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US vs. European vs. Japanese vs. Korean (Hatchbacks)

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Comments

  • zx3beastzx3beast Member Posts: 661
    alfa- you really do find some fine looking cars.
    that is a beautiful vehicle.will it ever hit the u.s. shores?
  • dudkadudka Member Posts: 451
    i know it might sound stupid, but what are the differences between polo and golf? Jetta and Vetta?
    thank you
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    It's not a stupid question at all! Here goes:
    I haven't heard of the 'Vetta' - I guess you are referring to 'Vento' which may be one of the names used for the 'Jetta' model in some markets.

    When the 'new' Jetta model came out in Europe, VW decided to rename it 'Bora'. Simply different names on the same car.
    The smallest car (really tiny by US standards) is the LUPO. Next up is the POLO, just around the size of the original GOLF I! (the Beetle is somewhere in there too!)
    The Polo is a rather conservatively styled car, albeit many regard it as the 'true GTI' because the GOLF has put on so much size and weight over the years. All these cars are available in Europe in two and four door hatches (I even think you get the Polo in a wagon version, like the Golf Wagon).
    On VW's UK site, you may see the range of cars. However, VW markets slightly different versions even within European countries. Thus, engines may vary (some countries like France have a five cylinder 2.5 engine in the GTI) and the VR6 is to my knowledge not available since the V6-motion came out.

    http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    The Spanish subsidiary of the Volkswagen-Audi Group (VAG):

    http://www.seat-stpoelten.at/nw.htm
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    http://www.seat-stpoelten.at/ibiza.htm

    In my opinion, this is a lot closer to the initial GTI concept than today's GOLF!
  • dudkadudka Member Posts: 451
    thank you for your detailed answer. i saw a vetta once here in US. it looked like the 93--98 ?? generation jetta. but it had a "vetta" badge on it.
  • dudkadudka Member Posts: 451
    i just saw a VW RV on the road yesterday. i am not sure if it was customized euro van, but i was a medium sized RV. anyone seen those?
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    I've never seen or heard about the vetta! Maybe it was a one-in-a million ocurrence (like a pic I saw in Car and Driver of a 'Chrysler' car!!! - new post-merger spelling???)

    Excuse me, but what is 'RV'?
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    Third victory in a row for Peugeot! Gronholm finishes over a minute ahead of McRae who nevertheless gives Ford the title lead so far...

    http://www.worldrallychampionship.net/
  • dudkadudka Member Posts: 451
    RV is a Recreational Vehicle. it is like a house on wheels i am sure you have seen them around. they usually tow a smaller car (saturn, Civic, Sunfire) behind them on the road. most have florida licence plates, at least here in NYC. they go from place to place and park their "home" in the wildernes or at the RV park. some are as big as a greyhound bus. actually some are converted from buses. but the one i saw had a VW on the front grille. it was a medum sized (winnebago) one
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    Ok... NOW I see what you're talking about!
    It wouldn't surprise me that VW produces such vehicles - or at least provides parts for them. They may be assembled in specialized factories though and in limited numbers. I know that the Puch (austrian) brand produced such vehicles for a while, alongside off-road vehicles with Mercedes engines I believe. If you're interested, I can check it out!
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    In response to your question, I found this pic of the VW 'Trakka'... Not exactly a hatch, so I won't elaborate...

    http://www.napi.com/euroq/trakka/image/trakka.jpg
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    Dudka... this is the VW Sharan, a familiar car in Europe... again, not a hatch, but this topic doesn't seem to attract that many people, so I guess it's ok to wander off the beaten track!
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    I came across these pics of the Volvo 480 turbo.
    Dates back 15 years, and had loads of reliability problems!!!
    Nevertheless, for the time, Volvo came out with a rather appealing design for a small hatch:

    http://hem.passagen.se/plisse/evolvo3.htm
  • dudkadudka Member Posts: 451
    the pictures you mentioned are not what i saw. those are based on the eurovan. anyway, i don't think there are many of those RV's around, i only saw it once and never before. it might have been some kind of VW truck that was converted to RV.
    i realize that i wandered off the topic, so forget about it.

    as far as those proton's aren't those malaysian cars?
    the volvo 480 looks fast. reminds me of honda aerodeck. i kind of wish that honda had brought aerodeck to USA in the 80's. i think it would have been a success.
    http://www.max.tele.ru/photo/honda/imagepage13.htm
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    You're right about the resemblance between the Volvo and the Honda.
    Regarding the Protons, yes, I believe they are Malaysian. Wasn't there something about them buying the English 'Lotus' brand just a little while ago?
  • dudkadudka Member Posts: 451
    they do own lotus, their cars are the direct descendants of the lotus. most of the componenet's, i belive, are interchangable.
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    Now I know that my 1985 Omni GLH Turbo is a true hatchback, but our 1999 Intrepid ES comes close when the back seat is folded down. It has space almost like a station wagon. It almost makes you wonder why then didn't make that sedan a hatchback.

    I have always found the hatchback layout of the GLH useful. I have carried a lot of big stuff in that Omni. Especially when it was my only car.
  • jimjetjimjet Member Posts: 27
    Folks,
    I've enjoyed reading all previous comments. I'm a hatchback fan, too. I lived in Germany for four years, 88-92, and go back for a few weeks every other year. As Alfa implies, it really is fun to look at all of the various models. And it is amazing how beautifully some of these so called "boxes" can be styled. The Peugeot 206 is my personal favorite for looks. (My head is continually turned by the cars and women over there.)

    For real car lovers, it is worth the price of a plane ticket to simply go to the Frankfurt Auto Show. It takes place every other year (the odd year) in September. It lasts about two weeks. The next show is in Sep 01. It covers 10 connected buildings. Nothing like it anywhere else. You need at least 2 days to see it all. It is heaven for a car guy. All the hatchbacks and everything else are there. It gives one a real appreciation for the cars around the world, especially the European ones. There is great competition there. The Americans are included in the show, but are not a big presence.

    That said, I still feel that we in the US have a great hatch in the new Focus ZX3. The Focus was the Car of the Year in Europe in 1999. We here get the big engine at 2.0 liters, not some smaller version for gas mileage reasons. Also, the price of the Focus here is very good. Over in Europe, after a car has it Value Added Tax (VAT) put on top of it (varies by country), I've found that car prices in the US are perhaps the best going. Also, I've found that there is little negotiation of price at the dealerships in Europe. Pay sticker or forget it. Much like at Saturn. The ZX3 is a great car for America. If I lived in Germany, I would look closely at VW Polo as it is much the size and weight of the original Golf. My European brother-in-law is looking at a new car next year. His top choice - Focus. He loves the handling. Nothing like competition!

    Alfa, I would especially appreciate your comments.

    Over.....
  • alfaromeoalfaromeo Member Posts: 210
    Hey, what can I say... thanks for an enthusiastic post!!!

    I will be 'away' for a week, and will look forward to pick up the discussion upon my return!

    take care
    Alfa
  • bill_1bill_1 Member Posts: 97
    What with the Elantra GT only a month or two away things are starting to look very interesting in the hatchback market. Still I am not sure it is really fair to compare all of these cars directly against one another. While the Elantra GT and the Mazda 5 door (or Protege 5 or whatever it is called this week) might be a reasonably good comparison comparing say a Saab with a Daewoo is akin to comparing a BMW 3 series with a Chevy Cavalier.. not that there is anything wrong with the Cavalier but it is simply in a completely different class of vehicle.
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
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  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    From Edmunds.com's features, here's an interesting new article: Import vs. Domestic, by Christian Wardlaw. What do you think?


    Thanks for your comments. ;-)


    Pocahontas

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  • getjesusnowgetjesusnow Member Posts: 26
    The Daewoo Lanos is a descent entry level hatch for less than $10K...too bad the stigma they have concerning their financial status.

    If they ever outgrow it and stay competitive, they just might become a more popular car.
  • ravvie4meravvie4me Member Posts: 110
    Is called the Rialta. It's an RV conversion done to a Volkswagen Eurovan by Winnebago.

    -RAVvie4me
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    It was the cheapest-feeling car I have ever driven - it pulled to the right and made screeching noises right off the dealer lot. When I test drove it there were 11 miles on the odometer. The salesman could not explain or justify either the pulling or the noises.(I went on to test-drive a Nubira just to see if it was that car only. It also pulled, if you can believe it, and the lights did not work)

    The way I see it:

    Korean - OK value if you pick carefully, cheapest cars by far, MUST PICK VERY CAREFULLY!

    Japanese - generally better build quality, better warranties, will last longer, feel more sophisticated

    American - make cars that drive better than the Koreans when they are new, but break down and die sooner, have more recalls.

    European - feel very sophisticated, heavy, luxurious even if they are not a luxury brand (i.e. VW Golf). Run well, but not light like the Japanese models, you'd better be loaded if you want to buy one

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    A Daewoo is NOT a Hyundai, which are of much higher quality, near that of Mitsubishi and Suzuki at least.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    Hyundais are of much better quality these days than Mitsubishis. Talk about a major turnaround for a car company. They are the only Korean brand I would consider buying. In ten years the leading Japanese brands will have a major headache on their hands I am sure, competing with Hyundai.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    I didn't put them down, as I said 'at least.'
    My brother would be well-advised to look at the Tiburon at least, although Honda and Nissan are tops on the list for a new car.

    Hyundai is, already, the 'next Honda.' New plant being built... gonna see volume. The Hyundai deluge is coming.
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