Car Talk: What's the Ugliest Car?

Just as a person's beauty is only skin deep, a car's is in the eye of the pink-slip holder. Still, there's just no denying that some have a face only an owner could love. Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the hosts of NPR's "Car Talk" radio show, solicited input online to determine the ugliest automobile currently in production.

Based on the nominations received, the field was narrowed to 10: Chevrolet Spark, Fiat Multipla, Infiniti QX56, Kia Soul, Lincoln MKT, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Nissan Cube, Nissan Juke (photo above), Toyota Prius v and the Smart ForTwo. At last check, the Multipla was trouncing the uncomely competition with nearly 39% of the vote. Its nearest opponent is the Juke with nearly 26%; the balance of the nominees' vote tallies were in the single digits.

Is the Multipla being unfairly maligned in the face of an uglier opponent? Or perhaps you wish to contribute to the pile-on? Click here to cast your vote.

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Top 10 Ugly Cars

December's Fastest- and Slowest-Selling Cars

Automakers won't report December sales results until later today, but we have data on the month's fastest and slowest sellers. The redesigned Toyota Avalon hit dealerships in the first week of December, and it stormed the fastest-selling list, with regular and hybrid versions averaging just eight days apiece on dealer lots. Shoppers moved toward the Ford F-Series Super Duty pickup truck, too. That’s likely a result of an improved construction market; November housing starts hit their second highest rate since mid-2008.

The redesigned Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, which hit dealerships in September, spent its third month among the fastest sellers; the new-for-2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek also marked its third month on the list. Of the 18 fastest-selling cars, 10 were repeat performers, with such regulars as the redesigned Subaru Impreza and new Scion FR-S. The Kia Soul's severe mileage downgrade doesn't seem to have sapped demand, and neither has the popular hatchback's age. It debuted way back in early 2009, but in December it placed among the fastest sellers for the third month in a row.

Regular Cars that Take Premium Gasoline

It's common to see "requires 91 octane gasoline for best performance" on the fuel door of sports or luxury cars. So, we scratch our heads when we see the same premium recommendation on a family car, hybrid or non-performance car. According to AAA's FuelGauge Report, the price difference between regular and premium gas is 32 cents nationally. Spending an additional $4.80 on a 15-gallon refuel isn't an insignificant amount of money, and you could save it if you buy a similarly efficient car at a similar price that runs on regular gasoline. 
 
Below is a list of cars that you may not guess recommend or require premium fuel. The manufacturer's fuel recommendation from the owner's manual or consumer website is listed alongside each vehicle. 

Is the U.S. Ready for Minicars?

Tiny cars are big in popularity throughout the world, but the U.S. has been slow to adopt the trend. The Smart first blazed the minicar trail in the States with the 2008 ForTwo, to mediocre success. Will new entries from Fiat, Chevrolet and Scion give the class a popularity boost? If September's sales figures are any indication, yes.

The 2013 Chevrolet Spark, which first went on sale this summer, started off strong with 1,460 sold in July and 2,630 sold in August. September sales have cooled slightly with 2,223 sold. The Spark was initially launched in South Korea in 2009 and went global shortly afterward. According to GM, more than 600,000 have been sold since its debut and it's the best-selling Chevy in India.

Smart ForTwo Electric Is the Most Affordable EV at $25,000

The third-generation Smart ForTwo Electric was unveiled and priced this week, as it officially debuted at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. The coupe starts at $25,000, the convertible at $28,000. (It’s unclear whether the pricing includes destination.) That makes the ForTwo Electric the most affordable EV on the market today; the 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV costs $29,975, the 2012 Nissan Leaf $36,050 and the 2013 Ford Focus Electric $39,995.

Pricing is substantially better than the second-generation ForTwo electric, which started at $44,837, even though the model was only available through a $599-a-month lease program.

2013 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive: First Look

• Competes with: Mitsubishi i, Ford Focus Electric
• Looks like: The ForTwo goes green, literally
• Drivetrain: a 16.7-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and a 55-kilowatt motor
• Hits dealerships: This fall

Fuel economy has never been a strong suit of the tiny ForTwo, but Smart’s adding a gas-free version for 2013. The ForTwo Electric Drive will be available in coupe and cabriolet versions. They go on sale this fall.

The electric subcompact uses a 16.7-kwh lithium-ion battery pack and a 55-kilowatt motor co-developed with Bosch; it makes 95 pound-feet of torque. According to Smart, it will have a 90-mile range and a top speed of 77 mph. It sounds like it’ll be almost as pokey as its gasoline-powered sibling: Smart quotes a zero to 62 mph time of 11.5 seconds for the Electric Drive.

The automaker says it can be fully charged on a “household socket” in six to seven hours. However, it can be charged in less than an hour using a quick-charging unit. As with other electric cars on the market, a smartphone application can be used to find charging stations, coordinate charge times and pre-heat or pre-cool the interior while it's connected to the grid.

Daily News Briefs: June 19, 2012

AAA predicts holiday travel will increase 4.9% over the Fourth of July weekend, with 42.3 million Americans hitting the road — or airport, train station and the like — between Tuesday, July 3, and Sunday, July 8. That's up 42% over Independence Day travel in recession-strapped 2009. Lower gas prices play into the increase. A gallon of regular averages $3.50 nationally, down 19 cents from a month ago, leading 35.5 million of those travelers to plan on piling into their car for the long weekend. Even those who fly may drive more: Rental-car rates for the holiday weekend are down 9% from a year ago, AAA says. If you're planning to pile the family in for that trip to Walley World, Volvo's tips for safe road trips is a good primer.

In other news:

Daily News Briefs: June 13, 2012

Bankrupt Swedish automaker Saab has found a new suitor; a Chinese-Japanese investment group wants to buy the brand and turn it into a builder of electric vehicles, according to sources who spoke with Reuters and Bloomberg News. The group formed a new company in Sweden, National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB, and has agreed to buy Saab's assets, according to reports. The companies that have invested to buy Saab's assets include Japanese-based Sun Investment and Hong Kong-based renewable-energy power plant builder National Modern Energy Holdings Ltd., according to Automotive News. The first vehicle the new company plans to build will be an electric version of the Saab 9-3, which it expects to start selling in early 2014.

In other news:

2013 Smart ForTwo: Up Close

You need to look closely to see the changes Smart made to the 2013 ForTwo. Optional LED running lights run flat along the bumper rather than curving up, and sculpted side skirts replace the old flat skirts. Smart moved its wheel-moving-forward logo from the hood to the grille, and the rear bumper gets a diffuser panel.

More 2012 New York Auto Show Coverage

The biggest news is the SharpRed limited edition, of which Smart will sell 120. It gets Nappa leather and a leatherette-wrapped dashboard, but the latter is optional on other editions.

2013 Smart ForTwo at the 2012 New York Auto Show

• Competes with: Scion iQ, Chevy Spark, Mini Cooper
• Looks like: New wrappings around the same small box
• Drivetrain: 70 hp, three-cylinder engine with automated-manual transmission
• Hits dealerships: May 2012

Smart debuted the ForTwo in the U.S. to great fanfare. That was before anyone drove the tiny city runabout, though. We infamously called it the worst car of the 2000s.

More 2012 New York Auto Show Coverage

Smart has announced a redesigned model for 2013 that will go on sale this summer. It gets some exterior updates — you tell us the difference — and the interior materials are improved, but the car remains virtually the same underneath. That means we likely won't be recommending this one, either.