Recently, my April 2011 print edition of Car and Driver came in the mail and the cover article peaked my interest. Who wouldn’t want to know what the “25 Cars Worth Waiting For” are, especially given the new technology being incorporated into cars? It feels like it is just a matter of time before cars become like something out of the Jetsons…heck maybe they will fly soon and not just in their 0-60 time. What was even more surprising is how many of the 25 cars were small—seven to be exact.
Some are predictable like the coming Ford Focus ST or the redesign of the Honda Civic, BMW 3-Series and Mercedes SLK (a car we saw being tested here in Colorado recently). Then of course there is the recently announced 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Those are the usual suspects, but lets check out the ones that we feel are the most interesting to watch in the coming years. First there is the 2013 Fiat 500 EV—yes, the all-electric sibling to the Fiat 500 that is coming to the U.S. The Fiat 500 EV will come with a 100-hp electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries. Like the Leaf and Ford Focus Electric, the Fiat 500 range is expected to be up to 100 miles. Hard to believe, but choosing an electric vehicle could come down to the exterior aesthetics.
The other small car in the list that captures our attention is the 2014 Saab 92. The 92 is a throwback design with the standard modern updates that we have come to expect and will become the new entry-level vehicle for the automaker. The Saab 92 is going to go up against the Audi A3, Mazdaspeed 3, Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Golf/GTI. If the 2014 Saab 92 sounds interesting, it is expected to hit the market in 2013 with a starting MSRP of somewhere in the neighborhood of $25K.
Bottom line—Small cars are becoming more and more apart of the landscape and we kind of like that. Call us biased or something. Be sure to check out the rest of the list of 25 cars and see if you agree or disagree.
[Source: Car and Driver]
