The five best cars for 2009 and beyond

January 5, 11:04 AMAutomotive ExaminerKyle Busch

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The top five of anything (sport figures, places to live,
schools to attend, and vehicles) is a subjective matter.
As it is said, “it is in the eye of the beholder!” This
being said (disclaimer and all), here is a short
uncomplicated take on my top five for 09 and beyond.

I opinion that the following vehicles will be fair weather
automotive companions regardless of the economic climate
or the highs and lows in fuel prices. The bottom line for me
is engineering, innovative design, reliability, and good value
for your money!

Some of these top five will not be available until 2010,
however, you can visit the dealership and place an order to
be one of the first to get delivery.

1. Kia Reo Hybrid - The car has a unique powertrain
including a 1.4 liter gasoline engine rated at about
90 horsepower and a high-torque 12wK, 95Nm AC
motor that is located between the car’s flywheel
and transmission. The electric motor provides a
power boost and electrical regeneration to the batteries
when the driver brakes. The system is straight forward,
and it is less complicated than the system used on
Toyota’s Prius.

Furthermore, the car has a CVT – continuously
variable transmission – a first for Kia. Also, this Rio
has computer controlled monitoring of the engine and
motor in which both shut off when the car stops and
restart when the driver hits the accelerator.

The Rio Hybrid uses lightweight components to help
keep the car’s weight under 1,800 lbs. Thus, it will do
0-60 mph in about 12 seconds, and it has a top speed of
about 110 mph. Oh, one more thing I almost forgot – fuel
economy is about 53 miles per gallon!

The car will cost about the same as a regular gasoline
Toyota Corolla – about $15,000! This is one hybrid
that will justify the initial cost without many years
of driving to break-even.

2. Toyota iQ - The new iQ has style and innovation
(left / right brain dynamics). This car is only 175.5
inches in length which is a mere 11.4 inches longer than
the Mercedes Smart Fortwo. What the iQ has that the
Smart car does not have, however, is that it will transport
four people. Toyota has pulled this off by shrinking the
mechanicals under the hood thus allowing for maximum
interior space given the car’s exterior dimensions.

The iQ has a conventional front-transverse mounted engine.
However, rather than the transmission being located behind
the engine as is common practice, it is located in front of the
engine. This results in the transmission differential housing
not intruding into the passenger area and eating up space.
Additionally, the steering rack is located up high, the starter
is integrated into the flywheel housing, and the air conditioner
compressor is located in the dash. The result of these design
applications results in a smaller engine bay and more interior
volume.

The iQ is wider than competing small cars thus providing
extra shoulder room. Since the rear seat is located at the
back of the car, it has nine airbags some of which provide
protection behind the rear seat in the event of a rear end
collision.

The IQ coming to the US will have a 1.3-liter engine making
about 100 hp. At about 1,900 lbs., the car will have reasonable
acceleration and excellent fuel economy of about 50 mpg on
the highway.

3. Nissan Versa – A road test of the Nissan Versa hatchback
confirmed that it can seat three people in the back seat. With
the rear seat folded down, this car has good cargo volume, and
at 70 miles per hour, it was the second quietest car of competing
small cars.

The Versa is available with a Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) that gets about 36 mpg on the highway. This is competitive
with other cars in the group.

My personal drive of the Versa determined that it has
comfortable front seats and a roomy and versatile interior.
The engine is reasonably powerful with good passing ability.
The Continuously Variable Transmission is smooth at all
times and it helps to maximize fuel efficiency. The interior
fit and finish are good, and the car handles well with reasonable
ride quality.

You can purchase a base Versa sedan for just under $10,000.

4. Subaru Forester – The Subaru Forester is a practical well-built
no nonsense wagon (SUV). It has rugged construction, a
horizontally opposed boxer engine (rumored to be copied from
a Porsche engine many years ago) with a low center of gravity,
reliability, and decent gas mileage.

The Foster has a 2.5-liter engine making 165 hp. Its all-wheel
drive system is one of the best (if not the best) in the automotive
business.

The Forester has comfortable front seats, adequet rear seat
room, and good cargo hauling capacity. With its good ground
clearance, all-wheel drive off road capability, and comfortable
interior, Motor Trend has named the Forested the SUV of the
year.

This offering has many pluses and few minuses at a base price
at just under $20,000. Of note is that in 2010 the Forester will
likely be available with a 2-liter diesel engine. Expect about 45
mpg on the highway with this engine.

5. BWM 335d - BMW has finally allowed the U.S. to have the
twin-turbo 3-liter 6-cylinder diesel engine. This engine pumps
out 265 hp at 4,200 rpm and a gigantic 425 lb. feet of torque at
1,750 rpm. Compared with the gasoline twin-turbo 3-liter
6-cylinder at 300 hp and 300 lb. feet of torque, the diesel engine
has 42 percent more torque and only 12 percent less power.

At the moment, the 335d is available with only a six-speed
automatic. As equipped, this torque beast does 0-60 mph in
5.7 seconds and it covers the quarter-mile in 14.2 seconds at
5.8 an even 100 mph. The gasoline mill with a manual
transmission does 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and the quarter-mile
in 13.5 seconds at 106 mph. Equip the 335d with a manual
transmission and the stopwatch times will likely be real close!

The rest of the 335d motoring experience is stellar 3-series –
excellent weighted and spot-on steering, buttoned down
handling, strong braking (161 ft. from 70 to 0 mph), and
unmatched ride quality. As a matter of fact, with the windows
up, the driver is hard pressed to tell this car from the gasoline
version. And unlike past diesel mills, this engine does not
blow smoke (the tires of this car will smoke however!).
How cleaned up is this diesel? The driver cannot detect
any diesel traces. With the windows down, the engine
sounds good. It has a deeper growl than the gas engine
but none of the click-clack usually offered by American
diesels.

In an increasingly uncertain world, these five vehicles are
outstanding! They are the type of automotive metal that will
serve you well!

Kyle Busch is the author of “Drive the Best for the Price…” He
welcomes your comments or car questions at his auto web site:
www.DriveTheBestBook.com.