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
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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