The Best Cars of 2014

the best car has to posses 7 S's: Style, Safety, Smoothness, Silence, Swiftness, be a fuel Sipper and be Sensible.  By sensible, I mean it can't feature a control system like Ford's My Touch which is impossible to use and a blight on an otherwise fine brand of cars and trucks.

The candidates for me are Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Mazda 6, Ford C-Max Hybrid and Ford C-Max Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) (notwithstanding what I just said about the My Touch system in Fords), the GM Volt, and Toyota's Camry and Prius hybrids.

Taxes included here in Canada, here are how these cars stack up in terms of cost and real-world mileage numbers (from Consumer Reports road tests):

If you want the best fuel economy, nothing beats the electrics.  But you have to pay $50k to get one.  Is it worth it?  Not at $5/gal in Canada.   In the 40 mpg space, Prius V is a great choice but, again, the fuel savings over ten years barely pay for the extra cost.   In the 30 mpg range, the remaining Japanese cars are all great contenders, so it comes down to the other S factors.

My overall choice is the Honda Accord 4 cylinder with CVT transmission.  It has the best overall balance among the 7 S's.   I especially like its simple controls for their clarity and ease of use.   The whole car makes sense and gets a big high-five for Sensible.

2013 Dodge Viper Cars

The 2013 model year marks the end of the line of the second generation Dodge Viper, and most likely total the end of the snake. From the original concept car debuted in 1989, the Viper has embodied the American spirit of reckless excess. Captured the imagination of car enthusiasts and manages to draw attention today. The Viper is as it always has been, a field of wild animals by road is also difficult to drive because it is rewarding. Price of 2013 Dodge Viper Coupe from $97,035

Power transmission for 2013 Dodge Viper Coupe is a completely crazy 8.4-liter V10 engine that roars at 600 horsepower and 560 lb-ft of torque. This engine starts Viper mass from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds with the light on the quarter mile in 11.6 in a single second to 125.7 mph. Despite its low weight, we found CAB to be a little faster. Top speed is a claimed 200 mph. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, which is the only transmission available. Fuel economy – but obviously after the fact that the exotic sports cars – saving an estimated EPA of 13 mpg city / 22 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined.
Access to the driver’s seat can be challenging for some. Because the exhaust side of the marks, the side rails can become hot enough to burn the calves, the best drivers and find that the rather small opening of the door makes entry and exit. Those whose bottom is wider than the average can also find the seats a little uncomfortable tight.
The overall design of the interior of the Viper is pretty sad, but it may brighten a bit with the optional two-tone colors and dashboard inserts. Gauges in black and white face are easy to read and well positioned. The speedometer is mounted in the center of the large instrument module, next to the speedometer 220-mph-max. The center console seat additional gauges, audio system with CD player, air conditioning and a juicy red button Start to start the V10. We will avoid the optional navigation system because it is an older model with a smaller screen and picky, unintuitive controls.

The best safety equipment for the 2013 Dodge Viper Coupe is not included in the car. E ‘skill of the driver, preferably racing pedigree. What is, however, antilock brakes are massive 14-inch rotors which can stop the Viper 60 km / h in one eye swollen-104 feet. Conspicuous by their absence are the side airbags, traction and stability control – skills that make driving even more critical.