Happy Halloween from Subcompact Culture

Happy Halloween from both Andy and me! We hope you have a safe and fun weekend. FYI, this photo was taken during my trip to the 2012 Kia Rio and Soul launch in Texas. And yes, that's me at the far left! Spooky! No gigantic spiders were harmed during this photoshoot. No Kia Rios were harmed, either.

Scion showing its iQ at SEMA

Scion iQ by Jon Sibal

More appropriately, the headline should read that Scion is showing off its iQs (plural), since the youth-branded division will be showcasing four Scion iQ vehicles at the SEMA Show next week. These are some pretty wild takes on Scion's upcoming microcar. Can't say I'm a fan of all of them, but really like the Sibal iQ (above), and love the iQ-MR with the engine in the rear going to the rear wheels. 

Scion iQ-RS by Michael Chang

Scion iQ Pit Boss by Cartel

Scion iQ-MR by Tatsu (Yes, it's got an "MR" setup—the engine in the back, power to the rear wheels)

Toyota to show off Yaris B-Spec race car at SEMA

Toyota/Scion will be bringing a host of subcompacts to this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas. First up is the 2012 Yaris B-Spec Club Racer. This car will compete in the SCCA's B-Spec class in 2012 with action sports and BMX star, Jamie Bestwick, behind the wheel. He'll have to qualify at Road America (my favorite race track) first to be in the race, however. Here are a list of goodies this race-ready Yaris has:

Preview: The subcompacts of the SEMA Show

The 2011 SEMA Show starts next week. I will be there, and will snap some photos of some of the small cars of the SEMA Show. Here is a preview of just a few of the cars that'll be there. Above is Chevrolet's Sonic Z-Spec #2 concept.

Ford Fiesta by M2 Motoring

Microcar Mag Nissan Cube

Bean Garage Cube

Road Race Motorsports Fiat 500

Kia/Antenna magazine surf-and-skate Rio five-door

Subcompact Supercar: Nissan Juke R

I just got done driving the 188 hp. Nissan Juke for a week. It was pretty quick for what it was, and I really liked it (the review will be posted soon). However, Nissan is building the Juke R concept, which is the beast you see above. This is a Nissan Juke powered by a 480 hp. Nissan GT-R engine, which also uses a GT-R AWD drivetrain, too. Holy hell.

Here is a picture of the finished product. If you search Google for Nissan Juke R, you'll find various build photos and videos. Pretty darn impressive. I'm looking forward to watching it hit the track. FYI, Nissan is building two of these concepts: A right-hand drive, and a left-hand drive version. The Juke R concept is being built in the UK.

In the driveway: 2011 Nissan Leaf SL

Well, technically, the 2011 Nissan Leaf SL is still "in the driveway," but most of it is on our concrete patio area in front of the house. Why? The Leaf's charging cord won't reach our 110V power source in front of the house when parked where it normally would be. No biggie, though.We still have it plugged in and charging.

The Leaf is a totally different vehicle than anything I've ever driven. It has surprisingly good acceleration from a dead stop, thanks to its torquey electric motor, yet it's nearly silent at slow speeds. There is a center console that features the gear select knob, which is very easy to use. It also rides well. It's surprisingly good around town, where easily zooms about with traffic.

The range is around 100 miles on a full charge. It was delivered with 55 on it. I drove it down to about 12, when I plugged it in at work for a while so I could get home. There wasn't a great place to plug it in at work, but they allowed me to drive it up a service dock, where there was a plug in. I will say, you often check the range gauge to make sure you can make it where you need to go.

FYI, with about 15 miles in range, the Leaf is estimating it'll take 17 hours to fully charge the battery. However, my commute is only 12 miles each way, so I should have plenty of juice to commute.

More later!

Driven: 2012 Kia Soul! (Exclaim)

The second part of my trip to Austin, TX was to test drive the refreshed 2012 Kia Soul. Although the Soul was introduced in 2010, the ’12 model gets some updated goodies, as well as two new engines. The car I drove, the Soul! (exclaim), included a new six-speed automatic (with Active Eco System), the 2.0-liter DOHC CVVT four-cylinder engine, 18” alloys, and a whole ton of personality. The Soul is quite possibly the most funky-looking and engaging small car in the Kia line-up, so I knew I was in for a treat. Away we go!

In the driveway: 2011 Nissan Juke SL AWD

We just got the 2011 Nissan Juke SL AWD for review this week—a very interesting vehicle. It's kind of like that person you went to school with that was kinda out there, somewhat weird, sorta artsy ... but kind of hot, too.

So what does that mean? It means it's totally different looking than anything else on the road, but is powered by a turbocharged, direct-injection 1.6-liter engine making 188 horsepower and 177 ft./lbs. of torque, which is quite thrusty and fun. It's also got AWD, which is pretty cool. However, somewhat oddly, power is put down through a CVT, and let's face it: it is kind of strange to look at, but intriguing, too. Thus far, the combo actually works pretty darn well. There is plenty of go, and the interior is spaceship-like in a good way. So far, I'm quite impressed and even somewhat smitten with the funky Juke.

More to come from Mercedes and me on this one, so stay tuned.

Question: What's the higest-mileage vehicle you've owned?

My friend Scott's 1996 Honda Civic CX hatchback rolled 200,000 miles yesterday. His trusty hatch has been continually maintained, and will likely go another 200,000 without too much hassle. There's something to be said about crossing certain mileage thresholds, especially when you're the vehicle's original owner.

The highest mileage car I've owned is actually my 1995 Suzuki Sidekick, which has 143,000+ miles on it. Granted, I've only put on 3,000 of them. My 1992 Mitsubishi Expo LRV racked up 118,000 miles before being traded in. Our 1998 Civic Sedan also had around 112,000 miles, if I remember correctly..
With regular maintenance, most modern vehicles should easily reach 200K and higher on the original engine. Which leads me to a question:
What's the highest mileage car you've owned?

Spotted: Oregon Expo LRV on 17s

While in Newberg, OR today, I happened to stop in my tracks - not every day do you see a perfect-condition Mitsubishi Expo LRV on custom 17" wheels. We have a soft spot in our hearts for this particular vehicle, Andy had the same car in college but only wishes his had been on 17s!

Driven: The 2012 Kia Rio EX Five Door

I was in Austin, TX for the launch of the new 2012 Kia Rio and Soul, and I had the opportunity to spend some time driving both cars. First, I got to drive a '12 Rio EX five-door. (Stay tuned for thoughts on the 2012 Soul.)

The car I drove had the six-speed automatic (with Active Eco System) and the 1.6-liter gasoline direct injection engine, which makes 138 horsepower. Edgy and enthusiastic, solid and sporty, the Rio has come a long way since its original debut in 2001, and should give its competitors a run for their money.

Snow tires for the Suzuki SX4

Bring on the winter. Earlier this year, I scored a set of free (yes, free) 15" alloy wheels off of craigslist so I could mount some snow tires. Not sure who makes the wheels and I don't really care. They look better than black steel wheels. Did I mention they were free?

Another recent visit to craigslist yielded a set of barley-used General Altimax studded snow tires. The price? $150. Not too shabby. In fact, this is the third set of snow tires I've bought used via craigslist. Maybe I'm just cheap, but I have a hard time spending the cash on new ones, since they only get used part of the year.

My SX4's stock tire size is a 205/60/16, which doesn't allow for many size options in snow tires, and even fewer if you're looking for used ones on craigslist. That's why I decided to move down to a 15" wheel size. I was looking for either a 195/65/15 or 205/65/15 tire. The Generals that I bought are the latter, and are actually closer to the OEM diameter.

I happened to have a spare set of TPMS sensors from the original steel wheels I had for the car, and had them installed during mounting and balancing. Hopefully they'll pair right up. Although, since TPMS is a PITA, I'm sure they won't. Regardless, I'm ready for the snow, ice and cold. The SX4, with its i-AWD system, should be a regular snowmobile with these tires, too.

2012 Kia Rio and Soul: Overview

Last week, I attended 2012 Kia Rio and Soul launch, held at Travaasa Resort in Austin, TX. Here I test drove the new Rio five-door and refreshed Soul, learned about Kia’s newest technologies, heard where the company was headed for in the future, and what they were presently accomplishing.

Kia says within the last three years, it has been the fastest growing car brand in the US. Their vehicle sales have risen over 50% (year to date) vs. last year, they’ve had 13 consecutive months of record sales, and have 16 years of increased US market shares—pretty impressive.

A bit more about me, Mercedes.

Thanks to Andy, my husband, to officially introduce me as another active contributor to Subcompact Culture! As he mentioned, I have always been a small car fanatic, and am excited to expand my knowledge base in a more active role to the site. My first car was a rockin’ two-tone blue and silver 5-speed Honda Civic CRX Si (with the red pin striping), similar to the one at left.

My parents owned a 1979 diesel VW Rabbit, among other things, and have always been into cars. As a child, I was always helping my parents wax, touch-up, or help maintain them. From then on, I was hooked. I hope to bring a realistic, educated, and feminine opinion to Subcompact Culture. Thanks for welcoming me on board!

For sale forever: An '87 Chevrolet Sprint Turbo

There's been a 1987 Chevrolet Sprint Turbo for sale on Portland's Craigslist for quite some time. If I had to guess, possibly a year, maybe a year-and-a-half. It's there nearly every week. The price? $4,600. There has been the occasional price drop, but it usually bounces back to $4,600 or so. I've often wondered what the story was. Holding out for the right owner? Maybe the wife says to sell the car, and each week he says, "I don't know, honey, there just aren't any takers."

Kia Rio to go racing

Well look who's going racing. Kia already has a Forte race car, which by the way, won the GRAND-AM Championship in the Street Tuner Class this year. Now Kia is gearing up its all-new 2012 Rio for the track, too. Kia is actually partnering with Kinetic Motorsports who will offer racers the necessary upgrades to turn an off-the-lot Rio into a race-ready subcompact. I wouldn't be surprised to see a factory-backed car, either. Hey, it could happen, and it did with Toyota's Yaris.

Quick Drive: 2012 Honda Civic EX with Navigation

The compact Honda Civic has been a staple of the American small car landscape since the late 1970s. Although it's substantially grown since it's 1973 introduction, it's carried on a legacy of quality, refinement, and a fun-to-drive factor unrivaled by most. The 2012 Civic is all new, and I got a chance to spend a bit of time in the 2012 Civic EX with Navigation.

On the outside, the Civic features somewhat bland styling. The overall look may be clean, but it borders on sterile. Then again, Civics have rarely been on the lusty side of styling. This one might be a bit too inoffensive. And FYI, I am not a fan of the chrome grille.

"Mercedes" enters Subcompact Culture

How’s that for a misleading headline? I’m not talking about Mercedes-Benz, I’m talking about my wife, Mercedes. She’s played a role at Subcompact Culture involving things such as photos, story ideas, opinions on review vehicles, and creative input since this blog’s inception. Now, she’s taking a more active role.

In case you’re wondering, she’s a car guy … er … gal. In fact, we originally met on the way to a Chicago car show in 2000. She’s owned Hondas, Nissans, and Volkswagens. In fact, her father, used to be a VW mechanic in Chicago in the 1970s. Most importantly, she shares my passion for cars—especially small ones (heck, she’s owned two CRXs. What’s not to love?).

So what’s her first foray into Subcompact Culture? She’ll be attending the launch of the 2012 Kia Rio and Kia Soul on Thursday in Texas. I’m looking forward to having her participate more on the blog. She’ll bring a another perspective to the site, and that’s always a good thing. So please welcome Mercedes to the blog!

- Andy

Park your Suzuki Swift at MSP

Apparently you can park a Swift at MSP (Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport in Minnesota). That would be great if you could actually buy a Swift in the US. I always find it funny when a business shows cars not available for sale in the US in their domestic advertisements.

Subcompact Supercar: 500hp MTM Audi A1

Remember the 500 hp Audi A1 Clubsport Concept we posted here a while back? Well, here is a real version built by MTM in Germany. Here's a vid of it being flogged on the Autobahn. Not much to say about it other than it appears damn fast: 201 MPH (324 KMH).

Thanks for the tip, Thomas!

LINK
MTM

What's the ultimate subcompact race car?

Whenever I think of a subcompact race car, the Renault Turbo 5 is the first thing that comes to mind. Designed for rally racing, the Turbo 5 wasn't necessarily the fastest car out there, but it was a small hatchback that did pretty well for itself. It featured a mid-mounted turbocharged engine making as much as 345 hp (in race form) to the rear wheels. I've always dug those fat rear fenders, wide rear tires, and '80s rally car style.

So what do you think the ultimate subcompact race car is (or was)?

September 2011 subcompact sales

Another month in the books. The New Versa had a great month selling 11,800 units. The Mazda2 and Suzuki SX4 also has good gains vs. this time last year. Fiesta and Soul continue sell in droves, and even the Smart ForTwo managed a gain compared to last year.


The big looser was the Kia Rio. It's a bit unfair, since the old Rio is in short supply and the new ones are just hitting the lots. Ditto that with the Aveo since the Sonic, as evidenced in the chart below, is also on sale now. No excuse for the Nissan Cube, which sold just 440 units last month, however. The redesigned Yaris is also about to hit dealer lots, so it'll be interesting to see how it sell. Click the jump for the full chart.