Future Generations Cars

While America's abject Panamera archetypal continues to be the 300-horsepower V-6, European buyers now accept a best in the anatomy of the 2012 Porsche Panamera diesel. Powered by a 250-hp agent V-6 akin to an eight-speed automatic, it costs absolutely the aforementioned as the gas V-6 and seven-speed twin-clutch PDK. Yet in official Euro tests, it uses alone two-thirds the ammunition with almost the aforementioned performance.
No abruptness again that Porsche expects the agent to boss sub-V-8 Panamera sales in Europe. The V-6 gas engine and even the awfully added big-ticket but almost added economical amalgam will acceptable lag far abaft in the archetypal mix.













So Porsche believes the agent will be a big seller, but the engines's ability isn't up to par with the aggressive set's offerings such as the Jaguar XJ, the Mercedes CLS-Class, and VW Group stablemate Audi A7.
We asked the Panamera's artefact arch why his car trails on ability -- it is, afterwards all, a Porsche. His reply: "We don't wish the agent to be the achievement derivative, but the ability derivative." He went on to accept that because a agent wasn't planned at the alpha of the Panamera program, there isn't amplitude to amalgamation Audi's new 313-hp accompanying turbo adaptation of the aforementioned engine.

To accomplish abiding the agent copy sounds added like a affluence GT than the acreage tractor Porsche congenital in its abroad past, there's some added soundproofing about the monocoque and the engine bay. Unfortunately, that adds some weight. The engine's adamant block and the transmission's torque advocate aswell add pounds compared with the aluminum-block V-6 and PDK gasoline version.
Apart from the badges, you can't acquaint the gas and agent cars afar from outside. Inside, the betrayal is appropriately subtle: the redline position on the tach. The agent is accessible with abundant of the affluence and sports accessories options as the blow of the Panamera lineup. Even the carbon-ceramic brakes are available.





Porsche says the Panamera agent goes from blow to 62 mph in 6.8 seconds. The agnate affirmation for the gas V-6 is 6.3, but the engineers say the aberration is accounted for about absolutely by the slower step-off of the torque-converter agent compared with the PDK-equipped gas car. One advantage to the diesel: The torque advocate manual does a bigger job of abatement calmly through near-stationary burghal cartage than the PDK's clutch.

Once underway, the agent provides added than advantageous performance, and the 405 lb-ft of torque is an unbending, connected bandage from 1750 rpm to 2750 rpm. There's a animadversion babble from algid idle, but all-embracing clarification is added than acceptable. A agent six in the boilerplate of its rev bandage sounds bigger than a lot of gasoline fours.
But that doesn't beggarly the engine is any abundant amusement to use. The burke acknowledgment is consistently hardly soft. There's no abscess of ability or admonition articulation as it spins against redline. No accolade to be had from anxiously timing your activation of the gearshift paddles, because the appearance of the torque ambit agency their timing doesn't amount all that much.

That said, it's bigger than the amalgam Panamera, area the alliance of the gas and electric motors and the aperture and closing of the clamp amid them causes all sorts of adverse inconsistencies and delays in gas pedal response.
But if the agent powertrain is alone able rather than in fact enjoyable, there's affluence larboard to adore about this car. We collection two examples, one on a coil-sprung abeyance with adaptive dampers and 18-inch wheels, and addition on air springs with adaptive dampers and 19s.

The coil-equipped car acquainted acutely natural. Porsche does a agitating job of analogous inputs to outputs on the council and brakes. We consistently acquainted we knew what the car was up to, and on twisty, bouncing German country roads, it generated a attractive activity of confidence. It was well-damped and low on roll. It was simple to get into a nice abounding rhythm, even admitting the Panamera never acquainted like annihilation added than a big, abundant sedan. It wasn't active or sharp, but it was quick and rewarding. And the ride abundance was apparently bigger than your boilerplate German action sedan, aided by the continued wheelbase and low-slung basement position.


The air-sprung car is able anneal itself bigger for aciculate corners in its action mode, but the aftereffect feel jiggly and wooden. Like opting for bowl brakes, traveling for this anatomy and annoy admixture amounts to too abundant anatomy for the engine power.
Accelerating harder everywhere, generally to 80-mph-plus on these arced routes, and again hooning down an autobahn gave us about 23 mpg accumulated in estimated U.S. measurements. Porsche will anon accomplish a 26.4-gallon catchbasin accessible for this car. That would acquiesce for 550 afar of maximum-attack fun amid ammunition stops. Efficiency has its rewards.

The acceptable achievement plan for Jeeps was to unbolt, unzip, unsnap, and contrarily alight every basic that wasn't necessary, again arise the better asperous tires accessible and arch for the hills. The SRT guys accept gone the adverse administration by throwing technology and fat, adhesive Italian tires at a Jeep to actualize a accomplished altered monster. While the Grand Cherokee SRT8 may not accept the attention of its Hemi-fied siblings, it ability be even added fun. Throwing this 5200-pound SUV about corners gives you the aforementioned accusable amusement as finishing a meal that earns you a T-shirt.
The big Jeep brand to be manhandled and tossed around. It will acknowledge to bland inputs, but it will acknowledgment according laziness. The adherence control, cyberbanking center, and rear cogwheel plan in affiliation to accumulate the big babe dancing through turns. In the figure-eight, the Jeep matches the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300's lap times, but does it in a absolutely altered way. The Jeep rotates on the brakes and again works the ability through all four auto on exit. You won't be acceptable any gymkhana trophies, but a controlled four-wheel alluvion is absolutely possible. In accustomed driving, 65 percent of the 470 application is beatific to the rear, but the clutch-pack centermost cogwheel doles it out area it can be activated best. The rear-mounted cyberbanking cogwheel aswell uses clamp packs to forward ability ancillary to side. The torque vectoring keeps the Jeep axis even if the foreground end is accident grip. It acquainted abundant added accustomed on the racetrack than it did on our figure-eight. In big sweepers, it is boxy to accumulate a abiding acceleration as baby inputs in burke will could cause torque vectoring, but as anon as aloof burke is needed, the added axis force goes away.

In a lot of corners, the avenue is bottom down at the acme and don't lift, and this is area the Jeep absolutely lives. The rear animosity starts alive as anon as you add in the burke and doesn't stop until you lift or align out the wheel. At 25.8 abnormal it beats the Porsche Cayenne S about the askance bend by 0.3 additional and betters the BMW X5 xDrive 35i by a abounding bisected second. It doesn't feel as composed as the Europeans, and you don't feel like you can abode the car as precisely, but this ain't ballet -- it's an SUV.


All the anchor from the fat Pirellis advice the big Brembo brakes booty the SUV down from acceleration as well. The foreground brakes accept six-piston calipers anchor 15-inch rotors, while the rear has four-piston calipers over 13.8-inch rotors. Although it is added than 800 pounds added than the Charger and 300, it has the beeline endlessly ambit at 106 anxiety from 60 mph. That's a abounding 7 anxiety beneath than the endure Porsche Cayenne S and X5 xDrive 35i we tested. That aforementioned Cayenne is no bout for the Jeep off the line, either. The 6.4-liter Hemi pulls from 0-60 mph in 4.6 abnormal -- 1.3 abnormal faster than the 4.8-liter Porsche.



From a continuing start, the Jeep is decidedly uneventful. Floor the burke and what would aftereffect in two smoker stripes in added SRTs is a big squat, a little chirp, and barbarous acceleration. Gearshifts are absolutely slower than the competition's. The old five-speed automated is accomplished its prime and assuming its age. SRT says a newer manual with added ratios will appearance up in a brace of years, but until then, this one will accept to do














The quarter-mile comes up at 13.3 seconds, assuming 103.2 mph for the Jeep while the Porsche manages 14.4 abnormal at 98.7 mph. The Jeep SRT aswell comes in about $10,000 cheaper than the Porsche. The BMW fares worse than the Porsche, as the X5 xDrive 35i runs 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds, 0.2 additional best than the Porsche and 1.5 abnormal best than the Jeep. In the quarter-mile, the 3.0-liter turbocharged BMW runs a 14.6 at 92.5 mph, almost 10 mph slower than the SRT8. Before all you Jeep owners go out trolling for Cayennes and X5s, bethink there are faster versions out there, although the BMW X5 M is almost $30,000 more, and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo is alone a brace admirable abbreviate of bifold the price. Suddenly the Jeep seems like a bargain, even if it can't go off-road and the doors don't appear off.

The Nissan Versa has consistently been marketed as one of the cheapest new cars in America -- a budget-conscious consumer's delight. The all-new 2012 Nissan Versa is no exception. Nissan's ads affirm it as accepting "the a lot of amplitude per dollar of any car in America," comparing its rear legroom to that of a Mercedes E-Class. In an added aggressive segment, is that absolutely enough?

The top-of-the-line 2012 Nissan Versa SL we activated starts at $16,320. For that blemish you get a appealing well-equipped car, with foreground foglights, admixture wheels, 60/40 rear seats, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, cruise control, ability windows and locks, and Nissan's CVT. Step down to the SV at $15,320 and you lose the alloys, foglights, Bluetooth, and breach rear seats. The S CVT loses the two rear speakers, and aggregate but the CVT. At the basal of the butt is the S trim, which comes with a five-speed chiral and not abundant abroad at $11,750. All 2012 Versas are powered by Nissan's new HR16DE 1.6-liter I-4, bearing 109 hp and 107 lb-ft of torque.
The Blue Onyx acrylic was conceivably the best allotment about our tester's exterior. That's not to say the Versa's animal -- it's endless better-looking than the abundant archetypal it replaces. It's just that the 2012 Versa auto isn't decidedly good-looking. Nissan beneath the foreground end by 2.7 inches and tacked it assimilate the rear of the car. The result? From a lot of angles the Versa looks continued and frumpy.

Inside, it's a hardly altered story. The Versa's redesigned birr and centermost animate don't attending like you shopped on a budget, and while the plastic's on the bargain side, it's adequate for the segment. The Versa's gauges attending abundant as able-bodied -- they're crisp, sharp, and simple to read. The foreground and rear seats are bendable and cushy, and yes, the new Versa has added autogenous legroom than Mercedes' E-Class, but so did the endure one. In fact, the old Versa had added leg and allowance than the 2012 model. Nevertheless, if this 6-foot-tall book slid the foreground seats aback as far as accessible and plopped down into the rear seats, he had affluence of allowance to advance out, slouch, and get comfortable. With its massive-for-the-segment block (14.8 cubic-feet) and ample bulk of autogenous space, the Versa wouldn't be a half-bad taxi.














There are some bargain spots in the cabin. The council caster is fabricated of adamantine plastic. For a allotment of the car that you accept to touch, it would accept been nice if Nissan spent a brace added bucks to accord it a softer feel.

Like our abiding Juke, the Versa lacks an armrest. Authoritative affairs worse, if you absence the armrest, your duke acreage on addition cheap-feeling section -- the accessory lever, which is basically a bit of artificial sandwiched by added artificial that Nissan would accept you accept is metal. Those "metal" $.25 feel hollower than a McDonald's blessed meal toy. Again, it would've been nice if Nissan spent a bit added money authoritative the locations the disciplinarian has the a lot of alternation with feel added substantial.
As for the Versa's performance, it's not traveling to win any stoplight drags, and that's fine. It's not meant to. The Versa saunters from 0 to 60 mph in a adequate 10.2 abnormal and assimilate the division mile in 17.6 abnormal at 79.2 mph, its engine groaning adjoin the 6500 rpm redline. Braking is analogously average, carriage the 2453-pound car to a asleep stop from 60 mph in 132 feet.

The 2012 Versa is congenital on Nissan's new "V" Platform, and the "V" stands for "versatile." Around boondocks the Versa is rather quiet and composed; on the artery it's addition story. Noise isn't absolutely the affair -- the Versa just never absolutely feels adequate on the highway. The electric ability council feels ever boosted, and doesn't close up abundant on the artery to let the disciplinarian apperceive what the tires are doing. The powertrain never seems to achieve down, either. It's a connected action amid the engine, which is aggravating to acknowledge to burke inputs, and the CVT, which is advised to optimize ammunition economy.

Naturally, top breadth is ascendant in the Versa's class, and Nissan put a lot of accomplishment into authoritative the engine as fuel-efficient as possible. It has a bifold ammunition injector bureaucracy that sprays 57-percent bigger than a individual ammunition injector, and a Continuously Variable Timing Control (CVTC) system. With Nissan's second-generation CVT, Nissan estimates the Versa will net 30/38 mpg city/highway on the EPA analysis cycle. The five-speed manual-equipped Versa S should get 27/36 mpg city/highway. In our time with the Versa we were able to get an adumbrated 33 mpg in alloyed city/highway active with acceptable use of the throttle. All these gizmos acquire the Versa a PureDrive brand on its trunk, an eco-labeling business play advised to accent its ammunition efficiency.

How does it assemblage up adjoin the competition? The Versa S is cheaper than the abject archetypal of the new Hyundai Accent. But what about our $16,320 SL tester? At that price, the blueprint changes. A analogously able Hyundai Accent GLS will set you aback $17,255. That's $935 added for a car with decidedly added application (138 of them), a acceptable six-speed automated transmission, and hardly bigger ammunition abridgement (30/40 mpg city/highway). Americans about consistently go for the bang-for-your-buck quotient, and the Hyundai a lot of absolutely has that.
At the Versa SL's amount point, the fashionable Fiat 500 Pop is aswell in play. While the Versa dwarfs the 500 in about every dimension, the tiny Fiat arguably drives better, gets the aforementioned ammunition economy, and a lot of importantly, puts a smile on your face. The 500 can aswell be had analogously able with a six-speed automated for just $780 more.

Perhaps added fair would be pitting Versa adjoin the Mazda2 Touring. A five-speed manual-equipped '2 can be had absolutely loaded for $16,430, and gets 29/35 mpg city/highway - the aforementioned ballpark as the Versa SL. And to top it off, the little Mazda is aswell abundant added advantageous to drive.
Don't wish to row your own gears? Don't like hatches? The Ford Fiesta SE auto can be had with Ford's six-speed dual-clutch automated manual and Sync for $16,390. While the Fiesta can't bout the Versa on space, and gets 1 mpg beneath in the city, it's better-looking. If you absorb an added $695 to get a Fiesta SE with the SFE package, artery breadth all-overs from 38 mpg to the anointed 40 mpg rating.
The Versa is safe, reliable, spacious, and inexpensive. However, if you've got abundant banknote to bounce for a high-end model, there are several added cars that action added for your money. But if you accept $13,520 in your wallet and all you charge is basal transportation, the S CVT is what you're searching for.

The asperous Welsh island of Anglesey frequently is wet, cold, and windy; a abode area alongside rain can hit you like a aerosol of icy tacks. It's aswell a abode whose rocky, arresting area could accumulate a abundance dupe blessed for eons. So if it came time to acquaint the all-new Range Rover Evoque -- a car projected to be Land Rover's best-seller -- the association from Gaydon ample area bigger than...wet, cold, windy, rocky, hilly, and abundance goat-friendly Anglesey.

When I aboriginal abstruse I'd be active the Evoque and did my antecedent analysis -- perusing specs of the 240-horsepower, 28-mpg-highway, 2.0-liter engine, account up on the Haldex IV all-wheel-drive system, and searching at photos of the adventurous four-door and concept-copy two-door -- demography it off-road never beyond my mind. Perhaps I was too ardent with the arresting shape, top beltline, big wheels, scrunched greenhouse, and shrink-wrapped sheetmetal, all of which conjured up images of zipping forth arced blacktop at asinine speeds. Unlike any Land Rover afore it, the LR2-based Evoque is so clammy with sport, style, and burghal address that venturing off-road seems about inappropriate. But assurance me, it's not.














According to Land Rover, the Evoque is as able off-pavement as the LR2, acknowledgment to agnate arena approval (8.4 inches against 8.3), access and abandonment angles (25 and 33 degrees, respectively, against 29 and 32), break-over bend (22 degrees against 21.5), and best wading abyss (19.7 inches). Further, Land Rover says the Evoque is not too far abaft the adequacy of the Ambit Rover Sport, which offers a accurate low range. Exploring Anglesey's cruel mural with the Terrain Response arrangement set to Mud and Ruts -- one of 5 settings that cover General Driving, Sand, Grass/Gravel/Snow, and, if able with $1250 Adaptive Dynamics, Dynamic -- accepted a bearded admitting effortless adventure. The Evoque calmly overcame boulders the admeasurement of watermelons and divots that could authority added band than a wheelbarrow.
Why Land Rover Ambit Rover Evoque and not just Land Rover Evoque? High style, of advance -- non-Range Rovers (LR2 and LR4) are workhorses and added about action than appearance -- and the perceived accolade that goes with cutting the Ambit Rover badge. Speaking of Ambit Rover, the Sport, at 188.0 by 78.8 by 70.4 inches, acclimated to be the aboriginal RR, a appellation the two-door Evoque now claims with ambit of 171.5 by 77.4 by 63.2. Even the bunched LR2, at 177.1 by 78.9 by 68.5, is beyond in every measurement. And don't overlook that the four-door Evoque is alone hardly bigger in breadth (+0.4 inch) and acme (+1.2 inches) than its two-door sibling, and still abate than the LR2.













The Evoque is aswell easier on the scales. Utilizing such weight-saving techniques as an aluminum-intensive strut suspension, electric ability steering, blended foreground fenders and tailgate, aluminum awning and roof, and a magnesium crossbeam, the I-4 Evoque four-door at 3945 pounds weighs 365 pounds beneath than the endure I-6 LR2 we tested.

At the analysis track, the Evoque's decreased accumulation equaled added acceleration and agility. Compared to the 230-horsepower, 234-lb-ft LR2, which hit 60 in 9.0 abnormal collapsed and the division mile in 16.8 at 82.5 mph, the 240-horse, 251-pound-feet Evoque four-door bare alone 6.7 to ability 60 and just 15.1 at 91.8 to obliterate the quarter. For negligible bumps in ability and torque, those are some decidedly quicker numbers -- see what address an NFL lineman can do? (Surprisingly, the 30-pound-lighter Evoque two-door was hardly slower -- 7.0, 15.3 at 91.0 -- than the four-door, a actuality Land Rover peeps had no account for.)

Within its aggressive set, the Evoque four-door had no botheration blind with its foes, carrying commensurable numbers to the Audi Q5 3.2 (6.6; 15.0 at 93.6), BMW X3 xDrive28i (6.7; 15.0 at 91.9), Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4MATIC (6.8; 15.1 at 91.8), and Volvo XC60 T6 (6.8; 15.2 at 93.9). Moreover, cutting abundant elastic -- 235/55R19s for the four-door and 245/45R20s for the two-door -- the Evoques afraid on for 0.82 g account of crabbed grip, afresh appropriate there with the Q5 (0.85), X3 (0.81), GLK (0.80), and XC60 (0.81). Braking? At 128 anxiety from 60-0 mph (125 for the two-door), the Evoque four-door trails its rivals but not by abundant -- Q5 (120), X3 (125), GLK (118), and XC60 (120). And if you're apprehensive how the LR2 compares in administration and braking, well, absolutely accurately -- 0.76 g and 126 feet.

Out on the open, country anchorage about Anglesey and thru the busy, city-limits streets of Liverpool, the Evoque provided a secure, adventurous feel that fabricated action a right-hand-drive car on the left-hand ancillary of the alley far beneath agonizing than had I been in a bigger, boxier Range Rover Sport. Still, annihilation absolutely compares to active a U.S.-spec car on accustomed roads, something I was advantageous abundant to do with a brace of Evoques aback in Los Angeles. No best allegory the odd awareness of activity crabbed g-forces from the appropriate side, or annoying about hitting curbs or roadside vegetation, I begin the Evoque to be far added active and agreeable than I had in the U.K. Output from the Ford-based DI 2.0-liter turbo is bland and plentiful, adverse any anticipation of defective a six-cylinder. In fact, aiguille torque of 251 lb-ft is accomplished at a low 1750 rpm. Its partner, an Aisin six-speed automated with paddle shifters, is seamless and responsive, and able abundant to acknowledgment ammunition abridgement of 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway, on par with that of Audi's 2.0T Q5 (20/27). Council feel is aboriginal amount -- not simple to do with EPS -- and the abeyance relays quick inputs after anytime advancing beyond acrid or nervous.

Our $57,795 ($52,895 base) Dynamic Premium two-door came with alternative 20-inch auto and the Adaptive Dynamics amalgamation abounding with alluring dampers, which accepted a advantageous advancement for those searching for the absolute in sportiness. Set the Terrain Response arrangement to Dynamic approach -- deepening acknowledgment from the dampers, throttle, and council as able-bodied as alteration the barometer hue from white to red -- circle the drive selector over to Sport, and the Evoque morphs into a wannabe assemblage machine. Never has a Land Rover been this fun and enthralling. Think WRX with Outback arena clearance, adorable body, and chichi interior, and you get the picture. For a car that is so competent off-road, its on-road accomplishment is absolutely impressive. Even our $50,020 ($43,995 base) Pure Premium four-door, sans Advance Dynamics, delivered not alone commensurable administration numbers but aswell a awful advantageous behind-the-wheel experience.

Inside, the Evoque treats with a handsome, smartly laid-out cabin. Except for Dynamic and Prestige trims, which are accessible in a best of aesthetic autogenous colors, the ambiance of the Pure trims is somewhat reserved, as in tasteful but not flashy. As it should be with a rig that starts at $43,995, accepted accessories is extensive, including a ability tailgate, Bluetooth buzz and audio, 380-watt Meridian audio, covering seating, 19-inch wheels, pushbutton start, and six airbags. Among the abounding options are Xenon headlamps, a five-camera surround-view system, 825-watt Meridian audio, navigation, and 20-inch wheels.












Other than style, there is no acumen to buy the two-door over the four-door. It offers poorer afterimage and beneath of the following: rear allowance (38.2 inches against 39.7), rear legroom (35.7 inches against 43.1), and burden allowance (19.4 cubic anxiety against 20.3 with seats up; 47.6 against 51.0 with seats down). Plus, it costs $1000 more. But, it's got that style. A asleep ringer for the arresting LRX Concept that debuted in Detroit aback in 2008, the two-door will accomplish neighbors anxious and valets say, "Don't worry, this will go appropriate up front." Land Rover sees owners of TTs, 3-Series coupes, and the like affective into the Evoque two-door, and we don't accept any acumen to agnosticism that anticipation -- it combines sexy, auto administration with a aloft basement position and go-anywhere capability. Still, the two-door is accepted to annual for alone about 20 percent of volume, with the four-door slated as the big seller.
Whether two- or four-door, the Evoque is destined to be a big hit for Land Rover. It melds an alluring, athletic bluff and smart, tech-laden autogenous with a robust, able powertrain and a rewarding, all-conquering chassis. Eliciting stares and acclaim with the aforementioned affluence that it dominates mountains and chastening with, the Evoque is absolutely a bedrock star.

Our cross-country adventure with the above risque abode took us from the basic of Seoul to the eastern shores of the peninsula nation and back. With capricious artery runs and abounding dispatch cameras auspicious spurts of dispatch and deceleration, the Rio kept us entertained. Modern Korean cars are accepting their accomplished marks anytime for design, features, ammunition economy, and all-embracing customer appeal, but council and abeyance affability are the two areas area they perpetually shoot themselves in the foot. In this case. however, there's a little chargeless play in the electric council on center, but we didn't faculty the boundless gumminess we've accomplished on several contempo Kias, a few exceptions notwithstanding.

Road amenities were analogously surprising. The Rio's ride is set to close and feels added button-downed than the endure Accent SE we tested. The MacPherson strut front, bewilderment axle rear abeyance doesn't blast and float over bumps or contrarily bullwork abroad at the occupants. At top speeds, our EX tester accepted abiding with the branch 15-inch alloys and low rolling attrition 185/65-15 tires, and we didn't acquisition ourselves berated by acute wind and alley noise. The top-of-the-line SX models (we didn't get any bench time in them) are acclaimed by a 17-inch caster and annoy (205/45-17) package, action suspension, bigger foreground disc brakes, a Supervision barometer array display, and LED headlights and taillights. We achievement those additions don't agree to a shoddier ride.






The new Rio's wheelbase has developed to 101.2 inches, up from 98.4 on the antecedent generation. High-strength steel, now 1.6 millimeters blubbery over endure year's 1.2, makes up 63 percent of the physique and helps advance torsional acerbity by 31 percent, according to Kia. The dynamics aggregation aswell active the Euro-spec Ford Fiesta and Peugeot 207 as their anatomy and bureaucracy benchmarks. The new Rio's specs are arresting on paper, but we'll assets final acumen until it acreage in our analysis team's hands.

In agreement of the added auto achievement accepted -- ammunition abridgement -- it's harder to ask for abundant added if searching at today's aggressive set. The auto and auto should be able of 30/40 mpg city/highway with either transmission. If you accept in the ability of technology, you'll acquisition the attendance of Kia's Idle Stop and Go heartening. Still a attenuate afterimage in the U.S. and different for the B-sized party, ISG will be arranged in an EX-exclusive Eco Package. With a beefier amateur in tow, ISG will be accessible afterwards this year afterwards the Rio's antecedent barrage and should accommodate a 3-percent accretion in city-limits mpg, bringing ability estimates to 31/40 mpg city/highway. In action, the restarts weren't as ephemeral or seamless as, say, a Porsche Panamera or Euro-spec BMW X3. But ISG isn't bad at all for a aboriginal go-around in a articulation that thrives on value. No official appraisement of any array has been disclosed, but ISG is accepted to tack on a brace hundred bucks to the basal line.

Then there's the interior. The alternative soft-touch actual on the aperture panels and arch bend of the dashboard is a nice touch, but the blow of the birr is clearly plastic. The big, collapsed switches authoritative the air conditioning, rear window defroster, and discharge recirculation add some beheld variety. The Rio is a comfortable abode to be; according to the architect blueprint chart, commuter aggregate drops to 88.4 cubic anxiety from endure year's 92.2, but foreground and rear headroom, legroom, accept room, and hip allowance are contrarily absolutely close. USB and abetting ports are standard, while Kia's UVO hands-free audio with a advancement camera (optional on EX, accepted on SX) and a committed 7-inch aeronautics awning (optional on SX) are offered to amuse the techies.

The five-door Rio bear leads the allegation assimilate U.S. dealership floors in backward September or aboriginal October, with abject appraisement said to alpha beneath $15,000. The auto will chase in December, or January 2012, as assembly ramps up. Price trends behest the four-door should be several hundred dollars beneath trim-for-trim. It's not the biggest, boldest car on the block, but the thoroughly re-imagined Rio's affairs already attending promising.