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What is "wrong" with these new subcompacts?

9838 messages,  Last post on Feb 07, 2013 at 10:28 PM

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

Messages Page 869 of 984

#8680 of 9838 why 3 more years VW?? by nippononly

Dec 03, 2009 (9:23 pm)

Volkswagen Polo wins European Car of the Year award
 
Volkswagen's new Polo--slated to enter the U.S. market within three years--narrowly beat the Toyota iQ to win the 2010 European Car of the Year award.
 
The Polo scored 347 points against 337 for the iQ city car. The new Opel Astra was No. 3 with 221 points followed by the Skoda Yeti (158 points); the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (155 points); the Peugeot 3008 (144 points) and the Citroen C3 Picasso (113 points).
 
VW CEO Martin Winterkorn said the new Polo, the fifth generation of the subcompact car, was designed to address customer expectations with even greater uncompromising standards.
 
“We are naturally very pleased to see our efforts validated in the form of this award," Winterkorn said in a statement.
 
Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said VW could launch a Polo sedan in the U.S. in 2011 or 2012 followed by a hatchback with more space than the European model.
 
If sold in North America, the Polo would be priced under the Jetta at between $13,000 and $15,000, Jacoby told Automotive News in an interview in April.
 
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20091201/CARNEWS/912019997
 
Looks like a really nice little car, and for $15,000 I think it would do a lot of things better and for less money than the Honda Fit.

#8681 of 9838 Re: Fiesta [tifighter] by nippononly

Dec 03, 2009 (9:31 pm)

Replying to: tifighter (Dec 02, 2009 12:23 am)
I've got to say, I am very excited about the impending release of the Fiesta. That thing looks fabulous, and it looks to out-Mini the Mini IMO. Not to mention that instead of having to drive 40 miles for warranty service (Mini), I have a Ford dealer in my hometown, not 5 minutes from my house.
 
And rated at 40mpg? Only problem here is that this looks to be yet another one of these new cars in which the manual actually makes LESS mpg than the automatic.
 
I will be picking up a new car to replace the Echo in the next year or two and this will be at the top of the list. But I WILL have to check out the Abarth too.

#8682 of 9838 alltorque... by iluvmysephia1

Dec 03, 2009 (9:37 pm)

it's a well-written read, the one on the Abarth 500 and the Mini- Cooper.
 

 
They make the Abarth 500 out to be the little annoying brother that's tagging along with big bro Mini-Cooper. Sounds like they found a lessely-made shifting experience and worse handling and road sense on the Abarth 500. But does this really sound like anything new to anyone who's anxiously awaiting the Fiat-sler Abarth 500 here in the States? Of course it doesn't.
 
And it does nothing to stave off my un-Abarth-ed excitement for the Abarth 500.

#8683 of 9838 new competition by nippononly

Dec 03, 2009 (9:37 pm)

for Smart and the Toyota (Scion) iQ coming next year....the writer seems to be underwhelmed:
 
2012 Chevrolet Spark, an AW Flash Drive
 
This is General Motors' first-ever true mini car, the Korean-built Chevrolet Spark--all 143 inches and 1,900 pounds of it.
 
In fact, the writer's opinion seems to mostly be summed up by this line:
 
But what do you expect for $10,000?
 
0-60 in more than 12 seconds, highway mpg rated 40+ for both manual and auto, due out in about two years. I kinda wish it would sell well for the sake of both GM and the future success of microcars in America in general, but I get a whiff of maximum cheaping out for people on fixed incomes here. And it will come from Korea, the source of GM's VERY underwhelming Aveo currently.
 
 http://www.autoweek.com/article/20091201/CARREVIEWS/912019996

#8684 of 9838 Re: I didn't know that... [alltorque] by nippononly

Dec 03, 2009 (10:12 pm)

Replying to: alltorque (Dec 03, 2009 9:55 am)
Well, now my enthusiasm for the Abarth has been tempered a bit:
 
The Abarth shows its hand on the first pass, and I mentally move my bets to the Mini. Two faults manifest themselves instantly and both are fundamental: the steering and the chassis.
 
At low speeds the grip and firm ride gave me confidence, but now I’m travelling faster, feedback and accuracy matter and the electric power steering fails dismally. No more than a distant hint of information trickles through the squeezable, flat-bottomed rim; an electric ‘tzzzz’ is the only hint that your inputs are having some bearing on wheel angle. It’s such a shame given the grip and tenacity the front end exhibits.
 
One of the most important aspects of any car I buy for fun is the quality of the steering, something that ALL cars with electric steering are getting wrong nowadays. It appears that Abarth has been worsened by the same bugaboo.

#8685 of 9838 Re: new competition [nippononly] by snakeweasel

Dec 04, 2009 (6:05 am)

Replying to: nippononly (Dec 03, 2009 9:37 pm)
I kinda wish it would sell well for the sake of both GM and the future success of microcars in America in general
 
My guess is that once the economy picks up gas prices will head north again and $4-5+ a gallon gas will make micro cars more popular.

#8686 of 9838 Re: why 3 more years VW?? [nippononly] by ateixeira

Dec 04, 2009 (11:13 am)

Replying to: nippononly (Dec 03, 2009 9:23 pm)
Where are Polos built? The Euro is too strong against the dollar.

#8687 of 9838 Re: Fiesta [nippononly] by ateixeira

Dec 04, 2009 (11:14 am)

Replying to: nippononly (Dec 03, 2009 9:31 pm)
I forget where I saw this but they said eventually we'd see an Ecoboost Fiesta.
 
NOW you're talking. Ecoboosts runs on 87 octane, too.

#8688 of 9838 Re: why 3 more years VW?? [ateixeira] by nippononly

Dec 04, 2009 (2:06 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Dec 04, 2009 11:13 am)
They already said they would build Polos in Mexico if they decided to sell them here. Not ideal, I know. Mexican-built VWs have a very poor history in terms of reliability.

#8689 of 9838 Re: why 3 more years VW?? [nippononly] by texases

Dec 04, 2009 (2:09 pm)

Replying to: nippononly (Dec 04, 2009 2:06 pm)
Well, most VWs have that poor reputation right now...aren't Touaregs built in Germany? They have a terrible record.

Messages Page 869 of 984

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