Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
My Car Match
Edmunds has a tool to test your compatibility with various cars. You answer some questions (many of which may surprise you) and then we'll offer up some suggestions of what models you may want to consider.
You may be reassured (or flummoxed, lol).
Here's the link:
My Car Match
Please try it (takes about 5 minutes) and tell us how well you think the tool matched. Even better, follow the advice in this blurb and take it twice.
You may be reassured (or flummoxed, lol).
Here's the link:
My Car Match
Please try it (takes about 5 minutes) and tell us how well you think the tool matched. Even better, follow the advice in this blurb and take it twice.
Tagged:
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
If I was to actually buy a new car, right now it would be a tossup between a Charger, Altima, Accord, or Fusion.
**Edit: I just tried it a second time, and this time the Hyundai Sonata came in, by a wide margin. The Sonata hybrid came in a distant #2, with the Kia Optima in #3
The 6th best car was the Explorer which is good because I just bought one.
It might be that I carry little luggage and few passengers that affects the results.
WSJ article about it, I'm quoted in the 5th paragraph:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203707504577011952538187194.html?m- od=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_6
But I don't want a massive SUV now or ever. And if I get a midsize SUV now, the Suzuki's gas mileage isn't that great so it won't be a go-to car for any reason.
I think I would rather have a sedan or wagon, which will be more fun to drive than the Suzuki and probably be faster and/or more fuel efficient. It will be a more distinct niche. Anyway, about Car Finder now that you have some idea of my crazy priorities.
First attempt I chose middle occupants, middle storage, sedan/wagon/suv, <$35k. The #1 recommendation was a Kia Sorento, which was not on my short list but looks quite good. Other recommendations were also midsize SUVs and the A4 wagon. Alrighty then.
Second attempt I picked SUV and wagon only. Why see sedans if none of them made the top cut? Kia Sorento #1 again. There's the A4 wagon again. Mini Clubman Wagon made the list too. Hmm, interesting.
Third attempt I pick sedans only. #1 is now Volvo S60, yeah right. That is sooo not happening. VW CC, maybe, but probably would get Passat instead. A4 sedan. Not overly impressed! Maybe the sedans I would've expected to be on the list are over $35k.. I don't know.
I think the algorithms need a lot of work. I would strongly suggest more qualifiers before starting with the pictures. More detail on number of seats, offroad and towing use (or not), slider bar for importance of good fuel economy, and so on.
I think their prices and F/E and swaying results towards their models.
You can get a DI 190hp Sorento with good-for-its-size gas mileage. Check that out, since this tool seems so certain about it.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
So, it sorta worked for me....but not really.
for fast coupes I think I'd prefer a RWD 3 series to an A5 (AWD/FWD). Likewise for a small two seater I'd definitely favor RWD. Perhaps your match-maker ought to ask which wheels we prefer driven although in my case it depends on the kind of car.
Cars I'm actually considering buying next: Audi A3 or A4 wagon (nothing wrong w AWD on a wagon), used Porsche Boxster or Boxster S (RWD doesn't get any better).
Now drive an 11 y/o Five Series which may last forever.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Mitsubishi PX-MiEV concept
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
So premium parking pots.
Free electricity.
Yes, free.
Yes, free.
Such a deal, I'd be psyched!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
That's why a lot of people are seeing the same cars, I think. The Kia Sorento, for example, is rated very highly. (And it should be, I'm not arguing about that part!) But I'm not overly impressed with the individualism, selection process or ranking.
It's a decent version 1.0 effort and I want Edmunds to keep working on it-- after some more work, I think it could be a very valuable shopping tool.
So the three top qualities were determined to be: 1. "Sportiness" (Yes); 2. "Luxury" (Yes); and 3. "Performance" (No, not even close, performance would be fifth out of the five for me. In reality, technology would be third).
Still, it nailed the first two qualities in the right order.......that's not too bad.....so far-so good.
So I hit the button to find the "best car for me", a person who, according to the Car Match(er) prioritzes Sportiness and Luxury, and is willing to spend up to 45K.
And the winner is.......
Hyundai Sonata.
???????????????????
Funny thing is.....the little bar graphs that indicate the Sonata's "qualities", don't match up at all with the bar graph that indicates my preferred "qualities".
Second place is the Volvo S60 T6. That graph matches up pretty well, and yeah, that makes more sense. Both with the graphs, and in real life.
Third place is another Sonata, the hybrid. Again, that makes no sense; doesn't match up at all with my graph.
Fourth, is the Audi A4, OK, makes sense. But after that, it actually goes downhill from there. Hyundai Elantra, Lincoln MKZ, Kia Optima, Lexus HS 250, Buick LaCrosse and a slew of other unlikely candidates rank above the Infiniti G37, which is around 20th place, despite the fact that its graph matches up almost perfectly with mine.
Car Match needs work. Something ain't working right.
I have two friends who met their mates through an online match service. One couple just got married but the other couple has been together a little bit long that I've been driving my '99 Quest.
You just never know how or where you're going to find your dream car.
I just took the survey again - selected price as no object as I won't be buying new anyway. It says I prefer "mileage, sportiness, luxury", which sounds right - although when my E55 gets 14mpg in town that seems hard to imagine. It lists my #1 choice as a 5er GT (ugh), #2 Audi TT (no thanks), #3 Audi TTS (never seen one before), #4 Alpina B7 (if Edmunds wants to give me one I'll take it), #5 S-class, and then a smattering of Germans before an Infiniti M37 comes around at about #13 or something. Interesting.
Volvo S60 at #2 and Audi A4 at #7 are the only two I would ever think about, yet still wouldn't buy (not new, anyway). No bimmer on the list anywhere. Very disappointing "tool" guys ... unless it was intended as a marketing tool, in which case, good job!
'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
Filing that one for later use.
Just kidding.
Probably because it affects range. Who wants to have to stop for gas every 5 days?
Either give it a big tank, or at least decent mileage so you can drive a couple of weeks between fill-ups.
Time is valuable to those price-no-object buyers.
Perhaps the Koreans have good scores and that's what has been putting them on a lot of people's lists.
Most Euro highline cars have a large tank, to negate the mileage penalty. My car has a 21 gallon tank, which at 24-25mpg easy average on the open road, gives it a nice range for a V8 capable of very high speeds.
See, Toyotas aren't always boring.
Just think of the ranges we could have on those tanks with diesel.
I want a SkyActiv Miata just so I don't have to fill up every 240 miles.
I could change my driving habits and start hyper-miling, but then why own a Miata in the first place?
A nice Bluetec E could work for me, as I get older and keep the current car for awhile, it might be the eventual replacement. Same huge cruising range, and some torque.
I think it picks a vertical segment-- sometimes very badly as others have pointed out-- and then bangs down the list of pre-existing Edmunds ratings.
Hyundai, Kia, BMW and Audi have very high ratings here. I'm not going to argue as to whether they should, but I think that's why they are high on the Car Match results.
But they don't match up very well. At all. And the Edmunds judgment of the Sonata, as expressed in that "qualities" bar graph seems pretty accurate to me, from what I've heard and read.
Would you consider the Sonata a better choice than, say, an Infiniti G37, for someone who has up to 45K to spend, and who prioritizes "Sportiness", "Luxury", and "Performance"?
However, if you remove the badges, a lot of people might be fooled. :shades:
I haven't played with this for a while. Just went through and picked two people and lots of gear. When the SUV and truck option came up, I zapped those and picked hatchbacks, minivans and wagons. I said price didn't matter. So My Car Match said I preferred MPG, Performance, then Technology. I guess performance got in there since I crossed off SUVs and trucks?
When choices came up I went for mpg. If the mpg was similar, I went for the better warranty.
First choice was a Kia Soul. Volvo V50 and XC90 were next (I have a long grudge about Volvos, so I'd probably have to skip 'em).
Haven't driven one, but did consider the Soul the last time we went tire kicking. Minivans were 4 or 5 points below, and the Prius was in the 86th percentile. The xD wasn't on the map, but the Elantra Touring was (but we liked the last generation better than the current one).
So, it got our interests in there and offered up some that weren't on the radar. Like the GTI, which keeps nagging at my subconscious. Oh, another Outback was in the low 80s.
Too many choices if 80% or better is good enough for you.
Honda CR-Z!
(yeah, I thought the same thing, too)
#2 was the Mitsu Lancer Sportback and #3 was the Mazda Speed3.
Of course, I put in a price cap of $25K, so I suppose I ought not be too surprised.
'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
Or maybe you don't drive as many miles as I do. We road trip a lot, so my 2 cars probably do 16-18k miles/year. I'm on a first name basis with every gas station in MD.
I'd love diesel range, but diesel cost is KILLER here in MD, $4.20 vs. $3.44 at the same station. :sick:
You did but I was sort of asking the hosts if that's indeed one of the inputs for their model.
That's a joke. :P
Around here diesel seems to pace the price of premium gas. For something like an E class which needs it, that makes the price a non-issue.