Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see May lease deals!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Highway speeds are no problem, (depending upon the car, of course). The Volvo S60 D5 with the 6MT pulls 0-62mph in around 7.6 secs and runs on to 140+mph and that's only a 2.4ltr diesel, not some big lump. The BMW 335d 6AT runs the 0-62mph in a claimed 6.2secs and up to a governed 155mph. The 535d is only 0.2 secs behind it.
As you say, diesels are lovely in city traffic - especially with a good 6AT - but they also excel at low-rev highway cruising..................and great pick-up at low revs.
I can't think of ONE plausible reason why they would do that, when both the sedan and 3-door come with a stick and have the SAME POWERTRAIN.
More and more, I just can't STAND Toyota these days...
:sick:
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
It also seems like Europeans like stylized vehicles w/shape while Americans seem to like more basic styling.
I think some of these issues also play a roll in moving vehicles back and forth across the pond.
Toyota has released the 5-door Yaris as an '09, and it will only come with an automatic!!!!
You predicted this yourself not that long ago.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Well not a GMC, but I do have a Chevy pickup. :P Actually, I don't think that Kia thing is horrible. But it's just sort of there. Doesn't do anything for me one way or another.
I don't see "beautiful" when I see the Kia Soul, but I do see cool and unique design, one that I would be happy to have.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
It seems as if some of your predictions about increased small car production may be correct. But if you remember you also said you were worried about the simplicity of the CVT and that might be correct as well. Many have been asking for a small, easy to use, light weight economy car and the CVT adds a element of simplicity and light weight.
Most of the manufacturers overseas have models obtaining over 45 mpg utilizing diesel a powertrain. With new low sulfur and biofuels, in combination with more efficient direct injection systems we need to fight for a change. As much as Americans forget about how much our politicians screw up our country....they still remember the soot blowing diesels of the 80's. . . .. I don't get it. . . .
Fact is, the Sephia blew away both the Civic and Corolla in styling.
The Sportage blows away the Honda CRV and the Toyota RAV4 in the styling department. The Kia Sorento and now the new Kia SUV, squarely pops any SUV it's size off the globe in the styling department.
The new Kia Forte is set to distinguish Kia as leader's once again in the compact size range.
And the Kia Soul crossover can't be beat for styling in the crossover segment.
The reality of it all is that Kia's future is so bright that they best be wearin' some strong Burton Cumming's shades. Just look and watch at the new Peter Schreyer-designed Kia models coming out in the next few years. These guys were already the best but they just keep gettin' betta and betta, brotha. :shades:
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
I must admit I am quite taken by the looks of Mitsubishi's Lancer as well. I own a '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS. I love the currrent Mitsubishi "fighter-jet inspired" front end look. I never tire of my Lancer's looks and have been known to have to crink my head around and take another look(or two)before I head in to my house, a place of business, my workplace, etc. I really love the job new Kia design Chief Peter Schreyer is doing with Kia Motors designs these days. The new Kia Forte sedan, which replaces the Spectra, and the new Kia Forte Koup, which is a brand new model, are beautiful automobiles.
I try to give the domestic rigs a chance, but, until the 2010 Ford Fiesta comes out, nothing they are releasing to the public looks fit for human consumption. If a foreign automaker does is right I will reward them by buying one of their automobiles. Pretty simple formula.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
I'd say they are pretty much a tossup. Nothing really redeeming in any of them. It's like getting excited about the looks of a toaster. These are appliances, they really don't even have "styling" as many would define it. I don't see any established "fact".
The Sportage is very bland, the CRV is more daring but kind of silly, the Toyota is another bland one. Again, nothing there. That pointless big Kia SUV is very derivative and I think was worked on by a team of ex-Toyota and Mitsu designers.
When Kia is raved about 10-20-+ years later for their excellent styling, then I will believe it. Until then, I see one person doing the raving :P
The Mitsu does have the glaring headlamp cliche seen on many cars, made to somehow look tough or intimidating. It doesn't work for me, although it is nicer to look at than the stretched lamps on many Toyotas.
Oh, and the "Koup" name is pretty dopey
When I start looking for a new vehicle I look for function, Cost, and predicted dependability. Once that has been established I normally have a selection of four or five vehicles to pick from. There have been times in my searches when VW has been very high on function and Kia has been very high on cost. But they have both scrapped the bottom of the bucket on dependability for as long as I can remember.
The fact that Kia is the generic brand from Hyundai doesn't help their reputation any as well. Hyundai only bought Kia because they had to and looking at how far Hyundai has claimed on the dependability scale it doesn't look like they put that much effort at improving Kia. Just from the test results.
And out. :shades:
Not!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
I'm not sure I'd call that "fact." Here are those cars, in 1997, and 2001.
Kia Sephia
Toyota Corolla
Honda Civic
If any of these standout as "blow-out styling leaders" please, explain it. All are conservatively handsome designs, which should age well (well, they already have).
I don't what it is, but Honda and Toyota, try as they might and try as they may, have more trouble coming up with a body design for a small car that looks good. Interesting, inviting further comparison, however you may want to form the sentences.
I'll sum it up for this SW padre, all of the others are barfy looking. :sick:
Kia's designs are sharp, clean, intelligent and well-put together. That first Sephia('96-'97)above is rather plain. But things improved considerably when the '98-'01Sephia design came out. The new Kia Forte will continue in the Kia tradition of trouncing the competition when it comes to body designs. And, BTW, Kia build quality is above average now. The Long-Haul covers things completely, so to me it's a moot point. I would never balk, though, at buying a Kia worrying about some Canadian-built Excel's from Hyundai in the mid-90's. Hello? Can we move on here? Progress here? Kia and Hyundai certainly have and continue to.
Now, the value proponent and the looks proponent and build quality and reliability make a purchase of a Kia a very, very, nice and enriching move.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
How bout y'all as to the '88 Chevy Sprint or the '88 Ford Festiva(built for Ford by Kia Motors of South Korea)? BTW-did Chevy build the Sprint theirselves?
I'd like to know if you like the Festiva's body design more, or the Chevy Sprint's body design? I prefer the Ford Festiva design, though, as I recall, I did like the Chevy Sprint bodystyle, too. These two cars were the first two new cars I considered buying, that being in the late 80's of course. I would've only bought one of them if I did buy one, BTW. :P
As things turned out, my first new car ended up being a 1994 Ford Escort wagon, in brilliant blue paint. Decent small wagon it turned out to be.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
The Sprint was built by Suzuki Motors. Of the two, I think the Sprint was more attractive. But I thought the Festiva was laid out a bit better. One of my friends in college had one, and I rode in it a couple times. Roomy little sucker, up front at least. The Sprint seemed more cramped to me.
I think that is a by-gone era though, and having anything be small AND fun seems to be beyond the realm of the current marketplace. In Europe they have the Focus RS and I think they have an upgraded Fiesta as well. Those would be something that might actually be fun to drive, as opposed to sephia's example of being fun to not-drive.
As for the ongoing debate of Metro vs Festiva, I would definitely go with the Metro, which was of course a rebadged Suzuki Swift, a car I very much wish was being sold new in the States today. Too bad we have until some indefinite future date to see that car stateside again... :-(
Having said that, I will add that I had a friend with a Festiva, which she called Snoopy due to its weird looks, and try as she might she just could NOT kill that car - despite years of total neglect it was still going strong at 150K without any powertrain work except for new axles (the CVs were finally shot just prior to that mileage)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
It is the simplicity and projected lightness that makes it so tempting. That and the predillation the Japanese have for single automotive lines and limited engine and transmission options. Nissan is the tip of the iceberg I believe. Hybrids have given the CVT a boost even though they aren't true CVTs. As more cars move towards hybrid, fuel cell and EV the light weight requirement will move manufacturers towards simpler light transmissions.
For small cars and sub compacts to make it in the modern market they have to get lighter and provide far better fuel mileage than they do today. Yes they get better fuel mileage than a mid sized car but not enough over a compact to overcome the American consumers price per pound mind set.
Look at the happy horse manure we had in this forum with the predicted coming of the Smart. It was going to put the sub compact on the map with outstanding fuel mileage in excess of what a Yaris or fit could get by 10 MPG. Well it is here and they have had them on the road long enough and it simply hasn't lived up to the hype. 40 MPG just isn't good enough to give up a back seat. There is a reason it has been in the red in Europe for all these years and if they don't find a way to get 60 MPG from that little thing in will end up in the red after four or five years hear as well.
And when I began all this talk I was referring to the Yaris 5-door, which will be at Toyota dealers soon, and is not a CVT but rather an antiquated 4-speed auto. Still, it is a small step forward, as it becomes the new champ of fuel economy among 5-doors available in the US. One day soon Toyota will feel the pressure from Honda and will begin putting 5-speed autos in all its cars (and dare I hope for a 6-speed manual or two as well? Their press release earlier this year indicated they had a pretty dandy new lightweight, compact 6-speed ready for use in the '09s)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Don't hold your breath. Cars peaked in the 90s. The 1998 BMW E36 M3/4 (a sub-compact, in theory) was the peak of automotive revolution and we have been forced into evolutionary steps since then. Very sad.
C&D is saying this month that Toyota is firming up plans to plunk that 1.3 into its iQ (recently introduced for global markets) and bring it to the U.S. in 2010! They plan to sell it as a premium competitor to the likes of Mini and ForTwo, which is a refreshing change coming from Toyota.
100 hp, 1900 pounds, 9 standard airbags including rear-hatch curtain for back seat passengers. And yes, it does have a back seat, 1 position for an adult (behind the front passenger, whose seat is further forward than the driver to achieve this) and one child seat behind the driver. This thing is cute as heck, and I hope they go ahead with these plans, and give it some handling to go with its very spry power-to-weight ratio.
Oh, and they expect it to make 40 mpg combined on the EPA test. That would beat the current gas champ, the ForTwo, which comes in at 38 mpg combined.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
;P
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
No, I don't generally like Camry's, or getting run over by a Mack truck while driving Camry's, but, I rented a 2005 Camry once(new car basically)and it was a quiet ride and a nice car, I must admit. I don't like their styling much, however. :sick:
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
The Honda Fit set a new October sales record with 6,478 sold, a 28.1 percent increase in the second month of availability for the redesigned 2009 model. For the year, Fit sales are up a whopping 51.4 percent.....But only the Fit and TL were on the plus side for the month.......Accord sales were down 38.4 percent in October, pushing calendar-year-to-date sales into negative territory -- off .3 percent
And although the Yaris subcompact dropped 13.3 percent in October, year-to-date sales are outstripping 2007 by a still-heady 25.9 percent, one of the better performances in any market segment
Corolla is up just like Civic, but Camry is down for the month and down for the year, more so than the Accord.
Mini sales buoyed the group with sales up 56.4 percent in the month; for the year, Mini is up 30.2 percent
And of course Smart had already exceeded its 12-month sales goal after only ten months, as of 10-31-08.
Midsize car sales falling, large car sales TANKING, subcompact sales SKYROCKETING. I guess it's not just the presidential election that's going right in the U.S. :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
What I expect we WILL see a skew towards for at least six months is low-priced cars, an area where the subs hold a certain advantage...
;-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I'd love to be wrong.
Ghosn timed the cheap new Versa perfectly. That guy earns his salary, unlike many auto leaders.
On the NJ turnpike it was $2.53. Up in CT it was $2.79. Ouch.
Huge variation by locale.