(Borrowed this idea from a thread SoichirosHeroes made at Temple of VTEC, but didn't want to borrow it without proper attribution).
So, of the cars on sale today, what five do you think are the best-engineered and why? Obviously, "best engineered" can mean different things to different people; you decide what it means for you, but be sure to explain your choices.
For me, it's these five (before anyone screams bloody murder, I left off the Leaf and Volt because they're so new I haven't really gotten a chance to see how they do in the hands of the general public).
5. Chevy Corvette (base): People often say "built to a price" like it's a bad thing, but what Chevrolet pulled off with the base C6 Corvette is impressive. It doesn't have any fancy engine technology or suspension technology, but what it does have is mind-boggling power and handling at a price that's darned-near workable to the middle class (at least as a once-in-a-lifetime treat). The performance gap over similarly-priced performance vehicles isn't as wide as it was when the C6 was introduced, but even when the C6 as long in the tooth as it is, it's still the fastest car around a racetrack for under US$50,000. By a wide margin.
4. Toyota Prius: I love to hate this car. But at the end of the day, it's amazing the sort of practicality and fuel-efficiency this delivers for your typical urban or dense-suburban individual or family, at a price that's barely more than a typical midsize sedan. For those who don't care about the adrenaline-and-endorphin side of driving, and who live in urban or semi-urban areas, it just makes a TON of sense.
3. Ford Fiesta: How the hell did Ford make a car this cheap feel this expensive? And how the hell did Ford make a car this light (with the fuel economy and agility that comes with a 2500-lb curb weight) feel this solid? For being a lil' paradox on wheels, the Fiesta earns a spot on my top five.
2. Honda Element: Hold on hold on hold on...hear me out. Yes, it's funny-looking. Yes, its fuel economy is unremarkable. Yes, it's overpriced in Canada (it sells for $20k and change down here). Yes, Honda is discontinuing the car after its eight-year run. But this car is absolutely, truly, utterly brilliant. It's like what happens what someone said "how should we make truly sensible vehicle if we throw all expectations and tradition in the trash bin?" The interior is brilliant. No-slip rubber floors and waterproof fabric on the seats? Now it doesn't matter whether you've got a vomiting infant in back or a couple of muddy middle-school soccer stars; the interior wipes down and is good as new. The rear-suicide doors, combined with the giant front doors, create a hole in the side of the car at least as big as a minivan's sliding door would create. Perfect for loading babies in infant seats. Or stepping into the car to help a toddler with the straps of his carseat (and did I mention it's so roomy inside you can darn near stand up in the space between the two rows while you're fixing those straps). Or shoving big ol' TV boxes in--boxes that would never fit nearly as comfortably in a CRV. And speaking of hauling big objects, the rear seats can not just pop out of the vehicle to turn it into a utility van, but can fold up to the sides of the vehicle, so you don't even have to leave them behind (you don't always leave home in the morning knowing you're going to have to haul a motorcycle...and yes, you can park a motorcycle inside the Element). The clam shell tailgate isn't a class exclusive, but it's still a rarity, and it's as useful as can be. For going above and beyond on the practicality front in a way that everyone should be doing with family vehicles and nobody IS doing with family vehicles, the Element wins a place on the list.
1. Nissan GT-R: Yes, it had a first-model-year transmission issue (that, honestly, had more to do with crappy Nissan warranty policies than the car itself. And it got remedied after the first year. Launch control is back for 2011 with no warranty woes Yes, it drives itself. It shifts better than any human could and distributes power amongst the four wheels on a twisty road better than any human could. But let's stop and think about this for a second. This is a car that "drives itself"--and drives itself as fast as a Porsche 911 Turbo that costs more than twice as much. It's a car so brilliantly fast that conspiracy theorists are still claiming that its Nurburgring lap times are as fake as the moon landing. This is for cars what SkyNet is for government computer servers. It may not be "soulful," it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's engineering pornography on four wheels.
