Frisky Dingo

2016 Golf SEL w/ Lighting Package

They did with this one, but that has not always been the case. Aside from power ratings, the last two trucks were nothing impressive.

Why TF is the Forum not taking so many pictures?!?! The 507 narrowly beat out the Toyota 2000GT for me. Mainly because it's a convertible. I may switch out the 328d.

BMW E30 M3 (Easiest pick ever) Colorado Z71 Duramax BMW 328D X Drive Wagon BMW 507 Lotus Exige Series 2

That MPG is amazing.

Stunning.

500X and Renegade are both allowed. See above. Read rules more clearly. As-built. Bolt fits in the guidelines. I will allow it since the the tax credit is a federal one, and not a MFR one.

That's why I firmly believe in judging a vehicle based on how well it fulfills it's intended purpose. I won't tout a family sedan as being superior to another just because it's quicker or handles better.

@Stew Great list!

C&D got their hands on a new 2017 Encore. Here is the link- 2017 Buick Encore Test A fairly positive review. So let's assume you are shopping for a small, but fairly nice personal car to commute to work and back in. Reasonably priced and efficient, but nice and well-equipped. Base price is $27,385, and as-tested was $29,080. Rules- 1) Your choice must be a NEW on-sale now 2016 or 2017 model. 2) You are limited to sub-compact CUV's or compact NON-PERFORMANCE hatchbacks for this one. So no Rav4/Escape/CR-V or GTI/FocST. 3) You are allowed choice of drivetrains- FWD or AWD. 4) MSRP on your choice MUST be AT LEAST $27,000, but NO MORE than $30,000.

MT's criteria for their tests is too inconsistent and varies too much from individual to individual. @A Horse With No Name- I also like R&T a lot. They do some pretty fun tests and pieces that set them apart from C&D and MT.

I will allow this. Edited the original post.

I'm starting a new 'UDG' series that will have consecutive installments. As you can tell, it will be based on that measure of energy we love so much- horsepowerz. BHP. Ponies. Whatever nickname you like to use, it's a metric that has been used pretty much since the inception of the automobile. This round we are focusing on the little guys. Though they may not have have cover-worth big power ratings, there are no shortage of cars that are great to drive that have below 200HP. In fact, there are some All-time Greats that fall into this category. Rules- 1) Maximum of 5 choices. 2) These are your only vehicles. 3) Production cars only. 4) Any era and market is allowed. 5) Cars must have a MFR rating of UNDER 200 HP. That means it must start with a '1'. Enjoy! EDIT- ANY POWER RATING UNDER 200HP IS ACCEPTABLE. SO DOUBLE DIGIT HP RATED CARS ARE ALLOWED.

Yeah, this should have at least had upgraded brakes, a bit more power, an LSD, and a manual option to be taken seriously.

The swing gate is a big drawback for people who live in the city and have to often parallel park. My Rav has a swinging hatch, and I like it. It's something that would make or break a vehicle purchase for me, though.

I've driven all of the cars except the RS, so I feel like my assessment is pretty good. My rankings- 1) Golf R. Probably no surprises here, but it's not even close. The other 3 aren't even remotely in the same realm of usability and drivability. Though it may be outdone in sharpness and outright athleticism, it still delivers performance on par with the others and has great potential. Plus, the DSG rocks in this car. 2) Evo X. This one may come as a surprise. It's archaic, but it's the most pure and visceral, imo. It also has that great rally heritage. And at this point, it's pretty rare. That's a bonus. 3) Focus RS. I feel like this car had the potential to be more than it is. The poor road manners severely hinders this car's appeal to me. Some of the specs regarding the hardware and components used also turn me off. 4) STI. Just a massive disappointment. A new car stuck in the previous decade. But unlike the Evo, it was created in this one. Inferior to it's own lesser sibling- the WRX.

I think out of the big 3- MT, C&D, R&T, I like C&D the most. I feel like their rating system is the best, I love their test notes, and I think they have a pretty balanced collection of tests. Their writing is usually pretty good. I like their cliff notes on the vehicles they test. LL is always a great read. I like the 10 Best system better than a 'OTY' one. Going out of the box a bit, I love EVO. Their writers are just ace, and the cars they test and the settings are just to die for. They are what I want to read/watch about the cars I will probably never experience. The shootouts they put together are just insane in the best way possible.

Damn expensive houses. I'm going to have to put my daughters to work to pull their fair share of weight. Little free-loaders better start slinging some artwork or lemonade or something.

Thanks. Tried to talk the wife into just putting a double-wide on some acreage out in the country and building a 5 car garage next to it. Didn't go over very well.

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I watched this test a while back, and really enjoyed it. To my knowledge, the only one who managed to get this whole group together. 'Everday Driver' did a comparo a while back of the Golf R, Evo, Focus RS, and STI. I know these are usually 2 car option threads, but we're going to deviate from that this go-round. Here's the test- Golf R vs Evo vs FocRS vs STI So, which of the following would you rather have? Golf R STI Evo X Final Edition Focus RS

Damn, that's ugly!! Hard pass.

The 'OTY' thread got me to thinking about this. In terms of credibility, lack of bias, testing procedures, judging criteria, etc, etc, who do you feel is the best automotive review source out there? A big name like MT or C&D? Something more specialized like Top Gear or EVO? Something smaller like Autoblog, TTAC, Everyday Driver? And what is your reasoning behind your choice? Keep in mind I am limiting this to testers/reviewers, not sources for reliability, quality, etc.

Idea for a new thread.....

@ykX I almooost chose a Boss 302.