ONE YEAR WITH A 2009 SMART FORTWO

Over the next little while The Good Car Guy will periodically look back at One Year With The Smart. For the first time in its brief existence, GoodCarBadCar.net has hosted a long-term test car. Reviewing a 2009 smart fortwo pure for one year has produced some interesting revelations, some impressive statistics, and a whole lot of contentedness. We'll start with a general recap.
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With tastes as varied as an Italian seafood eggroll served in a New Jersey Thai restauraunt with a side of grits and foie gras, the GoodCarBadCar.net team had a lot of options when it came time to choose its first long-term test car. There was talk of jumbo SUVs, minivans and, as you've concluded, a Mercedes-Benz developed city car called the smart fortwo.

Picked up at O'Regan's Mercedes-Benz in Halifax, Nova Scotia, our 2009 smart fortwo was kitted out in pure trim with just one option: air conditioning. Standard equipment included power windows and locks with keyless entry, a cornucopia of safety equipment (ABS and stability control most importantly), two ridiculously powerful headlights, and a fantastic little 2-speaker stereo with an auxiliary jack in the glovebox. Our smart fortwo is Crystal White with a tridion safety cell in black. 

Last July, Mercedes-Benz Canada was offering a Mobility Rebate of $2,000 right off the bat for every smart fortwo. That took the smart fortwo pure's base price from $14,990 to $12,990. The charge for air-con was $850 for a grand total of $13,840 before delivery. At that time smart was also throwing in free maintenance for 3 years/54,000 kilometres, the amount of time the smart car was going to be in our care. For the record, smart Canada's new car warranty is 4 years/80,000 km.

GoodCarBadCar.net's Driven review of the smart fortwo offers up a thorough version of what it's like to actually drive the car. In this space then, an exhaustive detailed account isn't necessary. You should note, however, that the kind of driving  we do around these parts is almost completely of the city variety. This resulted in almost always desiring to be back in the smart fortwo after a day or two in anything else. Of course, for a road trip across the continent, a Subaru Outback or Toyota Camry or Ford Taurus SEL would be preferable. But after a little bit of time careening through the city of Halifax in the aforementioned Outback, Camry, or Taurus, the smart car felt right and proper; efficient and intelligently designed.






A short while after acquiring the smart car, The Good Car Guy laid out the Top 5 Facts After One Month With A Smart Fortwo. Not long after that, GoodCarBadCar.net covered the Top 5 Bad Smart Fortwo Facts. Of those five bad facts, only the #1 complaint has worsened or garnered any genuinely aggravated responses. It had only been two months when first described, but the smart had developed some squeaks and rattles. For the most part, the squeaks and rattles haven't worsened. The sun visors buzz against the headliner when the weather is humid - that hasn't changed - but a good whack of the visor against the roof temporarily cures the problem anyway. Thankfully, the driver's seatbelt no longer yelps. Yet recently the passenger seat began babbling like a pebble-bottomed brook. It only happens when a passenger is present; it worsens with the weight of respective passengers; it can't be sourced; and it drives everyone crazy on washboard roads. This problem is less than a month old and hasn't been discussed with a a service representative at O'Regan's Mercedes-Benz. 

Speaking of service, there's only been the one. It went by smooth as silk and was free as a bird. Get the full rundown at Fuel The Smart. Speaking of Fuel The Smart....

Every kilometre this smart has driven has been tracked. No, not by the CIA; not even by CSIS. We're talking about The Good Car Guy's absolute addiction to tracking real-world fuel economy statistics. Fuel The Smart has played host to a thorough examination of every single trip to a gas station in the last year. Averaging 6.4L/100 kilometres, 36.8 miles per gallon on the U.S. scale, or 44.1 miles per gallon for the Imperial gang, GoodCarBadCar.net's smart fortwo easily conquered the EPA's combined rating of 36 miles per gallon. The EPA rates the 2009 smart fortwo as a 33 mpg car in city driving, 41 mpg on the highway. Our smart fortwo has only dropped below the 33 mpg barrier six times out of 34 fill-ups. On the other hand, we've only topped 41 miles per gallon once, on a 494.4 kilometre journey across Prince Edward Island. What's been disappointing is the wildly high fuel economy ratings provided by Natural Resources Canada and our inability to get anywhere near 4.8L/100km on the highway. That's equal to 49 miles per U.S. gallon.

The most easily conceived notion after a year with a 2009 smart fortwo pure? Well, the Honda Fit was one similarly-priced candidate for the job last July. With air-conditioning, the Fit is priced at $15,780. An automatic transmission would take that up to $16,980, about $3,000 more than the smart. Sure, you get more seats and more space. But what if you don't need more seats or more space? Why would you pay an extra $3,000 before the fuel economy advantages and free maintenance are even taken into account for something you don't need? Besides, the Honda doesn't even have power locks or keyless entry or stability control at that price. Therein lies the great thing about requiring little: smart offers a little bit of car for a little bit of money with a lot of equipment, tremendous comfort inside, and the most wonderfully simplistic city driving nature known to North America at this time. 

The 1.0L 3-cylinder sounds a bit like a Porsche 911. We park the car wherever we want, and rather easily at that. We've been down rugged dirt roads in the country, driven extensively on snow-covered roads with a rear-engined rear-wheel drive car and all-season tires, and done it all quite cheaply. If GoodCarBadCar.net's smart could talk, it would say, "More please".

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PHOTOGRAPHY VIII BY GOODCARBADCAR.NET

Not everyday do you find yourself sitting in a smart fortwo outside Best Buy looking at a Hyundai Genesis 4.6. The camera was in the "cargo compartment", the waiting was getting to me, so I snapped. Off to the side was a BMW X3, rather marred by its own styling but also by the Pontiac Sunfire disrupting the view. However, BMW does know how to do a wheel. It's not that the BMW X3's wheels are so stunning, more that they suit the vehicle perfectly.

In between these two photos below is a messed up beauty with the hood of a Hyundai Elantra in the foreground. Anybody who loves digital photography has discovered the joy of looking at a picture you just took on your camera's LCD and being rather disappointed, then uploading onto your computer and seeing that same photo in a whole new light. In this case, focus and clarity are lacking but there's something intriguing anyway.

Finally, if you can be the first to comment on this post with what car is pictured on the magazine pages in the last picture, you'll win a prize: The Good Car Guy himself will personally congratulate you in the comment section of this post. The picture was taken on the shores of Susies Lake in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Click the picture for a larger view of the orange automobile. Another hint: the magazine is evo.

HYUNDAI GENESIS

MASSACHUSETTS ROUTE 3 NEAR PLYMOUTH

BMW X3 REAR WHEEL

WHAT CAR IS IN THE MAGAZINE?

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GORDON MURRAY DESIGN'S T.25 CITY CAR CONCEPT WITH PHOTO GALLERY

The man behind the iconic McLaren F1 has created a city car. That you had heard. Now, for the first time, Gordon Murray Design has released a press release with pictures of the T.25 Concept. It's ugly. But it's beautiful.

There's something spectacularly simple about a car designed with so singular a purpose, to ferry three passengers around town with as little fuss as possible. Like the F1 of the early 90s, Gordon Murray has positioned the driver smack-dab in the centre of the car with passengers sat slightly aft and to the sides. Much of the T.25's greatness, says Gordon Murray Design, comes down to the iStream production process. In fact, everything about the T.25 is a simplified version of the automotive system as we know it. 

Potential competitors include the Mercedes-Benz's smart fortwo, the Toyota iQ and Scion iQ, and cars as varied as the Toyota Aygo and Mitsubishi i. Of course, the GMD T.25 is supposed to undercut them all in price. evo magazine questioned Gordon Murray Design about the T.25 in issue 145 and found out that, "performance should be much better than you might expect from the looks", the T.25 being about 180 kilograms (about 400 pounds) lighter than the smart fortwo. The T.25 is almost eight inches narrower than the smart fortwo; nearly 12 inches shorter in overall length. 

For more on the details, check out the press release after the jump. As for pictures of the beautifully ugly GMD T.25, check out the Gallery below.



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Gordon Murray Design's T.25 City Car will make its first public appearance at the Smith School's World Forum on Enterprise and the Environment in Oxford.

The T.25 represents a major breakthrough in city car design in the areas of weight, footprint, safety, usability and efficiency. Whilst applying a holistic and fit for purpose approach to the design and development of the T.25, Gordon Murray Design have taken the opportunity to incorporate solutions to a multiple of urban mobility problems into the T.25 design.

A world leading 6 metre turning circle will help with urban manoeuvring and parking whilst its 1.3 metre width opens any opportunity for timed lane zones with 2 vehicles travelling and over taking in one lane. Combining this with the car length, could triple lane usage at peak times. The T.25's short length also opens an opportunity to park end on to the curb and the door opening allows 3 cars to be parked in one parallel parking space.

Gordon Murray Design was established in 2007 to develop an innovative and disruptive automotive manufacturing technology trademarked iStream® and the design and prototyping of the T.25 city car was central to both the development and validation of iStream®. This manufacturing process is now industrialised including final factory designs by specialist automotive consultants.

The iStream® assembly process is a complete rethink and redesign of the traditional manufacturing process and could potentially be the biggest revolution in high volume manufacture since the Model T. Development of the process began over 15 years ago and it has already won the prestigious 2008 'Idea of the Year' award from Autocar who were given privileged access in order to make their assessment. The simplified assembly process means that the manufacturing plant can be designed to be 20% of the size of a conventional factory.

This reduces capital investment in the assembly plant by at least 80%. Yet the flexibility of this assembly process means that the same factory could be used to manufacture different variants. The iStream® design process is a complete re-think on high volume materials, as well as the manufacturing process and will lead to a significant reduction in full lifecycle CO2.

• Low capital investment / fast return on investment
• Lightweight
• Low energy manufacturing
• Ultra safe structure
• Flexible product design
• Long life chassis
• Low cost variants
• Recycled materials
• Reduced distribution costs and damage
• Low cost accident repair
• Flexible body in white tooling
• Small footprint production plant
• De-centralised manufacturing and assembly opportunities
• Quiet and clean plants
• No paint plant at BIW assembly plant
• Rapid vehicle assembly
• Low capital investment in tooling

The T.25 has recently been seen testing on public roads and has featured in many publications but the Smith School World Forum is the first public appearance and Gordon Murray Design are excited to now be able to release the first images of the car's interior and seating position.

Sir David King, Founding Director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment said: "Our transport sector is hugely dependent on fossil fuels and we need to de-fossilise our economy as quickly as possible. We know most of the technologies already exist in delivering low carbon transportation and the T.25 and iStream® manufacturing processes are clear examples of how the transition can bring new and exciting developments".

Holger Erker, Managing Director of IPE Engineering said: "After a complete and comprehensive comparison of the process details and seeing the vehicle prototype build, our conclusion is affirmative that the innovative vehicle and process design of this project is outstanding. From our analysis the iStream®process can be positively qualified as the most promising manufacturing process development in the car industry of the next decade"

Professor Gordon Murray, CEO & Technical Director of Gordon Murray Design said: "We are very privileged to have been asked to show T.25 publicly for the first time at the World Forum as the aims of our Company are very much aligned with those of the Smith School and therefore this global event"

T.25 USP's and Key Features

The T.25 represents a major breakthrough in City Car design and is a vehicle that has been optimised through design for strength, performance, weight, cost, safety, usability, tooling, quality, energy efficiency, recyclable and ease of assembly.

The T.25 external dimensions create the opportunity to:

• park at 90 degrees to the curb, offering real consumer benefits, 
• park up to 3 cars in one parallel parking space - giving rise to lower parking charges.
• increase traffic flow,
• explore the possibility of 2 vehicles travelling and overtaking in one conventional lane. Combining this with the car length has the potential to triple lane usage at peak times.
• reduce the environmental impact of vehicle manufacture (ie: lower material content etc) and day-to-day operation.

The central driving position generates:

• A unique, 'cool' and fun driving experience,
• promotes safety and ease of parking as a result of excellent all-round visibility and road awareness,
• the opportunity to offer a single-seater option with retrofit bolt-in rear seats,
• class-leading rear passenger leg room (better than most 'B-Segment' cars).

By virtue of the unique door opening system, the T.25 can:

• be parked in very close proximity to other objects and still allow occupants to enter and exit the vehicle. This gives rise to,
• park 2 in one domestic garage,
• allow occupants access from both sides of the vehicle,
• allow easy access to the driver's seat and easy access to the rear child seats.

The ultra lightweight by design (approximately 550kg) means that:

• component life is increased
• reduced energy is required to power vehicle, giving rise to higher fuel efficiency (mpg/electric battery range).
• a competitive power to weight ratio is achieved

A world-leading 6 metre turning circle will enhance urban manoeuvring and parking.
Body panels in the lower periphery of the car are all mechanically affixed and have split lines which are sympathetic to accident damage replacement, leading to rapid assembly times and low cost accident repair.
First car in class to feature lightweight, low cost independent rear suspension.
Wing mirrors are within the overall width of the body, thereby minimising accidental damage and subsequent mirror replacement.
Design for purpose means that the vehicle has excellent pedestrian impact qualities.
The inclusion of Formula 1 derived materials philosophy and technology coupled with chassis frame design ('Direct Load Path') gives an immensely strong structure ('safety cell') both in 'end' and 'side' impact scenarios. This is also designed to meet the cost targets of high volume production.
Flat under-floor improves aerodynamic efficiency.
Class-leading vehicle dynamics
High level turn indicators for good visibility.
Positioning of the fuel filler permits refueling from either side of the vehicle.
Centralised driving instrumentation and controls are designed to maximize drive control.
Six internal layout options with rear seat adjustment (adjustable within 20 seconds) sets new standards in small vehicle packaging - a long way in front of the Smart For 2 and the Toyota iQ.
Occupant capacity of between 1 and 3 persons. Luggage capacity of between 160 litres and 720 litres.
The T.25 has the potential to be first to market for a new "World Car Class" for efficient vehicles, demonstrating new levels of efficiency and low emissions - creating excellent publicity and marketing opportunities.

2011 HYUNDAI SONATA CHROME STRIP COMPLAINTS

After all the comparison test victories and value analyses, lo and behold, a noteworthy issue has been found on the skin of Hyundai's 2011 Sonata. This issue, this irritation, hasn't stopped thousands of customers from purchasing a brand new 2011 Hyundai Sonata over the last couple of months. It's unlikely to stop more than a handful of consumers from purchasing a 2011 Hyundai Sonata in the future. But it adds an element of vexation when it comes time to recommend a midsize sedan to a friend, or to The Good Car Nation as a whole.

Full disclosure: GoodCarBadCar.net isn't "anti-midsize sedan", but there's no hiding the fact that less expensive, smaller hatchbacks or slightly more expensive luxury sedans are attract greater appreciation 'round these parts. It would be fair to say that GoodCarBadCar.net is somewhat anti-establishment; the Sales Stats put up by midsize sedans are a sign of success and desirability, but their successes force ubiquity. Ubiquity breeds dullness and boredom. That said, the Honda Accord used to be a member of The Good 12. In The Good 12 v2.0 and The Good 12 v3.0, the Mazda 6 pushed the Accord out. Even the Ford Fusion Hybrid joined the ranks for 2010. In other words, don't lump this criticism of the 2011 Sonata in with a belief that The Good Car Guy labels all midsize sedans as "bad" - they aren't. Midsize sedans simply work together to form a category which isn't a GoodCarBadCar.net favourite.

So, what's the difficulty? There's a very good reason this wasn't noticed before. In most Hyundai promotional materials, the 2011 Sonata is painted Radiant Silver. Yesterday, for the first time, The Good Car Guy was up close and personal with an Indigo Blue Pearl Sonata. "Aghast" would not begin to describe the gut-wrenched expression while sitting in front of Steele Hyundai. Oh, Indigo Blue Pearl is a terrific colour. Yet it exposes a design error of, dare I say, epic proportions. Follow the jump to see the error of Hyundai's ways.


These are midsize sedans. What've they got to do with style, what's the big deal? For a car labelled as a "four door coupe", a model meant to extinguish memories of boring sedans and reign in buyers who are considering the Sonata's dull rivals, the 2011 Sonata opens itself up to more criticism than other models. The Volkswagen Passat used chrome to perfection in 2003, wrapping it around its greenhouse - the full circumference of its windowline - with loving tenderness. Many vehicles had used chrome outlines before and have used chrome since with some success. In certain cases it's overwrought; in others it's just a classy addition.

Hyundai thought outside of the box with chrome on the 2011 Sonata, with devestatingly poor effects. The greenhouse isn't wrapped in a thin chrome strip. No, Hyundai only applied chrome on the lower half, right on the hipline. Moreover, Hyundai extended the chrome over the fender alongside the hood up to the pointy extremities of he headlight. What's worse, there's a tiny little burst of chrome at the rear of the back door, like your friend forgot to lick the frappuccino leftovers off his upper lip and you didn't know whether to say something or not. So you didn't. And he went to work with frappuccino leftovers on his upper lip. People stared. He noticed it at lunchtime in the bathroom mirror. He hasn't spoken to you in weeks.

This lick of chrome at the rear of the rear door sends a signal that says, "If we had a little more money we could've extended the chrome up and around the whole greenhouse but we ran out of money just as we started the arc." Well, Hyundai, if I may speak to you directly, perhaps a little lot less chrome above the front wheel could've been released to play on the upper portion of the windowline.

Oh, who are we kidding? The 2011 Hyundai Sonata isn't styling perfection sans chrome missteps. Although gorgeous from some angles, it's dreadful on small wheels, particularly when seen from the front three-quarter view. We're all ever-so-grateful to Hyundai for shooting into the dark and coming out with something which makes Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys and Nissan Altimas, even handsome Chevrolet Malibus and Ford Fusions, seem dowdy and forgettable. Sales of Hyundai's Sonata are way, way up. Quite deservedly so. You could spend more money on an ugly car while getting less equipment and worse fuel efficiency in the bargain. Or you could take the Sonata. It doesn't sound like a difficult choice, and for 22,768 North Americans in May, it wasn't. They picked up new Sonatas at Hyundai dealerships all over Canada and the USA. 

For the record, that chrome strip doesn't get any worse than when seen on an Indigo Blue Pearl Sonata. Radiant Silver, Camel Pearl, Pearl White and Harbour Gray Metallic hide the chrome strip nicely but aren't the most exciting paint choices. Phantom Black Metallic is almost as bad, chrome strip-wise, as the Indigo Blue Pearl. Venetian Red is pitiful - the chrome strip jumps out at you like it'll slather your teeth if you get too close. Pacific Blue Pearl and Iridescent Silver Blue Pearl slide into the middle ground.

What's Hyundai have to say about the chrome strip? From HyundaiCanada.com: "The most visible result of Sonata’s Fluidic Sculpture design is the signature chrome accent – extending from the headlamps along the hood edge back to the side window line – giving the visual impression of a long, low, light sedan that blends sportiness with elegance in equal measures." It should be pointed out that the picture Hyundai uses along with this text barely shows a hint of the chrome but is mostly filled with the headlight. Hyundai also made the classic automakers-of-all-stripes mistake of misplacing a "the" in front of Sonata. So it's, "Sonata's Fluidic Sculpture design", as though there is only one Sonata. 

Is it possible for the Sonata to overcome the chrome strip, knock out the Mazda 6, and end up in The Good 12 v4.0? Considering the Sonata 2.0T's horsepower levels, yes, it's possible.

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HOW TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF THE 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE - WITH PHOTO GALLERY

On sale soon, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the latest in a line of decreasingly successful midsize Jeep SUVs. As Grand Cherokees have grown more civilized, refined, and capable, they've also been less of a hit in the U.S. Marketplace. Yet here we have Chrysler's first all-new model in what feels like a century (it's been since Daimler rescinded ownership) and a subsequent need for Chrysler/Dodge/Ram/Jeep/Fiat to look good with its introduction. Is looking good even a remote possibility? A glance at recent history will enlighten.

Jeep Grand Cherokee sales in the United States topped 300,000 in 1999. Within five years total Grand Cherokee sales in the U.S. couldn't top 140,000. In every year since the latest Grand Cherokee's (generation WK) introduction, U.S. sales have fallen. From 139,148 in 2006 to 120,937 in 2007 to 73,678 in 2008 and finally 50,328 in 2009, the WK Jeep Grand Cherokee was let down by Chrysler's poor quality reputation, the Grand Cherokee's own cartoonish headlights, and markedly preferable crossover competition.

In May, U.S. sales of the Jeep Grand Cherokee were only about half the Toyota Highlander's figure, about one-third the Honda Pilot's total, and quite a bit less than the moderately successful Ford Flex; the soft but stylish Nissan Murano; and the reinvigorated Toyota 4Runner. North of the border in Canada, the Jeep Grand Cherokee was soundly trounced, as well.

Perhaps there remains a couple of reasons to raise expectations. May's U.S. sales of the Grand Cherokee were only down 7%. That's not brutal for an about-to-be-replaced vehicle. Meanwhile, year-to-date sales of the Jeep Grand Cherokee are up 16%. But hold on a second: May sales are down from what was an abysmal total. Remember? 2009 sales had plummeted from 2008's already-low tally. And though year-to-date sales have risen 16%, a five-month total of 22,550 is nothing to write home to Torino about.

First and foremost, any alleged 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee success must be put in the context of a previous era. And why not? Highlanders, Pilots, Edges, and Traverses are still marketed successfully. Why couldn't Jeep do the same with a modern SUV in 2011? Second, if the 2011 Grand Cherokee doesn't immediately post significant gains over 2009's middling sales, it's safe to ignore any spin Fiat/Chrysler execs try to pull off.

That's enough of the Sales Stats analysis. What about the actual vehicle? Pictures can be seen in the Gallery below. Those pics reveal a 2011 Grand Cherokee which, stylistically, is miles ahead of the outgoing WK Grand Cherokee. Chrysler is no longer bound by Daimler executives who didn't like too much public acknowledgement of "sharing". Thus Jeep isn't hiding the 2011 Grand Cherokee's Mercedes-Benz ML-derived platform. It's funny that, after pointing out that fact, Jeep's press release immediately points to the theory that they (Jeep) invented the SUV segment. Uh... then why did you need to borrow a platform from the Germans?

Off-road capability and fuel efficiency have both been improved. Horsepower rises to 360 horsepower for buyers who opt for the 5.7L Hemi V8. Strangely, both the 280-bhp V6 and the Hemi are both teamed with 5-speed automatic transmissions. Only a handful of years ago we'd have thought nothing of this. But when the Ford Fiesta gets a 6-speed auto, you know it's time every new vehicle introduction at a higher price point should include a 6-speed.

Sales of the current Jeep Grand Cherokee trail the Wrangler by about 15,000 units through five months of 2010. Rest assured, Jeep loves how strongly the Wrangler is selling these days. But Chrysler would rest far more easily if only Grand Cherokee sales were 15,000 units ahead of the Wrangler's current quantity. That appears possible for calendar year 2011; but not probable.



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WATCH FORD'S NUEVO FIESTA'S AMBIENT LIGHTING

Some 15% of the U.S. population is Latino. Whether, in Stephen Colbert's words, you see colour or not, Ford Motor Company wants to advertise more directly to Spanish-speaking people in the United States. One way to do so is with the lovely little YouTube clip you can Watch below. The Good Car Guy's Spanish is limited to ordering a Coca-Cola in Nayarit convenience stores, usually with assistance from a Spanish-speaking nephew or niece beside me. However, I can dig great interior lighting. And great interior lighting is present and accounted for in Ford's new Fiesta. Rather, Ford's nuevo Fiesta.

TOP 5 LEAST EXPENSIVE VEHICLES TO INSURE IN 2010

Budgeting for the purchase of a new vehicle is like opening a cardboard box. Each flap represents large costs. On the one side you have the new vehicle's price, on another you'll find fuel costs. Opposite to that there are the costs for maintenance, and on the back side dreaded taxes and fees. Then on the top side you see sickening depreciation and on the bottom - oh, don't forget the bottom - you must deal with automotive insurance. Eek. Only when all the flaps are folded back do you see, sitting inside the cardboard box, your lofty total.

Compare the prices of two or three vehicles, as GoodCarBadCar.net so often does, and you leave yourself open to absorbing higher costs later on with what first appeared to be the least expensive car. Paying for gas and servicing could be slightly different depending on your choice of transportation, but unless you drive a lot the difference between a few MPGs or the hourly rate at different dealer service departments is unlikely to make or break your decision. As there's only one thing more certain than taxes, you're aware enough to take the government's commission into account. Depreciation matters but is hard to accurately predict, even with countless websites offering a hand. That leaves automotive insurance as a possible deal maker or deal breaker.

Thankfully, Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to study nationwide insurance costs on 2010 models, something we've seen before from Insure.com on 2009 vehicles. Curiously, the least expensive vehicles on which to acquire automotive insurance aren't itty-bitty city cars or jumbo heavy-duty pickup trucks or passive-safety-laden luxury cars. No, if you want to save money on auto insurance you'll be looking at utility vehicles (SUVs, crossovers, CUVs) and minivans. More specifically, the five vehicles listed after the jump. And for the sake of full disclosure, the most expensive vehicles to insure can also be seen, too.

But are these vehicles deserving of your interest? That's where Insure.com steps back and The Good Car Guy comes to the rescue. The cost of your insurance policy will be higher if you pursue a vehicle with huge levels of horsepower, but Insure.com's study includes the mention of a few very interesting factors. What makes one type of vehicle very cheap to insure has more to do with the type of driver typically found in that vehicle than anything relating to the vehicle itself. Minivans, says the study provider, are often sitting at home during peak driving hours, thereby limiting the chance that they'll be on the roads with thousands of other vehicles. Small cars are often driven by younger, less-experience drivers. In fact, in all of Insure.com's Top 20 there isn't a single car of any kind, no convertible; sedan; hatchback; or wagon.

Keep in mind, GoodCarBadCar.net condensed Insure.com's list slightly, removing trim lines and combining identical vehicles. Count on the base versions of the Top 5 being the cheapest to insure. Anything with more cylinders or more luxurious accouterments will cost more to insure. Insure.com has the full run-down of all 20 vehicles and how the national averages were calculated.

#5 - HYUNDAI TUCSON, $1134.08 avg: The latest Tucson has received positive reviews from critics and consumers. Sales are way up. Paired with less-expensive automotive insurance is the Tucson's low base price, just $18,995. Since all Tucsons are now equipped with just four cylinders, fuel economy isn't even that much of a touchy subject. Highway ratings go as high as 31 miles per gallon for a front-wheel drive, auto-trans Tucson GLS or Tucson Limited.

#4 - TOYOTA SIENNA, $1133.97 avg: There's been a lot of Sienna talk around GoodCarBadCar.net lately, ever since the Swagger Wagon promo videos first appeared. It's still hard to argue with the notion of a minivan for large families. Yeah, you'll look like an aging parent, but that's okay, because you are an aging parent. Of course there's cooler stuff you could be seen driving, but there isn't anything else so able to haul a houseload of stuff around town.

#3 - CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY/DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, $1119.83 avg: Though not up to minivan par in terms of outright quality and driving pleasure, Chrysler's minivan duo still sells like crazy in part due to its lower price, but also because of a reputation garnished over three decades. The Town & Country and Grand Caravan both offer ingenious features. It's also rather apparent that they're a lot less expensive to insure than your dream vehicle, the Porsche 911 GT2.

#2 - HONDA ODYSSEY, $1095.26 avg: To those seeking security in Honda quality and durability, mercy shall be shown when it comes time to write the cheque for insurance. One of only two vehicles in the study to come out with national averages under $1100, the Odyssey has a lot going for it. Beware, the 2011 Odyssey has been revealed and The Good Car Guy isn't overly enthused.

#1 - MAZDA TRIBUTE, $1070.25 avg: Sharing nearly everything but grille treatment and a badge with the best-selling Ford Escape, the Mazda Tribute - seen at #1 in base form - must still be a desirable vehicle a decade after it was introduced. Hey, if everybody still wants the Escape they kinda want the Tribute too, right? Fret not, if you need the Ford, a few dollars difference in insurance rates can likely be made up by negotiating at the Blue Oval dealership.

10 Most Expensive Vehicles To Insure:
Porsche 911 GT2: $2943.78
Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG: $2863.03
Dodge Viper SRT-10: $2851.89
Porsche Panamera Turbo: $2837.39
Mercedes-Benz CL600: $2754.80
Audi R8: $2751.55
Mercedes-Benz SL600: $2715.86
BMW M6: $2689.13
BMW 760Li: $2565.59
Jaguar XKR Portfolio: $2537.79


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MINIVAN SLIDING DOOR TRACK PHOTO COMPARISON

Here on GoodCarBadCar.net the goal of The Good Car Guy is to make life easy for you. You want to know which vehicles sold best in February 2010? It's all arranged in Graph form. You want to watch videos associated with the 2011 Toyota Sienna's Swagger Wagon music video? They're all embedded in one post. And avid GoodCarBadCar.net reader conwelpic wants to see the sliding door tracks of all current minivans in a photo comparison? Consider it done.

2011 Honda Odyssey

2011 Toyota Sienna

2011 Mazda 5

2010 Kia Sedona

2010 Dodge Grand Caravan

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2011 HONDA ODYSSEY GALLERY DRAWS ATTENTION TO HUGE SLIDING DOOR TRACK

Sliding doors require something on which to slide. We call it a track. Whether it's the doors leading out onto your patio or the frosted-glass room dividers in your studio apartment, sliding doors need a track. What you see in the pictures in this article are the two most ostentatious, outlandish, obtrusive sliding door tracks of all time.

This is the 2011 Honda Odyssey. Though it's a styling improvement in almost every way over the 2010 Honda Odyssey, this vehicle is roundly tarnished by some of the most utilitarian gaps we've ever seen. This is concern for practicality gone awry; the theory of function over form taken to a whole.... nuther.... levaaaahl.

It's not in GoodCarBadCar.net's best interest for minivans to be taking up such a large chunk of the site, so we won't belabour the point. Scroll through the pictures in the Gallery below after taking note of four essential points.

First, Honda says in the press release for the 2011 Odyssey that the 2010 Odyssey is currently America's best-selling minivan. Hmm. Last month Toyota's Sienna beat the Odyssey by 1,003 minivans. 3,732 more Chrysler Town & Countrys were sold than Honda Odysseys. Clearly Honda's "currently" is different than the last month on record, May 2010. For the calendar year ending December 31st, the Honda Odyssey reached 100,133. The next closest was the Dodge Grand Caravan at 90,666. But who splits the Grand Caravan and Town & Country? Not GoodCarBadCar.net. Combined, Chrysler minivans out-sold Honda minivans by 75,000 units in one year. But in 2009 the Honda Odyssey was the best-selling minivan nameplate in America, for what that's worth.

Next, think about minivan styling. None of them are pretty. These are unibox vehicles with limited room for styling consideration. Does a gigantic slat along the side of the 2011 Honda Odyssey make a difference to the typical minivan customer? Probably not. The previous-generation Odyssey did have a visible sliding door track (Chrysler and Toyota hide their tracks under the window) and this 2011 Odyssey's track wouldn't look so bad if Honda had released their press photos of an Odyssey painted black or navy.

Then there's the Odyssey Concept which, like most concept versions of forthcoming production vehicles, looked better than the end result. Notably, however, Honda knew well enough to make the concept's sliding door track less visible. It's slimmer, a little hooded, and in typical concept fashion doesn't even have to sit above a fuel door.

Finally, be annoyed by this: Honda has a title for the Odyssey's styling. Remember how Infiniti went crazy with the whole Bionic Cheetah thing? Ah-noooy-ing. Well, get this, Honda says the Odyssey features a "sporty 'lightning bolt' beltline". That reverse Hoffmeister kink aft of the C-pillar is sporty? The "lightning bolt" only draws more attention to the obstructive sliding door track and reeks of an attempt to inject a sense of uniqueness to a vehicle that, for all intents and purposes, looks just like its competitors.

The 2011 Honda Odyssey goes on sale in the fall of 2010. It will be fast, roomy, supremely comfortable, surprisingly fuel efficient, and an incredible family vehicle. And it will have a horrendous sliding door track.



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2011 TOYOTA SIENNA SWAGGER WAGON - WATCH ALL 13 ASSOCIATED CLIPS

Created by ad firm Saatchi & Saatchi and starring Rachel Drummond and Brian Huskey, the 2011 Toyota Sienna Swagger Wagon music video/commercial/YouTube sensation is the ideal minivan ad. Playing up minivan stereotypes with humour and some pretty decent acting, the Swagger Wagon clip went viral. Oh, and by the way, U.S. sales of the Toyota Sienna in May were up 49.7%.

In a segment that's either dying or stagnant, it probably wasn't that hard for Toyota to sign off on a different approach for the 2011 Sienna's advertising. What's there to lose? (Conventional minivan advertising can be seen here.) You get the impression director Jody Hill got exactly what he was looking for, Toyota got exactly what they were looking for, and we got exactly what we didn't expect.

Check Out The Swagger Wagon Video Here

Yet there's much, much more than just the Swagger Wagon music video. Apart from a few short cuts you can see on Toyota's Sienna YouTube channel, The Good Car Guy counts 13 Sienna ads in the Swagger Wagon vein. You can watch them all after the jump where they are all neatly ranked. Included in the rankings The Good Car Guy has also supplied any necessary tidbits and the best line from the clip. After all, these ads really are about the writing as much as they are about the 2011 Toyota Sienna.



#13 - Daddy Like Protecting
"Then he stopped talking to me.... It's been a few years." @ 0:09
The Advanced Technology Package Daddy's talking about is an option only on the $39,355 Sienna Limited.


#12 - Diaper Bag
"But I'm not runnin' around rockin' mom jeans." @ 0:14
Want more stereotyping? The cops in this clip are eating hot dogs and drinking soda.


#11 - Daddy Like Help
"Once they lose that new kid smell there's one minor flaw - they have no work ethic. None." @ 0:07
Want power-folding third-row seats? Think Sienna Limited, once again.



#10 - Mommy Like Versatility
"Je suis le fromage." @ 0:31
All-wheel drive Siennas start at $31,130.


#9 - Mommy Like Rest
"I'm not saying that about myself. I have evidence." @ 0:10
Tip-up and long-slide is ready and willing on all 2011 Siennas.


#8 - Daddy Like Space
"Roll the windows down; let the wind just rush through my hairs...." @ 0:43
Even cool commercials can't make wood trim sound good.


#7 - Timeout
"Frankly, the idea of owning a minivan used to make me cry myself to sleep at night." @ 0:01
For most of us, the idea of owning a minivan still makes us cry ourselves to sleep.


#6 - Daddy Like Bonding Time
"Open a new bottle - I don't want it to be flat." @ 0:38
For true reclining pleasure the Sienna should've been pointed the other direction. IMHO. Then again, I'm pretty particular with my reclining positions.


#5 - Car Wash
"It's like they took my essence, bottled it, and then poured it all over the car." @ 0:16
That is a lot of vehicle to wash.


#4 - Playdate
"You've got the same car seat in there, Gary." @ 0:12
Siennas made up less than 10% of all Toyotas sold in the USA in May. There shouldn't be too many out there just like yours.


#3 - Mommy Like I Spy
"This girl, she's the loudest breather you have ever heard." @ 0:27
Don't like, do anything illegal with your backup camera, ok?


#2 - Mommy Like Deals
"Can you afford love? Can you afford love?" @ 0:20
An amazing price? When did minivans get so expensive? 2011 Siennas start at $24,620. Or $6,155 per cylinder. Ouch.


#1 - Meet The Parents
"We are winning at parenthood." @ 1:00
Ever really thump a stereo in a minivan? There's something about minivan acoustics, it really can be a very good thing.

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