New Budget Cars, 101: 2015

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

2012 - 15 Chevy Spark

It "Sparks" a Little Interest

Key words: "A Little"

The Chevy Spark has been in production in some way or another since 1998. Many people around the world might know it as a Daewoo / Chevy Matiz. It is a small "city car" that is supposed to be Chevrolet's least expensive car on the road. It is now in its third generation and has been available in North America since 2012. It was made to compete against the Smart Car, Fiat 500, Mazda 2, and the newer Scion iQ.

Let's take a look:

Different Styles:

The Chevy Spark basically only comes in one style in North America; a 5-door hatchback with only 4 seats. Before 2014 it had either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed auto transmission, the 4-speed has been replaced by a CVT.

It only has one engine, the smallest Chevrolet makes; a 1.2L 4 cylinder gas engine.

Now in very small numbers, and in only a select few states in the U.S., the Chevy Spark could be bought as a 100% electric vehicle. As that is not an easily available car, I will not review it....yet.

Styling and Comfort Impressions:

The Chevy Spark was designed to basically just look like a very small car, unlike competitors who try to make their "city cars" look different than a normal car, and Chevy has done a good job.

The Spark really just looks like a smaller version of the Chevy Sonic, which doesn't look bad itself. It has big lights in the front and back to make it look like a bug, somewhat small windows, and decent-sized tires. It comes in a variety of fun, bright colours so you can really make it your own.

Going inside isn't too bad. It does have mostly cheap, hard plastics but keep in mind how inexpensive this car is. The controls are easy to use and in a good position. The dashboard is pretty small, consisting of one large circle for your speed and then a small screen to the side that shows your RPM, fuel level and a variety of other figures depending on which buttons you push on the side of it.

You can get parts of the interior to match the exterior colour of the car; a nice touch.

The front seats are way too soft and not supportive at all. If you push back hard enough, you can actually feel the whole seat flex and bend. Headroom is good, but the seats don't go far enough back to give good legroom while driving.

The sound system is quite bad if its just the 4 speaker setup. The upgraded 6 speakers are not much better.

Getting into one of the two extremely small back seats isn't fun. While the door opens nice and wide, there just isn't enough room to shove your legs in if the front seats are in any sort of comfortable position. Once you are in, and are sitting behind a short person in front, there is OK headroom due to the hatchback design and high roof. You sit very upright and your knees literally dig into the back of the person driving, not ideal for anything but a short trip in the city.

Finally the trunk, or lack there of. If all seats are up, the trunk only has enough space for maybe two small carry one suitcases standing up next to each other. With the seats down, there is actually a respectable about of room. The seats only fold flat if the bottom cushions are pulled up and forward, and the front seats are not all the way back.

Driving Impressions:

City cars are supposed to excel in small spaces, deal with the stop and go world that is city traffic, and be super easy to park. If that was all that the Spark would have to do, it is fantastic. However, we all use cars for multiple purposes and while it may spend most of the time in the city, for those rare occasions when you need to get onto the open road, things aren't so nice.

The car has a nice upright sitting position for the driver, combined with the relatively large windows, you have very good visibility, a plus in heavy traffic and small parking garages.

When you turn the engine on it's actually very smooth, but in no way is it quiet. The engine then stays pretty loud no matter what speed you are going, especially when it's pushed, but it still remains smooth the whole time ( how did they do it?).

The turning radius for the Chevy Spark is very good, you could easily turn around in a narrow 2-way street without stopping or hitting the curb. It should also go without saying that parking is super easy due to its narrow width and short length. It can basically fit anywhere.

If you ever need to get the car out on the open highway get ready for a battle. The engine is very weak. it struggles to keep up with traffic going 100 km/h + . Passing is something that really should not be attempted. The wind and road noise at highways speeds is also pretty bad, making normal conversations hard without yelling.
Yet throughout it all, the car actually handles and rides very well. It's nimble and soaks up bumps pretty well without being bouncy.

Overall:

For the Chevy Spark to work for you, the situation would have to be specific. You live in a large dense city, you actually do need a car everyday for some reason and you are on a budget. The other situation is: you live just on the edge of a large city, where you work and do most of your daily activities, you have another vehicle in the house for moving the family around and longer trips, but you need a second car.

It is suitable for occasional short trips through the city where you need to drive at least 2 other people, and just a tiny bit of stuff. Or its just you but you need to move a decent bit of stuff around on occasion.

Would I pick it? No, because there are better options out there. the Chevy Spark is not he worst, but it's definitely not the best, even if you are working with a budget. Mazda 2 or Mitsubishi Mirage are nicer and cheap. Minis and Fiats might be more fun, but they can't hold 4 people well and are expensive. The Spark falls somewhere in the middle, like the Nissan Micra.

Facts/ Figures:

Price ( for mid trim level): $16,000+

FWD

Max HP: 85

Max Torque ft-lbs: 82

MPG (approx*): City: 27 Highway: 36

Cargo room (approx*): 11, 31 CuFt

Length: 145''

Width: 64''

Tank Size (gal): 9.2

Miles on one tank (using combined MPG figures): 300

Average used price with 60,000KM or less: $11,000+

* when I say "approx" I usually am using the numbers given by the actual manufacturer or Consumer Reports, minus 1 to be a bit more realistic.

**No pictures featured are my own, they have been taken either from Google images or the manufacturer's website and their rightful owners should get any credit for them. This review featured all pictures from the manufacturer's websites ( some through Edmunds.com).

Links:
Chevy Canada

Related Cars:

Enjoy!

J.K.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Fixing up old posts

Going to do some fall cleaning

I have noticed that some of the pictures in some of the posts have become corrupted. I will over the next few weeks go through all the old posts and put up good pictures again.

Stay tuned, a new post it coming!

J.K.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

2010 - 15 Scion TC Review

Does the "TC" stand for Totally Cool?

The car is cool, but its not for everyone.

Scion is a sub-company of Toyota who's main purpose was to offer young buyers a line of cool and edgy cars and offer a huge line of customization options. Their main vehicle is the Scion TC. It is a compact vehicle that was supposed to be the replacement of the Toyota Celica which ended production the first year the TC started sales. Im looking at the second generation of TC, which received a mild "face lift" in late 2014.

Let's take a look:

Different Styles:

The Scion TC only comes in one style: a 2-door coupe. Wait no, that's not right, its actually a 2-door hatchback! Yup, even though this great looking car looks like an awesome and sporty coupe, in reality it is a very cleverly disguised hatchback! More on that later. . .

The Scion TC comes only with a 2.5L, 4 cylinder engine that is actually the same as the Toyota Camry's ( not really a good thing for a "sporty" car . . .)

It is FWD.

You can have it with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed auto transmission.

It has 5 seats ( even though only 4 are really usable).

Styling and Comfort Impressions:

Let's make this easy. This car looks fantastic on the outside. It's edgy, it's got great sporty angles, large sporty-looking wheels, sharp lights, and the 2014 face lift made it even better! It's not a very long car, but it does have a long wheelbase and a wide low stance that makes it look like it can tackle just about any racetrack.

Going inside is a slightly different story. It still looks somewhat sporty, but there could possibly be more chrome, aluminum, or carbon fiber accents. It's just too plain for this vehicle, and everything is just black plastic. And just grey seats. In either cloth or leather.

Note - There are some specific versions of the Scion TC that you can order that will have more coloured accents inside that liven it up a bit ( Orange / Black edition...).

The dash layout is good and there are just a minimal about of large knobs and buttons which is good, everything is angled toward the driver too.

The seats save the interior a bit. They are very comfortable and supportive it is supposed to be sporty remember). You have very good head and leg room in the front, even though it is a low car.

The sound system is supposed to pretty good, but for a car like this, I found it just adequate. It does have 8 speakers but the system isn't the easiest to use and quality seemed to be just acceptable.

Take a look:

The rear seats for the Scion TC are actually pretty good, for two people. First off, getting into the back is relatively easy due to long doors and front seats that slide easily, meaning quite a large gap to get through. The two outer seats are very deep and almost like bucket seats, so they are comfortable and supportive. There is plenty of leg room but head room is limited due to the low roof and sloping rear hatch. A unique feature the TC has is that the rear seats can recline a bit, so that on longer trips, rear passengers can get a bit more comfortable. The front passenger seat also folds flat for long items.

Finally, the trunk. Its pretty good, it has a decent length to it, but due to the car being disguised as a coupe, you don't get much height. The seats do fold down flat though, so you can have as much interior volume as some larger compact hatchbacks, but the TC looks better. Also, it has a rear window wiper that is nice and large, good for bad weather.

Driving Impressions:

If you have been following my blog for some time now, you may remember a review I did on the Hyundai Veloster (non-turbo). Well, this is like that. To put in one word: disappointing. Let's start with the driving position. While the drivers seat is comfortable, you sit so low in the car, and the windows are so high and small, that visibility is quite bad. The awesome coupe / hidden hatchback design means that the rear quarter roof supports are huge and create huge blind spots.

Start up the engine and it's loud. Not super loud, but loud enough to make people think you have a sporty car. That's good for impression's sake I guess. The engine is loud no matter what speed you are going; it's a sporty car so this is acceptable. You want a sporty car not because it's quiet, but because it makes some noise, gives you the feeling of power and speed.

It's not just the engine making noise either, at higher speeds there is quite a bit of road noise that is coming in through a combination of crazy big wheels as standard (18 inch), and the aerodynamics / lack of sound insulation.

Let's get back to the ride quality: rough. It comes with 18 inch rims as standard which is pretty large for a small car like this. The suspension is also tuned to be sporty as well, so there is no relief there. The car is also not very heavy so it can't use its weight to soak up bumps.

The turning is tight and responsive, which is actually very good.

The power the engine puts out is at least better than on the Veloster, which was just sad. In normal drive mode the car feels like any other normal compact, with adequate acceleration, but put it into "sport mode" and the TC really comes alive. Quick shifts and high revs really move the TC and the true sporty nature of the car comes out. It may be the engine from a Toyota Camry, but the car is much lighter so that engine can really whip it around!

Overall:

The Scion TC looks awesome from the outside, has a decent interior, and can comfortably seat 4 adults. It has the looks of a sporty car, but the practicality of a hatchback. The engine has enough power to get you moving, it has tight handling, and not horrible fuel efficiency. It also has the nice ability to be easily customized. However, you need to be looking for a certain type of car for this to work for you. If you are looking for a sporty car, that just happens to be somewhat practical, and has the backing of one of the most reliable companies (Toyota) then the Scion TC may be a good fit. If you are looking for any sort of comfort while driving it, the TC is not for you. If they could offer the TC with some smaller rims and a base trim that wasn't so sport tuned, it could be a very good car for the masses. Would I pick it? No, because there are other options out there that are more practical, more comfortable, and just as fun. However, that coupe design may be enough for some people to pick it over a traditional hatchback.

Note - be careful when looking at used ones as owners tend to do their own modifications on them as well, which are normally not the best.

Facts/ Figures:

Price ( for mid trim level): $25,000+

FWD

Max HP: 179

Max Torque ft-lbs: 172

MPG (approx*): City: 22 Highway: 31

Cargo room (approx*): 15, 35 CuFt

Length: 177''

Width: 71''

Tank Size (gal): 14.5

Miles on one tank (using combined MPG figures): 390

Average used price with 60,000KM or less: $13,000

* when I say "approx" I usually am using the numbers given by the actual manufacturer or Consumer Reports, minus 1 to be a bit more realistic.

Links:
Scion Canada
Scion USA

Related Cars:

2012+ VW Beetle

Honda CR-Z
Hyundai Veloster

Enjoy!

J.K.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Im coming back soon!

Hello Internet World, Miss Me?

I know I haven't posted anything new in quite a while, my bad. Ever since the summer started I have been working 60+ hour work weeks between two jobs, so unfortunately I haven't had any chances to review or write about any cars.

Remember I do actually drive all these cars at some point, so I cant just read other reviews and use the same stuff, that's just not cool.

But, summer will soon be ending for me which means Ill be able to get back into the game!

There have been a number of updates in the small car world so I also will have new material to talk about.

I may also start to expand the reviews to midsize / mid-price cars as well. Ill have to think about that one...

So don't worry, I have some good reviews lined up and I should be ready to start posting again in a few weeks.

If you are new to the blog, you still have plenty of time to catch up!

Have a great rest of the summer world! ( if you are in the Northern Hemisphere...)

J.K.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

New Budget Cars is Moving up in the World!

New Budget Cars (NBC) 101 is getting picked up by a radio station!

My dream of getting the blog picked up by a larger organization is finally starting to happen. While it may not be a large auto review site that is taking me on, it is a very popular radio station in the Greater Toronto Area called 102.1 The Edge.

My posts will become featured on their official blog called Citizen Edge.

This should hopefully help the reviews get more viewers and attention, possibly to lead to something else in the future.

Im still just doing these reviews as a hobby, as I do not want to leave my current job unless the company ceased to exist, which doesn't look like its going to happen, which is a good thing not just for me, but essentially for everyone.

But anyways, what does this pick up mean for the current NBC, 101? Well, im not sure. I will be using some material from here to post on 102.1 as it is still my work and im sure 99.9% of it's viewers have not seen any of my posts. It does mean that I will have to decide on putting posts on both sites or just forward everyone here to 102.1's blog, which really shouldn't be a problem.

I should start being able to put posts on 102.1 The Edge (the blog is called Citizen Edge) soon, so when that happens ill put a link up for everyone.

In the mean time I am working on a few more reviews so stay tuned!

Once again if anyone reading has contacts in any of these car companies or review companies Im more than happy to be given any sort of car to do a bit more of an extended review! I just like driving!

Thanks for stopping by!

J.K.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Car Talk 101, Maintenance

Look after your car and it will look after you

Newer cars really don't need much work, do some simple jobs yourself and save time, money, and life on your car.

There seems to be a stigma out there that new cars are being built to not last as long as older cars.

There are two main reasons why cars are not lasting as long as they used to.

People want a new car sooner so they just get rid of them faster, the accelerating technology also aids to the want of a new car and impression of the old car not working properly.
People are not taking care of their cars like they used to, they are getting lazy. Because people can lease and trade in a car after just a few years they feel like they don't need to put any work into it because it will be someone else's problem later.

For those of you that are in the #2 category, shame on you. If everyone kept their car for just a few more years the amount of material saved from not having to make as many new cars would be staggering. It would also mean that less material is ending up in the landfills and junkyards.

You actually end up spending a lot more money if you constantly lease cars rather then drive them until they start falling apart. And its not that hard to fend off the day when your car just isn't worth driving anymore.

Lets go over some simple things that anyone with a driveway can do to help keep their cars longer (sorry condo and apartment people, you do need decent room for some jobs).

Change the oil and the filter!

In every car manual it will tell you exactly when you should change the oil and the filter, and what types to use. It is the #1 thing you can do to keep your car running well, it is also one of the easiest things you can do on the car.

In short, you buy the oil and correct filter, if you can't figure out what to get, ask the guy at the counter from the place you are buying the stuff from, or ask Google. You will also need a drip pan, a wrench set, some paper towels, and most likely a funnel. You also want old clothes you don't care about because you will get a little dirty.

Run the car for a few mins to the get the oil warm (NOT HOT or you will burn yourself) if the car has been sitting overnight, just driving around the block once should be enough.

Changing the oil is a bit different for each car, so the best plan is to read your manual or just search your car on YouTube and add "oil change". There should be step by step instructions on where to locate your car's drain plug, filter, and oil filling spot.
The basics are:

Lift front of car up a bit so you can get underneath a bit to look around (every car should come with a jack so it shouldn't be a problem). Make sure the parking brake is on!
Locate the drain plug, put drip pan underneath, unscrew the bolt.
Let drain.
Unscrew the old oil filter (may be very tight...)
Put drain plug back in.
Put new filter on (put some new oil around the rubber ring on it first).
Fill with new oil from the top on engine.
Check oil level with the dipstick, add more if necessary.
Clean up and take the old oil in some sort of container to a hazardous waste drop of spot

Change a flat tire (or all 4 if moving to a winter set)

Honestly most people really don't need to do this any more as almost everyone has some sort of road side assistance package but if you don't:

Locate spare tire (usually in trunk under the floor or underneath the car held on by a bolt or two)
Find car jack (usually in the trunk by the spare tire)
Put the car in park, with the parking brake on. If you can, find a large stone or block to put behind at least one of the other tires to make sure car doesn't roll away.
Jack it up.
The jack points are usually close to each of the wheels underneath the doors (look at the manual)
With the jack there should be a metal rod with a open end that will fit over your wheel bolts.
Unscrew the bolts in this order:
Put the new tire on following the same steps. (hopefully you make sure it is fully pumped up at least once a year)
Pack everything up, remember that stone or block by the wheels. Get that tire fixed or replaced as soon as you can, like in a day.

Changing the brake pads (disk brakes)

Almost all new cars have 4 disk brakes which are much better than drum brakes and are much easier to replace by yourself.

Once again check your manual for the type or Google, or the guy behind the counter on what type of pads you need or should use. They are usually around $40 for a pair (every wheel needs a pair).

The brake pads are a bit trickier than just wheels to replace so watching a video is the best way to learn how to do it. Once again, just go to Google or YouTube and type in how to change brake pads for a (your car name).

It is quite a dirty process so make sure you have plenty of paper towels or rag cloths and clothes you don't care if you get dirty.

Basically, just google some simple work you can do on your car. There are bound to be plenty of YouTube videos about it and save some money on your car. Doing work on your own car will also help you understand and feel when your car is no longer working at its peak so you can get it fixed before a small problem becomes a major one.

Have fun!

J.K.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

2012-15 VW Golf 1.8L Review

Small, Efficient, Fun!

I have finally been able to test drive this super popular car and I think you need to get it!

The VW Golf (sometimes known as the Rabbit) has been selling successfully for over 40 years now and it shows. This small VW has clearly been absorbing everything it has been learning to slowly perfect itself over the years. Besides the VW "Bug", the Golf has been one of the most recognizable VW cars on the market. There are many variations of the Golf in the world so I will just be focusing on the ones in North America, and just the hatchback version, not the wagon (estate) or Jetta wagon versions. The car was slightly changed for the 2015 year, so I will try to show and cover the previous generation and the current one.
Lets take a look: (left are pre-2015)

Different Styles:

While the golf may come in a variety of different styles around the world, in North America it currently comes as a 3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, and a 5-door wagon. I will focus on the 5-door hatchback.

The VW Golf also comes with a variety of different engines. As a few versions of the Golf are not really considered economic or budget, I shall focus on the ones that are.

From 2010-2014 the Golf could have a 2.5L 5 cylinder gas engine, which is the same engine in the VW Beetle I reviewed here:

2012-15 VW Beetle 2.5L

It could be had with a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission.

The Golf could also have the 2.0L, turbo 4-cylinder diesel engine which is the same as the VW Jetta I reviewed here:

2011-14 VW Jetta 2.0L Turbo Diesel

It could be had with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automated manual (DSG) dual-clutch transmission.

Starting in 2015, the Golf can have a 1.8L, turbo 4 cylinder engine with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Styling and Comfort Impressions:

I will admit I am a bit biased in favour of hatchbacks. But it seems like the whole world, not just me, thinks the VW Golf is a great looking car. The 2010-14 generation was quite good, but the update for the 2015 year made the car look a lot better; more sporty and edgy. All the proportions are very good. Large windows, a boxy back for good cargo space, the wheels are not too small or too large. The lights are not too crazy but are aggressive-looking enough to give the Golf some personality. Some people might look at the Golf against competitors and say that it looks too plain. It may be, but at the same time that slight lack of pizzazz means that this car will still look good once the overall style and fad of current cars moves on, just like it has in the past.

Going inside, the Golf has a very functional, smart looking, but slightly plain interior. The materials all look and feel good and work well together inside. It can have either a black layout or a dark tan for the seating and carpets.

The front media unit changed a bit between the last generation and the 2015 one. The new ones have more shiny piano-like black surfaces and chrome trim (which always makes thinks look better). The layout is still very functional with large, easy to reach buttons and controls. Same with the dashboard. The front seats are very well supported and are made of nice materials that feel sporty and long lasting. The boxy shape of the Golf roof-line is a bit higher meaning that the seats can be a bit more upright, which is a more comfortable position for longer driving and provides great leg and headroom.

Take a look: (2015 front is the 3rd photo)

The rear seats get the same good treatment with upright positions and plenty of room or legs and heads. The Golf is also a decently wide car so fitting 3 people in the back isn't as awful as in other compacts. The head rests don't lay flat like in some other hatchbacks, but they are not too large, plus the rear window is large meaning visibility out back is still good.

The center seat can have the middle part folded down so long items can be put though the center like skis or a snowboard while still allowing there to be two people comfortably sitting in the back. The trunk is large and boxy in shape meaning that it can take a lot of stuff without needing to put the seats down. If you do need to fold them down the overall cargo size is pretty large, almost Honda Fit large. Finally, I need to mention that the car has a great sound system and comes with a variety of features that you will love like heated front seats in the 5-door.

Driving Impressions:

Now for the really good part! Sitting in the diver's seat in the Golf means your have great visibility in basically every direction. The windows are large and and the seats are high meaning that only the rear quarters have any sort of blind spot. All controls are within reach and are laid out properly. Starting up the engine it feels solid and is neither loud or rough. Driving around in tight cities or parking lots will be easy due to a small turning circle and boxy dimensions meaning that when you can't see the car any more it really means that is the edge of the car.

The engine continues to be smooth and quiet in and around the city with plenty of power and torque for quick acceleration, maybe just a little bit less than the 2.5L 5 cylinder.

When pushed hard the little engine does start to make some sound, but it is still not loud, and it actually sounds pretty good (must have a good exhaust system). There is a tiny bit of turbo lag in some situations but not enough to be an annoyance.

Once on the highway the engine gets into a good groove and the car is still overall very quiet. Suspension seems to be a good mix of comfort and sporty handling as the car does not bounce over bumps but is not rough through potholes and dodging them is fun as well.

Speaking of fun, shift the gear selector into "sport" and hold on as revs are higher and gear shifts are faster. The combination of small dimensions, tight handling and plenty of power make this a fun little car to drives around, while not using too much gas.

Overall:

If you're in the market for a new small car, get a VW Golf! The car has small dimensions but a large interior. The outside looks smart, the inside is functional and well put together. There is enough room for 4 adults and all their stuff. With a variety of engines and options you can make this car perfect for: a budget second car (2.5L or 1.8L turbo), a highway cruiser (TDI), or a serious sport car (GTI and R versions not reviewed due to higher price and lower efficiency). The only other car I have reviewed so far that was as fun to drive was the Mini Cooper, but that car just isn't big enough for 4 people and is too expensive for some to justify the purchase. While older VW cars may have been plagued with issues and maintenance problems, these new ones (2010 or newer) seem to have fixed all that and are serious contenders that should fit just about anyone's lifestyle. New or slightly used, if you are in need of a small car, definitely check out the VW Golf!

There will apparently be an electric version of the Golf coming out soon, so keep an eye out for that as well.

Facts/ Figures:

Price ( for mid trim level): $25,000+

FWD

Max HP: 1.8L (170), TDI (153)

Max Torque: (200), (236)

MPG (approx*): 1.8L City: 24 Highway: 35, TDI City: 31 Highway: 43

Cargo room (approx*): 23, 53 CuFt

Length: 168''

Width: 71''

Tank Size (gal): 13.2

Miles on one tank (using combined MPG figures): 382, 488

Average used price with 60,000KM or less: $15,000+ (TDI $19,000+)

* when I say "approx" I usually am using the numbers given by the actual manufacturer or Consumer Reports, minus 1 to be a bit more realistic.

Links:
VW Canada

VW USA

Nissan Leaf

2010-14 Honda Insight

Enjoy!

J.K.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Electric Vs Hybrid Vs Gas Comparison Chart

What costs more: Electric or Gas?

If you are looking strictly at costs, what makes more sense and for how long?

This chart is extremely simplified, I know there are many more factors that go into each type of car, but I'm looking at just simple, regular maintenance schedules and costs for the average car here.
If anything, I have been too conservative with the cost of the gas cars' average maintenance, but you can still see the cost changes.
There are clearly a number of cars missing here. I've just taken a few of the more common ones from each class.
I will just be looking at the compact and mid-size car class as these are the most popular and they have a number of electric and hybrid cars to compare with. While there are some SUV hybrids, they are not all in the same general class so it wouldn't be fair to compare them.
There are some hybrids and electric cars once you get into the large luxury vehicle classes, but that's not what "New Budget Cars 101" is about....yet.
So here it is: a very simplified, rough, comparison of fully electric cars vs. hybrids vs. gas cars.
I have a big Excel spreadsheet that shows all the formulas and stuff, but to make it simpler I will just post the different classes as line graphs. But I will explain some of the "behind the scene" numbers.

The prices were made by looking at both Canadian and American car sites and mixing the price differences with the cars having a decent trim (no base models).
I found the average distance each car could go on 1 charge or tank of gas by combining the City and Highway fuel efficiency numbers and by how large each tank or battery was.
By combining these two numbers, and seeing what the average cost of gas / electricity was for Toronto (a good representative city for most places) I found what the price was to "fill up" each car.
Then with an average of 25,000 km driven by most people per year, I just divided with the distance a car could go on one fill up and then multiplied by the cost to fill up to get the yearly "fuel costs".
Gas cars need oil and filter changes every 6,000 km, so 25,000/6,000 means about 4 oil changes per year, at an average of $75 each (unless you do it yourself, which most people do not) so about $300/ year.
So, fuel + oil costs added together would get each car's "yearly running costs".
Add in an average brake pad change very 70-80,000 km at about $100 per car.
Add in emissions checks that have to be done every year or so after the car is 7 years old (about $40 each time).
Add brake line checks and power steering work after about 100,000 km (about $500).

There are obviously a ton of extra costs, but they become too variable per car and driving habits. So I am just looking at the most basic work that essentially every car needs done at the same time. Some people may make the complaint that replacing the battery in fully electric cars will cost a lot of money and will happen sooner than later. First, there are almost no reports of batteries dying prematurely. Second, the cost to replace the Nissan Leaf battery has been announced by the company to only be about $6,000, so other batteries should be similarly priced for that size.

These charts are also factoring that most of the driving is a pretty consistent amount every day (because most people work about 5 days a week in the same location ans run errands on the weekends). So if looked at it like that: 25,000 km/year, divided by 365 days = an average of 68.5 km/ day (lets just say 70 km/day). When you look at the numbers like this, even with most electric car's low range, it is still possible to do the daily drive, so that's why the electric cars are fine in this list.

Without further ado, the super accurate and 100% perfect comparison chart for Electric vs. Hybrid vs. Gas cars:

Compact Cars:

It's pretty clear here that the fully electric cars start off as the most expensive by a fair amount for this class of cars. However, it is also pretty clear that their annual expenses do not increase significantly, so after about 8 years they actually are the cheapest options. Getting back to the very unlikely problem of having to replace a battery sooner than later: if the costs are only about $6,000, then after 8 years if you change the battery, it's still less expensive than almost all the other cars to own. The hybrids do their best. but because they are still tied to gasoline and the maintenance/ problems it brings, they just can't catch up with the full electric cars.

One interesting thing is that, even with the different fuel efficiency that these gas cars have, they all seem to stay in essentially the same place as they started, expect for the Honda Fit, which starts off more expensive than the Toyota Corolla but manages to become just slightly less expensive in year 10.

Midsize Cars:

Now, it may be a bit more difficult to read this chart, but I know if I didn't add some of these cars people would say that the list isn't compatible enough. So there, almost every major car in the category so the comparison can truly be made.

Unfortunately there are no fully electric cars in this class yet, so plug-in hybrids are the best I could do. There are two cars that stand out right away, the Chevy Volt and the Toyota Prius Plug-In. Both of these cars start off significantly more expensive than the rest in their class however, the Prius Plug-In makes a huge comeback. It starts off second most expensive and ends up in the dead center for total cost after 10 years. On the other hand, the Chevy Volt stays more expensive than the rest. There is a good reason for this difference; the Chevy Volt's gas engine uses premium fuel and the gas engine has a small tank and not the best efficiency. Another interesting thing is that the veteran of hybrid technology, the Toyota Prius, starts off in the mid range for initial costs and becomes the least expensive after just 5 years! This in some ways proves how technology that started off quite expensive a few years ago, gets better, more efficient, and less expensive over time.

The outcome?

It is what you want it to be. If these charts to you say "look, gas cars are cheaper at first and for the first 4 years!" then you probably don't like keeping cars for more than 3 years. However, if you are switching cars every 4 years or so, then you will be spending quite a bit more money in the long run.

If you look at these charts and say "wow, if I get an electric car or a hybrid I will be spending less money in the long run than a cheaper gas car", then you can see the big picture and are a good financial planner.

If you look at these charts and say "electric cars cost less over time, with less maintenance, AND no pollution? Awesome!" You my friend are on the road to becoming more environmentally friendly and more efficient with your money.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Thank you Internet World!

Hello, Hallo, Bonjour, Ciao, Hola, Bok, Privet, Namaste, Ahlan, Ni Hao!....

New Budget Cars 101 has been read by people in every continent ( except Antarctica...)!

Hope I spelled all those greeting correctly ( I can't put accents on words using this system).

When I started writing this blog just as a little hobby I never expected it to reach this far. I mostly talk about North American models or trims, but I do realize that many of the cars are similar in other countries as well.

I hope that even if my reviews are not specifically for a model or trim level of a car in your country, that you can still get some benefit from my articles, I assume that how the cars drive should be very similar.

I will do my best to keep the reviews coming, but to be honest I am starting to run out of cars in this class, unless they are redesigned very soon...

If anyone wants to tell these car companies to start sending me cars to review, Id be happy to look at any type.

I love driving cars, and no matter what company it is, if it has something good to offer to customers, I will let that be known. On the flip side, if there are faults, I will let people know as well, as some things that may not be cool with me, other people might be fine with.

A car is more than just transportation, it is a statement of who you are. Are you: all about the looks, the numbers, the driving dynamics, the reliability...? Everyone is different and each car will fit different people better.

Thanks for sticking with me so far and I hope to keep providing simple car reviews until I just run out of cars or someone actually tells me to stop. Remember, I just do this for fun, I do not get any compensation from any company or organization for anything on my blog.

Remember to follow or 1+ me or my articles to stay updated!

Thank you again world!

J.K.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

2011 - 15 Chevy Volt Hybrid Review

A good first step for Chevy

The Volt is an "electric-first" hybrid that tries to show how people can do most of their driving with no gas.

The Chevy Volt comes to us after the Malibu hybrid and some other hybrids in the maker's lineup that are trying to redeem some karma from the first 3/4 of its car-making history. It went on sale in North America in late 2010 and a few other countries in late 2011. It is sometimes called the Holden Volt, Vauxhall Ampera, and Opel Ampera in other countries. It is a compact hatchback designed to look like a sedan. While it may be a good start for many people looking to switch to electric cars, it has a few shortcomings.

Lets take a look:

Different Styles:

The Chevy Volt comes only as a 5 door hatchback disguised as a sedan. It has only one engine setup: a 149 HP electric motor with a 1.4L 4 cylinder, 80 HP premium fuel engine (due to the setup the two HP figures cannot be combined). Depending on the year it could have 1 of 3 battery sizes. From 2011-13: 16kWh; 2013-2014: 16.5kWh; and 2015: 17kWh, the difference only being about a 5 km increase between each one. In reality, it uses two electric motors; a large one to move the car and a smaller one to provide extra power at higher speeds. The smaller one is linked through a planetary gear (just think of it as one physical gear) to reduce the RPM of the large one and the gas engine to provide power for the smaller one to make electricity.

Styling and Comfort Impressions:

Not going to lie, this car looks weird, and not in the good way. It sort of looks like a clothes iron with wheels. The front is too tall and bulky for a car this size and the rear looks like it was shaped with an ax. I'm usually not one to say that tires are too small, but these look really small considering the bulky shape and the amount of non-window space on the car.

Going inside is a bit better. The layout of the front media unit is a bit confusing with oddly named buttons that aren't actually buttons; it's all touch sensitive. The material makes you feel like there should be a bit of a click when you push in, but it doesn't, so you second guess yourself and press it again, which then screws stuff up. The touch screen unit also is set back deep enough that trying to press some parts for controls is somewhat difficult. If you try to steady your hand on the bottom part of the edge you accidentally push other "buttons" that could change your air system. The dashboard in front of you is just a screen with no dials or gauges, and when it comes on it really shows you a lot of information, too much actually. There should be a setting that toggles the information that is shown on the screen. On a plus side, the colour combos used for the interior are pretty nice.
The sound system is pretty good - it's by Bose - it has 6 speakers which are decently loud and clear, but for a car with this technology and this price, 8 would be nice (or at least a sub-woofer).

Getting to the actual comfort of the front, it's actually pretty good. There are nice materials used and it feels solidly put together. Head room and leg room are good in the front with nice bucket seats that are very comfortable and supportive. The large center armrest is much appreciated.

Take a look:

Getting into the rear seats is a bit of a mixed feeling. First off, there are only two seats as the car's battery runs through the middle. However, those two seats are nicely supported and are quiet comfortable, for certain people. Due to the car's sloping roof line, headroom isn't the best so you need to slouch down a bit (which is fine because they are bucket seats), but if you are sitting behind someone that is tall you most likely won't have enough leg room to do so. But if you are short and the driver is somewhat sort then everyone can be comfy.

Finally, the trunk. While this is technically a hatchback, it is designed as a sedan, so the trunk space isn't as big as one might expect. Yes the seats fold flat, and the lack of a middle seat means skis and long skinny items can be placed inside with all the seats up. But you wont be putting any large bulky items in here. Also, the headrests need to be taken out before the seats will fold down or they will get stuck in the front seats.

Driving Impressions:

Before the actual driving experience, I just need to mention that visibility is OK out the front and sides but the back is awful due to the shape of the roof, the back glass, and the side supports. The lip on the trunk cuts your line of sight and the extra little window underneath isn't big enough for anything useful. A back up camera is not standard equipment...

However, once you start driving, this is where the Chevy Volt really shines! The car almost completely redeems itself here. Most people think electric cars are slow and under-powered, but that's because they think of scooters and senior citizen power-chairs. Electric motors have much higher torque capabilities than gas engines, and it's all available from the very start.

Another thing to clarify is that the way the Volt is set up means that it always tries to use electricity first and even once the gas engine turns on, it is just creating power to turn the electric motors.

When you turn the car on it is completely quiet (unless the radio is on), same with acceleration throughout the city and to some extent the highway. If pushed really hard the motor will make a bit of a small turbine sound but you barely notice it. The acceleration is also very fast and powerful with almost no delay which is very nice. Due to the battery adding extra weight, the car soaks up bumps nicely and is very smooth on most road surfaces. The car is also very aerodynamic so wind noise is almost zero and road noise is very low as well. The car handles corners well with little roll but the power steering is too powerful and takes away some feeling of direct control on the road.
While the Volt is rated to have about 60 km of electric only range, that is only attainable in low speed driving on level ground with good temperatures and no use of the air conditioning or heat. Realistically it has about 50 km of useful electric driving (only 25-30 when it's cold outside). With that in mind, most North Americans drive an average of 70 km (43 miles) per day, meaning that you could do about 1/2 your driving with no gas at all. If your work has some plugs available to use then you could do almost all your driving with no gas as the battery can be completely charged in 10 hours on a normal plug, or about 5-6 hours on a 240V plug.
Once the electric battery is empty the gas engine kicks in, to supply power for the electric motor. It is a small engine that can be noticeable in some situations but is never loud or very rough. Unfortunately it does require premium fuel, which means if you are constantly going over the electric only range, you may not see much savings in the long run.

One thing that readers should do is a bit of research on batteries in electric-only or electric-first hybrids as they tend to be made with Lithium Ion cells that are much different then batteries one would find in a normal hybrid. These cells tend to live much longer and do not have toxic and corrosive by-products once it is finally dead. Meaning that as long as the car holds up, it should keep working well for a long time and the environmental impact is much less than a gas car or a normal hybrid.

Overall:

It really depends on whether you like the look of the Chevy Volt or not. If you do, then get it, as it will be a great first car for a small family or a second car to use for inner city drives less than 60 km a day. It is comfortable (mostly) and drives quite nicely. It has enough room for 4 average-sized people and a good sized trunk. If you don't like the look of it, either close your eyes while walking towards it or look for something else like a Nissan Leaf or Kia Soul EV, or if you need to go the distance, possibly a BMW i3 or used Tesla Model S. Would I pick the Volt for myself? No, mostly because of the look, because I don't really fit in the back, and because the electric only range isn't that useful in Canada for 4 months of the year.
However, there is apparently a new version coming out next year that is completely redesigned and will have about an 80 km electric range. This could sway my opinion slightly ...