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The Mondeo would be a nice addition but how will it fit into the lineup? It would seem like the Fusion will have to take the axe to make room for the Mondeo?
I respectfully say that it is difficult (impossible?) to focus on the vehicles only and not somehow touch on the manufacturers who made them. I don't see how the two can be separated for long in an open forum such as this one.
The Fusion and Mondeo will be one vehicle built on one CD platform (CD3, EUCD or some new combination) with styling and performance tailored to each market. Should happen no later than 2010.
The Fusion and Mondeo will be one vehicle built on one CD platform (CD3, EUCD or some new combination) with styling and performance tailored to each market. Should happen no later than 2010.
03-07 - According to CR, The Altima is now the most highly rated car in this segment - improved fit/finish (a historical Nissan problem), good FE with both the 4 and V6, and they really like the CVT. The other cars tested included (3) 'Detriot' cars, the Aura, Sebring, and G6 all of which showed poorly and a Kia. The ordinal ranking of 89 points is only surpassed by things like the TL and the Avalon in an 'affordable' sedan segment, and equals or surpasses the ratings for the Camcords, the perennial favorites of this particular publication.
"Hyundai's biggest appeal is the lower prices. Period.
People think what they think about Hyundai. That is hardly obsolete"
Let me get this straight. The ONLY reason why someone would choose a Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion/Milan, Pontiac G6 or any other car priced less than an Accord/Camry is purely because the price is less?? :sick: I remember the days way back when Honda/Toyota vehicles gave you more for less money than comparable vehicles. How many others remember those days? Back in the late 70's 80's when a Toyota/Honda could be had for thousands less than a Ford or GM product and yes was more reliable. With open forums like these and people able to tell thier own stories with free reign.. Toyota/Honda better enjoy this "image" thing they have going on.. because it isn't going to last..
That's considered a comprehensive claim on insurance, and since I have 100% glass, it won't cost me a dime. Besides, you don't count road hazards (ie. a truck flinging a rock at the windshield) as "problems".
Hard to claim on insurance when the windshield cracks from top to bottom (roof to hood) right down the middle all the way through while it is parked and no one or no thing ever touched the vehicle. It was a hot day, I parked it in the shade at a home, and next thing I know a few hours later, there's a huge crack in the windshield for no reason other than the Neon was the worst car ever built or designed. This just added insult to injury.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
I haven`t had a chance to read the newest CR mag yet . Could you possibly provide a bit more info concerning rankings of all vehicles you mentioned ? Thanks much.
...there's a huge crack in the windshield for no reason other than the Neon was the worst car ever built or designed.
That's your opinion, and you're entitled to it.
I hardly share it though, considering my wife's Neon pretty much negates your theory, and there are hundreds of thousands more that are still on the road. The Neon is far from perfect, but there are MUCH worse.
The Neon is far from perfect, but there are MUCH worse.
You admitted there were already 100 rattles with your wife's Neon, so it is definitely FAR FAR from perfect. Any glue leakage issues on the window trimming in the hot sun? Any accidents?
Also, name 3 worse than the Neon, or 3 that are MUCH worse in design or build quality.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Maybe because Airbags are a non-factor in the vast majority of car purchases. I've been driving since 1994 in vehicles with air bags and have never had one go off either FROM MALFUNCTION OR accidentally from a real accident, and I have had 2 accidents, one was just a minor 4-5 mph rear end hit, but another was a HARD side impact into the front right wheel. If you are a decentLY attentive driver, you should never need air bags to go off in the front (unless you get hit head on; in which case you should have gotten out of the way!).
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
The Mondeo would be a nice addition but how will it fit into the lineup? It would seem like the Fusion will have to take the axe to make room for the Mondeo?
akirby beat me to it and I agree with him. The only way I see them bringing it over is to shift the Fusion to it's platform. I don't think they'll axe the Fusion name so you're probably looking at what the 2009 or 2010 Fusion will be based on. Who knows, maybe the Mazda6 and everything based on it will change over to that platform too. It's won many awards in Europe so I say bring it on.
Maybe because Airbags are a non-factor in the vast majority of car purchases.
Is that why there are front and side-curtain airbags that are fast becoming standard in ALL cars today? No?
It's probably because the consumers are demanding them...
I've been driving since 1994 in vehicles with air bags and have never had one go off either FROM MALFUNCTION OR accidentally from a real accident, and I have had 2 accidents, one was just a minor 4-5 mph rear end hit, but another was a HARD side impact into the front right wheel.
Be thankful. The last thing I'd ever want to experience is the airbag activating due to a collision.
If you are a decentLY attentive driver, you should never need air bags to go off in the front (unless you get hit head on; in which case you should have gotten out of the way!).
So when a car that loses traction on an icy patch and slides into my lane DIRECTLY in front of me, I'd be at fault because I didn't react fast enough? Right...
Oh, and scape, I did see this on the local TV station not too long ago.
I have to say that the worst car* I ever owned was a late 90s Neon. Engine had bad valves and lifters(rat-tat-tat-tat) at 70K miles. Stereo was shot. window seals didn't work. Thing rattled and wobbled in winds and if you hit a pothole it was a VW bug all over again.
Nasty.
*I don't own it, but I have test-driven the Aveo. It's almsot a carbon clone in how badly it drives*
So when a car that loses traction on an icy patch and slides into my lane DIRECTLY in front of me, I'd be at fault because I didn't react fast enough? Right...
I didn't say youd be AT FAULT, but you could of swerved out of the way if you had an all wheel drive car equipped with ESP. The thing is... although people may want air bags, it is like insurance, you really almost never need it.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
There is one very good reason... Among the largest advertisers in local newspapers are auto companies and auto dealers.
You are focussed on these recalls but they are so commonplace now that it's not newsworthy enough to antagonize some of the largest advertisers. I know you'll say 'AHA.. there it is.'
Well yes but I did a search on all automakers and recalls in our local paper covering a very large regional market and the result was....?
There have been no reports at all of any recalls by any manufacturer in the last 18 months. Hardly any 'bias' all of them are being given a free pass.
Or, it's just not considered worthy enough for spilling printer's ink. If someone gets a recall notice in the mail they'll learn about it soon enough.
For what it's worth, my daughter experienced a driver's air bag deployment a few years ago. A couple of years after she received her license, and as she was entering college, we bought her a mid-90s Olds Delta 88 Royale in excellent condition. Four months later she failed to stop for someone in front of her, and BANG. The Olds was totaled.
The airbags in this car were the first generation designs, and her only injuries (thankfully) were flash burns and abrasions to the face, arms, and hands from the airbag deployment. She was wearing her 3-point belt.
Airbags alone, do not make a safe car. I would rather be in an accident in certain models of M-B, Volvo, and SAAB with a 3-point belt, and no airbags, than in a number of cars today with airbags everywhere. Just as in real estate, where it's location, location, location, in a well-designed car, it's structure, structure, structure.
but you could of swerved out of the way if you had an all wheel drive car equipped with ESP. more misinformation - ESP or whatever your acronoym is does NOTHING to improve a car's ability to swerve out of the way of anything - what it may do is stop you from possibly losing control when you try it. And 'mz6' is right, complete loss of traction on ice covered roads does mean 'complete' and therefore there is nothing that anything is going to do about it, just hope that the snowbank is soft. As long as folks are biting into this 'safety' hype, many will think like you apparently do - that they become impervious to gross driving errors - these new 'electronic nannies' 'protecting' them. Far from the truth!
The article (march 07) is entitled 'Leaping Ahead - the redesigned Altima leaps to the top of our ratings' and actually tests only the Altimas, Optimas, Auras, G6s and Sebrings - the balance of the numerical ratings courtesy of previous tests. IMO, while this does show a continued 'Japanese' dominance it also does show what I believe to be CRs bias towards those cars which they believe are the most economical/safe and they think will be the least troublesome. Buy the issue and see what you think, that is all that counts?
I checked out the 07 Altima 2.5S yesterday. Thought it was superb. Quick, tight, very comfortable, nice interior. Good price. Beautiful car. Nissan's got a winner here.
If you are a decentLY attentive driver, you should never need air bags to go off in the front (unless you get hit head on; in which case you should have gotten out of the way!).
Without rehashing all the details, we got rear ended last March in a traffic jam. I had our car either stopped, or just barely creeping and my foot was on the brake, about two car lengths behind the SUV in front of us. We got hit so hard by a young female driver that we were pushed into the SUV in front of us hard enough to deploy the air bags in our rental car. We then spun into the median divider. The trunk of our rental Maxima was pushed forward to the blown out rear window.
In short, if the kid who hit us had been a decently attentive driver, we would not have needed the air bags to go off.
I'm sure we aren't the only ones to have ever been involved in a chain reaction collison.
The car I drove had the ABS option. I doubt they sell many base model Altimas, the ones without ABS. Still an eyecatcher of a car, unlike the other 3 you mentioned.
thnaks for making your post. great example. sometimes i really have to restrain from responding to what i read. sometimes, i don't and get the 'deleted post'. sometimes the 'other guy' is going yo get you, no matter what.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
Seems like a lot of people are mentioning what they have overheard friends, neighbors and co-workers saying about Hyundai lately... I've never owned one (just bought an Accord), but I can say that around the office I've been hearing nothing but good things about Hyundai. One older guy who is nearly retired absolutely loves the XG350 they've had for a few years. He also has a 2000 Mustang GT Convertible (midlife crisis???). A friend of ours has an older Elantra, no problems.
It might, but the next-gen 6 is due to be released in '08 as a '09 model, and that's expected to be on a stretched version of the current platform.
IIRC the spy shots going around list it as coming out this year as an '08 model no? I have a feeling the stretching was necessary due to the fact that all it's platform-mates are now stretched too. The CD3 (Mondeo) is one of the best platforms in the business from what I've read so Mazda would be lucky to get their hands on it too. We, the consumers, would be even luckier if that happened.
Captain2 thanks for taking the time to post this info -really appreciate it .
At risk of getting flamed almost immediately, I`d like to offer a brief observation ! I am surprised and even somewhat taken aback by the relatively positive reviews that the Optima has garnered recently- first by MotorTrend and now by CR ! And particularly the CR review of the Ex with the relatively smaller V6 . With the obvious de-rating this car would get from these mags for acceleration deficiencies, it must have great ride/handling characteristics and other attributes. I think that I`ll have to drop by the dealership to do a test drive and see what this is all about !?
where i work it, not only are hyundai's replacing other brands, they are replacing other hyundai's, mostly with sonata's. not 1 new camry on our lot. i am starting to see them around, though. no fusions, accord, it is tough to tell, although maybe 1. 1 or 2 civics, no corollas. bonuses will be out next month.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
And don't forget the positive review the Optima I4 got in the recent C/D comparo. BTW, C/D was one of those who somehow got a base (non-ABS) Altima to drive, for that comparo (in which the Altima finished a close second to the Accord SE). I'm not quite sure why Nissan provided a stripped Altima to C/D, since in C/D's point scheme low price with low equipment level doesn't garner many extra points. OTOH, low price with lots of equipment gets quite a few extra points, as Kia found out.
That one's subjective. Personally, I can't help but feel the next generation 2011 Altima will have head and taillights that wrap all the way around the car at this rate...
I took a little spin in the new Altima. Not bad - looks great! Not sure I trust the push button starter thing to be trouble free over time, but it does have a bit of the coolness factor. The steering is OK, if a little light. The CVT transmission feels strange to me, but then again, I am now over 50. The car picks up a little road noise. Good power for a four banger. Do not like the floor positioned emergency brake. It looks like a worse position than the Aura -- don't like it on the Aura. BTW, the Aura in a base model is not bad. Would rate it an alright car.
Next up, I want to drive an Accord. I like the looks of the coupe the most, but also think the sedan is finely designed. Simple flowing look, sure to last for years. The early 90's Accord is another lasting good looker. Have not driven the Fusion yet. The Sonata V6 test drive was too short. Tested a used one, and broke the lever for the lumbar control. Hummm, parts falling off = not good. Overall the car feels quick, but not as much as I thought it would be. Do have to test it again. This time with a lighter salesman :P Looks wise the Sonata is not bad. And I assume the $19K V6 pricing has or will return. Couple of others, not sedans I may test out too. Got a nasty cold and was just in my home for days. -Loren
As long as folks are biting into this 'safety' hype, many will think like you apparently do - that they become impervious to gross driving errors - these new 'electronic nannies' 'protecting' them. Far from the truth!
This is by far the scariest thing about driving on the roads today, especially when you have to share the road with inexperienced teenagers that's had no formal drivers education classes (since the schools deem them "too expensive", and parents are too cheap to spring for it themselves). Most kids don't know what to do if the car goes into a skid, or starts to oversteer or understeer heavily. They think that the ABS, ESP, and other acronyms will step in and be the solves-all, saving them from an accident.
I remember the days where I actually had to modulate my brake foot on my old S10 to keep them from locking up in a panic-stop. I can't imagine what would happen if a kid used to driving with ABS-equipped vehicles gets behind the wheel of a non-ABS-equipped vehicle and gets into a panic-stop situation.
Having said that, I find it unacceptable for any midsize sedan to not have ABS as standard equipment, and at least offers ESP.
IIRC the spy shots going around list it as coming out this year as an '08 model no?
Thats what I initially thought as well, but this article tells me they've pushed it back a little. If they need the extra time to perfect the 3.5L V6 with 270+ HP, a 6-speed manual, and AWD to work together, then by all means, let them take their time!
I have a feeling the stretching was necessary due to the fact that all it's platform-mates are now stretched too.
That's correct. The cabin is basically a 7/8's scale of the other current midsize cars, and it's hurt some sales. My fear is that they make it too big and bulky, and the handling turns from a true Mazda to a Buick (ie. not good!)
The CD3 (Mondeo) is one of the best platforms in the business from what I've read so Mazda would be lucky to get their hands on it too. We, the consumers, would be even luckier if that happened.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we have access to it now, in the form of the Mazda3 and the Volvo S40? I thought the CD3 platform is what the euro-Focus is built on as well... :confuse:
I won't disagree with using the CD3 platform for the next 6, that would indeed be a blast.
>teenagers that's had no formal drivers education classes (since the schools deem them "too expensive",
I didn't realize it was the schools' jobs to teach your and my kid how to drive? It's not. It's parents' job. I believe our state requires a driving course before getting a license. I'll check into that.
It's required in Maryland (I'm going through it with my 16 year old daughter). In addition to making sure you have 60+ hours of driving time with the parents, MD requires that you take a driving course with a certified instructor. Believe it's about 40 hours total, with 34 of that at a desk. Costs about $300-350. I'd rather spend my money on one of those performance driving schools that tell you how to maintain control in accident avoidance. There's some excellent choices out there.
The problem I perceive with the Altima has to do with its price relative to its brother the Maxima. For those of use that prefer the V6s, I believe the actual street price for the Maxima should end up less at any given option level, at least until this 'lovefest' with the improved new Altima dies down a little bit. The 2.5 should actually be the better deal right now.
I would even go a step further and say that there are a number of drivers of all ages, that due to this PC hype, will feel somehow 'bulletproof' for whatever protections the VSC/ESPs do provide. An ultimately dangerous combination, IMO. In the hands of a teenager, we should not only require the 'nannies' but also a 30mph governor. For some of the rest of us, these systems can be intrusive and bothersome.
Comments
You mean I can get my Contour back?
People think what they think about Hyundai. That is hardly obsolete"
Let me get this straight. The ONLY reason why someone would choose a Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion/Milan, Pontiac G6 or any other car priced less than an Accord/Camry is purely because the price is less?? :sick: I remember the days way back when Honda/Toyota vehicles gave you more for less money than comparable vehicles. How many others remember those days? Back in the late 70's 80's when a Toyota/Honda could be had for thousands less than a Ford or GM product and yes was more reliable. With open forums like these and people able to tell thier own stories with free reign.. Toyota/Honda better enjoy this "image" thing they have going on.. because it isn't going to last..
That's considered a comprehensive claim on insurance, and since I have 100% glass, it won't cost me a dime. Besides, you don't count road hazards (ie. a truck flinging a rock at the windshield) as "problems".
Hard to claim on insurance when the windshield cracks from top to bottom (roof to hood) right down the middle all the way through while it is parked and no one or no thing ever touched the vehicle. It was a hot day, I parked it in the shade at a home, and next thing I know a few hours later, there's a huge crack in the windshield for no reason other than the Neon was the worst car ever built or designed. This just added insult to injury.
rankings of all vehicles you mentioned ? Thanks much.
That's your opinion, and you're entitled to it.
I hardly share it though, considering my wife's Neon pretty much negates your theory, and there are hundreds of thousands more that are still on the road. The Neon is far from perfect, but there are MUCH worse.
You admitted there were already 100 rattles with your wife's Neon, so it is definitely FAR FAR from perfect. Any glue leakage issues on the window trimming in the hot sun?
Any accidents?
Also, name 3 worse than the Neon, or 3 that are MUCH worse in design or build quality.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=119264
How come this recall was never in my paper, on the news or better yet on the national news? :mad:
2. First-gen Hyundai Excel
3. Pretty much any '70's Japanese entry-level car
I'd list more, but I've drifted well out of the "midsize sedans" topic.
akirby beat me to it and I agree with him. The only way I see them bringing it over is to shift the Fusion to it's platform. I don't think they'll axe the Fusion name so you're probably looking at what the 2009 or 2010 Fusion will be based on. Who knows, maybe the Mazda6 and everything based on it will change over to that platform too. It's won many awards in Europe so I say bring it on.
Is that why there are front and side-curtain airbags that are fast becoming standard in ALL cars today? No?
It's probably because the consumers are demanding them...
I've been driving since 1994 in vehicles with air bags and have never had one go off either FROM MALFUNCTION OR accidentally from a real accident, and I have had 2 accidents, one was just a minor 4-5 mph rear end hit, but another was a HARD side impact into the front right wheel.
Be thankful. The last thing I'd ever want to experience is the airbag activating due to a collision.
If you are a decentLY attentive driver, you should never need air bags to go off in the front (unless you get hit head on; in which case you should have gotten out of the way!).
So when a car that loses traction on an icy patch and slides into my lane DIRECTLY in front of me, I'd be at fault because I didn't react fast enough? Right...
Oh, and scape, I did see this on the local TV station not too long ago.
Nasty.
*I don't own it, but I have test-driven the Aveo. It's almsot a carbon clone in how badly it drives*
It might, but the next-gen 6 is due to be released in '08 as a '09 model, and that's expected to be on a stretched version of the current platform.
I didn't say youd be AT FAULT, but you could of swerved out of the way if you had an all wheel drive car equipped with ESP. The thing is... although people may want air bags, it is like insurance, you really almost never need it.
You are focussed on these recalls but they are so commonplace now that it's not newsworthy enough to antagonize some of the largest advertisers. I know you'll say 'AHA.. there it is.'
Well yes but I did a search on all automakers and recalls in our local paper covering a very large regional market and the result was....?
There have been no reports at all of any recalls by any manufacturer in the last 18 months. Hardly any 'bias' all of them are being given a free pass.
Or, it's just not considered worthy enough for spilling printer's ink. If someone gets a recall notice in the mail they'll learn about it soon enough.
Uhh... NOTHING will help you on ice. Not AWD, not ESP, nothing! ESP and AWD are useless when the tires have NO traction with the road surface.
Again, off topic. End of discussion.
The airbags in this car were the first generation designs, and her only injuries (thankfully) were flash burns and abrasions to the face, arms, and hands from the airbag deployment. She was wearing her 3-point belt.
Airbags alone, do not make a safe car. I would rather be in an accident in certain models of M-B, Volvo, and SAAB with a 3-point belt, and no airbags, than in a number of cars today with airbags everywhere. Just as in real estate, where it's location, location, location, in a well-designed car, it's structure, structure, structure.
more misinformation - ESP or whatever your acronoym is does NOTHING to improve a car's ability to swerve out of the way of anything - what it may do is stop you from possibly losing control when you try it. And 'mz6' is right, complete loss of traction on ice covered roads does mean 'complete' and therefore there is nothing that anything is going to do about it, just hope that the snowbank is soft.
As long as folks are biting into this 'safety' hype, many will think like you apparently do - that they become impervious to gross driving errors - these new 'electronic nannies' 'protecting' them. Far from the truth!
4 cylinder models
Passat 2.0T - 86
Altima 2.5 - 85
Camry Hybrid - 84
Accord EX - 78
Optima EX - 77
Camry LE - 77
Legacy 2.5 GT - 75
Sonata - 74
Mazda6, Fusion, Milan - 69
Prius - 68
Malibu - 66
Galant - 58
G6 - 49
Sebring - 44
and then the V6s
Accord EX,Passat, Altima - 89
Accord Hybrid, Camry - 87
Fusion/Milan - 77
Sonata - 76
Optima - 75
Aura 3.6 - 70
mazda 6 - 69
Malibu - 66
Galant - 64
Impala - 63
Aura 3.5 - 62
G6 - 58
Lacrosse - 56
Sebring 2.7 - 48
Grand Prix - 38
The article (march 07) is entitled 'Leaping Ahead - the redesigned Altima leaps to the top of our ratings' and actually tests only the Altimas, Optimas, Auras, G6s and Sebrings - the balance of the numerical ratings courtesy of previous tests. IMO, while this does show a continued 'Japanese' dominance it also does show what I believe to be CRs bias towards those cars which they believe are the most economical/safe and they think will be the least troublesome. Buy the issue and see what you think, that is all that counts?
Without rehashing all the details, we got rear ended last March in a traffic jam. I had our car either stopped, or just barely creeping and my foot was on the brake, about two car lengths behind the SUV in front of us. We got hit so hard by a young female driver that we were pushed into the SUV in front of us hard enough to deploy the air bags in our rental car. We then spun into the median divider. The trunk of our rental Maxima was pushed forward to the blown out rear window.
In short, if the kid who hit us had been a decently attentive driver, we would not have needed the air bags to go off.
I'm sure we aren't the only ones to have ever been involved in a chain reaction collison.
sometimes the 'other guy' is going yo get you, no matter what.
IIRC the spy shots going around list it as coming out this year as an '08 model no? I have a feeling the stretching was necessary due to the fact that all it's platform-mates are now stretched too. The CD3 (Mondeo) is one of the best platforms in the business from what I've read so Mazda would be lucky to get their hands on it too. We, the consumers, would be even luckier if that happened.
At risk of getting flamed almost immediately, I`d like to offer a brief observation ! I am surprised and even somewhat taken aback by the relatively positive reviews that the Optima has garnered recently- first by MotorTrend and now by CR ! And particularly the CR review of the Ex with the relatively smaller V6 . With the obvious de-rating this car would get from these mags for acceleration deficiencies, it must have great ride/handling characteristics and other attributes. I think that I`ll have to drop by the dealership to do a test drive and see what this is all about !?
not 1 new camry on our lot. i am starting to see them around, though.
no fusions, accord, it is tough to tell, although maybe 1.
1 or 2 civics, no corollas.
bonuses will be out next month.
Next up, I want to drive an Accord. I like the looks of the coupe the most, but also think the sedan is finely designed. Simple flowing look, sure to last for years. The early 90's Accord is another lasting good looker. Have not driven the Fusion yet. The Sonata V6 test drive was too short. Tested a used one, and broke the lever for the lumbar control. Hummm, parts falling off = not good. Overall the car feels quick, but not as much as I thought it would be. Do have to test it again. This time with a lighter salesman :P Looks wise the Sonata is not bad. And I assume the $19K V6 pricing has or will return. Couple of others, not sedans I may test out too. Got a nasty cold and was just in my home for days.
-Loren
This is by far the scariest thing about driving on the roads today, especially when you have to share the road with inexperienced teenagers that's had no formal drivers education classes (since the schools deem them "too expensive", and parents are too cheap to spring for it themselves). Most kids don't know what to do if the car goes into a skid, or starts to oversteer or understeer heavily. They think that the ABS, ESP, and other acronyms will step in and be the solves-all, saving them from an accident.
I remember the days where I actually had to modulate my brake foot on my old S10 to keep them from locking up in a panic-stop. I can't imagine what would happen if a kid used to driving with ABS-equipped vehicles gets behind the wheel of a non-ABS-equipped vehicle and gets into a panic-stop situation.
Having said that, I find it unacceptable for any midsize sedan to not have ABS as standard equipment, and at least offers ESP.
Thats what I initially thought as well, but this article tells me they've pushed it back a little. If they need the extra time to perfect the 3.5L V6 with 270+ HP, a 6-speed manual, and AWD to work together, then by all means, let them take their time!
I have a feeling the stretching was necessary due to the fact that all it's platform-mates are now stretched too.
That's correct. The cabin is basically a 7/8's scale of the other current midsize cars, and it's hurt some sales. My fear is that they make it too big and bulky, and the handling turns from a true Mazda to a Buick (ie. not good!)
The CD3 (Mondeo) is one of the best platforms in the business from what I've read so Mazda would be lucky to get their hands on it too. We, the consumers, would be even luckier if that happened.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we have access to it now, in the form of the Mazda3 and the Volvo S40? I thought the CD3 platform is what the euro-Focus is built on as well... :confuse:
I won't disagree with using the CD3 platform for the next 6, that would indeed be a blast.
I didn't realize it was the schools' jobs to teach your and my kid how to drive? It's not. It's parents' job. I believe our state requires a driving course before getting a license. I'll check into that.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
It's not required in NY, and the way I've seem some adults drive around here, I'd know they wouldn't be teaching their kids correctly as well.
You're right, it's the parents job, but it's a job that has to be done right.