By Frank S. Washington

SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP, MI – I came here to test drive the new version of Hyundai’s bread and butter car, the 2011 Sonata sedan. The Korean automaker sells more Sonatas than any other model.

I found a couple of things of note about the new Sonata which has been on sale for several months. First, there has been an increase in horsepower. The 2011 Sonata’s 2.4-liter four cylinder engine generates 198 horsepower (it notches up to 200 horsepower for the SE dual exhaust model) and 184 pound-feet of torque.

There was also a fuel saving six-speed automatic transmission and a six-speed manual gear box. The automatic is rated at 22 mpg/city and 35 mpg/HWY while the manual get 24 mpg/city and 35 mpg/HWY.

I didn’t get a chance to drive the manual transmission. But I found the 2011 Sonata with the automatic to be smooth and pretty quiet. However, I do think that Hyundai’s engineers should work on bringing the RPM range for torque maximum lower.

Once, I needed to really accelerate and the Sonata could have been a little quicker. Still, I did get where I needed to go without a mishap. That’s my powertrain peeve.

Anyway, rather than produce a V6, Hyundai will produce a 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder engine that will join the lineup later this summer. That represents a continuation of the automaker’s effort to have the most fuel efficient lineup in this market.

Although the 2011 Sonata is rated as a midsize sedan based on its exterior dimensions, the interior was very spacious. My driving partner pointed out that width creates comfort in passenger cabins, not length.

We managed to get in all three models with an automatic transmission and really didn’t find anything to gripe about. We found ourselves in cars with two-tone interiors – one we liked, one we didn’t and the third one we were sort of so-so about.

The point is that tastes are subjective and Hyundai provides a decent number of colors to choose from: there are 10 exterior colors and four interior color schemes. There was something else I noted about the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. It is pursuing a trend that was talked about a while ago when gasoline prices were on the rise.

What’s happening is the advent in the U. S. of small well equipped cars like in Europe. In the case of the Hyundai Sonata, it can be equipped with satellite radio, Bluetooth and Bluetooth streaming audio, a sunroof, push button start/stop, a navigation system, rearview camera, IPod and USB jacks, CD/MP3 players, a seat warmers and of course a premium audio system.

Some of this equipment is standard and some of it is optional. No matter, this is the sort of equipment that was unheard of in a vehicle that cost less than $30,000 a few years ago. And in the case of the 2011 Sonata, it can be had for a lot less. There are three models: the SE, the GLS and the Limited.

Base prices start at $19,915 for a GLS with a manual transmission and base prices top out at $28,115 for a Limited model with a navigation package.

The 2011 Sonata looked like it had been sculpted from a solid piece of metal, it had the silhouette of a coupe and the interior layout focused on the center stack that was prominent but did not dominate the interior of the car.

The raked roofline prompted me to get in the back seat to check out headroom. It was snug but at least I could sit up straight and my head did not brush up against the headliner. There was also a fair amount of hip and leg room.

There were two sets. The Pros (auto web site writers) chose the 2010 Mazda3 and the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox as the car and truck of the year respectively.

Consumers, who could go on the Web site and vote for their favorite, chose the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro and the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox.

Except for the muscular Camaro, this is sort of groundbreaking stuff. My point is that practicality has arrived. I’ve seen car of the year awards go to vehicles that only a handful of the public could actually afford. And the truck awards in the past have gone to vehicles that were too big, burned too much fuel and cost too much for real people but not this time.

The Mazda3 is a midsize fuel efficient sedan that can be had in a couple of practical body styles. And the Equinox doesn’t have three rows of seats, who really needs that third row anyway, and it is available with a gas sipping four cylinder engine.

Pipe dreams are on their way out when it comes to car and truck of the year winners and pragmatism is in.

Oh, I was a judge in the contest and looking forward to doing it again next year.

Frank S. Washington

In a phrase, the honeymoon is over. The only question is just how much damage will Toyota suffer and how much money will it lose from a recall that involves more than 8 million vehicles.

Worse, there are reports that say executives knew of sudden acceleration, braking and steering problems with Toyota’s products years before the company was forced to recall the vehicles.

There seems to be no end to the negative stories. The latest in Atlanta, a “recalled” Toyota Corolla crashed through the front door of a home when it unexpectedly accelerated.

We’ve seen the automotive unthinkable: Chrysler and GM bankruptcies, a government takeover of two of the three domestic automakers and now Toyota which once seemed unassailable being reduced to rudimentary ordinariness.

I don’t even want to think about what’s next.

Frank S. Washington

Awards for best car, best truck and best journalist will be presented during the Chicago Auto Show Media Days on Feb. 10-11, 2010.

Awards will be presented for Internet Car of the Year, Internet Truck of the Year, Consumer Internet Car of the Year, and Consumer Internet Truck of the Year. Winners of the Internet Automotive Journalism Contest will also be announced at the show.

Voting will be open until December 11^th. The public can go to: www.internetcarandtruckoftheyear.com and cast their vote.

The Internet Car and Truck of the Year is “Where Internet Pros and Average Joes Pick the Car and Truck of the Year” said founder and chief organizer Keith Griffin.

A jury of 12 automotive writers is simultaneously selecting its top car and truck (including SUVs, pickups and crossovers) at the same time consumers are voting on their top picks in the same categories.

The Internet Car and Truck of the Year Awards) have become an official part of The Chicago Auto Show www.ChicagoAutoShow.com.

“It’s the first time Internet-savvy consumers will have the opportunity to select their Car and Truck of the Year in one place at a website not dominated by manufacturer advertising. It’s only logical that we associate with the Chicago Auto Show, because it is the nation’s largest consumer auto show,” said Griffin.

The survey showed that 86 percent of U.S. drivers believe handheld texting while driving is “very dangerous” and 93 percent support a nationwide ban on texting.  At the same time, only 42 percent of respondents believe drivers would stop texting behind the wheel if the practice was banned.  However, more than 75 percent believe there would be more compliance if hands-free or voice-activated technologies were widely available.

The online survey was conducted September 18-21 by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates on behalf of the Ford Motor Company.  Ford commissioned the survey as part of its efforts to understand driver perceptions related to distracted driving.  Ford last week endorsed a proposed nationwide ban on handheld texting introduced by Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY).

“Research shows that activity that draws drivers’ eyes away from the road for an extended period while driving, such as text messaging, substantially increases the risk of accidents,” said Jim Vondale, director of Ford’s Automotive Safety Office. “That is why we support a nationwide ban on handheld texting while driving and why Ford has developed hands-free and voice-activated technologies to allow drivers to remain connected, but to do so while keeping their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.”

The survey shows that 67 percent of drivers said they believed voice-activated technology is a safe alternative to texting, and 76 percent said such a feature would be an appealing feature in a car.

The survey results come as the U.S. Department of Transportation is scheduled to host a summit on driver distraction in Washington, D.C., next week.

Franks Note: Some years ago, a study found the people talking on cell phones while driving had the same reaction time as someone legally drunk. Not a lot happened; let’s hope this time response to the dangers of texting while driving is better.

The IIHS report indicates that two-thirds of their survey respondents think the idea of “advanced technology” to stop drunk drivers from operating their cars when intoxicated is “good” or “very good,” though only 40 percent indicated they would be willing to install the technology on their own vehicles. Today, approximately 180,000 interlocks are in use nationwide. And that number is at the core of the debate: Estimates indicate that even in New Mexico, the state with the strictest ignition interlock laws, only 32 percent of offenders required to install interlocks actually do so. The resources to ensure enforcement of the sanction are simply lacking. More than 1.4 million people are arrested for driving under the influence each year, making it the most common cause of arrest in the U.S.

State 24/7 Sobriety Programs Shift the Focus to the Offenders

South Dakota is leading the paradigm shift from strictly sanctioning cars to changing the behavior of offenders long-term. The state has seen an unprecedented 65 percent drop in the rate of alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the last four years, with accompanying reductions in the prison and jail populations. Former South Dakota Attorney General Larry Long, who conceived of and implemented the state’s award-winning 24/7 Sobriety Project in 2005, says the shift is centered on addressing what he calls the root cause of the criminality, which is the alcohol abuse and addiction. “Rather than just ‘requiring’ sobriety, we incorporated stringent testing to ensure it,” says Long. The program mandates that all DUI offenders be sober 24/7, not just when they drive. “What we’ve seen is that effective monitoring, coupled with short but immediate jail time for a violation, is resulting in very high compliance rates,” he says. “We are substantially reducing the burden that these offenders place on their families and their communities.”

Electric and hybrid cars, with little or no engine noise, are lauded for their silence, yet some groups including advocates for the blind say pedestrians may fail to notice them approaching.

To address those safety concerns, transportation agencies in the United States and Japan may mandate artificial sounds for the vehicles.

“We fought for so long to get rid of that noisy engine sound,” said Tabata, Nissan’s noise and vibration expert. “With electric cars, we took a completely different approach and listened to composers talk music theory.”

Carmakers including Nissan and Toyota Motor Corp., manufacturer of the Prius gasoline-electric hybrid, are researching sound as more silent models come to market.

Nissan will start selling its Leaf electric car next year in the U.S., Japan and Europe next year, while General Motors Co. plans to introduce its extended range electric Chevy Volt in late 2010. Toyota will introduce a battery-powered vehicle in 2012.

New program taking hold across the country. Its aim is to reduce parking demand by offering convenient, cost effective and environmentally friendly option to owning a car

The University of California at Davis (UC Davis) and Zipcar, the world’s largest car sharing service, launched Zipcar’s car-sharing program on campus. The service will help the college manage the increasing demand for parking and associated congestion while offering students a convenient, economical and environmentally friendly alternative to owning a car.

UC Davis will have a formal launch event at the Activities and Recreation Building (ARC) today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. each day. Students and faculty will have a chance to sign up for membership, learn more about the program and see how the technology works.

A mix of eight self-service hybrid and fuel efficient Zipcars will be available for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The cars are located in reserved spaces and they are available to all staff and students ages 18 and older. Gas, insurance, 180 free miles, reserved parking and roadside assistance are included in low hourly and daily rates.

Faculty, staff, and students will be able to join Zipcar for $35 and can drive for as little as $8 per hour or $66 per day weekdays and $9 per hour or $72 per day on weekends. Students also get $35 in free driving credit as part of a launch promotion. Local residents ages 21 and older can join for $75 ($25 one-time application fee and $50 annual fee). All members 21 and over will have access to Zipcar’s network of more than 6,500 vehicles throughout the UK and North America.

For more information, go to: www.zipcar.com.

A panel of 12 Internet automotive writers has voted on 7 semi-finalists for Internet Car of the Year and 7 semi-finalists for Internet Truck of the Year. Consumers are now invited to vote on the website for Consumer Internet Car of the Year and Consumer Internet Truck of the Year starting at Noon (EDT), today, Sept. 16.

This is the only place on the Internet (where 91% of new car shoppers begin their shopping process) for consumers to vote on a Car and Truck of the Year at a website not dominated by manufacturer advertising. The website will not accept any OEM advertising for vehicles eligible for a Car or Truck of the Year award.

Consumers will have until Oct. 16 at noon to register their selections for Internet Car of the Year and Internet Truck of the Year. Then, starting Oct. 19 at noon they will select among three vehicles in each category that have been selected as finalists. Voting ends Nov. 13. The awards will be presented during a major auto show in December.

The semi-finalists for Car of the Year are:

Consumers can enter to win the grand prize of free Shell V-Power premium gasoline for a year (five winners) and ten finalists will win a $250 Shell Gift Card.  In addition, participants also will be entered into a sweepstakes for a chance to win an all-new 2010 Harley-Davidson^® Fat Boy^® Lo motorcycle.

To enter, participants can submit their stories online at www.shell.us/fuelmypassion.  Shell V-Power^® contestants will be required to submit a creative photo, with the contestant giving the “V” sign (symbolizing Shell V-Power^®) along with their ride (e.g., car, motorcycle, boat, RV, etc.), and a story up to 100 words on: “How Shell V-Power^® fuels their passion for their ride.”  The story portion of the entry can include poems, songs, “love stories” or anything else that expresses a unique or special bond between the contestant and their ride as well as how Shell V-Power^® helps fuel that passion.

Contestants can enter the contest in five different categories:

• Modified Car – Any vehicle that has been upgraded with aftermarket parts and components in order to change or enhance its properties, including styling, audio or performance (includes all tuner and custom cars).
• Motorcycle (Sponsored by Harley-Davidson^®) – Open to all types of motorcycles, inclusive of sports and chopper motorcycles.
• Sports/Luxury car – Automobiles designed for high speed and power, tight handling and/or luxury and flashy looks. Includes coupes and sedans.
• Truck or SUV – Includes trucks and SUVs of all sizes.
• Other Premium Rides – Includes any type of transportation that is driven with passion and fueled by Shell V-Power (e.g., classic car, RV, boat, etc.) but does not fit within the other categories.

There is a limit of one entry per person per category. More details on the contest are available at www.shell.us/fuelmypassion. The contest ends Oct. 6^th.