The Car Exam Quick Quiz # 32: The 2011 Dodge Charger R/T

The Car Exam Quick Quiz # 32: The 2011 Dodge Charger R/T

 Good Grades: Nice exterior styling update--taking styling cues from the 1969 Charger was definitely a great idea. Strong horsepower from the V8 engine--you just want to step on the gas pedal and see just how fast you can go--in spite of the heavy weight of the car. Good interior room and comfort, excellent brakes, and good trunk space.

 Bad Grades: The dash just doesn't seem to measure up to the rest of the car--designers tried to make it look flashy, but there's something cheap-looking about it.

 Final Grade: The 2011 Dodge Charger is nearly the perfect American Muscle Sedan. Lose the cheap-looking dash, a few hundred pounds of weight, and you have one perfect ride. Nevertheless, this is one impressive car.


The Car Exam Final Grade: A


MSRP: $30,395


Price as tested: $31,220


P. Scott

The Car Exam Quick Quiz # 31: The 2011 Dodge Challenger Rallye V6

The Car Exam Quick Quiz # 31: The 2011 Dodge Challenger V6

Good Grades: Cool retro exterior styling from the original, roomy trunk, useable back seats, comfortable ride, comfortable front seats and good ergonomics overall.

 Bad Grades: While the V6 feels adequate in city driving, I noticed some initial lag when entering on a freeway onramp, but then power surged into action once the rpm's increased; huge blind spots because of the extremely thick C-pillars in the rear. The interior seems a bit plain for a car with such great exterior styling.

 Final Grade: The 2011 Dodge Challenger has its flaws, but has its good points as well. Out of all of the pony cars, this one just might make the best road trip car--even with its huge blind spots. I would have loved to have driven the SRT8, though.


The Car Exam Final Grade: B/B+


MSRP: $24,895


Price as tested: $31,475


P. Scott

The Car Exam Quick Quiz #30: The 2011 Dodge Durango Express

The Car Exam Quick Quiz #30: The 2011 Dodge Durango Express

Good Grades: Excellent exterior and interior styling, decent power from the 3.6 liter V6, smooth-shifting automatic transmission, well-controlled ride, good brakes, nice use of interior room and materials, comfortable seat, respectable sound system, good overall visibility, back up camera on-screen feature is nice.

Bad Grades: You feel a bit uneasy getting used to the drive height at first (especially if you're not used to driving an SUV), but you do gain confidence as you drive it more; the base model's $30,000 price tag, fuel economy still could be better.

Final Grade: I was pleasantly surprised by the Durango. This is one well-executed SUV that looks great inside and out. Once I got used to the height, I found its driving capabilities to be quite good, and if the quality stands up over time, the 2011 Dodge Durango is one of the best efforts from Chrysler in a very long time.

The Car Exam Final Grade: A

MSRP: $29,195


Price as tested: $31,590

By P. Scott

The Car Exam Quick Quiz # 29: The 2012 Ford Focus SE Sedan

Consumer and Car Exam Quick Quiz # 29: The 2012 Ford Focus SE Sedan

Good Grades: There are very few cars I sit in that feel like they fit like a glove--but the 2012 Ford Focus SE Sedan is one of them. Like several new cars I've driven recently, the Focus really feels like it's built to fit around the driver. The seats feel very comfortable, and the driving position is excellent. The interior quality is first-rate--one of the best I've seen on a Ford--ever. The gauge cluster is clear and simple to read, and the climate controls are also simple--and simple is a good thing. The radio controls are clearly marked, but they could take some getting used to. The Focus SE came with the optional MY Sync voice activated feature--neat, but you'll need practice to learn using it. I had no problem with the front or rear seat room--some reviews have--but it seemed to be fine in the Focus Sedan. Fuel Economy is a good 27 mpg in the city, and an even better 37 mpg on the highway. The six-speed automatic shifts well, also. The exterior styling is excellent--it's one of the best looking cars in its class, right up there with the Hyundai Elantra. The brakes work well, and the Focus comes packed with ABS, and a full complement of air bags. Engine acceleration was fine--but I'll get back to that in a moment.

Bad Grades: The engine acceleration was fine, but seemed a bit harsh--not as refined as a Toyota power plant, for example. That is something that could use some more work from Ford. The trunk lid wasn't lined, which it should have been, and the trunk opening should have been wider.

Final Grade: Having driven the 2010 Focus earlier this year, and comparing to the new 2012 model, the 2012 SE Sedan is a homerun for Ford, whereas the 2010 was a double at best. While it isn't perfect, the 2012 Focus SE Sedan is far better than the previous model, and worthy of praise.

The Car Exam Grade: A

MSRP: $17,400

Price as tested: $21,775

By P. Scott

The Car Exam Quick Quiz # 28: The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1 LT

The Car Exam Quick Quiz # 28: The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1 LT

Good Grades: Clean Styling, well-executed interior and roominess, Bluetooth capability, good ride quality and handling, satellite radio available on the stereo system, clear gauge cluster, excellent torque from the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, capable braking, the automatic transmission works well, and the Cruze has a nice array of safety features, and good fuel economy as well.

Bad Grades: Low-end torque needs the turbo to kick in to feel competent; the radio controls need to be simple to use at a glance.

Final Grade: The Chevrolet Cruze is a much better car than the Cobalt it replaces--it's a competent vehicle with nice features--if reliability can hold up, and if it can do well against the competition, then Chevrolet will have a real winner on its hands.

The Car Exam Grade: A/A-

MSRP: $18,425

Price as tested: $20,460

By P. Scott

The Car Exam Quick Quiz #27: The 2011 Chevrolet Volt

The Car Exam Quick Quiz #27: The 2011 Chevrolet Volt

Good Grades: Electric power and a gasoline-powered generator= 300 plus miles of range--something the Nissan Leaf or the outgoing Tesla Roadster can't boast; a comfortable, usable interior (making it a hatchback was a great idea), a nice Bose audio system, terrific gauge cluster with informational computer, good in-town acceleration, as well as highway passing acceleration. It's the best-executed gasoline/plug-in electric car on the market right now.

Bad Grades: The Volt is on the heavy side, the touch-control system a bit on the sensitive side, the brakes take some getting used to--they require more effort than normal, and the price of admission is somewhat high.

The Final Grade: The Volt is a winner--it shows that General Motors can indeed build an innovative, useful electric car that can run circles around the competition. I was very impressed with the Volt, and I can see why it is such an award-winning car. Plus, know this: for 2012, the navigation and Bose stereo system will be optional, which should put in dent in the price of the Volt's starting price. Add the government's additional price reductions on electric vehicles, and the Chevrolet Volt will be accessible to more customers. Also, get the 220 volt charger for the Volt--it will charge the electric motor much faster than the 110 volt system. Well done, Chevrolet and GM.

The Car Exam Final Grade: A

MSRP: $32,780

By P. Scott