Every week, we round up the five most popularly researched vehicles from the new car shopping section of AutoGuide.com. But those updates are limited to a single week. What would a year-long retrospective return? Here’s the answer.
Perhaps a testament to the taste Americans have for muscle cars, the 2013 Ford Mustang was one of the most popularly researched cars on AutoGuide.com through 2013. Earlier this month, Ford unveiled its 2015 Mustang along with a series of big changes meant to make it globally marketable. Those include an optional turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an independent rear suspension. But before that happens, you can still find a more traditional ‘Stang at Ford stores with an iron log between the rear wheels. Ford developed the 5.0-liter “Coyote” V8 as an answer to the 6.2-liter V8 powering Chevrolet’s Camaro. In its current form, the engine makes 420 hp, or more than enough to attract attention, good or bad.
But if attention isn’t your thing, the Toyota Camry might be a pretty good bet. Reliable, affordable, and incapable of surprises, this sedan is bland enough to make an episode of “Frasier” seem like the season finale of “Breaking Bad.” While bad drugs, Bryan Cranston and the voice of Sideshow Bob have very little in common except for the fact that their characters were all in the Toyota Camry demographic at one point or another; except “drugs,” because we all know a bag of blue meth can’t drive.
With a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder and the German style to woo entry-ish level luxury buyers, it’s no surprise that a 3 Series popped into this year’s top 10. BMW is being pushed out of its spot as top luxury dog in North America by Mercedes-Benz because of the hot-selling new CLA-Class, but BMW will eventually fire back with its own line of front-wheel drive “affordable” cars. Just be patient, the first models are expected to arrive sometime late next year.
Kia’s Rio uses direct-injection engines and offers a reasonably compelling package for the small segment it competes in. A base model is available for under $15,000, although you”ll wind up spending an extra $1,100 on the automatic transmission. It competes with cars like the Chevrolet Sonic and the Hyundai Accent if you can count them as competitors considering they’re essentially the same car.
Since 1994, the RAV4 has been a staple in the North American car market. Long before compact crossovers were as prolific as they currently are, this one was taking on snowy suburban hills and leading people to hiking trials. When the current generation reached dealers, it did so without the optional third-row seat previous models offered. But that doesn’t see seem to have dampened the mood around Toyota’s tiny trucklet.
The third-generation Focus came around in 2011 looking like a wild child in the compact car arena. In 2012, the company sold almost 250,000 of them in North America alone, but the brand won’t be breaking its annual sales record this year. A flood of competition is washing over the segment and leaving cars looking stale after only a year. Both years following the current generation of Civic included refreshed equipment. Maybe Ford should pay attention if Honda is willing to risk running a wild goose chase for the sake of sales.
Cadillac’s compact sport sedan is – arguably – what the BMW 3 Series used to be: a lightweight rear-wheel drive vehicle for someone with a taste for driving and premium transportation. With three engine options and the possibility of a manual transmission, the ATS is nothing like Cadillacs of the past. There’s a coupe model on the way and with any luck we’ll see a “V” performance variant on the horizon. Here’s hoping the fat man in the North Pole is reading.
But even if he isn’t, it’s hard not to feel lucky this year with something as enjoyable as the Mazda3 on the market. With both the 2.0- and 2.5-liter SkyActiv four-cylinder engines available, there’s a reason why we chose this as the 2014 AutoGuide.com Car of the Year. It packages styling, driving dynamics and value that arguably challenges more expensive segments to improve. Bravo, Mazda.
If you can’t count on an Accord, what can you count on? These days, there’s actually quite a bit. But Honda’s reputation is a perfect illustration of why “brand equity” is so important. The Accord is a great mid-size sedan, but it really isn’t the best. That also really doesn’t seem to matter because both this car and the Toyota Camry wipe the court with sales sheets from other companies. Through November, the Accord sold over 334,000 times in the U.S.
Its boxy body makes for spectacular sight lines. The continuously variable transmission – cringeworthy as it might seem – adds excellent fuel economy and with standard all-wheel drive it promises to be appropriately behaved on questionable roads. Yes, the Subaru Forester would be right near the top of our favorites list for this year and it looks like more than a few others agree.
You can check out each of these cars at our new car shopping section or learn more about your own top picks in our Tips & Advice area.