Texas Auto Roundup - Photo by STI

Every year the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) hosts a big gathering of new cars called the Texas Auto Roundup. All manufacturers are invited to bring some of their best and newest vehicles for automotive journalist to test drive. At the end of the day, they choose winners in different categories, including the Car of Texas.

This was our second year attending the Auto Roundup and what a year it was! We’ll be posting up ‘Quick Drive‘ reviews of some of the best cars we had the chance to drive.

Here is a list of the categories and winners for this years Auto Roundup. For the record, many of the winners were not exactly who we chose. If you disagree with a winner, leave a comment below! We like to hear what you guys think more than other journalist.

The Nissan GT-R sports car and Chrysler’s Town & Country minivan took “best of show” honors at the 2012 Texas Auto Writers Association Auto Roundup.
By resounding margins, TAWA’s writers selected the 2013 GT-R is the 2012 Car of Texas, while the 2012 Town & Country was named Family Car of Texas.

Performance figured heavily in the Car of Texas category. The legendary GT-R, making its second appearance at a TAWA event, packs 545 horsepower. The second-place finisher, the Hyundai Equus, has 429 horsepower for 2012. Subaru’s BRZ, a brand new rear-wheel-drive sports car co-developed with Toyota, came in third.

In the family category, the Ford Taurus and Nissan Quest were the next highest-scoring vehicles.

Dodge’s new Dart hit the mark with a majority of TAWA members, earning first-place finishes in three categories. (And as many TAWA members know, calamity struck Sunday evening when the Dart originally brought to the track was damaged in a freakish accident. We drove the 145-hp 2.0L. The one Chrysler had planned was a turbocharged 160-hp 1.4L.

Thank you for making the 2012 Roundup a huge success. Here are your verdicts (first-place in bold and next highest-scoring competitors):

Compact Car of Texas: 2013 Dodge Dart, 2012 Buick Verano; 2012 Hyundai Veloster

Subcompact Car of Texas: 2012 Fiat Cabrio; 2012 Chevrolet Sonic; 2012 Scion iQ (The Sonic had just one point less than the Fiat)

Mid-Size Car of Texas: 2012 Buick Regal GS; 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco; 2013 Volkswagen CC Sport Plus

Full-Size Car of Texas: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist; 2012 Dodge Charger SXT; 2012 Hyundai Azera

Minivan of Texas: 2012 Chrysler Town & Country; 2012 Toyota Sienna; 2012 Nissan Quest

Green Car of Texas: 2012 Chevrolet Volt; 2012 Nissan Leaf; 2012 PriusC

Performance Compact of Texas: 2013 Subaru BRZ; 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth

Performance Coupe of Texas: 2013 Ford Mustang GT; 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG; 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8

Performance Sedan of Texas: 2013 Ford Taurus SHO police package; 2012 Jaguar XFR; 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

Performance Utility Vehicle of Texas: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8; 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan; 2013 Mazda CX-5

Supercar of Texas: 2013 Nissan GT-R Black Edition; 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe; 2012 Jaguar XKR-S Coupe

Mid-Size Luxury Vehicle of Texas: 2012 Cadillac SRX AWD; 2012 Infiniti M35h; 2012 Audi A7 3.0

Full-Size Luxury Vehicle of Texas: 2012 Chrysler 300 Luxury Series (lone entry)

Best New Feature: 2013 Dodge Dart; 2012 Hyundai Veloster; 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Best New Interior: 2013 Ford Taurus SHO; 2012 Chrysler 300; 2012 Hyundai Azera

Best Value: 2013 Dodge Dart; 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth; 2012 Hyundai Equus

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2013 Scion FR-S Sport Coupe by txGarage

Like I mentioned, we’re in Vegas, but not on the strip. Toyota/Scion put us up in a hotel right on the west edge of Vegas. Looking out east from our hotel room, we saw all the lights and excitement of the “strip”. Looking west, there was nothing but desert and mountains. After hearing a lot of marketing and technical talk from the team at Scion, we finally headed out to the front of the hotel where we were greeted with our ride. Looking at the FR-S, you already know what this car is about. It’s small, shorter than a 370Z, and it becomes more apparent the closer you get to the car. The FR-S is also very low to the ground; you’re butt sits just over a foot off the ground. The styling of the body is made to exude sportiness, but also be functional with low drag and good visibility. The arches over the front wheels stick up above the hood, and are purposely larger so you really can see where your front wheels are hitting the road.

I sat down in the first car that was ready to go as most of the other journalists were still mingling and procrastinating; I was ready to hit the road! Sitting in the FR-S, the first thing you notice is the bolstering in the seat. They’re large, yet quite comfortable, and as we’re headed to the track, I immediately realize that they will really come in handy later in the day. Next, I started paying attention to the detail of work and materials used within this car. Jumping into a Scion usually means hard plastics and unpleasant fabric. To our delight, the FR-S has a great interior. There is only one place on the dash where they used hard plastic to break up the dash, but it’s really done well. The steering wheel is wrapped in leather and has a good width and grip points. Directly behind the wheel, I noticed paddle shifters. I took a second look at the gearshift, and sure enough this was a FR-S equipped with an automatic transmission. The shifter is a little deceiving as it looks like it would be a manual. No worries, it’s time to see how this thing drives!

After the safety talk, we went back outside. Using the same group of cars we’d arrived in a few minutes before, we headed toward the track; only this time, I found one with a 6-speed manual transmission. We took 4 laps following the track instructors to help us get down the lines and braking points. This was good as the track had many late apex’s and a few hard braking turns.

It was now time to see how well rounded the FR-S really was. We already had a great time on normal road driving, but could this car go straight from the road to the track and really perform? I was in the FR-S with the manual transmission, so I reached down and pushed the traction control button twice to disable all driving aids. Now it’s just me, a steering wheel, clutch, shifter, and rear-wheel drive. Off the line, the 200 horsepower from the 2.0-liter boxer-4 wasn’t quite enough and didn’t feel very fast. Once you get into the higher rev’s, though, you never really feel a lack of power. You can feel the balance of the car, though. It has a very low center of gravity, only weighing 2,758 pounds, and has a weight distribution of 53% front and 47% rear. If you push hard into a corner, you’ll feel the understeer, but using your braking points correctly and turning tight into a corner, you can feel this car gripping, and if anything, it’s ready to give up the rear-end. When you do lose the rear end, which we did on occasion, purposefully of course, it’s easy to control and bring back into line. This car was designed for fun, sideways driving and it shows.

The controllable chassis gives you so much confidence; you’ll be running faster and faster lap times each run. We didn’t record lap times on the big track, but I could feel myself improving each run and it was all made easier by this well-balanced car.

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2012 Chevrolet Traverse LTZ reviewed by txGarage

Driving a big, 3-row SUV is usually a telling sign that the driver has a larger family and needs the extra seating to pack everyone in one vehicle. This isn’t always true in Texas, as you’ll see many people driving Tahoe’s or Expedition’s and never carry more than 3 or 4 people at a time, but this is no Tahoe. The car we are reviewing this week is the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse. It’s built as a crossover SUV, and not an all out big SUV built on the frame of a truck.

All this space comes at a price though. The Suzuki XL-7 I owned was loaded with leather seats, a sunroof, a built in DVD player, and more. It cost me $28,000. The Mitsubishi Outlander GT we reviewed was also packed full of goodies, but had a MSRP of just over $32,000. Our fully decked out Traverse will hit your pocketbook at $43,895. That seems like a lot, and quite frankly, it is. You could pick up the GMC Acadia for the same kind of money. To be fair though, the Ford Explorer we reviewed, that was a 3-row and decked out, cost even more! The more cramped Explorer’s MSRP was just over $45,000. So for the size of this thing and the amenities we got, it’s not a horrible price compared to the market.

Even though this was a top of the line Traverse with leather, heated seats, rear DVD entertainment system, navigation, and the works, it never really felt premium. The leather was nice, and better than that which was in the Suzuki XL-7 I owned, but much of the other items in the car seemed to still be lifted straight from the 2007 model. The dash and steering wheel controls were laid out almost the exact same as my 07 Suzuki. I’d have to say that the interior in the $23k Chevrolet Cruze was much nicer and a more premium feel than this almost $44k SUV.

So what about the looks? The Traverse looks pretty good. It looks big, and it is big. It’s got stylish lines and the now unmistakable Chevrolet front grille. But when it comes down to it, it still has a more “mini-van-ish” look. This is a great look for the true “soccer mom” looking to haul her kids back and forth, but as a man, I’d probably look at the GMC Acadia.

We’ve established that I have a big family, and I’m actually in the market for this type of vehicle as I reviewed it, so here are my final thoughts. I do like this SUV; it rides good, it has plenty of room, it’s easy to get in and out of, and even though the interior isn’t as premium as I’d want for the price, it’s something I could easily deal with. After driving this Traverse, it’s helped me move another vehicle up on my list. Not the Traverse, but the GMC Acadia. The Acadia is built on the same platform and has the same seating arrangement and the same quality of interior, but for a man driving an SUV in Texas, I like the looks of the Acadia more.

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2012 Chevrolet Sonic turbo - reviewed by txGarage

First and foremost, let’s do some house cleaning. The Sonic is a replacement for the Chevrolet Aveo. Don’t look on this site for an Aveo review, because there isn’t one. I have driven a few versions of the Aveo. Back when running a small local dealership in Dallas we would stumble across an Aveo or two. This was always a tough sell as there was nothing particularly good about these cars, except maybe it’s price. I could never recommend it to anyone; not as a teenager’s first car or a cheap family car. There were just too many other products you could get that were much better.

Now we have the Sonic and GM says that it’s not really replacing the Aveo because it’s a whole new car. You see the Aveo was a car built by Daewoo and badged in the U.S. as a Chevrolet. The Sonic on the other hand is all Chevy and assembled in Michigan. So did Chevy do it right this time? Can I finally recommend a Chevrolet, compact hatchback, to friends and readers?

Let’s start with the looks. The Sonic’s design was given high priority. With manufactures like Ford and Hyundai making not just good products but great designed compact cars, GM couldn’t afford getting it wrong. They haven’t disappointed either. The design is supposed to inspire sportiness and it’s said to be taken direction from motorcycles. I’ll have to say I really like the headlight and front fascia design. Looking from the side you can tell the car leans aggressively forward. This is no mistake as it’s given two character lines running from wheel to wheel showing off it’s aggressive stance.

Step inside and you’ll notice that this is a budget car. Unlike the Hyundai Veloster that offers a big touchscreen with navigation on even it’s base model, the Sonic doesn’t even offer one on it’s top-of-the-line LTZ trim. No matter though, what you really want to be looking at is the gauge cluster. This is more styling taking from “sport-bikes” with a large tachometer showing your 6500 rpm redline. Beside the large tachometer is every other output displayed onto a LCD display.

The rest of the interior is designed well and you don’t automatically notice its cheapness. There are a lot of plastics used but GM did a good job of breaking up the interior and keeping the driver focused on driving. In our tester we had cloth seats that were comfortable and supportive. There were a few times that I longed for leather/heated seats but after seeing the leather seats in the LTZ trim, I’ll stick with the cloth on this car.

The Sonic comes with two different engine options. You can get a 1.8 liter 4 cylinder that pushes 138 horsepower matched up with either a 6-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual transmission. You can also get a 1.4 liter 4 cylinder turbocharged engine with the same 138 horsepower but torque is bumped from 125 lb-ft to 148. This engine can be matched to a 6-speed auto or a 6-speed manual. Our tester was equipped with the 1.4 turbo and a 6-speed manual, so we’re expecting some fun driving!

Ride:

Driving a car with a turbocharged, small displacement engine is a lot different than what I’m used to. Living in Texas our sports cars are equipped with big V8’s or V6’s with lots of low down power. The Sonic’s 1.4 turbo doesn’t have that kind of lowdown power on tap. Cruising down the highway in 6th gear at 70 mph is smooth and fine, but what if someone pulls out in front of you and you need to slow down a little. Slow from 70 to 55 mph and then put the peddle to the floor and you get nothing. No power. Drop a gear to 5th and you get the same result, now people behind you are getting frustrated. Drop it another gear and finally that turbo is spoiling and you can use that 138 hp. It’s the same story around town. Corners I’d normally take in 3rd gear in my car require 2nd in the Sonic.

You might be thinking that this is a slow and un-fun car to drive then. Well you’d be wrong. You just need to adjust your driving style to get the most power of the small engine. Keep the rpm’s above 2500 or 3000 and you’re good. Keep them at the top of 5000 rpm and you’re having a blast! I know 138 horsepower isn’t that much but the suspension and the chassis are tuned for cornering. You can toss this car into corners at speed and you don’t get wobbling body roll. You get decent grip and balanced, level cornering. The steering has good feel as well so it’s easy to predict the amount of lock needed to attack a corner. This would be a great weekend time-attack car.

Economy:

This is a small hatchback and many will buy it not just for the price or utility but also for its economy. Our tester with the 1.4 turbo engine and 6-speed manual transmission is ratted at 40 mpg highway and 29 mpg in the city. Overall, with our fun spirited driving style, we averaged 32.8 mpg.

The Sonic is light and small but feels more spacious inside. I can easily get out of the driver seat and sit in the back without having to adjust the seat and I’m 6’ 1”. The hatch has decent space too and it helps that the seats fold down. The biggest thing that bothered me was the size of the fuel tank. Although you get great fuel economy the tank is so small you’ll be filling up ever few days if you drive a decent amount a day.

Comparison:

So the Sonic is giant leap above the outgoing Aveo and that’s great for GM, but how does it stack up to all the great compact hatches in the American market today? We really like the new Ford Fiesta and the hot new Hyundai Veloster. Not just that but the Mazda 2, Suzuki SX4, Honda Fit, Kia Rio, and Hyundai Accent are all decent cars.

I think the Sonic can be thrown right up there with in the top 3. It’s got good looks, a good engine, and it’s great to drive. This could easily be a weekend time-attack car and still produce good economy on day-to-day runs. My only slight reservation is on the price. When you’re comparing it to the likes of the Fiesta and the Veloster it’s priced similarly, but offers a little less as far as standard equipment. When you start looking at some of the others though, like the Mazda 2, you can find an economical and fun car for a lot cheaper.

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I’ve always been a big fan of small, sporty hatchbacks. As a matter of fact, as many of our readers might already know, my first car was an 88 Honda Civic hatch. My next car was an 88 Acura Integra Special. They were both great little cars and lots of fun to drive. In the past few months, we’ve driven a slew of new, small, sporty cars that look to reinvigorate the compact car in America including the Ford Fiesta, Mazda 2, Honda Civic Coupe, Kia Forte 5, Fiat 500, Scion tC, and Suzuki SX4. While I like all of these cars for their own reasons, I think that the Ford Fiesta is one of the best. When I first read about the Hyundai Veloster, I already knew that it’s toughest competition would be coming from Ford with the Fiesta. So let’s see how it stacks up.

One of the first questions the Hyundai representative asked me as we took our first walk-around was what I thought this car looked like or if it reminded me of anything. Honestly, the only thing that comes to mind nowadays is Hyundai. It looks like a Hyundai, and that’s no longer a bad thing. The front end shares it’s lines and design with the new Elantra, which is a great looking car for it’s class. It’s an aggressive and modern design that really fits this crazy little hatch.

Why do I say crazy? Well when most car companies show off a concept car with a radical design like having 3 doors – two on the passenger side and one on the driver side – you don’t really expect them to keep that design when bringing the car to the market. Well Hyundai has done just that. This is the first ever 3 door hatchback. Looking at it from the drivers side, it has a coupe like design and look. From the passenger side, it looks like a modern 4 door hatch. Around the back is a sleek hatchback with center exiting exhaust. Our test car was fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels that added to its sporty looks.

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Inside the car is the most advanced, standard interior in the Veloster’s market. Our test car was equipped with leather seats, navigation, and Hyundai’s new blueLink. All but the leather seats come standard. The blueLink system was pretty cool and I had nowhere near enough time to play with it all. The system powers Hyundai’s voice response system, enhanced navigation services, and emergency assistance. It also has a music management system, iPod connectivity, Pandora radio, and games you can play with your fuel economy. Cool stuff for the iPad/iPod youth.

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So it’s nice and sporty looking and it’s got a great interior with some cool technology, but does it live up to the sporty looks? The Veloster is powered by a lightweight, all-aluminum 1.6 liter GDi (gasoline direct injection) engine. It comes attached to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. The automatic is a dual-clutch setup that puts paddle shifters on the steering wheel. We drove the manual transmission and for a car that can get 40 mpg, it was pretty good. I would have liked the clutch to be a little heavier and have sharper gear changes, but it was still pretty well sorted and wouldn’t wear you out driving in heavy traffic. I didn’t get a chance to drive an automatic, but I’ve heard that’s really the one to get. The dual-clutch shifts smoothly and you still get outstanding fuel economy. We’ll reserve judgment till we get to spend some time in one.

The power in from the 1.6 liter engine is only 138 horsepower, but the lightweight Veloster uses it well. The steering is sharp and predictable, so keeping this in a low gear with high revs through twisty roads is a lot of fun.

After leaving the car for the day, I was left thinking that the Ford Fiesta really has some steep competition. The Veloster we tested was top of the line and topped out just over $22k. When we reviewed the Fiesta, by far one of the most expensive and nicely equipped cars in it’s class, came in at just over $24k. The Veloster’s interior was just as nice, if not more so and it gets better gas mileage than the Fiesta topping 40 mpg in any trim. Hyundai also has one of the best warranties offered by any manufacturer and the cars really are being built well. This car is now one of my favorite compact cars on the market today. It does everything a hot-hatch is supposed to do, and does them all well. If you plan on test driving any of the other before mentioned cars, this is definitely worth a look.

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2011 Honda Civic at the Texas Auto Roundup

If you read our Quick Drive of the 2011 Kia Forte 5, then you really already know what my opinion is about the Honda Civic. My first car was an 88 Civic hatch and I remember the time when the Civic was the car to own because it was cheap and the engine was sporty and almost bulletproof.

I guess the problem could be nostalgia, but the Civic just hasn’t done it for me with its last few generations, and I hear the same around the water-cooler. The Civic now demands a premium on its price, it’s heavier, and the engine just doesn’t feel as peppy or rev-happy as it once did. Worst of all, as manufactures like Kia, Hyundai, and Ford have been making great compact cars lately, it seems like Honda has dropped the ball altogether. The interior isn’t up to par, the ride isn’t up to par, and the sportiness is no longer up to par.

I know the one Civic to drive is the Si and I’m looking forward to getting the chance to drive one, but it still seems that the Civic lost something. I hope that in the next generation or so, they find it again.

Car was driven and reviewed by Adam Moore at the Texas Auto Roundup in conjunction with the Texas Auto Writers Association.

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The 2011 Kia Optima Turbo at the Texas Auto Roundup

We reviewed the 2011 Kia Optima a few months back, and I still maintain that for the price, it’s one of the best looking cars you can get right now. We already felt like the 2.4 liter engine in the Optima we drove then was pretty peppy, but I wouldn’t consider it fast car. Now with a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine, let’s see what we think.

The turbo engine in this Optima is the same basic setup that you get in cars like the Genesis Coupe and Sonata turbo. This setup pushes out 274 horsepower and is only matched up to 6-speed automatic transmission in the Optima. You also get a slightly different body kit and wheels with the turbo model showing off the fact that you’re in something a little more special.

Basically, the driving dynamics and overall feel of the car haven’t changed, but you do get a sportier feel from the engine. At a price starting at $26,200, it just gives me more reasons to really like this car.

Thanks to our friends at Non-Stock Photography for the photos.

Car was driven and reviewed by Adam Moore at the Texas Auto Roundup in conjunction with the Texas Auto Writers Association.

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2012 Fiat 500 at the Texas Auto Roundup

After Fiat bought out Chrysler to up its stake in the company, Fiat knows it has a lasting presence in America. The plan is to rollout the entire Fiat line-up to the U.S. market, starting with the Fiat 500. As the ambassador to the brand then, the 500 really needs to be a big hit for Fiat. So what did we think?

First of all, I wasn’t really impressed with the interior of the 500. I know it’s a lower end car, but it reminded me too much of the PT Cruiser’s interior, and that’s not a good thing. There are big plastic panels along the door and the dash, optioned with different colors no less. One more complaint before I move on; I didn’t get a lot of time to try and adjust the seat, so it could be that, but the pedals didn’t feel right against my feet. I was fortunate enough to score a manual transmission, but it felt like my feet were straight up and down while doing foot work. It was actually uncomfortable.

On to the good stuff! The steering in this little car was pretty impressive. It had a nice, direct feel. With the wheels being pushed to the far corners, you get a good sense of weight distribution, which means driving this little thing quickly around corners felt sporty. The 1.4 liter engine pushing its massive 101 horsepower felt peppy and eager. I’d really like to get it up on the highway and see how it handles in mad, Dallas traffic, but we’ll have to do that another time.

In Europe, this car sells on its heritage from the 50’s and 70’s, but buyers in America don’t have that heritage to look back onto. The 500 over here needs to stand on its own and be a good enough car for people to drop the $16,000 necessary to get a base car. In my opinion, it doesn’t do that. The Fiesta is a much better choice at a much better price. The 500 I’m sure will sell well, but if it was my money, I couldn’t buy one.

Thanks to our friends at Non-Stock Photography for the photos.

Car was driven and reviewed by Adam Moore at the Texas Auto Roundup in conjunction with the Texas Auto Writers Association.

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2011 Infiniti G37 IPL at the Texas Auto Roundup

Our friend at Reflections of the Drive did a real good full review of this car a few weeks before the Auto Roundup. It really got me excited to drive this car and see what’s what compared to the regular G37 and the Genesis Coupe I drive as a daily driver.

First of all, you can’t deny that the G37 is a pretty car. The extras that go into making the IPL, or Infinity Performance Line, just make it look that much more aggressive. Bigger wheels and brakes and the more aggressive body kit let other enthusiast know you’re rolling in something a little special.

The IPL boosts horsepower output from 325 to 348, but the power isn’t the first thing you’ll notice when driving this car. First, you notice the retuned suspension giving this once luxury car a real sports car feel. You stay more flat through the turns and feel much more of what’s happening on the road below.
The real reason for the IPL existing at all is to give Infiniti that M-like division focusing on sports cars. I think it’s worked out for them so far as the G37 IPL is a great ride. At a cost starting at $48,900 and with all the competition out there, I’m not sure I’d shell out my money on this car.

Thanks to our friends at Non-Stock Photography for the photos.

Car was driven and reviewed by Adam Moore at the Texas Auto Roundup in conjunction with the Texas Auto Writers Association.

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2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track

Let me start this out by saying, if you are in the market for a rear-wheel-drive coupe that looks great, performs great, and doesn’t kill your pocketbook at least test drive the Genesis Coupe. I did, and bought one. I personally own a 3.8 V6 Grand Touring. I bought that model because everything I read about the Track model said it was too harsh for everyday driving. I’m extremely happy with my purchase and love my car, but can’t help but want to put the Track model on the track!

This yellow coupe definitely stands out from the crowd. I had it in my eyes set on it from the get go and as soon as I saw it open I was going to jump in it. Then disaster, the Genesis was pulled into the garage after running off the track. There was talk about not letting anyone else drive it, but it ended up being ok. Alas it scared the people at Hyundai so much that they restricted it to private roads only, so no track time.

So to the street we go. First things first, yes this car has some tight suspension but boy does it grip and go, staying flat around the corners. The power is the same as my grand touring but the way it’s put to the ground with the limited-slip differential gives you that extra kick. The shifter seems a little more crisp too, this could be because it’s a 2011 and mine is 2010 or it might just have an upgraded shifter, I’m not really sure.

Overall I think I made the right choice with the Grand Touring over the Track model. Its more composed and comfortable for everyday driving, but man do I wish I had an open track to take this car out on.

Thanks to our friends at Non-Stock Photography for the photos.

Car was driven and reviewed by Adam Moore at the Texas Auto Roundup in conjunction with the Texas Auto Writers Association.

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