Cheap Cars Rule: 2012 Accent, Rio, Versa, 3 SkyActiv

[homeforsummer]

I find my driving style changes with the simplest of things. I'm automatically more aggressive in a manual car, calmer in an auto. I'm even calmer in a diesel since there's no gain to be had from revving the nuts off it. Ditto in anything with a higher, more commanding driving position, since you feel less inclined to push something a bit taller compared to a low-slung sports car.

Given that the smart I drove was both essentially an automatic, a diesel and had a relatively high driving position, I found it quite relaxing! Kinda fun too in the sense it's so different from anything else to drive. Good fun to chuck about tight city streets.

Really though I'd suggest just having a drive in each. Lots of people like smarts, but lots of people hate them too. Even if you hate it I wouldn't describe it as boring though, at the very least. I've not driven an iQ yet, I just dislike it on principle as it seems needlessly compromised and too expensive to me.

 

[sumbrownkid]

Reasonably priced cars are my secret fetishes.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Was curious how much a Versa was going for in my area. Could hardly find anything that wasn't optioned out over $15k.

 

[eSZee]

The dealers I've checked don't even have 2012 versas listed on their sites and cheapest 2011s are at $16.5k. They also have 2.5 altimas starting at $24k and going up to $33k for 2.5 as well and some 370z auto at $47k.
The online inventory doesn't show all the inventory, though it's strange they keep the cheaper cars off the site.

 

[YSSMAN]

Was curious how much a Versa was going for in my area. Could hardly find anything that wasn't optioned out over $15k.

There is a pretty good chance that you're going to have to order one of the basic, S trim Versa sedans if you want the $11,000 experience. I don't imagine them carrying too many that do without the gizmos and do-dads unless a significant portion of their buyer base demand them. That being said, I could imagine seeing at least one or two S CVT models with the single option box checked... Two speakers and cruise control. Stellar!

 

[TorqueHappenS08]

Do want that rio...the "hot" version especially.

 

[eSZee]

2012 Kia Rio 5-Door [w/video]

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/01/2012-kia-rio-5-door-first-drive-review/

 

[niky]

Oh, look! Another small car with ridiculously large, ride dwstroying, MPG-sapping wheels!

 

[Dan_]

I don't mind the big wheels, at least the lower profile tires will add extra sharpness to the already quick steering racks on these little things.

 

[Omnis]

Oh, look! Another small car with ridiculously large, ride dwstroying, MPG-sapping wheels!

Yeah, seriously. I miss my big huge sidewalls on the Accent after driving around this Mini Cooper S for 2 weeks now.

 

[Mark II Blit]

I just read that the 2012 Kia Rio CRDi Eco Dynamics can go 31,3 km/l, the equivalent of 73 US MPG combined

That is more than the Polo BlueMotion, which is quite amazing. This is just getting better and better.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

^ All they need to do is just to bring it here.

Kia = Diesels
Hyundai = Hybrids

 

[Omnis]

73 mpg and four hamsters worth of power. Would be great if people didn't drive like maniacs in the states though.

 

[CodeRedR51]

73 mpg and four hamsters worth of power. Would be great if people didn't drive like maniacs in the states though.

This. Not a day goes by that I don't roll my eyes and shake my head at someone that drag races away from a stop light. The general public should stop complaining about gas mileage, when they need lessons on how to manage their right foot.

 

[niky]

Yeah, seriously. I miss my big huge sidewalls on the Accent after driving around this Mini Cooper S for 2 weeks now.

One word: Ditch the runflats. Okay, that was three, but just saying "runflats" would mean the same thing.

Always felt the Cooper S's 17s sucked big time. The base Cooper feels just as agile on the 15s. Unfortunately, according to a friend with the 11' Cooper S, they've upgraded the brake package to JCW specs, so 15s might not fit anymore. Anyway... switching to non-runflats helps make the ride much better. Switching down to Cooper-sized wheels makes it perfect.

I don't mind the big wheels, at least the lower profile tires will add extra sharpness to the already quick steering racks on these little things.

Better if you can get that lower profile in a smaller size. It's insane to give an economy car the wheel arches to handle 17" or 18" wheels when most of the base models will be coming on 14" or 15"... I'm glad, at least, that Chevrolet's new Spark has wheel wells sized for smaller fitment, and that the Mazda2's tire fitment ranges from 14-16" (it's already 50-series on the 15" rims) instead of the ungodly 15-17" sizes that other subcompacts now take.

 

[Omnis]

This is an R53 dude. Nothing is going to make that ride better.

And, also, run flats saved my life on the way up to FSU, so I'm not going to get rid of them. Schrader valve stem exploded in the heat lol.

 

[niky]

This is an R53 dude. Nothing is going to make that ride better.

And, also, run flats saved my life on the way up to FSU, so I'm not going to get rid of them. Schrader valve stem exploded in the heat lol.

Ah... condolences, then. Though again, go down to the 15s. I'm pretty sure you can find a Cooper owner willing to swap with the 17s for some change.

Exploding valve stems? See, there's your problem... What you pumped up to? 99 psi?

 

[Omnis]

My hypothesis is that the recommended 35psi means 35 hot, not cold. It was so, SO hot on the day I drove up though.

My rims is purty though. Do 15s even fit? Tirerack only has 16s and up.

 

[niky]

As long as they clear the brakes. The last few test-units I had were on 15s. Base Coopers outside the US come on 15-inch wheels, where the S comes standard on 17s. We test drove the R56s (Cooper, Cooper S, Clubman) on the racetrack (I'm still kicking myself for not bringing a camera... then again, I was the one driving, and doing my darnedest to make the camera-people sick... ) and the consensus was that there was no real benefit to the 17s on track... easier to jump curbs with the 15s, grip levels were similar given similar compound tire, and more predictable over ripply surfaces.

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To tie in with the topic on-hand... Putting extra tall wheels with rubber bands on small cars is a poor way to fit them. The Ford Fiesta on 16s doesn't handle appreciably better than the Ford Fiesta on 15s (both with Contisport Contact3s), a Toyota Yaris sedan we tested a while back on 17s was an absolute, wheel-hopping, stuttering, over/understeering nightmare compared to the biddable and serene standard car on 15s, and the Mazda2... well... the Mazda2 drives better on 15s than it does on 14s... but it drives better on 15s than most cars do on 16s and 17s, so there is that...

You can definitely go too tall on the sidewalls... when I tested the new Accent, it came on horrible 65-series tires on 14" rims that had the directional stability of rolling sausages unless you pumped them up to 35 psi... at which point they drove well but were more uncomfortable than low-pros!

 

[Omnis]

Rolling sausages, that's hilarious!

 

[homeforsummer]

As long as they clear the brakes. The last few test-units I had were on 15s. Base Coopers outside the US come on 15-inch wheels, where the S comes standard on 17s. We test drove the R56s (Cooper, Cooper S, Clubman) on the racetrack (I'm still kicking myself for not bringing a camera... then again, I was the one driving, and doing my darnedest to make the camera-people sick... ) and the consensus was that there was no real benefit to the 17s on track... easier to jump curbs with the 15s, grip levels were similar given similar compound tire, and more predictable over ripply surfaces.

Every time the size of MINI wheels comes up with regard to the R53 I say the same thing: The 15" wheels are the best. Best mix of ride, handling and grip, the stock pepperpot-style alloys we got in the UK were not far off being as light as 15" wheels come, and with the higher profile tyres the 15s came with the car even looked great because the arches were still being filled and being a retro car, a retro tyre profile worked well.

All the standard MINI Cooper racing series currently running in the UK all still use 15" wheels too.

And yet, all the hipsters put those bloody awful daisy-style 17" wheels on them which ruins steering feel and ride quality at the expense of a bit more grip they'll never use.

 

[niky]

A questionable amount of grip, to boot. Unless you're in a professional competition (EDIT: that allows mixed wheel sizes), the stock 15s do fine. I had no trouble stuffing my snout under the tail of the Cooper S in front of me while driving a standard Cooper on track. Of course, that's partly down to driver and partly down to the fact that the front tires of the Cooper S go off the deep end much quicker on track thanks to the extra power and extra weight under braking... ...but I'm willing to be the only difference between Potenzas in the 15" size and Potenzas in the 17" size will be the stiffness of the sidewall, which won't matter much at all if you pump up the tires for track work.