HEELS ON WHEELS: Top 5 2010 Cars For Women Under $25K
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By Katrina Ramser
San Francisco Bureau
The Auto Channel
With the state of our economy and finances still awaiting recovery, it matters more than ever exactly how our driving dollars are spent. If you're not sure you're getting the best standard interior tech out there in a compact – or need to know which 4-cylinder engine offers the greatest performance in a box-shaped ride – Heels on Wheels brings women the most objective (and most affordable) rides of 2010.
Our list includes compacts, wagons, crossovers and sedans. We've even got trendy urban utility vehicles in there, like the Kia Soul. So before you make up your mind over a brand, model or feature, step inside these rides to make sure you're fitting yourself into something you can live with, both financially and on the road.
2010 Kia Soul. The Soul is the newest 5-passenger square compact on the block. Powered by a 142-horsepower 2.0-liter CVVT 16-valve 4-cylinder engine, a step up from base offers 16-inch tires, keyless remote, steering wheel audio controls, Bluetooth and body color exterior parts. Pair it with an upgraded 9-speaker system and a moonroof for a total price of $17,890, but base is much cheaper. Kia offers dozens of accessory ideas, such as a dual chrome exhaust or "headlamp eyeliner." The Soul's second row has more legroom than a MINI Cooper (as opposed to the Clubman). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Souls “good” ratings – the highest achievable – in frontal, side and rear impact crash safety tests. Unlike similar competition, the Soul offers a Sport or sport-tuned suspension trim and slightly smaller engine gets 26-mpg.
2010 Honda Insight. I found the driver's seat and positioning to be on par with the similar looking Prius but really liked the fact the nicer EX trim on the Insight can be had for $21,300 (much lower than the Toyota competitor). The Insight earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 2009 Top Safety Pick Award, the organization's highest honor. The vehicle uses an Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system using a 98-horsepower 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine and featuring the Eco Assist where increased fuel efficiency can be found with the push of a button. According to Honda, EPA fuel economy ratings are 40-mpg city/43-highway for a total of 41-mpg combined – with some skilled hyper-miling driving, you can do even better than that.
2010 Mazda Mazda3. This 4-door compact commuter ride averages around 28-mpg and has a $17k base price. Load it up with an optional moonroof and stereo combo package (power sliding glass moonroof; Bose 10-speaker surround system; 6-disc CD and MP3 player) and total vehicle price just comes to $20,320. You can choose the 148-horsepower 2.0-liter engine or the all-new 2.5-liter engine available in the more upscale s Sport or s Grand Touring trims. There are some outstanding features for this smaller compact, such as first-in-class Adaptive Front-lighting System (or where the headlight acts like an eyeball and roves around when the driver turns); a Tech Package (navigation system, Multi-Information Display, Sirius, Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry & Start); and 8-way power seating and heated seats.
2010 Scion xB. The xB is the best of the boxy crossover-like rides (and I test-drove all of them). More than a trend, the "urban" utility ride with a 158-horsepower 2.4-liter DOCH 4-cylinder engine has the best performing 4-cylinder of all the box rides. The Scion xB possesses great cargo room – an amazing 70 cubic feet. A semi-higher end equipped xB will cost you around $23,538. What makes the 2010 xB different than its former years (and the competition) its audio options: The standard Pioneer stereo features iPod or iPhone connectivity, a programmable 16-character welcoming message and an RCA unit for two after-market subwoofers; and the optional Alpine Premium adds a 4.3-inch color touch screen, one more RCA hookup and HD Radio technology to view all song titles.
2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe. You can just get yourself into this 6-speed manual or automatic 2-door with muscle car looks at $25,000 for the base coupe. The Genesis coupe trim is powered by a smaller engine, a 210-horsepower 16-valve DOCH 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 223 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rmp. However, be careful when checking this car out because you might find yourself drawn to the larger Genesis 3.8 in the Track trim, featuring the 312-horsepower 24-valve DOHC 3.8-liter V6 tuned to 266 lb-ft of torque at 4,700 rpm. Heavily bolstered seats are a new experience if you've never tried them before and you'll feel like a racecar driver wondering where the seat harnesses are. The Genesis is loaded with everything you'd need safety-wise: Electronic Stability Control (ESC); Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); Traction Control System (TCS); plus front, side and roof-mounted airbags. ©2010 Katrina Ramser
