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If this was true then the Kizashi would be selling better even with its questionable future as to who is going to service and supply parts for the next 10 years. That said though, in these situations, do mfrgs not ensure that owners of recently purchased vehicles under wty are not left high and dry? So... except for the CVT in the Suzuki, there is incredible value for the money there now on that car. They are going for close to HALF price are they not?..or let's say 40% off is probably a little more accurate. And it is not like Suzuki is going out of business world-wide. If anyone also wanted to enjoy some exclusivity, and they were within a reasonable distance to a selling dealer, for the price, nothing can touch it. Being the only affordable AWD in the group, doesn't hurt either. If you live in a snow-storm belt the decision is made that much easier. Having owned both, I would also consider Suzuki to have more affordable dependability than a Subaru or AWD Fusion.
Anyway, I am looking forward to the day when some of these mid-sizers bite the bullet and start offering more affordable running costs with more AWD offerings. This can be done by using gas to drive the front wheels and independent at each corner electric hybrid motors driving the rear when situations dictate it. This is the best of both worlds for economy, by eliminating a heavy mechanical transfer case and associated heavy drive-shafts and differentials when traveling in 2 WD conditions dragging the reardrive components around for the ride 99% of the time (green conditions) but offering immediate electric assist for when conditions warrant. Imagine having the economy of a 2 WD car that has the ability to climb a steep icy driveway home each day, or the w/e jaunt to the cottage that is strictly an AWD road in the off seasons. This tech is coming and I wouldn't be surprised if Toyota will be the first to venture there given their history of hybrid (and AWD) designs in the past. That might be what turns things around with a more decisive result with them. OTOH though, I could also see Kia finally making such a move since there has always been a distinct lack of AWD offerings in cars with them and Hyundai. It is obvious many many people want AWD, and they buy SUVs to get it..but few are ok with the associated extra running costs. And others miss the less stressful handling of the lower CoG that cars afford. People also want interior room though, so I predict far more wagons will be the new norm in these new swappable driven-ended hybrids.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Plymouth, Geo, Oldsmobile, Mercury, Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer, Saab, Mitsubishi, Suzuki,...
Anyone notice a pattern, lol. You might even be able to add Mazda to this list if things don't turn around in the next year.
I don't know why Mazda doesn't sell more cars. The Mazda3 is very strong in the compact class, and the Mazda6 has been very competitive. Could be if Mazda wants to sell at a higher volume, they'll need to change their "zoom zoom" image, which might not appeal to a broad enough demographic.
Mazda is smarting (and rightfully so) because of the way they (didn't) handle premature rusting with the early to mid 2000 cars. They have lost a HUGE previously very loyal buyer base because of that alone. And regardless of how interesting their new offerings might be (a turbo diesel strikes a chord of particular interest to me) it takes time for some to forget/forgive.
As for ZoomZoom, it is hard to say for sure if that has run its course by now or not. Pontiac flirted with "driver's car" years ago, but did not realize the (apparent) success that VW has had with it.
But I will give you the fact that many (and perhaps most) don't actually do the math, so incorrect perception might rule in a case such as this.
Window sticker MPG is very prominent when comparing models. The CX7 for example was very thirsty compared to its peers. The Mazda6 had very poor mileage numbers for a midsize 4 cylinder. Until Skyactiv, the Mazda3 mpg was not competitive with similar cars. Of course not everyone buys on mpg alone, but it did hurt Mazda sales.
We also have a lot of personal experience with this in our family and community and 3 sets of friends varying from 1 to 3 hours away, all have terrible rust in all the same places. The 5 wagon and the 3 were the ones most affected to my knowledge. This link is just one of many that will shed some light for you.
The cars affected in our family and friends, do not park in a heated garage. I have seen some cars though that are so bad I suspect they maybe are put away wet.
I find it a bit surprising that just in day to day observations you have not seen this for yourselves on cars sitting at the mall. They aren't considered mid sized so maybe that's why..
Why is this relevant? well, my grandfather ALWAYS bought Malibu's. His was a lovely brown V6 with tan interior, a picture of Jesus hung from the rear view mirror, and the Virgin Mary was affixed to the dash. We went up for Christmas every other year, and I loved it. It snowed EVERY DAY. I loved to sit on the porch an watch rusted out Chevy Caprice, Oldsmobile 98's, Delta 88's, Caddy's, etc. All were rear wheel drive w/ chains. No schools closed. The airport was most always open. Snow was a way of life there. The only cars that could survive were big and brutal. the rears always seemed to be dragging the ground. I miss those lazy days on the porch with my cousins and nieces.
Merry Christmas to all!
-Chris
True, the Galant is gone. But I'm not in the market for a new car and Mitsu offers the Outlander Sport and Lancer and their new 2014 Outlander is an awesome SUV with AWD as standard equipment.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
For the kind of MPG I am getting in the 2013 FFH, I could have saved 10K and bought a Focus.
For those of you who dont live in a City, and are eyeballing this car, Do not buy the Fusion Hybrid! You will be better off getting the Titanium for less money. :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
They have the Lancer and the Outlander, both of which are not doing well. The companies finances are in question; and thus I would not feel comfortable at all with purchasing an automobile from them at this time.
I can't even bear to talk about the Kia Sephia (shuddering). Uggghh.
On the good side, the drivetrain was pretty solid with good power and the tranny shifted well. Steering feel was good and the wipers worked well (it rained every day).
I used a Hertz gold choice to select the Optima - the other choices were Camrys and Malibus. Lots and lots of Malibus. Given the choice I'd take the Optima again. Not a bad car for the money.
Thanks for the frank answers. I can tell you that I wear the toggle out for the stereo. Also, the FM reception sounds like AM (it's horrible). I immediately installed a Infinity powered sub with a volume knob installed near the fuse kick panel. Sounds great from thumb drive. FM still sounds like S***. Malibu's and Altima's proliferate the rental car market in many areas. Nissan sold 302,000 Altima's here last year. I don't know about the Malibu's sales. I will never buy GM again.
From what I read they are being sold about as fast as the dealers get them and they have been out for about 11 months now. That's demand that many competitors would like to have.
The EX has 17" rims, dual zone A/C, sport-shift trans mode, leather seats, Black Zebrano wood trim, soft touch dash, rubber trunk liner and floor mat set + carpeted summer mats, etc. MSRP $24,250
Basically some of the little touches that make it a little more desirable...and the 17" rubber is nice.
1 Ford Focus
2 Hyundai Elantra
3 Toyota Corolla
4 VW Jetta
5 VW Passat
6 Ford F-Series
7 VW Golf
8 Chevrolet Cruze
9 VW Polo/Vento
10 Ford Fiesta
VW and Ford are doing very well. However, the only mid-size in the top ten is the Passat.
It's a solid car that's hard to beat and I heard it is very roomy.
So, no cons to report. What I like about it:
1. Styling is descent; no too eccentric, it's just right for me.
2. Interior is good. The hard plastic surfaces that are there are not as much of an eye soar as they use to be on older VW models. Lots of space on the inside, I hate tight interiors. The V-tex is surprising, they did a very good job with it. Seats are just right, not too cushy and not too hard. The touch screen controls are easy to use. Bluetooth to my Iphone works well, sound quality is good. Cabin insulation is the best I've experienced in a car for this price. Trunk is good; they did a good job on dressing the hinges and the indoor trunk handle for closing the trunk is a novel idea.
3. Ride is great. I don't like touchy brakes and jiggly suspensions. The Passat is just right, good "feedback". You know what your car is doing without being jarred about or being too dampened.
4. Best engine so far on a Passat. I drove a 2004 for some time. The engine is pretty quiet. Acceleration is sufficient. Some people complained of a delay on the acceleration, I have no idea what they're referring to. Braking is good, not too touchy. Breaking distance is not the best according to reviews but I can't comment on that, felt OK to me.
5. Driver's view is excellent. I really like view out of the front and side windows.
So, no cons I can think of. I'll report back later with any I may find. Also, for relevance sake, I test drove a Fusion, Optima, Accord, and Hyundai. Happy hunting folks and I hope you find what you're looking for out there.
My final thought, great value and then some.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The 170 HP I-5 is being phased out in favor of the I-4 1.8T coming out in about 6 mos. Don't get upset. It's a great engine. It has to go in favor of smaller, boosted engines that get killer fuel economy at cruising speeds. Also, even my KIA has 200 HP out of a 2.4, so the 5cyl is 30HP down.
Volvo has also ditched the I-5 it has used for over 20 years, but since Volvo was purchased by China's Geely motors. So, there may be a day when Volvo is no longer Swedish as well.
But if VW is going to build a new 1.8T, I think that is a mistake to keep it as 1.8. The last 1.8T has a terrible reputation for being an oil burner and not really a very good engine for longevity, nor fuel economy either FTM. Plus it required premium gas, which is a huge financial hit if/or converted to mpg per $ spent.
I have driven the 2.5 and while I know it has a bit of a reputation for not being as fuel efficient as its competition and still uses a cast-iron block (not that there is anything wrong with that, other than weight and the need to factor weight bias/balance/handling a little more diligently..in fact cast iron still makes one of the sturdiest platforms for engine rigidity rendering longevity) and also does not use direct injection (one of the more significant measures taken for Kia to get that 200 hp out of a 2.4 I4) but the 2.5 feels more balanced and smooth than an I4. To my seat of the pants, it feels (and sounds) more like a 6 than a 4. And there is an old saying that there is no replacement for displacement, and while on a technical basis displacement = displacement be it through bore size or stroke, the way you get that displacement, can be felt seat-of-the-pants in real world driving, and the torque produced, be it from increasing stroke (tending to increase vibration) or adding cylinders (smoother) seems to be a more accessible torque with lighter throttle applications. What I am trying to say, is that that 2.5 felt stronger than my 2.4 I4 even though they both put out the same torque (and hp) at basically the same revs. And of course I mean stronger by more than just 100 cc.
I wanted to comment also on gas direct injection tech that seems to be all the rage lately. Sure it can give more hp and torque and (potential) fuel economy, but at what ultimate price? By this, I mean that when it comes time to replace the extra high PSI fuel pump and filter assemblies, and pricier injectors, you can be certain they are a lot more expensive than traditional pump/injector technology. This cost can quickly offset any potential fuel savings. The other variable too, is that while these direct injection systems can offer up pretty impressive mpg for gentle driving, they can also use a lot more gas if you are heavy-footed, which could further negate any actually $ savings over life of ownership. That said tho, owners who replace their car every less-than 100k probably won't be the ones flipping the bill for a new fuel pump, but might still feel the sting of injector replacements.
I will be checking into the Passat with this 2.5 although a VW dealer is one of the ones that I am not close to. I would like to not assume that the 2.5 in the Golf gets better real-world mpg than the Passat. An example of this is the TDI version of both. Probably through a combination of gearing and wind drag, but I suspect the Passat is extra slippery through the air, because people are getting better highway mpg with their stick TDI Passat, than TDI stick Golf owners, which is a lot lighter and has a smaller frontal profile to cut through that wind.
Your lease sounded great, but that depended on how many months was the commitment?
You guys who have college kids that will soon be in a position to lease a car like a Passat, blows my mind. How times have changed over the decades..
Another example I could use is a turbo vs NA. A turbo can save you mpg if driven accordingly. But it can also give you the urge of a much larger displacement, at the expense of fuel economy. Just ask any owner of your average turbo'd car (let's say any Ecoboost ª, car, SUV or pickup) if it can suck fuel at a big rate if you are heavy footed, and I think you will find universal agreement that they can be quite thirsty if always pushed.
But just to be clearer hopefully..you do realize that increased hp and torque from the same displacement (bore and stroke and increased air flow) is not an entirely free ride right? The closest you can come actually to that scenario is through the use of a turbo.
For example, a friend of mine purchased one when he was 19, and had personalized plates on his red 1994 GLS Trek. They read DANSJET He was pulled over late at night 2 weeks after purchase. The cop came to the window and said
"Mr Jet, license and registration " He never lived that down. LOL.
(this was 17 yrs ago and he moved out of state)
This is also why a dirty air filter doesn't affect fuel economy - just power. The PCM adjusts the fuel to match the lower airflow.
Accord 29,428
Altima 23,966
Sonata 20,826
Fusion 19,283
Passat 14,462
Optima 12,008
Malibu 11,630
200 9,080
It's ironic that the Camry is arguably one of the weakest cars in this group, and yet still has the best sales. A real race between Accord and Camry is shaping up for 2013, esp. since the Camry got a "Poor" rating compared to Accord's "Good" in the small offset crash test by IIHS.
Honda Accord 331,872
Nissan Altima 302,934
Hyundai Sonata 230,605
Ford Fusion 241,263
Accord c. 375k
Altima c. 325k
Fusion c. 300k
Sonata c. 275k
Passat c. 175k
Optima c. 150k
Malibu c. 125k
Total guess, but maybe the Fusion will pass the Sonata? Ford certainly hopes so. And although the Camry will falter, I don't think the Accord will quite catch up. But I could be wrong.
Camry 404,886 +31.2%
Accord 331,872 +40.8%
Altima 302,934 +12.6%
Fusion 241,263 -2.7%
Sonata 230,605
Malibu 210,951 +3%
Optima 152,399
200 125,476 +44%
Passat 117,023 +413.7%
Avenger 96,890 +51%
Legacy 47,127 +11.2%
6 33,756 -5.5%