A Wee Taste of Europe: Will Americans Bite?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/automobiles/autoreviews/12fiesta.html

September 10, 2010
A Wee Taste of Europe: Will Americans Bite?
EZRA DYER

THERE are two types of small cars in America. First, there are the bare-bones, price-is-the-entire-object ennui-boxes. These are the cars you end up driving when you stubbornly resist the $2-a-day upgrade at the rental counter.

A few years back, Chevrolet of Canada caught flak for running an ad for the Cavalier that basically said, “Hey, it’s better than taking the bus.” The pitch offended bus riders and public transportation advocates, but I admire that honesty. Cars that duke it out at the very bottom of the market — like the basest Nissan Versa or Hyundai Accent, each priced around $10,000 — promise mobility, and that’s about it.

It took a long time for car companies to realize that drivers in the United States might consider a small vehicle that wasn’t ruthlessly built to a price. The modern Mini Cooper was the trailblazer, proving that Americans might buy a diminutive hatchback on its own merits, even when they could afford something bigger. Cars like the Mini and the Honda Fit offer a more upscale driving experience than the frill-free automotive flounders that scour the bottom of the market for rental sales, college students and frugal commuters.

The Ford Fiesta is a subcompact in the ambitious Fit idiom. It’s not the least expensive small car you can buy (or even, perhaps, the least expensive Ford). But the 2011 Fiesta hews to the European hatchback ideal, and Europeans hold the bizarre expectation that small vehicles should act like real cars.

First, a bit of history on the nameplate: in the late 1970s and early ’80s, Ford sold a hatchback called the Fiesta. In the late ’80s, it introduced a hatchback named the Festiva. Now we’re back to the Fiesta. I asked Ford what the rationale was behind the Fiesta-to-Festiva-to-Fiesta name change, and the response was, “The Festiva was a different car.”

Right. One which happened to be the smallest Ford hatchback, just like the car it replaced. It’s as if Ford canceled the Mustang, replaced it with a V-8 muscle car named the Mutsvang, and then declared that the two vehicles had nothing to do with each other. And I’m afraid that’s the best answer I have for you on that. This Fiesta is a far cry from the bygone Korean-built Festiva, which came with 12-inch steel wheels suggesting that somewhere, a lawn tractor was up on blocks.

Ford’s new baby is available as a sedan or five-door hatchback and offers upmarket equipment like a 6-speed dual-clutch sequential transmission, heated leather seats and the excellent Sync multimedia system.

There are still a few obvious cost-cutting measures. For instance, the rear brakes are drums, not discs. But then again, so are they on a Maybach — the 1932 Maybach Zeppelin, to be exact.

Rear drums aside, the Fiesta is about as safe as it gets in this class. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the Fiesta the first minicar to earn the designation of Top Safety Pick. (The distinction applies to Fiestas built after July, when Ford strengthened the door handles.)

Regardless of the build date, the Fiesta interior has enough air bags to raise the Edmund Fitzgerald. And electronic stability control is standard.

There is one engine, a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that squeezes out an indifferent 120 horsepower. So the Fiesta is slow. Then again, so are its competitors. But you should not drive alongside rivers near college campuses, because you might get passed by varsity crew teams.

The Fiesta’s best talent is making you forget its size once you’re actually moving down the road. The body is so stiff and quiet that I kept finding myself speeding, despite the modest power.

The suspension quietly soaks up impacts while maintaining a controlled ride — there’s none of the Clydesdale clop you hear when the engineers try to dial a soft ride into an overly flexible chassis. You get a sense that the limits are low but that the car doesn’t mind frolicking on an on-ramp now and then.

Mainly, though, the Fiesta seems optimized for the role it will probably fill for most people: commuting. There’s very little wind noise, you have Sync to handle your smartphone and play podcasts, and the fuel economy is excellent — 40 miles per gallon on the highway, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. When you do need to gas up, Ford’s capless filler is one of those small delights that makes life a little easier.

If you had to spend a couple of hours a day in a Fiesta, my sense is that it would endear itself rather than instill resentment. Hey, you don’t like the color of the cupholder lighting? You can change it, boss. It aims to please, the Fiesta.

The Fiesta is really the exemplar of the domestic hatchback’s newfound respectability. But the main challenge for small cars in America is that there’s not much financial incentive to buy them.

In Europe and Japan, driving a smaller car brings tax advantages. Then there’s the cost of fuel, which is currently more than $6 a gallon in most of Europe. When every mile per gallon and gram of carbon dioxide counts on the bottom line, it makes sense to buy the smallest car that will get you to work on time.

And to that end, the Fiesta is a hit. It’s Ford’s No. 1 seller in Europe, with half a million sold in the last year.

But in the United States, unless your car is subject to the gas-guzzler penalty, the taxman doesn’t care whether you have a 1.6-liter 4 or a 550-horsepower V-8. So the financial rationale for entry-level cars mostly amounts to what you save on the purchase price, relative to the next car up the ladder. And for Ford, there’s precious little breathing room between the Fiesta and its bigger sibling, the Focus.

The Fiesta starts at $13,995 for a basic sedan with a 5-speed manual transmission and can cost more than $21,000 for a loaded five-door SES. A couple of months ago, I grabbed a Ford dealership flier that advertised the 2011 Fiesta SE for $16,895. The same dealership was hawking the 2010 Focus SEL, with a leather interior, for $15,495.

The Focus concedes a few m.p.g. — its highway mileage is in the mid-30s — but it offers more passenger room and 20 extra horsepower. The Fiesta is technologically superior, but will buyers care about a dual-clutch gearbox when they can get more car for less money in the same dealership? I know I’m comparing leftover Focuses with 2011 Fiestas, but even once the Focus is redesigned, there will never be much daylight between these two cars.

At current gas prices, the E.P.A. estimates that fueling up a Focus instead of a Fiesta would cost an extra $219 a year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving). Somehow, I doubt that the prospect of saving 60 cents a day will be the deciding factor in many new-car purchases.

However, it was barely more than two years ago that gasoline passed $4 a gallon and the Honda Civic started outselling the Ford F-150. I’ll wager that gas prices will eventually pass $4 again. And when they do, the Fiesta will be the life of the party.

How the Aptera Hybrid Works

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/aptera-hybrid.htm

How the Aptera Hybrid Works
by John Fuller

What if you could drive across the entire United States -- from East coast to West coast -- on just one tank of gas? Sounds like a crazy idea, right? Ever since Nicholas August Otto developed the gasoline engine in the 1870s and Rudolph Diesel invented the diesel engine in the 1890s, people have improved upon vehicle efficiency in fits and starts.

Holy hybrid/electric car, Batman! Is a 330-mpg car really possible?

As concerns continue to grow over the possible consequences of global warming, nations and governments are beginning to react. The European Union continues to revise its strict emission standards, and ultracompact cars like the Smart Car, the MINI Cooper and the iQ Car catch lots of attention for their space- and energy-saving qualities. In the U.S., meanwhile, President George W. Bush signed an energy bill on Dec. 19, 2007, that encourages automakers to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles and increase the industry average to at least 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

While these are small steps toward a respectable goal, Accelerated Composites (AC), a private company of only 15 employees based in San Diego, Calif., may be taking a big leap with the Aptera, a three-wheel, two-passenger prototype that aims for an astounding 330 miles per gallon. AC was founded in 2006 by Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony, two independent entrepreneurs with experience in everything from composites and biotechnology to aerodynamics and finance.

This combination of expertise led to the Aptera, a truly unique vehicle that looks like a cross between a dolphin and a helicopter. Technically classified as a motorcycle, the vehicle will only be available to residents of California when it's initially produced. If the Aptera sells well, AC hopes to offer its vehicle to national and international markets.

The initial prototype of the Aptera achieved 230 mpg, a number that is 195 mpg over the projected standard outlined in President Bush's recent energy bill. As of now, the developers still have more time to work out the kinks and improve its efficiency -- AC expects the Aptera to be ready for Californians in late 2008.

­How fast will the Aptera go? Since it's technically a motorcycle, what are its safety features? Read on to learn more about the Aptera.

Aptera Specs

So how can the Aptera get such great gas mileage? Several aspects of the vehicle's design give it high fuel-efficiency, but Accelerated Composites' area of expertise is right in its name -- composites. You may hear the word sometimes when people talk about construction, but what exactly is a composite, and how does it help the Aptera?

The Aptera will be available as an all-electric or a plug-in hybrid for under $30,000.

A composite is a material that is made up of two or more different properties. Although these properties are easy to tell apart when combined and don't fuse together completely, they work together to form a substance that is strong, light and easy to shape. Composites can occur naturally in nature, or they can be man-made. A natural composite, for instance, is something as simple as wood, which is made of strong fibers of cellulose bound together by a light, weak substance called lignin. Concrete, on the other hand, is made by combining aggregate -- small stones and gravel -- and cement.

Sports car manufacturers use carbon fiber composites to build light, speedy yet powerful cars like the Aston Martin Rapide and the Lamborghini Reventon. Airplanes, cars, boats and insulation for buildings are made with fiberglass because of its great strength. The Aptera uses its own patented process called "Panelized Automated Composite Construction (PAC2)" for its body design, which gives the vehicle its unique, aerodynamic shape.

The Aptera was intended to operate on a diesel engine, but it became too difficult to build a small enough engine that would pass California's emissions testing. Instead, it will be available as either a pure electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid. Top speed for the Aptera will exceed 85 mph and will most likely be limited electronically at 95 mph -- smaller, lightweight cars can't go too fast, especially on highways, because air resistance makes them unstable. If you throw a light paper airplane through the air with a bit too much force, you might get an idea of how easily air can alter its course. The same goes for a lightweight car traveling too fast down the road.

But the speed limitation isn't the only safety precaution AC has taken with the Aptera.

Aptera Safety

The folks at Accelerated Composites take safety seriously -- a good decision, since the Aptera classified as a three-wheel motorcycle. Many people have reservations about these types of motorcycles because of their dangerous tendency to roll over.

When automakers experimented with this design in the past, they usually worked with a delta formation -- one wheel in the front and two wheels in the back. The problem with the delta formation has to do with what's called a velocity vector. Every moving object has its own velocity vector. The velocity vector of a car driving north on a highway can simply be described as north -- think of an imaginary line pointing straight from the front of the vehicle. If you turn to the left, however, the vector velocity shifts, and shifting too far outside of the wheelbase when turning can flip a delta configuration. A tadpole formation like the Aptera's -- two wheels in front and one wheel in back -- will keep a vehicle’s velocity vector between those two front wheels and significantly decrease chances of rolling over.

Two wheels in front and one in back help eliminate any tendency for the Aptera to roll over.

In addition to the wheel placement, the Aptera's been given a low center of gravity and traction control to greatly reduce the risk of rolling over. Race cars, for instance, also have low centers of gravity, because the weight of the car needs to overcome the force it experiences from turning corners at high speeds. SUVs, on the other hand, typically have higher centers of gravity and tend to roll over more easily.

Crash tests have also proven successful, as the Aptera exceeded strength requirements for rollover and frontal impact requirements. The safety cage in the front of the vehicle gets its inspiration from Formula One race cars, which can easily reach speeds of up to 200 mph.

The Aptera's "Eyes Forward" system gives drivers a 180-degree rear view sight.

The outside structure isn't the only part of the Aptera that provides safety. As part of what Accelerated Composites calls the "Eyes Forward" vision system, a video display is located in front of the driver, offering a 180-degree view behind the vehicle. As you can see from the pictures above, rear view sight is limited because of the Aptera's body design. The video display is necessary for safe driving conditions. A GPS system located on the center console provides further assurance, letting you know that you're at least heading in the right direction.

The Aptera is a "two plus one" concept -- two adults can fit comfortably in the driver and passenger seat, and a removable third seat is located in the back for infants. Removing that back seat allows enough room for 15 bags of groceries. If "two plus one" want to cruise around the California coast, though, do they have to wear helmets? Even though the Aptera is classified as a motorcycle, you don't need to wear a motorcycle helmet -- or obtain a motorcycle license, for that matter -- because the vehicle is enclosed. The Aptera's classification only makes things easier for California residents, actually, as drivers are permitted to use HOV lanes, even if there's only one person inside.

2008 Smart Fortwo Test Drive

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4232419.html

November 19, 2007
2008 Smart Fortwo Test Drive: A Slow but Solid American Start

Smart already has the kind of hipster, enviro-concious image other car companies spend millions to cultivate. These small-on-the-outside, large-on-the-inside rides, designed by Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), have been a hit in Europe for almost 10 years and will start rolling onto United States streets in January. The Smart Fortwo (as in for two passengers) will create a new, sub “B” car class in the U.S. market. It’s a vehicle specifically designed to comfortably and efficiently transport its occupants through the worst areas of urban congestion. The micro-size dimensions make it over 2 ft. shorter than a Mini Cooper. And at just over 5 ft. across, the Fortwo sits as wide as it does tall. You can park this Smart widthwise across a conventional parking space. So, yes, it’s quite petite. We recently got a chance to take the Fortwo on a two-day spin around California’s Bay Area, from Silicon Valley to San Francisco. Here’s what we learned.

The first thing you notice about this car is exactly what you thought would be the Smart’s biggest drawback: its size. It’s actually big inside, with two fullsize adults driving comfortably for hours. Fortwo was designed with a minimalist mentality—no center console here, just a cup holder and gearshift dividing the driver and passenger seat. The entire dashboard design has an open, airy feeling thanks to that big bubble of a windshield. And there’s loads of legroom so you quickly forget that the rearend of the car’s frame is a mere 2 ft. behind you. It’s odd, but on the highway the Smart seems somewhat larger than its two closest competitors—the Mini Cooper and Honda Fit. And that’s probably because it towers over the Mini by 5 in.

Okay, that’s the good news. The bad news is that the relatively (and we mean relatively) tall design makes for an awkward and sometimes wobbly feel at higher freeway speeds. This probably isn’t the first car you’d choose for a trip across the country.

Speaking of speed, the 1800-pound Fortwo really doesn’t have a lot of it. Power comes solely from a rear-mounted, 70-hp 1.0-liter three-cylinder mated to a five-speed automatic that drives the rear wheels. Punch the throttle and hold it wide open for a while and the Smart will reach 90 mph—eventually. The trip from 0-60 mph takes an estimated 12.8 seconds. That, folks, is slow. Then again, in metropolitan areas, when does the speed limit ever exceed 55 or 60 mph? This is, after all, a basic commuter car. Once underway, we could easily thrust the little tyke into the 70-80 mph range. And the transmission’s auto-manual shifting ability makes it kind of fun—especially with the paddle shifters. But the shifts aren’t exactly butter-smooth in automatic mode. Unfortunately, like most cars, the fuel consumption is directly related to the pressure exerted by the right foot. And since the Smart revs relatively high at freeway speeds, economy appears to plummet in proportion to speed more quickly than on some small cars. But drive, ahem, smart, and you’ll get 40 mpg in the city and 45 on the highway. Although this car wasn’t built to challenge Porsche 911s or Corvettes, it’s a solid, economical ride.

From the beginning, Smart, as a company, has been environmentally conscious. During production, the entire bodywork is powder-coated rather than painted, which not only uses 40 percent less energy but also has zero solvent emissions and water consumption. Plus, Smart collects the powder overspray, because 98 percent of it is reusable.

Since the original was built for the European market and didn’t meet U.S. safety standards, Smart redesigned the Fortwo and achieved a four-star crash rating from NHTSA. The little automaker that could also opened up a bigger trunk for the U.S. model that fits a set of golf clubs. And for winter sports, the passenger seat folds flat, leaving enough room for a pair of skis. Plus, with an electronic stability program, traction control and anti-lock brakes, the Fortwo makes a descent foul-weather friend.

The Smart Fortwo will be offered in three models: Pure ($11,590), Passion Coupe ($13,590) and Passion Cabriolet ($16,590). And, of course, one of our favorite standard features is the aux input jack for external audio players (aka iPods). Hey, we need our tunes, man. The convertible is fun, especially once we learned the top could be lowered (or raised) at any speed. Sadly, even though the three-model fleet will hit dealerships in January, wait for a Smart car is looking like six months to a year—ouch. But it’s worth the wait when you consider constantly rising gas prices and overpopulated urban sprawls; the efficient Fortwo simply makes a lot of sense. —Brittany Marquis

Fun and Fuel Efficient

http://autos.aol.com/article/hybrid/v2/_a/fun-and-fuel-efficient/20071102121809990001

Fun and Fuel Efficient
Eight fun-to-drive cars that get up to 30 mpg
By SHERYLL ALEXANDER, AOL AUTOS

Gas is getting more expensive and yet you still want a fun drive, right? For some car buyers, a genuinely fast ride with excellent handling, braking, tech and entertainment makes for a big fun-to-drive factor.

In the past, these types of cars were commonly the more expensive sporty variety, which weren't usually the best on fuel efficiency. Fortunately, car manufacturers have taken note and provided car buyers of late with some great fun-to-drive vehicles that can truly save you big bucks on gas.

We rounded up eight fun and fuel efficient picks that got at least 30 mpg during our road tests. You no longer need to be bored while saving gas!

MINI COOPER S
Likes: Lightning fast acceleration, perfect transmission, excellent handling and braking, cool retro interior
Dislikes: Too small for large people, big dogs or growing families
MSRP: $21,200-$25,400
Fuel Economy Range: 36 mpg hwy, 29 mpg city

The idea for this fun-to-drive-yet-fuel-efficient story came to mind when a bright red MINI Cooper S with white stripes down the oh-so-cute bonnet showed up in my driveway. I really wasn't expecting to hail this MINI Cooper S as the "most fun car to drive ever." Ironically, I pulled a shoulder muscle pretty badly after four days of happily racing around town in this supercharged 1.6 liter, 16-valve inline, four-cylinder midget.

What's so hot about the MINI? The thing hauls ass and stops on a dime, to say it quite frankly. Despite its tiny body and boxy design, the MINI's tight suspension, light weight and superior balance let this tiny racer take curves with ease, respond quickly to your every move and go warp speeds down straightaways. For even more fun, the six-speed manual Geltrag transmission seems to propel the MINI along effortlessly with both parts race car and genteel British ride.

Think the MINI is only for college kids and chase scenes in action movies? Not so. I found the MINI's funky and fab retro interior to be both functional and more roomy than my expectations (and I'm pretty tall for a woman at 5 ft. 8 inches). Happily, the MINI's Harmon-Kardon sound system really bumped, especially when bobbing and weaving like the wind down Southern California's sunny freeways in this sexy convertible model.

NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID
Likes: Sleek exterior, fast gas-electric engine, techy interior, power everything
Dislikes: Groans and gurgle noises from hybrid engine
MSRP: $25,070 - $30,500
Fuel Economy Range: 42 mpg hwy, 36 mpg city

The Nissan Altima has always been known as a fun car to drive, but what about fuel efficiency? Though Nissan's new hybrid model doesn't get 60 mpg like the Toyota Prius, people buying the Altima hybrid are getting 42 mpg highway, a striking exterior design and great performance.

The bright red 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid model that I drove was certainly flashy with its curvy backside, sleek windows and overall modern look. The 2.5-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder gas-electric engine practically drives itself with its smooth-shifting manual transmission as well as the latest handling systems, such as ABS brake, stability and traction control systems.

I was also quite pleased at how the Nissan Altima Hybrid engine doesn't moan and gurgle quite so much as Toyota's hybrid engines, especially the noisy Prius. The Nissan Altima Hybrid certainly does make some rather odd sounds, but overall the sound engineering is quite excellent.

Nissan engineering and design also shine in the Altima's super techy and racy interior. The blue-and-red neon lights inside the gauges make you feel like a race car driver and all of the buttons and power controls seems to be configured for deft ease of use. The Altima also has lots of controls built into the steering wheel as well as a host of luxury and tech-laden features with its connection package, which includes amenities such as leather seats, Bluetooth system, XM satellite radio and automatic headlamps.

HONDA CIVIC Si
Likes: Trendy sleek design and sloping hood, sporty interior
Dislikes: Not enough guts going into third and fourth gears
MSRP: $21,310 to $23,060
Fuel Economy Range: 32 mpg hwy, 23 mpg city

I was surprised at the subtle exterior shape of the four-door Honda Civic Si. I mean, from one angle it looks like your typical family sedan, but then you glance again and the Honda Civic shows its true colors as a truly trendy ride. The glossy black model I road tested recently prompted lots of looks, mostly from college-aged guys, with this Civic's sexy sloping hood and overall modern look.

With all of the Honda Civic's good looks, there's also the fuel efficient 2.0-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder engine, which garners 32 mpg highway and 23 mpg city, even while producing a strong 197 hp at a high-revving 7800 rpm. One of the gripes I had was how the transmission in the Honda Civic Si did not respond smoothly when shifting into third and fourth gears -- something that is surprising as Honda is known for smooth-shifting manual transmissions.

Inside, I enjoyed the Honda Civic's minimalist interior. The bubble-like information center in the dash just above the steering wheel is actually rather soothing and not at all distracting. The steering wheel has loads of built-in features and the overall interior design is pleasing and comfortable.

As always, I am not excited by Honda's navigation and entertainment system. While Honda's GPS system offers great functionality, I've used systems with better interface and graphics.

TOYOTA PRIUS
Likes: Zippy drive, good for commuter traffic, lots of top-notch technology
Dislikes: Over-the-top modern exterior design looks funky
MSRP: $20,950-$23,220
Fuel Economy Range: 51 mpg hwy. 60 mpg city

Toyota Prius, the No. 1-selling hybrid vehicle in the U.S. market, is certainly a fuel efficient car at an almost unbelievable 60 mpg city, but is it fun to drive? Absolutely.

Even with its engine's groans, squeaks and gurgling noises, the Prius still delivers exceptional acceleration and handling. The model I drove last spring had a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder, 16-valve hybrid synergy drive engine under its rather funny-looking hood.

Inside, the cabin of the Toyota Pruis is cozy and roomy with a high-tech information system on the dash and what I consider the auto industry's best in-dash, push-button multimedia system. What could be more fun than a way-cool multimedia system, right?

Now that's saving money and giving you more time for the pursuit of personal happiness.

MAZDA 3
Likes: Zoom-zoom drive, stylish interior, excellent gas mileage, affordable
Dislikes: Not much to dislike for the price
MSRP: $16,255
Fuel Economy Range: 32 mpg hwy, 24 mpg city

We recently chose Mazda3 as our top pick in a "Cheap New Cars" lineup. Starting at just $14,000, the Mazda3 has it all: a great drive, a stylish look, a small price tag -- and it gets a whopping 34 mpg hwy and 26 mpg city.

The silver 2008 Mazda3 i Sport 4-door we tested definitely had Mazda's trademark "zoom-zoom" drive with tight handling and suspension as well as above average acceleration and braking. And, this Mazda3 i Sport has just the right amount of straight lines and curves outside to make it stand out among all the Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas.

Far from looking cheap, the all-black interior on the 2008 Mazda3 i Sport 4-door reminded us of more expensive Audi interiors with three-dimensional gauges, nice quality plastics and soft touch materials, and red backlit controls and buttons. Burnished chrome accents also gave the interior an upscale, classy, sporty feel. A nice surprise was the addition of audio and cruise control buttons built into the steering wheel which is something usually found on more expensive vehicles.

CHEVY COBALT
Likes: Sporty good looks, great gas mileage
Dislikes: Sponge-like feel to manual transmission
MSRP: $13,710-$18,910
Fuel Economy Range: 34 mpg hwy, 25 mpg city

GM claims it has more models that get at least 30 mpg than any other manufacturer (23 models in 2007). And with Chevy's 2008 Cobalt getting 34 mpg hwy, GM now sports a refined small car at a good price with excellent gas mileage.

Even better, Chevy's 2008 Cobalt has a broad range of models offering everything from a cheap bare-bones version to more sporty and accessories-laden choices. We got lots of looks from college-aged guys when we rolled up in our Cobalt with its rear spoiler and overall stylish exterior in an eye-popping copper orange metallic color.

The Cobalt's 2.2-liter, four-cylinder, 145 hp engine is lackluster for speed demons with its rather slow acceleration, although this inexpensive ride still makes for a good get-around-town car.

The interior is definitely where the 2008 Chevy Cobalt shines as the inside is certainly comfortable, looks upscale and was designed with ease of use in mind. The white-faced gauges give the looks a more racy edge, which contrasts well with GM's signature minimalist and eye-pleasing central console.

FORD FOCUS
Likes: SYNC info-tainment system links your digital phone and/or music player to the car using voice commands, sporty interior package
Dislikes: Rather soft manual transmission
MSRP: $14,075-$16,375
Fuel Economy Range: 35 mpg hwy, 24 mpg city

The 2008 Ford Focus is highly fuel efficient at 35 mpg hwy, is pretty fun to drive and has some of the best new in-car tech toys in its SYNC info-tainment system. Going beyond just providing a digital auxiliary jack, Ford's SYNC has taken in-car technology to the next level. We tried it out with my teenager's iPhone and, within just a few minutes, we had uploaded her entire digital music collection and had figured out how to "sync" her iPhone using Sync's simple voice commands to control the music and phone, including her address book and ring tones.

While I thought the 2008 Focus we tested had a rather soft transmission but not enough pick up from first to second gears, my husband said he loved the "cushy" ride. Overall, Ford's 2008 Focus is a fun-to-drive sedan with tight handling, exceptional suspension and highly responsive braking.

The 2008 model's exterior definitely took cues from Ford's Fusion to create a more sporty feel to the outside with a new all-chrome grille, more flared wheel arches and a sweeping line toward the more beefy behind.

Inside, our 2-door coupe SE model with the deluxe package truly delivered a sumptuous and sporty feel. We loved the matte chrome and black textures, the white-faced gauges with racy red accents and the techy information bubble at eye level on the dash. The saddle-stitched seats and steering wheel (with lots of built-in control buttons) all bumped up the 2008 Ford Focus to a level of sporty luxury.

PORSCHE CAYMAN
Likes: True sports car engine feel and sound engineering
Dislikes: Too-small cockpit interior and little storage space
MSRP: $43,400-$93,700
Fuel Economy Range: 31 mpg hwy, 23 mpg city

With its rather hefty price tag starting at $43,000, were weren't sure the Porsche Cayman would fit into our fuel efficient cars list. But at 31 mpg highway and 23 mpg city, this two-seater beauty truly gets good gas mileage as well as the joy of its pure sports car heritage.

Like Porsche's Boxster, upon which this roadster was designed, the Cayman's engine is inherently fuel efficient by design with its six-cylinder, 2.7 liter, 245 hp engine and lightweight body technology.

Yes, the Cayman gets good gas mileage, but do you really care? Just looking at its curvy haunches, sexy sloping hood and racing rear spoiler make you want to get in and take it on a long road trip. Although the interior is cramped and there's little storage space, the throaty growl and rapid acceleration of this sexy beast makes your heart thump every time you race at Autobahn-like speeds down highways and freeways.

Think you can't afford a Porsche? The Cayman is actually Porsche's least expensive coupe, starting at just $43,000 or so for a racy ride and standard all-leather black interior. And at 31 mpg highway, the Porsche Cayman rides along for hundreds of miles without stopping for fuel.