The exciting year
While everyone is scrambling to the shops in an effort to secure the last pink sparkling wine magnum, I decided to recap some of the more important newcomers of 2011.
Alfa-Romeo Giulietta
Not only do I struggle to spell this new car’s name every time, I also fail to understand why this hasn’t been more successful since its launch in January. There’s a red Giulietta just up the road from my house and I smile every time I see it. It’s a good-looking car, it rides well and has a great little engine. It’s affordable and so much more interesting than the established C-segment hatchbacks.
BMW 1-Series M
Proving once more that the public is still hungry for high-performance machines, the limited edition BMW 1M is as sold out as it is dynamically perfect. Well, at least that’s what I’m led to believe from fellow journalists as our test date was postponed and then cancelled.
I’d be highly upset about this if the car was still available on dealer forecourts. Your best bet is to find a pre-owned one and I suggest you do that now.
Chevrolet Cruze 2.0D LT
One of my peers just declared this the most boring car of 2011. I have to respect that as these things are a matter of opinion and I think the Jetta was the most boring car of the year. Good, but boring. Brilliant, actually, but dreary.
My resounding impression of the top-spec Cruze Diesel was how surprisingly good it was. I expected it to be cheap, noisy, slow and terrible to drive. It wasn’t. Sure, the GM/Opel interior isn’t top-notch and the bug-zapper blue lighting might not be to everyone’s taste but I was thoroughly impressed by this car. Good price, too, but needs a sixth gear and autobox option.
Honda Ballade
Hurray, an old favourite is back, even if it’s just by name. Its price is competitive, specifications are comprehensive, the styling is conservative and I dislike the rear end. Still, it offers great value for money and that rev-happy 1.5 litre VTEC engine is an absolute peach.
Hyundai Elantra
The words “Hyundai” and “Elantra” would’ve gotten you laughed at ten years ago but nowadays you might find yourself at the car’s press launch with an inquisitive father asking if he may show your car to his family.
The Koreans have their specifications, technology, prices and warranty right. All that was left to do was the styling, and the Elantra ticks that box, too. It’s incredibly busy and creased but nobody can accuse it of being dull anymore.
KIA Cerato hatchback
See most of the paragraph above. The Cerato hatch has restrained good looks and no-nonsense tech, price and warranty. Good to drive but lacks ESP.
Lexus CT200h
The CT200h is Lexus’ most important car of the year, representing the cheapest Lexus and most luxurious hatchback hybrid in South Africa. It accomplishes both those tasks but left me stumped with its questionable looks, plastic interior and occasional “Sport” badges. Lexus, please remove them immediately.
The CT200h isn’t sporty, it handles well but has no urge to get naughty. It’s a stylish and smooth hybrid, which means you can save fuel and CO2 emissions. Think of it as a posh Prius, because that’s what it is.
Lexus IS350
My respect for the ageing Lexus IS250 is still boundless. Call it a Japanese Mercedes all you want but it offers sublime handling and superior specifications. All it needed was a few more kilowatts so Lexus endowed it with a few dozen more. Now it arrives at the next traffic light ahead of the manic 335i and C350.
Mercedes-Benz 63 AMG
Mercedes brought out a whole host of new cars like the SLK and CLS, both of which I still prefer the previous versions of. The CL and C-Class were face-lifted and 2011 saw the introduction of the first proper, full-length, no-nonsense C-Coupe. It’s wonderful.
Not as wonderful as the offerings from AMG though, their “old” 6.3 mill still being used in said coupé. The bigger cars get AMG’s new 5.5 bi-turbo V8 which is even more brutal and responsive than its forefather. With the possible exception of the big-bum CL, all 5.5 AMG’s impressed me with their nimble and responsive handling. They’re not Caterham quick but they’re more fun and forgiving than I would’ve imagined.
Mini Countryman ALL4 Cooper S
Yet another surprising car. I’m of the belief that Mini makes too many models but I understand that they need to cast a wider net by expanding their line-up. Aston Martin is also guilty of this, although their beautiful cars all look the same.
The Countryman is based on a BMW X1, which made my job a little easier. The X1 and Countryman are both wannabe-4x4’s for people who want big car attitude and small car size. Sporty handling and occasional bundu bashing. The Mini looks infinitely better than the X1 and thankfully you can order it with front-wheel-drive only... and then stick 480 hundred Rand notes back into your pocket.
Nissan JUKE
Ladies and gentlemen, we present yet another cutesy faux-by-four! Sporty and active urbanites have a lot of that annoying disposable cash so expect to see more of these low-carb, weekday work, weekend countryside efforts.
The Juke’s alien looks earn it loads of hatred and the odd bit of praise – if you’re of the latter disposition, it only gets better. The build quality is ok, the price too, specs and ground clearance are high, and the turbo version is quite an athlete. Not just for posing, see also: Toyota FJ Cruiser.
Range Rover Evoque
Undoubtedly my favourite new car of 2011, although I am yet to drive one. L-R didn’t invite me on the international launch (hint, hint), nor the local one (nudge, nudge) and I’m yet to get confirmation of my press demonstrator booking (cough, cough!). I got my first impression of it at the Jo’burg Motor Show and it was the only car I sat in at the entire show, which should tell you something:
I want one.
Range Rover Vogue SE TDV8
I hate to jump onto the bandwagon and agree with everything my peers say, but every now and then a near-perfect car comes along. The only downsides of a Range Rover Vogue SE TDV8 are its high price, high maintenance, high depreciation and the infotainment system’s initially high learning curve.
The rest is perfect. Absolutely, undeniably perfect. And if you don’t believe me, hit up your friend Google and see what it comes up with.
Renault Sandero 1.4
One of the least interesting cars of 2011 as it’s based on a Dacia and smells of glue. The locally-made Sandero is dirt-cheap though and offers superior amounts of space with very basic engineering. The new 1.4 litre engine is more eager than the 1.6 motor, so the base model is a good choice.
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Finally. Even before my review I proclaimed that the FJ Cruiser was the first Toyota I was excited about since, umm, I was born. This opinion didn’t change after my test although the FJ turned out to be cramped, unpractical, cheap and thirsty in some places.
On the upside, it has an incredibly smooth ride, great off-road capability, fantastic looks and suicide doors. Just like the Nissan Juke, there is a good car behind all that posing.
Volkswagen Golf R and Scirocco R
Breathing fire into the Volkswagen range and putting a few competitors’ noses out of joint are the hot R versions of the hatchback Golf and coupe Scirocco. My love affair with two-door cars made me biased towards the latter but the Golf represents the more mature, planted and versatile choice.
However. In a bout of irony, I found the Scirocco’s everyday handling more inspiring and sharper than its 4Motion sister. Also, both our test units were fitted with DSG double-clutch automatics and launch control - the Scirocco burnt plenty of rubber and sprinted to 100km/h faster (5.4 vs 6.1) than its restrained, not a chirp from the tyres, four-wheel-drive sibling.
As always, thanks for reading and please drive safely!
