Joe Victor

On the Road in Style!

Monthly Archives: December 2011

Joe asks Jody Victor®: 2012 Deals of Christmas II

If you have some Christmas money burning a hole in your pocket, there may be a vehicle in your immediate future. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us more about it from an article by Jamie Page Deaton of U.S. News & World Report on msn.com.

Jody Victor: Hey Joe, there are car deals out there now, that can fit almost anyone’s budget. Here’s the second instalment.

2012 BMW 1-Series – How does Santa make it to all those houses in one night? We don’t know, but his job would probably be a whole lot easer if he had a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder ingine that made 300 horsepower, like the 2012 BMW 135 does. With a lease deal that makes payments just $419 per month, Santa could deliver toys in record time and have plenty of cash left over for giving elves their bonuses.

2012 Hyundai Sonata – Giving a gift always feels better when it looks like you spent more than you did. Most car reviewers say the 2012 Hyundai Sonata looks and feels more expensive than it is. That feeling is even more powerful through Jan. 3, when the 2012 Sonata is available for purchase with 1.9% financing for 36 months, or for lease for $259 per month for 36 months.

2012 Honda Odyssey – Going over the river and through the woods can actually be fun in the comfortable and feature-laden 2012 Honda Odyssey. With comfortable seating for up to seven and some of the best performance in the minivan class, the Odyssey is a no-brainer for families. Through Jan. 3, you can get one with 0.9% financing for 36 months, leaving plenty of cash for the antacids you’ll need after sampling grandma’s fruitcake.

2012 Subaru Outback – Reviewers love how the Subaru Outback combines practicality with safety, sure-footed all-wheel drive and good performance. Car shoppers will love how the Outback, which rarely has discounts or incentives, can be leased for just $249 per month for 42 months, or bouth with 1.9% financing. With that kind of pricing, the versatile Outback will be way more useful than that veggie chopper/steamer/shoe polisher Uncle Roy gave you.

2012 Chevrolet Tahoe – ‘Tis the season for giving and getting, and when you opt for the 2012 Chevy Tahoe, you’ll not only get a top-rated full-size SUV with some of the best fuel economy ratings in the class, but you’ll also be able to get $1,000 cash back. What you do with the money is up to you, but after spending a month buying gifts for other people, no one will blame you for spending it on yourself.

2012 Kia Forte – Choosing to spend the holidays with the inlaws or with your family is tough. Luckily, if you want the 2012 Kia Forte, which is available as a sedan, coupe or hatchback, with 1.9% financing for 36 months and $500 cash back. Score one for marital harmony.

Thanks, Jody! We’ll be sure to check these out.

Joe Victor

Joe asks Jody Victor®: 2012 Deals For Christmas

If you are looking for a great deal on a car, the right time may be coming up real soon. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us about these great deals from an article by Jamie Page Deaton of U.S. News & World Report from msn.com.

Jody Victor: You might be surprised but the best deals of the year will be happening the week between Christmas and New Years. Even if you aren’t planning on giving or getting a car Christmas morning you may want to take advantage of these deals. Here they are, the 12 best, in 2 parts.

2012 Buick Enclave- A perennial favorite with, the 2012 Buick Enclave features a plush interior and comfortable performance. Through Jan. 2, it also features $1,500 cash back or 1.9% financing for up to five years – which is about how long it will take you to work off all those Christmas cookies.

2012 Ford Fusion – The Ford Fusion features an affordable starting price and performance that’s more flavorful than Aunt Mary’s rum balls. Until New Year’s Day, you can get the 2012 Fusion with $2,000 cashback or 0% financing for up to 60 months.

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan – Germans are famous for their Christmas markets and for building cars that outperform almost anything else on the road. With the 2012 VW Tiguan, you not only get German performance, but also enough space to haul all of those tacky sweaters that grandma gave you back to the mall. You should have some cash left over to get what you really want: Through Jan. 3, the Tiguan has 0.9% financing for up to 60 months.

2012 Mazda5 – Most people resolve to trim down in the new year, and with the 2012 Mazda5, you can start early. With seating for six and the convenience of sliding rear doors, the Mazda5 is as practical as a minivan, but its smaller footprint gives it engaging performance and better fuel economy. Save at the dealership as well as the pump by getting your Mazda5 by Jan. 3, when it has 0.9% financing and no payments for 90 days.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze – Good things (like diamond earrings) come in small packages, but if you’re shopping for a small car, a little extra space is always welcome. Reviewers say the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze packs a roomy interior, good performance and great features for the price. Through Jan 3, you can lease a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze for $169 per month for 36 months. That’s probably less than the data plan you’ll have to get to go with that new smartphone Santa gave you.

2012 Lexus IS – You won’t need eight tiny reindeer to get through winter’s snowy roads if you have all-wheel-drive. The Lexus IS 250 with all-wheel drive is not only sporty, but is available for $329 a month for 36 months, which should make it appealing to even the most dedicated Scrooge.

Thanks, Jody! More next time.

Joe Victor

Joe asks Jody Victor® – Best Bang for the Buck: Horsepower

All sports cars are not the same – they look different, smell different, drive different, oh, yeah, they all cost different, too. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us more from an article by Matthew de Paula of msn.com.

Jody Victor : According to this article the power of a sports car is not always proportionate to the cost. Here’s the second half.

5. 2012 Chrysler 200 Touring – Price: $23,165 | HP: 283 | $/HP: $81.86 – The Chrysler 200 replaced the Sebring and we’re glad for that; it is a marked improvement in many ways. As twin to the Dodge Avenger, the 200 has the same new Pentastar V6, but in SXT Touring trim it’s more affordable than the most affordable version of the Avenger that comes with the V6. That’s why it ranks higher on this list. Although they’re mechanically the same, the Chrysler and Dodge sedans have different characters. The 200 is more sophisticated, while the Avenger goes for a sporty, younger feel.

4. 2012 Dodge Charger R/T RWD = Price: $29,995 | HP: 370 | $/HP: $81.07 – Dodge drastically improved the Charger R/T for 2011, and the good news for 2012 is that the company is holding the line on pricing. That means you can get a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine for just less than $30,000. No other automaker sells a car like the Charger in the United States at the moment: a large, powerful, rear-wheel-drive sedan at an affordable price. Although 370 horsepower sounds like a lot, the Charger is big and heavy, so it ends up being just enough power for good acceleration. Still, this is a lot of car for the money.

3. 2012 Dodge Challenger R/T – Price: $29,995 | HP: 376 | $/HP: $79.77 – The Dodge Challenger is the Charger’s 2-door sibling. It has six more horsepower under the hood. Most people won’t be able to tell the difference. The reason to get a Challenger over a Charger is styling versus practicality: It’s sleeker but not as handy, with two fewer doors than the Charger. Compared with the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang, this big coupe feels fat and flabby. But it has a comfortable ride and the Hemi makes it entertaining enough. Upgrading to the pricier SRT8 version on either the Challenger or the Charger brings more power, but it isn’t as good a power value.

2. 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe SS – Price: $31,850 | HP: 426 | $/HP: $74.77 – If we were ranking cars based on attitude per dollar, the Chevrolet Camaro would win hands-down. Its aggressive appearance is intimidating. Drivers hustled out of its way when they saw us approaching in the rearview mirror. And both young and old exclaimed how impressive it was when they came across it on the street. The SS version gets a power boost with a 426-horsepower V8. That’s supercar power at a fraction of the cost of a Ferrari or Porsche. The Camaro is a well-rounded performer, even though it doesn’t feel quite as lively and tossable as a Ford Mustang.

1. 2012 Ford Mustang GT Coupe – Price: $29,310 | HP: 412 | $/HP: $71.14 – The Ford Mustang GT offers 14 horsepower less than the Chevy Camaro SS, but it’s less expensive. So it edges out its arch rival in this price-to-power competition. Numbers aside, Ford has fine-tuned this car to near perfection. Its Achilles heel is the interior, which, although much improved over that of past Mustangs, still feels cheap. Dynamically, the Mustang is a joy to drive on both road and track. It’s beautifully balanced, and the V8 engine in the GT version gives awesome acceleration. A slew of improvements are coming for 2013, including more power for the V8 in the GT model, and a 650-horsepower Shelby GT500.

Thanks, Jody! We’ll be sure to check ‘em out.

Joe Victor

Joe asks Jody Victor® – Best Bang for the Buck: Horsepower

Numbers tell an interesting story when it comes to how much automakers charge for high-powered engines. Sports cars from companies such as Aston Martin and Lamborghini are best when it comes to performance and prestige, but throw price into the mix and the story changes, and not for the better. So which cars offer the best bang for the buck when it comes to horsepower? I asked Jody Victor to tell us more about it from an article by Matthew de Paula of msn.com.

Jody Victor:  They decided to find out by calculating a simple price-to-power ratio using the manufacturer’s reported horsepower ratings and suggested retail prices. Here’s what they discovered in two parts.

10. 2011 Suzuki SX4 – Price: $13,499 | HP: 150 | $/HP: $89.99 -Talk about starting off in left field. It’s hard to imagine a more incongruous car when talking horsepower and performance. But the Suzuki SX4 Sport’s bargain-basement price and decently powered little 4-cylinder engine give it an excellent price-to-horsepower ratio when paired with the standard manual transmission. You do get what you pay for, however. The Suzuki’s quality and refinement lag compared with cars from Honda and Toyota, for example. On the upside, the SX4 Sport is a nimble little car. It’s still a far cry from a Honda Civic Si or Volkswagen GTI, but then so is its price.

9. 2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T – Price: $24,645 | HP: 274 | $/HP: $89.95 – Most Hyundai Sonatas come with a 4-cylinder engine, which is good for gas mileage but only adequate in delivering performance. But the 2.0T gets a turbocharger, which transforms this sedan into something more exciting, even though at its core the car will always be just another family hauler, despite what’s under the hood. Still, with 274 horsepower, the engine pulls strongly, and the handling dynamics aren’t bad. Since it’s a Hyundai, the Sonata is packed with features and comes with a great warranty, making it one of the best values around, regardless of the horsepower.

8. 2012 Ford Shelby GT500 – Price: $48,810 | HP: 550 | $/HP: $88.75 – This one’s no surprise. It’s a muscle car, and muscle cars are all about offering the most performance for the lowest cost. Now, $48,810 isn’t exactly cheap, but the Shelby GT500 is no ordinary muscle car. Its 550-horsepower V8 engine offers performance on par with sports cars costing at least twice as much. Unlike American muscle cars of the past, it can do more than just go fast in a straight line; the Mustang chassis on which it’s built is wonderfully balanced. And with its stiffer suspension, the Shelby GT500 handles corners even better.

7. 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec Manual – Price: $26,750 | HP: 306 | $/HP: $87.42 – The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is a Korean muscle car: It’s sporty, it has rear-wheel drive, and it’s affordable. It comes in many flavors, too. The one with the best power-to-price ratio is the base version — called the R-Spec — equipped with a 3.8-liter 306-horsepower V6 engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. This combination gives a lot of performance per dollar. In concept, the Genesis Coupe is similar to American muscle cars, but in reality it provides a different driving experience than, say, a Chevrolet Camaro or Ford Mustang; it’s smaller and the suspension setup is firmer.

6. 2012 Dodge Avenger SXT Plus – Price: $23,995 | HP: 283 | $/HP: $84.79 – Chrysler has pulled off a miracle. It has systematically upgraded every vehicle across all of its brands — including Dodge — on thin budgets while preparing future products to replace the current lineup. The Avenger is competent and much better than before, thanks mainly to two things: a better interior with classier styling and materials, and the company’s new Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 engine. It puts out 283 horsepower while still managing to offer an estimated 29 mpg on the highway. Is it as refined as V6 engines from Asian competitors? The jury’s still out on that one.

Thanks, Jody! More on horsepower for your buck next time!

Joe Victor

Joe asks Jody Victor®: Cars That Make Us Thankful II

If you could have any car, which one would it be? I asked Jody Victor  to tell us about a list from msn.com.

Jody Victor: Hey Joe, this list has some very fine choices in it – maybe one of them is yours! Here’s the second half from Matthew de Paula of msn.com.

Jeep Wrangler – What kind of idiot would pick a Jeep, you ask? We would! Consider what the world would be like without one. Do you really want every so-called sport-utility vehicle on the road to be like a Nissan Juke or Toyota RAV4 – urban assault vehicles with no off-road capabilities whatsoever? That’s where things seem to be headed. But the Wrangler is an SUV that not only still lives up to the abbreviation’s definition, but one that helped create the category. You can drive it straight off the dealer’s lot and into the wilderness to crawl over boulders and wade through streams. Yes, there are things not to like, such as its Tonka Toy styling and coarse engines, but not much; plus, a new V6 engine is on tap for 2012.

Volkswagen Golf/ Jetta TDI – Hybrids have hogged the spotlight as far as eco-friendly rides go. But the not-so-dirty secret among those in the know is that diesel-powered cars are a great alternative. This is particularly true of smaller diesels such as the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta TDI. Their exhaust emissions are clean enough to comply with federal regulations without the need for convoluted and costly exhaust-gas treatments required on larger diesel vehicles from Audi, BMW, Mercedes and others. The Golf and Jetta TDI are not only more fuel-efficient than their gas-powered equivalents, they also offer amazing torque, which makes them fast off the live and fun to drive. How many hybrids are actually fun to drive?

Audi A7 – Audi calls it a “5-door coupe.” But coupes have two doors, not four doors plus a hatch back. Whatever you call it, the A7 is sexy, a big car with sultry lines that draws stares from everyone. The restrained and unadorned exterior is a departure from cars of other luxury brands. So is the signature huge front grille. This car is unique in an industry filled with things that look and feel the same. And with a supercharged V6 engine mated to a 7-speed transmission, it has the moves to back up the stunning good looks. There are two glaring faults , though: A car this big shouldn’t have only four seats, and the controls are overly complicated. Nobody’s perfect.

McLaren MP4-12C – As one of the most successful Formula One racing teams of all time, McLaren is no stranger to building fast cars.But it hasn’t built a road car of its own in gears. Now here’s the MP4-12C to shake up the super-car establishment; it’s both faster and more fuel-efficient than some of the competition. It has the mind-boggling technology we’ve come to expect from McLaren, such as a rear wing that stands upright when the brakes are applied to help slow the car down. The best part is that the MP4-12C is just the opening shot of a larger salvo to follow.

Ferrari 458 Italia Spyder – It has been years – perhaps even decades, some say – since Ferrari has put out a truly gorgeous, timeless car. The current 599 Maranello, California and FF are alluring, but they somehow lack the harmony and subtle beauty that once defined every Ferrari. Fortunately, that tradition is once again alive in the new 458 Italia. The recently unveiled convertible version, the Spyder, only adds to the Italia’s appeal. It is as much of a joy to drive as it is to behold. And with the top down, the melodious sounds of its V8 engine are all the more audible.

Thanks, Jody! What a line-up!

Joe Victor