The Number One Reason To Buy A 2013 Toyota Corolla

The 2013 Toyota Corolla might be the bargain you're looking for.

It's not exactly sleek (even in S trim, its sportiest form).

It's very familiar.  You see them everywhere, every day.

So why should you run down to your Toyota dealer and buy a 2013 Toyota Corolla?

Because the 2014 is sleek and shiny.

That may seem like contradictory logic, but stick with me here.

New Car Review: 2013 Nissan Sentra

It doesn't get the kind of press that Hyundai and Kia have been getting, but Nissan has been taking some big leaps in terms of improved product lately.  Regular TireKicker readers know we love the new Altima enough to include in our Top Ten Cars (So Far)...and now, it's the 2013 Sentra that's knocking our hat in the creek, with one possible reservation (more about which as we go on).

New Car Review: 2013 Kia Soul

Kia's been surprising people for a few years now, but maybe the biggest surprise was how the Soul ended up a big-seller when other seemingly similar funky boxes (Scion xB, Nissan Cube) failed.

Sure, the Soul had the Hamstars (love them or hate them, you know who they are and what car they're selling), and marketing matters. But the Soul caught on because the Soul works.

New Car Review: 2012 Toyota Prius C

The 2012 (and 2013) Toyota Prius C.

There's a school of thought that says hybrid owners like to call attention to their eco-friendly ways. If true, some say it explains why radically-styled hybrids like the Toyota Prius (well, it was radical until it became a best-seller) outsell "stealth" hybrids like the Honda Civic Hybrid, which looks...exactly like every other Honda Civic.

So what do you do when the Prius styling is beginning to become mainstream, and you're introducing a smaller, lighter, even more economical Prius...one that's less expensive, to boot? How do those people call attention to themselves?

Well, you could paint a huge number of them (including the ones sent to automotive journalists) bright orange. Toyota calls the color "Habanero". I call it "Orange Sherbet With Artificial Coloring".

New Car Review: 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium




The 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium.

It's the #1 question asked by someone meeting an automotive journalist:

"What's the best car?"

Now, of course, that can only be answered with a question (or more accurately, a series of questions).

"What for?"

"What kind of driving do you do?"

"How many people do you need to carry?"

"How much stuff do you need to carry?"

"What's your budget?"

Occasionally, I'll find myself talking to someone who's really trying to choose between the Audi R8 and a Porsche 911. But 9 times out of 10, it's someone who's looking for something reliable to get to and from work that gets good gas mileage, although sometimes, they'll take their spouse and 1.7 kids on a road trip for a few days.

For many years (a couple of decades, in fact) the Honda Civic was my default, no-risk recommendation. More recently, it's been the Mazda 3. But for the past seven days (and likely for some time to come), there's a new favorite compact car here at TireKicker World Headquarters.