I'd like to invite you for a ride in a 2006 Scion xA and tell me that while delivering 35 mpg it rides any different than your 28 mpg car
You are making the assumption - incorrectly - that I have not driven the Scion. Like the Echo, they are made for more slender people. I hate when I get into the car and I feel that my body is shoved against the door. I am past the age where I am going to crush myself into a vehicle European style just to save what amounts to very few dollars.
As for the risk, I was NOT refering to the risk of an accident but the risk that the Accent would not last as long as a larger vehicle.
Buying a car for safety is a crapshoot.With so many idiots on the road, I am not sure that it is safe to drive at all. (Why do people talking on their cellphones without a handsfree device while driving their monster truck less that 4 ft. behind my bumper insist in gesturing whith their free hand while talking??)
Scion xA tops the Corolla if you average out the city + hwy EPA....34.5 vs. 34. Yhat's what Edmunds specs say anyway....let's just say they are the "top two" then, for 2006.
It's true, Americans hate hatches, which is why we have these little 4-door "crossover" types.
i picked a sedan although i wanted the zx3 2 door. i figure getting hit from behind, a sedan is probably better. from the side, i have a change to avoid, and in the front, it's up to me. for the life of my 2.3 5 speed (18k miles) i have averaged 28.8 mpg. it has a ton of features, which add weight. since gas jumped in the summer, i try to keep it at 65 on the highway. it was 14.2 otd in may 2004. good car, great bargain, but i really want a new mustang.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
Well, speaking as a new Civic owner (as in four hours ago), I started out thinking small and cheap like the Rio/Accent and saw that the differential with Elantra/Spectra was negligible. Furthe research on my part led me to realize that all of a sudden, I'm not saving a lot compared to Corolla/Scion tC/Civic. Could I have saved some money? Sure. Was it enough for me to justify not getting something a little nicer? No.
And that is what the majority of American buyers seem to be saying. Compacts are about as small as they are willing to go. And to most people the Civic is a small car.
Shifty, I am not sure they ever weaned the American public off of their Gas guzzlers as you say. Yes for a brief time small cars had their way but as soon as the mini van and then the SUV came out people went right back to big vehicles. It has been 40 years and still SUVs out sell compacts and are way ahead of Sub Compacts. Someone may find a way to force the American buying public into micro cars but as soon as they do I predict someone will find a way to make a bigger better vehicle and when they do people will migrate away from what they feel they are forced to drive. History seems to prove that at least to me. I may agree that something has got to change but I doubt if we will ever be satisfied to drive vehicles like the micro cars in Japan or even some in the parts of Europe. Face it, the Smart car wouldn't even be allowed on a California Freeway. *S*
Well, working off of memory from the Hyundai place, the Accent priced in at about $500 less than a comparably equipped Elantra. For me, it made the Accent pointless. Now if I could have saved a couple of thousand between the Accent and the Elantra, and the Elantra was significantly lower than the Civic....
in this sense Honda and Toyota will be taking a chance with their Fit and Yaris respectively, since both will be priced with popular options to have very similar stickers to base-model Elantras and Spectras. Will they lose a ton of sales to the Koreans?
Probably not. The Scions hold their ground very well against the Koreans - they sell on the same order of magnitude. In fact, the xA and xB combined beat out the number one Aveo, and that was without any fleet sales, unlike the Aveo, which goes to all the rental fleets, and is thousands of dollars cheaper.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
is that the only benefits it gives you are a small size and low price. If fuel economy is what you're after, there are much better choices out there. In fact, the automatic Aveo is EPA-rated around the same as a 4-cyl/automatic Camry or Accord!
BTW, I know this has been discussed before, but why does the Scion tC get such poor fuel economy? It's 22/30 with the automatic, 22/29 with the manual. The Camry 4-cyl is 24/34 with the automatic, 24/33 with the stick.
As for weight, a Camry starts around 3100-3200 lb, but a tC really isn't much lighter, at around 2900 lb. I'm not sure about 0-60 times, but searching around on the net it looks like the tC is good for 0-60 in around 8.5 seconds, regardless of transmission (some of those tuner rags and fanboy sites list quicker times though, like in the high 7 range). But then, I've seen the Camry listed at 8.5 seconds for the 4-cyl/stick and 8.6 for the 4-cyl/auto.
Are 4-cyl Camries really that quick? If they are, it seems to me like there's not that much advantage to the V-6, especially the 3.3. I guess if you regularly carry a lot of passengers or a full trunk, or want to tow a light trailer it would make a difference.
But still, back to the tC versus Camry...why the mileage disparity? And if they're putting quicker gearing in the tC, wouldn't it reflect a much quicker acceleration time?
despite the seeming size difference, the tC is only like 100 or 150 pounds lighter than the Camry, and less aerodynamic to boot. So yes, acceleration times are similar, the tC only besting the Camry manual shift in the 0-60 by a half second or so. Of course, try to find a Camry manual shift for sale anywhere! As for FE, the tC is geared much shorter to improve acceleration. This is a car that could REALLY use a six-speed with a proper overdrive at the top for relaxed-rev highway cruising. They probably could have got the 34 highway rating the Camry gets in that case.
I have been reading Edmunds reviews of a few of the up-and-comers in this segment, and I think the Fit is going to be the one to own the B-class after everyone has arrived. Decent looks, best feature content for $15K, and hopefully most of the Honda driving experience intact. The Rio5 looks like it will actually cost more similarly equipped. Warranty lovers will choose it though, I suppose.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
We are coming to a middle ground here my friend. It is just were we see the chance being taken is different. The Koreans and hitting the entry level segment pretty hard so something more than price is going to have to be in the buyers heads. Once you start taking preferences into account the little car has a much harder road to hoe. Nobody can say some of the newer mini cars aren’t better made than the old mini cars were. But during the same time the old mini cars were made the other cars weren’t that well made either, that and the fact that every buyer today expects a discount when they go to the dealer. There are Internet sites dedicated to helping you face down a dealer and get some discount or move on. With so many dealers there is no reason to pay invoice for anything you buy. Unless you can be convinced to buy by another criteria other than price and cost to own. So I totally agree the new series of sub compacts are taking a chance introducing them here in the US. It is like better on a horse race however and sometimes chances have to be taken. I still have my doubts that the next “trend” will be micro cars. Your example of the xA and xB combined being good sellers would be fine if the xB weren’t bigger inside than the xB and it sells almost two to one over the xA. Abd the tC, not a sub compact by any stretch of the imagination and introduced after both of them, out sells the xA and xB combined. Or at least they sell as many tCs as both of them combined. Maybe that is the best example so far. Three cars aimed at the same market and the best seller is the most traditional compact of the three. The smallest of the three is the slowest seller of the bunch as well. How is that for apples to apples?
Maybe you car reflect on this and explain how that happened when so many predicted the Scion market would be dominated by non-traditional vehicles? Dominated by them they are not.
And the tC, not a sub compact by any stretch of the imagination and introduced after both of them, out sells the xA and xB combined.
Well, the EPA's imagination must be pretty stretched out, because they list the tC as a subcompact. 85 cubic feet of passenger space, 13 feet of cargo volume. I've seen some claims of 60 cubic feet for the tC's cargo volume, but that's with the back seat folded. So you can have one or the other, but not both! Still, it's pretty roomy for a subcompact. At 98 cubic feet combined, it's near the top of its bracket. Add another 2 cubic feet somewhere and it would be a compact.
Keep in mind though, that the EPA's size classes are determined solely by interior volume. The tC has the weight and almost the wheelbase of a typical midsize these days, and its length is in range with many compacts. But since they go solely on interior volume, that's why some mastodons like the 70's Mark V is only classed as a midsize, and some Rolls Royce models were actually listed as subcompacts! :surprise:
Hey, does that mean that I could get away with parking one of these things in a space marked for compact cars? :shades:
I still think changing external situations will shape the car market heavily, to the point where personal preferences will continue to change dramatically. After all, it's "all in your head" when it comes to "which car makes more sense" to your so-called "lifestyle".
I'm constantly amazed the older I get how essentially unstable social and economic forces are. I can still recall quite vividly how during the gas crises of 1973 and 1979, big car owners turned on their beloved land yachts with a suddenness and vehemence that would put a capricious and cruel lover to shame.
My point? People's attitudes about cars are not as solid as we may think, not even close to solid.
I was working the Accent/Elantra with the equipment I wanted added to both.
As for the Elantra/Civic, if it was lower by say, $3000 I wouldn't have considered the Civic. I also had to figure in availablity as equipped with what I wanted, which was easier to get with the Civic, in a short amount of time, this time I didn't have the luxury of waiting for something to come in.
While I might believe the statement that anything is possible I do have my doubts on the micro car becoming the next rage. Looking at our history over the last 230 years it seems to me we as a nation have always tried to get as much as we can out of life. We have more paved roads than any place in the world. We like big houses, big TVs, We super-size our fast foods. Build bigger rockets than others have more SUVs that anywhere in the world. We build super domes for our sports teams. Status and success to the American has always meant you have more and better things than your neighbors and people in other countries. I can’t see micro cars becoming something people move up to as they become more successful. Micro cars might become a fad but they would have a hard time holding on to any gains they had as soon as someone bought the next biggest or more powerful vehicle on the block. Wishing that Americans would return to a more basic simple life may happen on an individual basis. But to think the majority of the American public is willing to adopt a simpler more basic life and eschew personal comfort and status for practicality is like wishing for peace in the Middle East. It might be a nice idea but it isn’t likely going to happen. Nice thought though. However I doubt' if that is more than a long shot bet.
Edmunds lists both the tC and the xA as compacts. However the xA and Echo have the same wheelbase. The tC has a wheel base that is 13 inches longer and an over all length 22 inches longer. The tC is Civic size and the xA is smaller by most standards. SO what I was saying is Civic sized cars seem to be as small as people want by about 10 to one looking at sales numbers. So you could always rationalize stepping up to a Civic from a xA or Echo but you would have to step down from a Civic to either one of those two vehicles. As we enter our productive years does anyone believe the general public is ever going to want to step down in any great numbers? If not what future do micro cars have in the long run?
history shows how consistent we are with wanting our cars big. While the 1973-74 fuel crunch did give the imports a strong foothold, it also gave strong sales to the domestic compacts, cars like the Dart, Valiant, and Nova. While compact by 70's standards, these cars really aren't much smaller than a 1957 Chevy. In fact, with 5 mph bumpers, a Dart is actually longer!
And just look how quickly sales of big cars bounced back. In 1976, the Electra had a record sales year, because word of the downsizing to come was out, and people hurried to make sure they could get one of the big ones. Then, to GM's amazement, the downsized ones sold even better! GM's downsized '77 cars were proof positive that the market was there for a big car. And while they were smaller on the outside, they maintained their interior room. Some dimensions, such as headroom and rear seat legroom in 2-door models, was actually improved.
Then we had the 1980 fuel crisis, and the turbulent times that followed in 1981-83. But guess what? In 1981-83, Buick and Olds were still showing strong sales. And selling what? You guessed it! Mainly larger intermediate and full-sized cars! One of those years, both Oldsmobile and BUICK outsold Ford...something that NEVER happens!
By 1985, things were more or less back to "normal", with car sales running strong. And guess what? 7 of the top ten selling car models were GM. Two were Ford, and the lone import was the Nissan Sentra. Even more telling, most of GM's strong sellers were larger models, not cheap economy cars. While Nissan had the cheap Sentra and Ford had the Escort and Tempo in the Top Ten, GM had the Impala/Caprice(counted together for years), Delta 88, Cutlass Supreme, Century, Cutlass Ciera, Celebrity, and Cavalier. The Cavalier was a pretty cheap car, but the rest of those were mainstream or upscale midsize/fullsize cars, more of a bread-and-butter thing, where more of the profits are.
For CY2005, the two most popular cars were the Camry and Accord, both midsized cars capable of filling the needs of much of America, and really spiritual successors to cars like the Impalas, Malibus, Furys, Darts, etc of eras gone by.
But even more indicative of America's fascination with size is in truck sales. Just look at how many full-sized Chevies, Fords, and Dodges they roll out every year! They didn't sell 'em like that back in the 80's! And sure didn't back in the 70 or any time before that.
By and large, the United States just isn't set up with the small car in mind. Most people live in suburbs, where there is ample parking. And think about it...if the roads are designed to accomodate trucks, buses, semis, etc, then they can easily handle anything that you're allowed to drive with your standard Class C license.
And our big cities tend to be so congested that if you live and work there, you're almost better off with no car at all. No matter how small and maneuverable it is, you still have to find a place to park it. You're still going to get stuck in the traffic. I've known many people who live in big cities who didn't have a car, but then decided to get one, but decided it was more hassle than it was worth and gave it up.
If were were set up more like European cities, with their crowded, narrow streets (their trucks and buses tend to be smaller too, don't they?) then the truly small car would make sense.
But until we get as crowded as Europe, and gasoline prices really shoot through the roof and stay there, then minicars/subcompacts will remain what they always have been, a relatively niche market.
No one's asking for microcars to become dominant. We just think they have a place in this market and we want them to be available. And I'd like more small cars that aren't bottom-end cars, like the Mini and Miata. The good ones thrive, even here.
I agree...microcars are not the subject of this topic...they are another universe.
Also I don't think going from a Civic DX to an xA is a step down at all...it's a lateral move and you pay an extra $1,000 for nothing much really. And you can't even get a hatchback in a Civic anymore, so the xA has a utility advantage.
Of course if you want to step up to Civic highline models like an LX, that's a different story but also with a $3,000-$4,000 higher price tag.
So once again the subcompacts strong suit seems to be value for the budget-minded--in terms of car payments between an xA and an LX, that's $58 a month more for the Civic.
But for debt-ridden Americans, maybe you're right, they'll spring for it more times than not.
Well, you are right..except that we are not ever going back to $1.00/gallon gasoline. In fact, all predictionsa re for petroleum fuels to get even more expensive. I just paid $2.60/gallon for No.2 heating oil! So I think the long love affair that we Americans have had for big cars and big houses is just about over. Take the quandry that FORD and GM are in-they were minting money making trucks and SUVs-till the bottom dropped out of that market. Now they have to consider retooling their entire line, or face extinction. Not easy to do if you are GM and owe $300 billion to the banks!
I just pulled up a Civic DX 4-door and Scion xA using the comparison thingie on Edmunds, and it actually looks like there's an $1800 difference in MSRP...$14,560 for the Civic versus 12,730 for the xA. That's total base, no options. Of course, I have no idea what the prices can be negotiated down to.
Still, what does the Civic get you? .3 more liters of displacement, but 37 more hp (140 versus 103), and 27 more ft-lb of torque (128 versus 101). The Civic is heavier (2628 lb versus 2340) but the extra power from the engine should more than compensate for that. Plus, fuel economy remains similar: 30/38 for the Civic, 32/37 for the xA. That's a close enough draw that most people won't even notice the fuel savings of one over the other.
The Civic also gives you 22" more length, yet still retains a tight 34.8 turning circle. The Civic also has a much longer wheelbase, at 106.3" versus 93.3" for the xA. Considering how massive they make passenger cabins and doors these days (the long hood, small passenger cabin look has been dead for ages now), it's a safe bet that'll make the Civic easier to get into and out of. Might not be as noticeable for some people, but others will definitely take note. And when you're talkin 13" of wheelbase, I'm sure that has to make a difference in ride, going back to my old stagecoach analogy. And one significant difference, 5 more cubic feet of interior volume. Civic is rated at 91 cubic feet for passengers, 12 for cargo. xA is 86/12.
Interestingly though, the xA has more published legroom in back than the Civic, 37.6 versus 34.6". However, I can fit fine in the back seat of an Xterra, which is published at around 34-35", but can't fit in the back of my old man's Regal, which is published at around 37", so those dimensions are a moot point until they find some way to either standardize they way they measure them, or until you sit in them and see what really works and what doesn't.
So while the xA is a neat little car, and does offer a lot for the money, I can see how someone would justify the move up to a Civic DX. I probably would, if forced to choose between the two. It just depends on what your priorities are, and which one suits you better.
Martian, I feel your pain, brother! Last time they topped of my oil tank, it was around $2.54 per gallon! Just for comparison it was $1.74 last year and $1.19 the year before that! And my contract this year has a $3.19 price cap, so it could be worse. I'm just glad this winter has been mild so far, at least around here.
Still, as long as the fuel is flowing readily, I don't think people will change their buying habits much. The key factors to the first two fuel crises were that they were oil embargos, so the supply tightened up. Not only was it expensive, but you were limited as to how much you could buy. That's why, with the recent run-up in fuel prices in 2004 and 2005, that buying habits really haven't changed THAT much. Oh sure, sales of big SUVs are down, and some trucks, and crossovers are catching on, but when you figure just how much gas has gone up, it hasn't affected the automotive landscape as much as I thought it would.
As for this love affair with the mammoth house, I hope that one DOES go away! The place I live used to be a rural farming community...in fact, my house used to be a general store (although I'd like to think my late Aunt Carrie was nicer than that nasty Mrs. Oleson on Little House on the Prairie!) But over the years, the farms have been sold and developed, and everywhere you turn there's a new McMansion popping up. I swear, when they make them that big and that close together, why not just go ahead and join the damned things at the hip! A single family house with a 10 foot strip between it and it's neighbor is not that far removed from a townhouse!
Good luck finding a Civic DX stripped and available though. Come to think of it, although I wasn't looking xA, I don't remember seeing them in stock either. And Scion typically doesn't move on the price.
Exactly....Honda dealers don't WANT you to buy a DX...it is presented as "de-contented" to the buyer and it's a turn off I think. I personally wouldn't consider a DX.
Yes even with the fuel prices as they are Ford Managed to sell 900,000 units of their F series Trucks in 2005. That is more trucks than the top two selling mid sized cars combined. Gm sold about as many of their trucks. At the current rate that is nine years worth of Rio, Echo, and xA sales. It seems that success in measured in units of 50,000. Mainstream vehicles that can’t stay above that mark don’t seem to last that long. Unless they fill a small niche like the Miata or Mini.
Shifty, Well at least we know the problem. The solution would almost take a collapse of our country’s economy. That would make the cure worse than the disease, at least for our lifestyle. But we were talking sub compacts and what was wrong with them. Nothing has to be wrong with them it is just that we as a nation don’t see a need and even when we do once that need has passed we go back to our old habits.
is offering me too much for my money in a subcompact Rio LX or Rio5. I will test drive them both and decide which one I like best. I can't go wrong with either one.
Yeah, the Long-Haul Warranty does me well, but I love the Kia body designing the best. I don't know what to say except that there are a decent chunk of South Koreans who love cars as much as I do and want to build a better looking vehicle. It is what pulled me to the '99 Sephia. I never once considered a dull looking Civic or Corolla. Who cares about resale value? I sure don't. I want a cool looking car, not resale value. I don't buy my cars to think about trade-in time.
I've been pulled recently to consider the Tropical Red 5-speed Rio5 for sale at my local Kia dealer. I will have to charge into a turn or two on the test drive and try and get a feel for what I want best.
All the airbags standard on the Rio and it's 32/35 mpg and it's great looks and very affordable price point are what does it for me.
I couldn't imagine a life so hideous as one stuck up in a huge pick-em-up truck. Dull driving antics and boring looking body and high price to boot. If that ain't dumb I don't know what is then, gentlemen.
"I couldn't imagine a life so hideous as one stuck up in a huge pick-em-up truck. Dull driving antics and boring looking body and high price to buy. If that ain't dumb I don't know what is then, gentlemen."
Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion and we would have to respect yours. But if you were talking to a group of men at any sporting event or even just someone on the street you might find that they think getting Kia wasn't the smartest thing you could do either. If you are correct then you are out numbered about 30 to one by Ford Truck owners alone. Add GM truck owners and it is closer to 60 to one against you. Then again you decission would be looked at as less than stellar by JD Powers as well. But you may feel you have made the right choice and more power to you. You have almost as much passion for your Kia as Jeep owners have. At least you and Nippon are driving the same kind of vehicle we are talking about.
"not exactly stripped"??? It has NO radio, no A/C (but put $1000 in the dealer's pocket for that if you like), and no power windows locks or mirrors at any price except to move up to the LX. The Civic DX is a gimmick to advertise a low base price, and dealers don't order them for stock.
By comparison, the xA has all of that for less money. In a couple of months you will be able to get a Yaris, essentially that xA with updated looks, and for $11K ($12K in the sedan) it will have A/C and a radio, something Honda can't seem to manage at $14,9 in the Civic DX.
There is no comparison here, no matter how much people want to try and paint the picture that their favorite compact and subcompact cost about the same.
But I am going to shut up now, as I know something many here don't: the lower price is FAR from the only advantage to driving a subcompact! :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I don't think the point has anything to do with the advantages to driving a sub compact. It is if those advantages relate to the average buyer. If they don't then sub compacts will always be relegated to the back row of the auto industry. When we as enthusiasts read reviews on cars like the Spectra and the praise for the car includes statements like, "not a exciting car to drive but," you can realize what the problem might be.
Our whole society is based on pretty much the same values. When we buy shoes we want comfort and something more. Maybe style or something that makes them better than basic comfort. It is the same in about everything we buy. I believe it is unreasonable to expect us to change that kind of attitude when we but cars. We will always wants something that preform better or ride better or is bigger or more powerful than basic. For sub compacts to meet those desires they have to give up some of the same advantages you admire.
The Civic DX doesn't have a radio or a/c? I overlooked that little snippet! That would definitely sway my opinion towards the xA then. Provided, of course, that I can fit in it comfortably. I don't care how much cheaper it is to buy, it's a moot point if the car ends up being unuseable. An extra $50-60 per month to get into a Civic LX is a small price to pay if it means going from something you can't use to something you can.
(and don't worry, if I really were in the market for something like that, I would've at least found out that little A/C and radio detail before buying one!)
I hear what you're saying boaz, but it shows the vast power of the media in America to sell people stuff they don't need and will never use.
All those cars that have "more", be it more power, more tire, more space, whatever, are being driven every day at 2/10ths by solo commuters. Joke's on them. :-)
Give 90% of the buying public a wide comfortable seat, a radio, and A/C, and they would never know the difference between the subcompact you just plunked them down in and the full-size boat they had before.
Enthusiasts here at Edmunds, of course, are not among those 90%.
But FOR those 90%, the benefits to that new subcompact would be cheaper insurance, much-reduced gas bills, and easy manueverability at the mall and in the city.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Not sure about the reduced insurance costs... I find that the smaller the car, the higher the insurance quote.. even for cheaper models.. I can insure an Accord for less money than a Civic..
Clarification here: I was going by memory before based on reviews I had read of the car, and it does in fact have power windows in the DX 4-door. The driver's window is NOT auto-down, while it is on the rest of the line - how's that for a cost-cutting measure? For the DX they also delete the standard floor mats, the center console, the map lights, and the outside temp gauge.
And I agree with you, if you want A/C, you'd be nuts to get a DX and add it.
The rest I posted before was accurate - DX has no radio at all, no A/C ($1000 dealer-installed option), no power locks, keyless entry, or power mirrors availablt at any price.
I wonder if the DX has a radio antenna and pre-wiring for the stereo if you want to put your own in. That would at least bring down the cost of having tunes in your DX....I figure $300 minimum for a decent head unit and 4 speakers, plus installation which would include cutting holes for the speakers to mount, I guess.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
it really makes me wonder, how can Toyota afford to sell it for that price? Are they taking a loss on them or something? I remember almost 4 years ago my uncle couldn't find an Echo for much under $15K, yet here the xA looks like it's much better equipped, for around $13.5K?! IIRC his Corolla stickered for something in the $15K range, but didn't have ABS or power windows. I can't remember if it has cruise or not. It does have power locks and mirrors, though.
when they do something really minor like deleting an auto-down feature for a power window, how much money are they really saving?! It seems to me that the redundancy of making the cars two different ways (with auto down and without it) would kill any savings realized by de-contenting a seldom-ordered trim level. Kinda like how once power windows became so common in larger cars, it just made sense to make them standard.
BTW, could you easily retrofit an auto-down button into a car that doesn't have it? For example, on my Intrepid, it has auto-down for the driver's window, but no others. If I found one in the junkyard (and this could apply to any car) I wonder if it would be hard to just take the door panel apart and put an auto down button in for each of the passenger windows? Or would there be much difference in the wiring?
when I spec'd an xA out on Edmunds, went to the options part, and there was only the side airbags to pick! Where was the sunroof? The alloys? :P Still, it does look like an awful lot of car for the money. But as small cars in the US go, I think it's still more of an anomaly. Most little cars, at least the base model ones, just AREN'T that well-equipped.
I am kinda curious to take one out for a spin, to see if I could fit in one comfortably, and see how it rides.
"I am kinda curious to take one out for a spin, to see if I could fit in one comfortably, and see how it rides."
As the large-car Mopar sort of guy that you are, I would be very interested to hear what you thought of the xA, actually. You clearly aren't very fond of your uncle's Corolla, but that has a unique problem with that driving position it has.
You should drive the xA and report back! :-)
Oh, and you can get alloys for the xA, they are port-installed and delivered to the dealer already on the car. That is what that huge "accessories" section was for after the options list on the build-your-scion thing.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
yeah, honestly, my only real beef with my uncle's Corolla is the driving position. If they had that worked out I wouldn't have a problem driving something like this.
Although I have to admit that lately I've been getting more and more biased towards big vehicles. I've been driving my pickup more than the Intrepid lately, and gotten so used to it that now even the Intrepid feels too small and too low to the ground for me! :confuse: I can definitely see how people get addicted to trucks.
When I moved to Colorado in the summer of '93, I leased what was probably the last '93 Accord DX in the state. Burgundy, grey interior, 5-speed, zero options. The dealer gave me a choice of having an AM/FM/Cassette stereo or AC installed at no charge.
Being the young, dumb person that I was at the time, I opted for the stereo. Hey, couldn't live without tunes, you know!
I kept that car for 5 1/2 years and 58,000 trouble free miles. Got pretty decent mileage; I suspect that was because it was so much lighter than an LX or EX model.
Regarding the xA -- my daughter test drove one, and I was pretty impressed with the standard features it offered for just over $14K ($850 for the automatic, IIRC).
As noted, it't not huge, inside or out, but for a commuter car, it could serve that function quite nicely. The only real downside that I had was the storage area behind the rear seats was pretty small - perhaps only 3-4 paper grocery bags would fit.
IMO, I believe that the Fit, Yaris and Versa (Nissan) will do well here in the US, particularly in urban areas or for those folks who need a 2nd (or 3rd) car.
I'm 6ft 2in, weigh 203 lbs and I fit in an xA very comfortably, head, shoulders, butt, etc. Also entry and exit is very easy. If I had any complaint, I'd like the seat track to go back maybe 1-2 more inches.
It IS a lot of car for the money...I think the car is the bargain of 2006.
we're actually not that far off. I'm 6'3", around 190 lb. But I'm kinda long in the legs, so it might still make a difference.
But then, it's funny how people of similar size can still prefer a different driving position. For example, with my '00 Intrepid, I wish the seat would go back another inch. In fact, on long trips I tend to drive barefoot, which in essence gives me the extra inch or so that I need. But then I have a buddy who's 6'2", and he puts my seat up about 1-2 inches when he's driven my car!
in may of '04, i got my focus zts for 13k+ttl. list of features: 2.3 pzev engine 5 speed manual trans abs power moonroof heated seats and mirrors power windows/1 touch drivers down power locks/autolock feature remote entry(fob) factory alarm radio/cd/mp3 tilt/telescoping steering wheel alloy wheels/goodyear rsa tires remote trunk release fold down rear seat height adjustable lower seat cushion don't forget the 'opera dim' interior lights 29 mpg over 18k, no long trips. i admit i like all the features.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
the price paid, but, for some reason some feel in their heart of hearts that the 2006 Kia Rio LX or 2006 Kia Rio5 is not.
Humm. Interesting. Glad I don't consult with my neighbor (including my Edmunds' neighbors)to see what they think about me opening up my pocketbook to buy a particular car.
I don't call up George Thorogood or Bryan Bassett of the legendary rock band Foghat to see what they're choosing in a rig. Why would I ask you what you felt about it? Why would I ask my boss? Why, of all people on the earth, would I ask what Donald Trump felt about it? I may as well ask a rock how they felt about the Rio. The Kia Rio lineup is solid and sure, is built with safety in mind with crumple zones and ample airbags safety-engineered in and 3-point pretensioners, etc. Great. But safety is only one thing that attracts me to a car.
I don't only want my car to drive safely, get good ghastly mileage and be afforable, but I also want my rig to look good.
Kia has decided to design the new Rio lineup with a touche' 'o Europeo. Well, let me take a look. Nice bulky rounders around the fenders like it's big brother Spectra. I love the rounders Kia designed into the new Spectra fenders and the Rio is done very handsomeley in the fender department as well. The headlamp assembly is unique, aggressive and quite sporty looking. The midramp is utilitarian and gets the job done, much like Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck. The taillamp assembly is tastefully done, and exudes a neat, clean, crisp "let's go play, Dad" affect to the beautiful little rig.
Now, I must admit, I will need to test drive the Rio5, probably the Spectra SX and Spectra5 and, what visit to my local dealer would be complete without test driving the new Sportage from Kia?
I may have to pick two days out to get the whole crisp, 2006 new world order Kia test driving experience. :P
don't get too excited about feeling safe in any small car. it just isn't reality. i drive a small car on a regular basis, but realize all those safety features still have limits. if someone wants to put their total faith in those features, that's ok. when i am driving, i don't worry about it. however, most of the time it's better to be the bowling ball than the pin.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
Comments
You are making the assumption - incorrectly - that I have not driven the Scion. Like the Echo, they are made for more slender people. I hate when I get into the car and I feel that my body is shoved against the door. I am past the age where I am going to crush myself into a vehicle European style just to save what amounts to very few dollars.
As for the risk, I was NOT refering to the risk of an accident but the risk that the Accent would not last as long as a larger vehicle.
Buying a car for safety is a crapshoot.With so many idiots on the road, I am not sure that it is safe to drive at all. (Why do people talking on their cellphones without a handsfree device while driving their monster truck less that 4 ft. behind my bumper insist in gesturing whith their free hand while talking??)
It's true, Americans hate hatches, which is why we have these little 4-door "crossover" types.
i figure getting hit from behind, a sedan is probably better. from the side, i have a change to avoid, and in the front, it's up to me.
for the life of my 2.3 5 speed (18k miles) i have averaged 28.8 mpg. it has a ton of features, which add weight.
since gas jumped in the summer, i try to keep it at 65 on the highway.
it was 14.2 otd in may 2004. good car, great bargain, but i really want a new mustang.
Shifty, I am not sure they ever weaned the American public off of their Gas guzzlers as you say. Yes for a brief time small cars had their way but as soon as the mini van and then the SUV came out people went right back to big vehicles. It has been 40 years and still SUVs out sell compacts and are way ahead of Sub Compacts. Someone may find a way to force the American buying public into micro cars but as soon as they do I predict someone will find a way to make a bigger better vehicle and when they do people will migrate away from what they feel they are forced to drive. History seems to prove that at least to me. I may agree that something has got to change but I doubt if we will ever be satisfied to drive vehicles like the micro cars in Japan or even some in the parts of Europe. Face it, the Smart car wouldn't even be allowed on a California Freeway. *S*
Probably not. The Scions hold their ground very well against the Koreans - they sell on the same order of magnitude. In fact, the xA and xB combined beat out the number one Aveo, and that was without any fleet sales, unlike the Aveo, which goes to all the rental fleets, and is thousands of dollars cheaper.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
and the Elantra was significantly lower than the Civic....
How much is "significant? The base price of the 4 door Civic is almost a grand more than the Elantra, and the Elantra is a bigger car.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
BTW, I know this has been discussed before, but why does the Scion tC get such poor fuel economy? It's 22/30 with the automatic, 22/29 with the manual. The Camry 4-cyl is 24/34 with the automatic, 24/33 with the stick.
As for weight, a Camry starts around 3100-3200 lb, but a tC really isn't much lighter, at around 2900 lb. I'm not sure about 0-60 times, but searching around on the net it looks like the tC is good for 0-60 in around 8.5 seconds, regardless of transmission (some of those tuner rags and fanboy sites list quicker times though, like in the high 7 range). But then, I've seen the Camry listed at 8.5 seconds for the 4-cyl/stick and 8.6 for the 4-cyl/auto.
Are 4-cyl Camries really that quick? If they are, it seems to me like there's not that much advantage to the V-6, especially the 3.3. I guess if you regularly carry a lot of passengers or a full trunk, or want to tow a light trailer it would make a difference.
But still, back to the tC versus Camry...why the mileage disparity? And if they're putting quicker gearing in the tC, wouldn't it reflect a much quicker acceleration time?
I have been reading Edmunds reviews of a few of the up-and-comers in this segment, and I think the Fit is going to be the one to own the B-class after everyone has arrived. Decent looks, best feature content for $15K, and hopefully most of the Honda driving experience intact. The Rio5 looks like it will actually cost more similarly equipped. Warranty lovers will choose it though, I suppose.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Maybe you car reflect on this and explain how that happened when so many predicted the Scion market would be dominated by non-traditional vehicles? Dominated by them they are not.
Well, the EPA's imagination must be pretty stretched out, because they list the tC as a subcompact. 85 cubic feet of passenger space, 13 feet of cargo volume. I've seen some claims of 60 cubic feet for the tC's cargo volume, but that's with the back seat folded. So you can have one or the other, but not both! Still, it's pretty roomy for a subcompact. At 98 cubic feet combined, it's near the top of its bracket. Add another 2 cubic feet somewhere and it would be a compact.
Keep in mind though, that the EPA's size classes are determined solely by interior volume. The tC has the weight and almost the wheelbase of a typical midsize these days, and its length is in range with many compacts. But since they go solely on interior volume, that's why some mastodons like the 70's Mark V is only classed as a midsize, and some Rolls Royce models were actually listed as subcompacts! :surprise:
Hey, does that mean that I could get away with parking one of these things in a space marked for compact cars? :shades:
I'm constantly amazed the older I get how essentially unstable social and economic forces are. I can still recall quite vividly how during the gas crises of 1973 and 1979, big car owners turned on their beloved land yachts with a suddenness and vehemence that would put a capricious and cruel lover to shame.
My point? People's attitudes about cars are not as solid as we may think, not even close to solid.
As for the Elantra/Civic, if it was lower by say, $3000 I wouldn't have considered the Civic. I also had to figure in availablity as equipped with what I wanted, which was easier to get with the Civic, in a short amount of time, this time I didn't have the luxury of waiting for something to come in.
Edmunds lists both the tC and the xA as compacts. However the xA and Echo have the same wheelbase. The tC has a wheel base that is 13 inches longer and an over all length 22 inches longer. The tC is Civic size and the xA is smaller by most standards. SO what I was saying is Civic sized cars seem to be as small as people want by about 10 to one looking at sales numbers. So you could always rationalize stepping up to a Civic from a xA or Echo but you would have to step down from a Civic to either one of those two vehicles. As we enter our productive years does anyone believe the general public is ever going to want to step down in any great numbers? If not what future do micro cars have in the long run?
And just look how quickly sales of big cars bounced back. In 1976, the Electra had a record sales year, because word of the downsizing to come was out, and people hurried to make sure they could get one of the big ones. Then, to GM's amazement, the downsized ones sold even better! GM's downsized '77 cars were proof positive that the market was there for a big car. And while they were smaller on the outside, they maintained their interior room. Some dimensions, such as headroom and rear seat legroom in 2-door models, was actually improved.
Then we had the 1980 fuel crisis, and the turbulent times that followed in 1981-83. But guess what? In 1981-83, Buick and Olds were still showing strong sales. And selling what? You guessed it! Mainly larger intermediate and full-sized cars! One of those years, both Oldsmobile and BUICK outsold Ford...something that NEVER happens!
By 1985, things were more or less back to "normal", with car sales running strong. And guess what? 7 of the top ten selling car models were GM. Two were Ford, and the lone import was the Nissan Sentra. Even more telling, most of GM's strong sellers were larger models, not cheap economy cars. While Nissan had the cheap Sentra and Ford had the Escort and Tempo in the Top Ten, GM had the Impala/Caprice(counted together for years), Delta 88, Cutlass Supreme, Century, Cutlass Ciera, Celebrity, and Cavalier. The Cavalier was a pretty cheap car, but the rest of those were mainstream or upscale midsize/fullsize cars, more of a bread-and-butter thing, where more of the profits are.
For CY2005, the two most popular cars were the Camry and Accord, both midsized cars capable of filling the needs of much of America, and really spiritual successors to cars like the Impalas, Malibus, Furys, Darts, etc of eras gone by.
But even more indicative of America's fascination with size is in truck sales. Just look at how many full-sized Chevies, Fords, and Dodges they roll out every year! They didn't sell 'em like that back in the 80's! And sure didn't back in the 70 or any time before that.
By and large, the United States just isn't set up with the small car in mind. Most people live in suburbs, where there is ample parking. And think about it...if the roads are designed to accomodate trucks, buses, semis, etc, then they can easily handle anything that you're allowed to drive with your standard Class C license.
And our big cities tend to be so congested that if you live and work there, you're almost better off with no car at all. No matter how small and maneuverable it is, you still have to find a place to park it. You're still going to get stuck in the traffic. I've known many people who live in big cities who didn't have a car, but then decided to get one, but decided it was more hassle than it was worth and gave it up.
If were were set up more like European cities, with their crowded, narrow streets (their trucks and buses tend to be smaller too, don't they?) then the truly small car would make sense.
But until we get as crowded as Europe, and gasoline prices really shoot through the roof and stay there, then minicars/subcompacts will remain what they always have been, a relatively niche market.
Also I don't think going from a Civic DX to an xA is a step down at all...it's a lateral move and you pay an extra $1,000 for nothing much really. And you can't even get a hatchback in a Civic anymore, so the xA has a utility advantage.
Of course if you want to step up to Civic highline models like an LX, that's a different story but also with a $3,000-$4,000 higher price tag.
So once again the subcompacts strong suit seems to be value for the budget-minded--in terms of car payments between an xA and an LX, that's $58 a month more for the Civic.
But for debt-ridden Americans, maybe you're right, they'll spring for it more times than not.
Still, what does the Civic get you? .3 more liters of displacement, but 37 more hp (140 versus 103), and 27 more ft-lb of torque (128 versus 101). The Civic is heavier (2628 lb versus 2340) but the extra power from the engine should more than compensate for that. Plus, fuel economy remains similar: 30/38 for the Civic, 32/37 for the xA. That's a close enough draw that most people won't even notice the fuel savings of one over the other.
The Civic also gives you 22" more length, yet still retains a tight 34.8 turning circle. The Civic also has a much longer wheelbase, at 106.3" versus 93.3" for the xA. Considering how massive they make passenger cabins and doors these days (the long hood, small passenger cabin look has been dead for ages now), it's a safe bet that'll make the Civic easier to get into and out of. Might not be as noticeable for some people, but others will definitely take note. And when you're talkin 13" of wheelbase, I'm sure that has to make a difference in ride, going back to my old stagecoach analogy. And one significant difference, 5 more cubic feet of interior volume. Civic is rated at 91 cubic feet for passengers, 12 for cargo. xA is 86/12.
Interestingly though, the xA has more published legroom in back than the Civic, 37.6 versus 34.6". However, I can fit fine in the back seat of an Xterra, which is published at around 34-35", but can't fit in the back of my old man's Regal, which is published at around 37", so those dimensions are a moot point until they find some way to either standardize they way they measure them, or until you sit in them and see what really works and what doesn't.
So while the xA is a neat little car, and does offer a lot for the money, I can see how someone would justify the move up to a Civic DX. I probably would, if forced to choose between the two. It just depends on what your priorities are, and which one suits you better.
Still, as long as the fuel is flowing readily, I don't think people will change their buying habits much. The key factors to the first two fuel crises were that they were oil embargos, so the supply tightened up. Not only was it expensive, but you were limited as to how much you could buy. That's why, with the recent run-up in fuel prices in 2004 and 2005, that buying habits really haven't changed THAT much. Oh sure, sales of big SUVs are down, and some trucks, and crossovers are catching on, but when you figure just how much gas has gone up, it hasn't affected the automotive landscape as much as I thought it would.
As for this love affair with the mammoth house, I hope that one DOES go away! The place I live used to be a rural farming community...in fact, my house used to be a general store (although I'd like to think my late Aunt Carrie was nicer than that nasty Mrs. Oleson on Little House on the Prairie!) But over the years, the farms have been sold and developed, and everywhere you turn there's a new McMansion popping up. I swear, when they make them that big and that close together, why not just go ahead and join the damned things at the hip! A single family house with a 10 foot strip between it and it's neighbor is not that far removed from a townhouse!
Shifty,
Well at least we know the problem. The solution would almost take a collapse of our country’s economy. That would make the cure worse than the disease, at least for our lifestyle. But we were talking sub compacts and what was wrong with them. Nothing has to be wrong with them it is just that we as a nation don’t see a need and even when we do once that need has passed we go back to our old habits.
Yeah, the Long-Haul Warranty does me well, but I love the Kia body designing the best. I don't know what to say except that there are a decent chunk of South Koreans who love cars as much as I do and want to build a better looking vehicle. It is what pulled me to the '99 Sephia. I never once considered a dull looking Civic or Corolla. Who cares about resale value? I sure don't. I want a cool looking car, not resale value. I don't buy my cars to think about trade-in time.
I've been pulled recently to consider the Tropical Red 5-speed Rio5 for sale at my local Kia dealer. I will have to charge into a turn or two on the test drive and try and get a feel for what I want best.
All the airbags standard on the Rio and it's 32/35 mpg and it's great looks and very affordable price point are what does it for me.
I couldn't imagine a life so hideous as one stuck up in a huge pick-em-up truck. Dull driving antics and boring looking body and high price to boot. If that ain't dumb I don't know what is then, gentlemen.
Ford is Dumb and GM is Dumber. :surprise:
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion and we would have to respect yours. But if you were talking to a group of men at any sporting event or even just someone on the street you might find that they think getting Kia wasn't the smartest thing you could do either. If you are correct then you are out numbered about 30 to one by Ford Truck owners alone. Add GM truck owners and it is closer to 60 to one against you. Then again you decission would be looked at as less than stellar by JD Powers as well. But you may feel you have made the right choice and more power to you. You have almost as much passion for your Kia as Jeep owners have. At least you and Nippon are driving the same kind of vehicle we are talking about.
"It is what pulled me to the '99 Sephia. I never once considered a dull looking Civic or Corolla."
Ummm a Sephia is no beauty queen, and stylistically has no superior features compared to those other two.
What's resale on a Sephia of that vintage now, about $6?
By comparison, the xA has all of that for less money. In a couple of months you will be able to get a Yaris, essentially that xA with updated looks, and for $11K ($12K in the sedan) it will have A/C and a radio, something Honda can't seem to manage at $14,9 in the Civic DX.
There is no comparison here, no matter how much people want to try and paint the picture that their favorite compact and subcompact cost about the same.
But I am going to shut up now, as I know something many here don't: the lower price is FAR from the only advantage to driving a subcompact! :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Our whole society is based on pretty much the same values. When we buy shoes we want comfort and something more. Maybe style or something that makes them better than basic comfort. It is the same in about everything we buy. I believe it is unreasonable to expect us to change that kind of attitude when we but cars. We will always wants something that preform better or ride better or is bigger or more powerful than basic. For sub compacts to meet those desires they have to give up some of the same advantages you admire.
(and don't worry, if I really were in the market for something like that, I would've at least found out that little A/C and radio detail before buying one!)
For the extra $1950 for the LX.. you get A/C, AM/FM CD stereo, power windows, etc, etc..
If you want A/C, you'd be nuts to get a DX...
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All those cars that have "more", be it more power, more tire, more space, whatever, are being driven every day at 2/10ths by solo commuters. Joke's on them. :-)
Give 90% of the buying public a wide comfortable seat, a radio, and A/C, and they would never know the difference between the subcompact you just plunked them down in and the full-size boat they had before.
Enthusiasts here at Edmunds, of course, are not among those 90%.
But FOR those 90%, the benefits to that new subcompact would be cheaper insurance, much-reduced gas bills, and easy manueverability at the mall and in the city.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
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And I agree with you, if you want A/C, you'd be nuts to get a DX and add it.
The rest I posted before was accurate - DX has no radio at all, no A/C ($1000 dealer-installed option), no power locks, keyless entry, or power mirrors availablt at any price.
I wonder if the DX has a radio antenna and pre-wiring for the stereo if you want to put your own in. That would at least bring down the cost of having tunes in your DX....I figure $300 minimum for a decent head unit and 4 speakers, plus installation which would include cutting holes for the speakers to mount, I guess.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
BTW, could you easily retrofit an auto-down button into a car that doesn't have it? For example, on my Intrepid, it has auto-down for the driver's window, but no others. If I found one in the junkyard (and this could apply to any car) I wonder if it would be hard to just take the door panel apart and put an auto down button in for each of the passenger windows? Or would there be much difference in the wiring?
Plus they only sell it one way (2 if you count the optional curtain airbags), which streamlines production and reduces costs, I would imagine.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I am kinda curious to take one out for a spin, to see if I could fit in one comfortably, and see how it rides.
As the large-car Mopar sort of guy that you are, I would be very interested to hear what you thought of the xA, actually. You clearly aren't very fond of your uncle's Corolla, but that has a unique problem with that driving position it has.
You should drive the xA and report back! :-)
Oh, and you can get alloys for the xA, they are port-installed and delivered to the dealer already on the car. That is what that huge "accessories" section was for after the options list on the build-your-scion thing.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Although I have to admit that lately I've been getting more and more biased towards big vehicles. I've been driving my pickup more than the Intrepid lately, and gotten so used to it that now even the Intrepid feels too small and too low to the ground for me! :confuse: I can definitely see how people get addicted to trucks.
Being the young, dumb person that I was at the time, I opted for the stereo. Hey, couldn't live without tunes, you know!
I kept that car for 5 1/2 years and 58,000 trouble free miles. Got pretty decent mileage; I suspect that was because it was so much lighter than an LX or EX model.
Regarding the xA -- my daughter test drove one, and I was pretty impressed with the standard features it offered for just over $14K ($850 for the automatic, IIRC).
As noted, it't not huge, inside or out, but for a commuter car, it could serve that function quite nicely. The only real downside that I had was the storage area behind the rear seats was pretty small - perhaps only 3-4 paper grocery bags would fit.
IMO, I believe that the Fit, Yaris and Versa (Nissan) will do well here in the US, particularly in urban areas or for those folks who need a 2nd (or 3rd) car.
It IS a lot of car for the money...I think the car is the bargain of 2006.
But then, it's funny how people of similar size can still prefer a different driving position. For example, with my '00 Intrepid, I wish the seat would go back another inch. In fact, on long trips I tend to drive barefoot, which in essence gives me the extra inch or so that I need. But then I have a buddy who's 6'2", and he puts my seat up about 1-2 inches when he's driven my car!
list of features:
2.3 pzev engine
5 speed manual trans
abs
power moonroof
heated seats and mirrors
power windows/1 touch drivers down
power locks/autolock feature
remote entry(fob)
factory alarm
radio/cd/mp3
tilt/telescoping steering wheel
alloy wheels/goodyear rsa tires
remote trunk release
fold down rear seat
height adjustable lower seat cushion
don't forget the 'opera dim' interior lights
29 mpg over 18k, no long trips.
i admit i like all the features.
Humm. Interesting. Glad I don't consult with my neighbor (including my Edmunds' neighbors)to see what they think about me opening up my pocketbook to buy a particular car.
I don't call up George Thorogood or Bryan Bassett of the legendary rock band Foghat to see what they're choosing in a rig. Why would I ask you what you felt about it? Why would I ask my boss? Why, of all people on the earth, would I ask what Donald Trump felt about it? I may as well ask a rock how they felt about the Rio. The Kia Rio lineup is solid and sure, is built with safety in mind with crumple zones and ample airbags safety-engineered in and 3-point pretensioners, etc. Great. But safety is only one thing that attracts me to a car.
I don't only want my car to drive safely, get good ghastly mileage and be afforable, but I also want my rig to look good.
Kia has decided to design the new Rio lineup with a touche' 'o Europeo. Well, let me take a look. Nice bulky rounders around the fenders like it's big brother Spectra. I love the rounders Kia designed into the new Spectra fenders and the Rio is done very handsomeley in the fender department as well. The headlamp assembly is unique, aggressive and quite sporty looking. The midramp is utilitarian and gets the job done, much like Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck. The taillamp assembly is tastefully done, and exudes a neat, clean, crisp "let's go play, Dad" affect to the beautiful little rig.
Now, I must admit, I will need to test drive the Rio5, probably the Spectra SX and Spectra5 and, what visit to my local dealer would be complete without test driving the new Sportage from Kia?
I may have to pick two days out to get the whole crisp, 2006 new world order Kia test driving experience. :P
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
it just isn't reality. i drive a small car on a regular basis, but realize all those safety features still have limits. if someone wants to put their total faith in those features, that's ok.
when i am driving, i don't worry about it.
however, most of the time it's better to be the bowling ball than the pin.