In The Driveway: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi SE AWD

I took delivery of a 2010 Suzuki Kizashi SE AWD yesterday. Here's the lowdown: The SE is one of the mid-level trim packages (there's S, SE, GTS, and SLS) and this one is equipped with the CVT. In the 60+ miles I've put on the vehicle thus far, it's proven itself to be a really fun car to drive with outstanding AWD grip. It's tossable, sporty, and of high build quality. I like it a lot. More later!

Cool Web Site: FordFestiva.com

While taking my daily hourly browse through craigslist for potential project vehicles, I ran across a Ford Festiva with a Mazda engine swapped into it. I didn't know people did stuff to Festivas.

A quick search for Festiva enthusiast forums yielded FordFestiva.com. I registered for the forum and found nearly 6,500 Festiva fans. It's a very active site, too. I had no idea there were that many Festiva enthusiasts out there.

It turns out you can do some pretty sweet things to the little Kia-built, Mazda-powered, Ford-badged subcompacts. The Mazda powertrain is a big deal: You can easily swap in much more powerful Mazda engines to replace the car's original1.3-liter eight-valve "B3" engine. The 1.8-liter, 16V DOHC Mazda BP—found in the Ford Escort GT, for example—made 127 hp stock. Put that in a car which originally came with 63 hp and that weighs 1,713 lbs., and you've got yourself a "Fastiva."

LINK
FordFestiva.com (registration required)

My Yaris at Portland International Raceway

Thanks to Carol for the great shots of my Yaris on the track at Portland International Raceway's Opening Day event. For more photos, check out her full album. I particularly like the last photo, which looks like I "won." Ah, photo trickery.

2012 Chevrolet Aveo photos

Here are photos of the 2012 Chevrolet Aveo sedan. Well, it looks pretty darn good. A few thoughts:

• Will the production version really sit that low? (Note the absence of hugongus fender gap)
• When can we expect the turbocharged RS to bow?
• This look almost too nice to be called "Aveo." How much will people be willing to pay for an optioned-out new Aveo? (Perhaps a name change should've been in order?)
• Will this Aveo be a true competitor in the b-segment? (Rumor has it the car will still be on a Daewoo platform)


SOURCE
Autoblog via Kicking Tires

VIDEO: Awesome Ford Fiesta rally car footage

Oh.
Yes.

Honda shipping Fit engines for race cars

Honda Performance Development recently began shipping 1.5-liter Honda Fit engines to racers planning to run the engine in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Formula F competition. Through its introduction to the category, HPD hopes to strengthen FF's position as the first step in American open-wheel auto racing.

The initial batch of fuel-injected Honda L15A7 overhead-cam engines was shipped to competitors who had previously secured their orders via cash deposit. The Fit engine can be adapted for installation in existing FF chassis.

"This is an exciting day for all of us at HPD," said Erik Berkman, president of Honda Performance Development. "We hope that this foundational step in our grassroots motorsports initiative will help grow the FF class by making it more affordable and competitive."

The Honda FF engine was developed by HPD in cooperation with Maryland-based Quicksilver RacEngines. The engine was developed to equal the performance of the traditional Kent power plant through utilization of an intake restrictor plate and appropriately mapped Engine Control Unit (ECU), as confirmed during comparative testing with representative Kent engines under SCCA supervision. Final track output will be mandated by the SCCA through its restrictor determination.

Honda-powered FFs are approved for SCCA competition effective March 1, 2010.

Developed from the current Honda Fit, introduced in 2009, the L15A7 engine in FF form is intended to provide open-wheel racers with a modern, fuel-injected design offering superior service life, increased availability and lower operating costs. Engine rebuilds will be reduced, with a corresponding reduction in the need for top-end refreshing. In addition, crankshaft and valve-spring life should be extended dramatically; and most ignition and all carburetor maintenance will be eliminated.

"Many of us at HPD, myself included, have been involved in FF racing," said Marc Sours, HPD Production Division Manager and Large Project Leader for HPD's grassroots effort. "We believe in the class and want to see it grow in popularity. With the delivery of this first batch of Honda FF engines, and future orders, we are hoping to increase participation through economical competition."

Honda Fit race engines can be purchased as a complete package, including a base L15A7 engine and FF engine conversion kit (including intake, exhaust, dry sump, lightweight alternator, restrictor plate and ECU). Individual component parts will also be available for purchase separately.

HPD also offers chassis kits for three of the most popular FF designs: the Swift DB-1, Swift DB-6 and Van Diemen RF99-09 models. Several current race-car manufacturers, including Fast Forward Components (Piper) and Citation Engineering, offer FF chassis ready to accept the Fit engine.

Opening Day at Portland International Raceway

The weather has been fantastic in Portland for the last week, and the sunshine was in full effect on Saturday, Feb. 20 for the opening day of Portland International Raceway. The event was held by Friends of PIR, and included a whole bunch of activities. However, I really came to do the touring laps.

For a $10 donation to Friends of PIR, you got to take a few laps around the track at highway speeds, which was a lot of fun. The 'ol Yaris is a lot of fun to toss around the track! The money goes to Friends of PIR, who is committed to the preservation and enhancement of the track.

Here are a few of the smaller cars from the event ... and a GT-40 and Lamborghini.

Reskinned Rio for 2010

Kia's popular Rio sedan and Rio5 hatchback get a mild reskin for 2010. Although not highly promoted, the mild updates look good, and ditch the black bumpers and door moldings—elements some people immediately associate with "economy car." Both the front and rear fascias look more upscale, making the car's overall appearance more sophisticated; it's very tasteful.


LINK
Kia.com

WANT: Cool Suzuki Carry

This 2003 Suzuki Carry DA63T is sweet with its custom wheels, off-road tires, auxiliary lighting, and dump bed. I'd love to run this guy through the dunes or on some off-road trails. Although not street legal, this four-wheel drive (complete with two-speed transfer case) would be a lot of fun off the pavement.

For sale through Cape Ape Imports in Tillamook, Oregon, this Carry has 30,000 miles on it. Roughly the price of a new side x side, this vehicle has A/C and a completely enclosed cab to keep you out of the rain—two things a side x side doesn't have.

I think it's bad ass. WANT.

LINK
Cape Ape Imports

VIDEO: Non-computer-generated Chevy Aveo RS also looks good

Below we have the computer-rendered Chevrolet Aveo RS. However, this is the real deal. No sound, but you do get a good idea of what the real concept car looks like.

VIDEO: Chevy Aveo RS looks, sounds great for a computer-generated car

Micro Image member "thebarber" posted a link to this Chevrolet Aveo RS video. Yes, the entire thing is computer rendered (or at least appears to be), but it does give a decent virtual look at the car.

I hold my stance that his is a good-looking vehicle, and really look forward to seeing it in production.

Road Trip: Willamette National Forest

To celebrate Valentines Day, my wife and I took a day trip through Willamette National Forest. We drove down Interstate 5 to Westfir, Oregon, then we took Forest Road 19 all the way up to Cougar Dam.


View Larger Map

Forest Road 19 begins in the town of Westfir (population 276). This city also is home to the historic Office Bridge—the longest covered bridge in Oregon at 180 ft. in length.

It should be noted that Forest Road 19 is not maintained for snow and ice in the winter. We figured we'd turn around if it got snowy or icy. However, due to our unseasonable warm winter this year, we only saw a couple of patches of snow at the most upper elevation (near Box Canyon Horse Camp at 3,750 ft.), and the temperature never dropped below 41 F.

Forest Road 19 had a bit of moss and tree debris on it; sure signs of low traffic volume. There were, however, several spots in which someone had recently sawed up fallen trees and moved them to the side (the sawdust piles were still in the road).

Make no mistake about it, especially at this time of year, this road is infrequently traveled. A total of two cars went past us while we were taking pictures, however, they had turned around and headed back. Other than that we saw no cars, no people for about 50 of the 54 miles we drove on this road.

This amazing road twists, turns, dips, and dives through amazingly tall trees, along raging rapids, and past steep cliffs. And when the signs say "Watch for fallen rock," they mean it. We ran across several basketball-sized stones that had fallen onto the road. We also saw what we assume was a coyote crossing the road about 40 yards in front of us. Ah, wildlife.

Oregon is amazing in that you'll be driving along, then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, there will be something spectacular to see, and such was the case on this trip. After descending from Box Canyon Horse Camp, we came across Cougar Reservoir. This amazingly beautiful body of blue-hued water is filled with spring runoff from the surrounding area, but at this time of year, is low, making its appearance that much more dramatic. Also in the area is Cougar Hot Springs (aka Terwilliger Hot Springs), which is a 1/4 mile hike in from the road. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to soak in the warm water.

After the reservoir, it was up to HWY 126, where we drove along the picturesque McKenzie River. Our AWD Suzuki SX4 got about 25-26 MPG (with the ski rack attached) for the entire 300+ trip; not too bad since there was a lot of elevation change and the ski rack.

The Willamette National Forest is an amazingly beautiful place, and we are sure to return to it during the summer months.

Spring Swap: Honda Fit springs on Toyota Yaris. Who knew?

A member of YarisWorld.com has found out that springs from the 2007-2008 Honda Fit will, um, "fit" the on the 2007+ Toyota Yaris. How strange is that?

Member "kngrsll" has a setup using Ground Control Honda Fit front coilovers (375 lbs/6.6 kg) and T1R Honda Fit rear springs (342 lbs/6.1 kg). Unfortunately the rears are not adjustable due to the perches. However, he says that if you had spring perches from a Yairs-specific kit (Tein, KSport, Megan Racing, etc.), it should be adjustable. Allegedly, he says a bunch of other springs will fit, too.

I find this pretty interesting, and it could open up more applications to Yaris owners looking to lower their cars.

LINK
New Suspension! (YarisWorld.com)

Impress your friend, amaze your disfunctional family: A few tweaks to Subcompact Culture

Just an FYI, I've made a few tweaks to Subcompact Culture.

You'll notice the addition of the toolbar at the bottom of your screen, which will allow quick access to Subcompact Culture's Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube pages. Plus you can search, subscribe to a feed, order takeout, etc.

EDIT: A number of you said the toolbar that was at the bottom was annoying, so it is no longer here.

Additionally, under each post, I've made it a lot easier for you to share any of Subcompact Culture's posts on the various other sites (Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Digg.com, Google, etc.).

Enjoy, and thanks for reading.

- Andy

Gilles: Fiat 500 on sale in U.S. by the end of 2010

Looks like the 500 will be here by the end of the year. For more info, click on the link to the story!

Gilles: Fiat 500 on sale in U.S. by the end of 2010

Part Italian, British, and Japanese: Two rare subcompacts at dealership

Familar with the Innocenti DeTomaso? Neither was I. However, a blogger at Hooniverse not only found one, but he found two at a dealership. Italian car, Japanese engine (Daihatsu turbo three-cylinder?), with some British MINI underpinnings. I think it's a little bit of awesome.

Thanks to Matt for the tip!

LINK
Dealership Find: Two Innocentis, To Go (Hooniverse.com)

Chicago Auto Show: Return of the Suzuki SX4 Makai

Suzuki recently posted a couple of images of the SX4 Makai on its Facebook fan page from the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. A lot of custom work on this vehicle: No roof, special bodywork, CEC custom wheels. Heck, nearly the entire thing is custom. This car has actually been shown before; it debuted at the 2007 LA Auto Show. It's pretty out there, but I think it's pretty cool, too.

Nissan Juke to join the growing list of AWD b-segment vehicles

At this moment, the only AWD subcompact, or b-segment vehicle, on the U.S. market is the Suzuki SX4. However, MINI recently announced the Crossman, and now Nissan is going to join in with the Juke. The vehicle is slated to arrive in the U.S. later this year, and will be slotted below the Rogue.

The peculiar-looking Juke will bow at the Geneva Motor Show. It will have a 92.5" wheelbase, and be 61 inches tall. For comparison's sake, a Toyota Yaris has a 96.5" wheelbase, and is 60" tall. So indeed, the Juke will be a genuine small car.

The Juke will be available in FWD or AWD versions, and (at least in Europe) three engines will be available including normally aspirated, turbo, and diesel engines making 113 hp, 187 hp, and 110 hp, respectively. No word on the U.S. powertrain options yet.

One thing is for sure: It will look like nothing else on the planet road.

Ford Transit Connect Taxi makes perfect sense; correct change appreciated

The Ford Transit Connect has proved itself to be an extremely versatile vehicle, and this latest adaptation makes perfect sense: Taxi use.

The Ford Transit Connect Taxi will be available in late 2010 as a 2011 model, and will be offered with the standard 2.0-liter gasoline engine. Ford will also offer conversion kits to run the vehicle on compressed natural gas (CNG) kit or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). These two fuels are popular among taxi operators due to their low cost of ownership.

The Transit Connect Taxi also features a wiring upfit package with a hole in the roof for signage, vinyl front and rear seats, rubber rear floor, sliding second-row windows and standard third-row windows—all of which are factory installed. Additional installation of technology and other taxi modifications such as roof signage and the optional seating partition are handled by taxi upfitters in local markets.

The Transit Connect Taxi idea is a no-brainer since the vehicle has great cargo hauling ability and fuel efficiency. Plus, way more headroom than a Crown Victoria. Gotta go; the meter's running.

Reviewed: Kia Forte SX A strong new competitor in the compact class

Kia first appeared in the U.S. in the early-to-mid 1990s (Portland, Oregon's Ron Tonkin Kia was the first Kia dealer in the U.S.), and was mostly thought of as an entry-level automaker offering inexpensive, and, well, basic transportation. Hey—we all have to start somewhere. However, Kia has kept its nose to the automotive grindstone, offering more refinement, more quality, and more models from year to year. The company is quickly making its way up through the ranks to become a brand people want to buy, and not just a low-cost option.

The all-new 2010 Kia Forte sedan (and two-door “Koupe”) are prime examples of Kia's latest and greatest efforts to date. The Forte goes to battle in the highly populated C-segment, which includes behemoths such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, not to mention Mazda3, Ford Focus, or Volkswagen Jetta. Will Kia be able to woo buyers from more established brands? With its great pricing, expansive list of features, and great warranty, the Forte should definitely be on the the compact car shopper's list.

Sophisticated Sheet Metal
It's hard to deny Forte's attractive exterior, especially in the SX trim. Clean, handsome lines, minimal front and rear overhangs, and attractive 17” wheels make this car look upscale (I think the Titanium paint looks great, too). I had several people tell me they thought it looked like an Acura or Honda, and it does sort of resemble the last-generation TSX, as well as the current Honda Civic.

Interior Attractiveness
Looks aren't skin deep on the Forte SX. The leather-clad interior is very nice. The comfortable seats offer decent bolstering to hold you place and the headrest actually allows you to rest your head. The driving position has that just-right distance to grasp the chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel (which has both cruise- and audio controls). Ergonomics are also good: Everything feels like it's where it should be. If fact, this actually feels like a driver's car.

Impressively, all Forte trim levels get standard features, such as a USB and port, three months of satellite radio, and Bluetooth integration—all standard. Speaking of, Kia's Bluetooth has to be one of the easiest, most straight-forward systems to use. A couple of callers said the clarity wasn't the best, though. It could be my archaic phone, too.

Stepping up to the SX model nets you a nice-sounding six-speaker sound system, and the easy-to-read “Supervision” gauge cluster with multi-function trip computer that displays engine temperature, trip/odometer, fuel economy, range, and more. One thing that drew mixed criticism was the red illuminated ring surrounding the speedometer. Some thought it was annoying. I thought it looked cool.

Back seat room is adequate for two adults, and the rear seats fold down revealing a pass-through into an ample-sized trunk. Speaking of trunks, one thing that was a bit awkward: There was no way to open the trunk without using the keyless entry system or pulling the interior release. No exterior keyhole, no button to push.

Powerful engine, stiff ride, fun to drive
Make no mistake about it: The Forte is a lot of fun to drive. In fact, it's probably one of the more fun-to-drive vehicles I've piloted in a while. Under the hood lies a powerful 173 horsepower 2.4-liter DOHC four cylinder with continuously variable valve timing making a respectable 168 ft. lbs. of torque. My review vehicle came with the five-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting capability; a six-speed manual transmission is also offered. EPA rating on the automatic SX is 23 city, 31 highway; I got almost exactly 23 mpg in mostly city driving. This is slightly better than the Toyota Corolla XRS, Honda Civic Si, and Mazda3 S Sport.

Forte has an independent front suspension and a torsion beam rear (the Civic and Mazda3 have a fully independent suspension; Corolla also uses the torsion rear). Suspension tuning is on the stiff side, which I like, although, it might be a bit stiff for some. The car handled very well and cornering was nice and flat. The meaty 215/45/17 tires had little problem putting the power to the ground. Braking is handled by front and rear disc brakes with ABS, brake assist, and EBD. The Forte also has traction control and stability control.


A truly competitive compact
There's a lot to like about Kia's Forte SX: Great driving characteristics, long list of available features, and attractive styling. This car offers similar performance to the Toyota Corolla XRS and Mazda3, but for thousands less. It's still slower than the Civic Si sedan, but costs less and doesn't require premium fuel. Plus there's that warranty: 5 year/60,000 mile basic, 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain. You can't get that standard on the Toyota, Mazda, or Honda.

Then there's the Forte SX's price $18,195; $20,490 as tested (which included $1,000 leather, and $600 heated seats, $695 destination).

That's a lot of car for the money. Refinement is still not quite as high as the Japanese, but it's getting better and better. And although Kia still has a ways to go to bring long-time Honda and Toyota buyers to its side, with cars like the Forte SX, consumers should take note: this is a very viable competitor for your hard-earned dollars.

LINK
Kia.com

DC Sports releases Nissan Versa cat-back exhaust system

For Nissan Versa owners looking to bolt on a bit of power (and sound), DC Sports has recently released a cat-back system. Made from from mandrel-bent T304 stainless steel and hand welded, this piece will no doubt uphold the company's well-known performance and quality. Other features include a canister-style muffler, CNC-machined flanges, and all the necessary installation hardware.

LINK
DC Sports

Redbull Suzuki X-90: Some junk in on the trunk

You know you want it. I remember seeing a (the?) Redbull Suzuki X-90 while living in Milwaukee, WI. My buddy Scott and I would joke around about it. The only thing that could've made it better is if it shot something out of the giant can on its posterior, like cans of Redbull or t-shirts ... or small people or copious quantities of meatloaf and brown gravy. Never mind.

Suzuki enters the world of social media

Suzuki has officially announced it's going to join in on social networking.

Although the official announcement will be at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, Suzuki's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube sites are now live. I've already joined them, and you should too!

Ford Fiesta in the flesh; Mazda2, too.

I attended the Portland Auto Show last week, and caught a glimpse of the upcoming 2011 Ford Fiesta and 2011 Mazda2.

Fiesta: Although not usually a fan of yellow vehicles, "Yellow Blaze Metallic" looks really good on the Fiesta. You can see the chrome inserts in the lower fascia, and they looked better in person than in photos. I just think this is such a sharp car; it should sell very well. Ford Sales Analyst, George Pipas, said Ford has more than 4,000 pre-orders for the car. Pretty impressive since none of those pre-orders has had a test drive in the vehicle yet! The Fiesta will hit dealerships this summer.


Mazda2: Also at the Portland Auto Show was the Mazda2. The 2 allegedly shares a platform with the Fiesta, but that's where the similarity ends. However, the Mazda2 also looks good in person. Although not quote as edgy looking as the Fiesta (at least in this trim level), the 2 is still very appealing—"2" thumbs up. I was there for the media preview, and they were setting up a fridge with Mazda2 "Zoom Zoom" energy drink; just in case you wanted to know.

The 2 gets the Mazda corporate "happy face," although not to the extent of vehicles, such as the new Mazda3. This car should prove to be another competent entry into the U.S. b-segment. The Mazda2 is also available this summer.





LINKS
Ford Fiesta (FordVehicles.com)
Mazda2 (MazdaUSA)