Tuesday, February 18, 2014 | TQCEENQWE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Compact, green cars popular this year

Kyle Stanevich
STAFF WRITER

Years ago, when gas prices started to
skyrocket, the popularity of the SUV declined
and was replaced by smaller cars. Other than
the economic and environmental advantages
of a small car, it is a great fit for people who do
not need all the extra space of a truck or SUV.
Furthermore, navigating the city and finding
convenient parking becomes much easier
because of their small size. Others like the
look of smaller cars over bulky vehicles. Either
way, small cars and green cars have grown in
popularity. Many of these cars were shown off
at this year’s Chicago Auto Show.

There are many options for small
cars, but two that really stand out are Fiat and

Smart. Their quirky look makes them initially
appealing, but upon further inspection they
do not stand up to other competition. Back in
2010, Fiat unveiled their first car in the United
States in over 25 years. There was only one
model available, the Fiat 500. Since then, they
have expanded their options in the United
States to include variations of the 500 model.
While these cars are suitable for some, there
are other options that will provide similar of
better features for around the same price. Take
for example the Mazda 3. Both of these cars
get the same gas millage; however, the Mazda
engine gets 54 more horse power. The Mazda has
more cargo volume, four doors instead of two,
and more passenger space. Plus, both of these
cars are the same price, so unless the car has to

be less than 140 inches long, the Mazda seems to
be the better option. In test drives of these cars,
the Mazda had a sportier feel to it than the Fiat,
but the unique look of the Fiat certainly makes
it stand out.

The other popular ultra-compact
car is the Smart car. This is less expensive than
the Fiat, but there are only two seats instead
of four. It is a very short car, giving it a unique
appearance and a squashed looking front.
While a good fit for some, if you can spare a few
hundred more you can upgrade to a Ford Fiesta
with more cargo room, power, and seating.
However, Smart does offer many customizable
packages, giving the customer the option to
change the look of their car. In California, Smart
sells one of the cheapest electric cars on the

market, making it the best option if no more
than two people ever need to get around with
very little cargo and limited driving range. If
this expands to the rest of the states, Smart cars
might see a boom in popularity, especially in
the cities where electric cars are reasonable to
drive.

Fiat and Smart have risen into fame
because of their quirky looks and unique
marketing approaches, but there always seems
to be a better option on the market. The only
thing they still have going for them is their
extremely short length, however most people
do not put restrictions on the length of their car
while shopping around. For price, fuel economy,
storage space, and power, there are many better
choices to choose from.

Scion debuts new look, booth

Kyle Stanevich
STAFF WRITER

Scion has gone through many changes
in the past year.

Most of these are done by adding
more cars to their lineup and revamping their
marketing strategy. This year at the Chicago
Auto Show, their booth went through a complete
rework. What used to be a darker both directed
toward a younger crowd has now become a
professional-looking booth featuring some
sportier cars and a more professional staff;

This well-planned change
complements their rise in popularity and
their new lineup of vehicles, making Scion a

 

surprising yet serious alternative.

Over the past year, they have had
a spike in popularity for many reasons. First,
all over Chicago and other major cities, there
is a growing number of Scion taxis, able to
be spotted anywhere with their boxy shape.
Second, what was once marketed at teenagers
is now being considered by many more serious
car buyers, especially after their joint project
with Subaru.

From this project—aimed at reducing
development costs for both companies—the
ScTon FR—S and Subaru BRZ Were born. Other
than the sporty FR—S, Scion has also added the
iQ to their product line, a four-seater ultra—small
car resembling a Smart car or Fiat.

Years ago at their both, Scion had
some cool pimped—out cars. One featured a full
grill and fridge in the trunk. Another included
crazy sound systems and a cool paint job. The
square shapes of their vehicles lend them easily
to these customizations. While a lot of options
still exist, they have scaled back on their tricked-
out machines to focus on the larger car buying
audience. Plus, their new lineup includes fewer
boxy options for those who do not like the old
Scion look.

The new FR-S resembles a sports
car without an over—exaggerated front. Unlike
traditional sports cars, there is not a huge engine
in the Scion, not making it very zippy, but still
fun to drive. It also includes a back row of seats

that feature very little room, to be expected with
any sports car. Unlike most cars nowadays, the
dashboard is simple, leaving out complicated
touch screen interfaces (although available as
an accessory). While there is not too much flash
about this car, the $25,255 price tag makes up
for it.

Scion is growing in popularity. Their
booth was actually lit up this year to look more
professional, as compared to their darker and
more hip look years ago. Plus, their staff was
some of the nicest this reporter talked to at the
car show this year. While I will miss the dark
trendy look that Scion used to use, I’m interested
to see where they take it next. Be sure to check
out their both at the next Chicago Auto Show.

0.0.000000000000000.0.00.0.0...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO000,000.00PhotosbyKerStanevich