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Comments
FWIW electroluminescent gauges are optional on pretty much every Mazda vehicle. In the 6 they are red too. The 3 gets nicer looking EL gauges IMO.
They are being changed to white for the mid year model change in the Mazda3.
From what I have read, it will be all white, and no blue or red. I have to wait and see. We should be getting the revised 08's in the next 2 months or so.
(Below is the 2008 Sonata, pre-refresh)
The new front-end, the wheel design... I dunno. Something about it says "XG350 L" to me - a VERY bad thing.
By the way, if I recall correctly, the base engine now has 175 hp, with the 3.3L touting 249 hp.
I am wondering if the sportier SE will have a different front end, at least a different grill, with less chrome?
The new wheels are awful, they do look like wheel covers and ugly ones at that.
As for the 2009, in that one picture I don't know about the new grille. Maybe it will grow one me, but first impression is that it looks so Chrysler-ish. Regarding the wheels, we don't know if that picture is a GLS, SE or Limited. The current GLS has wheel covers so if the picture is of a GLS, they may well be wheel covers.
Maybe wire wheel covers, a Landau roof and Opera Windows will be available! :mad:
In fact, to me, it looks like the area under the grille is a flat gray color. Maybe the coloring would look different in another picture.
Edit: Just saw some other pix. Does NOT look gray under the grille. The door handles looked like they might be chrome with body color inserts.
I think the wheels are what ruin it for me, actually.
That's your perogative. I wouldn't buy a car because I particularly liked a design aspect before ever driving the vehicle.
So to me, if you liked it before you should like it now.
Well, I did, and now I don't. Sorry! It lost what little bit of an "edge" it had. The revised grill design with extra bars in it makes it look too "old" if that makes sense.
Design beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Previously, I liked the exterior of the Sonata but was disgusted with the interior. Now, I like the interior, and am not necessarily disgusted with the exterior, but disappointed with it.
I don't like the chrome bits either. But maybe some folks do...
I'd like to see it in person before making a real judgement.
Also, when the '06 first came out I didn't like it, much preferring the '05 style. Over time I became used to the '06 look and now like it. Any change can take a little getting used to...but for now I prefer the 06-08 grille.
I liked the looks of the 2002-5 Sonata OK; it was somewhat Jaguar-esque and distinctive in its class. But I was immediately taken by the looks of the 2006 Sonata the first time I saw it close up, in late 2004 in Seoul, on an airport pedestal. I thought its clean lines would wear well over time, unlike the previous generation which now seems dated.
What does Homer Simpson say: D'OH!
That's a big so what. Toyota products are still flying off dealers lots. Yeah they may lose a big 3 sales. I wouldn't hesitate in a second to buy another Toyota product.
No my attitude proves I haven't seen the slip in quality. I didn't buy the product due to the checkmark and I will not buy it due to lack of checkmark. They rank below Honda (#1) in customer service for this segment. There's not even an IMO attached to that last sentence.
Who said their cars a mediocre? I don't buy mediocre cars and I don't listen to what other people say about them. Toyota is the master of form vs function, certainly other manufacturers can learn a lot.
Hyundai has the reverse to some degree, e.g. the Pony sold in 1986 left a bad taste in some peoples mouths but Hyundai quality has improved dramatically in the last 5 years or more and they are still thought of as inferior. Too bad name perception overrules everything else.
Some of their late model cars seem to be problematic as well, maybe that is why the (bad) reputation persists.
Would you care to elaborate on that statement? I had a 2006 Sonata that I leased and then bought a 2006.5 KIA Optima. Both are great cars,but I liked the ride better on the Hyundai.Sadly I wanted the top model with a 4 cyl. engine which they didnt have at the time.
BTW both now get the red check mark from CR
The details and facts are irrelevant for this conversation, what matters is how the issues formed some perceptions in peoples minds.
I follow this stuff and I'm totally uninformed, maybe that is why "the masses" are also.
Many folks simply blindly buy Toyota based upon historical data.
Well that clearly is your interpetation. I don't buy any car based on reliability or paid survey ratings. I buy a car because I like the vehicle and the vehicle fits me in one aspect or another. That is not to say I don't do research, but there is little correlation between reliability ratings and your vehicle. Want to play the percentages? Vegas is the place then.
Hyundai: Some of their late model cars seem to be problematic as well
I guess it is all about perception, depsite the actual results say otherwise.
Why you can't get your car fixed, I don't know, but I hope you have a good resolution.
So that's ok for a Toyota but not for a Ford (or GM or Chrysler or Hyundai)? Can't have it both ways.
And I'll go as far back as the mid-1980s with this conversation.
Or are you saying, that until recently Toyota has made solid cars?
Let's only go back 7 or 8 years...and, to me, that's a bit of a stretch of "recent" memory with all that has changed (mostly for the better across all brands) since the year 2000.
Oh, the post to which you answered with these gems of insight was aimed at your snipe at Hyundai indicating there were continuing problems with current cars. I follow Hyundai closely and I have not heard of any problematic cars/SUV's within the line. I was inviting you to support your claims with some facts. I am not really passionate about Toyota and only know what I read and I read there is trouble in paradise.
a series of recalls in the United States and Japan over the last two years have tarnished the automaker’s reputation for quality, and distressed Mr. Watanabe
How solid is the Tundra? Camshaft anyone? How about an oil sludged Camry engine?
Oh great one, why don't you come down from the mountain and enlighten us unenlightned masses as to what this really means.
As long as *I* am spending the dollars on my next car, these supposed issues have no bearing on my decision to buy a Toyota product. Even more so for something that has happened 3 model years ago. I'm less afraid of them not fixing it then Hyundai, GM and Ford.
If one really wants to dive into recalls, information is available:
here
I'm not saying you shouldn't buy a Toyota because, as you point out, reliability isn't everything. But you can't ignore statistics just because you don't like them.