Top contenders for 'car of the year', Three years after Wall Street's meltdown, and two-and-a-half years after the General Motors and Chrysler bankruptcies, we seem to be out of the woods. A New Normal challenges conventional wisdom. Automakers make money on small cars in a 13-million unit year. The industry is a rare bright spot for our economy.
New models with heavy marketing budgets sell well, explaining why automakers offered up 35 eligible models for our 2012 Car of the Year. There were 10 Americans, 10 Europeans, and 15 Asians, including four Koreans. We tested 55 cars, including variants.
Hyundai and Kia keep getting better, more interesting, and closer to our COTY ideal. Same with a 109-year-old American brand that last won a trophy in 1979.
This year, Buick fields its third consecutive finalist, the premium compact Verano. Small American cars, including the Ford Focus and the surprising Chevy Sonic -- the first American-built subcompact since the 1970s -- finally are world-class.
Alternatively propelled cars include Volkswagen's Passat diesel variant, the Lexus CT 200h, and Toyota Prius V hybrids, two electrics, and one plug-in electric. Nissan's Leaf, which wasn't ready for COTY 2011, joins the Mitsubishi i MiEV.
The luxurious Fisker Karma offers range-extending electric technology similar to our 2011 COTY Chevy Volt's, at over twice the price. It may determine whether a small, independent company can make it in the 21st century, or whether the eponymous Fisker is another modern-day Tucker.
COTY is not a comparison test. Each model is evaluated against our six criteria, though this year's huge fleet provides compelling matchups, from Audi A7 versus Mercedes-Benz CLS to seven compacts in various segments; three subcompacts; two A-cars (Fiat 500, Scion iQ); and three sporty niche models, including the most fun-to-drive car with the best exhaust note, the Mini Coupe John Cooper Works .
Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, and Chrysler 300 return after '07, '06 and '05 wins respectively, though only one is a finalist. A Camry competitor, the Volkswagen Passat, represents the inverse of One Ford. The North American-specific Passat is larger than its European variant, and successfully challenges another bit of conventional automotive wisdom: Universal global design is the only way to build commodity cars. Turn the page for our analysis of this year's field.
New models with heavy marketing budgets sell well, explaining why automakers offered up 35 eligible models for our 2012 Car of the Year. There were 10 Americans, 10 Europeans, and 15 Asians, including four Koreans. We tested 55 cars, including variants.
Hyundai and Kia keep getting better, more interesting, and closer to our COTY ideal. Same with a 109-year-old American brand that last won a trophy in 1979.
This year, Buick fields its third consecutive finalist, the premium compact Verano. Small American cars, including the Ford Focus and the surprising Chevy Sonic -- the first American-built subcompact since the 1970s -- finally are world-class.
Alternatively propelled cars include Volkswagen's Passat diesel variant, the Lexus CT 200h, and Toyota Prius V hybrids, two electrics, and one plug-in electric. Nissan's Leaf, which wasn't ready for COTY 2011, joins the Mitsubishi i MiEV.
The luxurious Fisker Karma offers range-extending electric technology similar to our 2011 COTY Chevy Volt's, at over twice the price. It may determine whether a small, independent company can make it in the 21st century, or whether the eponymous Fisker is another modern-day Tucker.
COTY is not a comparison test. Each model is evaluated against our six criteria, though this year's huge fleet provides compelling matchups, from Audi A7 versus Mercedes-Benz CLS to seven compacts in various segments; three subcompacts; two A-cars (Fiat 500, Scion iQ); and three sporty niche models, including the most fun-to-drive car with the best exhaust note, the Mini Coupe John Cooper Works .
Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, and Chrysler 300 return after '07, '06 and '05 wins respectively, though only one is a finalist. A Camry competitor, the Volkswagen Passat, represents the inverse of One Ford. The North American-specific Passat is larger than its European variant, and successfully challenges another bit of conventional automotive wisdom: Universal global design is the only way to build commodity cars. Turn the page for our analysis of this year's field.
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