Let’s face it: every time you see a man driving an MX-5, you think to yourself, “Friend of Dorothy.” Whether because of their cosy cabin (Yaris), cute factor (MINI), or family-friendliness (every minivan on the market), we tend to think of some cars being feminine.
I’m not sure when we decided that women don’t prioritize performance, but there are more than a few of us that can appreciate a corner-carver; yet, we still do have to consider some realities that colour our car purchases: we are generally smaller, we do love cute things, and we spend more time in the company of diaper bags than any man ever will.
Fortunately, among the crop of 2012 cars that are destined to be labelled chick cars are a few that offer more depth, more power, better handling and a bigger fun factor than you might think. Here’s one trio that proves we can have it all.
Volkswagen’s New Beetle has long been labelled a chick car, and we’ll admit with good reason.
It looks like a — well, like a bug. That makes the needle on the cute-o-meter swing so far over it’s in danger of flying off. Plus, until this year, it came with a bud vase. If you ever want to turn straight men off a car, stick a flower in the middle of it.
This year’s Beetle moves to a new platform (shared with Jetta) and gets an exterior overhaul that takes the edge off its girlieness without taking away everything we loved about it in the first place. The front end is noticeably longer, the pillars pushed back, the round tail lights are gone, and the windshield is more upright, giving it a lower, more aggressive stance men won’t be embarrassed to be seen in. But it still looks like a Beetle.
Touches the fashionistas will appreciate include colour-matched dash and door toppers (except in Sportline trim, which gets a carbon-fibre look). Flick a switch and the ambient lighting can be changed from red to white or blue.
The base engine is a 2.5L five with 170 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, but the Sportline offers a real burst of speed: a 200-hp, 207-lb-ft turbocharged four with either a six-speed manual or DSG transmission. In fact, the new New Beetle, which VW wants us to call the 21st-century Beetle, has changed so much that it may put off the true girly-girls among us. We’ll have to count on the convertible, coming next year, to bring them back.
Hyundai continues to impress, producing better and better cars and increasingly gaining a reputation for good reliability to go with its attractive designs and good vehicle dynamics. The Accent is at the inexpensive end of the lineup, but that doesn’t mean it’s cheap.
Starting at $13,199 for the sedan and $13,599 for the hatchback, you get a deceptively roomy interior in spite of its city-friendly dimensions, lots of active safety features including traction control and side curtain airbags, and a decent audio system. You also get a six-speed manual and 14-inch steel wheels and it lacks air, so you’ll want to squeeze out a few more bucks (a hair over $17,000; $18,000 if you want automatic) for the GLS trim, which offers air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, remote keyless entry, Bluetooth, heated front seats, cruise, lots of power stuff and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.
I’m not sure when we decided that women don’t prioritize performance, but there are more than a few of us that can appreciate a corner-carver; yet, we still do have to consider some realities that colour our car purchases: we are generally smaller, we do love cute things, and we spend more time in the company of diaper bags than any man ever will.
Fortunately, among the crop of 2012 cars that are destined to be labelled chick cars are a few that offer more depth, more power, better handling and a bigger fun factor than you might think. Here’s one trio that proves we can have it all.
Volkswagen’s New Beetle has long been labelled a chick car, and we’ll admit with good reason.
It looks like a — well, like a bug. That makes the needle on the cute-o-meter swing so far over it’s in danger of flying off. Plus, until this year, it came with a bud vase. If you ever want to turn straight men off a car, stick a flower in the middle of it.
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| 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Premiere+ (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
This year’s Beetle moves to a new platform (shared with Jetta) and gets an exterior overhaul that takes the edge off its girlieness without taking away everything we loved about it in the first place. The front end is noticeably longer, the pillars pushed back, the round tail lights are gone, and the windshield is more upright, giving it a lower, more aggressive stance men won’t be embarrassed to be seen in. But it still looks like a Beetle.
Touches the fashionistas will appreciate include colour-matched dash and door toppers (except in Sportline trim, which gets a carbon-fibre look). Flick a switch and the ambient lighting can be changed from red to white or blue.
The base engine is a 2.5L five with 170 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, but the Sportline offers a real burst of speed: a 200-hp, 207-lb-ft turbocharged four with either a six-speed manual or DSG transmission. In fact, the new New Beetle, which VW wants us to call the 21st-century Beetle, has changed so much that it may put off the true girly-girls among us. We’ll have to count on the convertible, coming next year, to bring them back.
Hyundai continues to impress, producing better and better cars and increasingly gaining a reputation for good reliability to go with its attractive designs and good vehicle dynamics. The Accent is at the inexpensive end of the lineup, but that doesn’t mean it’s cheap.
Starting at $13,199 for the sedan and $13,599 for the hatchback, you get a deceptively roomy interior in spite of its city-friendly dimensions, lots of active safety features including traction control and side curtain airbags, and a decent audio system. You also get a six-speed manual and 14-inch steel wheels and it lacks air, so you’ll want to squeeze out a few more bucks (a hair over $17,000; $18,000 if you want automatic) for the GLS trim, which offers air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, remote keyless entry, Bluetooth, heated front seats, cruise, lots of power stuff and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.