This past year will go down in the automotive history books as a record one for recalls and retrograde gas pricing, but 2014 also was notable for significant innovations as Ford bet big on aluminum, Chevy thought small with pickups, luxury brands catered to entry-level buyers and manufacturers of every pedigree released a slew of battery electric vehicles.
There are, of course, hundreds of models on the market, and, even though I spent so much time on the road this year that I feel like I’ve driven all of them, the truth is that I tested about 50 cars and 25 two-wheelers, from motorcycles and scooters to electric and pedal bicycles.
Following are a few of my favorite reviewed vehicles that were either brand new or significantly updated this year:
A revolutionary that’s already won: Ford F-150 As sure-footedly as the F-150 can scramble its way to the top of a heap of boulders, its radical 2015 update shows Ford’s determination to retain its king-of-the-hill status as the country’s top-selling vehicle, having shed up to 700 pounds by switching its body from steel to aluminum and, as a result, improving fuel economy as much as 20 percent. Though offered with multiple engines, including a new 2.7-liter V6 that is direct injected, twin turbocharged and equipped with a start-stop feature to save even more fuel, it is the new lifestyle features – like LED spotlights in the side mirrors – and new safety technology – such as forward-collision avoidance and cross-traffic alert – that continues the F-150’s winning streak. Base price: $25,720 A V that stands for versatile: Volkswagen Golf The rare vehicle that can be had with gas, diesel or all-electric power trains, the Golf is Volkswagen’s Swiss army knife. It’s a do-it-all compact hatchback that quietly delivers performance from an unassuming profile, regardless of the performance metric. VW’s 2015 overhaul of its globally bestselling Golf impresses for its sporty handling, surprisingly spacious interior and quiet cabin, but it is even more significant for what’s under the hood. Its base model is powered with a turbocharged gas engine that yields up to 37 mpg highway, while a turbocharged diesel version gets up to 45 mpg and its all electric as many as 126 mpg-e. Volkswagen even has a hydrogen fuel cell version of the Golf that’s ready to go as soon as the infrastructure is built out. Regardless of the fuel that propels it, the Golf is fun to drive and feels more premium than its price. Base price: $17,995 The truck that most aspires to be a car: Chevrolet Colorado A midsize pickup that boldly goes where other automakers have fled, the Colorado marks Chevrolet’s re-entrance into the midsize category Ford and Ram have abandoned to focus on bigger, badder trucks. Smaller than a full-size pickup but more utilitarian than a crossover or SUV, Chevy maintains truck utility with 5- and 6-foot cargo beds, as well as 3,500- and 7,000-pound trailering options, but it imports car-like handling, pricing and amenities, such as 4G. Base price: $20,995 The Italian that floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee, fights like a bull: Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 An Italian exotic named for a Spanish fighting bull, the Huracan LP 610-4 is Lamborghini’s latest example of grade-A police bait. Powered with a brand-new naturally aspirated, mid-rear-mounted V10 that rushes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, the Huracan makes its presence known with a harmonic exhaust note that’s brought to life with the push of a button, rev matching and crackling to the distress of CHP for miles in every direction. Low, lean and chiseled, the Huracan’s angular lines are unmistakably Lambo, its hybrid aluminum and carbon fiber chassis decidedly modern, its overall gestalt rapturous. Base price: $240,745 Best electric vehicle you aren’t considering because of lower gas prices: Kia Soul EV It’s ironic that just as consumers have more electric vehicle choices than ever, gas prices have plummeted to less than $3 per gallon. At least the Kia Soul EV offers more value than mere fuel savings. A utilitarian compact SUV that yields better range at a better price point than almost all of its competitors, the electric version of Kia’s best-selling Soul also offers an impressive amount of interior space for passengers as well as cargo. The Soul EV is powered with a larger-than-the-Nissan-Leaf 27-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack that deploys a new, more energy-dense battery chemistry to enable 93 miles of travel per charge. It is offered with the same 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain and battery warranty as Kia’s gas-powered cars. Base price: $33,700 ($23,700 after applying $7,500 federal tax credit and $2,500 California Air Resources Board Clean Vehicle Rebate) Most surprising luxury entrant that delivers: Kia K900 South Korea’s version of the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, the K900 is a display of automotive breeding that takes the most expensive luxury sedan from its Hyundai sister company – the Equus – and tweaks it for an even more value-oriented buyer. Offered as Kia’s best in show, the K900 is a premium five-seat sedan that is also its first to be driven with a V8 engine and rear-wheel drive. Costing almost twice as much as Kia’s previously most premium offering, the $35,100 Cadenza sedan, the K900 is a grand experiment to test the idea that a luxury experience trumps brand status. It boasts multiple firsts for Kia, including a head-up display in the drivers’ windshield, reclining and ventilated rear seats, a surround-view monitor, advanced smart cruise control that maintains the car’s following distance and can also bring the car to a full stop as well as re-accelerate, and adaptive LED headlights that adjust to follow the road even when it curves. Base price: $60,400 Most impressive baby sibling to a best-seller: BMW 2 Series Striving to distance itself from the too-small 1 Series it’s replacing and nip at the bumpers of the German automaker’s larger, and deservedly esteemed, 3 Series, the 2 Series splits the difference with an entry-level driver’s car that’s available in a high-powered M Performance version. Longer, wider, lower and larger inside than the 1, BMW’s rear-wheel drive subcompact sports car is best in its M235i version, with adaptive suspension, variable steering and adjustable seat bolsters that swaddle drivers from the sides at the press of a button. Base price: $33,025 Most iconic makeover: Ford Mustang Ponies are what the Ford Mustang is known for, and the 2015 has a lot of them, both under the hood and hidden all over the car. Unlock the doors, and projection lamps under each side mirror throw the galloping logo onto the ground. Pop the hood to remove the insulator, and an even larger pony is stamped into the aluminum. Still, the most notable horses are the engines. Four, six or eight cylinders, it doesn’t matter. All three power trains in Ford’s 50th anniversary update make at least 300 horsepower, including the first Mustang engine to be direct-injected and twin-scroll turbocharged. The 2.3-liter inline four cylinder makes 310 horsepower and yields up to 31 mpg highway. It is also the first to be equipped with multiple drive modes, adjustable steering and an independent rear suspension. Base price: $23,600 Best middleweight rival to a market heavyweight: Indian Scout A modern revival of the original Indian Scout first introduced in 1920, the midsize cruiser from recently reborn Indian Motorcycle simultaneously pulls from its heritage while pushing it forward with new technology. Exceptionally well-conceived, the Scout offers an impressive amount of engineering and craftsmanship for its price. Nods to the vintage version include an analog speedometer ringed in antique white, cursive tank badges, a slightly flared front fender and bucket shape of the solo seat, trimmed in Indian’s iconic brown leather. But it’s the modern V-twin that distances it from rival Harley. Liquid-cooled, the 1,133cc V-twin lacks fins on the cylinders, which are flat-faced and matte black and fronted with a rectangular radiator that actually looks elegant instead of awkward. Packing 100 horsepower, it’s the torque curve that’s most impressive. From a dead stop, it wants to take off simply from letting out the clutch. Base price: $10,999
Contact the writer: scarpenter@ocregister.com or OCRegCarpenter on Twitter
