The Car Thread ... !

[A.Goldberg]

Congrats! The RAV4 is my choice in this segment too. I went to go visit my parents up north a few days ago and one of our family friends left their RAV4 Limited with us while they were out of town for a few weeks. I drove it around and it's a solid car. Much better than the equivalent CRV. The EnTune system is better than any other infotainment system the Germans could come up with lol

I'm sure you'll never use the CPO warranty at all. These things are bulletproof!


Also, I went to the auto show last weekend. I'll do a quick write-up on what I liked/disliked soon.

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Awesome car. Always had a soft-spot for Toyota SUVs. If I ever live in a rural area with questionable roads, the 4Runner would be at the top of my list.

I think the Rav4 will serve her well. I can't believe how big it is inside despite it's rather small stature. Her Grand Cherokee was a much larger vehicle but was very limited in terms of rear seat and trunk space. The EnTune system looks pretty good and looks much intuitive than iDrive. What I don't like about the EnTune is the loud "beeps" it makes in response to touch, but I'm sure that can be adjusted or turned off.

I might see her wanting to buy a new car after she graduates from her oral surgery residency in a year. But I also know she wants to buy a house in a couple years... I suppose right now her savings and trust assets are better conserved for a true asset.

When I graduated college I was offered a 3-year pharmacy contract job in middle-of-nowhere upstate Alaska with ridiculous salary. I seriously considered it before deciding to do a board certification residency. I figured I would buy a Toyota 4Runner if I had to live in the middle of nowhere with ton of snow. Actually, with the salary offered I would have leaned towards a Land Cruiser.

 

[D.T.]

Awesome car. Always had a soft-spot for Toyota SUVs. If I ever live in a rural area with questionable roads, the 4Runner would be at the top of my list.

Yeah, we came from a more urban SUV, *ahem*, SAV in BMW parlance (X5 4.4i), and I wanted to go to a more traditional SUV, and needed some decent tow capacity (track/car and boat). The 4R is a ladder frame like a "real" truck, so it might be missing a little bit of car manners, but it's still pretty civil, and it's not huge (and has a killer turning radius), so it's easy to park. Heck, even on long road only trips it's pretty comfy.

Basically it'll pull anything, and go anywhere - it gives me some comfort knowing we have an AWD, V8, 5000lb family escape vehicle: need to turn through a huge ditch, no sweat; cut off by 3 feet of flood water? No problem. Crazy snow storm in PA during a Christmas trip? We got this.

Honestly, I don't know how families get by without some sort of SUV/truck-like vehicle, even for simple things like beach trips, Home Depot runs, etc.

 

[2298754]

Honestly, I don't know how families get by without some sort of SUV/truck-like vehicle, even for simple things like beach trips, Home Depot runs, etc.

You got a good point. I'm single and find my SUV to be so useful for everything. Obviously, it's not as rugged as the 4Runner, but it's still super practical.

However, if I did have a family though, I would get a mini-van. You can't beat the sliding doors. Now if I needed to tow something, then maybe a CPO Mercedes GL diesel or something might be a better choice.

 

[D.T.]

However, if I did have a family though, I would get a mini-van.

To quote Ringo from Pulp Fiction:

"Not in this lifetime ..."



Actually that's more or less a quote from my wife

 

[puma1552]

Honestly, I don't know how families get by without some sort of SUV/truck-like vehicle, even for simple things like beach trips, Home Depot runs, etc.

For some irrational reason I've had an SUV itch for a while. In fact I close on my first house on 5/15, and have been thinking about those Home Depot runs. Between my wife and I we have three cars, all coupes. I've never driven an SUV. My dad recently picked up a '14 Edge Limited, it's actually really nice and the redesigned '15+ is a damn good looking vehicle and reasonably priced.

I just hit 12k on my '14 GT, and it's been dead reliable and problem free, as has my dad's Edge. I really like what Ford is building these days, and when it comes time for me to get some sort of family hauling turd, it's going to be tough to ignore an Edge sport I think.

 

[SactoGuy18]

All right folks.

As I mentioned in another message thread there, my beloved 2012 Honda Fit Sport was sadly destroyed in an intersection accident recently.

Since I needed a new car, right now I may consider two models (both US-market models):

1. 2015 Honda Fit EX hatchback with CVT automatic--circa US$21,000 "out the door" including taxes.

2. 2015 Hyundai Accent Sport hatchback with six-speed automatic--circa US$19,300 "out the door" including taxes.

I've test driven both and like both cars, though some suggested I pay more for the Fit because it retains its value better. And the Fit has a few more safety features like a backup camera. So which one should I get?

 

[AustinIllini]

All right folks.



As I mentioned in another message thread there, my beloved 2012 Honda Fit Sport was sadly destroyed in an intersection accident recently. Image Since I needed a new car, right now I may consider two models (both US-market models):



1. 2015 Honda Fit EX hatchback with CVT automatic--circa US$21,000 "out the door" including taxes.



2. 2015 Hyundai Accent Sport hatchback with six-speed automatic--circa US$19,300 "out the door" including taxes.



I've test driven both and like both cars, though some suggested I pay more for the Fit because it retains its value better. And the Fit has a few more safety features like a backup camera. So which one should I get?

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Affordable-Small-Cars/

The Honda. It is essentially a no brainer. The Fit does everything better. Hyundai's are a lot better than they used to be, but the Accent isn't it.

 

[SactoGuy18]

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Affordable-Small-Cars/

The Honda. It is essentially a no brainer. The Fit does everything better. Hyundai's are a lot better than they used to be, but the Accent isn't it.

While I do like the current Fit's much-improved ride (my late 2012 Fit had a penchant for transmitting a lot of the bumps on the road if the road was not smooth), it is really worth the US$2,000 price differential over the Accent Sport hatchback? I may get the Fit EX if I can talk the dealer into a better deal.

 

[D.T.]

For some irrational reason I've had an SUV itch for a while.

It's funny, I _love_ driving the 4Runner.

Even outside the obvious utility it provides, I dig on being able to see really well (the combination of good visibility and height), it's very comfortable, while it's not huge, it still feels so substantial and safe.

One of our future car combos we discussed was keeping the T4R for me, and getting her a convertible (something 4-seater, auto, probably an Audi).

My dad recently picked up a '14 Edge Limited, it's actually really nice and the redesigned '15+ is a damn good looking vehicle and reasonably priced.

One of the parents at my little G's school drives a new style Explorer Sport, and we're usually in line together and I've remarked to the wife what a great looking vehicle it is. Plus, a TT V6, woot

 

[puma1552]

It's funny, I _love_ driving the 4Runner.

Even outside the obvious utility it provides, I dig on being able to see really well (the combination of good visibility and height), it's very comfortable, while it's not huge, it still feels so substantial and safe.

One of our future car combos we discussed was keeping the T4R for me, and getting her a convertible (something 4-seater, auto, probably an Audi).




One of the parents at my little G's school drives a new style Explorer Sport, and we're usually in line together and I've remarked to the wife what a great looking vehicle it is. Plus, a TT V6, woot

I like the idea of not having to constantly worry about rock chips behind the wheels being a little higher off the ground and with some black plastic around the bottom (which I hate on cars but don't mind on SUVs), lol.

I drove my dad's Edge a few times and I actually really like it. Coming from the low coupes all these years, it is nice to sit up a little higher. His is the limited with the panoramic roof, xenons, etc that he special ordered. I do miss having a sunroof in my Mustang.

I've looked at the Explorer too, but the lack of xenons in the Sport is a deal breaker, I'd go limited for that one. At least the '15 Edge finally gives you xenons on the Sport, the '14 didn't, like the Explorer. I suspect the refreshed '16 explorer might give you xenons on the sport, but can't remember from last time I looked on Ford's site.

One thing is for sure, I skipped all the driver nanny/high tech garbage in my Mustang so even being a '14 it's pretty oldskool, which I like, but for my next ride I want all the tech goodies like BLIS, etc. just for the hell of it.

 

[AustinIllini]

While I do like the current Fit's much-improved ride (my late 2012 Fit had a penchant for transmitting a lot of the bumps on the road if the road was not smooth), it is really worth the US$2,000 price differential over the Accent Sport hatchback? I may get the Fit EX if I can talk the dealer into a better deal.

If you want to keep it more than a couple of years, it's worth every cent. The Honda Fit is more safe and reliable than ever.

You can chase a deal if you want, but there is a reason why the Fit is on top of its class.

 

[2298754]

I think the Rav4 will serve her well. I can't believe how big it is inside despite it's rather small stature. Her Grand Cherokee was a much larger vehicle but was very limited in terms of rear seat and trunk space. The EnTune system looks pretty good and looks much intuitive than iDrive. What I don't like about the EnTune is the loud "beeps" it makes in response to touch, but I'm sure that can be adjusted or turned off.

You can turn off the beep in the settings. And if she has the JBL sound system, it probably sounds better than most BMW audio systems too (unless you option up B&O and pay $5k for it)

But yeah, I agree. It's amazing how spacious they really are. The back seats seems to have more "space" than most mid-size SUVs, like the X5/ML.

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If you want to keep it more than a couple of years, it's worth every cent. The Honda Fit is more safe and reliable than ever.

You can chase a deal if you want, but there is a reason why the Fit is on top of its class.

Agree x10000.

I actually just drove the new Fit the other day for a few hours. It is fantastic. I love how you can flip up the back seats and put "tall" items standing up. Pure genius.

I'd pay the extra money for the Honda, no doubt. When you want to sell it down the road, it will be stupid easy to sell a 100k mile Honda and Fit resale is unbelievable. The Accent is one of the worst cars in Hyundai's lineup.

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My dad recently picked up a '14 Edge Limited, it's actually really nice and the redesigned '15+ is a damn good looking vehicle and reasonably priced.

I just saw the new Edge last week at the auto show and I remember watching one review that described it as a poor man's X5 and I think they're spot on. It might not drive as well (have no idea), but besides the ridiculous wheel sizes on the Edge, I really like it.

I'm not sold on Ford quality these days, but I'm sure they've improved.

 

[2298754]

Went to the New York Auto Show on Easter and here are a few random thoughts. Went alone, so I spent a lot of time at each maker to check every out.

Crowds: Ridiculous. I got there at 1130ish and didn't leave until around 5pm. I took a few pictures, but it's not even worth posting. I've come to the conclusion that people don't care about ours. Long lines to sit in cars, people destroying interiors (Lexus/MB/BMW/Audi all had missing knobs, trim pieces, etc), people getting in the way, when you OBVIOUSLY are trying to get a picture of something.

Mitsubishi: Shocked they were even there. Ghost town.

Fiat: Gorgeous models at this stage. That's all I noticed The new 500x was cute though.

Scion: iA looks ridiculous IRL. The front is just awkward. The new Corolla hatchback (iM) was impressive. Needs better wheels. They should sell it to us with a Toyota badge.

Subaru: Dime a dozen in my area, but never got to check out the new Legacy/Outback. Subie is getting their mojo back. The last gen Legacy/Outback were dreadful cars. The new Legacy feels high quality and is super spacious. Not to mention, it looks great! They teased us with the BRZ STI concept, which looked gorgeous... but of course, not for production.

Mercedes vans: I sat in the new Metris work-van. If they actually sold us a passenger version with some leather in it, it might sell well.

Jeep: Saw the Renegade last year at the show too. Cute looking car. They're gonna sell a ton of these. Cheap interior though.

Audi/BMW/Mercedes: All of these stands were a mad-house. Crazy crowds. Sat in the new TT. Gorgeous interior. I love how Audi has integrated the MMI into the gauge display. New Q7 was impressive as well. This was at the top of my list to see in person. Looks aren't bad, but the interior was class-leading. Too bad, the interior was destroyed. It was missing knobs/buttons/etc. No new R8 or I must have missed it in the crowds.

Lexus: Saw the new RX. I really liked it. That will be a hit. Finally sat in the new NX. Too small, but the interior is high quality too. Again, everything was broken. The seats in the RC-F were fantastic too!

Didn't spend too much time at MB. Too many people. The facelifted GLE (ML) is one ugly looking thing, especially the new coupé model. The AMG GT-S was unbelievable IRL. As was the S-Class Maybach. Skipped BMW.

Porsche: All cars were locked. Boxster Spyder was my favorite car of the show!

Maserati: They let us onto the stand to sit in the Quattroporte and Ghibli. I've driven the Ghibli before, but every time I sit in them, it makes me wonder why I'd ever buy one. Interiors and fit/finish are trash. So many MOPAR trim pieces all over the place. Come on guys.

McLaren: 570S was breath-taking IRL. Saw an F1 GTR for the first time.

Alfa Romeo: They had the 4c convertible there, but the models were even more gorgeous

Acura: Besides a small crowd at the NSX, it was a ghost-town. NSX looked alright in person. Didn't "wow" me. It's rather "narrow" in person. I sat in the 2016 updated MDX and facelifted RDX. Not impressed at all. Cheap, plasticky interiors on all of their models. Not befitting of a "luxury" brand at all. Infiniti, same boat. Ghost-town.

Jaguar/LR: New XE and XF were stand-out products. Love the looks, but the interiors doesn't seem up to par of the Germans or Lexus.

Honda: New Civic is a winner! Also I rather liked the HRV. Interior was good quality. The new Pilot is HUGE, but I like the looks of the thing. They didn't have it unlocked though.

Toyota: RAV4 Hybrid looked great. Facelifted Sienna's interior is leagues better than the old plastic junk of the 2011-2014 models. I've been in every other Toyota, so didn't spend much time there.

Kia: They pulled the new Optima from the show. Wasn't there for some reason. Checked out the new Sedona. Impressive leap forward, especially compared to the POS old model.

Hyundai: 2nd gen Genesis is an amazing car, inside and out. Good fit/finish and good looks. Better than anything Acura/Infiniti have out now.

Mazda: CX3 looked cute. Didn't have a model unlocked. Facelifted Mazda6 is a fantastic looking sedan and the updated interior was impressive too.

Cadillac/Chevy/Lincoln: Sat in the CTS-V and ATS-V. No thanks. Not my cup of tea. Z06 Corvette was epic in person. CT6 was not impressive. It doesn't have the presence of the S Class or A8. Continental Concept looked amazing.

VW: Spent some time here. Golf AllTrak is going to be a great competitor for the Outback and will come in a stick. I sat it in the Golf R and it fit me like a glove. I could see myself buying one within the next 1-2 years as a DD. I miss my old GTIs.

Nissan: New murano and Maxima are UGLY.

Ford: The GT makes the NSX look like an economy car. Unbelievable looks. Focus RS looked a little over-done, but I'm sure it will be drive great. Quite liked the new Edge too.

 

[SactoGuy18]

I'd pay the extra money for the Honda, no doubt. When you want to sell it down the road, it will be stupid easy to sell a 100k mile Honda and Fit resale is unbelievable. The Accent is one of the worst cars in Hyundai's lineup.

I think while that was true of the older models (gawd, they were cheap-looking and performed like it, too), the current generation Hyundai Accent models--especially with the mid-model changes done starting the 2014 model year--has actually made the current Accent a much more pleasant car, particularly the nicely-equipped interior. I especially like the "Gamma" 1.6-liter direct-injected engine with six-speed automatic, which has a surprising amount of "pep" even going up hill.

But the more I think about it, I may end up with a 2015 Honda Fit EX. Sure, it may not have the go-kart like handling of my old Fit, but the ride quality is vastly improved and the drivetrain with the L15B 130 bhp engine and CVT automatic has a lot of "pep," with acceleration feel that reminds me of my old Honda Civic HX CVT coupe, but with more power. I do like the backup camera, too.

 

[AustinIllini]

Went to the New York Auto Show on Easter and here are a few random thoughts. Went alone, so I spent a lot of time at each maker to check every out.

Crowds: Ridiculous. I got there at 1130ish and didn't leave until around 5pm. I took a few pictures, but it's not even worth posting. I've come to the conclusion that people don't care about ours. Long lines to sit in cars, people destroying interiors (Lexus/MB/BMW/Audi all had missing knobs, trim pieces, etc), people getting in the way, when you OBVIOUSLY are trying to get a picture of something.

I never had a lot of trouble at the Chicago show, and Austin's whole show is kind of a ghost town.

Mitsubishi: Shocked they were even there. Ghost town.

They just ended production of their only car that mattered. It's so sad how bad Mitsubishi is.

Fiat: Gorgeous models at this stage. That's all I noticed The new 500x was cute though.

These cars don't make a ton of sense in the US, where the Civic is considered small, but in Italy these were everywhere on their small streets.

Scion: iA looks ridiculous IRL. The front is just awkward. The new Corolla hatchback (iM) was impressive. Needs better wheels. They should sell it to us with a Toyota badge.

The T badge needs so much more excitement at this point and three quarters of Scion is garbage. I would close up Scion altogether.

Subaru: Dime a dozen in my area, but never got to check out the new Legacy/Outback. Subie is getting their mojo back. The last gen Legacy/Outback were dreadful cars. The new Legacy feels high quality and is super spacious. Not to mention, it looks great! They teased us with the BRZ STI concept, which looked gorgeous... but of course, not for production.

Subaru is developing a crazy following. I love our Forester as much if not more than my car. They're not particularly pretty, but Subie has the gall to make some fun models that may or may not sell (BRZ).

Mercedes vans: I sat in the new Metris work-van. If they actually sold us a passenger version with some leather in it, it might sell well.

They need to build a pickup truck with a three pointed star on it. I saw some weird crap in Europe with three stars on it.

Jeep: Saw the Renegade last year at the show too. Cute looking car. They're gonna sell a ton of these. Cheap interior though.

The interior comment is interesting, especially when the Cherokee has such a fantastic interior. It's going to sell, break a lot, and create more unhappy non-Wrangler Jeep customers.

Audi/BMW/Mercedes: All of these stands were a mad-house. Crazy crowds. Sat in the new TT. Gorgeous interior. I love how Audi has integrated the MMI into the gauge display. New Q7 was impressive as well. This was at the top of my list to see in person. Looks aren't bad, but the interior was class-leading. Too bad, the interior was destroyed. It was missing knobs/buttons/etc. No new R8 or I must have missed it in the crowds.

Audi's are so friggin pretty. All three of these marques know what they are and what they do well. BMW's recent brand dilution scares the crap out of me, though. FWD Bimmers are just not okay.

Lexus: Saw the new RX. I really liked it. That will be a hit. Finally sat in the new NX. Too small, but the interior is high quality too. Again, everything was broken. The seats in the RC-F were fantastic too!

The Top Gear guys hated the RC-F. I know it missed a bunch of performance marks. I like the looks of the NX, but I'd much rather get something a little less expensive.

Didn't spend too much time at MB. Too many people. The facelifted GLE (ML) is one ugly looking thing, especially the new coupé model. The AMG GT-S was unbelievable IRL. As was the S-Class Maybach. Skipped BMW.

I don't know that I would ever buy a Merc, but the specialty AMG models are absolutely stunning.

Porsche: All cars were locked. Boxster Spyder was my favorite car of the show!

That sucks the cars were locked. The Boxster looks kind of like a frog, but the Spyder looks awesome.

Maserati: They let us onto the stand to sit in the Quattroporte and Ghibli. I've driven the Ghibli before, but every time I sit in them, it makes me wonder why I'd ever buy one. Interiors and fit/finish are trash. So many MOPAR trim pieces all over the place. Come on guys.

McLaren: 570S was breath-taking IRL. Saw an F1 GTR for the first time.

Jealous!

Alfa Romeo: They had the 4c convertible there, but the models were even more gorgeous

I will own an Alfa some day.

Acura: Besides a small crowd at the NSX, it was a ghost-town. NSX looked alright in person. Didn't "wow" me. It's rather "narrow" in person. I sat in the 2016 updated MDX and facelifted RDX. Not impressed at all. Cheap, plasticky interiors on all of their models. Not befitting of a "luxury" brand at all. Infiniti, same boat. Ghost-town.

These brands don't know who they are. The NSX is a nice step for Acura, but Honda really needs to figure out what it wants to get out of the calipers at this point. My TSX is fun and reliable, but the TLX's and ILX's are ugly and the TLX is a drag. The MDX and RDX are fine, but I am weary of a car brand that relies so heavily on crossover sales. As far as Infiniti, they're Acura without the crossover sales. The Q50 is okay, but there's really nothing else to speak of from them.

Jaguar/LR: New XE and XF were stand-out products. Love the looks, but the interiors doesn't seem up to par of the Germans or Lexus.

I would shift the Jags a little further upmarket and focus on F Type cars.

Honda: New Civic is a winner! Also I rather liked the HRV. Interior was good quality. The new Pilot is HUGE, but I like the looks of the thing. They didn't have it unlocked though.

The H is where Honda's value is. The fact of the matter is, they're an S2000 away from doing something special.

Toyota: RAV4 Hybrid looked great. Facelifted Sienna's interior is leagues better than the old plastic junk of the 2011-2014 models. I've been in every other Toyota, so didn't spend much time there.

Did you see the FT-1? That's the only Toyota worth a second look, IMHO.

Kia: They pulled the new Optima from the show. Wasn't there for some reason. Checked out the new Sedona. Impressive leap forward, especially compared to the POS old model.

They do a really good job. I have actually never driven one, but I have heard mixed things about their build quality.

Hyundai: 2nd gen Genesis is an amazing car, inside and out. Good fit/finish and good looks. Better than anything Acura/Infiniti have out now.

The Genesis almost needs its own brand at this point. You can can see Hyundai toying with that in the styling, but they have yet to actually pull the trigger.

Mazda: CX3 looked cute. Didn't have a model unlocked. Facelifted Mazda6 is a fantastic looking sedan and the updated interior was impressive too.

I liked the Mazda6 a lot when I tested it. For whatever reason, they don't sell well.

Cadillac/Chevy/Lincoln: Sat in the CTS-V and ATS-V. No thanks. Not my cup of tea. Z06 Corvette was epic in person. CT6 was not impressive. It doesn't have the presence of the S Class or A8. Continental Concept looked amazing.

Cadillacs also don't sell. The CT6 looks like a pig even if it is light.
The Z06 is truly a feat for the price.

VW: Spent some time here. Golf AllTrak is going to be a great competitor for the Outback and will come in a stick. I sat it in the Golf R and it fit me like a glove. I could see myself buying one within the next 1-2 years as a DD. I miss my old GTIs.

Glad these exist, because Subaru's design leaves something to be desired. Hopefully some competition should help.

Nissan: New murano and Maxima are UGLY.

Even Renault can't save Nissan. So uninventive at this point.

Ford: The GT makes the NSX look like an economy car. Unbelievable looks. Focus RS looked a little over-done, but I'm sure it will be drive great. Quite liked the new Edge too.

Comparatively, the NSX is an economy car at almost a third of the price. I worry the Focus RS and the Honda Civic Type R will be so ridiculously expensive they'll price themselves out of drivability.

 

[puma1552]

Mid-engine vette out in the wild, crazy:

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/ex...ette-first-photos-news?src=sem&mag=cdb&dom=fb

 

[turtle777]

Even Renault can't save Nissan. So uninventive at this point.

Even ?

What does that mean ?
When was Renault ever able to save anything, other than a few pennies cutting corners ?

-t

 

[2298754]

I never had a lot of trouble at the Chicago show, and Austin's whole show is kind of a ghost town.

Lucky. I guess NYC is a pretty major show though. The crowds were ridiculous.

They just ended production of their only car that mattered. It's so sad how bad Mitsubishi is.

I think they showed off some new SUV, but who cars at this point.

I would close up Scion altogether.

Yup. Shut down the brand and badge everything as a Toyota. They would probably sell well too.

Subaru is developing a crazy following.

Especially in the Northeast where I live. They hold their resale like no other.

They need to build a pickup truck with a three pointed star on it.

It's coming via some Renault/Nissan/Mercedes partnership. I'm sure it will sell well.

The interior comment is interesting, especially when the Cherokee has such a fantastic interior. It's going to sell, break a lot, and create more unhappy non-Wrangler Jeep customers.

All the soft plastics on the Cherokee are replaced by hard plastics to keep the price down. I'm sure they'll sell tons. It looks cute, but Jeep's quality problems scare me.

Audi's are so friggin pretty. All three of these marques know what they are and what they do well.

I agree. They all know how to be successful now and the public loves the big 3 German brands. Audis do look fantastic, especially in the white colors that Audi always brings out at the shows.

BMW's recent brand dilution scares the crap out of me, though. FWD Bimmers are just not okay.

I agree, but they are selling better than ever. Thank god the FWD BMWs will stay in the low-end of the range. 1 series/2 series, and the upcoming X1. Platform sharing with MINI is fine at the low-end. MINI does know to tune a proper FWD platform.

The Top Gear guys hated the RC-F. I know it missed a bunch of performance marks.

Yeah, it's not just Top Gear. A lot of other reviews I've said have said that the M3/4 is a superior car in every way, and I agree.

I don't know that I would ever buy a Merc, but the specialty AMG models are absolutely stunning.

Agree. Not a huge Mercedes-Benz fan. I'd much rather drive a Porsche/BMW/Audi myself.

That sucks the cars were locked. The Boxster looks kind of like a frog, but the Spyder looks awesome.

Spyder was gorgeous with the top-down. I'm not surprised Porsche locked their cars though. They don't want their $80k+ cars getting ruined by little kids and people who probably could never afford one. The Macan they had on the stand was almost $100k

I will own an Alfa some day.

I need to make a trip out to an Alfa dealer one day. Gorgeous looking car. I think I'd buy a Cayman if it were my money, but the Alfa is much lighter too.

These brands don't know who they are. The NSX is a nice step for Acura, but Honda really needs to figure out what it wants to get out of the calipers at this point. My TSX is fun and reliable, but the TLX's and ILX's are ugly and the TLX is a drag. The MDX and RDX are fine, but I am weary of a car brand that relies so heavily on crossover sales. As far as Infiniti, they're Acura without the crossover sales. The Q50 is okay, but there's really nothing else to speak of from them.

You bring up a valid point, but all luxury makers are relying so much on crossover sales, except Acura is pretty much all crossovers. The amount of crossovers the luxury market has these days is ridiculous. Infiniti is a lost puppy. No idea what they are, and Acura needs to figure themselves out too. All their sedans don't hit the mark... at all.

I would shift the Jags a little further upmarket and focus on F Type cars.

What's funny is that Jag did this for years, failed, and is going back down to being a "BMW-killer," with the upcoming XE entry level and the new F-PACE SUV.

The H is where Honda's value is.

I agree, but it's not just value, it's the overall experience. Both Toyota/Honda are able to provide the overall experience to their buyers. Exactly why they're so successful. Positive brand image, bulletproof reliability, good resale, quality cars... what else does the average buyer need?

Did you see the FT-1? That's the only Toyota worth a second look, IMHO.

Saw it last year too! Unreal IRL. Hopefully that becomes the new Supra

The Genesis almost needs its own brand at this point. You can can see Hyundai toying with that in the styling, but they have yet to actually pull the trigger.

I think they're just scared to pour the money into developing a whole new brand/dealers, etc. The only Japanese maker that has been successful at it was Lexus and it took them decades. The other two are struggling. Hyundai, only recently, became an "accepted" brand to mainstream America.

I wish they would go all in though. The Genesis is just THAT good now.

Glad these exist, because Subaru's design leaves something to be desired. Hopefully some competition should help.

True. I would get the Golf Alltrac over the Outback. I'm sick of seeing Outbacks on every street corner. Finally, someone else is coming into that market. Toyota and Honda tried with the Crossturd and Venza and failed.

Even Renault can't save Nissan. So uninventive at this point.

Don't even get me started on Ghosn. That company is just a nightmare.

I worry the Focus RS and the Honda Civic Type R will be so ridiculously expensive they'll price themselves out of drivability.

Probably around ~$40k like the STI and Golf R. I'm just happy that we finally have choice in this segment. I'm so sick of the STI and EVO.

 

[AustinIllini]

I agree, but it's not just value, it's the overall experience. Both Toyota/Honda are able to provide the overall experience to their buyers. Exactly why they're so successful. Positive brand image, bulletproof reliability, good resale, quality cars... what else does the average buyer need?

Honda and Toyota are just so strange. Up until the Civic Type R and the FT-1 (theoretically the BMW/Toyota Supra), there really hasn't been much out of either marque in terms of performance vehicles.

With the way Lexus is positioned, I somewhat understand why Toyota doesn't have a great performance repertoire anymore. The L badge has a significant pedigree whether it be from the F series models or just the sportier F sport models.

What doesn't make sense to me is what Honda is doing right now. Until the Civic Type R (which isn't even a real thing yet), the H had no performance models except the vaporware halo Acura (Honda) NSX. The Acura lineup is devoid of actual performance models (they love to spin FWD upscale, not luxury, as performance models).

Why does this drive me so crazy? Because Honda has an amazing history in various types of racing, whether it be Indy car, F1 power plants, Pirelli GP, and so on. The sportiest car a regular person can buy is a manual Accord Coupe.

Ford has the Mustang, Toyota has the Lexus RCF, BMW has the M everything, Audi has the S and RS everything, Chevrolet has the Camaro.

Honda has...?

 

[iLog.Genius]

Honda has...?

Everything/anything that has V-Tec yo! hahahah

/troll

 

[D.T.]

Saw it last year too! Unreal IRL. Hopefully that becomes the new Supra

I _hope_ it stays within a reasonable price range, though that design (esp. if it's a bespoke platform) says $100K+ to me. The last Supra (4th Gen) wasn't exactly cheap, but at the end of the [US] life cycle it was still around the price of a Corvette, and a fair amount under an NSX.

Given they've been direct competitors in Japan, I'd figure it would probably go the way of the GT-R, move upmarket, though maybe stay toward the lower end of the GT-Rs crazy price range (from release to current).

 

[iPhonemaster5S]

Hi all, I've been looking at some cars and I could use some help in narrowing down my choices. I currently have a 2011 Audi Q5 Prestige and am looking to get something a little bigger.

I've narrowed them down to these:
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland
Mercedes ML 350/used 550
VW touareg hybrid
Mercedes E350 wagon
Audi A6 3.0
Porsche cayenne diesel (used though, and yes I know that it's a touareg)

Any suggestions from owners? I have so far driven the A6 and touareg and liked them both and I am a fan of Audi so I'm a bit partial to them. But that aside any known problems or things to know?
Edit: any other cars that I should take a look at?

 

[AustinIllini]

Hi all, I've been looking at some cars and I could use some help in narrowing down my choices. I currently have a 2011 Audi Q5 Prestige and am looking to get something a little bigger.

I've narrowed them down to these:
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland
Mercedes ML 350/used 550
VW touareg hybrid
Mercedes E350 wagon
Audi A6 3.0
Porsche cayenne diesel (used though, and yes I know that it's a touareg)

Any suggestions from owners? I have so far driven the A6 and touareg and liked them both and I am a fan of Audi so I'm a bit partial to them. But that aside any known problems or things to know?
Edit: any other cars that I should take a look at?

The only thing I would completely eliminate from this list without a test drive is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. It's less reliable than all the other cars on your list.

 

[puma1552]

Hi all, I've been looking at some cars and I could use some help in narrowing down my choices. I currently have a 2011 Audi Q5 Prestige and am looking to get something a little bigger.

I've narrowed them down to these:
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland
Mercedes ML 350/used 550
VW touareg hybrid
Mercedes E350 wagon
Audi A6 3.0
Porsche cayenne diesel (used though, and yes I know that it's a touareg)

Any suggestions from owners? I have so far driven the A6 and touareg and liked them both and I am a fan of Audi so I'm a bit partial to them. But that aside any known problems or things to know?
Edit: any other cars that I should take a look at?

The Overland is beautiful, the ML is whatever (old man river interior IMO), the Toureg is a beast if you like the looks, the E wagon is useful but ewww, the A6 is a great car, and the Cayenne is fantastic.

Honestly I can't speak to Jeep reliability, but I'd look at the Jeep, the Toureg, and the A6 (s line of course).

 

[iLog.Genius]

Mercedes ML 350/used 550

Any suggestions from owners? I have so far driven the A6 and touareg and liked them both and I am a fan of Audi so I'm a bit partial to them. But that aside any known problems or things to know?
Edit: any other cars that I should take a look at?

If you're considering a ML, avoid the Diesel/Bluetec model and try to find one without driver aids (if possible). The AdBlue heater element is known to fail and so are the sensor radars for the Blind Spot Assist.