Green Car of the Year

In the world of automotive awards, GCOTY is a fairly new one. Established just four years ago, the first one was awarded to the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid. A year later, the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid was the recipient, while the following year the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid received the award that was presented, for the first time, at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Last year, the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI became the first-ever clean diesel to win Green Car Journal’s Green Car of the Year honor.

Requirements

In order to qualify for a nomination, a vehicle must, according to Green Car Journal, “exhibit characteristics that substantially raise the bar in environmental performance and be in production by January 1 of the award year.” In addition, each nominee is driven by Green Car Journal so that its driving characteristics can be observed first-hand. Nominee vehicles must also be in production to make sure they are readily available to the market during their award year.

The winner is selected by an 11 member panel that is comprised of both automotive as well as environmental experts. Past jurors have included such luminaries as Jean-Michael Cousteau of the Ocean Futures Society and Carl Pope of the Sierra Club as well as TV personality and major car aficionado Jay Leno and legendary race car driver and designer Carroll Shelby.

2010 Nominees

In alphabetical order, here are the 2010 nominees:

2010 Audi A3 TDI

Audi makes its first appearance on the list with the A3 TDI clean diesel. Equipped with a 2.0 liter TFSI turbocharged direct injection diesel, this smallest of Audis produces 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft. of torque.

Engine: 2.0-liter inline-four diesel
Emissions, EU5; PZEV or ULEVII
Horsepower: 200
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 21/30 (EPA) with manual transmission
Base MSRP: $30,775

2010 Honda Insight

The second generation Insight brings with it a new level of affordability to the hybrid sedan segment. Borrowing its name from Honda’s first production hybrid vehicle, the Insight is a completely new model from the ground up.

Engine: 1.3-liter inline-four, gasoline-electric hybrid
Emissions, EPA/CARB: Tier 2, Bin 5/AT-PZEV
Horsepower: 98
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 40/43 (EPA)
Base MSRP: $20,510

2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid

The Mercury Milan hybrid is the mechanical twin of Ford’s Fusion hybrid. Under the hood, the Milan benefits from the same new 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine with intake variable cam timing as the Escape/Mariner hybrids, the green-friendly models produce 156 hp and 136 lb.-ft. of torque.

Engine: 2.5-liter inline-four Atkinson-cycle
Emissions, EPA/CARB: Tier 2, Bin 5/AT-PZEV
Horsepower: 156
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 41/36 (EPA)
Base MSRP: $26,280

2010 Toyota Prius

The new Prius is certainly the latest way for environmental fashionistas to wear their colors. It also represents the third generation of the most popular hybrid on the planet. Completely re-designed and re-engineered while retaining its unmistakable styling, Toyota has endowed the latest Prius with such cutting edge engineering features as a “Touch Tracer” display and an electric water pump, thus requiring no accessory drive belts on the engine.

Engine: 1.8-liter inline-four Atkinson-cycle
Emissions, EPA/CARB: Tier 2 Bin 3/SULEV AT-PZEV
Horsepower: 98
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 51/48 (EPA)
Base MSRP: $22,750

2010 VW Golf TDI

Here’s where the fun starts. The VW, it must be noted, is the antithesis of the Prius. It has terrific handling that engages the driver and a clean diesel engine that meets emissions certification in all 50 states. To top it all off, fuel economy is 30 city/41 highway, with many drivers claiming close to 50 mpg.

Engine: 2.0-liter inline-four, diesel
Emissions, EPA/CARB: Tier 2, Bin 5/SULEV
Horsepower: 140
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 30/41 (EPA)
Base MSRP: $22,690

Ford ahead of Honda in quality

Here at LotPro.com, we wanted you to be aware of some of the good news coming out of Detroit:

In a quarterly quality survey conducted for Ford by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Ford surpassed Honda in customer satisfaction in initial vehicle quality for the first time. The survey, called the 2009 Global Quality Research System (GQRS) measured 2009 model year vehicle initial quality in two areas: the number of “things gone wrong,” and customer satisfaction with the quality of their vehicles during the first three months of ownership.

“This is truly a significant accomplishment for us,” said Bennie Fowler, Ford group vice president, Global Quality. “Honda and Toyota have claimed bragging rights for years, but now we are seeing our hard work pay off. It’s evident in study after study.”

During the first quarter of 2009, the number of things gone wrong for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles fell by 5 percent to 1,228 per 1,000 vehicles. This compares with 1,422 things gone wrong per 1,000 vehicles for Honda and 1,150 things gone wrong per 1,000 vehicles for Toyota.

The following Ford vehicles led their respective segments in the survey:

•    Ford Mustang – initial quality and customer satisfaction for sports cars
•    Ford Taurus – initial quality for large cars
•    Ford Taurus X – initial quality for crossover utilities
•    Mercury Milan – initial quality for midsize cars
•    Ford Ranger – initial quality for compact pickups

Ford Fiesta is What Diesel? Best Small Car and Car of the Year

Meanwhile, over in the U.K., the new Ford Fiesta (a car destined for our shores) beat out 26 other vehicles and 8 class winners to be crowned What Diesel magazine’s Car of the Year for 2009.

Ian Robertson, editor of What Diesel magazine said: “The Fiesta is simply the best small diesel car available on the market right now, and judging by the sales figures, the UK public agrees. It feels solid, well-built and is great to drive.”

Although Ford’s new B-segment car won’t go on sale in the U.S. until the spring of 2010, it has been on sale in the U.K. since September of 2008 and has racked up sales of over 36,000 already.

Just over ten years ago, Lincoln was the top-selling luxury brand in America. But shortly after that, the division fell on hard times. Eclipsed by Lexus and cross-town rival Cadillac, Ford’s luxury marque was all but given up for dead. But much like a Rocky movie (we hope you’re thinking of the first one), the carmaker has, once again, picked itself up from the mat and is back in the fight with a string of recent hits.

But the luxury and near-luxury car markets are moving targets and the fight can only be won with fresh, new product. So this year’s Detroit Auto Show saw the brand ready to continue the string of new products with the following offerings:

2010 Lincoln MKZ

With a complete redesign for 2010, the MKZ no longer looks like the red-headed stepchild of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan. The all-new interior is luxurious and is trimmed in real wood and aluminum and includes the latest version of the Microsoft-developed Sync® infotainment system.

Outside, the MKZ borrows design cues from the stunning MKR concept with Lincoln’s new signature waterfall grill as well as wide horizontal LED tail lamps.

2010 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost

Shakespeare once said “if music be the food of love, play on.” If Bill were around today and he had a chance to drive the new EcoBoost-equipped Lincoln MKS, he might very well say, “if EcoBoost is what being green is all about, I like it!”

The latest V-6 from Ford certainly doesn’t act like one. This twin-turbocharged, 3.5 liter direct-injected powerplant produces 355 hp and 350 lb.-ft. of torque and Ford expects it to produce EPA numbers of 16 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The engine will be mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and the entire package will only be available with all-wheel drive versions of the MKS.

2010 Lincoln MKT

Sales of the all-new MKT crossover will begin later on this summer. Based on the same vehicle architecture that spawned the Ford Flex, the MKT will be available in either six or seven-passenger configurations.

Up front, the new crossover sports Lincoln’s trademark waterfall grill while the stern features a full-width horizontal tail lamp. Engine choices include a 3.7 liter 268 horsepower V-6 as well as the aforementioned 3.5 liter EcoBoost engine (again, with all-wheel drive only).

The MKT comes with a slew of standard amenities including 20 GB hard drive for music storage, heated and cooled front seats, ambient lighting, panoramic moon roof and Ford’s new reverse-sensing parking assist system.

Lincoln C Concept

We must not be in Kansas anymore, because the C Concept represents the first look at what might be a future C segment vehicle in the Lincoln lineup.

Based on the same vehicle architecture as the European Ford Focus and the Mazda3, the C shows what direction Lincoln might take if it were to expand its horizon to include smaller and more city and eco friendly vehicles.

Much of the design is typical concept vehicle “kitsch” with suicide doors, floating seats and DUB-inspired 20” wheels. The bustle-back look is reminiscent of recent Renault M´egane models, although the placement of the full-width tail lamp just above the shoulder line is all Lincoln.

While much of the detailing is the stuff of dreams, the fact that the C is based on current Ford technology means that the company could be seriously considering entering the segment a` la the MINI.

2010 Fusion Sport

Early major update and hybrid version available this spring

In the game of one-upmanship and survival of the fittest, the two latest offerings from Ford Motor Company aim to up the ante in the hotly-contested mid-sized sedan segment.

Time waits for no man, and that’s particularly true in the car business. This time around, the guys in Dearborn took a page from the playbook of their Japanese rivals and decided on a major re-work of both the Fusion and its cousin the Mercury Milan just three years into the current model’s life. The best news is that even though both will be given the 2010 model year designation, car buyers won’t have to wait long – both should be in dealer showrooms this spring.

2010 Mercury Milan

New Clothes

While both vehicles received a makeover, the biggest design changes occurred with the Fusion. Gone are the funky square headlights, replaced by a European-influenced trapezoidal lower air intake that sits below the familiar 3-bar grill. This time, however, a portion of the upper bar extends over new horizontal headlamps. The more aggressive front end is complimented by new fenders as well as a new domed hood.

Inside, the new instrument panel features a softer “skin”, while a new center stack an steering wheel give the Fusion a more contemporary look. Seats have also been revised with more side support, smoother bolsters and textured inserts. Options include new ambient lighting as well as Ford’s SYNC™ system, an option that surely sold many customers on the Focus.

2010 Fusion Interior

More Power

Under the hood, the Fusion’s 2.3 liter four has been replaced by a new 2.5 liter version. Horsepower is up by 15 to 175, while torque is up by over 10% (from 156 lb-ft to 172 lb-ft). Highway mileage, according to Ford, is an impressive 33 mpg, besting the Camry by 2 mpg and the Accord by 3 mpg.

The V-6 has also been massaged and now delivers 240 hp and 228 lb-ft of torque, increases of 19 and 23, respectively, over the previous iteration. Both engines will be coupled to a new six-speed automatic transmission.

2010 Fusion Hybrid

You’ll get a charge out of this

Alongside the new twins, Ford also unveiled hybrid versions of both models. Using the same 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine with intake variable cam timing as the Escape/Mariner hybrids, the green-friendly models produce 155 hp and 136 lb-ft of torque. New battery technology enabled the engineers to reduce their size by 30 percent while providing almost 20 percent more power than the previous generation.

Ford claims a top speed of 47 mph on battery power alone while besting the Camry’s city mpg by 5 and allowing for a whopping 700 mile city driving range.

2010 Milan Hybrid

1.    2004 Acura TSX – Although the TSX replaced the Integra as the smallest Acura sedan, unlike the Civic-based Integra, the TSX shares the same platform as the European Accord – albeit with firmer suspension settings. The ’04 TSX is at the top of everybody’s list – from Consumer Reports to CNN.

2.    2005 Ford Escape Hybrid – If you really have to have an SUV, how about a compact one that will get over 30 mpg in the city and about 25 on the highway? The Escape does all this in a pleasing package with plenty of space on the inside and nice styling on the outside.

3.    2007 Honda Accord – The Accord’s “best” list appearances is the automotive equivalent of the movie Poltergeist – “they’re back!” And for good reason. Value for the dollar, high quality and great materials are three reasons the Accord is at the top of its class.

4.    2006 Honda CR-V – 2006 marked the last year of the second-generation CR-V. In addition to standard ABS, all 2006 CR-Vs came with side airbags, side curtain airbags, electronic brake distribution and vehicle stability assist.

5.    2004 Infiniti G35 Sedan – Didn’t we tell you it was going to get fun? Named one of Car and Driver’s ten best for 2004, the G35 shares its platform with the Nissan 350Z and it’s every bit as good as the Z, even going a step further with a real back seat and two extra doors. Throw in superb handling and terrific styling and you have the Japanese answer to the BMW 3 series.

6.    2006 Mazda Miata – Every used car list needs at least one fun ride and the MX-5 fits that to a “T”. Since its introduction in 1989, the Miata has been the perfect example of the “less is more” school of sports car design. If you live in the sunbelt and don’t play much golf, you might even consider driving one year ‘round.

7.    2007 Mercury Milan – Mercury division’s version of the Ford Fusion, the Milan is more formal both on the inside as well as the outside. Standard features include ABS, a full compliment of airbags as well as a 6 speed transmission that comes standard with the optional V-6.

8.    2007 Nissan Altima 4 cyl. – The 2007 Altima begins the 4th generation of this model. Completely redesigned and based on Nissan’s D platform architecture, the Altima borrows styling cues from its G35 cousin. Sporting such niceties as pushbutton start and Bluetooth connectivity, the new Altima has no fewer than nine (!) cupholders. A full compliment of airbags completes the package.

9.    2006 Subaru Forester – Car and Driver magazine rated the ’06 Forester one of their 5 best trucks for good reason. This Subaru is one of the most versatile small SUVs on the market. Solid and reliable, the Forester will reward you will city gas mileage in the low 20’s.

10.    2005 Toyota Prius – Everything we previously said about the 2004 Prius holds true for the 2005 version as well. Toyota owns the hybrid market in the U.S. and it’s easy to see why. With plenty of room and mpg in the 40’s, used Priuses are getting harder and harder to find.