OPENERS CAR Selection 2012 | Fumio Ogawa

2012's Five Cars for OPENERS CAR Readers

OPENERS CAR Selection 2012: Fumio Ogawa

The editors of OPENERS CAR asked six of the writers who have supported OPENERS CAR in 2012 to look back on the year and select five cars that OPENERS readers should pay attention to. Yasuhisa Shimoshita chose these five cars to enjoy cars even more!

Text by OGAWA Fumio

To Break Free from a Gloomy Mood

2012 was a year where various frustrations accumulated in society (wasn't it for you too?). In the end, Japan saw a significant move towards political conservatism and reaction.

However, in the automotive world, there were many exhilarating models that seemed capable of blowing away those gloomy feelings.

Take, for example, the Toyota 86. Without gratuitously chasing novelty, it faithfully delivers the fundamental charms of a car: the ability to run, turn, and stop. On the other hand, also from Toyota, the Aqua impressed with the refined maturity of its THS-II (Toyota Hybrid System), which is well-suited to compact cars.

The economic outlook remains uncertain, but there are many cars that seem capable of dispelling this gloomy mood, so I've chosen five from them.

Fumio Ogawa's Top 5 Picks for OPENERS Readers in 2012

Audi A1 Sportback
Audi A1 Sportback

It's compact and exceptionally stylish, but it's exhilarating when driven at higher engine speeds. I was impressed by its solid foundation. It's a well-crafted car that truly makes you realize you can't appreciate a car's true value by driving it sluggishly.

Volkswagen up!
Volkswagen up!

For urban dwellers who mostly drive alone, this is the only choice! The interior's premium feel is also remarkable. The two-pedal automatic clutch has little jerkiness at this low RPM range. I wonder if Toyota could achieve this level.

BMW M5
BMW M5

Simply superb. Although it's a sedan with a long wheelbase offering ample rear-seat space, its handling is sharp and belies its size, with astonishingly quick dual-clutch engagement and a remarkable sport mode. The pinnacle of sports models.

Toyota 86
Toyota 86

It reminds me of the recently revamped Popeye. If it becomes a lecture from an old man about how men should be, young people won't buy this well-made car. With its style, a bit more freedom and adventure would have made it even better.

Citroen DS4
Citroen DS4

OPENERS' Brief ImpressionI intended to praise it highly, but my words were insufficient. So, let me emphatically state here once more: the DS4 is a great car. Its handling is mature, and despite its appearance, it has a smooth, refined character. This is what a good car is.