Car Of The Year
Autotropolis 2010 Truck of the Year: Ford Transit Connect
By : Jeffrey N. Ross
Date : 10/21/2009
It’s not often that a vehicle destined primarily for commercial fleets is nominated for an award, so it was a little surprising when the 2010 Ford Transit Connect kept popping up on the short list of vehicles for our 2010 Truck of the Year. Yes, we realize the Ford Transit Connect isn’t really a truck since it rides on a platform shared with the compact Ford Focus, but its interior size and intended purpose essentially makes it a crossover work vehicle. Standing out as the top vehicle among pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and crossovers, our editorial staff has named the Ford Transit Connect the 2010 Autotropolis Truck of the Year.
After driving the Transit Connect back in August, it was clear that this wasn’t just a boring work vehicle. As it turns out, Ford’s newest addition to its fleet of commercial vehicles was designed to be as fuel efficient as it was versatile. For this reason, Ford’s newest little work van beat out some big names added to the truck and crossover world for 2010 including the Volvo XC60, Cadillac SRX, Ford F-150 SVT Raptor and the Lexus RX. The 2010 Ford Transit Connect is available as either a two-passenger van or up to a five passenger wagon in two possible trim levels (XL and XLT) with a starting MSRP of $20,780.
Carrying the kinetic design language from Ford’s European vehicles, the Transit Connect also adds a familiar face that will be matched by upcoming vehicles such as the Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus, and its European roots are even more apparent when looking at the Dodge Sprinter. The Transit Connect is designed to be a more practical alternative to full-size vans so it offers a low step in height, dual sliding side doors like a minivan, a tall roofline to maximize cargo capacity and rear doors that can swing open up to 255 degrees. Helping to make the Transit Connect easy to drive, its small stature provides excellent maneuverability while the large front and side windows deliver great visibility.
The squared-off roofline indicates the Transit Connect’s work-ready purpose, but unlike most work vehicles, the Transit Connect offers a spacious cabin and a multitude of high-tech features. Seeing as how the Ford Transit Connect is likely to spend most of its time on the job, Ford offers it with high-tech devices such as a navigation system that comes with an SD slot as well as a USB port, but the innovative part is that it doubles as an in-dash computer with Internet abilities. As for passenger comfort, there is almost an endless amount of headroom, while the seats are surprisingly supportive for a work-ready vehicle. Some of the more thoughtful features available on the Transit Connect include a tit and telescoping steering column, an overhead storage bin and a reverse sensing system. In addition to maximum cargo volume of 135 cubic feet, the 2010 Ford Transit Connect also has a maximum payload of 1,600 pounds.
The styling and cavernous interior were already enough to make the Ford Transit Connect a noticeable vehicle on the market, but its efficient and peppy engine made it an easy choice for our truck of the year. Under the short hood, the Transit Connect uses a 2.0-liter Duratec inline-4 that produces 136 horsepower and, more importantly, gets an EPA estimated 22 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the highway making it one of the most fuel-efficient work vehicles on the market. Making things even better, Ford says that it will introduce a battery electric vehicle version of the Transit Connect starting next year for fleet use, and this technology will eventually trickle down to an EV version of the next-generation Ford Focus.
Autotropolis congratulates Ford as we name the new Transit Connect our 2010 Truck of the Year.
Autotropolis 2010 Car of the Year: Buick LaCrosse
By : Jeffrey N. Ross
Date : 10/21/2009
For years, the Buick division of General Motors has been looked at as an aging brand, but coming out of bankruptcy GM is looking to position Buick against luxury brands such as Lexus. In the midst of one of its most important model launches of all time, the all-new Buick LaCrosse gives GM a competent sedan to go up against a segment full of German and Asian automakers including the Hyundai Genesis – our 2009 Car of the Year. Following up the popular Buick Enclave crossover, Buick has given itself the best chance ever to really compete against luxury import brands with the 2010 Buick LaCrosse (also known as the Buick Allure). Standing out as the top new sedan in its segment, our editorial staff has named the Buick LaCrosse the 2010 Autotropolis Car of the Year.
The Buick LaCrosse definitely had some stiff competition from cars such as the Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Subaru Legacy and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but the redesigned Buick sedan won our car of the year pick by handily beating out the competition in all categories including styling, comfort and value. Until the arrival of the all-new Buick Regal next year, the Buick LaCrosse will stand as the brand’s entry-level model slotting in beneath the Lucerne with a starting MSRP of $27,085.
New from the ground up for 2010, the all-new Buick LaCrosse is much more athletic than its predecessor, which gives Buick its sportiest looking car since the demise of the Grand National. The rounded edges of the first-generation LaCrosse give way to hard lines and dominant features on the new model. Buick’s signature waterfall grill remains the highlight of the front end, but the oddly shaped quadruple headlights of the old model were replaced by rectangular shaped lamps that give the car a bolder face. The abundance of chrome is also a Buick 
trait, and the new LaCrosse doesn’t disappoint with the shiny accents noticeable from every angle. Attention to detail is very apparent on the new Buick LaCrosse as evident by the portholes integrated into the hood, the stylish side body creases and the dual exhaust outlets that are elegantly integrated into the rear fascia.
Like the Buick Enclave, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse not only offers a luxurious and comfortable interior, but it does so with exquisite styling as well. In terms of size and space, the new Buick sedan is probably no different than past models, but it’s the cabin materials and the remarkable fit and finish that won us over. Most of the surfaces are covered in soft touch materials with a stylish layout that includes faux wood accents on the steering wheel, shift lever, center stack and surrounding the instrument panel and door panels. High-tech features are also available including GM’s large, touch-screen display, a panoramic sunroof and heads-up display. As is expected from any luxury sedan, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse offers plenty of rear-seat legroom as well as decent trunk space for multiple golf bags.
The engine choices available in the Buick LaCrosse were also helpful in determining this year’s pick. Powering the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, the CX and CXL models use a 255-horsepower 3.0-liter direct-injected V-6, while the top-of-the-line CXS gets a 280-horsepower 3.6-liter direct-injected V-6. These engines offer decent fuel economy of up to 17 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, but the Buick LaCrosse will be adding another engine option for even better fuel mileage. At some point later this year, Buick will offer the base LaCrosse CX standard with a 2.4-liter Ecotec inline-4 engine that gets an estimated 30 miles per gallon on the highway – an improvement of 4 mpg compared to the current base V-6. All models come standard with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, but the CXS offers all-wheel drive as an option.
Autotropolis congratulates Buick as we name the new LaCrosse our 2010 Car of the Year.
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