformed a great sports sedan into an awesome one. While the 3.2 liter 265hp is refined and powerful, its the 211hp 2.0T that is the real deal as it have more torque than V6 silibing. Pontiac G8 is basically a rebadged Holden Commodore, which have sold in Australia for such a long time. If you want the best bang-for-the-buck when it comes to all-out hp, G8 is your ticket. The GT has an excellent V8 while GXP is just an overkill. Handling is precise and responsive. Its the best sedan GM has ever made. That is if you can accept its interior ambience and lack of a proper fold-down rear seats. When you think of Passat, you usually think of a German family sedan. With the introduction of CC as a “coupe” version. It makes for a sportier drive thanks to the stiffer suspension, faster steering and even sleeker looks to boot. Even with only 4 seats, the CC is comfortable and extremely well layout. Both the 2.0T 200hp and 3.6 V6 280hp mated with 6-speed Tiptronic are simply a joy-to-drive. That said, it has to take a backseat to the new A4. This generation of A4 simply makes a good thing even better. That nearly balanced engine placement for proper weight distribution, excellent sports suspension and Audi Select Drive are enough to earn our sports sedan of the year.

Luxury car of the year nominess:
Hyundai Genesis
Lincoln MKS
Acura TL

Just 20 years ago, who would have thought Korean can build a proper luxury car? The Genesis is a perfect example of how Korean is able to produce a very luxury car as much as German and Japanese do. With both excellent V6 and V8 engines, great driving dyanmics with superb comfort to world-class quality at a price that undercuts its rivals. That is the winner in the making. MKS is the best Lincoln ever made. Its not only looks the part, its also drives decently well even if its tuned more toward comfort than all-out performance. It is also attractively attired and look apart. Acura TL has always been considered as one of the luxury benchmarks, the same goes for the new car. With SH-AWD and a potent 3.7 liter V6, the 3rd generation has to be considered as the best TL to date. With lots of standard features and a beautiful interior to boot, TL has spoken a lot of value for money with its Acura badge. That set, TL has to take a slight backseat to the significant Genesis in the luxury category. The Genesis is not only drives well, looks good, got great value. The most important aspect is its possibly the most significant car this year. If you though the significance of Japanese entered luxury spectum 2 decades ago with the Acura Legend and Lexus LS400 are huge, wait till you drive the Genesis.

Despite of the gas prices, we still have seen many performance cars being introduced this year, so we have to divided them into 3 different categories. Sports performance, rocket performance and ultra performance. Here are the nominess.

Sports performance car of the year nominess:
Acura TSX
Mini Cooper S JCW
Subaru Impreza WRX 265

The TSX always represents the best of performance luxury value, the same with the new version. Its electric power steering is decently weight with all the luxurious features, while 201hp 2.4 i-VTEC provides decent performance. Not to mention its balanced ride and handling compromise that only Honda is able to do. Just how much fun can John Cooper Works create with the latest Cooper S, a single word: a lot. With a faster steering, stiffened suspension and a host of upgrades. It makes an already likeable car into a lovely hot hatch. It also have done without sacificing the daily drivability with the usual attractive Mini package. Best of all, JCW kit comes with factory warranty. After Subaru successfully introduced the WRX 224 and 300hp STi, WRX 265 serves as a balanced compromise between the 2. If you find the STi just a bit too harsh for your daily commute and 224hp is just isn’t your cup of tea, 265 is the WRX to beat. With the choice of both sedan and hatchback, this 265 also means variety. Combined with Subaru’s world-class assymertical AWD, precise steering and ride comfort at an affordable price, this WRX 265 is the winner of our sports performance car of the year.

Rocket performance car of the year nominess:
BMW 1-Series
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Subaru Impreza WRX STi

When BMW introduced the 1-Series, they want to create a reincarnation to the legendary 2002. In reality, its far from it. Yes, it got both excellent 230hp 2.8 I-6 and 300hp 3.0 I-6 twin-turbo matched with BMW’s ideal 50/50 rear-drive balanced handling. But the rest of the package have left something to be desired. This is the 1st Lancer Evolution that Mitsubishi brings over to Canada and it already proven itself as a great car. Start with the sophiscated AWD system, world-class dual-clutch gearbox and feisty handling. This is gonne become some of the most desirble performance rides for years to come. The WRX STi, however, is only available with 300hp uptuned 2.5 liter flat-4 turbo by Subaru’s Technical International Department. A performance department that is famous for producing fast and fun Subarus in the past. Matched with STi’s assymertical AWD, civilized yet fun handling and hatchback versatility. So the STi picks up our rocket performance car of the year.

Prestige performance car of the year nominess:
BMW M3
Mercedes C63 AMG
Lexus IS-F
Cadillac CTS-V

The BMW M3 has always been a tough act to follow when it comes to combining the best of performance, luxury, handling and value. The new version’s 420hp V8 is delicous enough to replace outgoing model’s benchmark straight-6 motor. With its M-Drive, it also handles like its on rail. Best of all, the newest version comes in all flavor from sedan to convertible. Mercedes AMG models have always been known for breaktaking straight-line acceleration but underwhelming in corners, not anymore with the C63. The C63 handles as sweetly as anything else in this class. It also comes with all the right equipments, firm ride quality and price advantage over its predecessor. The cachet that combines both Mercedes tri-star and AMG are unmatched in this group of rivals. With the introduction of the IS-F, Lexus wants to shave off its boring image. That set, they want the “F” stands for “fun” and “fast”, which the real meaning equals “Fuji motor speedway”. Unfortunately, both its driving dynamics, engine performance to interior ambience have got beaten hard by the other 2 competitions in this group. Imagine dropping a 6.2 liter American V8 into America’s best sports sedan. Give it a magentic ride suspension with tendicous grip. Putting 550 horses and 550 lb/ft of torque through the rear wheels via a sweet 6-speed manual or manumatic gearbox. Its not only provides the best enjoyment ever from GM, it could pretty well be one of the world’s best performance value in the marketplace. The CTS-V is not your typical American performance ride which focus more on power than refinement, its also got awesome interior refinement that doesn’t look out place in an Audi. Handling wise, the magentic ride suspension provides the equal measure of controlling body motions without losing the ride comfort once associates with Cadillac. Steering is the best from this American premium carmaker. If standard CTS is the best Cadillac ever produced, This CTS-V could well be the best car GM has ever made.

Just a year ago, the CTS just lost barely to the C350 Sport in the sports sedan category. This year in the prestige performance car category, its an equally tough choice between the Benzo and Caddy. Both the C63 AMG and CTS-V represent of what you can get the best from your money today. In CTS-V’s case, it represents a giant leap forward that Cadillac is coming back by producing a performance car that is not only goes fast on straight line, its also very capable in the corners. The C63 also represents the same forward thinking for AMG to produce a performance car that is equally impressive on going straight as well as goes around corners. These 2 cars are just too close to call a clear winner in this category. At the end of the day, we called it a tie between C63 AMG and CTS-V.

Exotic performance car of the year nominess:
Maserati Grand Tourismo/Grand Tourismo S
Nissan GT-R
Porsche 911 Carrera 2/Carrera 2S PDK

When talking about combining style and performance, no one does it better than Maserati. Their Grand Tourismo and Grand Tourismo S are the best examples of how you can combined Italian’s passions for performance and styling in a tastefully attired package. With 405 and 433hp, those romatic Italian are equally great to drive as they are great to look at. The GT-R has always been regarded as Japanese’s most prouded sports car. Its level of performance, packaging, practicality and value put through the whole equation is unrivalled at its price range. With 480hp amazing horses, one of the world’s best dual-clutch gearbox and a sophiscated AWD system. It makes for a truly rewarding drive. Porsche 911, we all know its the world’s most famous sports car. For 2009, it finally got the PDK dual-clutch gearbox that it should get back in day 1 in both Carrera models. This gearbox makes for much better response and return a more respectable fuel economy than the Tiptronic-S gearbox that it replaces. With new direct fuel injection technology, C2S has 385hp through its flat-6 configuration. A very rewarding drive indeed.

This is a very tough category as all 3 are great performance cars. But at the end of the day, my take would be the GT-R as its performance is unrivalled anywhere in its price range. This is simply the best performance vs value today!

Sports coupe of the year nominess:
Audi S5
Audi TT-S
Dodge Challenger SRT8

The Audi S5 and TT-S are both in the Audi S-family of performance coupes. With S5′a new engine placement and rear-bias 40/60 Quattro system, beautiful exterior and interior plus 340hp of 4.2 liter FSI V8 performance. It makes Audi’s latest performance coupe performs as well as it looks. With 272hp and 258 lb/ft of torque from the massaged 2.0T in the latest TT-S. Audi finally able to put the TT against some of the world’s best sports coupes namely Porsche Cayman. If Chrysler builds every car as good as the Challenger, they would be in much better position than nowaday. The Challenger SRT8 could well be the best car Chrysler has made after divorced with Daimler. Its Hemi 6.1 liter has an amazing 425 ponies put through rear-drive’s dynamic handling abilities. Unlike Challenger of ole, it also handles surprisingly well with precise steering and nice body controls. Its just the interior left me cold with its price tag. There is a sports coupe that handles like a sports car with ride quality of a luxury car, interior ambience is as classy as anything else. Engine that is sweet as a nut with the availability of a rear-bias AWD system. It also means our sports coupe of the year goes to the Audi S5.

Convertible of the year nominess:
BMW 1-Series
Mercedes SLK350
Audi TT-S roadster

Just like its coupe silibing, the 1-Series has 2 nice powertrains both are based on BMW’s legendary 3.0 liter straight-6 family. It also handles exceptionally well with solid body strucutre. The 230hp 128i is the best buy of the entire 1-Series range. If you are looking to buy a 1-Series convertible, 128i should be your take. Ever since Mercedes introduced the current SLK, it continues to establish itself as a hardtop roadster benchmark thanks to its excellent combination of classy style, understated elegance and unflappable dynamics. The 3.5 liter V6 is sweet as a nut especially match with Mercedes’s well-renowed 7-Speed Gronic transmission. TT-S is a high performance roadster of a design icon. With its 272hp upgraded 2.0T, security of Haldex Quattro AWD and interior workmanship only Audi can. One can drive out to town with its stylish classy look and on the racetrack with its sports car pedigee. That said, it can easily be won our convertible of the year.

With gas prices at all-time high, consumers are changing to small and practical alternative to their thirsty SUV. Wagon is the best combination of sporty handling and utility when needed. Here are the nominess.

Wagon of the year nominess:
Audi A4 Avant
Volvo V70
VW Jetta wagon

Just like the A4 sedan, its Avant silibing is equally impressive. Its extra dimensions not only create additional rear legroom that this model has always been cried out for. Its the additional dimensions for the cargo that makes this wagon really appealing. Combined with the optional Audi Select Drive, 2 excellent powertrains and rear-bias 40/60 Quattro, it surely is a winner in the making. The V70 has the largest interior space of this group. The versatility and loading process of Volvo’s large wagon is unbelievable thanks to their expertise in making a practical wagon. But when it comes to sportiness, Volvo is never known for building a fesity one save the 850 T5R and V70R AWD. For 2009, Volvo adds a good T6 turbo engine as an option to the underwhelming 3.2 liter V6 standard in the V70. This 281hp really makes the V70 does. However, the handling is far from entertaining and boring at best. Jetta wagon’s most appealing trail has to be its wondeful 2.0TDI. Not only its efficiency and powerful, its also run on clean diesel technology called Bluetec. Its 235 lb/ft of torque is simply astonishing for a diesel with 140hp on tap. It also handles relatively well thanks to VW’s expertise of tuning a fun little car, Jetta wagon is no exception. But it only takes a slight backseat to our winner in this segment, the A4 Avant. The Avant is simply the best definition of sports utility vehicle. The rear-bias Quattro system with additional cargo space simply unbeatable in this ever growing segment of wagon.

Crossover of the year nominess:
Dodge Journey
Ford Flex
Chevrolet Traverse

Exactly like the Challenger, the Journey is another great effort by Chrysler despite of all of its well-documented troubles. Its not only good value as it starts just below $20k, it got plenty of space. Even if its based on the Avenger platform, it handles surprisingly well. There are plenty of interior cubbyholes for storage. Its a surprisingly well layout vehicle. The Ford Flex, as it name stands, its a very flexible vehicle. One would be surprise on how stylistic Ford’s designers can go with the Flex. The styling is unique in a sea of cookie-cutter crossovers. Interior is finished with high-quality materials that are probably Ford’s best efforts today. Its comfortable and handles surprisingly well. With 262hp and 243 lb/ft of torque, it also got enough power. The Tranverse is basically Chevy’s version of last year’s winning Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia. You can travel comfortably with 8 passengers on board. With interior materials and fit-and-finish that are simply world-class. It got decent road manners with a cushy ride quality. However, our winner goes to the Ford Flex. In the past, you can only have crossover with utility. In the Flex, you can also travel with style and character. Its availability of AWD with V6 engine at such a good interior space have made this a winner over the equally good Traverse.

Compact SUV of the year nominess:
Subaru Forester
VW Tiguan
Toyota RAV4

Subaru Forester has always been considered as the gold standards when it comes to compact SUV. Its the definition of active safety provided by Subaru’s proven assymetical AWD. Both normally aspirated and turbocharged 2.5 liter flat 4 provide decent performance. On the other hand, it has great handling and versatility to boot. VW’s first foray into the compact SUV market with the Tiguan is the right one. As it combines the virtunes of all VW products with the nifty 4Motion AWD system available on higher trim levels like Comfortline and Highline. It handles like its on rail with ride comfort that feels more like a luxury car than its small car underpinnings. It also has the best interior of the whole group. The RAV4 got slight facelift this year, although its a pretty dreadful one. The rest of the car remains likable as its 3.5 liter V6 provides plenty of power with Toyota’s usual refinement. The 7-seater version adds versatility with a decent AWD system. That’s despite of its rather cheaply made interior which unmatched with the rest of the car. That left us only 2 choices. The Forester or Tiguan. For years, Subaru is the benchmark in this segment and we finally saw its biggest threat. That is the VW Tiguan. Its able to beat Forester dynamically with better interior to boot, so our compact SUV winner is the Tiguan.

Mid-size SUV of the year nominess:
Nissan Murano
Honda Pilot
Kia Borrego

If you want an SUV with pace and style, you should look no further than the Murano. Other than its attractive styling, lies behind Murano’s look is the excellent 3.5 liter V6 engine with efficient Xtronic AWD. This combination combines with Murano’s sporty handling and comfortable interior. This is going to be a contender to be a winner. The Pilot, as with Honda tradition, is the perfect combination of quality, versatility, space for 7 or 8 passengers to the efficient variable cylinder management system. During our test drive, Pilot returns a superb fuel economy thanks to its advanced VCM in such a heavy beast. Its interior is comfortable although a bit plasticky for Honda’s usual standards. Having 250hp and 253lb/ft certainly not lacking with Honda’s excellent VTM-4 AWD system. The Borrego is Kia’s forey into the mid-size SUV segment. In the Borrego, you are not only getting Kia’s value packaging strategy even in the base model. It got both a 3.8 liter V6 and 4.6 liter V8 to choose from. The handling is reassuring thanks to its good AWD system. Ride quality is well-matched with anything in its class. That said, our winner goes to the Honda Pilot. Its level of refinement and efficiency are just hard to match in this class of heavy SUV. The amazing VCM system is good enough for us to choose it over the other 2 contenders. In the past, you can’t have a heavy SUV with fuel economy. In the Pilot, finally you can have a cake and eat it too!

Luxury SUV of the year nominess:
Mercedes ML320 Bluetec
Lexus LX570
Infiniti FX50

Diesel has really come a long way these days. The perfect example is the Mercedes Bluetec in the M-Class. Its fast, its quiet, its efficient and its torquery. In M-Class’s case, it got 210hp but an astounishing 400 lb/ft of torque. Is this the winner in the making? Lexus’s LX series has always been a standards of combining Japanese-like luxury with rugged capability. For 2009, Lexus has updated the LX to 5.7 liter V8 that is capable of producing 383 hp and 403 lb/ft torque, along with the proper low range gearset for off-roading. However, its just too thirsty in today’s world. Infiniti’s FX50 has always claimed itself as the combination of a sports car and SUV all in one single package. It does provide quite a sporty handling and good performance through its 5.0 liter V8′s 390 hp and 396 lb/ft of torque. Unfortunately, its lack of cargo space and only acceptable rear legroom aren’t going to make it a winner. That set, the superb ML320 Bluetec is the obvious winner of our 2009 luxury SUV of the year.

Winners for 2009 car of the year
=========================
Small car below $20k: Honda Fit
Small car above $20k: Saturn Astra
Family car: Mazda6
Sports sedan: Audi A4
Luxury car: Hyundai Genesis
Sports performance: Subaru Impreza WRX 265
Rocket performance: Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Ultra performance: Mercedes C63 AMG/Cadillac CTS-V (tie)
Exotic performance: Nissan GT-R
Sports coupe: Audi S5
Convertible: Audi TT-S roadster
Wagon: Audi A4 Avant
Crossover: Ford Flex
Compact SUV: VW Tiguan
Mid-size SUV: Honda Pilot
Luxury SUV: Mercedes ML320 Bluetec

Talk about market significance. There is only one car is able to redefine the market this year. About 2 decades ago when Acura, Infiniti and Lexus first came to the luxury car market to challenge the best from Germans, they have succeed during the recession back in the late 80s. Fast forward 20 years, we are experiencing another market recession. There is another luxury car that is capable enough to challenge the best of Japan. Its from a nation that has never known for producing luxury car. In fact, they have just started to establish themselves as quality carmaker who crack up great cars that provide lots of value and a lengthy warranty. That car company is Hyundai and the luxury car is named Genesis. Lexus, Infiniti and Acura. Better watch your rearview mirror because Hyundai is closing the gap with you. Best of all, Genesis has a significant price advantage over its rivals.

OVERALL 2009 CAR OF THE YEAR: HYUNDAI GENESIS

Economy car used to be cheap and nasty. With trickle-down technologies from much more expensive cars, inexpensive no longer means cheap nowaday.

Economy car of the year nominess:
Subaru Impreza
Mitsubishi Lancer
Saturn Astra

Subaru decided to go mainstream with the introduction of the new Impreza. Making the sedan as blend as a toaster while ditching its wagon for a hatchback. The 170hp 2.5 liter engine has plenty of torque. With Subaru’s assymertical AWD and a good chassis, Impreza has always been one of the better econocars in the market. The Astra is a refreshing change from the crappy Ion. Not only does its basically a rebadged Opel Astra, its actually the best econocar GM has ever produced. Sharp handling, comfortable ride and a superb interior. A guaranteed winner from Saturn. While the previous Lancer was nothing to write home about, the new version is anything better. Its combination of a sexy looks, nicely put together interior, sharp handling dynamics, 152 hp 2.0L MIVEC engine mated with an efficient Sportronic CVT. Combine all of these merits, Mitsubishi has got a winner which no longer needs incentive to sell. At the same time, Lancer takes our honor as DirectShift’s 2008 economy car of the year.

3 familiar names. 1 is a revised version of an existing unsuccessful full-sizer, another a huge improvement over the outgoing unremarkable predecessor. The last one is an oldtimer and our all-time favourite. Here are the nominess for our family car of the year.

Family car of the year nominess:
Ford Taurus
Chevrolet Malibu
Honda Accord

The Accord has always been regarded as the family car benchmark. The latest 8th generation is no exception. With 2 torquery 2.4 i-VTEC motors and an awesome 3.5 liter V6 powertrains, producing 177, 190 and 268 horses respectively. Its ride and handling dynamics have upped-the-ante in this very segment again. Our biggest dislike is Accord has been getting controversially large. With the introduction of new Taurus, Ford actually reengineered and revised the sales flop of Ford FiveHundred. 263hp 3.5 liter V6 with CVT finally generating enough horses, although its handling and interior remain something subpar compare with its rivals. With 263 hp 3.6L V6 and a 2.4L 4-cylinder motor, a stiff chassis that finally make the Malibu handles competitively. Not to mention Malibu finally looks decently without looking like a microwave, GM has produced yet another competitive family car after last year’s Saturn Aura. Its also getting significantly larger, as with the new Accord. Unfortunately, its still not as refined as the new Accord. As good as a Malibu, its still not good enough to unsettle the excellent Accord. So our family car of the year winner goes to the Honda Accord. A car that continues to set the bar higher in its respective class.

Despite of the high gas prices, SUV remains a very popular choice in the marketplace. This year, we have 2 categories, small and mid-size SUVs. Here are the nominess in their respective categories.

Small SUV of the year nominess:
Mitsubishi Outlander
Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute
Saturn Vue

The Vue, as with the Astra, is basically a rebadged Opel Antara with a different interior. Even though GM has revised Antara’s interior for Vue, it remains a much better proportions than the outgoing version. Even with 222 hp and 217 lb/ft of torque, its hefty weight just take too much toll on Vue’s performance. That’s despite it got decent handling dynamics. The Escape and Tribute are more of an evolutionary than an evolutionary design. The same 200hp 2.5 liter V6 Duratec and 153hp 2.3 liter I-4. Its the hybrid version that is more of a standout for the Escape. The lack of a 5 or 6-speed automatic is also a let-down judging by recent Mazda efforts. That left the Outlander. Just like the Lancer, Outlander has served well as a comeback kid of Mitsubishi. Combine with bold styling, an excellent ride/handling compromise that’s both sporty and supple. The available of 2.4 and 3.0 MIVEC generating 168 and 220hp respectively and a good AWD system make Outlander a definite winner.

Mid-size SUV of the year nominess:
Toyota Highlander
Mazda CX-9
Saturn Outlook/GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave

The new Highlander got upsized, both power and interior size. The 3.5 liter V6 with 270 hp and 243 lb/ft makes this an even smoother and quieter ride than ever. The interior also goes for the better. The outgoing version’s low-rent materials have gone for history. Mazda’s CX-9 originally got a 3.5 liter V6 when it first debuts, then upgraded to an even more impressive 3.7 liter that is good for 273hp and 270 lb/ft of torque. Its handling dynamics have live up to Mazda’s Zoom..Zoom spirit. The 3rd row is quite comfortable. Interior craftsmanship is just impressive. As impressive as CX-9, we just can’t beaten the significance of the whole Lambada chassis family. This Lambada-chassis GM SUV bests all the previous GM minivans or SUVs of similar caliber on the market. The level of interior fit-and-finish, materials, space and versatility are something that GM can only dream of a couple of years ago. Cadillac’s derived 275hp 3.6 liter VVT’s refinement is astonishing. Both the Acadia, Outlook and Enclave have marketed and differentiated enough for different audience. So its an obvious winner.

For those who want as much interior space as a minivan but don’t want to seen in one. Crossover is the hottest segment right now, thanks to their combination of space and pace. Our crossover nominess consists of a jacked-up wagon, a people mover and a nimbler SUV lookalike. Here are the nominess.

Crossover of the year nominess:
Ford Taurus X
Kia Rondo
Volvo XC70

Exactly like its sedan silibing, X means the crossover version of the Taurus. The 263hp 3.5 liter V6 mated with CVT has addressed all the power issue previously with Freestyle. With new lower price, X is more competitive than ever. XC70 is more of a rugged-look jacked-up V70. 235hp 3.2 liter just got adequate performance if not significant improvement over the outgoing light-pressure turbo. Interior as as comfortable as one expected from Volvo. What makes the Kia Rondo as the best crossover has to do with its overall packaging. The level of fit-and-finish, performance from its 2.7 liter V6 is impressive even loaded with 7 passengers. Just when everyone is enjoying the comfy of the Rondo, a driver won’t be get bored thanks to the smart suspension tuning. Its sporty enough for enthuisasts without losing the comfort that needs in a crossover. Best of all, its a smoking deal.

We consider sports sedan as somewhere below family sedan and prestige car. This segment is also consider as entry-level luxury sedan, which is the most profitable and competitive of all passenger cars. All our nominess are huge improvement over their previous cars. But there are only 2 close winners.

Sports sedan of the year nominess:
Mercedes C350 Sport
Cadillac CTS
Saab 9-3 XWD

The new CTS is a sign to what the future of Cadillac is. Its FR platform with both 3.5 and 3.6 liter V6 engines. 304 hp and 273 lb/ft of torque, a well-damped suspension and best Caddy interior in recent years have made this the best Cadillac in the last 4 decades. Its surprisingly well-balanced dynamics also make it a proper sports sedan contender. In the past, Saab’s sports sedans have always been known for its level of competence and docile nature despite of its front-heaviness. With the introduction of Cross Wheel Drive on Aero model with 280hp, its level of torque steer and understeer have been eliminated for the most parts. Unfortunately, 9-3′s interior remain a sore point for this well-executed sports sedan.

Our finally choices narrowed down to CTS and C350 Sport. CTS is a significant step for Cadillac to be consider as a true luxury carmarker. The level of efforts GM have put through CTS is amazing, the same as its execution.

The new C-Class has proved to the world that Mercedes still be able to produce high-quality products. After years of nearly damaged reputation by cutting corners drastically, this giant is back with the introduction of C-Class. They have packaged both C300 and C350 smartly by making Sport an no-cost option. On the other hand, it finally has become a sharply handled sports sedan that run rings with the best from Ingolsdadt and Munich.

This is the toughest segment. But consider Mercedes’s reputation nearly tarished in the last decade, new C-Class really brought back the soul and spirit of this automotive giant. Its a narrow win for C350 Sport.

Sports coupe has been the victim of SUV’s success. This segment is shrinking significant in the last decade. The good news is there are still some carmakers willing to base their sports coupe on successful sedan platform. Our 2 nominess are perfect examples.

Sports coupe of the year nominess:
Nissan Altima
Honda Accord

After years of hiatus in the mid-size sports coupe segment, Nissan finally fights back with the Altima. Just like its sedan silibing, coupe looks sleek and sporty. With the sporty VQ35DE 3.5SE, Altima coupe’s dynamic abilities are certainly worthy enough to challenge the Accord. However, Accord V6 coupe with 6-speed manual just makes the whole packaging way too enticing. Although its huge, it’s handling makes you feel like in a much smaller coupe with superb ride. Yet Accord’s use of interior materials and fit-and-finish remain a notch above Altima. So Accord takes another honor after another, this time with the sports coupe segment.

Affordable performance of the year nominess:
Mini Cooper S
VW Jetta GLI
Subaru Impreza WRX

A year after VW introduced the wonderful GTI, this German firm uses the same ingredients for the Jetta sedan. Although its slightly softer than its hatchback silibing, its overall balance and packaging continue to impress. Its surprisingly versatile and comfortable wrapped in a tiny package. Best of all, GLI’s larger wheels and grille have made GLI the best-looking Jetta ever. As with the standard Impreza, the WRX continues to go mainstream with blendly styled sedan or the better-looking hatch. Either way, their styling will continue to generate lots of hot debates. However, its level of fun will definitely not generating debate between enthuisasts. 224hp, sports suspension and Subaru’s proven assymertical AWD won’t make any WRX fans disappointed. The new Cooper S’s most significant change is the transformation from supercharger to turbocharger. Its “sport” mode also changes the level of throttle response and boost, which is a nifty touch. Unfortunately, the 17″ wheels with sports suspension just ride too harshly despite its go-kart like handling sharpness. Interior space and versatility don’t have a significant improvement neither.

This segment comes down to personal preference. If you want sharp handling but don’t mind rough riding, Cooper S would take the honor definitely. WRX has been softened in order to go mainstream but I just can’t take its controversial styling change. That leaves Jetta GLI. 200hp, fastest sequential gearbox in the world: DSG, and a well-sorted suspension are just too irresistible.

Sports car of the year nominess:
Audi TT Coupe
BMW 328i

The original TT was all about styling element. Its hold design has gone down in history as the modern classic. But the dynamics has always been left to be desired. Not so with the new TT. With both 2.0T 200hp and 3.2 liter V6 250hp, both with fastest shifting sequential DSG in the world and excellent suspension setting. It finally becomes a true sports car. On the other hand, 3-Series coupe has always been the gold standard when it comes to dynamics. We are as impressed with its 230hp 2.8 liter I-6 as with its more expensive silibing, 335i. Handling dynamics is equally impressive. Its a pity the latest generation 3-Series’s interior just doesn’t live up to BMW’s usual standards.

However, our sports car of the year goes to the new TT. Its not only looks and put together as good as its predecessor. It finally has become a true sports car form that it always should be.

Convertible of the year nominess:
Audi TT Roadster
BMW 335i
Mazda MX-5 Miata RHT

Both the Miata and 3-Series adapated the hardtop convertible the 1st time. Mazda doesn’t sacifice any of Miata’s hallmark go-kart dyanmics despite the weight disadvantage of retractable hardtop. It handles as sweetly as any Miata we have driven before, just a little more softly sprung for hardtop’s cruiser natural than soft-top roadster’s curve eater character. The debut of 3-Series hardtop convertible has made the choice between cabriolet and coupe ever harder. Its very well-sealed without losing the worthy dynamics one expected from a 3-Series. Twin-turbo 300hp just make it even better. TT is the remaining soft-top convertible in this trio. Just like its coupe silibing, its finally a true sports car that it always should be. The available of 2 impressive powertrains make it even better. But its very hard to pass on the impressive Miata RHT. You can finally enjoy Miata’s fun character all-year-round with buying extra hardtop for winter. It might not have the twin-turbo power of 335i but you can the same amount of fun at close to half the price. That makes Miata an obvious winner in this group of impressive convertibles.

Here are the 2 segments which both can be consider as “money no objects”. Here we have the performance and prestige car of the year nominess.

Prestige car of the year nominess:
Maserati Quattroporte Automatica
Mercedes CL
Lexus LS

Performance car of the year nominess:
Audi R8
Porsche 911 Turbo
Mercedes SL65 AMG

When the original LS debuts in 1989, Lexus has proved to the world that Japanese is capable of building a proper luxury sedan. The new LS comes with both a 4.6 liter or a hybrid powertrain, both are mated to V8 engines. However, given the price Lexus is charging. We don’t think Lexus has yet reached the status of its German peers despite of its flawless workmanship and floaty ride. The CL is basically a 2-doors S-Class, a premium sedan that set the gold standards in the industry. Both 4.5 liter and 5.5 liter V8 in CL450 and CL550 are impressive enough, not to mention the 6.5 liter twin-turbo in CL65 AMG. Handling is much improved although it still rides like a landyatch with large side doors. When talking about superb dynamics with sexy styling with unique taste, nothing beaten the Maserati Quattroporte. When Maserati introduced the Automatica version, it serves as a more leisure and relaxed choice over the sequential gearbox. On the other hand, its 400hp Ferrari-derived powertrain never failed to provide sexy engine note at every rpm. Combined with beautiful interior and rare sight on the road, Quattroporte is a no-brainer choice when it comes to prestige car.

The SL65 is the flagship of the SL-Class. The usual merits of SL has been thoroughoutly shined in the newest AMG SL, with even more ponies under the bonnet thanks to its 6.5 liter twin-turbo that bumps out a whopping 603 ponies.738 lb/ft of AMG torque is just astonishing. Its downhill is there are just too much hp on tap, not all of them have used effectively due to the electronic intervention typical of Mercedes-Benz. 997 Turbo could well be the most tempting 911 driving. Along with the beautifully weighted steering, an excellent AWD system and an awesome rear-mounted 480hp 3.6 liter flat-6 turbo. Not to mention the world’s best 6-speed Tiptronic gearbox as an option. The 911 Turbo is a perfect performance car for both daily driving and track use. R8 is Audi’s 1st attempt on building a supercar. Building on the strenght of the RS4, by using its 420hp 4.2 liter V8 FSI with Mid-Ship engine layout, as well as Quattro AWD. It is as capable on the racetrack as it is on the black-top twisties. The interior is typical Audi cozy with usual form-follows-function design. Even if R8 is 60hp behind of 997 Turbo doesn’t mean its anything slower or lesser car. Its a supercar that is as comfortable as an A6 with the performance that’s matching its more expensive silibing, Lamborghini Gallarado. As great as a 911 Turbo does, R8 wins our performance car of the year by a narrow margin simply due to Audi’s wonderful 1st time effort.

Most disappointing car of the year nominess:
Volvo S80
Dodge Avenger
Jeep Patriot/Compass

Whenever you mention about Volvo, everyone would expect it to be a pretty decent car. The new S80 can barely be describe as “decent” even if it wears a Volvo badge. It doesn’t have the character that defined Volvo brand. The V8 is noisy and 6-cylinder is actually a more acceptable powertrain. Both handling, ride quality, interior workmanship and ergonomics aren’t up to the standards set by S80′s price tag. The Avenger, as well as Patriot/Compass are the usual craps that came out of Chrysler. While their chassis is acceptable, the executions of those Chrysler products still have a long way to go before it can be dubbed as an acceptable car. Poor handling and ride compromise, uninspiring fit-and-finish, horrible cargo area layout and noisy engines are just a-tip-of-the-iceberg. Instead of only 1 winner, we have 3 winners. All of them are 2008 Chrysler products. Dodge Avenger, Jeep Patriot and its twin, Compass.

Winners for 2008 car of the year
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Economy car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Family car: Honda Accord
Sports sedan: Mercedes C350 Sport
Sports coupe: Honda Accord
Affordable performance: VW Jetta GLI
Sports car: Audi TT Coupe
Convertible: Mazda MX-5 Miata RHT
Performance car: Audi R8
Prestige car: Maserati Quattroporte Automatica
Crossover: Kia Rondo
Small SUV: Mitsubishi Outlander
Mid-size SUV: Saturn Outlook/GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave

There are 2 cars that are significant enough to be the finalists of the overall car of the year. Before the new Lancer debuted, its hard to find any reasons to buy any of Mitsubishi’s products. Price included. At the same time, this company’s reputation was completely tarished due to its poor quality reputation, lack of exciting products; as well as in terrible financial situation. Another car that is significant enough to be the finalist is the R8. For such a long time, 911 has been considered as the benchmark and standards for which all sports cars are judged. NSX was deemed as too expensive and insufficient performance. Ferrari and Lamborghini are exotic class. BMW and Mercedes are not been able to produce a proper 911 rival. Audi is the 1st mainstream luxury manufacturer which is able to produce a bona-fide 911 competition, while selling at similar price.

The new Lancer is the sign to which future Mitsubishi is coming along. There will be a wave of exciting new products coming in Mitsubishi’s pipeline, another segment winner, Outlander, notwithstanding. The company is back at good financial health. As I have said before, it was hard to find a reason to buy any of Mitsubishi’s products in the past. But there are aplentry of those nowaday. Welcome back, Mitsubishi Motors!

OVERALL 2008 CAR OF THE YEAR: MITSUBISHI LANCER

Economy car below $21k nominess:
Honda Fit
VW City Golf
Hyundai Accent hatchback

The VW City Golf is basically a remarketed and repackaged Mk4 Golf, with a twist. That is a lower price tag. With a starting price of 14 grand up to a loaded one at 22 grand, that is a steal for a German chassis. However, its ancient 2.0 engine is not up to modern standard. With the introduction of the Accent hatchback, Hyundai has improved the entry-level econobox into an even better one. It got a decent powerplant and handles nicely. However, one has to go with uplevel model to get ABS. That leaves the Honda Fit. The Fit simply upped-the-ante in the subcompact segment. Its not only handles as sharply as any sports car out there. It got a powertrain that is powerful and Honda-refined. The interior space and flexability are nothing short of amazing. So it makes Honda Fit our obvious winner for econocar below 21 grand.

Economy car above $21k nominess:
VW Rabbit
Suzuki SX4 AWD
Hyundai Elantra

The SX4 replaces the controversial Aerio hatchback. It got a more conventional styling without losing Suzuki’s quirky character. The AWD system is an interesting feature as driver can adjust to their liking. Power comes from a 2.0L 140hp engine that no longer feels sluggish as in previous Suzuki units. Just like the Accent, Hyundai has made the Elantra an even better car. Nicer interior, an exterior that got Hyundai’s own design language. It also got performance and handling to match its character. However, its softly sprung handling characteristics through corners and lack of ABS in base model killed it for being a winner. With a torquery 150hp I-5 2.5L engine, a German-stiff chassis and well damped suspension. Not to mention a very attractive price tag and VW’s hallmark classy interior. Rabbit is the obvious winner in this year’s econocar above 21 grand.

Family car of the year nominess:
Toyota Camry
Nissan Altima
Saturn Aura

With the introduction of the new Altima, Nissan finally addressed the outgoing car’s horrible interior and torque steer in V6 version. Both 2.5 I-4 and 3.5 V6 come in a more pleasant handling/ride compromise with an interior that finally up to class standard. The Camry has always been a safe choice for a family sedan. The new version has finally addressed the lousy riding characteristics on washboard pavement, as well as the cheap interior pieces. Its ride quality is as comfortable as any Camry came before. With the introduction of hybrid version, it just makes this sensible family sedan makes more sense. The Aura is basically a next generation European Opel Vectra. It got a beautifully damped chassis, while its handling has typical European flair. Firm and supple ride quality. Interior is comfortable and nicely finished. The available 3.5 and 3.6 V6 are strong and refined. While Aura’s long-term ownership value might not be as sensible as Altima and Camry, we think its a breakthrough vehicle for struggling General. So it takes our family car of the year.

Luxury car of the year nominess:
Lexus ES350
Cadillac DTS
Nissan Maxima

The facelifted Maxima got a nicer face and an efficient Xtronic CVT. This tranny gives its VQ35DE a more refined character as a luxury car. Nissan has given Maxima some nicer interior trim pieces, altogether with all the changes. DTS is the only front-driver Caddy left in its family. Its very comfortable, ride quality is typical Deville floaty with a sense of Cadillac stability. However, one can get a Buick Lucrene for lower price. The ES350 is a default choice in this category, as there is nothing else in its class provides better value. With a sweet 3.5L V6, a soft but controllable suspension and interior that is the best of the bunch. If Lexus is not gonna win this segment, nothing else does.

Prestige car of the year nominess:
Audi S8
Mercedes-Benz S550
Jaguar XK8

Mercedes S-Class has always been considered as the trendsetter in upper-luxury class. Beautiful styling, comfortable interior and a wonderful 5.5L V8. Combined with its wonderful 7-Gronic, supple suspension and all the latest in automotive technologies. S550 is an engineering marvel. The introduction of XK8 signalled this struggling British luxury car maker has seen lights in the tunnel. Unfortunately, its handling is nothing special and AJ-V8 is only a competitive unit compares to its peers. Its not gonna win this blockbuster segment. With 450hp 5.2L V10, a sporty yet comfortable suspension. Beautiful exterior and interior styling. Not to mention the nicely balanced 40/60 Torsen Quattro and MMI that doesn’t take long to figure out, Audi S8 takes our prestige car of the year.

Performance car of the year nominess:
Audi RS4
Audi S6
BMW M5

BMW M5 used to consider as the pinnacle benchmark of performance car. While the new E65 still handles well with F1-derived 5.0L V10 engine, it doesn’t have the swiftness and nimbleness of its predecessor. The dreadful i-Drive just doesn’t cut it in the category. Just like the Audi S8, S6 is powered by Gallarado-derived 5.2L V10 with 435hp. Both of our Audi nominess use Torsen 40/60 rear-bias Quattro system. While the S6 mates to an excellent 6-speed Tiptronic, RS4 uses 6-speed manual gearbox. The final choice is between the S6 and RS4. At the end, we choose RS4 simply because it has sportier dynamics. Its handling dynamics is capable enough to beat its own compact performance competitors, as well as rivals cost twice as price.

Sports car of the year nominess:
BMW 335i
BMW M Coupe
Porsche Cayman S

Just like 3-Series sedan, the 3-Series coupe has always been judged as class standard. With the introduction of an awesome 3.0L twin-turbo unit with Valvetronic technology, an beautifully tuned suspension and sleek styling. 335i is a real sports car. The M Coupe is possibly the best handling BMW ever. It fits like a glove whenever getting behind the wheel of this beast. 330hp 3.2L I-6 BMW Motorsport motor just makes it an even more amazing car to drive. However, it doesn’t have the sure-footness of Porsche’s all-new Cayman S. The Cayman S combines the vitrunes of Boxster’s MR configuration with 294hp 3.4L flat-6, its handling is more balanced than M Coupe despite short of a few ponies. The interior is more practical with 2 trunks. In short, it worths every pennies over the already stunning M Coupe. So it takes our sports car of the year for 2007.

Sports sedan of the year below $35k nominess:
VW GTI
Mazdaspeed 3
Acura CSX Type-S

The CSX-S is basically a Canadian version of US’s Civic Si sedan with luxury bits. 200hp 2.0 i-VTEC with sport-tuned suspension has made this puppy a real screamer. The Mazdaspeed 3 is powered by the same 2.3L turbocharged engine as its larger Mazdaspeed 6 silibing. Both the performance and quality are top-notch Mazda3 standard. However, its weird powerband cut-off at 5000rpm and torque steer are what made this Mazda lost to this year’s winner. The introduction of Mk5 GTI has signalled the return of the “real GTI”. The suspension is taut and firm, without losing all the comfort of being a daily driver. 200hp 2.0T with nifty DSG is simply a blast to drive. Inside, its everything expect from a VW. Comfortable driving position and classy interior make for a great driver’s environment. Combined all these factors, GTI is the default choice of this segment.

Sports sedan above $35k of the year nominess:
Audi A3 3.2 Quattro S-Line
BMW 335i
Acura TL Type-S

After the successful launch of 2.0T A3, Audi has introduced an even more potent version of the A3 Sportback. The 3.2 scores well with Haldex AWD, a 250hp 3.2L V6 with the same awesome DSG transmission. Its comfortable yet without losing the sporty flair of A3. Just like CSX-S, TL-S is the spicy version of Acura’s highly successful TL series. With Type-S’s 286hp 3.5L VTEC V6 and sport-tuned suspension, it makes a TL from a sporty sedan into a real sports sedan. Simply put. A 3.0L twin-turbo BMW straight-6, a nearly perfect compromse of ride and handling. Perfect 50/50 FR balance. Comfortable interior with all the luxury of a BMW. That makes the 335i our 2007 sports sedan over 35 grand winner.

Convertible of the year nominess:
VW Eos
Audi A4 2.0T
Volvo C70

C70 used to be a wishy washy kind of flimsy convertible or a poorly handled coupe with nice styling. The new version addressed both issues. With its retractable hardtop and retuned suspension, it handling is finally on par with its rivals. Audi’s A4 convertible has always been a sleek one with excellent dynamics and powerplant. For 2007, Audi has given its cabriolet a potent 2.0T 200hp and a slight nose job. It remains a very worthy convertible. In the whole segment, nothing beaten the VW EOS. A full-opened convertible, a Panorama glass roof or a closed coupe are all 3-in-1 in the EOS. Interior is versatile enough for 4 persons without sacificing cargo space. 200hp 2.0T with a choice of DSG or 6-speed manual just make it a default winner in this segment.

Compact SUV of the year nominess:
Acura RDX
Mazda CX-7
Honda CR-V

Honda has matured its CR-V. A more classy styling and interior that is as comfortable as SUV twice as its price tag. This thing will do wonders for Honda despite its 2.4 i-VTEC is short on power and relies on its reactive Real-Time 4WD system. That left us only 2 choices in this segment. Both CX-7 and RDX are based on same concept. A crossover utility vehicle or CUV, which based on a worthy car platform. Both handle as well as any sports sedan out there. The RDX got one handed up with its awesome SH-AWD, as well as overall classier feel of its control. It makes RDX a tight win over the excellent CX-7.

Luxury SUV of the year nominess:
Audi Q7 4.2
Acura MDX
Mercedes-Benz ML320 CDI

The introduction of ML320 CDI means Mercedes finally given its excellent diesel technology into SUV. Its powerful and efficient, without losing the refinement and quietness of a gas-powered SUV. Since its inception in 2001, MDX has always been one of the best SUV in the planet. It combines value, technology, comfort and dynamics into one attractive package. The latest version’s SH-AWD has made a great ute into an even better one. However, its the Q7 that resetted the standard of a luxury SUV. Its simply the first luxury SUV that combines Sport and Utility into the equation. 4.2L FSI V8 with 40/60 Torsen Quattro and air suspension makes it a driver’s ute. All combines with typically well-finished Audi interior and sensibility, it makes our 2007 luxury SUV winner.

Most disappointed car of the year nominess:
Nissan Versa
Nissan Sentra
Dodge Caliber

All of these 3 cars had lots of promises before they introduced. Chrysler promised the Caliber to be a much better car than its Neon/SX2.0 predecessor, new Sentra is supposed to be good enough to compete with Mazda3 and Rabbit. While, at the same time, Versa has enough merits to go head-to-head with heavyweight Fit and Yaris. All of those are myths, the truth is all of them are garbage. The worse of the worse is simply Nissan Versa. Its, by far, the worse car I have driven this year.

Winners for 2007 car of the year
=========================
Economy car below $21k: Honda Fit
Economy car above $21k: VW Rabbit
Family car: Saturn Aura
Luxury car: Lexus ES350
Prestige car: Audi S8
Performance car: Audi RS4
Sports car: Porsche Cayman S
Sports sedan below $35k: VW GTI
Sports sedan above $35k: BMW 335i
Convertible: VW EOS
Compact SUV: Acura RDX
Luxury SUV: Audi Q7

Thanks to the skyrocketing gas prices, this year has become the year of the economy car. On the other hand, it doesn’t distract any introduction of performance-oriented cars. Our finalists for overall car of the year belong to both economy car below $21k, Honda Fit. As well as sports sedan below $35k, VW GTI. Its delightful dynamics and extraordinary interior flexability have upped-the-ante in small car segment. The level of active and passive safety features are also unheard of in this segment.

However, our overall car of the year goes to the VW GTI. The 5th generation GTI have brought a lot to the parties. The world’s quickest and smartest sequential transmission, DSG. Its dynamics qualities have set a new benchmark. While it handles as sweet as performance cars cost twice as much, it rides as comfortably as any luxury sedan. If you opt for the versatile 5-door version, its as practical as any “boring” mid-size family sedan at the same cost. Not only GTI is back, it also set a very high standard for bringing practicality and performance in one intriguing package that is very hard to surpassed for years to come.

OVERALL 2007 CAR OF THE YEAR: VW GTI

We have an unofficial car of the year. If money is no object, RS4 would be this year’s top car. Its simply an astounishing machine. Its fast, its practical, its classy and its as understated as an A4.

Economy car of the year nominess:
Honda Civic
Kia Rio
Toyota Yaris

With the introduction of the new Rio, Kia wants to shake up its el cheapo image derived from the previous car. The new car has much better interior, build quality and more refined powerplant. It also comes with both sedan and Rio 5 hatchback option to choose from. Unfortunately, ABS isn’t an available option in Canada. Consider the price point of Rio is so close to its closet competitor, the Toyota Yaris. The lack of ABS really kills the overall package. Just like the Echo HB, Yaris has upped the ante in the economical hatchback segment. Its fun, refined, well-built and driven nicely. Interior storage space is amazing, so does the interior space. While the base CE is already an impressive performer, uplevel RS is simply a blast to drive. The problem with the RS is its too expensive for a 1.5L hatchback. That left the Honda Civic. With the new Civic, you basically got everything you want in an econocar and much more. Civic’s soul of being a sporty econocar is back with the latest iteration. Its fun and sharp to drive, well-built and economical to run. Although the 2-tier dashboard needs some getting used to, its a very groundbreaking design for an econocar.

Family car of the year nominess:
Hyundai Sonata
VW Jetta
Ford Fusion

The VW Jetta has always represent the affordable end of European sedan, the same goes for the latest generation. With the availability of both 2.5L straight 5, 2.0T and TDI; there is always one model that suits your needs. Interior is as well-finished as anything VW has made. It also handles relatively well thanks to new independent rear suspension. However, I still can’t get passed its generic Japanese looks on an European sedan. The Fusion is the replacement for the aging Taurus. This car handles exceptionally well thanks to its Mazda6 chassis and well calibrated suspension. Unforunately, it got stuck with an underpowered Duratec30 which is due for a replacement Duratec35 with 6-speed automatic next year. The new Sonata is not only a breakthrough for Korean carmaker, its also a significant family sedan that could eaten into Camry and Accord’s sales. Excellent interior fit-and-finish, top-notch NVH, refinement and handles extremely well. The Sonata is the obvious choice for our family car of the year.

Sports sedan of the year nominess:
Dodge Charger
BMW 3-Series
Lexus IS

The Charger based on the same chassis as Chrysler’s hugely successful RHD platform shares with 300 and Magnum. The Charger feels like a sports sedan version of the Magnum. The Hemi in uplevel R/T is simply a rocket while it handles decently. As nicely driven as the previous IS300, it was considered an “also ran” in the sports sedan segment. Not so with the new model. While the IS250 serves as an entry-level model, IS350 is simply a rocketship with 3.5L 305hp. The use of interior materials and build quality are typical Lexus standards. However, its tight back seat and instrusive VDIM are the biggest turn-offs. . The 3-Series has always been regarded as one of the top benchmarks in sports sedan class and it deservely so. It handles like a dream, 3.0L straight 6 combines with a balanced chassis simply beats the above contenders. The 3-Series, especially 330i, is an obvious choice as this year’s sprots sedan of the year.

Prestige/upper luxury car of the year nominess:
Mercedes CLS-Class
Lexus GS
Mercede R-Class

There are 2 Mercedes entrants in this prestige/upper luxury car segment, both represent different scales. While CLS is a stunning-looking4-door coupe that handles beautifully with wonderful powerplants, R-Class is a luxury crossover. Both of these cars have the usual array of Mercedes luxuries and quality, as well as refinement. On the other hand, new GS is an entrant where Lexus wants to breakthrough its boring norm in previous car. While the new GS has done everything well, it has done nothing outstandingly. We have to choose CLS as our prestige/upper luxury car of the year simply because it takes an already wonderful E-Class chassis into an even sportier drive. Its not also drives sporty, it also looks and feels sporty.

Hatchback/mini wagon of the year nominess:
Audi A3 2.0T Sportback
Mercedes B-Class
Mazda 5

Mazda5 is basically a more versatile version of the Mazda3 Sport. The dynamic abilities of Focus C1 chassis remains intact. Interior is nicely finished and comfortable. However, the 3rd row seat feels tight. This ppl mover better serves as a 5-seater than 7-seater as Mazda would like you to think. B-Class is the first Mercedes front driver. Although its handling is acceptable, its ride comfort is up to typical Mercedes standard. Interior is well-finished and comfortable. The cargo capacity is impressive when you folded down the rear seats. 2.0 130hp is more than capable with CVT while 2.0T is a potent performer. The A3 is an impressive performer in every categories. It handles like a dream, ride comfortably and interior finishings are typical Audi standard. DSG is a very impressive sequential considered its exceptional up and downshift speed. Although A3 is a bit pricey when loaded, we think it worths every pennies. That set, its our hatchback/mini wagon of the year.

Wagon of the year nominess:
Audi A4 Avant
Audi 325Xi Touring
Saab 9-3 SportCombi

With the introduction of the SportCombi, 9-3 is back to the hatchback category which was solely lack since its inception. The 2.8L turbo v6 is a surprising performer. Its not only handles like a Saab does, its good enough to rivalled anything in its segment. B7 A4 Avant brings 2 new engines to the party. A excellent 2.0T and an even better 3.2 FSI V6. Along with Multitronic front driver and Quattro AWD, there are lots of choices in this beautiful wagon. It both looks and drives well in all of its configurations. Unlike the previous 3-Series Touring, the E90 only available with AWD in 325i form. Unfortunately, BMW’s X-Drive AWD doesn’t always handle like a BMW should be. Its detuned 3.0L straight-6 also feels somewhat lacking in power department given its weight. The good points are BMW’s well-known chassis stiffness and wonderful straight-6 smoothness remain intact. The A4 Avant remains the standard where others are judged when designing a sportswagon, so does our wagon of the year.

SUV of the year nominess:
Mercedes M-Class
Lexus RX400h
Volvo XC90 V8

Volvo XC90 has always been regarded as an SUV that does everything well but nothing outstandingly. With the introduction of the Yamaha-built V8, it can finally rivalled the class benchmarks. Despite the previous M-Class was a runaway marketing success for Mercedes-Benz, its overall packaging was lackluster. Not so with the new M-Class. With both 3.5L V6 and 5.0L V8 that come standard with awesome 7-Gronic 7-speed automatic transmission, as well as a capable chassis and well designed interior. The new M-Class could well be the new benchmark. Being the first luxury hybrid in the market, RX400h offers V8 performance at 4-cylinder fuel economy. All this without sacificing usual Lexus luxuries. It still rides like a Lexus with quiet interior and superb refinement. This is a very close race between Lexus and Mercedes. I have to give the nod to new M-Class simply because of the significance of improvements thoroughout the vehicle. This is finally an SUV that worthy of the tri-star emblem, as well as an SUV that upped the ante for years to come.

Roadster of the year nominess:
Lotus Elise
Pontiac Solstice
Mazda MX-5

The Elise is truly a hardcore go-kart that is as capable on the track as on the road. Its the sharpest car I have ever driven despite of its lack of creature comfort. Solstice is the first challenge to the Mazda Miata. While it handles extremely well, the tall gear ratios and lack of proper trunk has turned me off. That left the Mazda MX-5. While it has grown larger and more luxurious, Mazda engineers never forgotten about the forumla that driven the original Miata’s succeed. Its affordable, great fun-to-drive and practical. This is the obvious winner of the roadster category.

Most disappointing car of the year nominess:
Subaru B9 Tribeca
Saab 9-7X
Chevrolet HHR

On the one hand, Subaru builds some excellent performance cars like WRX and Legacy GT. On the other hand, they are capable of building an SUV that wants to please everyone. Unfortunately, it turns out it pleases no one. Its not only ugly, its also underpowered and have the most ridiculous 3rd row of seat I have ever sat in. No matter how GM put center ignition, joystick vents and a Saab grille on a 9-7X. 9-7X still 100% a glorified Chevy Trailblazer. Just when PT Cruiser about to end it prime time show, GM decided to introduce the HHR. In terms of styling, its nothing more than a PT clone. The base 2.4L is underpowered while the 2.2L Ecotec is barely adequate. Its softly sprung through the corners. GM even smart enough to cut corner as little as a driver footrest. After the failure of the Saabaru 9-2X, you would have thought GM has learned the mistake? Not so. This Trailsaab is simply the most disappointing car of the year. Consider its priced similarly to anything from Murano to X5, its hard to find a reason why to buy this 9-7X.

Winners for 2006 car of the year
=======================
Economy car: Honda Civic
Family sedan: Hyundai Sonata
Sports sedan: BMW 3-Series
Prestige/upper luxury: Mercedes CLS-Class
Hatchback/mini-wagon: Audi A3 2.0T Sportback
Wagon of the year: Audi A4 Avant
SUV of the year: Mercedes M-Class
Roadster of the year: Mazda MX-5

Our 2006 car of the year goes to Hyundai Sonata. This vehicle not only redefined the whole Korean auto industry, its also great enough to challenge the top dogs in this competitive family sedan segment. Everything from panel gaps to chassis stiffness are truly impressive. It shows how far Hyundai has gone in the last decade. Its hard to imagine how this Korean auto giant would become in the next decade.

OVERALL 2006 CAR OF THE YEAR: HYUNDAI SONATA

Economy car of the year nominess:
Kia Spectra5
Chevy Cobalt/Pontiac Pursuit
Ford Focus ZX4

Its interesting to see how econocars improved nowaday. Our 3 entrants are the perfect example. Ford has given Focus the power that it needed. The new 2.0L 130hp as a replacement for the outgoing Zetec base motor really give this chassis a huge boost. The Cobalt/Pursuit is GM’s latest attempt to comeback as a contender in the econocar segment. The improvements of quality, refinement, dynamic qualities and styling are huge compare to the forgettable Cavalier/Sunfire twins. The advent Delta platform that shares with European Opel Astra also given it a 100% radical change over previous car’s flimsy feel. A better ride, better handling, much improved engine performance and NVH sum up the new Spectra. With the introduction of the Spectra5, Spectra series’s versatility has taken into a whole new level. Unfortunately, its disgraceful for Kia to put ABS into the sunroof package that don’t give this decent car a price advantage over its competitors. Its a really tough choice in this category, however, we have to give nod to GM’s effort on building an econocar that is finally competitive in this segment. A car that they needed for such a long time: Cobalt and Pursuit.

Family car of the year nominess:
Saab 9-2X
Pontiac G6
Mazda 6 Sport

Just like the Cobalt, G6 shows the world giant General Motors is coming back. The improvements over the underwhelming Grand Am are significant. Everything from refinement, driving qualities, interior finishings and styling have put Pontiac back to the marketplace. Sadly, $600 for ABS really killed the whole package. While the 9-2X is nothing more than a rebadged Impreza, Saab engineers have worked overnight to ensure it got Swede’s ride comfort in order to justify the premium over the linking-star cousin. Linear’s 2.5L is more than adequate and Aero’s 2L turbo is a screamer. Unfortunately, the use of materials still haven’t reached the usual high standards by Saab. The 6 Sport is virtually a hatchback version of Mazda’s awesome mid-size offering. It still offers the same agile dynamics, excellent fit-and-finish and potent powerplant as its sedan cousin with more practicality. That’s an easy choice as 6 Sport provides the best package within this group.

Convertible of the year nominess:
Mercedes SLK350
Audi S4
Saab 9-3 Aero

The new SLK is what the original SLK should be. A roadster that handles like a sports car instead of a blvd cruiser. The intriguing 7-speed G-Tronic tranny and sports suspension also matched very well with its stiff chassis. If you are looking for a convertible with Swedish flair and performance, look no further than the 9-3. It finally got the chassis that it deserves since day 1. A platform that won’t flex when going through rough roads. 210hp 2.0 turbo engine provides plenty of performance for both 6-speed stick and 5-speed manumatic. S4 convertible continues the Audi’s tradition of combining sleek styling, AWD and elegant performance all together. Just like its sedan and Avant silibing, the S4 cab handles like on rail in all weathers. It also toppled all other entrants, in terms of build quality. That makes it a clear winner of our convertible of the year.

Luxury car of the year nominess:
Acura RL
Chrysler 300C
Volvo S60

S60 was the vehicle that put Volvo in the sports sedan map that has been dominated by Germans. Suffice to say, its one of Volvo’s best efforts by combing Swedish sensibility and dynamic capabilities in one interesting package. The latest facelift has given this strong offering with more competitive edge. More standard features, stiffer chassis and more responsive
handling are all for the better. While the previous RL was nothing but a ho-hum automobile, the new one is anything but. It got one of the better AWD systems in the business called Super Handling. Both exterior and interior styling are all for the better. Handling is far sharper and its dynamics finally well worthy in a family consists of nice handlers like TSX and RSX. Its also a decent value compares to some of its competitors. Speaking of value, nothing can compares to Chrysler’s 300C. The intriguing combination of Hemi V8, excellent Mercedes chassis and superior handling/ride compromise at a price that you can’t even get a 6-cylinder premium sports sedan. Its an obvious choice of our luxury car of the year winner.

Prestige car of the year nominess:
Audi A6
Cadillac STS V8
VW Phaeton

A new waterfall grille and MMI multi-media interface system are just the beginnings of new A6. Powered by both 3.2L FSI V6 and a 4.2 V8 with usual Audi goodies like proven Quattro AWD and excellent ride/handling compromose, that about sums up the near-perfect package. New STS is another comeback kid for Caddy. GM finally goes back to RWD in order to address previous Seville’s terrible handling issue. This car is also competitive enough with its V6 engine. Both the chassis and handling dynamics have take a huge step forward. While the styling is not as controversial as CTS, its easier to the eyes. Phaeton is VW’s first foray into the prestigous market. Powered by an Audi-sourced 4.2L V8 and an awesome 6L W12 engines. The chassis shares with the awesome Bentley Contential GT. It has one of the most beautifully made interiors ever in auto business. Handling wise, its confidence although can’t be described as fun. The prestige car award has to go to the A6. Audi has made an excellent car even better than before, its also the most balanced of all 3 cars in this group.

Wagon of the year nominess:
Dodge Magnum RT
Mazda 6
Subaru Legacy/Outback

Just like the 300, Magnum is based on excellent Mercedes chassis with a potent V8 engine. It also reprsents exceptional value with style. Unfortunately, RT’s Hemi V8 is just a bit too thirsty even with cylinder deactivation system. New Legacy/Outback are huge improvement over its predecessor, especially its interior quality and the addition of a powerful 2.5L 250hp turbo flat 4 engine. It also got style to go along with its performance character. The base 2.5L is adequate for most daily drivers. Sadly, Limited version of all Legacy/Outback models are way too overpriced. That left us to the clear winner in this group: the Mazda 6. Although it doesn’t have as much power as Legacy/Outback GT or Magnum RT, it doesn’t make you want more thanks to its sharp handling and docile chassis. A loaded GT that costs 35+ grand also respresents great value. That said, Mazda 6 is the winner of our wagon category.

Luxury SUV of the year nominess:
VW Touareg V10 TDI
Porsche Cayenne V6
BMW X5 4.8iS

After Porsche introduced 2 high-performance versions of Cayenne, they introduced a base 3.2 V6 for the masses. While it doesn’t have the stellar acceleration and edgy handling of the S and Turbo, it still feels very much like a Porsche with better fuel economy. BMW has upped X5′s ante with a newfound 4.8L V8 engine. Both power and handling have taken into a whole new level, along with better braking and even classier interior material. Sadly, its way too thirsty. Touareg has always been considered as an SUV benchmark since its debuted a year ago and its rightly so. This year VW introduced a V10 TDI that provides 535 lb/ft of torque which is able to outaccelerate many of those so-called sports cars. Combine with all the usual excellent package of Touareg and we got our best SUV for 2005.

Mini-ute of the year nominess:
Nissan X-Trail
Chevrolet Equinox
Hyundai Tucson

Instead of sharing the same flashy styling theme with recent Nissans, X-Trail has taken a more conservative route. The QR25DE is more than enough in X-Trail’s application. The interior is clean and nicely layout although a bit too plain for my taste. Powered by a Chinese-made 3.4L V6 with 185 ponies, Equinox is no slouch. The interior is surprisingly versatile with the best rear seat and cargo space in this group. Handling wise, its far superior than the unremarkable Tracker it replaces. Sadly, interior plastic has to be the cheapest known to human beings. Tucson is Hyundai’s latest attempt to strike in mini-ute segment. 2.0L 4 c-cylinder and 2.7L V6 with both 5-speed stick and maumatic, Tucson is a very responsive little ute. Based on the Elantra platform, its dynamic qualities are also surprisingly refined. All of these 3 entrants share the same FWD-bias AWD systems which latter only activate when it detects wheelspin in offending wheels. Out of this group, I chose Equinox as our mini-ute of the year simply because it has the space that most people needed while providing performance economically. Its also a huge step forward over its predecessor in every single areas.

Sports sedan of the year nominess:
Subaru Legacy 2.5GT
Volvo S40 T5
Nissan Altima SE-R

Nissan has taken their landmark Altima series to a new height with the addition of a performance-oriented SE-R. Its truly a sheep in a wolf’s clothing with 250hp V6 engine, a stiffer suspension and an understated body kit. Thanks to the extra boost of turbocharged character, Legacy GT is a sports sedan that comes with one of the world’s finest AWD system with potent performance. It also handles relatively well thanks to its newly found stiff chassis and dynamic suspension tuning. Unlike its predecessor, S40 T5 feels like a true sports sedan in every dimensions. It got typical Volvo Swedish styling, a comfortable interior and a proven T5 powerplant that delivers real power. While all are nice cars, Legacy GT took the honor as best sports sedan despite its Limited version is overpriced. It simply offers the best value for money with 250hp turbocharged engine, a proven AWD system and a style that is finally mainstream.

Econosport of the year nominess:
Ford Focus ZX4 ST
Toyota Corolla XRS
Saturn Ion Redline

The Ion was supposed to be a worthy replacement of the aging S-series, however, its numb electric steering and unrefined road manners made it a poor value. The advant of the Redline version has made this car a lot better, in terms of performance and handling. Unfortunately, it still fell short of refinement and quality in this group of cars. ST version of Focus serves as a replacement to the venerable SVT. The Mazda-derived 2.3L engine has given Focus a much needed power boost. Wider tires and firmer suspension also make ST as much as an entertainer as the outgoing SVT does. Since the introduction of current Corolla, we are always been a big fan of its ideal combination of performance, handling, quality and comfort. Toyota is smart enough to drop Matrix’s 1.8 VVTL-i into the hood of this agile car. Although it still suffers from the lack of sweet spot of both Matrix and Celica, Toyota’s nifty suspension retuning has transformed Corolla from a capable appliance into a really capable econosport. Along with the tasteful body kit, well-made interior with supportive sports seats and interior trim. That’s an easy pick of our econosport of the year winner.

Minivan of the year nominess:
Honda Odyssey
Dodge Caravan
Saturn Relay

The Relay is nothing more than a restyled GM minivan. It still got the same old chassis and marginally better powerplant. Simply put, the interior doesn’t hold a candle to any of its new competitors. While Chrysler finally figure out the way to stow the 2nd row of seats in their Caravan called Stow-and-Go, its driving dynamics still feel underwhelming while interior quality remains lackluster compares to the best in class. That left us to the Odyssey, Honda simply makes the best minivan even better. Not only does the VCM works like a champ in Touring model. The interior flexability, use of materials and driving experience also taken a huge step forward over its predecessor. Honda has upped the ante in the minivan class and so it deserves our best minivan for 2005.

Most disappointing car of the year nominess:
BMW X3
Chrysler Crossfire

You would have thought Crossfire would be a decent car to drive given its based on previous SLK’s underpinnings. Unlike 300/Magnum which Chrysler engineers tuned Mercedes chassis smartly, they have tuned Crossfire terribly. Terrible handling/ride compromise, poor versatility and lousy shifter. Its hard to imagine this car is based on a proven Mercedes chassis. BMW really wanted to cash in when they introduced the X3. Unfortunately, the exection has a lot to be desired. The interior is cheaply made and finished. Handling/ride balance is poor as it rides like an unloaden full-size pick-up with optional sports suspension. 2.5L straight 6 is simply a dog and 3.0L striaght 6 feels sluggish in this application. On the other hand, latter feels responsive, quick and refined in both 3 and 5-Series. A loaded X3 3.0i can easily upgrade into a proper X5. On the other hand, you can save enough money for mods if you happen to buy a 325iT over X3 2.5i. Despite that, X3 is not as solely disappointed as the crappy Crossfire.

Winners for 2005 car of the year
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Economy car: Chevrolet Cobalt/Pontiac Pursuit
Family car: Mazda 6 Sport
Luxury car: Chrysler 300C
Prestige car: Audi A6
Wagon: Mazda 6
Ecosport: Toyota Corolla XRS
Sports sedan: Subaru Legacy 2.5GT
Convertible: Audi S4
Mini-ute: Chevrolet Equinox
Luxury SUV: VW Touareg V10 TDI
Minivan: Honda Odyssey

This is indeed the year which domestic manufacturers are coming back strongly. They have a good showing in both economy car and luxury car segment, which they solely lack a competitive vehicle in the past. The overall car of the year winner is also a toss between the Cobalt and 300C. While the Cobalt is truly a remarkable improvement over the forgettable Cavalier, it doesn’t have the significance of 300C. Chrysler brought all the great technologies on the table with an excellent Hemi V8, cylinder de-activation system and classy American styling based on a proven Mercedes E-Class platform. Chrysler transformed the LH car from front-wheel-drive to rear-wheel drive in LX really does wonders for the whole segment.

OVERALL 2005 CAR OF THE YEAR: CHRYSLER 300C