You are here: Forums Automotive News & Views What is "wrong" with these new subcompacts?

What is "wrong" with these new subcompacts?

8564 messages,  Last post on Oct 23, 2009 at 10:37 AM

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What is this discussion about? Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, smart fortwo, MINI Cooper

#7799 of 8564 Re: Not sure if I mentioned this... [qbrozen] by kyfdx HOST Jun 04, 2008 (6:12 pm)
Replying to: qbrozen (Jun 04, 2008 2:05 pm) Most compact spares for AWD vehicles are full diameter... They are just skinny... They aren't like the mini-compact spares you see for regular cars...   So, no issues with the AWD... Replies to this message: steve_ (Jun 05, 2008 6:22 am) qbrozen (Jun 05, 2008 6:48 am) british_rover (Jun 05, 2008 7:30 am)
#7800 of 8564 Re: Not sure if I mentioned this... [british_rover] by thegreatoz Jun 04, 2008 (8:26 pm)
Replying to: british_rover (Jun 04, 2008 1:52 pm) I'm probably showing my age, but when I was a kid...and before all the "anti-pollution" gear was installed, manufacturers of the big V8 engines said maximum fuel efficiency was achieved at 70 mph.   Years of weekend commuting to the NJ Shore on the Atlantic City Expressway, where the speed limit was 70, proved that to be true. 80+mph at night...or 50+mph in heavy traffic noticeably reduced gas mileage in my Ford Galaxie 500.
#7801 of 8564 Re: No more Suburban hijacking [thegreatoz] by nippononly Jun 05, 2008 (6:17 am)
Replying to: thegreatoz (Jun 04, 2008 10:29 am) "...and you'll not want to get a piddling 40-50 miles-per-whatever-unit of fuel."   Now that IS a refreshing perspective coming from a Suburban driver!   Personally I think 40 mpg is decent and 50 mpg is very good, FOR NOW. In five years 40 will be my new floor, and I will be looking to be making 50 mpg routinely, OR MORE. Preferably more. Automakers had better have something in the works.   And sadly, with the HUGE run-up in diesel prices, a run-up that has been much faster and much greater than the one in gas, it appears that diesels will NOT be the quick fix to our problems that I had hoped. It is good to have them anyway because of the fuel they conserve, but with prices so much higher than gas, they don't save any money vs a reasonably efficient gasser.   I really think it is time for all these small cars that exist globally to start offering at least one smaller-engine option like they have in other countries...
#7802 of 8564 Re: Not sure if I mentioned this... [kyfdx] by steve_ HOST Jun 05, 2008 (6:22 am)
Replying to: kyfdx (Jun 04, 2008 6:12 pm) Hmmm, I forgot about the mini-compact tires.   This is what triggered my mpg thoughts:   hpmctorque, "Will Narrower Tires With Wider Sidewalls Return, To Improve Fuel Economy?" #1, 4 Jun 2008 12:07 am
#7803 of 8564 Re: Not sure if I mentioned this... [kyfdx] by qbrozen Jun 05, 2008 (6:48 am)
Replying to: kyfdx (Jun 04, 2008 6:12 pm) I hope so.   Of course, in that case, I wouldn't call it "compact." After all, a compact car isn't merely narrow. ;P
#7804 of 8564 Re: Not sure if I mentioned this... [kyfdx] by british_rover Jun 05, 2008 (7:30 am)
Replying to: kyfdx (Jun 04, 2008 6:12 pm) You are right it is not really compact just more narrow then the normal tires so it can fit under the rear of the vehicle without hanging down.   I think there are plenty of vehicles with larger more powerful engines that will have better MPG at 65+ but the LR3 is just not one of them. It's Cd is .41 in stock form with the air suspension at normal height and that is just not that great.
#7805 of 8564 another record in May by nippononly Jun 05, 2008 (5:25 pm)
"· Best-ever Honda Fit sales. Honda sold 8,205 Fit models, breaking the previous record of 6,835 set in April 2007. May sales were 47.4 percent higher than May 2007, causing year-to-date sales to soar by 61.5 percent."   http://www.autoobserver.com/2008/06/big-three-big-vehicles-taken-to-the-watershe- - - d-in-may.html#more   Good stuff, those little cars.   Edit...wow, Accent was up 89% too!   And..."Mini doesn't need much help right now: May sales rose 52 percent, and sales of the small, fuel-efficient, premium vehicles year-to-date are up 36 percent"
#7806 of 8564 Re: Power steering.. [andre1969] by hudsonthedog Jun 06, 2008 (8:56 am)
Replying to: andre1969 (May 28, 2008 1:25 pm) And then you add in the space needed for the calipers; maybe another inch to the radius which brings us to 13" (diameter) or so with an 11" disc. Add in the inside of the wheel of perhaps another inch or more...and the space between them. Now we're looking at 15"...minimum for that 11" disc.
#7807 of 8564 Re: An economical & green Suburban [thegreatoz] by hudsonthedog Jun 06, 2008 (9:04 am)
Replying to: thegreatoz (Jun 03, 2008 3:13 pm) I hate to throw cold water on this hot topic of small cars and fuel economy, but here in suburban Philadelphia, I filled my '07 Suburban Z71 with E85 for $2.89/gal yesterday and with the V8-V4 computer controlled engine, got 20.2 mph driving to Youngstown, Ohio on I-80 today. XM, NAV and AC running.   Driving the same trip (on the turnpike, though) in my 2000 Town & Country (also an E85 vehicle), I got over 22mpg calculated on paper...using my XM, GPS, and A/C....and hauling a vending machine at above legal speeds. There are better ways to travel than in an SUV. Replies to this message: explorerx4 (Jun 06, 2008 3:23 pm)
#7808 of 8564 Versa Pricing by thegraduate Jun 06, 2008 (9:39 am)
Hey guys, I could use some advice over in the Versa Prices Paid Forum. Please follow the link if you are familiar with pricing here. My folks are interested in this car, and their dealer isn't communicating well.   Thanks a lot!

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