The Japanese automaker Subaru has just announced pricing for the 2010 Impreza lineup. Prices for the fun to drive all wheel drive four and five door models will start at $17,495 for the 2.5i version that comes equipped with 5 speed manual transmission and will go all the way up to $34,995 for the top of the line factory hot rod STI version that comes with a turbocharged and flat four cylinder engine mated to a six speed manual transmission. Whereas the sporty boosted WRX will go on sale starting at $25,495 for a standard model and rises to $27,995 for the more luxurious WRX Premium.
The Impreza 2.5i, 2.5GT and Outback Sport models add a stylish new grill and an attractive new exterior color called Camellia Red Pearl is available exclusively on the 2.5i and 2.5GT versions. The GT models are powered by a 2.5 Liter intercooled turbocharged Boxer engine that produces 224 HP equipped with an Active AWD version of Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive System.
The high-performance 300 HP WRX STI which will be back for 2010 as a hatchback only model will feature the same boxed fenders and black alcantara trim complete with red stitching to dress up the interior as last year’s model.
Press release after the jump.
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The 2009 Ford Focus Coupe is an excellent economy car that features attractive fastback styling that will make you think twice about this car’s role as an econobox. Our Focus gives the impression of being a sports car with its Sangria Red metallic paint, large rear wing and rally inspired 17 inch premium dark painted wheels. However the exterior is only the beginning of the story, it was the interior of our $20,000 Ford Focus Coupe that made us fans of the well finished affordable method of transportation. It’s not the gauges or the synthetic door panels, but the Medium Stone leather seats and Ford’s voice commanded Sync audio system that earned our affection. These are two luxuries that you won’t find in many other $20,000 new cars.
Our Focus is powered by a 2.0 Liter Duratec 16 valve four cylinder engine that makes 143 HP when connected to a 5 speed manual transmission. The blue oval guys claim that the Coupe comes with a sport tuned exhaust as well as a sport tuned suspension, two things we thoroughly enjoyed listening to and putting through its paces. Despite the sporty nature of the Focus Coupe, Ford is already ready for the future CAFÉ standards because our car gets an EPA estimated 35 MPG.
However, no matter how good the Focus is, for some reason U.S. consumers have never been able to focus on the car’s highlights. You have to travel all of the way to Europe where the Ford Focus has earned multiple Car of the Year awards where these automobiles stand for value, sport and convenience. If only Ford could convince domestic consumers how good this car really is, perhaps next year wouldn’t be a Europe only model.
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Given that we’re all living through one of the worst economic times since The Great Depression, it seems that money pinching and budget tightening has become the new fad these days.
So when the topic of purchasing a cheap car surfaces, there aren’t a lot of manufacturers that can offer more for less than the Tata Nano.
With a price tag that comes up to only $2,200 in India, including taxes and fees, the Tata Nano – not to be mistaken for the Macintosh MP3 player - is becoming the latest must-have car of the cash-strapped man.
While it doesn’t look the least bit imposing, the Nano is still less than a quarter of the next set of cheap cars you can find anywhere.
After all, when you strip down the essentials of a car, the most obvious need is for you to be able to get to Point B from Point A, which after all is what we’re all looking for, right?
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We here at Top Speed have thoroughly enjoyed our run with the subcompact Toyota Yaris. Since we received the tiny five door, we have thoroughly tested the car both on highway and off. The VVT-i 1.5 Liter four cylinder works hard at higher speeds, but is able to chug along with the flow of traffic. Despite the car’s smaller footprint, the Yaris is extremely spacious on the interior, and the cloth seats were extremely comfortable on our two hour highway stint. The Yaris did quite well on the open road, the car was able to get up to speed quickly, there was minimal exterior noise in the cabin and the seating position kept the controls in easy reach while allowing you to relax for the duration of the trip.
The Yaris shines in a crowded urban environment. The way that the wheels are pushed out to the far corners, just like the original compact car the Mini, allows for many of the same benefits. There is maximum use of the interior space, weaving in and out of traffic is a breeze and finding a parking space has never been easier. For those reasons and many more, we don’t mind trading in massaging seatbacks and fancy hard drive based navigation units for a simpler, less-complicated automobile. However our favorite feature of the Yaris are all the storage compartments hidden in the dashboard.
The Toyota Yaris is not only a great first car; it is also a great second car. Save the 599 for the weekends, tell your wife that you’ll be taking the Yaris to the office today, you’ll just have to be selective about which clubs to bring to the driving range after work, because an entire golf bag definitely won’t fit in the trunk. But for around $15,000 you can’t go wrong with a Toyota Yaris, it also comes with one of the greatest guarantees in the world, it’s a Toyota.
Kia announced today prices for the 2010 Forte compact sedan. It will be available in three trim levels (LX, EX and SX) and will go on sale this summer with prices starting from $13,695 for the LX trim, from $15,795 for the EX and from $17,195 for the SX.
Forte LX and EX are powered by a 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine, that delivers 156 hp and 144 lbs-ft of torque, that features Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) and multi-port electronic fuel injection. The SX features an upgraded 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine, also with CVVT, which delivers 173 hp.
Press release after the jump.
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