Top 10 Cars Coming in 2010

[csv8]

Top 10 Cars Coming in 2010.
Neil Dowling

January 15, 2010 11:00pm

ALMOST 100 new car models are due in 2010 including products from at least two rival Chinese carmakers, a new wave of full-electric and hybrids, the cute, curious and the sporty.

Here's our list of the top 10, in alphabetical order, heading to showrooms in 2010.

Fiat 500C Convertible: The baby Fiat gets its electric two-stage roof down for an early start to 2010. Heavily based on the hardtop version, the Fiat 500C gets a 74kW 1.4-litre petrol engine with a claimed fuel figure of 6.3 litres/100km. Prices start at $28,990 (manual) and $30,990 (DuaLogic automatic) before on-road costs. The fabric roof can be partially open at up to 60km/h.

Ford Kuga: Britain reckons the Kuga (pronounced cougar) is one of the best SUVs in its class. The Focus-based wagon will get a 2-litre turbo-diesel but may later add the 2.5-litre turbo-petrol five-cylinder engine also seen in the Focus ST. The all-wheel drive has received accolades for its fine handling and taut body. (but we keep being told its not ?)

Gallery: Check out what's on the road in 2010 here

Geely MK: The Chinese will use 2010 as the springboard for a major assault on the world car market. Geely MK hatch and sedan models expect to go on sale next month with Australian distribution through the John Hughes Group in Perth. Prices are expected to be about $13,000 for the Corolla-sized 1.5-litre engined cars. Geely, which owns NSW transmission maker DSI and is close to buying Volvo from Ford, will follow up the MK with the smaller Panda hatch. More Chinese models are coming, with Great Wall Motors passenger cars coming in the first quarter and Chery cars and commercial vans expected a bit later during the year.

Holden Commodore E85: Holden has for some time made its engines capable of running on ethanol to suit its export market. In 2010 the ethanol-compatible engines will debut in the Australian cars. The engines are a first for an Australian carmaker and operate on anything from E10 (10 per cent ethanol, 90 per cent petrol) to E85 (85 per cent ethanol). They bring fewer emissions, a sustainable fuel source and lower running costs.

Honda Insight Hybrid: Honda's Prius look-alike arrives in 2010 with a budget sub-$30,000 price and the ability to sip only 4.4 litres/100km. The five-door Insight joins the Civic Hybrid and CR-Z hybrid coupe. The Insight uses a 1.3-litre engine and IMA drivetrain. Unlike Prius, the Honda doesn't separate the powertrains as they work together. Drive goes to the front wheels through a CVT automatic. Honda claims the Insight has family-sized accommodation with the fuel efficiency of a light car.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV: Mitsubishi's bold i-MiEV electric plug-in five-door hatch may beat Nissan to become Australia's first full electric production car. Based on the ``i'' mini-car, it has a large-capacity lithium-ion drive battery under the floor and the 47kW power unit under the luggage compartment. It has a single-charge range of 160km with a seven-hour charge, or 30-minute quick charge to 80 per cent, from dedicated charge stations.

Peugeot RCZ: This is Peugeot's answer to the Audi TT. Though the double-bubble roof was expected to disappear from the concept RCZ shown two years ago, Peugeot now says it's going to stay. The 2+2 coupe, which may also later come as a convertible, is based on the 308. Despite being smaller than the TT, it has a bigger cargo area because it forgoes all-wheel drive. Engines include the GTI's 147kW turbo 1.6-litre shared with the Mini Cooper JCW.

Suzuki Kizashi: Suzuki's first big car, the Camry-sized Kizashi, becomes the company flagship. The initial engine is a 2.4-litre four driving the front wheels. A V6 all-wheel drive model and a hybrid may come later.

Toyota Camry Hybrid: The Australian-built hybrid, which goes on sale next month, gets styling enhancement to move it up and away from the petrol Camry on which it's based. The 2.4-litre petrol engine and electric motor combine for 140kW yet produce less than 150 grams of CO2 per kilometre. Toyota claims it uses 35 per cent less fuel than Australian-made six-cylinder competitors.

Volvo S60: Volvo's mid-sized saloon has been sorely missed in its lineup. Now the S60 is back and adopts most of the styling features shown in the concept version debuted at this year's Detroit motor show. Australia gets a range of petrol and diesel engines which may include the 1.6-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol with a dual-clutch transmission. Safety equipment also rates highly.

[Fairlane]

Meh. Only interesting ones there are the Volvo S60 and Suzuki Kizashi. Personally I want to see the new Citreon DS3.

[XR6_190]

Commodore E85? if that isn't purely for **** factor, then I don't know what is. I mean can you even get E85 in most of Australia, from memory, only about 2 or 3 stations in Melbourne sell the stuff.

[smoo]

If thats the top ten cars coming this year then we're farrked. And it's only going to get worse. All our local rag focuses on these days is fuel consumption and emissions output, even though they claim to be car 'enthusiasts'.

[Walt Kowalski]

Ford should do an E85 Turbo because the fuel makes the turbo run so cool they ROCK!

And greenies like it

[Dezza]

Originally Posted by smoo

If thats the top ten cars coming this year then we're farrked. And it's only going to get worse. All our local rag focuses on these days is fuel consumption and emissions output, even though they claim to be car 'enthusiasts'.

lol just what I was thinking. Such an unappealing list of cars

[The Monty]

E85 SIDI Commodore. Now consuming 18L/100km of renewable ehtanol fuels.

Although an E85 F6 with 320kw would be a fine thing, Pity about the consumption though.

[Joe5619]

that can't be an Australia only story??? I thought were not getting the Ford Kuga here?

[bangm001]

Where the pics of all of them!>??!

[burnz]

cruze: hybred (deawoo)
cruze: voltec (chev)

[Rev28K]

I don't mind the Fiat 500 cabrio, the Peugeot RCZ is really going to have to be good to be better than it's Bmw Cooper S sister.

The Kuga is welcome (think a small with SUV with a jump to almost Focus dynamics). I love the idea of the electric Mitsu I (which will advance the idea of nuclear electric power rather than coal burning electric power).

The Honda Insight seems a bit too Prius lite, and the CRZ seems to be a dud. Honda seem to have lost the plot in a lot of ways, although they are chasing sales.

Geely? This is the start of the invasion. People will vote with their hip pocket, remember how sucessful the Hyundai Excel was.

The Camry Hybrid will sell well to government departments and companies appearing to be green.

Personally I'm hanging out for Gordon Murray's Smart car & the McClaren 12c in 2010.

[Rodp]

Looks like my new car won't be a top 10 car, judging by that list it probably won't be a top 100 car! :P

[Revolver]

That is our top 10 cars? I'd rather catch syphillis......

[FPV8U]

I thought the Kuga wasn't coming?

[big_landau]

ford needs to consolidate very quickly or it will be swamped in a flood of imported cars and it may find it very hard to survive.they are doing ok but we cannot let our guard down for a second or fomoco will be gobbled up in this take all society.

[starkey]

The only one i would be looking forward to is the Suzuki Kizashi.

[ryanc3240]

Originally Posted by starkey

The only one i would be looking forward to is the Suzuki Kizashi.

same here. im not looking forward to seeing that focus-looking SUV

[FPV8U]

Originally Posted by ryanc3240

same here. im not looking forward to seeing that focus-looking SUV

Looks ok in the pics to me. :

[Corzza]

only thing on that list worth waiting for is the S60

[bangm001]

Surely FG Series II is what we are all waiting for!

[ED Classic]

Originally Posted by bangm001

Surely FG Series II is what we are all waiting for!

Yes and appart from maybe the Suzuki theres nothing on that list

[Corzza]

and no one is certain it will be out in 2010

[TUF_302]

That list looks like a fantasy list for some guy in his sixtys lol!

[PoweredByCNG]

The FG Falcon LPI should be somewhere high on the list...

[SVD]

Whats the point of an E85 commodore? i can't get E85 in vic, tas, wa, sa, nt... its just pointless. im also not waiting for any of those cars so how are they a Top10 whats new/awesome about them

[irlewy86]

Retrospect is a wonderfull thing, someone ask him in December 2010 what the top 10 cars were for the year and I doubt the list will look like that.

[Rev28K]

But if you think of it as influential it might get more relevant.

First Chinese car
First electric car (with Nissan hot on Mitsubishi’s heals)
First local hybrid car (that was probably going to happen without Kev’s $ anyway)
First local E85 car (yes I know that they were making them for the South American market anyway)
First big Suzuki (they make great bikes but they haven’t crossed over as car manufacturers nearly as well as BMW or Honda, hopefully this will change. And bring back the Cappuccino while you are at it guys)
Ford Kuga (bringing good dynamics to the small SUV class)

[FalconXR6]

Commodore E85 - can't WAIT to see the marketing spin they put on this thing !

What an exciting car !

[csv8]

Originally Posted by Rev28K

But if you think of it as influential it might get more relevant.

First Chinese car
First electric car (with Nissan hot on Mitsubishi’s heals)
First local hybrid car (that was probably going to happen without Kev’s $ anyway)
First local E85 car (yes I know that they were making them for the South American market anyway)
First big Suzuki (they make great bikes but they haven’t crossed over as car manufacturers nearly as well as BMW or Honda, hopefully this will change. And bring back the Cappuccino while you are at it guys)
Ford Kuga (bringing good dynamics to the small SUV class)

Kizashi will be interesting..Camry size car from Suzuki with 2 spec levels. Base is nearly fully loaded. Suzuki expect 50 sales a month.

[csv8]

These are the American specifications for the Kizashi. It isn't known what models will come here, but awd would be nice.
http://www.suzukiauto.com/kizashi/specs/?r=left#-all