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Comments
I looked up the interior volumes at the EPA website, and the Cruze is a lot bigger inside than the Cobalt was, perhaps to the point that it might bear cross-shopping with the likes of the Altima. Here's what I found...
Cobalt sedan: 86 cubic feet of passenger volume, 14 cubic feet of trunk (the EPA actually calls it a subcompact!)
Cruze sedan: 94 cubic feet of passenger volume, 16 cubic feet of trunk
Altima sedan: 101 cubic feet of passenger volume, 15 cubic feet of trunk
I'm curious to check out the Cruze when I go to the auto show. As long as it's big enough for me to fit comfortably inside, I'd consider it. Size classes these days really seem to blend together. It's not like the old days when you could really feel the difference in size between a Nova, Malibu, and Impala
And yes, the altima should be compared to a malibu.
Oddly enough, the Malibu sedan is only rated at 95 cubic feet of passenger space, 16 cubic feet of trunk. It does seem like a much bigger car than the Cruze, and certainly is longer, so it has more presence. The Malibu doesn't have much shoulder room up front, and is really tight in the rear, so that's probably why it comes up short in interior volume. Shoulder room is listed at 55.9" up front, and 53.9" in back. To my old fashioned way of thinking, a "proper" midsize should have 56-60" of shoulder room. Although today, a modern midsized car with 60" of shoulder room would have paper-thin doors, and wouldn't hold up too well in a T-bone collision!
I always thought the best looking Focus was the original 2000-2004! It had a fresh, edgy look to it. The 2005-2007 was toned down, more conservative, but still looked decent IMO. But I think they really messed up with the 2008+ Focus.
I tend to agree. But I do like how Ford has attempted to keep their vehicles fresh. My dad's Accord was in the shop for a while after being involved in a hit and run accident. He drove a focus while his car was in the shop. He didn't have one good thing to say about it. Granted going from a loaded Accord Ex-l v6 to a base Focus SE would be drastic.
I agree, particularly with the SE-R. The mags drooled over them as did my SCCA autocross buddies back in the late 90's. That car cleaned up in its class back then.
My brother had an 04 or 05 Sentra Spec V that was fun but crude beast. The current model just completely looses me. I'd certainly look to the Cruze or Civic if I was in the market for a C class car today.
Most definitely. And I learned something from that same post...that a Cobalt was built to compete with a Jetta
Best out-loud laugh I've had in days!
LOL, in reality it only sold to fleets and those who wanted a cheap car;)
Now, the new Jetta makes me scratch my head. Now that VW is making them cheaper and more main stream I've lost my interest. Though I'd still like another TDI.
My brother has had several Nissan's and all of them have been good (Frontier, Sentra, Maxima, & a Altima). The Max was my favorite, but all were perfectly reliable. Though it seems Nissan has cheapened up the interior bits over time. The 00 era Sentras were kind of crude.
He finally bought his first domestic ever, a 2010 Fusion Sport. So far he's happy with it.
But you do enjoy the single life, don't you???...
Limme guess, you don't run a successful money-making business?
Hey, if you like like a cheap soda more tahn a girlfriend who am I to judge?
Speaking of tacky, some poorly run stores will send customers out on their own with new cars to test drive. We have actually had customers stop by our store WITH the demo and ask to drive one of our cars!
Once when this happened, another salesguy and I went out and swithed the licencef rames ind inserts woth out frames and inserts.
Another time, we ended up selling that customer a Honda and we had to call the local VW dealer to come pick up their car!
I have long time friends. One for over 45 years. 5 for almost 40 years, and a few others for 'only' 30. And I am only in my fifties. I'd say I'm doing something right..
And have remained friends with all but only 3 of past GF's. The Subway's one, not being one of them.
Back now to your regularly scheduled channel..
I am just finding out what lies beyond that...
Let's do that, and let's try to stick somewhat close to the topic in future please.
a a Ford 3/4 ton PU. I won't buy a Kia or Toyota or Honda or Hyundai because I like to support American companies and their workers. Yes I know that some Toyota's are made here and Dodge trucks are made in Mexico. What's wrong with this picture; Americans are getting unemployed because we are forced
to buy imports. Even most Cummins Diesel engines are made in COMMUNIST China. Just a thought; if it's an import put it back and try to find American products. Do as you want but the wrong choice can make you the next unemployed American. ( You ) means all of us.
Last I looked, I wasn't "forced" to buy anything.
Are the Focus diesels sold in Europe, for example, ready to meet the pollution requirements in the US as they sit?
I had the impression that the US rules were much higher making diesels not able to be sold here without cumberson modification to meet excessive US requirements. What's the story on small diesels?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
It's my understanding that the EPA has higher restrictions on Nitrogen Oxide emissions and Europe is bit stricter on C02 emissions. Diesels emit more more nitrogen and less Co2 than gas engines.
I don't know the exact details, but I've read about some ultra lean burn gas engines available in Europe that are not available here due to excessive N0x emissions. The gas engines here in the US run comparatively rich (from what I've read), thus our engines use more fuel in order to reduce Nox.
The emissions requirements are the problem, not meeting them, but the cost is the problem. The VW Jetta diesel is about $3000 more than the current (2008) Focus; the article infers the cost of the Focus would be raised an equivalent amount to meet the emissions in US. That would make it sale proof in US where small diesel cars aren't met with the same eagerness the article says all small cars are met with in Europe.
Our nephew has a Passat TDI. I suspect if he weren't an engineer type person, he wouldn't be happy with it; but he is.
GM needs to look at getting its small diesels into this country.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
$5 a gallon gas could change that but I think hybrids will sell better here than diesels.
Why? I used to have a Jetta TDI and loved it. By far the best 4 cylinder car I've had. Good power and great economy (NO it wasn't fast, but the power it had at 2k rpm was beyond any 4cyl I'd ever driven). Granted mine was a 2000, so it had a bit less power and less weight to motivate, but it consistently returned between 40-50mpg.
Back then I drove 30k+ year, so it was perfect for me.
For sure.
As for the diesel up charge. IIRC, the TDI was about $1,800 more in '00, though I got it all back when I sold it as it had near 40k miles on it and I sold it for 18k in '01 while I paid $21k. A '00 Jetta GLS 4cyl would not have brought in any where near that. I had people contacting me from all over the country when I had it listed on Autotrader. Sold within a week. Would have been a day if the guy who bought it didn't live 300 miles away.
At the time gas had just spiked to over $2/gal and new TDI's were going for $2k over sticker.
I'm sure more manufacturers offered diesel cars resale would not spike like it does for TDI VWs every time gas goes up.
I've read that too. IIRC, the TDI I had was not available in California. I don't know about today.
Detroit diesel bought out Mercedes diesel and came out with a new design of transmission for heavy trucks===that is one plus for Detroit Diesel. And Cummins diesel has a great ISX on the market, to bad a lot of their engines are built in COMMUNIST China. Wait till the Chinese government takes over all there USA factories and these companies loose everything. Can't happen, what about the American refineries for oil in the Arab states that got taken over completely ? And for emissions on diesels, they are far less than gas powered stuff. Diesels reburn their own emissions, if you know thin one about diesels and the white smoke from the stacks on the heavy trucks is not a bad thing but the black smoke tells you that it is long over due for a tune up. Could go on forever on this. Signed a diesel tech. from UTI. Agree with the reply from lemko !!!!
Yeah, they are so clean you have to pee in them now for the catalyst to work.
I love diesels, I just wish the EPA would lighten up and let them run like they're suppose to. Particulate traps, and urea injection systems etc. certainly makes them more complicated and less fuel efficient.
If they reburned all of their emissions they wouldn't be considered so dirty.
If India is doing this, then it is hurting its own consumers by making them pay more than they should have to.
So what you're saying is this: "Indian consumers don't complain when their government mugs them with import duties. Americans should do the same thing - just shut up & take it."
Import duties are nothing more than sneaky back door taxes that benefit companies that can't compete.
Here's the story, Gary. Companies that can figure out how to make what I want for a price that I'm willing to pay don't need import duties. Companies that can't do that don't deserve import duties.
It's that simple.
I'm for putting things on an equal footing, that is all. Same duties here that their countries put on American exports.
Ask and you shall recieve...
Despite China, U.S. Factories Maintain Edge (Time)
I see someone posted underneath it, "Not Chevy but Renolt" (sic).
Damn foreign car.
That Time Magazine link refers to that - we've given up on making most of the low profit items to concentrate on making stuff that commands high margins.
I agree. I've not driven one, but right now, I think it is one of the most appealing compacts on the market. Personally, I would wait until I could compare it to the '12 Focus. But that's a personal choice as I prefer the more aggressive design of the Focus (just my opinion and preference, not to knock the Cruze).
That said, the Cruze has a clean conservative look and I like the interior design too. Huge improvement over the Cobalt.
You apparently didn't read the post that you're replying to. I pointed out that import duties & the like are wrong - morally wrong. They punish many for the ostensible benefit of a few. They violate a basic principle of fairness: after I've paid my taxes, I'm entitled to fully benefit from what remains. Tariffs are a sneaky way around this.
Your response didn't rise above the level of "well, everyone else is doing it, so why can't I?".