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Sonata - Accord - Altima - Camry - Fusion - Malibu - Legacy - Mazda 6
Those are the more accurate comparisons
I don't know where to put the Maxima in that scenario except out to pasture. I would rather have a v6 Altima(regular gas, 27mpg hwy) decked out for $27k(street price) or the Infiniti G25 for a couple of grand more than the Maxima. I love the styling of the Maxima but by coming out with the G25, Nissan is kind of forcing it's own hand with the Maxima IMO.
Zip code here is Los Angeles. I think that's pretty "normal"(even if the city itself isn't)
I just stuck in the basic Journey model with no extra options and got $30-31K. If you want to pay $5-7K for chrome and excessive bling as well as $2000+ for a navigation system hardly any better than a $200 Garman you can stick in your pocket(let alone use a *map*) - that's your money I guess. But if anyone here goes to CarsDriect and clicks on "G37 Journey" the initial price before options is very close to what I posted. I chose it because it has a few nice features and is only 1K more than the base model. I really recommend the wood trim. It transforms the interior to look a lot more like a proper luxury car.
The TL is similar. I chose it over the TSX because it's a better vehicle for 1K more. Moonroof? Leather? Fog Lights? Fold down seats? Premium Audio? All standard. Unlike most of the competition, you don't need the high-end trim line plus nav and all the rest to get those options. (GM is hideous here - sometimes not giving you side airbags or a proper rear diff and so on unless you get the highest trim. 25K cars with 5-8K in options have been known to happen)
Option 1: TL without technology package: $31883(delivery included)
Option 2: TL with technology package: $34804(delivery included)
The *ONLY* difference is the navigation system and some fancy gimmicks like rear view camera and push button ignition and so on. I mentioned this as well because it's the best example that people are likely to run across and cross-shop, as Acura only sells option 1 and option 2. $31K advertised in the paper gets people thinking when they are looking at cars like a Camry V6($29K) or the new Regal(also $29K). There is a strong impulse with most people to jump up a level if they can versus optioning out a lower-end vehicle. Even if it's just their perception. They also like the idea of everything included and just having to pick the color.
Remember that the real comparison here is in the mind of 20-25K sedan owner who wants a bit of luxury this time around. To them, the base models really don't need anything extra ("better car than I've ever owned") and it's a nice status symbol over a jellybean Camry. Stretching the budget 2K is very likely to happen. And, yes, the interior IS better and plusher than the Camry. The TL really does feel like a Mercedes inside(actually better as the leather is real), and that's not lost of the buyers, evidently, since sales are strong. Apparently a lot of people are cross-shopping the TL and stepping up a level.
As for size, the G37 is comparable to the others in actual use. The rear seats have more space in the back than a Buick, and roughly equal to a Camry, at least to by rear end it does. :P And the leather is super-comfy. I could sit for hours in the rear seats. Conversely, with the Regal, all I want to do is get OUT the second I get in the rear. :P
Of course, the real lynch-pin here is when you drive the G37. It has a massive amount more power than the 25K+options vehicles in actual driving. (over 100HP more than the new Regal!) 328HP is an eye-opener for a lot of people who've never driven anything more powerful than a typical midsize sedan.
To be honest, you can get a great deal on the new Maxima, I certainly did when I got a brand new 2010 last Summer. A lot of people I know and online are getting fully loaded ones in the mid 30s, which isn't bad considering its almost 40 fully loaded. Was the primary reason, despite really loving the new body style for getting one. Plus, it was much bigger and much more comfortable, both in the seat and ride then a G37. Plus you got a heated steering wheel, plus many more luxury sedan features, which you still can't get in the G today and normally would have to be in a M price range to get.
The only mistake Nissan made on the new Maxima, was in the marketing department. Nissan thinks that this new Max is a four door sports sedan like a G37 and 3-Series but it is not. While I like the CVT and FWD, those two things preclude the Max from becoming a true four door sports sedan. It drives and rides more on the luxury comfort side and Nissan should have marketed it as a sporty upscale sedan.
I'm in that situation myself. I want to spend under 35k. For that price I can get a loaded V6 Altima or a loaded turbo Sonata or Optima and still have plenty of room. Or, I could get a halfway decently equipped G37 and spend every penny of that 35k. So it's a trade off. Problem for me is, I dont want a RWD car and I dont like the look of the new TL. I'd have to get AWD/Quattro and that's more money that I cant spend on luxury options like tech packages and such.
Now that is here, apparently its different in your neck of the woods.
And, really - click on this:
http://www.carsdirect.com/build/options?zipcode=91107&acode=USC00INC142B0&restor- e=false
(Pasadena, CA as an example)
They've been running that rebate of $1-2K for half a year now. Going into this fall, you might see another 1-2K on top of that.
Let's go down the options list:
- Performance Tires - Skip. Unless you want your chiropractor to get rich.
- Aero Package - Skip. Ugly bling. Bling, unless it's very tastefully done makes it look cheap and not luxury.
- Technology Package - Skip. The normal cruise control works fine. What we're talking about here is AI controlled cruise and so on like the M has. Which costs a fortune to fix when it breaks. Rain sensing wipers are also not worth $1K.
- $1600 for a nav system is usurious. Skip.
- Skip the sport package. In stock trim, it's just where that "Euro" feel is. note - Mercedes also has this problem. The stock suspension is perfect. The Sport ruins it. If you want to shred paper-thin low profile tires all day long, just get the 350Z.
- The premium package is debatable. I don't like terrarium roofs, but YMMV. The seats already have memory functions and so on - this really is all electronic goodies and pricey at that. The stock radio if you look below is the same minus the Bose nonsense.
That's one realistic "maybe" option at $1800 so far. But it does have the wood trim included. That's very nice.
So that's one option, maybe. And of course, the splash guards to keep the paint nice.
$33799 before delivery charge is added. That's right in your 30-35K range.
I'd have added the Lexus ES350 to the list as well, but they make you pay for floor mats and other idiocy like the luxury package requiring nav. 37K is pretty much unavoidable, which is a shame, since it's a nice car otherwise.
Why do people always like to make other people sound stupid if they like the techno and bling. It's there choice, comments aren't necessary. He was just comparing apples to apples, equip level to equip level which is something that you never like to do. No offense but apples to apples is not comparing a new car to a used one. A used one might be really, really good but it is not the same as a brand new one and never will be.
They may be cross-shopping, but not cross-buying. Only 14k TLs sold in 2010 through May. That's fewer cars than the Accord, Altima, Camry, Fusion, Sonata etc. sell in one month.
So instead of that I'm leaning more towards a loaded Optima Turbo, which I hope to get for around 8k less and fully loaded.
Quick story, I've used the edmunds TMV along with 1 or 2 other sites dealer invoice and when I've gone to the stealers around here and they caught me with those papers, they always say, "oh you can't go by them, they have no idea what our dealer cost is!"
Oh I just love when they say that. I just laugh and laugh to myself. They might not be exact, but how funny that when we start to crunch numbers they are always pretty damn close when we come out to the sales price on the car!
I meant to say, on the Infiniti lots here in NJ, the msrp's on the all the G37's I've seen are $39k something for AWD plus the premium package or $42k something for AWD, premium package, and nav package!
Same thing with the TL, the lowest I've seen the msrp is like $35k something for the base TL.
Numbers here are a little different. The Infiniti comes in at $31,900 and the TL actually goes just over $32K. For me, at least, the Infiniti isn't even a consideration since it's RWD. Obviously being in L.A. you'd have a different perspective on this.
I'd have to do more research on the TL to see what else is missing without the technology package. I know on the 2005 TL I owned it was either with or without NAV. But judging by the price of the technology package I would guess there's more to it. I know when I looked at the RDX you didn't even get bluetooth unless you bought it. That's a deal breaker for me. But hey, my last 4 cars have all had factory NAV so really, regardless of the opinion of others such as yourself, that's what I'm buying.
But even without it, that's still just under $7K more than the Sonata. That's a lot of bucks. Even with the extra price of the turbo, it's going to be a big price difference.
Remember the Sonata right now is selling hot and the prices have become inflated. When I got mine back in March I paid the same price for the Limited with NAV as Cars Direct is quoting for one without. A year from now you're going to see the Limited with NAV and turbo going for around $28K and without for around $26K. You're not going to see the TL or Infiniti drop from what you see today. If anything, they will go up.
Basically I disagree that Hyundai or Kia is pricing themselves into the next class of cars. They are going to compete with the Camry and Accord. They are not targeting the Infiniti or Acura.
If you go on the G37 forums they are routinely getting $5k off of MSRP so you can get a G37x for around $35k for a $40k+ car. I realize the old I35 were pretty much rebadged Maximas but the upcharge wasn't all that much either compared to the Max and you got the service and extra warranty of Infiniti with it so it wasn't a rip off. I think most people who bought them knew what they were getting....it wasn't a big secret.
It's just like my QX4. We were looking at Pathfinders but, on a lark, decided to see what we could get the QX4 for. We were pleased when we got the QX4 for less than Nissan would deal for Pathfinder and we were trading in a Maxima! The Nissan salesman literally threw my keys on the desk when I told him the deal that was offered at Infiniti and told me to go it there then. I did and have loved the vehicle.
Anyway, what do you think of the new Buick Regal? It's only out in a sedate I4 form but it looks very nice and seems solid.
I like the Optima styling better in pictures, and I like that it has the UVO (Ford Sync like system).
The new regal was nice, definitely a huge step in the right direction for a Buick and I think will be an excellent competitor to the G25, TSX, and IS250 in the performance department but their interior was not quite up to the high quality of the Japanese in my opinion. Too many things on the dash and console felt cheap and the seats, at least for me, were ridiculously too firm on my back, even fully depressed, and I had to get out of the car after 1-2 minutes because of how much pain I had in my back.
Seat comfort is highly subjective though
Also, their is an Infiniti General Manager on those finance and lease threads who routinely reports what his dealership and local dealerships in Texas are giving off and what they give off and have for incentives for Texas are typically very different in other parts of the country.
Luckily, here in Chicago there is good competition between dealers so the prices are good. I believe most major metro areas that have 3 or more Infiniti dealers are going to see good prices. In more remote markets...not as good. But that goes for just about any make of car.
In the old days you could play one make against the other across the street but so many dealers now own mutltiple brands they say....go ahead, I own that dealership too. So living in a larger metro area may have it's disadvantages but for car buying it definitely helps.
I pass by a black G35x sedan every day on my commute. Not sure of what model year it is but it's beautiful no doubt. 2008 model with 20k ish miles on it would run me about 25,000 or so.
I dont know. It's all a trade off I guess.
When people are on top, they feel invincible. I guess car makers are the same way.
I think they'll slow down and get back on track in a year or 2.
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/07/02/2010070200796.html
[QUOTE]K5 Dethrones Sonata as Top-Selling Car
The newly-released Kia K5 has outsold the Hyundai Sonata in the domestic market, according to an industry report released on Thursday.
Kia Motors sold 10,673 units of the K5 last month while sister company Hyundai Motor sold 9,957 Sonatas. It is the first time a Kia mid-sized sedan has topped the monthly sales chart since the company was acquired by Hyundai in 1998.
The K5 hit the market in late May and sold 3,552 units within the first week of its debut.
Market watchers are calling the K5's rise above the Sonata an industry landmark. The Sonata was the invincible leader of the mid-sized sedan category for 11 years, and it continually ruled the monthly sales chart except for July 2003 when it was overtaken by the Renault Samsung SM5 due to a Hyundai labor strike.
[/QUOTE]
The new 2011 Kia Optima will face very stiff competition, but backy is right, all the hullabulloo I raised supporting the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi will be thrown out the door when the new '11 Kia Optima comes out. Hard ta argue with that Minnesotan. Competition will be fierce but this new midsize from Kia is great and the new Cadenza (the next Kia slot-size sedan up in size a tad) they are developing will be absolutely gorgeous, too.
But I still love the new 2010 Suzuki Kizashi and I kind of like the Ford Fusion Hybrid, too. Really a decent looking body design and ever since a team of hypermilers got 81.5mpg driving 1445.7 miles on a single tank of gas April 28, 2009, I've been following the Ford Fusion Hybrid from the cheap seats.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
http://drivencarreviews.com/?p=2717
Hot. Some quotes from the text you can read at the link:
"Often photographs don’t do a car justice and to be honest my first impressions of the Optima’s web pics were tepid. I’m now a believer. In person this car has a gravity that’s hard to describe. It’s design appears more expensive than many cars wearing established premium badges. These days it’s hard to create an attractive signature look that doesn’t mimic some other brand, Kia appears to have done it with a sweeping piece of chrome that slices through the top of the C pillar. It’s a home run."
Not that I wouldn't rather be driving a WRX, mind you, but I do like the Mazda6.
I will say that Mazda's advertising is poor. That might have something to do with it.
Nice review, hadn't seen that website before and thanks for posting. Would love to see pictures of this car just once without those godawful wheels on it.
Just read a test drive of the Sonata Turbo and it was very, very impressive. I personally like the Optima looks a lot better both outside and inside. If the interior on the new Optima is of decent quality material, The SX turbo will be on my short list.
That's ok though, the slow sales helped me get a great price. :P
I have a Motorla T505 bluetooth speakerphone that cost $55 and works fine via the FM radio.
I also hadnt seen this before, and the reviewers say the interior is as good or superior to the Sonata, for what it's worth: http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2010/04/2010-new-york-auto-show-winners-and-l- - osers-cars.html
Where did you see the Sonata turbo test drive? I'm anxious to hear about it.
EDIT: OK I see the MotorTrend video and article, thanks for the tip.