TIME.com Announces Most Exciting Cars for 2010

August 31, 2009

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NEW YORK — TIME.com, the Web site of TIME magazine, recently named "The Most Exciting Cars of 2010," and coming in at the No. 1 spot was the Kia Soul, followed by the Hyundai Genesis Coupe and the Ford Taurus SHO, respectively.

"Kia doesn't have much of a design tradition in the U.S., so the South Korean company's American designers took the liberty of giving the Soul — a small crossover vehicle — a unique, eye-catching shape," TIME's Joseph Szczesny wrote. "The Soul also sports an appealing, roomy interior, which includes comfortable seats.

"Further, the tall hatchback shape makes it easy to carry cargo and sports gear," he continued. "The Soul comes with a satellite-radio connection and map lights, two features not normally found in vehicles selling for less than $17,000. More important, the Soul has heart, as in a 1.6-liter engine that delivers 140 horsepower."

Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing for Kia Motors America, added: "Being recognized by TIME.com is further proof that the Kia Motors brand hit a home run with the Soul, and we are confident we are on the right track with vehicles including the Forte compact sedan, Forte Koup two-door and upcoming Sorento CUV.

"Consumers are looking for vehicles that offer an unbeatable combination of style, fuel efficiency, technology, convenience and safety features, and Soul offers the complete package in addition to the ability to personalize and emotionally connect with your vehicle," he noted.

The Cadillac CTS Wagon was ranked fourth, while the Jeep Grand Cherokee was No. 5 and the Toyota Venza was No. 6.

Ranked seventh was Nissan's 370Z, and rounding out the top 10 were the Suzuki Kizashi, Volkswagen Golf and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, respectively.

Additional commentary on the top 10 is as follows:

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

"The Genesis Coupe is the two-door version of the highly acclaimed Hyundai Genesis sedan, which was named North American Car of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January," Szczesny indicated. "The coupe, however, is sportier in appearance and performance: it is built on rear-wheel drive, is suspension-tuned for racing, and has a 300-horsepower, V-6 engine."

Ford Taurus SHO

"The Taurus SHO is the more powerful version of the full-size 2010 Taurus, which Ford has completely remade for the new model year," he added. "Detroit's carmakers have tinkered for years trying to combine fuel efficiency and old-fashioned muscle, and the SHO's EcoBoost engine — with direct injection and turbo-charging — delivers the power of a V-8, 365-horsepower vehicle with V-6 fuel efficiency.

"The SHO also comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox, featuring steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and all-wheel drive," Szczesny noted.

Cadillac CTS Wagon

"The station wagon has been in long eclipse in the U.S., so General Motors initially designed the sleek CTS wagon primarily for export to Europe, where luxury wagons are popular," he shared. "Now Cadillac is going to see if the vehicle will appeal to the post-SUV American buyer, as well."

Jeep Grand Cherokee

"The popularity of the Jeep Grand Cherokee was instrumental in launching the SUV boom of the 1990s. America's love affair with big, gas-guzzling hulks is pretty much over, but Chrysler believes there's a new chapter for this rugged classic," Szczesny stated.

"Jeep's engineers have shortened the vehicle, given it a more aerodynamic shape and equipped it with a more luxurious interior, featuring more expensive materials and higher-grade controls," he added.

Toyota Venza

"The Toyota Venza was supposed to have debuted earlier this year, but it was delayed when the recession forced Toyota to cut production," Szczesny commented. "It's here now, though, and it looks great. The new Venza, which is based on the same architecture chassis as that of the always popular Toyota Camry, has the audacity to look like a traditional station wagon.

"The modest size seems right for the times — as much as monstrously big SUVs seem like dinosaurs," he continued.

Nissan 370Z

"Nissan's latest iteration of the fabled "Z car" carries on the Japanese automaker's tradition of offering a sleek and sporty roadster," Szczesn shared. "The new 370Z has a 3.7-liter, double-overhead-cam, multivalve engine that delivers 332 horsepower but gets 26 miles per gallon on the highway."

Suzuki Kizashi

"Known for small cars and SUVs, Suzuki makes its first foray into the heart of the U.S. market with the midsize Kizashi sedan," he pointed out. "The exterior styling is fresh, and the interior packs cool features such as sporty seats and a nifty instrument cluster that give the car character."

Volkswagen Golf

"The new Golf's power train has been updated for the U.S. market with a 2.5-liter gasoline engine; a 2-liter diesel engine will be offered as an option," Szczesny explained. "Pricing hasn't been finalized, but it is expected to come in at around $18,000 for the version with the gasoline engine. That's a lot of value for the money, and these days that's a strong selling point."

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

"The exterior of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been given a complete makeover," he noted. "The spirit of Teutonic austerity that animates Mercedes-Benz design remains, but the lines of the new E-Class look sleeker and more contemporary."

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