Make a tiny two-door city car, and name it the iQ.  That is pretty clearly a shot at the Smart car, right off the bat – it would be like Chevy releasing a special edition Camaro called the “it’s faster than Shelby.”  So how smart is Toyota’s Smart?  What’s its iQ, to stretch the pun?

Are you looking at my butt?

The iQ has the odd distinction of being the smallest four-seater in America.  And small it is: it’s 119.9″ long overall, which is one-tenth of an inch shorter than the wheelbase of the Chrysler 300 I just recently reviewed.  It’s 13″ longer than a Smart ForTwo, but it does have back seats- and only 5″ additional wheelbase.  It’s 20″ shorter than a Fiat 500, 29″ shorter than a Mini Cooper Coupe, 38″ shorter than a Mazda MX-5 Miata, and amusingly you could fit the iQ (119.9″) inside the wheelbase of a Chevy Suburban (130″), and almost park two end to end next to one (222″ overall.)  It’s tiny.

So in a car this tiny, how do they manage to fit four seats?  What compromises are made?  What’s the point?  Well, for starters, here’s the engine.

There’s an engine in here?

You can actually reach back there and poke the firewall; it’s amazing they fit an engine in what wouldn’t pass for a trunk in most cars.  There was a lot of clever engineering that went into making the iQ as space-efficient as possible.  The steering rack is mounted above the engine, instead of behind it.  The A/C system has been miniaturized and stuffed in behind the dashboard (which is why there’s no glove box.)  The reduced size of A/C components allowed the engineers to cut the dashboard forward towards the floor, move the seats up, and create room for the rear.  As a result, the car’s tiny outside but you can fit three people comfortably.

The rear-seat magic trick.

Or you could remove the headrests, flip the seats down, and actually have useable trunk space.  There simply isn’t any with the seats up (3.5 cubic feet does not count, sorry) since the rear headrests sit against the back window!

Still a fairly small trunk.

So with all this engineering cleverness, the iQ will appeal to people who enjoy space efficiency and a tiny turning circle: the iQ will whip in a circle like a zero-turn-radius lawn mower.  It’s designed as a “city car” and it fits the bill perfectly.  It won’t appeal to speed demons, but we’ll get to the powertrain in a minute.  The result of all this work: surprising interior room, even for two full-sized adults, in an unbelievably small package.

Dastardly Disappearing Dashboard Doesn’t Disappoint

Everything in the iQ is designed to maximize interior space, but you don’t feel like you’re suffering.  The center stack rises up high with HVAC controls aligned vertically, and the stereo system at the top – low-value real estate, so to speak.  The gauge cluster is a motorcycle-style combined bin (similar to the one in the Chevy Sonic, actually), and there’s a large touch-screen stereo head unit, something of a Scion calling card.

It’s just like riding a GSX-R1000, minus the fast motorcycle part

The instrument cluster is surprisingly artful and easy to read; they make the tachometer so small because you don’t need it.  Like a lot of commuter appliances, the iQ omits a temperature gauge in lieu of an “it’s still cold” and “it’s too hot” idiot lights, which I don’t find offensive.  There’s a digital gas and trip mileage gauge to the left, which sadly washed out in these photos.  Hey, I’m a writer, not Easton Chang.

Cheap car, fancy head unit.

Touch-screen stereos are something that will appeal to youngin’s, and annoy the crap out of old people.  Fine by me: Scion’s always been aimed at 18-24′s, and they like this kinda stuff.  The stereo’s actually pretty good, and it comes with Aux-in and USB ports down next the shifter, for your ubiquitous Apple product.  Overall, the interior is remarkably spacious and comfortable: the seats are a lot better than what you get in a Yaris or Corolla, and the sit-up-and-beg driving position gives you a good view over the road.

This is where the angry hamsters live!

Here’s where the magic happens…. or not.  The iQ is “powered” by Toyota’s 1.3L 1NR-FE.  It’s a twin-cam, 16v I4 with VVTi cam timing, an 11.5:1 compression ratio, and port injection.  It screams out 94 highly enthusiastic horsepower (at 6,000rpm) and 89ft-lbs torque (at 4,400rpm.)  If it doesn’t sound like much, keep this in mind: it’s primary competitor is the Smart car, and it will blow it’s freaking doors into the next zip code.  I’ve driven subcompacts a size or two up that would also lose their ingress portals, and that’s for two reasons.  One, the iQ weighs all of 2127 pounds, and two, it has a pretty clever CVT.

The Smart chokes out 68 horsepower from its rear-mounted 12-valve slant three, but the problem is that it sends it through literally the world’s worst transmission: a 5-speed automated single clutch manual with all the intelligence of an ADD-riddled third grader.  It’s so terrible, I cry thinking about it.  It takes forever to engage a gear, forever to get going from a stop, and it’s the single worst thing about the car – among a lot of bad things.  The iQ’s motor has a big displacement advantage (the smart is a 1.0L) but it gets the jump from the CVT.  Have no doubt, the best pairing for a tiny power-challenged engine like the 1NR is a well-programmed CVT.  Want proof?  The iQ is around 3 seconds faster than the Smart ForTwo to sixty miles an hour; 9.6 seconds isn’t fast, but in a race with a CR-Z you’ll be surprisingly even.

Perfect candidate for a rear-mounted Hayabusa motor.  You’re thinking it too.

Unlike earlier CVT attempts (I’m looking at you, Saturn Ion, blech), Toyota’s unit drives something like a cross between a CVT and a conventional planetary-gear auto.  If you pin the throttle, it will rev up to peak power for a second, then actually select a few set ratios, and buzz to redline and shift into them.  In normal driving, it slurs around like a CVT should, which gives you wonderful acceleration flexibility without the annoyance of waiting for a downshift (or waiting an eternity for the Smart’s transmission to do anything.)  You would expect to hate the CVT, but you end up wondering why all tiny cars don’t have one – it suits the purpose of city driving perfectly.  Compared to a Yaris with the 1.5L and Ye Olde 4-speed auto, it’s revelatory: from a driving enjoyment perspective, it’s the iQ hands down 11 times out of ten.

There are some downsides to all this micro-sized cleverness.  The iQ’s powertrain is Loud, capital L intentional.  In part throttle the little motor emits about twice the volume you’d expect, and it downright shouts under hard acceleration.  Highway cruising is reasonably quiet, with the CVT picking a tall ratio and making small adjustments to suit up or downhill.  It’s very susceptible to sidewinds and tramlining, giving you the impression it wasn’t designed with highway use in mind.  Of course, the 1mpg difference between city and highway MPG also does.

“Finally,” said Bob, “A car I can hug.”

The other amusing part about driving the iQ is largely a result of it’s microscopic wheelbase.  Steering responses will take drivers of normal cars a while to get used to; if you sneeze with both hands on the wheel, you will change lanes.  The iQ’s parallel-parking-friendly rack ratio is probably to blame there, too.  The steering is electrically assisted (what, you think they have space for a hydraulic power steering pump under the hood?) and is super light, so the iQ has go-kart responses.  Steering feel is neither expected nor present.  The wheel itself is quite nice: a leather-wrapped three spoker with a flat bottom, and some clever audio controls on the left spoke.  Good marks for brake feel and strength, but that’s probably more a result of the low weight than any huge stoppers.

But the iQ will probably not be spotted on a drag strip or road-course any time soon.  (Although Scion does sell TRD lowering springs and a rear sway bar for it, so maybe autocross?  Nah.)  It was designed to be a city car, and it’s excellent at that.  EPA ratings are 36 and 37 – meaning it does one less MPG on the highway than the Smart, which is radically out of it’s depth on the highway.  36mpg in town without a Hybrid system is pretty impressive too.  The turning radius is absurd; 26.4 feet curb to curb means you can basically do donuts without spinning tires.  You could probably perpendicular-park it downtown.

Projector-beam Halogens: nice touch.

This being America, where small cars genuinely scare some people, the iQ comes over-endowed with safety equipment.  Traction control, stability control, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency brake assist, and enough airbags to turn the iQ into a raft if you drive it into lake Erie.  Seriously, there are 13 airbags in this car if I’m counting right.  Dual front, side, front and rear curtains, knees, inner seat, and rear window curtain airbag.  It’s like Scion is saying “roll one, I dare you, I double dog dare you.”

For all it’s cleverness and modern engineering, the iQ is still a car of limited appeal.  You won’t want to take a road trip in one, for the same reasons a Miata is a bad road trip car.  Not a lot of cargo space, it’s a nervous twitchy thing on the freeway, the highway mileage isn’t that great (Honda’s Civic HF and the VW Jetta TDI both come to mind), it would be loud, etc.  But as an around-town type of thing, it’d actually be pretty fun.

The value question is harder to answer, though.  The iQ starts at $15,995 – and at that price point there are a lot of other cars with much more practicality.  Toyota itself makes a lot of cars that will eat iQ sales; the Yaris starts at $14,115 and the Corolla at $16,130, both offering more space and better highway MPG – although the iQ beats both for in-town mileage.  The Honda Fit starts at $15,175 and offers shocking amounts of usable interior space.  But I doubt Scion will be selling the iQ on it’s practical merits – it’s a funky car that stands out and drives in an amusing manner.  It actually has some character – you’ll crack a smile when you drive one, which is guaranteed to never happen in a Corolla or Yaris – and the quality of interior fittings puts both of those to shame.

So if you live downtown, it’s definitely for you.  If you want a tiny car that’s a bit on the funky side, it’s for you.  If you take a lot of road trips, or like going fast, it’s most assuredly not for you.  But if Toyota intends to restore interest in the flailing Scion brand with this and the FR-S, they’re on the right track.

2012 Scion iQ

Base price: $15,995
Price as tested: $17,469
Options:  Destination fee ($785), Rear speaker package ($100), Storage Package ($20), Floor Mats ($90), Pioneer Premium Audio ($479)

Body: Unit construction 3-door hatchback
Drivetrain: Front transverse-engine, front wheel drive, continuously variable transmission
Accomodations: 4 passengers (but more realistically it’s “3+1″)

Engine:  Inline-four cylinder, aluminum block & cylinder head
Displacement: 1.3L (1329cc)
Aspiration: N/A
Fuel delivery: Electronic Port Fuel Injection
Valvetrain: Belt-driven DOHC,16 valves (4/cylinder), VVT-i
Compression ratio: 11.5:1
Horsepower: 94bhp@6,000rpm
Torque: 89ft-lb@4,400rpm
Rev limit: 6,200rpm

Suspension (F): MacPherson Strut, Coil Spring, Gas Damper, Anti-Roll Bar
Suspension (R): Torsion Beam, Coil Spring, Gas Damper
Steering: Electric power-assisted
Wheels/Tires: 16×5.0J Steel w/wheel cover, 175/60/R16
Brakes (F/R): Vented discs/Drums, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist

0-60mph: 9.6s
Top speed: 101mph
1/4 Mile@ET: 17.5s@80mph (all via Car & Driver road test, Jan 2012)

EPA fuel mileage estimate: 36 city/ 37 highway/ 37 combined
Recommended fuel: 87 octane
Fuel Tank Capacity: 8.5 gallons
Theoretical Range: 314.5 miles

Wheelbase: 78.7:
Length: 119.9″
Track (F/R): 58.3″/57.5″
Width: 66.1″
Height: 59.1″
Cargo Capacity: 3.5ft³
Curb weight: 2127lbs

Main Competitors: Smart ForTwo, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, Fiat 500, Honda Fit
Pros: Incredibly clever packaging, cute exterior, surprisingly roomy & quality interior, high city MPG, ridiculous turning radius
Cons: Louder than a straight-piped Honda, not a highway car, priced too far into “real car” territory
Conclusion: Toyota shows off its engineering prowess in the hardest-to-sell way possible.  You still might like it anyway.

Thanks to Terry Eackles at Leith Toyota/Scion in Raleigh for the test drive.  Want one?  Contact him at terry.eackles@leithtoyota.com

It’s a day I never thought would come.  After numerous teaser concept cars, the production version of the Toyota FT-86 is here.  First of all, it’s going to be called the GT-86 in Europe, and just “86″ in Japan.  The US version is still likely to be marketed as a Scion (probably called the FR-S), and there will be a Subaru version (for now being called the BR-Z, although we’ll find out soon enough.)  Regardless of what it’s called or where it’s sold, the Toyobaru/Subieyota is finally coming into focus as a production car, and we have some of the greasy details and real pictures to share with you.

A lot of these details are probably things you’ve already heard, but here are the basics.  The GT-86 is a front-mid engined 2+2 coupe, with the engine behind the front axle, driving the rear wheels.  There are two seats in the back for legless children/insurance purposes, and the emphasis has been put on low weight, low center of gravity, centralized moment of polar inertia, and all the other nerdy things that make a car responsive and fun to drive.

Just the dimensions are enticing.  At 166.9″ (4240mm overalll), it’s 20″ longer than a current Cooper.  The roofline (50.6″/1285mm) is 5″ lower than a Cooper, and I’m pretty sure Toyota has a typo in their press release when they state that it’s 101″ wide, but we’ll figure that out soon.  Other details: a 53 to 47 front/rear weight distribution ratio, a center of gravity 18.7″ (475mm) off the road.

The low center of gravity is largely due, of course, to the use of a boxer (horizontally-opposed) engine.  Co-developed with Subaru, the GT-86′s “D4S” four-cylinder displaces 1,998cc (2.0L) and has twin-cam 16v heads, as well as both port and direct injection (like some current Lexus motors) which allows a high 12.5:1 compression ratio.  For reference, that’s a full point higher than the old Toyota/Yamaha 2ZZ-GE I4 from the Celica, Lotus Elise, etc – which was a pretty impressive motor back then.  Power output is 197bhp at 7,000rpm, and 151lb-ft of torque (205nM) at 6,600rpm.  You’ll have a choice of either a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Chassis wise, it’s fairly simple.  McPherson struts hold up the front end, while double wishbone independent suspension is found at the back.  With a low kerb weight, good weight distribution, and a rev-happy engine, the GT-86 has all the hallmarks of a natural driver’s car.  Sort of like a Honda S2000 with a boxer engine, a hard top, and some extra seats.

As for the styling, there’s not a lot to be said that hasn’t already been said about the numerous prototypes and concepts we’ve seen over the years.  It’s surprisingly clean and simple, and hasn’t been watered down a whole lot from it’s previous interations.  There are some neat details – like the “86″ badge that incorporates the opposed pistons of the boxer engine, the small front fender vents, the little channel that streams behind the Toyota badge, etc – but mostly it’s clean, simple, well-proportioned, and not over-wrought.  Especially in comparison to, say, the Genesis Coupe.

The interior is the same story.  It’s simple but effective.  There’s a bit of Mazda to some of the design – maybe it’s just me – but I do like the contrast-colored tach, which is mounted in the center and bigger than the speedometer.  Proper.  Nothing especially fancy, but this is supposed to be a car starting in the lower 20′s, and it certainly looks less low-rent than the Scion tC it will be stealing sales from.

This will not likely be a high-volume product for Toyota.  Sure, there’s a market for simplistic, lightweight, rear-drive coupes – but there’s a bigger market for Camrys.  This is more of a bone thrown to the Toyota enthusiasts (who still exist!  they do!) after all these years of crap.  It honestly looks like it’s going to be a great car, one that focuses on the experience rather than the numbers, which is refreshing.  We definitely don’t have all the parts of this story yet – what will be different about the Scion version?  What will be different about the Subaru version?  Who’s getting turbos?  But there will be more details when it’s revealed November 30th at the Tokyo Auto Show.  Stay tuned until then!  Gallery below.

Here’s Part II of the SEMA Preview coverage.  Alternative title: Turbos, widebodies, big brakes and roll bars, oh my!  In the previous post I covered GM, Mopar, Mazda, and Hyundai.  Now we’re moving on to Toyota.

Toyota, Lexus, and Scion have always had a strong presence at SEMA. This year will be no different, with all three divisions bringing concept cars in a futile attempt to convince us the brand is still interesting. Toyota’s “big announcement” was the introduction of the F-Sport package for the new-generation Lexus GS350 sedan, which makes the car better looking (negotiable) but not any faster. The exterior gets 19″ alloy wheels with 235/40/19 tires (RWD F-sports get 265/35/19 rears, AWD’s are square), a more aggressive front and rear bumper and a lip spoiler. The 3.5L V6 retains it’s stock 306bhp, but there are a few chassis mods: the adaptive suspension gets a more aggressive tune, bushings are stiffer, anti-roll bars are thicker, and there’s the option of an active-rear-steer system that can turn the rear wheels up to 2°. Otherwise, it’s just a GS350. Kinda dull.

Thankfully someone has already fixed it. Five:Axis Tuning will be bringing a custom GS F-Sport to SEMA as well, and it’s a lot more aggressive looking. The biggest change is the custom Five:Axis widebody conversion kit, which covers the fenders, bumpers, and side skirts. The FA GS F Sport sits low on an AirRunner TC-5 air suspension setup, and of course has massive rolling stock: Five Axis S5:F 20″ wheels, 9.5″ wide at front and 10.5″ at rear, mounting 245 and 285 width tires. There’s a huge brake kit too: 380mm 6-piston fixed calipers up front and 355mm 4-piston fixed calipers at back. Other than a custom exhaust, that’s it.

Lexus will also be displaying an IS350C (hardtop convertible) done up by VIP Auto Salon, and a slammed-to-the-ground CT200h by Fixe:Axis.  The IS350C (pictured) has a color-shifting paint job (think Cobra Mystichrome or TVR Tuscan) and a Seibon carbon fibre hood, sitting on forged 19″ wheels.  There’s carbon fibre everywhere: front lip, side diffusers, rear diffusers, trunk spoiler, and headlight “eyebrows.”  While a regular IS350 is no slouch (306bhp), VIP Auto Salon bolted on an Apexi Rotrex supercharger kit, which boosts output to 386bhp and 372lb-ft, along with a custom ECU tune and header-back exhaust.  The Five:Axis CT200h is stock power-wise, but has a widebody kit housing 19×8.5″ Fixe:Axis alloys and Tein coilovers.  Even though it’s a stock Prius underneath, there is a 328mm StopTech 4-piston big brake kit – ahh, show cars.

Toyota will soon be marketing their iQ microcar as a Scion in the US, and to raise interest they’re bringing four  iQ concepts to SEMA.  The Pit Boss iQ by Cartel answers the question “what would a two-seat drop top Scion iQ look like?”  (I know you were asking.)  The roof is gone, as are the back seats – replaced by two spare tires.  There’s a Snap-On jack in the back, and an impact wrench between the seats.  I have to wonder – is this because they want it to look like a drift car?  Because the iQ is front wheel drive.  And it has a 1.3L engine with a CVT.  I doubt there’s a lot of drifting going on, to be honest.  Scion is bringing three other iQ’s to SEMA, all modified in different ways.  The IQ-RX by John Sibal has big wheels, nitrous, air-ride suspension, and custom bodywork and interior.  The IQ-RS by Michael Chang has wide fenders, lots of spoilers, and a mildly tuned engine.  The interior is partially stripped and has a carbon dash with a pair of Sparco buckets.

Way, way cooler is the IQ-MR by Tatsu.  As you might guess, the MR denotes that this one is mid engine and rear drive.  The stock IQ motor was pulled apart and rebuilt with a Web 292° duration camshaft, JE 12.0:1 pistons, ARP fastening hardware, a Micro Image clutch & lightweight flywheel, and AEM engine management – then it was stuffed in the trunk.  The interior is totally stripped, with a single racing bucket, a Wilwood pedal box, and a serious roll cage.  Custom flares and a brushed-aluminum look paint job don’t hurt either.

Toyota’s recently debuted the third-generation Yaris subcompact, and with it comes Toyota’s factory-prepped racer for SCCA B-Spec.  Competing against the likes of the Mazda2, Ford Fiesta and Fiat 500, the Yaris B-Spec club racer is painted like Toyota’s 1998 GT-One LeMans car.  The usual racing gear is there:  stripped interior, roll cage, six-point harnesses, data acquisition system, Cusco suspension with pillow-ball upper control arm mounts, and 15×7 Enkeis mounting Hoosier racing slicks.  The 1.5L 1NZ-FE is mostly stock, except for induction and exhaust modifications and a custom tune on an AEM EMS2 stand-alone management system.  What, no 2ZZ-GE?

Ford is bringing a lot of cars to SEMA as well.  Most of them will be the Focus and Fiesta compacts; Ford’s been pushing their new small car line hard lately, so it makes a lot of sense.  There will be an incredible 7 different Focuses present, each done up by a different firm.  Traditional Ford tuners Roush and Steeda will be bringing Focuses, as well as Cobb Tuning, 3dCarbon, Capaldi Racing, the ID Agency, and Bojix Design.

The Fiesta will be represented by three different concepts, with input from M2-Motoring, Aaron Vaccar, and Gold Coast Automotive (pictured, left.)  Expect all sorts of lowered suspension, custom vinyl, turbocharging and body work – Ford hasn’t released any details except for single pictures at this point.

Ford is also bringing an Explorer and Mustang GT modified by Tjin edition to SEMA.  The Explorer has custom paint, gigantic 24″ iForged wheels and larger Baer brakes, along with a custom interior with some Recaro baby seats in the back (pimp!)  The Mustang is more my taste: custom paintwork, 20″ wheels, Baer brakes and a Paxton supercharger.  The Mustang was developed in conjunction with UTI as well.

And last for the preview coverage is this: called “Le Monstre” after the 1950 Cadillac coupe of the same nickname that Briggs Cunningham drove at LeMans, it’s obviously based on a CTS-V Coupe.  While the regular 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft is enough for most sane people, this one’s in the true spirit of SEMA.  The engine is enlarged to 427ci (7.0L, up from 6.2L) and has been internally fortified.  Total output?  1,001bhp and 1,000lb-ft of torque is claimed.

The bodywork is custom, with a large ventilated hood, low-hanging side skirts, and a gigantic rear spoiler.  The whole shebang is wrapped in a matte-black vinyl, and there are chassis and brake modifications to suit.  Worthy of mention is the rolling stock: 20″ wheels with Toyo T1R’s at all four corners, a wide 275/30/ZR20 at front, and an insane 345/25/ZR20 in the back.  Over the top?  Absolutely.  Insane.  That’s SEMA!

The doors to the SEMA show opened today and the press releases are flowing like a busted water main.  I’ll be manning the keyboard, trying to keep up with new debuts – stay tuned!

A frequent complaint about Toyota has been the company’s focus on uninspiring, bland designs that forsake any kind of excitement. For those looking for performance models and an engaging driving experience, there are no offerings.

That is a dangerous position to be for a mainstream manufacturer that needs to engage enthusiasts and the youth market. The super expensive LFA isn’t going to cut it in this regard. The joint Toyota/Subaru sportscar, previewed by the original FT-86 Concept and followed by the Scion FR-S Concept, is Toyota’s answer to this problem.

A new report on fan forum Club4AG says that the car is being developed with no expenses spared, and sheds light on some interesting details about the cars program. This information was gleaned from a meeting between site member Moto-P and chief project engineer Tetsuya Tada.

Toyota is assigning top priority to the program, with Chief Executive Officer Akio Toyoda personally overseeing and selecting key people involved in the program. He is even said to stop in and drive the car, giving it a major champion within the company.

While there is a lot of hype and excitement (this a major fan), there are a few pieces of information that stick out. For one, the dash is reportedly being designed to easily accommodate a roll cage without requiring the dash to be cut up. This would enable the car to be easily used in competitions. Under the hood, the car would have mounts to easily switch out to Subaru’s boxer four-cylinder.

The standard Toyota engine is said to get its sounds tuned by Yamaha, in order to have a top notch aural experience worthy of the car’s aspirations. Interestingly, the website member also floats the idea of no CD player or navigation system. This would save weight and cut down on cost. There would be an iPod/MP3 player hookup though – and the thinking is that this would be the perfect setup for the younger buyers Toyota is aiming for with this.

We’re keen on seeing if this information turns out to carry over to the production car, and more excited than ever before for the new sportscar to be unveiled.

Auto Shows these days are a mix of really exciting debuts, and a lot of updates. Some of these updated models are interesting, but not really worth an entire article to themselves.  I’ve saved you the time of clicking a thousand links to consolidate the rest of the significant debuts at the NYIAS (New York International Auto Show) this year.

Revised Jaguar XK and XF Models

There’s nothing really wrong with the XK and XF models, which are some of Jag’s most competitive models to date.  But the breakneck pace of the market dictates that if it’s been out three years, it’s already looking old.  Enter the new XF (left) and the new XK (right.)  The revised styling on the XF is intended to mimic Jag’s new flagship XJ sedan, which has finally broken out of it’s ancient-car-with-aluminum-chassis model, ironically making the then-futuristic-looking XF midsize sedan and XK sports coupe look a bit outdated.

The XF gets new, narrowed and sexier headlights with a revised grille, and a redesigned rear end that is still quite obviously the work of Ian Callum.  I never thought the XF was a bad looking car (at all. Still stare in traffic), but frankly this new one makes the old one look a bit half-assed.  It is worth mentioning that the front intakes on the XF-R look exactly remarkably like those on the new Saab 9-5.

The XK gets a similar updating, with more angular headlights that almost remind one of the BMW Z4.  The grille is shorter and wider, the air intakes on the front fenders are horizontal now, and the rear end has received minor changes that honestly I’m having some trouble spotting.  But hey, it’s an XK – already a face-punchingly pretty car; how much work did it need?

2012 Mazda 3

Forget the horsepower wars, how about the MPG wars?  These days it seems 40mpg is the new 400bhp, and Mazda is throwing in their cards.  I’m of the opinion that the Mazda3 has always been far-and-away the most fun to drive of cars in this segment, but the problem was that the fuel economy was never especially impressive.  In current trim, the most efficient Mazda 3 (a 3i Sedan with a 5-speed manual) achieved EPA fuel economy ratings of 25 mpg city, 33mpg highway from it’s 2.0L 148-horsepower engine.  Again, even with the small engine (Mazda also offers a 2.5L Mazda3, at least here in the states) the 3 is a fun car, but 33mpg is nothing to write home about.

The 2012 model pulls off my favorite trick – more power and much better fuel economy.  The 3 is the first car in the US to receive Mazda’s SkyActiv engine technology, and that means to us that the new model with have more power (155bhp) and better efficiency – 40mpg highway with a 6-speed automatic, 39 with a manual.

Also, they’ve given the 3 it’s necessary psychotropic medication, and the front grille no longer looks like that creepy doll from the Saw movies, smiling at you, imagining what your limbs taste like.  So I can sleep at night again.  Thanks, Mazda!

Scion FR-S Concept.

Thanks, Toyota.  ANOTHER concept version of the FT-86.  Looks great!  Stop teasing, just build it.

2013 Ford Taurus/SHO Facelift

Ford’s top of the line US offering, the Taurus, is getting revamped for 2012.  Most of the big news is under the hood, although the styling itself has been refreshed, turning a sharp-looking car into.. a still sharp-looking car.

The headlights are new – narrower and a little more angular, while around back there’s a very Audi-like loop of LED lights integrated into the block tail lights.  The twin-turbo SHO is losing a little bit of it’s sleeper factor for 2012, getting an SHO-specific front grille that’s black mesh with a blue Ford Oval.  The restyled front end lightly mimics the 2011+ Mustangs, giving the Taurus a little more brand continuity while still remaining classy.  Sadly, the rumors of the SHO model receiving a power bump to 400bhp aren’t true, at least for now, as the SHO remains a still-fast 365bhp AWD Q-ship.

The rest of the Taurus lineup gets powertrain updates, as well.  The standard 3.5L 24v V6 gets Ford’s Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing) system seen on the Mustang, Fiesta, etc, which boosts power from 263bhp to 290bhp, with better emissions and fuel efficiency.  Ford hasn’t announced EPA numbers for the new V6, but expect it to be improved on the old model.

Bigger news is the introduction of a 2.0L EcoBoost I4 to the Taurus lineup.  This direct-injected, turbocharged four-cylinder will also be found under the hood of the new Explorer (as well as the hot-rod Focus ST), and makes an estimated 237bhp and 250lb-ft of torque – as much as many naturally-aspirated V6′s were making a few years ago – while delivering at least 31mpg on the highway.  All Taurus powertrains (2.0T, 3.5V6, SHO 3.5 Twin Turbo V6) will continue to spin a 6-speed automatic transmission, with optional AWD.

2013 Chevrolet Malibu/Malibu ECO

Another comprehensive update after a relatively short lifespan, the 2013 Malibu may look largely like the old one, but it’s actually migrated to GM’s Epsilon II chassis, which is shorter than the Epsilon chassis the 08+ Malibu was on.  This is because the new Malibu is intended as a worldwide product (rather than a US-specific product, which the current Malibu is).  As such, it was introduced simultaneously at the NYIAS as well as the Shanghai show in China-specific form.

Length is shorter overall, but the new Malibu boasts larger trunk space, and increased interior width.  The styling is evolutionary – although the rear end is noteworthy for looking exactly like the back of a new Camaro.  It’s a little strange, but I like it – gives the somewhat mundane Malibu a lot more character from the rear, even it it looks a little grafted on.

The Malibu for 2013 will debut with a new standard powertrain – a 2.5L derivative of GM’s corporate EcoTec I4, fitted with direct fuel injection.  Power output is 190bhp and 180 lb-ft of torque – a bit off the mark of Hyundai’s 2.4L GDI I4 with 200bhp in the Sonata/Optima, but still competitive.  No fuel efficiency figures have been released yet (estimated at “over 30 highway”, but what isn’t?) but paired with a standard 6-speed automatic and this model’s reduced footprint, they should be more impressive.

Even more impressive will be the EPA figures of the Malibu Eco – the blue one at the top of this heading.  It has the same powertrain as the 2012 Buick Lacross e-Assist, meaning a 2.4L EcoTec mated to a small electric motor.  This will provide power comparable to the regular 2.5L Malibu, while delivering 26 city and 38 highway mpg – one of the highest figures for a reasonably-sized family sedan like this.

Other cool tricks include a navigation/entertainment screen that swings up to allow storage behind it – apparently an industry first – and again, those Camaro tail lights.  So cool!

2012 Nissan Versa/Tiida

There’s a new Nissan Versa out.  It’s more round and organic looking.  It’ll be sold as the Tiida elsewhere, like it has before.  A four-door sedan or 5-door hatchback will continue to be available.  The 1.6L engine (HR16DE) now has twin fuel injectors per cylinder (why?), and delivers 106 horsepower through a 5-speed manual (base model only) or a redesigned CVT.  It’ll deliver 33mpg combined with the CVT (30/37 EPA) and the base price is set at $10,990.  What else is there to say?  It’s sort of strange-looking, but that’s not a break from tradition.  Despite being painfully boring and sort of cheap-feeling, the Versa’s utilitarian nature allows it to outsell all it’s competitors in the US by a huge amount – it’s one of the few segment-leading cars Nissan has.  The low base price, wide dealer network, and reasonably fuel efficiency are probably why.  I personally would rather take the bus.

2012 Kia Soul Updates

Not all inexpensive economy cars are depressing, like the Tiida/Versa.  Witnesses Kia’s rapping-hamster approved Soul, a box full of coolness wrapped around reliable, pedestrian underpinnings.  If I needed a high-roof econobox, I’d just get one of these and skip the cross shopping.  For 2012, Kia is making the Soul a little more… soul-ful. Sigh.

The Soul is still the cute little art-box it’s always been, but now it’s got projector-beam headlights framed by LED running lights (another carryover from Kia stylist Peter Schreyer, who used to make Audi’s pretty), new wheels (very cool, I might add), LED taillights, and some new colors.

Bigger changes are underneath, with the introduction of direct gasoline injection to the Soul lineup.  The base engine – a 1.6L 16v I4 – gains GDI for a bump to 135bhp and 121lb-ft, gains of 11% on both fronts.  Mated to a new six-speed manual, the 1.6L Soul posts EPA numbers of 28/34 – 3mpg average higher than the previous port-injected 1.6 while offering more power.  The optional engine, a 2.0L 16v, also gets GDI, improving power to 160bhp and 143lb-ft, a gain of 13%.  Fuel economy is hardly worse than the 1.6L, at 27/33 with either a 6-speed manual or automatic.

Other changes include a new Infinity audio system, the availability of Kia’s Microsoft-based UVO connectivity system, an available navigation system for the first time, an an available premium package with heated leather seats, automatic climate control, push-button start, and other niceties that 10 years ago people would laugh if you told them you’d be able to get in a Kia.  I have to love this brand – they’re doing basically everything right these days.

We’ll continue the roundup in a second part, to save your internet connection a brain-melt.

Aside from the unintended acceleration fiasco, Toyota has also seen itself trending upward in buyer age. To us, there is an easy explanation – product.

President Akio Toyoda has supposedly set out to fix that, and one of the signs of that realization was the FT-86 Concept at last year’s Tokyo Auto Show.

The FT-86 Concept is a vehicle that looks very close to production, and offers a compelling specifications list. A price tag in the $20K range, two-doors and a rear-wheel drive layout is something that appeals to enthusiasts.

At the time, production was pegged as a certainty. Not a whole lot has been heard about it recently, but a little over a year later the rumor mill is churning about the car’s future. If a report from the Wall Street Journal is to be believed, Tthe car that was supposed to attract a youth element to the Toyota division could instead be badged as a Scion.

Scion hasn’t quite exactly filled out its original directive, and that has a lot to do with a lack of product. That is being remedied with the 2011 tC, but more than that is needed.

Could a production FT-86 make a good fit for Scion? We think so, but it seems to defeat Toyota’s original purpose for the car. Regardless, we’ll take whatever we can get in the way of performance from Toyota or Scion.

The brand is excited about the new tC, as the 2011 model is the first redesign of the tC since it hit the market in 2004.

In case you haven’t noticed, there is also a full-scale marketing campaign going on currently to introduce the new coupe. To promote the tC, Scion has created a new game dubbed “Take on the Machine.”

But it isn’t just any game, it is an augmented reality game – and it is quite entertaining. Using simply your web browser and web cam (keyboard operation is available as well), you can steer your Scion TC through a variety of urban obstacles.

All you need is a printer, webcam and some time. Head over to Scion’s website to check it out.

In other markets, it is known as a Toyota – or, an Aston Martin. We’ve been hearing a whole lot about the iQ lately, but in its Aston Martin form. And no that isn’t an April fools joke – we promise. Although a few years ago it definitely would have qualified as one. Lets take a look at the iQ.

In transitioning to our market, the iQ doesn’t get a whole lot of changes – and that isn’t a bad thing. The minicar is only 120.1-inches long (just over 10 feet), with a width of 66.1-inches.

Perhaps the craziest thing about the car is what Scion calls the “3+1″ seating arrangement. The front seats are slightly offset to allow for “one adult behind the front passenger and a child, small package, or pet behind the driver.” Wow, we have to see that in person!

The iQ is equipped with a litany of airbags - 10 SRS airbags in all, including the world’s first rear-window curtain airbag. Other airbags include driver- and front-passenger airbags; driver- and front-passenger seat-mounted side airbags; side curtain airbags; driver- and front-passenger knee airbags; and a Scion-first driver seat-cushion airbag.

The engine is a 1.3-liter, four-cylinder that makes over 90 horsepower and is mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The iQ is slated to go on sale in early 2011, so we’ve got a little while to go before we see it on our streets.

And that they did – but sometimes big plans come in small packages, as in the case of the new tC and Scion iQ minicar.

The Scion tC first come out in June 2004 as a 2005 model year vehicle, so it has been due for an update. The new look isn’t a big change different, but the front end has been streamlined and made to look more sporty.

Scion calls the look “refined aggression.” We tend to agree – the new tC is a bit more aggressive, and an improvement over the current model.

The look out back is even more of a change, and we like the redesigned taillights and visually flatter rear end. Most importantly to enthusiasts, the powertrain has been upgraded. The car is powered by the same inline four-cylinder as before, but the capacity is now 2.5-liters, up from 2.4.

Power is suitably increased, up 19 horsepower and 11 pound feet to 180 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a new six-speed transmission, Scion says fuel economy sees an increase as well.

The suspension is newly tuned and it gets an electric power steering system. Hmmm. While not revolutionary, the new changes work out to a nicely improved package. The new tC joins the updated-for-2011 xB and new-for-2011 iQ minicar in the Scion lineup.

So we know the FT-86 concept is a lock for production and now speculation is turning to what it will be named. FT-86 is obviously not the final production name, with the moniker chosen to pay homage to the Toyota Corolla AE-86 GT.

The names under consideration, as reported by Autocar and The Detroit Bureau are Celica and surprisingly – Scion tC?  In producing the FT-86, Toyota’s goal is to make a vehicle that will help build excitement.

I assumed, along with most others, that this would mean the car would be coming to the United States wearing the Toyota badge. Toyota is the volume brand and is in need of new buyers. It’s possible that Toyota still hasn’t given up on it’s supposed youth brand and might use the car as a way to jumpstart it.

At this point I think it is more important to work on the volume brand. That still begs the question though of what it will be badged as internationally. Celica seems to be a likely prospect.