regfootball

just kind of a loose thread to get everyone's thoughts on all the new compacts and subcompacts out there. Lots of nice new entries and now some of them have been on the road for awhile..... here's a few random thoughts I have had. Seen several new Focus on the road, but they seem bland and egglike to me. Sort of like Contour 2.0. Not enough definition. Still, not at all ugly...just a little underwhelming now that they have been out. I do like the interiors, although they feel cramped. Lack of 6 speed manual bugs me. Still like the Cruze Eco although I think the Focus has a nicer interior. Been seeing more new Jettas now. Warming up to them on the outside. Depends on color. Saw one in red tonight and the body lines and shaping are much more dynamic with brighter colors. Elantra will have short shelf life to me, I think. They did do a good job with it though. Forte looks way dated and cheap already. Haven't seen any new Civics except in the showroom and they were cheap inside. Crappy dash and cheap cheap and clautrophobic. New Accent seems like it might be as nice or nicer than the Elantra. Mazda3 is really becoming a joke, with its overstyling. New Impreza pics do nothing for me. Nissan Sentra could probably stand a reskin only and do fine as long as it came with a new Interior. New Versa looks atrocious. Seeing many more of these cars on the road.....Fiesta is picking up steam around these parts....

CONGRATS!

the thing about the Cruze Eco is its a real car, fun to drive, feels well made. Gas savings are a plus. But even an LS is a good Cruze, you just can't get Cruze......control with it. I know you are thinking buy......I actually have seen new Regals advertised at under 23k now.......and of course Malibus and Impalas are very reasonably priced as well if you want to get something larger. I myself am curious at how well a Regal might lease right now.

exactly

agree on the rear bumper but it sure has a sexy BEE hind

I've got your choice, a nice smoking oval taurus or nice smoking oval sable (pre2000), take your pick, $1593, your neighbors will be able to smell you burning crude a block away........!!!!!! j/k......another Oldsmobile to replace your LSS?

5500 rpm limit and less smoothness is a turnoff......you might as well put a pushrod motor in it then

The Suv and crossover fads threw Lincoln off it's core. Here is really where Lincoln ought to be. A new rwd architecture possibly shared with other products. But a new LS should come out of it, an possibly a new large sedan. Aside from that I like the MKX type vehicle. MKT and navigator are questionable in te future. A smaller crossover is needed I think And maybe an MKZ lives for the camry set. Lincoln needs one or two brand defining models. Like a convertible and a small performance vehicle Ah hell, it's too hard. Shut it down. Lol

a couple weekends ago i managed 40.2 hypermiling on an urban freeway trip of about 50 miles in my cobalt. But its been stinking in the heavy stop and go since. trip computer shows 25.2 since i last reset it.

HHR was nicely done but needed to modernize.......updated powertrains, new interior. I think the cabin could stand to be a couple inches wider and a bit more trunk. hyper is right, to redo a retro is tricky. New new beetle does this ok. I think a new HHR would have had to emulate a different vintage of chevy truck. But as a package, the HHR was just about perfect.

oh dude, i completely missed this.......... i thought u still had yer truck!!!

built in oshawa

there is just too much competition out there. Ford would have to stop making performance models (i.e. why have a SHO if there is an MKS turbo) and also, make em unique. As an example, Lincoln could have a roadster where ford does not. I think FOrd would be embarrassed to give up Lincoln if Caddy is still around. Real question is why is either Caddy or Lincoln are still around. But it probably is more sense to pump money into Lincoln than it did to pump big dollars into Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, etc... (although Jaguar is getting the last laugh now). Ford must think the luxury car buyer demographic will expand in the next 3-4 years. Lincoln's best way to exist IMO is to actually scale back and try to operate at the 60-80k range and maybe with 3-4 models. If they do want to expand they will have to go back to RWD bias platforms.

where the f@#k do you get that lie from

the lacrosse's plood looks cheap and overall is too plasticky compared to the nice regal interior. lacrosse isn't bad, it just needs to keep up to the regal, which is on a next level of detail and quality inside.

i can see Opel working if they have the Astra hatches and the Corsa line. They still would have the Verano. Keeping the Opel name is low risk........no threat to tarnishing the Buick heirarchy if the hatches and corsa are low volume...... And Astra OPC 3 door I could love in my driveway.......

LaCrosse needs big interior improvements. Aside from that, its a good car. Interior materials, assembly and design needs enough of a makeover so the cabin is more on par with the Regal and not have issues like really cheap looking wood, messy controls, cheaper plastic, and door pulls you can't find.

Sonata is a good car but drive both sonata and regal and it's pretty damn obvious the higher quality feel of the regal. Consider now also the sonata hybrid getting panned for poor execution. Hyundai only has so much cache on the sonata. Most buff books have said regal is just a few powertrain and suspension fine tweaks from turning into a really well done car. I met a regal owner who said the adjustable ride feature transforms the car. GS should perform well. Not everyone wants a BMW or Mercedes ......or Audi. People blow money on turds like the maxima....and regal will still prob outsell many German competing vehicles. Biggest knock on regal is curb weight and we all know that current poems have been porky. Non 5 star cars are unsellable however and the IIHS and insurance industry have a sterling grip on the buyers influence.

pay in the last ten years. 10k in 2000 = 6k in 2011. medical insurance in 2000 = 200 a mo. 2011, lucky if you can get it. all your other bills are twice as much. bottom line. cars similarly functioned and equipped have not gone up so much in the last 10 years. As an example, a new Impala at 20 grand wasn't much less in 2000. But your earning power and affordability are out the frickin window. My Cobalt was 13k (10k after my GM card), i know the same car one year old now with miles on it is more. I would gladly pay more for this Sonic.

sonic is a far better look for the US market. this cobalt looks like a 10 year old kia.

new cars, ones you want, are all about 18, 19 grand to buy these days. Sonic will be on average cheaper than that. I for one am glad to see an affordable offering out there for buyers.

those were the test numbers for the v6 turbo AWD saab turboX wagon. if the Regal does not match this, it would more likely be to lost traction from only having fwd as opposed to the AWD of the turbo X, but the epa ratings on the turbo X were 15/24 i think. i suspect the Regal will be in that 5.8-5.9 range, and will probably EPA at 18/28. GM's v8 Grand Prix with dinosaur 4 speed auto turned a 5.7 albeit with higher power ratings and less curb weight. G8 GXP which was faster was like 13/20........those who like to save gas money may mind. and edmunds didn't really say it was much faster.... car and driver got 4.7 time from the g8 GXP. that with a 3800 pound curb weight but that very low EPA rating and one second faster basically on the 0-60. VW CC has 'only 207' hp yet manages a 6.4 0-60 which actually amidst all this penis waving should actually be the most alarming number which the Regal should feel shamed by........ regular regal turbo manages 7.5 0-60......the GS has like 25% more power so if the weight is close, the GS times should decrease about 25% from that.

g6 v6 was 17/25 and was a bit of a slug.

The article states 6.7 seconds. yes i know but it will be faster.

this car has higher power ratings than a v6 malibu/aura and that car had scoot. it was closer to 6.0 with an automatic than the GS with a stick and more power. this car will prob be at 5.9 0-60. The TurboX with its AWD was like 6.2, I'll be shocked if the GS can't at least match the AWD Trubo X in 0-60 times.