Auto Countdown: Cars That Were A Pleasant Surprise To Drive
5. Nissan Leaf
Last year, I did an Auto Countdown of the Worst Cars of 2011. The Nissan
Leaf was on the list for its exterior design, range, and performance.
The car gets 98 miles on one charge, but it loses 22 miles if the heater
or air conditioner is on. It has an unofficial 0-60 mph time of 9.9
seconds, but it felt slightly quicker than that.The Leaf has a top speed
of 93 mph, which is low. What is pleasantly surprising about the Nissan
Leaf is the interior. The Leaf has one of the best design interiors I
have ever seen in any cars. The car is comfortable to drive with plenty
of space in rear for adult passengers. The car has a unique gear shifter
located on the center console instead of the dashboard, which I prefer.
The hand brake is integrated nicely into the center console. The Leaf's
interior and drive quality put this car on the pleasant surprise list,
but it is low due to low range and slow acceleration. It still felt
quicker than the Toyota Prius and the Chevrolet Volt.
4. Ford Focus.
I went to the Ford dealership to test drive the Ford Mustang since I
test drove the Chevrolet Camaro during the previous weekend. While at
the Ford dealership, I also drove the Ford Focus. This was a pleasant
surprise to drive. The Focus has better styling than the Chevrolet Cruze
and Subaru Impreza. The car was smooth on the road. I did not feel any
vibrations or roughness while going over speed bumps. The Focus has some
zip to it. I felt comfortable behind the wheel. I was not planning on
driving the Focus, but I am glad I did. This car is a pleasant surprise.
3. Dodge Dart
My family had some issues with the Chrysler products in the past. My dad
had a Chrysler LeBaron, and that car was nothing but problems. I was at
an event at a local Subaru dealership. Next door is a Chrysler, Dodge,
Jeep, and Ram dealership.I decided to test drive the Dodge Dart. This
was a pleasant surprise. The car has great styling. I drove one with the
basic 2.0L I4 engine that produces 160 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque.
The Dart has some zip to it. If you need desire more power and
performance, the Dart come with a turbocharged 1.4L I4 engine and a 2.4L
I4 engine. There is speculation that there could be an SRT version of
the Dart coming out sometime in the near future. The car has a sporty
interior. For a sports compact sedan, the car drove smoothly on the
road. What holds this car back is the lack of head room and leg room in
the back. I am 5'9" and I felt cramped in the rear. I hit my head on the
ceiling.
2. Scion FR-S
Toyota created car that is fun to drive? From the car company that
produces the Prius comes one of the best sports coupe of 2012, the
Toyota F T86. In America, it is called the Scion FR-S FT-86/FR-S is a
joint effort Toyota did with Subaru, which has its own version called
the Subaru BR-Z. The car has a 2.0L flat 4 engine that produces 200 hp.
This is a quick car. It has a sporty sound to it. Most of all, the FR-S
is fun to drive. The car has a great sporty styling and a sporty
interior. The FR-S comes with racing seats, which take some time to get
use to. The car has a sporty suspension, so it is not as smooth as some
of the other cars. At least the FR-S did not try to destroy my back like
the Buick Regal Turbo. The FR-S is a great sports car to have for under
$30,000. There is still one car that is a bigger pleasant surprise than
the sporty FR-S. Great job Toyota and Subaru on creating a fun sports
coupe.
1. Buick Verano
