Review: 2012 Mazda3 i Grand Touring SKYACTIV: The frugal driving enthusiast’s car

The Mazda 3 SKYACTIV has noteworthy driving dynamics, a great interior, and is fuel efficient. Photo by Curtis Reesor.

Ever since the Mazda3 debuted 2004, it’s been known as a “driver’s car.” Great driving dynamics and responsive engines—both normally aspirated as well as turbocharged—have made and continue to make this an enthusiast’s choice among many “driving appliances.” For 2012, Mazda has released another 3 model, this time setting its sights on efficiency. Called SKYACTIV, this 3 comes with a high-compression 2.0-liter four cylinder engine with direct injection, and unique body/chassis features that help the ’12 Mazda 3 join the ranks of other compact sedans that now get 40 MPG on the highway. Welcome to the club.

In the flesh: 2013 Dodge Dart Rallye

Dodge brought the all-new 2012 Dart to the 2012 Portland International Auto Show, and I'll say—it's a good looking compact car. The overall shape is very attractive, sleek, and modern. It's the first time Dodge has had a C-segment sedan in the lineup since the departure of the Dodge/Plymouth Neon. Unlike the Ford Focus, Mazda3, or Kia Forte, the Dart is only available as a sedan. The Dart's underpinnings are based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but has been modified for the North American market.

We're off to the 2012 Portland International Auto Show

And we're off! Granted it's about 15 minutes from my house, but still. Subcompact Culture is headed to the 2012 Portland International Auto Show for media day. One of the cool things about this show is that it's nearly right after the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, so we often are one of the first smaller market cities to see the latest debuts from the Motor City. For instance I'm told a 2013 Dodge Dart will be at the show, so stay tuned for photos of that and a host of other cars/trucks from the show.

For any locals, the show runs January 26-29 and it's located at the Oregon Convention Center.

LINK
Portland International Auto Show

In the driveway: 2012 Honda Civic Si

Ah, the Civic Si. That bastion of boy-racerdom mixed with wonderful driving dynamics, a wonderfully manic engine, and a typically great suspension. At least that's what I thought when I first drove the car. After driving it about 60 miles, I still think that.

I'm not in love with the car's shape, though. I just keep waiting to fall in love with it, but it hasn't happened. However, I am in love with the 2.4-liter i-VTEC engine, amazing shifter, and great cornering.This car is so much fun to drive; tere is a lot of "woo hoo!" factor here especially when the VTEC kicks in ... yo.

More later—stay tuned.

The Teal Terror hits the snows of Mt. Hood National Forest

The "Teal Terror" (project '95 Suzuki Sidekick) went on its second snow run last weekend outside of Estacada, Oregon with some of my co-workers. On last year's run, the vehicle was 100% stock and not tuned up, but it still did well. This year, had the 2" BDS Suspension lift, the Shrockworks front bumper, the WARN VR8000-s winch, 235/75/15 BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires on 15x7 steel wheels, a new Bestop soft top, as well as a host of maintenance.

Yes, I did get the opportunity to test the winch out, too. There was lotst of deep. heavy snow this year and it was very easy to get mired in it. In fact, I helped a woman get her Toyota 4Runner out of a snowbank. The winch worked great, as did the other parts. Thankfully, the heater works well, too.

Yes, the Teal Terror did get stuck a couple of times, too and needed a tug, but overall, the trucklet did very well. The additional two inches of lift really helped this year, as I wasn't pushing snow with the independent front suspension as much this year.

Next up, I have a set of WARN lights I need to install, I need to wire up the trailer hitch, and it's about time I replace the old stock spare tire and wheel with a matching unit. All in due time.

Review: 2012 Kia Soul ! (Exclaim): More power, economy, and gears for Kia's funky hamstermobile

Hamsters. There, I said it. The Kia Soul is associated with Hamsters, and I can't tell you how many times I heard that when I had this car for the week. But you know what? It's become a well-known vehicle, thanks in part to those hamsters, and to the fact this is a good overall vehicle. In terms of sales, the Soul has been a very good car for Kia since its debut as a 2010 model. In fact, it's also helped bolster the company's image as hip, fun, and affordable. For 2012, they’ve taken the successes of the earlier models models, added a new engine, transmission, some exterior restyling, and in-car “infotainment”, and improved upon an already successful formula.

The Teal Terror gets a WARN winch

Finally got around to installing a WARN VR8000-s winch on The Teal Terror. A winch is a great addition to any off-road vehicle simply because if you get stuck, you can pull yourself out. And if your buddy gets stuck, you can pull him/her out, too.

This winch has an 8,000 lb. capacity—more than enough for such a small rig, but allows you to pull heavier vehicles, too—and features the company's new Spydura synthetic rope (hence the "-s" in the name). Since synthetic rope is lighter weight than traditional metal cable,  the winch's overall weight is 62 lbs. compared to 80 lbs. with wire rope. This is a nice factor on a small, lightweight vehicle, such as the Sidekick. Plus, synthetic rope is also easy to handle. Like all winch rope, this needs to be stretched before actually using it to pull, so that's in the works for this afternoon, as tomorrow I'm going wheeling with some co-workers in the snow. Pics to follow.

ColtVista.com aims to connect Expo, Summit, and of course, Colt Vista fans (yes, they're out there)

Let's face it: There's a website for nearly everything out there. However, there has never been a very good place dedicated to getting information about the Dodge Colt Vista and later Plymouth Colt Vista/Eagle Summit Wagon/Mitsubishi Expo tall wagons; at least not since I shut down the Mitsubishi Expo LRV Pages in 1999 after trading in my '92 Expo LRV. However, there is now a place for those looking for a DSM tall wagon community: ColtVista.com

It's true—there aren't many of us out there that are enthusiastic about these vehicles, but we do exist (yes, I'm one of them). Heck, mine had a custom exhaust, custom intake, and a few other goodies. It was a great vehicle, and I'd love to pick another one up some day as a 4G63T sleeper project.

So whether you want to share a story about your Colt Vista, are looking for parts for your '93 Eagle Summit Wagon, or simply want to connect with other tall-wagon fans, check out ColtVista.com. I already signed up.

Thanks to Subcompact Culture reader "smitty" for the tip.

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ColtVista.com

How to Prep your Car for Winter (Brought to you by AutoAnything.com)

Old Man Winter has no sympathy for you or your ride. Give him an evenly-matched fight this season with the perfect winter driving accessories to protect your vehicle. A set of performance wiper blades ensures your vision is crystal clear for safe driving in those harsh conditions. Kick it up a notch with a set of heated wiper blades that keep your view crystal clear, even in snowy weather. Or, protect your entire windshield with a durable windshield cover. Crafted from long-lasting materials, a windshield cover guards the whole surface of your windshield from extreme cold weather conditions, including ice. No more frostbitten fingers and scraping your windshield before your daily commute. What better way to take on tough winter weather than by hittin' the slopes or trails for some serious outdoor adventures.

You can't go out into the elements without gearing up your vehicle with all the essentials that ensure your drive is as smooth as possible. Start by clasping a sturdy set of snow chains to your tires to get you and your family to your destination safely. Available in a variety of sizes and styles, snow chains provide impressive traction in the heaviest of snow. Now that you have your wheels taken care of, make sure you have plenty of room for all your passengers by installing a high-capacity ski rack or roof rack on top of your ride. Tailored to perfectly fit your vehicle, a roof rack increases your cabin space and allows you to store more equipment on top of your ride. No more messy interior from frozen skis and snowy gear. And, to get all your snow toys out there on the trails, load up your vehicle with a trailer hitch. Custom-designs combined with easy installations mean that you spend less time in the garage and more time playing in the snow. So, get a jumpstart this season, bundle up and go enjoy that winter wonderland.


Please be sure to support Subcompact Culture sponsor AutoAnything.cohttp://www.autoanything.comm!

Five-door Fiat 500 on the way. Will it broaden appeal?

It wasn't that long ago that if you wanted a hatchback in the U.S., the only five-door model was the VW Golf. Nowadays, it's basically the opposite: Most hatchbacks are five-doors, with the exception of the Toyota Yaris, MINI Cooper, and VW Golf, which are available in both configurations (yeah, the Smart ForTwo and Scion iQ city cars are only three doors, but who asked you anyway?). Then there's the Fiat 500, which is a three-door only. Fiat sold less than 20,000 units in 2011; well short of their goal of 50,000 cars. Now there's news that Fiat is going to debut a five-door 500 at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Will making the 500 just that much bigger solve its sales debacle? Fiat was working on a somewhat larger 500 (thought to be tailor-made for the U.S. market) some time ago. However, as Autoblog said, if it's debuting at Geneva, it's likely for world-wide consumption.