2018 Philly Auto SHow

[ykX]

Philly auto show is a small one without big unveilings but I work about 40 minutes drive from Philly so left work early yesterday to take a look.  So here few of my thoughts.

Subaru Ascent - I have to say I was somewhat disappointed.  Externally it looks more awkward than in pictures, it is like somebody took Forester and did a 150% copy.  At the show they had Limited model, not sure if it is top of the line or not but interior looked just ok.  Front seats felt pretty comfortable.  Second row doesn’t have a lot of leg room, and third row is tight.  My legs were crammed to the second row seat backs as bad as in MDX for example.  The only thing due to a more square design third row has more headroom, so it fills a little roomier.  Trunk is smallish when third row is up like all of them.  I believe it is smaller than Pilot.  Maybe on a positive side it will drive better, but turbo four and cvt doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence. 

Buick TourX - they had only one black Preferred trim model.  It is a mid-level model, but they said they will not do base anyway.  How the mid-level model of luxury automaker costing $32k doesn’t even have leather is beyond me!  Overall I liked the car, it looks great, the interior is nice enough even on that more basic model and pretty spacious.  Trunk is pretty good too.  I think the biggest issue for me will be the price.  The top trim Essence with options will be well above $40k.  I checked on cars.com, the cheapest Essence on sale around me is almost $38k and going up.  I think it is way too much for that car.  I think it should cost about as much as loaded Outback, you trade ground clearance for better handling and maybe better looks.  Otherwise it doesn’t have anything special that Outback doesn’t.  The only thing is in a year or two if it will be part of excellent end of the year GM sales and you can get it for low to mid $30s than I think it will be great.

Volvo - I sat in V90 and XC90.  In pictures the interior look great but in reality I was somewhat disappointed, looks a bit rough and plasticy.  Space wise V90 supposed to be bigger than Outback and Tour X but doesn’t really feel that way.  I think they are too expensive for what they are.

Mustang - they had GT premium with performance package.  The seats were very comfortable with good driving position. The back seat looks small even for kids, especially behind the driver seat but the front is spacious and comfortable.  The manual had nice short and smooth throws, I think they improved it compared to the previous transmission, I remember few years back when I sat in one at the show it didn’t feel that good.  Bullitt  looks great but for majority of people I think it is just will be a green Mustang.  So not sure how much over regular Mustang it will be priced but probably will not really justify the higher price.

Camaro – OMG, inside it is like you sit in a submarine with tiny windows, you read about it but you need to experience it.  In the last comparison with Mustang Camaro kicked ass, but I would not be able to buy one just because of that.

Corvette - they had gorgeous Z06.  However, seating in one it is tight, almost as tight as in Miata.  They had the roof off but I lowered the seat all the way down and it felt like I will be very close to the roof if it would be in place.  For reference I am 6'1", 180lbs.  The seats didn't fell very comfortable too.  I was considering getting a used Vette (not Z06 but regular Stingray Z51) in a few years as an option but might need to reconsider it.

Overall, pretty decent auto show, not as big as NYC but not bad at all.  They had some interesting classic and modified cars from the local auto clubs as well.  Being mid-week also there wasn't too many people and I could sit in and check out out all the cars easily.

[ccap41]

34 minutes ago, ykX said:

Camaro – OMG, inside it is like you sit in a submarine with tiny windows, you read about it but you need to experience it.  In the last comparison with Mustang Camaro kicked ass, but I would not be able to buy one just because of that.

I KNOW! I mention it and GM guys are all like "you're an idiot if you can't see out of it" but it really is that bad. I've driven my buddies 5th gen and I sat in a 6th gen at last year's auto show. 

 

36 minutes ago, ykX said:

Corvette - they had gorgeous Z06.  However, seating in one it is tight, almost as tight as in Miata.

I actually liked that feeling of being tucked in there. It is pretty tight but I thought it was in a good way.

 

37 minutes ago, ykX said:

Being mid-week also there wasn't too many people and I could sit in and check out out all the cars easily.

I went on a Friday after work and it was like going mid-week as I usually go on Saturday or Sunday and it's a pain in the ass trying to look and sit in things. I went on my own as it's only 2 blocks from where I work and I was in and out in about an hour and I saw everything I wanted to. Granted, STL is a very small show and it's all mainstream companies like Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, etc. but Volvo, Acura, Lincoln, and Cadillac of the luxury automakers.

[G. David Felt]

51 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I KNOW! I mention it and GM guys are all like "you're an idiot if you can't see out of it" but it really is that bad. I've driven my buddies 5th gen and I sat in a 6th gen at last year's auto show. 

 

I actually liked that feeling of being tucked in there. It is pretty tight but I thought it was in a good way.

 

I went on a Friday after work and it was like going mid-week as I usually go on Saturday or Sunday and it's a pain in the ass trying to look and sit in things. I went on my own as it's only 2 blocks from where I work and I was in and out in about an hour and I saw everything I wanted to. Granted, STL is a very small show and it's all mainstream companies like Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, etc. but Volvo, Acura, Lincoln, and Cadillac of the luxury automakers.

Totally agree guys, I think the Tank / Submarine outlook is terrible. I know they did it to meet side impact standards, but hell the visibility is just terrible even though I love the car.

Corvette, I love the looks, but already know I will never own one since my head always sticks above the top of the glass.

I hope with the EV movement, that the Pony car segments can get wicked fast like a Tesla Roadster 2.0 but with better visibility. Tesla has great Greenhouse visibility.

[Robert Hall]

Just now, dfelt said:

Totally agree guys, I think the Tank / Submarine outlook is terrible. I know they did it to meet side impact standards, but hell the visibility is just terrible even though I love the car.

Corvette, I love the looks, but already know I will never own one since my head always sticks above the top of the glass.

I hope with the EV movement, that the Pony car segments can get wicked fast like a Tesla Roadster 2.0 but with better visibility. Tesla has great Greenhouse visibility.

With the Corvette, wear a motorcycle helmet when driving..;)     For the Camaro, I assume it has a back up camera...replacing the tiny stock mirrors with Tahoe mirrors would help.   And installing a periscope.

[ccap41]

Just now, dfelt said:

Totally agree guys, I think the Tank / Submarine outlook is terrible. I know they did it to meet side impact standards, but hell the visibility is just terrible even though I love the car

I don't think that's why.. It can't be. The ATS is perfect. It doesn't have itty bitty windows. 

 

1 minute ago, dfelt said:

Corvette, I love the looks, but already know I will never own one since my head always sticks above the top of the glass.

Hahaha Yeah, at 6'6" there probably aren't too many sporty cars that suit you.. Even if you're okay with a tighter fit. 

2 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I hope with the EV movement, that the Pony car segments can get wicked fast like a Tesla Roadster 2.0 but with better visibility. Tesla has great Greenhouse visibility.

Yet another MAJOR benefit of going EV is there's more body to work with to make a fantastic greenhouse. This goes overlooked by many but visibility from the driver's seat should be put higher up on lists of things to perfect.

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

I don't think that's why.. It can't be. The ATS is perfect. It doesn't have itty bitty windows. 

 

Hahaha Yeah, at 6'6" there probably aren't too many sporty cars that suit you.. Even if you're okay with a tighter fit. 

Hmmm..would be interesting to see a custom 'tall person' Corvette built using the stock Corvette front clip, a Silverado regular cab, and the Corvette rear...;)

[ccap41]

2 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

With the Corvette, wear a motorcycle helmet when driving..;)     For the Camaro, I assume it has a back up camera...replacing the tiny stock mirrors with Tahoe mirrors would help.   And installing a periscope.

I think you need obnoxious tow mirrors to fix that car. 

Are those mods covered by the factory warranty? Hahaha.

 

1 minute ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Hmmm..would be interesting to see a custom 'tall person' Corvette built using the stock Corvette front clip, a Silverado regular cab, and the Corvette rear...;)

That would look... interesting... 

[Robert Hall]

The funny thing is, I've driven a couple late model Mustang and Camaro (5th gen) convertible rentals, and had to have the seat up (vertically) to comfortably see out....I'm not short (6'0") but felt like I was down in a well driving w/ the top up or down and the seat down low...

[regfootball]

the camaro visibility problem is real.  the car performs unbelievably but daily driving is sacrificed so badly that i would bet it would sell 50% better with equally sexy styling but much better visibility.  GM may need to move off the transformers / retro styling soon with the Camaro and pumping up the greenhouse a bit may be the way to go.  Won't surprise me if the Camaro goes hatchback again.

The Ascent, your comments are pretty similar to some other comments i read somewhere from someone who saw and got in the Ascent first hand.  I really do believe Subaru just tried to supersize a Forester (and its still not really big but bigger than Subaru fans are used to).  Anyone looking at a CX-9 or Ascent, these people need to check out the new Enclave, it is seriously deluxe inside vs the Ascent as far as interiors and has more space than the CX-9 all around.

Edited March 3, 2018 by regfootball

[G. David Felt]

21 minutes ago, regfootball said:

the camaro visibility problem is real.  the car performs unbelievably but daily driving is sacrificed so badly that i would bet it would sell 50% better with equally sexy styling but much better visibility.  GM may need to move off the transformers / retro styling soon with the Camaro and pumping up the greenhouse a bit may be the way to go.  Won't surprise me if the Camaro goes hatchback again.

Totally agree, GM needs to stop the Bunker look and open up the greenhouse to let the sunshine in! Would be awesome to bring back the T-Tops again.

[ocnblu]

There is no feasible way to engineer an electric pony car with t-tops though.  So you're screwed.

[regfootball]

obviously aerodynamics is a concern here, but at least you could see out of this.

and this, but this is for sure not very testosterone

 

Edited March 3, 2018 by regfootball

[G. David Felt]

8 hours ago, ocnblu said:

There is no feasible way to engineer an electric pony car with t-tops though.  So you're screwed.

Clearly you show you are not an Engineer, where there is a will, there is a way!  

[ocnblu]

2 hours ago, dfelt said:

Clearly you show you are not an Engineer, where there is a will, there is a way!  

Well then, let's just say there's no will. 

[G. David Felt]

4 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Well then, let's just say there's no will. 

Accepted,