2012 Toyota Prius c
By now you’ve heard much about the Toyota Prius family of hybrid cars. Well, the latest member to join the family is its smallest one yet, the Prius C. The C-for-city promises the best around town fuel economy of any non-plug-in hybrid on the road. But, is there anything more to the C, than just good mpg?
Every family is happy to see a new “little-one” arrive, and this 2012 Toyota Prius C is no exception. With great fuel economy being one reason that more people are looking at smaller cars and certainly the main reason people buy hybrids, the C looks to be the perfect marriage of the two and the right car at the right time.
But before we declare that, let’s download the data. The Prius C is based on a shortened Yaris chassis, so when we say it’s a small car, we’re not exaggerating. Wheelbase is just 100.4-inches. Overhangs, both front and rear are very brief, making it appear even shorter than it is. Overall length is just 157.3-inches.
Standard wheels are steel and 15-inches in diameter, with 16-inch alloys optional. Up front, the look is familiar Prius, but with sizable trapezoidal grille openings that help to give it a sportier tilt.
The rear-end tapers in a bit to optimize aerodynamics, which are also helped by a hatch-top rear spoiler. Tall, vertical tail lights wrap up into the fenders to help give the look some substance. Good thing since the C only weighs 2,500 pounds, or about 500 less than the standard Prius.
So, not surprisingly it is powered by a downsized Hybrid Synergy Drive system, starting with a 1.5-liter I4 rated at 73-horsepower and 82 pound feet of torque. That little engine-that-almost-can gets much needed help from a pair of electric motor-generators to give a combined output of 99-horsepower.
All of that gets you a Government Fuel Economy Rating of 53 City on Regular gas. While that’s the best of any current hybrid, its highway rating of 46 is actually less than the larger Prius, so the C’s combined rating of 50 is the same.
Energy Impact Scores also match the regular Prius at a stingy 6.6-barrels of oil per year, while emitting only 2.9 annual tons of CO2.
Despite the miniature powertrain, the C’s light weight makes it feel more spirited than its larger brethren. Still, we estimate the 0-to-60 time is similar at about 10.5 seconds.
You can tool around in ECO and EV modes only; there’s no Power mode like the larger cars, and power still flows through a foggy CVT transmission, so there’s nothing sporty to note here either.
For a car that’s designed to be a “city car”, the C holds its own on highways just as well. We never felt a lack of power, but we did have fairly low expectations going in. Visibility is good all around, and the C doesn’t feel tiny when you’re behind the wheel; it’s also quieter than the typical subcompact.
The tilt/telescoping steering wheel has redundant controls, and as in all other current Prius’, Smart Key with keyless entry and push button start is standard.
The two-tone interior is a good mix of youthful styling with comfort and user-friendliness. Seats are cloth except for top- level C4 trim that get SofTex simulated leather. The folding rear seat is either 1 or 2 piece, depending on which grade you purchase and trunk capacity is generous at 17.1 cubic-feet.
In current Prius vein, the dash-top gauge cluster includes a color info screen with a multitude of different fuel economy screens, and on the passenger side of the dash is a media tray with USB and auxiliary inputs.
With four trim levels, pricing begins at $19,710 for a Prius C One. That’s some 3 grand less than the standard Prius. The top level C Four is stickered at $23,990.
There’s no argument that the best selling point of the 2012 Prius C is its great fuel economy. But beyond that, the C is also a pretty decent subcompact overall. Add in a well equipped price that doesn’t break the bank, and it looks like the C is indeed more than just good MPG.
Specifications
- Engine: 1.5-liter I4
- Horsepower: 73
- Torque: 82 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 10.5 seconds
- EPA: 53 mpg city/ 46 mpg highway
- Energy Impact: 6.6 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 2.9 tons/yr
2024 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35
Goldilocks Approved: It Does Everything Just Right
These days, you don’t have to spend a ridiculous amount of money to get some real-deal AMG performance from Mercedes-Benz, as they’ve spread their high-performance love throughout their lineup. So, let’s go for some high-speed bargain hunting in the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35.
You may think of big cars and bigger horsepower when you hear AMG, but this updated 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4-door Coupe is certainly not a big car, yet there’s no doubt it packs a serious performance punch. The CLA is not the least expensive Mercedes you can currently buy in the U.S., but it is their lowest priced car, and it feels more right-size than small-size behind the wheel.
It’s a fun, enjoyable ride that lets you know what you’re in for right away with a nice raspy exhaust note at start up. Standard engine in the base CLA 250 is of course a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbo, but it is ‘Benz’s latest with mild-hybrid assistance and a rating of 221-horsepower.
This CLA 35 is one of two AMG versions which cranks the turbo up to boost output to 302 horsepower and 295 lb-ft. of torque; the CLA 45 S, goes even further with a full rebuild to crank it up to 416 horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque. The CLA is front-wheel-drive based but is sending power to all four wheels by the time it leaves the AMG shop with performance-tuned AMG 4MATIC.
AMG has done serious suspension tuning as well, and the great feedback that it provides through the AMG Performance steering wheel is a big part of this car’s fun-factor. But our test car came equipped with winter tires, which did hold us back a little bit through the cones at our Mason Dixon test track. Still, it felt both agile and fun and body roll was minimal. Not until we pushed hard could we really feel the lack of dry pavement grip from those tires. On the other hand, a few days after track day, we actually did have some winter weather to drive through and then we were very appreciative of the grip those winter tires provided.
With some assistance from AMG’s sweet launch control, which not only allowed us to launch at 3500 RPM with no wheel slip at all, but made sure the turbos were feeding full power, as we felt no turbo lag whatsoever on our quick 4.5-second trip to 60. AMG’s Speedshift eight-speed DCT lived up to its name, delivering quick and hard hits throughout the 13.1-second, 104 mph quarter-mile.
It’s a fun, enjoyable ride that lets you know what you’re in for right away with a nice raspy exhaust note at start up.
When it came time to remove speed in a hurry in our panic runs from 60 mph, those winter tires again played a factor, as the brakes felt very strong and there was very little nosedive but stops took a longer than expected 125 feet.
Now this 2nd generation CLA arrived for 2020, and for ’24 gets a subtle restyling at both ends. At the front, the grille has been redesigned, AMGs getting their own unique version with big vertical slats, prominent Mercedes star and subtle AMG badge. LED headlights are new, now labeled as High-Performance headlights, joined by upgraded rear taillights and a very aggressive looking AMG diffuser with big exhaust outlets. The back-up camera is smoothly hidden in a flip-out Mercedes badge. Multiple new wheel designs are available with sizes up to 19-inches.
Inside the CLA’s cabin, additional standard content includes a leather steering wheel and 10-inch media display. Both of which were already part of the AMG transformation, though AMG Line buyers can now add some heat elements to their sport steering wheel.
As we’ve seen with most Mercedes updates, both the virtual gauge cluster and the central touchscreen reside in a single housing mounted on top of the dash, upgraded with the latest MBUX software.
Pricing for the CLA 35 starts at $56,100, with the more powerful 45 S coming in at $66,550.
Bottom line, the folks in Stuttgart have given us a 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 that’s clearly better without messing it up. That’s certainly good news to us, as these days we seem to be getting less and paying more for just about everything. So, while you might not think the new CLA 35 sounds like a bargain, there is no better gateway into the amazing world of AMG performance.
Specifications
- Engine: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbo
- Horsepower: 416
- 0-60 mph: 4.5 seconds
- 60-0 Braking: 125 feet (avg)
- MW Fuel Economy: 28.2 MPG (Premium)
- Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
- Torque: 369 lb-ft.
- 1/4 Mile: 13.1 seconds at 104 mph
- EPA: 22 City / 29 Highway / 25 Combined