First Drive: 2014 Fiat 500L

When the Fiat 500 went on sail in mid-2011 in the United States and Canada, it marked the return of the Fiat brand to these markets. A Fiat has not been sold in these markets since 1984. In addition to the Fiat 500, the US and Canada markets would also get the 500C, 500 Abarth, 500C Abarth, and 500 Turbo. Starting in 2012, a Fiat subcompact/MPV started its production run. This new Fiat became the Fiat 500L. The Fiat 500L would be available internationally during late 2012. The UK and US markets started selling the 500L in Spring 2013. The Fiat 500L is a front engine, five-door hatchback. I got my first look at the Fiat 500L at the 2013 Houston Auto Show. During one Friday in June 2013, I took one out for a test drive. I drove one with the easy trim level and came with a six-speed dual clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters (a $1,350 option). The Fiat 500L is also available in pop (the basic trim level), trekking, and the top of the line lounge trim levels. The 500L comes with a six-speed manual transmission as standard.

On the outside, the Fiat 500L has a good exterior for a subcompact/MPV. The 500L shares some front facial features with the standard Fiat 500 grill and headlights on the bumper. The front bumper for the Fiat 500L extends out, past the grill. The 500L also features some nice lines going along the side of the car. It is not sporty, but the 500L is not a sports car. The 500L has a nice interior to it. I drove one with the easy package. That includes navigation, an excess speed alert, back-up camera, bluetooth functions, and media hub that includes a USB port. It is also very open and roomy. I was sitting in the back of one on a showroom floor and I had plenty of headroom and legroom in the rear. I was very comfortable behind the seat. The driver seat was comfortable. I had very good headroom and good legroom behind the wheel. What I like about the 500L is the visibility inside the car. It just feels open and not much is blocking your view when you are seeing nearby cars on the road.

The Fiat 500L is powered by a turbocharged 1.4L I4 engine that produces 160 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 120 mph. The Fiat 500L has adequate acceleration and good top speed, especially for a subcompact car. The 500L has a smooth ride quality. It drove nicely on the Houston roads and freeways. It was also very quiet inside the car. But most of all, this is a fun car to drive. Prices for the Fiat 500L starts at $19,990, which also includes a $800 destination charge. The price of the 500L I test drove was $22,345, including a $800 destination charge.

Overall, this is a good car. It gets adequate power from the turbocharged 1.4L engine that came fromt he Fiat 500 Abarth. It has adequate acceleration. It also has a good top speed, especially for a subcompact/MPV. It has a smooth, quiet ride. The car is very roomy. It has great visibility. For the price, you get comfort, a good interior, good styling for a subcompact/MPV, a good ride, and adequate performance. Most of all, this car is fun to drive. At first I was skeptical about this car. When I first saw it, I was not impressed. I feared that Fiat would use the 101 hp engine found in the standard Fiat 500. But that fear was gone when I found that this has the Fiat 500 Abarth engine. I am glad that Fiat went with the Abarth engine. It is a perfect match for the 500L. Fiat did not make the same mistake Mini/BMW made with the Countryman. The Mini Cooper Countryman used the same engine found in the standard Mini Cooper Hardtop, which really hurt the Mini Cooper. When you make a larger version of a car and keep the same engine, the performance of the larger vehicle suffers. Good job for Fiat for not making that mistake with the 500L. After driving both the Fiat 500C and Fiat 500L, I hope to see more Fiat models make it to the United States.

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First Drive: 2013 Scion xD

In 2002, Toyota created the Scion brand. The Scion brand consists of vehicles targeted towards young buyers in the United States. In 2004, two Scions made their debuts, the Scion xA, a rebadged Toyota ist, and the Scion xB, a rebadged Toyota bB. Both the xA and the xB are five-door hatchbacks.In 2007, the production runs of the xA and the first generation xB ended. In 2007, the second generation Scion xB went into production. The xA was replaced by the xD. The Scion xD is a rebadged second generation Toyota ist. The Scion xD is a subcompact front engine, front-wheel drive, five door hatchback. I have seen several xDs on the road. They have made appearances at the Houston Auto Show. While Scion did have a Ride and Drive booth at the 2013 Houston Auto Show, the xD was not available for test drives. During one Saturday in August, I took a Scion xD out for a test drive when my car was having its state inspection and oil change at the local Toyota/Scion dealership. The version I drove came with a four-speed automatic transmission. The Scion xD comes with a five-speed manual transmission as standard.

The Scion xD has a above average styling for a subcompact hatchbac The styling is bold and aggressive when compared to other subcompact hatchbacks.The front facial extends beyond the hood. This gives it an bold look. The rear hatch has a slight curve to it. The version I drove came with a rear spoiler. What hurts the appearance is the five-spoke wheel cover. I do not like wheel covers. They look cheap. I prefer actual wheels, which give cars a more appealing look. The xD is available with 16" five-spoke wheels as a $795 option. For a brand that focuses on younger drivers, the interior is nothing special. The standard pioneer radio system is nothing special. The driver seat was comfortable. I had good head room, but the legroom was barely adequate.

The Scion xD is powered by a 1.8L I4 engine that produces 128 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 118 mph. The xD felt slower than the 0-60 mph time suggests. The ride quality of the subpar. The xD blocks out all noises except for the engine. The engine is quite loud. Also the xD is rough when traveling along bumpy roads. The xD is boring to drive. Not much excitement behind the wheel. Steering is responsive if a little bit numb. Prices for the Scion xD start at $16,550, including an $805 destination fee. The version I drove with the automatic transmission starts at $17,350, including an $805 destination fee. For that price, you do not get a lot of car. Scions come with lttle standard, but Scion buyers are encouraged to customize their vehicles with aftermarket parts.

Overall, I was not impressed with the Scion xD. I found the car to be lacking. I know Scion encourages customization, but the xD should come with more toys as standard. The standard interior for the xD is just bland. The four-speed automatic transmission feels outdated. The xD comes with a five-speed manual transmission and is the preferred transmission. The 0-60 mph times are under 8.0 seconds for the manual. The automatic version I drove felt sluggish in the acceleration department. The xD also has a boring driving experience and an unnecessarily noisy engine. It is hard for me to recommend this car. There are better subcompact hatchbacks available. As far as the Scion brand goes, only the Scion FR-S has impressed me.

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First Drive: 2013 Honda Fit

In 2001, Honda released a five-door subcompact hatchback. In the European, Oceanic, Middle East, Austrailian, and most of the Asian markets, the hatchback is known as the Honda Jazz. For the Chinese, Japanese, and the American markets, the hatchback is known as the Honda Fit. The Honda Fit comes with a front-engine, front-wheel drive layout. The first generation Honda Fit was in production from 2011 to 2008. At the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, Honda debuted the second generation Honda Fit. The second generation Fit is longer and wider than the previous generation Fit. The American version of the Fit is slightly longer due to the longer front fascia. Production of the second generation started in 2007 and is currently still in production. The Honda Fit is a very common site on the Houston Roads and Highways. During one Saturday in March 2013, I made a visit to the local Honda dealership and took one out for a test drive. I drove the Honda Fit with the sport trim level. I drove one with a five-speed automatic transmission with manual paddle shifters, a $850 option. The Fit comes with a five-speed manual transmission as standard. The Japanese can get a Honda Fit with a CVT automatic transmission.

On the exterior, it is just a standard hatchback design. There is nothing special about its design. As part of the sport trim package, the Honda Fit comes with a rear spoiler, a body kit, and chrome exhaust tips.1. The interior is nothing special. It comes with cruise control, power windows, power locks, a perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel. The interior for the Honda Fit with the sport trim comes only in black with cloth seats. The base trim level comes with a grey interior. But there is one feature that saves the Honda Fit from having a bland interior. The rear seats not only fold down, but the seat bottoms fold up, allowing for better access and more storage space for items behind the front passenger and driver seats. Behind the wheel, I had good headroom and legroom. The driver seat was comfortable to be in. But the interior is just so bland and boring.

The Honda Fit is powered by a 1.5L I4 engine that produces 117 hp and 106 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 113 mph. The Honda Fit is a slow car. Also, the performance of the engine is underwhelming. For a car with a sport trim level, it did not feel sporty. But without the power and performance, the Honda Fit was smooth and and quiet. But there is not much excitement behind the wheel of the Honda Fit. Prices for the Honda Fit start at $16,215, including a $790 destination fee. The automatic Honda Fit Sport starts at $18,800, including a $790 destination fee. That is reasonable for what you get with the Honda Fit.

Overall, the Honda Fit is a boring, yet practical car. It lacks in the power and performance departments. It has a few redeeming qualities. The bottom of the rear seats fold up to allow for more storage space behind the driver and front passenger seats. The Fit has a smooth ride. It is comfortable behind the wheel. The one issue I really have is that the Fit does not give a fun driving experience. The problem with the Honda Fit is that there is not a lot of options with the Honda Fit. There are two trim levels, basic and sport. Honda has a few engine options with the Civic. For those who want a high performance version of the Civic, there is the Honda Civic Si. What Honda should have done is make a high performance of the Honda Fit. This could give consumers a chance to buy a Honda Fit with some performance, maybe a Honda Fit Si. The exterior is nothing special. Other than the rear seats that fold up, there is nothing special about the interior. But there is a market for the Honda Fit. If you want excitement, look elsewhere. But if you want a small, practical hatchback for under$20,000 and do not care for excitement, then give the Honda Fit a test drive.

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