The 14 car and 14 truck finalists for 2011 North American Car and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) were gathered near Ann Arbor, Michigan last week. I was fortunate enough to be in Michigan for both a 2011 Ford Explorer and a 2011 Chevrolet Volt press introduction earlier in the week. This means that in less than 72 hours I had access to more than 25 all-new or redesigned vehicles.
I didn't need access to all 25 of these vehicles, as many of them I'd already driven extensively (Fiesta, Mazda 2, Sonata, S60, XJ, etc.), but several of them were still on my "to drive" list before I could cast my vote. And of course having access to them all on the same day at the same location was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. As anyone who evaluates modern vehicles knows, today's cars are all quite good. They need to be driven back-to-back, preferably on the same roads, to uncover any meaningful differences. That's exactly what I was able to do.
I won't go over every vehicle I drove and my associated thoughts, but here are the highlights of my Whirlwind Michigan Vehicle Tour last week:
Chevrolet Cruze: I liked this car even more than I expected. Excellent overall driving dynamics (nice steering!) and solid interior/exterior design. However, I was disappointed in the rear seat legroom. If I adjusted the driver's seat for my size there was no way I could sit in the back seat. To confirm this wasn't an issue with every car in the compact sedan category I immediately ran over to the Honda Civic (NACTOY also had competitive vehicles available) and adjusted the Honda's driver seat to fit me. Sitting in the rear was tight, but completely doable. Bummer for the Cruze.
Chevrolet Volt: No matter what you think of the Volt you can't deny the car's technical pedigree. It's a tremendously advanced machine utilizing a powerful combination of drivetrain and computer technology. Under the right circumstances it could end your personal dependence on foreign oil. Yet I have concerns about both its price and GM's ongoing challenge in educating the new-car consumer about what the Volt really is and how its technology applies to them.
Ford Explorer: I think the all-new Ford Explorer's features and driving characteristics are definitely...under embargo until December 13th...
Honda Odyssey: The all-new family hauler remains the most entertaining minivan on the market in terms of driving dynamics. Other NACTOY jurors noted the lighter steering effort this year, and it's clear Honda acquieced to complaints from some current Odyssey customers about the "heavy" steering (time for some free weight curls, people!). Too bad, as I think the current Odyssey's steering is perfect. But the new one still steers (and drives) better than any other sliding-door-box on the market. BTW, I feel sorry for those without the self-esteem/inner confidence to drive a minivan when it is otherwise the best possible vehicle for you. You're missing out.
Jeep Grand Cherokee: The biggest issues with the outgoing Jeep Grand Cherokee? Cramped rear seat and horrid interior material quality. New one addresses both, creating a capable off-road SUV that's hard to fault. Many competitors offer a third-row seat, which puts the Jeep at a disadvantage for those buyers. Still, few SUVs combine on-road pleasantries with off-road capabilities as well as this. Yes, Touareg and Cayenne offer a similar combination, but you gotta pay to play with those models.
Nissan Juke: This was my first quality seat time within the Juke's...interesting exterior. The interior is just as creative in terms of design, though it won't win any soft-touch/quality awards, especially at that $19,000 starting price. Dynamically it's fun to drive. The turbo engine gets the job done at moderate throttle inputs, and the CVT isn't overly slushy/whiny -- unless you floor it. The car's looks may keep people from ever giving it a chance, which is unfortunate.
Toyota Sienna: With both Honda and Toyota redesigning their minivans for 2011 they're setting up a knock-down, drag-out fight for the hearts and minds of America's parents (at least the self-assured and practical ones). The Sienna doesn't have the Odyssey's FTD factor, though I like the more robust center console and straightforward center-stack controls. Otherwise the two vans are so clearly benchmarked against each other you really can't go wrong either way. Love the new widescreen display for rear-seat passengers in the Sienna (and yes, Odyssey has it too).
Those were the primary learnings I got out of Michigan last week. As with previous finalist lists there are plenty of viable candidates for both car and truck of the year. The winners will be announced in early January, on the first press day of the Detroit Auto Show.
I haven't cast my vote yet, so tell me who you think deserves the crown.
By robert4380
on October 26, 2010
06:53 AM
I'm calling it right now. The winners will be the Volt and Grand Cherokee.
By vwblues
on October 26, 2010
08:12 AM
robert4380, you are probably right.
I'd pick the Sonata (Maybe Regal) and Edge (the Cherokee looks great too).
Karl, I don't really get the embargo thing; why even mention it? I do agree with you minivan comments though. We used an Odyssey to help with some moving last week and I was flat out shocked at what we could cram in there. There is a no way an Acadia or Pilot could have done that.
By blackadder5639
on October 26, 2010
08:30 AM
I'm surprised the Mazda 2 is on the list! Not a bad car, but certainly nothing special either...... While it's stylish and dynamically very good, it has somewhat limited untility and a low-tech engine compared to its competition.
I really love the Juke! I like the Volt too, although I'm disappointed by its mpg numbers once the battery runs out.....it should have done at least 50 mpg!
My vote would be for either the Juke or the Volt. Because of my disappointment with the Volt's hybrid performance, I would choose the Juke as my NACOTY 2011!
Juke wins! (I wish they had the AWD available with a manual transmission!)
By blueguydotcom
on October 26, 2010
08:46 AM
I have my eye on the Juke. I'll need a new car in 2 years and that one is competing for my attention (along with the Countryman and 1/3/X1 series).
By sabastian
on October 26, 2010
08:49 AM
I think it'll be the Volt will definitely be a winner. It may not be the perfect car for everyone, but for a lot of people it will represent a game-changing proposition. Sure, it's a little expensive, but in the spectrum of new car prices, it isn't really that bad.
By 7driver
on October 26, 2010
09:48 AM
Karl, is it worth noting that despite the embargo you still mentioned the Explorer on your list? (nudge nudge wink wink)?
BTW, I'm not sold on the Nissan Joke. Or the Countrybland for that matter. Unless you really need AWD I don't quite see what they can do that a GTI or its ilk cannot.
By editor_karl
on October 26, 2010
01:41 PM
7driver: The answer to your question is...YES!
By kingkhalas
on October 26, 2010
02:10 PM
totally agree on your comments "I feel sorry for those without the self-esteem/inner confidence to drive a minivan when it is otherwise the best possible vehicle for you. You're missing out."
It's impossible to convince people that minivan is better utility than an SUV.
By cruiserhead1
on October 26, 2010
03:29 PM
Wow, not one truck on the TOTY list.
Why no Raptor? Ecoboost F-150?
By blueguydotcom
on October 26, 2010
03:35 PM
7driver,
The GTI is made by VW. We own an Audi. I have made a numerous attempts with VWAG and consistently the cars fall apart, the dealers suck (or do not exist) and the cars are expensive to maintain. Mu Nissans and my Mini were rock solid, 100% reliable and fun to own. I can't suffer through another VWAG product.
The Countryman offers me 4 doors, enough room for my kid but still a car with Mini-like sensibility (great dealers, tons of customization, great economy, fun handling, a manual). The Juke, likewise, will give me the same qualities but with less customization.
The only real competition for them comes from Munich... doing ED again sounds nice.
By wrinklebump
on October 28, 2010
06:29 PM
The tech underneath the Volt is pretty incredible. It'll win.