The Aztek will always get a laugh. Different type of ugliness - that one the type where it looks like multiple poorly skilled designers worked on a car. The Juke is one hallucinating drug addict designing a car.
As soon as I say I've never seen one, an X3 pops. First on the streets. Looks OK, but oddly enough it seems smaller than the old one (I know it's not).
Saw a new Durango, in white, coming home this afternoon. I have to say that I liked it! Much smoother looking than the last model. And it had dual exhausts! Have you noticed Dodge isn't putting the Hemi badges on the new Durango nor the Grand Cherokee? Mind games . . . ? Perception?
In fact, I think it hurt Dodge that they put so much of their marketing effort behind the Hemi engine. Gas went up, sales tanked. And they had no Plan B.
Now they market Ram instead, in fact they branded all trucks Ram, even the Grand Caravan work vans.
PS I like the Durango a lot better, too, but that NAV screen is too small this day and age
A few newbies today - new style A8, another Leaf, different from the one I have seen before, another new Cayenne (every one I have seen has been driven by a high maintenance looking woman), and I saw my first Volt on the road this evening.
Wish'd they'd put a slushbox in it...I did like the car when I sat in one while gettin' the Versa's oil changed a few weeks back. Would eventually like a small car with better seating for my spinal issues which I can just slide over into...just like my girl's Versa! But with more goodies to play with. My next ride will be my last one & I do want it to be "FUN" with some upscale stuff included...have always let $ and mileage be the parameters in choosing but this last time I'm doing it just "for me & me only"! It'll be "dad's toy" to live out his last years in. Won't be lookin' till at least an 2015 model though as I just hit 31k in the Civic & with my new driving style, doubt I'll even have 45k by then!
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
That EX is a good size, but that V6 is quite a bit, both in power and gas use. Course, Edmunds Inside Line manages to get only 20 mpg with their Juke! On premium! Amazing!
An actually Volt out on the roads last week. Couldn't get close enough to see what kind of plates though. They looked funny might have been factory plates.
...new silver Lincoln MKz at work. Somebody must've bought it this weekend as it still has the window stickers and dealer's/manufacturer's crayon marks on the glass.
Finally starting to see Q5 around here, I agree, better look than the new X3. What has surprised me is the large number of Tiguans I'm seeing. I like the Q5 quite a bit more.
And the odd sighting: 2 smarts, identical color (red/black) within a block of each other. Maybe some company cars? But no adverts on the sides...
I guess they're cousins, given all the Audi/VW part sharing that goes on. They do a good job of avoiding direct overlap, seems they alternate in size: Q3 Tiguan Q5 Touareg Q7
Yesterday was a really nice day here. Driving at lunch time spotted a guy in a new Camaro convertible - black with a black top which was down. That car looks loads better as a convertible - especially sans top.
Meanwhile i saw some guy driving a third generation Accord. He may have had as much open exposure through the rust as the guy in the Camaro had with topless deal.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
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Also saw a be-striped Mini Cooper Clubman.
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A Design So Far Out It Just Might Be In.
Ahhh, good. Now there's something beyond the Aztek for people to make fun of as an unattractive car.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
One thing I don't think I've seen yet is the new BMW X3, and that's odd because usually cars like that sell very well around here.
That thing is tall, wow. A lot taller than the Accord that was in front of him.
Must give up a lot in handling compared to a regular Cooper.
Edit: had to look it up:
regular Cooper is 55" tall
Accord is 58"
Countryman All4 is 61.5"!
Yikes.
Acura RDX = 65.1"
VW Tiguan = 66.3"
MINI Countryman ALL4 = 61.5"
That's the competition.... not sedans or other MINIs...
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The Juke and Outlander Sport, too. Lemme look those up...
Juke - 61.8", about even
Outlander Sport - 64.2"
So I guess in that context it's OK. Just strange to look UP to a MINI.
In fact, I think it hurt Dodge that they put so much of their marketing effort behind the Hemi engine. Gas went up, sales tanked. And they had no Plan B.
Now they market Ram instead, in fact they branded all trucks Ram, even the Grand Caravan work vans.
PS I like the Durango a lot better, too, but that NAV screen is too small this day and age
Saw one out in the wild and it looks so, so much better. Not pretty, but it's no longer got that giant chrome pimple on its nose.
I saw an odd beaky TL yesterday - someone had painted or taped over the chrome, trying to hide the design.
The Sandman
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
If you want a nice comfy car, upscale, not too huge or pricey, and Nissan based - maybe Infiniti EX?
Q5. See those all the time now.
New Honda Oddity.
Juke.
New E-class.
By far the best looking of that bunch is the Q5.
I've seen 3 Volts on the road now, a few Jukes and Odys.
I saw many (rental) Optima in the southeast a few weeks back, still haven't seen one locally.
Blends into traffic more than a Volt, to me.
Not as elegant as the Q5.
Also spotted a Chevy Cruze.
And the odd sighting: 2 smarts, identical color (red/black) within a block of each other. Maybe some company cars? But no adverts on the sides...
They're so similarly sized it's hard to tell.
Q3
Tiguan
Q5
Touareg
Q7
Meanwhile i saw some guy driving a third generation Accord. He may have had as much open exposure through the rust as the guy in the Camaro had with topless deal.