Hits and Misses From Our Testing

The Hits

BREAKING NEW GROUND

Scion FR -S/Subaru BRZ Developed jointly, these rear-drive coupes hit the sweet spot with an exhilarating driving experience and a reasonable sticker price, while returning 30 mpg overall. It’s true: you don’t need big horsepower to have fun!

Nissan Altima Spacious, quiet, and comfortable, our four-cylinder version averaged a stunning 31 mpg overall. That’s the best fuel economy of any non-hybrid, non-diesel family sedan.

ATTRACTIVE FEATURES

Rear-view cameras These are a big help when backing in or out of tight spaces. Commonplace on SUVs, they’re turning up on less-expensive cars and are even standard on most new Hondas. Even better are versions found on some Audis, Infinitis, and Nissans that give a 360-degree "overhead view" of your car and surrounding objects.

Blind-zone mirrors Simple but effective “spotter” mirrors, sectioned into the outside mirrors, let you spot vehicles lurking in your blind zones. Available on many Ford products, some GM SUVs, and the Honda Accord.

Cross-traffic alert One of the more helpful new safety gadgets, cross-traffic alert calls attention to traffic crossing behind you when you’re backing up. Most vehicles sound an audible alert, while the new Cadillac XTS vibrates the rear of the driver’s seat cushion.

Self-parking If parallel parking is a bête noire for you, Toyota/Lexus and Ford/Lincoln offer a solution: self-parking systems. You pull up just past a likely spot, and modulate the brake pedal while the system steers you to the curb. Ford’s system works especially well.

The Misses

MISSING THE BOAT

Toyota Prius C What’s wrong with a smaller, cheaper Prius? Plenty. A harsh ride, noisy engine and cabin, and cheaplooking interior make the $21,000 C an overpriced econobox with about the same fuel economy as the larger Prius.

Chevrolet Malibu Eco The mild-hybrid sedan has its good points—a cushy ride and wellfinished interior—but for a mainstream family sedan the rear seat is cramped, handling is soggy at its limits, and its 29 mpg overall is nothing special.

AGGRAVATORS LARGE & SMALL

Vanishing knobs More and more cars have dispensed with a dedicated radio tuning knob, making you cope instead with on-screen menus, seek/scan rockers, or multi-function buttons.

Back support lacks For years, an adjustable lumbar bulge was common on family cars. But the redesigned Nissan Altima offers it only on models with leather. And the new Buick Verano and Acura ILX don’t offer it at all.

Flush buttons Touch-sensitive, flush dash buttons are replacing conventional buttons, especially in Ford products but now also some Cadillacs and Toyotas. Fussy and frustrating, you must take your eyes off the road to find them and they lack the
tactile feedback of buttons.

Disappearing tires Some cars are skipping the spare, instead providing a small air pump and a can of puncture goo. But sidewall damage or a blowout means you’re stuck paying for a tow truck.