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Toyota on the mend?

16273 messages,  Last post on Apr 25, 2013 at 8:21 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota, Automotive News

    

Messages Page 1620 of 1628

#16185 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [fintail] by ateixeira

Mar 17, 2013 (1:15 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Mar 17, 2013 10:56 am)
Notice that every other brand copying the RAV4 formula?
 
GLK, Q5, X3, Tiguan, ...
 
Small crossovers are the top growth market in Europe. Build one or else, pretty much.

#16186 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by fintail

Mar 17, 2013 (2:13 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 17, 2013 1:15 pm)
But is it innovation? Is it progress? Looking at how most of these drive, and the ability of most of their "drivers", I would argue not.
 
Just fake toughness for bland people who should be in Civrollas.

#16187 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [fintail] by ateixeira

Mar 17, 2013 (2:57 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Mar 17, 2013 2:13 pm)
Europe has fallen in love with crossovers, too. This is no longer an American phenomenon.
 
Soon they will get some small ones we don't even get here.
 
Toyota invented the segment. People want the high vantage point and increased clearance without the usual trucks ride and gas guzzling.

#16188 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by fintail

Mar 17, 2013 (3:03 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 17, 2013 2:57 pm)
How does Europe liking it make it better? Europe has plenty of bland mindless people, too. The only difference is that there, they keep right.
 
People want to appear to be more adventurous than they really are. To the average 43 year old assistant senior HR generalist, there's not much difference between a crossover and a Paris-Dakar racer.
 
I can call the hybrid an innovation, as it is progress in some way, but this, just can't embrace it.

#16189 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [fintail] by ateixeira

Mar 17, 2013 (3:11 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Mar 17, 2013 3:03 pm)
It proves universal appeal.
 
Maybe it's our different backgrounds, but I grew up in Brazil, where unpaved roads are common (at least they were when i lived there) and gas costs a fortune, especially as a % of income.
 
Having a fuel efficient alternative to a truck makes sense to a lot of people.
 
I know you expect and enjoy smooth-as-glass roads, but whether it is for the Brazilian jungle or the urban jungle (often worse), crossovers provide a much appreciated edge in capability.

#16190 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by fintail

Mar 17, 2013 (3:14 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 17, 2013 3:11 pm)
I don't know if "universal" is accurate. Maybe the universal desire to appear rugged even when you're anything but.
 
  Most of these things will never even see a gravel driveway.

#16191 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [fintail] by ateixeira

Mar 17, 2013 (5:04 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Mar 17, 2013 3:14 pm)
Ours has been on the beach, orchards, even in the Pine Barrens, but you can enjoy the benefits of a long travel suspension every time you go over a speed bump or pot hole, which is several times per day.
 
RAV4 is more rugged than a Corolla, and it's all the capability most people need.

#16192 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by fintail

Mar 17, 2013 (6:21 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 17, 2013 5:04 pm)
Yours is a Subaru, which is probably more robust, and even then, you are in what I would wager is a very small minority. The most dangerous road most of these will see is the incline on a mall parking garage ramp.
 
Most people just need a Corolla wagon or a vanlet, but are self-conscious, even though they are just pleasantly boring people to begin with. Image is everything.

#16193 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [fintail] by ateixeira

Mar 18, 2013 (8:01 am)

Replying to: fintail (Mar 17, 2013 6:21 pm)
Ever bottom out in the AMG? I bet you did...my Miata scrapes the front lip all the time, and it's not lowered.
 
Seems simple but having some more bump tolerance isn't necessarily a bad thing. Or a little extra clearance so folks don't abandon their cars when there's a dusting of snow (and around here they do).

#16194 of 16273 Re: A Lifetime of No Respect [ateixeira] by fintail

Mar 18, 2013 (4:50 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 18, 2013 8:01 am)
Nope, I never did, I am a pretty careful driver, and the stuff suspension seemed to keep it level. Fintail can bottom out on obscenely steep angles, but it is a low car.
 
Bump tolerance? Sounds like a protection against lame drivers.
 
Abandoning in snow seems to have no relation to clearance or AWD, at least around here. Nor does crashing in winter weather. In fact, the AWD vehicles seem to crash just as much or more, due to inept drivers that think a RAV4 is a rally prepped G-wagen.

Messages Page 1620 of 1628

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