2014's Geekiest Vehicles of the Year

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a geek can be one of three things: a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake, a person often of an intellectual bent who is disliked, or an enthusiast or expert especially in a technological field or activity. The last definition brings us to Huntsville, Alabama. Home to one of the largest research parks in the world, NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center, Missile Defense Agency, Army Material Command, Space & Missile Defense Command, Adtran, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Curse, and a variety of other tech heavy government and private enterprises. In North Alabama you’ll be hard pressed to get off your block without running into an engineer or someone with a PhD.

Vehiblog teamed up with Geek Out Huntsville to figure out the geekiest new vehicles you can buy today. Since geeks come in all demographic ranges, and not just car geeks either, we didn't want to select just one vehicle. Instead, we selected vehicles from most major categories. Our criteria was an under $75,000 as-built MSRP that we thought had the best variety of drivetrain, interior, and safety technologies. When you go out for a drink with friends or you’re hanging around the water cooler these are the sort of tech goodies you’ll be endlessly rambling about until someone can get a word in edgewise. Due to the sheer number of new and upcoming vehicles we looked into, it was almost impossible to come up with completely objective criteria. A lot of categories had multiple vehicles in the running, but we had to narrow it down to just one. And we did. So keep the pitchforks, torches, lightning bolts, and spells of journalistic angst to a minimum and enjoy the selections we've picked.

Electric Vehicle: Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S (Image courtesy of Gary McFarland)

Tesla Model S Dash

We wanted to start off with the Tesla Model S electric vehicle since we get asked about this, A LOT. Also, due to its price range, it was pretty much impossible to make it come in under our $75,000 limit after putting on any geek-worthy features. The Model S is Tesla’s successor to its popular Roadster model which was discontinued in 2012. 2012 was also the first year of sales for the Model S, which is a much more practical application for an all-electric vehicle. While the roadster was only a lightweight two-seater sports car, the Model S is a five door hatchback that seats five adults in the front and has the optional capability to place two smaller rear facing seats for children in the hatch area. Starting at $63,570 the base 60kWh Model S has an EPA 5-cycle certified range of 208 miles, does 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, and the quarter mile in 14.2 seconds. Nicely equipped with the upgraded charging options, technology package, ultra high fidelity sound system, parking sensors, fog lamps, cold weather package, air suspension, interior lighting, subzero weather package, and the rear facing seats the as-built price balloons to $82,770. The top of the line P85 version includes an upgraded 85kWh battery, more powerful motor, EPA 5-cycle range of 265 miles, does 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, and the quarter mile in 12.6 seconds. This model starts at $87,070 and tops out at a whopping $126,170 fully loaded. You’re definitely going to pay to be an early adopter of a premium performance electric vehicle.

Sub-Compact: 2014 Ford Fiesta SE (Hatchback or Sedan)

As-Built MSRP: Sedan $17,780

Fuel Economy: 32 MPG city/ 45 MPG hwy/ 37 MPG combined

2014 Ford Fiesta Sedan (Image courtesy of Ford Motor Company)

Ford’s sub-compact Fiesta has been turning heads with aggressive styling outside and a lot of content inside. The Fiesta SE sedan we built was equipped with a 1.0L EcoBoost GTDi 3-cylinder engine and manual transmission. This Fuel Economy Package delivers 45 MPG on the highway! We added in keyless entry, an interior protection package, comfort package (includes electronic temperature control, heated seats, Fords basic SYNC infotainment system), and a sub-woofer priced this car out at a lean $17,780 after a $750 factory incentive. If you need more versatility you can select the five door Fiesta hatchback for slightly less as the optional sub-woofer isn't available as an option. If you’re not that concerned about mileage you can opt-out of the fuel economy package and be eligible for the optional SYNC system that includes touch screen and navigation.

Compact: 2014 Chevrolet Cruze ECO

As-Built MSRP: $22,505

Fuel Economy: 28 MPG city/42 MPG highway

2014 Chevrolet Cruze Eco (Image courtesy of General Motors)

This might come off as a little controversial but we selected the Chevrolet Cruze over the Volt, for one simple reason. Price. The added cost of the Volt, even after tax incentives, is so pricey you’d have to drive the Cruze over 70,000 miles, before you’ll start to break even with current gas prices by choosing the Volt instead. The as-built MSRP of $22,505 includes a $1500 cash back offer and a lot of features that were previously only available on luxury cars. The driver convenience package includes a rear vision camera, power adjustable seats, and a few other goodies. The enhanced safety package includes rear parking assist, rear cross-traffic alerting, and side blind zone alerts. The entertainment options we selected included the MyLink GPS navigation system with a 7” color touch screen, Bluetooth streaming, and we added in the Pioneer premium nine speaker stereo system. Additional accessories included a fog lamp kit and illuminated door sill plates for a little bit of bling. Scheduled maintenance is covered for 2 years or 24,000 miles along with the standard 3 year 36,000 mile bumper to bumper, 5 year 100,000 mile powertrain, and roadside assistance warranties. A diesel engine option is available but that has a starting MSRP of $25,810 gets 1 less MPG in the city and only 4 MPG better highway mileage then the ECO trim.

Mid-size: 2014 Toyota Prius (Five)

As-Built MSRP: $37,130

Fuel Economy: 51 MPG city/48 MPG highway/50 MPG combined

2014 Toyota Prius (Image courtesy of Toyota)

Love it or hate it, when you think of a hybrid, you think of a Toyota Prius. This particular model is no exception, particularly the price point which puts it into full size car territory. However, the technology packed into this car is nothing short of amazing. Standard features include LED headlights, automatic climate control, 6.1” touch screen navigation, and Toyota’s Star Safety System which gives the Prius 4 star front and rollover ratings and a five star side crash rating. 50 MPG combined fuel economy is impressive too. We added in the Advanced Technology Package which includes an 8 speaker JBL sound system with a larger 7” touch screen navigation display. This includes an Toyota’s impressive Entune App suite with apps like Bing, iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, Pandora, and others. The really impressive features of this package include a heads-up display, pre-collision system, lane keep assist, and our favorite feature: dynamic radar cruise control.

Full Size: 2014 Chevrolet Impala LT ECO

As-Built MSRP: $33,632

Fuel Economy: 25 MPG city/35 MPG highway

2014 Chevrolet Impala (Image courtesy of General Motors)

Updated for the 2014 model year the Chevrolet Impala has gotten a much needed overhaul. A 3800lb curb weight combined with a 2.4L direct injected engine with variable valve timing and variable lift, combined with a 15kw electric motor provide an impressive 25 MPG city and 35 MPG highway in the Eco versions. This is up from 18 MPG city and 30 MPG highway from the previous generation Impala. Inside the cabin a variety of packages give the driver rear parking assist, a rear vision camera, remote vehicle starting, keyless entry, MyLink radio with 8” color touch screen display, and navigation. An advanced safety package provides forward collision alert, rear cross-traffic alerting, lane departure warning, and side blind zone alerting. All this for $33,632 is an amazing value and a big step up from the previous model which was completely bland and devoid of exciting content.

Hatchback: 2014 Ford Focus ST
As-Built MSRP: $28,625
Fuel Economy: 23 MPG city / 32 MPG highway

2014 Ford Focus ST (Image courtesy of Ford Motor Company)

Ford’s Focus ST has been a popular addition to the hot hatchback car segment. The ST is equipped with a 2.0L turbocharged and direct injected engine that pumps out 252 horsepower and a whopping 270 pound-feet of torque at just 2500 rpm in a vehicle that weighs 3,223 pounds. Electric power steering and torque vectoring control help rein in torque steer. Interior features include a 10 speaker Sony audio system, 8” touch screen with Ford SYNC, navigation, dual zone automatic climate control, and ambient lighting. High intensity discharge headlights help illuminate the road at night. All of this performance is wrapped in a very functional package that provides 90.7 cubic feet of passenger volume with 23.8 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the 2nd row of seats and 44.8 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the first row of seats. Haul your family, pets, and groceries around during the week then you can take it to the autocross, road course, or dragstrip and haul [you know what] on the weekends. 

Hatchback Runner-up: 2015 Honda Fit

2015 Honda Fit (Image courtesy of Gary McFarland)

If performance isn't quite your thing, you’re on a tighter budget, and still need a versatile vehicle then the 2015 Honda Fit might be a better fit [see what we did there?] for you. Released at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, the Fit is an all new model over the current generation. Fuel efficiency is rated at 33 MPG city/41 MPG highway/36 MPG combined. This is due to a new direct injected engine and a reduced platform weight of 57 pounds thanks to extensive utilization of ultra-high strength steel. With Honda’s Magic Seat interior the Fit offers fold flat seating and up to 52.7 cubic feet of cargo space. Tech features include multi-angle rear-view camera, push-button start, heated mirrors, heated seats, Honda LaneWatch, and a 7” touchscreen HondaLink audio system with smartphone connectivity. Pricing isn't set but the current model Fit starts at $15,425 MSRP and runs just under $20,000 for the premium sport model with a navigation system.

Premium: 2014 Infiniti Q50S AWD Hybrid

As-Built MSRP: $56,870
Fuel Economy: 27 MPG city/31 MPG highway

2014 Infiniti Q50S Hybrid AWD (Image courtesy of Infiniti)

The Infiniti Q50S hybrid with all-wheel drive really surprised us in this segment. While the added weight of the sophisticated all-wheel drive system and sport package hurts the acceleration and fuel economy compared to the base rear-wheel drive Q50 hybrid, the peace of mind more than makes up for the slight degradation in performance. The hybrid drivetrain produces 360 net horsepower with the 3.5L V6 engine producing 258 pound-feet of torque and the 50 kW electric motor producing 213 pound-feet of torque. This power is routed to a seven speed adaptive automatic transmission and finally to Infiniti’s intelligent all-wheel drive system that can provide 100% of the power to the rear wheels for maximum performance and up to 50% of the power to the front wheels as traction needs dictate. Stopping all this are massive 4-piston 14” front and 2-piston 13.8” rear brakes. The amount of interior and safety technology on this car could fill an entire article so we’ll stick to the highlights. Audio is through a 14 speaker Bose audio system, InTouch displays include 8” upper and 7” lower color touch screens, voice activation, advanced dual zone climate control with a Plasmacluster air purifier and Grape Polyphenol Filter, and a navigation system in the interior. Safety features include front and rear sonar system, rain sensing wipers, adaptive front headlights with high beam assist, intelligent cruise control, blind spot warning and intervention systems, back-up collision intervention, predictive forward collision warning and emergency braking, lane departure warning and prevention, and active lane control. If you don’t care much about all-wheel drive or the big brakes in the Q50S you can opt for the regular Q50 Hybrid which has the above mentioned features for about $5,000 less.

Luxury: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTEC Sedan
As-Built MSRP: $70,884
Fuel Economy: 28 MPG city/45 MPG highway

2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTEC Sedan (Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz)

The Mercedes-Benz E-class has been an industry leader in safety and technology for quite some time now. Even better is that it’s available in coupe, sedan, and station wagon configurations. We split the difference and built out a sedan. The 2.1L four cylinder turbo diesel produces 195 horsepower and a shattering 369 pound-feet of torque. This is enough to accelerate this loaded out sedan to 0-60 in under 8 seconds while getting 45 MPG on the highway. This car comes equipped with features and technology you wouldn't even think you needed, wanted, or existed. The infotainment system includes an 80GB hard drive for the navigation, 10GB music register, Harman/Kardon LOGIC7 surround sound system with Gracenote media database, rear seat entertainment system, and a Mercedes-Benz Apps package. Interior amenities include an electronic trunk closer button, split-folding rear seats, 115 volt AC power outlet, and our favorite for temperate extreme areas, the heated and cooled ventilated front seats. Safety and assistance packages include adaptive radar cruise control, lane keeping assistance, blind spot detection, pedestrian detection and braking, and even an active parking and exit assist which parks your car for you in tight situations. This car can almost drive itself for you now.

Minivan: 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T
As-Built MSRP: $37,615
Fuel Economy: 17 MPG city/25 MPG highway

2014 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T (Image courtesy of Chrysler Group)

Whether you’re hauling your brood of children to the Space and Rocket Center or your motley band of LARPers to DRAGONCON, a mini-van is an oft shunned but ever versatile vehicle. Dodge’s Grand Caravan and its sister vehicle, the slightly more upscale Chrysler Town & Country, have been at the forefront of minivan evolution since they were introduced in the mid 1980’s. So popular, in fact, that the VW Routan manufactured from 2009-2013 is just a rebadged version of the Dodge/Chrysler minivan built in the same factories. The 283 horsepower Pentastar V6 allows this minivan, with a towing package, to tow an additional 3,600 pounds of cargo too. For those with special access needs, two mobility prep packages are available as well. Stow ’n Go seating can seat up to 7 people, or fold completely flat to store up to 144 cubic feet of cargo space. 12 cubic feet of hidden space is available in bins when the seats aren't folded flat. The 60/40 split rear seats can flip over to provide rearward facing tailgate seats protected from the elements by the raised lift-gate. The Uconnect 560W 9 speaker stereo and navigation system includes a 40GB hard drive and a Garmin navigation system. Also available is a 3G Wi-Fi enabled web service. A dual screen DVD package adds DVD/Blu-Ray entertainment with 9” video screens, wireless headphones, remote, HDMI connection, and USB ports to the 2nd and 3rd row seating. Both systems can play independently of each other too. Second and third row window shades, heated front and second-row seats and a heated steering wheel are also included in a driver convenience group. Finally, the safety sphere package adds blind spot and cross path detection, rear parking assist, and rain sensitive windshield wipers. Of note, the Honda Odyssey minivan was in consideration for this because it offers a class exclusive HondaVAC built in vacuum system. However this feature was only available on the Touring Elite model that priced out almost $10,000 more than our Grand Caravan, or about 10,000 trips to use the local gas station or car-wash vacuum.

SUV/Crossover: 2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited 4x4
As-Built MSRP: $37,025
Fuel Economy: 19 MPG city/27 MPG highway/22 MPG combined

2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited 4x4 (Image courtesy of Chrysler Group)

Replacing the Jeep Liberty as a mid-size crossover SUV, the 2014 Jeep Cherokee offers edgy (literally) styling and a host of tech goodies. While we selected four-wheel drive over the front-wheel drive version, we didn't select the optional Active Drive II 4x4 system. For one simple reason. Most people that drive vehicles like this don’t off-road them and the additional features and off-road suspension raise costs, lowers fuel economy, and can increase NVH in the vehicle. Should you need to run to the store to buy bread, milk, and eggs after it’s started snowing, the base 4x4 system should suffice. We opted for the 3.2L Pentastar V6 which puts out 271 horsepower and 239 pound-feet of torque and comes with a nine speed automatic transmission. A trailer tow group provides 4,500 pounds of best-in-class towing. Interior features include a nine speaker sound system, navigation, and an 8.4” touch screen with optional Wi-Fi. Lots of cargo flexibility is available with the 60/40 fold flat rear seats. Additional storage is available under the rear seats and fold flat front passenger seat. A really slick interior option is a wireless charging pad to charge a variety of mobile devices. Bi-xenon high intensity discharge headlights, power lift-gate, and ventilated leather seats round out options included in the luxury group we selected. The technology group adds advanced brake assist, automatic high beam control, blind spot and cross path detection, forward collision warning and mitigation, lane departure warning, parallel and perpendicular parking assist, and rain sensitive windshield wipers.

Truck: 2015 Ford F-150
As-Built MSRP: n/a
Fuel Economy: n/a

2015 Ford F-150 (Image courtesy of Gary McFarland)

Set to go on sale later on this year, the 2015 Ford F-150 is a pretty radical change in full size trucks. Utilizing a special aluminum alloy, this new F-150 can weigh up to 700 pounds less than the previous version. This will do wonders to fuel economy and overall performance in the current “Space Race” of pickup trucks that have been made bigger and heavier and less efficient.

2015 Ford F-150 uses aluminum extensively. (Image courtesy of Gary McFarland)

2015 Ford F-150 (Image courtesy of Ford Motor Company)

Over 100 patents, that cover just about everything you can think of were filed by Ford. Engine options include a 3.5L V6, 5.0L V8, 2.7L EcoBoost V6, and a 3.5L EcoBoost V6. These will all be mated to 6 speed automatic transmissions. 4x2 and 4x4 options will also be available as well. 6.5’ and 8’ beds will be available in Regular and SuperCab versions with 5.5’ and 6.5’ beds available in SuperCrew configurations. Trim levels will be the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, and the premium Platinum. Interesting technology features like 110v/400W in-cab outlets will help power a variety of tools, dynamic hitch assist helps you guide your truck’s ball right to the receiver on the trailer, and a 360° camera system creates a birds-eye view around your truck for complete situational awareness. Ford’s SYNC infotainment systems, 8” productivity screen, blind spot information systems, cross traffic alerts and even inflatable rear safety belts round out more of the available options. Current prices start at $24,445 for the base model 2014 F-150 XL 4x2 and go up to over $55,000 for the F-150 Limited SuperCrew 4x4 with the 3.5L EcoBoost V6.

Sports Car: 2014/2015 Corvette Stingray
MSRP: (est) $66,000 with 2LT & Z51 option packages
Fuel Economy: 17 MPG city/29 MPG highway

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (Image courtesy of General Motors)

2014 marked the introduction of the 7th generation of Corvette (C7). This latest generation Corvette is packed with advanced materials, features, and technology. An aluminum frame, carbon fiber hood, and optional carbon fiber removable roof panels provide lighter weight compared to more standard materials. Aerogel, a NASA technology which insulates 39 times better than fiberglass and is still 99.8 percent air, is applied to the transmission tunnel to ensure heat isn't transmitted into the cockpit. The drivetrain includes a 6.2L V8 which pumps out 455 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. This is coupled to a seven speed manual transmission which includes a rev matching function. Rev matching ensures that you’ll make professional racing driver upshifts and downshifts, no matter how ham-fisted you really are rowing through the gears. The Z51 performance package includes upgraded brakes, a dry sump oil system, performance suspension, upgraded wheels and tires, transmission and differential coolers, an electronic limited slip differential, and an aerodynamics package. This propels the Corvette to 0-60 in 3.8 seconds, quarter mile in 12 seconds at 119 MPH, corners at 1.03g’s, and can stop from 60-0 in only 107 feet. Magnetic selective ride control which can change the suspension damping every 10-15 milliseconds is also available along with a performance exhaust which adds another five horsepower for a total of 460. This exhaust system changes the exhaust note depending on how hard it is driven. Two 8” customizable screens, one in the instrument cluster, and one in the center console are available, as is a heads-up display to keep the driver informed while their eyes stay on the road ahead. One of the most exciting features is the addition of what Chevrolet calls the Performance Data Recorder. This option, which will start with 2015 model year Corvette production, adds a 720p HD camera, dedicated microphone, and a dedicated telemetry recorder which is hardwired into the Corvette’s network to access a variety of vehicle information. A dedicated SD card slot is located in the glove box and a 32GB card should record up to 800 minutes of information. Multiple recording modes are available to record everything from 0-60, ¼ mile, and 0-100-0 runs to detailed track-day information with telemetry overlaid onto a location based map. No cost information has been released yet but our as-built 2014 Corvette Stingray was equipped with the 2LT Z51 option packages, navigation, magnetic ride control, and performance exhaust and came out around $66,000. Base price for the Stingray starts at $51,000. 

In closing, no matter what your needs or price range are, there is a car that can satisfy your geekiest desires for technology. Don’t just take our word for it either. These are just some of our favorite cars, there’s plenty more than might fit your needs and your budget. With Google having developed a self-driving car, that is well into its beta stages of testing, it won’t be long before a lot of these technologies will become obsolete. Soon our cars will drive us, and not the other way around, on our journeys. 

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