WHEELS

By The Car Chick

Less Money, Same Thrills:

2013 LEXUS GS350 SEDAN

I liked the GS 450h Sedan from Lexus (see January, 2013 Asian Fortune). And I like its slightly downscale cousin even better. Maybe it’s all those asteroids buzzing by the earth that is turning things cosmically upside down, but when’s the last time a cheaper version of a luxury car outdid the more expensive one?

My deep sea mica (that’s rich, deep blue for a normal person or an economy car), four-door sedan was a beauty. It has a base price of $49,450 and with a bunch of cool options, the total topped out at $55,407. That’s hefty for most folks, but still a lot less than the $71, 407 it costs you to exchange the number 3 in the name for a 4. And as I thought the less expensive Lexus either equaled or maybe slightly out-performed the GS 450 hybrid, it seems like a great deal for a midsize luxury sport sedan.

The GS 350 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with direct injection and port fuel injection engine, creating 306 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. It comes with a 6-speed sequential shift automatic transmission with manual shift paddles. You can opt for rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. EPA estimates fuel economy at 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway and 23 combined, while the AWD comes in at 19/26/21.

So it’s not going to save you money on gas, but it’s a gas you’ll have moving this trim package around town and on the beltway. This re-fitted, slightly streamlined Lexus is a little stiffer than previous models, and with its refined suspension and tight steering, it offers truly quick and nimble handling, especially when making sharp turns. An optional F Sport package provides variable steering ratio and even rear wheel steering, but my car did not have that. (It did have that snazzy deep sea mica color, though.) A cold weather package in my test driver brought me the comfort of a heated steering wheel, which I really enjoyed. Less enjoyable is user-hostile infotainment system which seemed to be designed by someone who has never tried to drive and listen to music or communicate simultaneously.

The engine provides fast, smooth acceleration, and it gives up nothing in the way of luxury or comfort to achieve that. Inside, it’s all Lexus, which means you glide along comforted by soft leather and rich wood, with aluminum trim and most of the luxury and safety components you can imagine. And a roomy trunk!

Can Less Really Be More?

2013 SCION iQ 3-DOOR LIFTBACK

 

At first glance, the Scion iQ looks like a little cartoon car, complete with a front grille resembling nothing more than a goofy, shy smile. The thing is tiny. And yet, three adults and maybe a child can ride inside all at once without suffering extreme claustrophobia. Inside, it’s somehow larger than its rival, the SmartCar. In fact, two grown-ups actually can ride rather nicely. So the size shouts “City Car” at you, while the name iQ quietly, and probably with a cultured accent, tells you this auto has more to do with informed and intelligent choices than flash and dazzle.

Does it live up to those promises? Actually, yes.

It’s cheap, with a list price of $15,265. (And yet, my iQ came swaddled in something rather similar to the deep sea mica of the above-reviewed and vastly more expensive Lexus, here bearing the drab-by-comparison name Pacific Blue Metallic.) At this price, it comes with enough basic features to be livable enough for short city trips. And will you really miss all the bells and whistles when you can pull right into a cramped little space that other drivers are forced to pass by, shaking their heads in disappointment? Of course, there is a list of available options, and mine had a few, but they were things like rear speakers and carpeted floor mats, so you get the idea as to how much you can trick out this car at the dealership. But then, a true city car like is not meant to be loved; it’s meant to keep the rain off your head while you get someplace and then disappear into a sliver of a parking space while you live your life not thinking about cars.

Did I say city car? Time for another “actually,” as in “Actually, it moves along better than I expected on the big open roads, too, for its price and size.” It’s smooth and quiet, and while it’s not a powerhouse with its 1.34 L, 4-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission rolling out 94 HP, it will get you where you’re going on the open road, as long as you don’t mind taking longer to get there. That’s not an issue in the city, of course, with its sluggish travel pace.

This is all about the head, not the heart. It’s not a vehicle for car lovers. But for the city person for whom cars are merely occasional conveyance, the iQ is, as the name implies, an intelligent choice.

Can a Little More Be…More?

2013 HONDA CIVIC 4-DOOR EX

Honda just gave their basic Civic, a top-seller in 2012, a facelift for 2013. It’s sleeker and sportier (or as sporty as a compact car should aspire to be) than previous Civics, and while mechanically and electronically it hasn’t changed substantially from last year’s model, it somehow seems to drive better. Yes, it’s still noisy, and the interior still looks like a gussied-up econo-box, but overall, it’s a decent package for $20,815. That’s list price for the basic model, which Honda must have thought was the perfect version for you to know about because that’s what they gave me. Not an unwise decision, it turns out.

Like the iQ, you’re probably thinking practical thoughts rather than the romance of the road when selecting a Honda Civic. And this is a practical car, made nicer to look at this year, but still something you know you’re not wasting money on. True, the interior has some new touches, such as some nicer, softer materials, and I rather like the two-tiered dashboard and the rear camera. There are upgrades with communications amenities which are standard. In fact, the basic model I drove had a rather long list of standard features that are extra-priced options on similarly priced compacts.

The 140 HP, 1.8 L, 4-Cylinder engine is not exciting, but it’s adequate for everyday needs, helped by the smooth performance of the five-speed automatic transmission in my model. Honda seems to have upgraded the suspension, and with electric-assist power steering and boosted torque, it takes curves at least as well as most of the cars in its class that I’ve driven.

The iQ too small for you? And the Lexus just seems too, well, too much for you? The Civic might be a good middle ground.