Current Segment Favorites

[Drew Dowdell]

Since it was pointed out that I might have a strong bias towards GM products, it made me think about what my first choice for each of the respective vehicle segments would be and how many of those segments GM might win.

 

 

B-Segment (subcompacts, super mini, city car) - None of the above really since the VW Up! isn't here, I haven't driven the new Spark yet, I didn't like the current Spark. Sonic if that counts in this segment and I'm forced to pick.

C-Segment (compacts) - Mazda 3

C-Segment (Luxury Compact) - C-Class

D-Segment (mid-size) - Chrysler 200c (I know it's not the journalists favorite, but I like the powertrain and interior)

D-Segment (Luxury Mid-size) - Cadillac CTS or XTS

E-Segment (full size, non-luxury) - Chrysler 300c

F-Segment (full size, luxury) - S-Class

S-Segment (sport coupes) - BRZ

 

 

Crossovers/trucks/mpvs:

M-Segment (minivans and multi-purpose vehicles) - Sedona

J-Segment (Small) - CX3

J-Segment (Mid-size) - Jeep Grand Cherokee or Dodge Durango (Ford Explorer makes a strong case here too)

J-Segment (Full Size) - GM SUVs

J-Segment (Small Luxury) - GLC

J-Segment (Mid-size Luxury) - GLE

J-Segment (Full Size Luxury) - Escalade

Pickup Trucks (Full Size) - Ram Ecodiesel

Pickup Trucks (Mid Size) - Canyonado

 

 

For a guy with a supposedly strong GM bias, I really didn't pick many GMs.   

 

Do your picks reflect your bias?

[ccap41]

Wow, that's a lot of segments to go through.. Some kind of confuse me a long the way like.. Linconln? I assume Lux? Or where does a CLA fall?

 

I'll definitely have to go trough one of these.

[Drew Dowdell]

Wow, that's a lot of segments to go through.. Some kind of confuse me a long the way like.. Linconln? I assume Lux? Or where does a CLA fall?

 

I'll definitely have to go trough one of these.

 

I guess put it where you think and we get to debate it if it is not in the right slot. 

 

I'm kinda there with the C-Class... it has always been positioned against the 3-series, but it feels like it has grown out of that size class just slightly, the CLA might be the more appropriate Benz for that slot.... but I don't really like the CLA... so if the C-Class moved to mid-size, I'd put the 3-series or ATS in that spot.

 

Lincoln, like Buick, straddles some price classes. The MKX is a strong entry for the mid-size lux, but it just isn't quite as good as the GLE. Where as some of the mid-sizers these days are well into the $30k+ territory and that theoretically means that an entry MKZ competes with a high end Accord or Avalon. The Lacrosse is another one that great car, but it is showing it's age, and I like the 300C better.

[G. David Felt]

Awesome list Drew, it is very surprising as I have also never thought about all the segments. I am sure many others here have not either.

[Drew Dowdell]

Awesome list Drew, it is very surprising as I have also never thought about all the segments. I am sure many others here have not either.

 

It's not even all encompassing.... if you feel like I missed a segment, let me know. 

[smk4565]

B-Segment -    Ford Fiesta

C-Segment (compacts) - Mazda 3

C-Segment (Luxury Compact) - C-Class

D-Segment (mid-size) - Mazda 6

D-Segment (Luxury Mid-size) - E-class

E-Segment (full size, non-luxury) - Chrysler 300 

F-Segment (full size, luxury) - S-class

S-Segment (sport coupes) - Chevy Camaro

 

M-Segment (minivans and multi-purpose vehicles) - Honda Odyssey

J-Segment (Small) - Mazda CX-5

J-Segment (Mid-size) -  Jeep Grand Cherokee (mid-size but pricey)

J-Segment (Full Size) -  Chevy Tahoe

J-Segment (Small Luxury) - Mercedes GLC

J-Segment (Mid-size Luxury) - Tesla Model X (mid size, but not mid price, otherwise GLE Coupe)

J-Segment (Full Size Luxury) -  Range Rover (the big one, not the Sport or Evoque)

Pickup Trucks (Full Size) - Ford F150 (taking the whole model range into consideration)

Pickup Trucks (Mid Size) -  GMC Canyon

[smk4565]

C-class is still a small car, it is like 184 inches long, and the E-class didn't go anywhere.  CLA would be sub-compact luxury, but you can't really slice every segment, there would be 50 segments.

 

We did forget commercial vans, and the higher end sports cars and convertibles.  I went with Camaro as the sports car because I figured we were talking about normal priced cars.  I feel like when you get to the Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini category you are just buying styling and badge, they are all exotic and all faster than you could ever use on the street or use full blast on a track unless you are a professional race car driver.

[Drew Dowdell]

C-class is still a small car, it is like 184 inches long, and the E-class didn't go anywhere.  CLA would be sub-compact luxury, but you can't really slice every segment, there would be 50 segments.

 

We did forget commercial vans, and the higher end sports cars and convertibles.  I went with Camaro as the sports car because I figured we were talking about normal priced cars.  I feel like when you get to the Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini category you are just buying styling and badge, they are all exotic and all faster than you could ever use on the street or use full blast on a track unless you are a professional race car driver.

 

Well there is something to be said for value for the money.  There may be some vehicles in certain segments that are the absolute best in that class when there is no money factor.  Your Aston Martin example is a good one.   I picked the BRZ because I love its balance, its simplicity, and it's low cost.  It's not the fastest, but its the best balance of fun for the $$ that I can find, to get the same balance of fun from the Zeta Camaro, one needs to step up to the SS versions.   To be fair, I have yet to drive the new Alpha Camaro or the new MX-5 Miata, so those could potentially be there as well. 

 

The C-Class wins its segment for me because it's like buying an S-Class at half off (or two years of S-Class depreciation) and that's just too good of a deal to pass up. 

 

I left off commercial vans because I gather that most here haven't been able to drive all of the current crop... the criteria for judging them is also quite different.

[William Maley]

Alright since I'm the person here at Cheers & Gears who does most of the road tests (that's a scary thought), here is what I would pick for each of the segments.

B-Segment (subcompacts, super mini, city car) - Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta ST for hot hatch

C-Segment (compacts) - Mazda3, Volkswagen GTI for hot hatch

C-Segment (Luxury Compact) - Mercedes-Benz C-Class

D-Segment (mid-size) - Hyundai Sonata Eco

D-Segment (Luxury Mid-size) - Cadillac CTS VSport, Audi A7

E-Segment (full size, non-luxury) - Hyundai Genesis 3.8, Chrysler 300C V8

F-Segment (full size, luxury) - Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Kia K900 if I want to fill the trunk with the savings.

S-Segment (sport coupes) - Dodge Challenger (Yes, I know it weighs as much as barge, but it's so much fun with the 6.4L V8!)

 

Crossovers/trucks/mpvs:

M-Segment (Minivan) - Kia Sedona

J-Segment (Subcompact) - N/A (Haven't driven any yet. Will be checking out Renegade in December)

J-Segment (Compact) - Hyundai Tucson

J-Segment (Mid-size) - Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango if I need to carry seven in a pinch. (Honda Pilot could challenge this)

J-Segment (Full Size) - GMC Yukon

J-Segment (Small Luxury) - N/A

J-Segment (Mid-size Luxury) - N/A

J-Segment (Full Size Luxury) - GMC Yukon Denali XL, Infiniti QX80 if I want to be ridiculous. 

Pickup Trucks (Full Size) - Ram 1500

Pickup Trucks (Mid Size) - N/A (GMs need a better V6 and a slight price cut. Nissan is getting too old. New Tacoma might be pick but I need to drive it)

 

On commercial vehicles, I need to spend some time with the Promaster and Transit lineups before making a call on this.

[Frisky Dingo]

Cars-

 

 

Subcompact Mainstream- Chevy Sonic range/Fiesta ST perf model

Compact Mainstream- Ford Focus

Mid-Size Mainstream- Mazda 6 (not hugely impressed with any of these really)

Full-Size Mainstream- Dodge Charger

Subcompact Sport/Lux- Audi A3/S3

Compact Sport/Lux- 3 Series/ M3 Sedan; A5/RS5 Coupe

Mid-Size Sport/Lux- Audi A6/ M5

Full-Size Sport/Lux- 7 Series (if done well, the CT8 is likely to be my pick here, too early to tell)

 

 

 

SUV/CUV's-

 

Sub-Compact- Jeep Renegade

Compact- Subara Forester (again, not really a fan of any of these)

Mid-Size CUV- Ford Edge

Full-Size CUV- Toyota Highlander

Mid-Size SUV- Grand Cherokee

Full-Size SUV- Toyota Sequoia (yep, for real)

Sub-Compact Sport/Lux- Audi Q3

Compact Sport/Lux- BMW X3

Mid-Size Sport/Lux- BMW X5/X5M

Full-Size Sports/Lux- Escalade

 

 

 

Trucks-

 

Mid-Size- Chevy Colorado

Full-size 1/2- GMC Sierra

Full-Size HD- Chevy Silverado

 

 

Vans-

 

Toyota Sienna

 

 

 

Also, Camaro over Mustang.

 

 

 

 

For someone who gets accused of being anti-GM and ChryCo often, and a Toyota and BMW fanboy on the regular, that's a pretty diverse list right there. Hate on.

Edited October 22, 2015 by Frisky Dingo

[smk4565]

They still make the Toyota Sequoia?  I don't think I have seen one on the road since 2004.