enzl

Whatever these cars look like, this is exactly what GM should be doing to showcase that they are something other than a rental car/truck company. Kudos to GM on using an eco-conscious city like NY as an intro site. The Trax looks like a solution to the 3rd world road quality issues, and, while certainly not traditionally handsome, its got a 'look' that stands out from the frumpy, typical minicar.

The upcoming CTS wagon is, for the most part, an update...The new CTS' will be available with AWD and the SRX is essentially a CTS wagon now, anyway.The 5 passenger TE based crossover at the low end could also mean that a CTS wagon will have a 5+2 capacity to differentiate it from its lower priced bretheren.

I like the grill....but the headlamps are weak and the side view still screams last generation Taurus, and not in a good way.The 3.6 should be made standard across the board, along with 17" wheels. The interior is OK, but they needed to make this vehicle appear more aspirational and I don't think the grill alone does it. Buick dealers must be praying for the Enclave to hit the lots ASAP.

Not too much to get excited about....thought there's be a chance that they'd be more aggressive with concepts and/or intros in a market they're getting crushed in....

That's what I'm thinking as well. DI 3.6 a possibility or will it be the 3.6 with a tiny bump in HP like the Vue RL is rumored to get?

Something needs to be done, but handing more money to the gov't to (mis)manage isn't the way to get things done.Also, Sales Taxes are regressive in nature, meaning those who can least afford it get the largest impact. If you'd like to raise some money, let's go ask Exxon-Mobil to hand back some of the $40 billion they earned last year...start with the money that hasn't been paid on Oil and natural gas & other Federal natural reasource leases that our esteemed president hasn't raised an issue about. It's OUR money, uncollected, pure and simple....

Perhaps someone at GM is listening? http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/23/analog-...ear-of-service/ Or agrees that this is a PR nightmare waiting to happen. Article mentions 500,000 active account customers to be turned off....that's alot of pissed off customers, no?

It's got a little FX in the rear shot as well.... Kudos to GM that it's going to be so close to the show vehicle. Like most big CUV's, it needs 19" wheels or more to look 'right on.'

1. Vette Z07 2. HHR Sport 3. Buick enclave 4. Buick LaCrosse Super 5. Buick Lucerne Super 6. Cadillac STS 7. Saab 9-3 are my guesses for production cars...

I can't answer the cost question...I'll concede that it may be astronomical....But, I regard the situation as analogous to a recall repair or part availability issue...it shouldn't be a yes/no situation.... Again, it looks crappy and half assed & the problem regarding it's advertised use as a safety device regarding accidents will lead to lawsuits. Guaranteed. Blame the lawyers (which is fair), but the headlines will not be kind, as the 'OffStar' will be blamed for someone's death.

I'm going to the April 5 preview....should be a great show.

You're 100% right. But, this thing was pitched as a safety device, a quasi-replacement for real navi units and concierge services....if someone told you your airbags had become obsolete or parts for your car would not be available in 3-5 years time, you might hesitate to purchase said vehicle. And wait until the lawyers get involved with the first accident that OnStar would have brought first responders....it'll be a PR nightmare of epic proportions.Why not have available a digital replacement unit installed in all ACTIVE subscribers cars?

Gotcha...just checking. OnStar, at least in our place, is a selling point that, in today's marketplace, is a differentiator and has value...GM can squeeze an extra $10-20/month in revenue out of it, so I just don't see the point in allowing the system to be turned off for those that are interested.

Why does it matter that he's buying thru the GMS program? You've used that rationale twice to imply that his expectation should be lower or that the disappointment is less real. I don't get that.The OnStar system was touted as a revolutionary tech. GM abandoning MY2004 vehicles (and its their tech, not Audis, Lexus' or anyone else's) is bad business, period. Telematics and the ability to download or 'real time' traffic, TV. Movies, maps, information, et al...is almost here...Can we trust GM to produce systems that aren't going to be obsolete in 3 years time? The OnStar experience sez no...and the fact you'd defend this atrocious PR nightmare by saying that a GMS customer should expect less is patently absurd and is exactly why GM is in the $h!ter. They either don't care, or don't mind giving the appearance that they don't care. Either way, it's awful and you'd hold other co.'s (Toyota, et al.) to higher standards.

It's an FCC decision that GM didn't adjust to, nor plan for correctly. The cell phone service providers have been itching to shut down the analog system for years...GM either knew or should have known this was coming down the pike...Most importantly, GM will be blamed (unfairly or not) for the interuption of a very useful service and denied future income as a result, a double negative for a company that cannot afford to dissappoint customers, especially loyal, paying ones.

It's 'Statutory' Rape...meaning sex between an adult and a minor who cannot legally give consent.It's not 'Rape' in the commonly used sense of the word. It's strictly a matter of law, not a commentary on what the facts of the situation are in the real world.

Agreed.They've proven adept at reinventing themselves. I could imagine this thing coming in at a very reasonable (sub-$30k) price and finding enough takers to justify the effort.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/16/toyota-...rontal-crash-t/

If the average vehicle sells for 28K, IIRC, Hyundai needs to sell very few units at 35k+, as they've proven they can make a profit at present pricing levels...they just need to make desireable vehicles...that's the trick they haven't mastered, yet.I can't judge a Chinese car I haven't seen yet, much less the company that made it. I'm not picking on you, only pointing out the illogic of ignoring a competitor's ambitions and drive. GM should be making better cars/trucks than Hyundai group. Today & Fifteen years from now. The fact we're having the argument at all means GM has already lost something in both of our eyes.

That's what I'm talking about!(---although the salesmen always love incentive season...)Product is King. Perception will follow.

I can't speak for others, but I can tell you the only thing I complain about is when posters take issue with negative stories about the Detroit 2.5. Where else but a GM board would you find people in disbelief that a company that has:1. Lost Billions 2. shed tens of thousands of jobs directly, 2.a. 100,000's indirectly, 3. made embarassingly awful products for years, 4. lost $ when the economy has been booming and, 4.a. interests rates historically low AND 5. run to the gov't with hat in hand for help... etc. & it gets bad press? Shocking. It's nice to see positive stuff...I'm not against it. But if we're clinging to some random survey as evidence of something positive, I just can't get excited. I'll beat this dead horse one more time: I'm rooting for GM...I just refuse to apologize for them.

Oh, where to begin....as usual, you're taking my argument---that Hyundai/Kia makes decent, reliable transport---and making it seem like I've put them on a pedestal---which is a gross exaggeration of my position.And, BTW, Hyundai has raised its reputation beyond all expectation, based on where it came from. To think that they can't take it to the next step is foolhardy, but that's what ostrichs' do, Fly. As for your opinion of Hyundai's Sonata being a rental unit--it's true, but your assessment of the interior quality and general design is not accurate. I sit in new Chryslers, Chevys, Dodges & Ford's every day---none of those manufacturer's mainstream offerings are marketly superior to what Hyundai or Kia is doing. You're fooling yourself to believe otherwise. Now, as far as what Hyundai (the corp.) is capable of---I can only go on past performance, which, lately, indicates they are making huge strides...what, other than deluded thinking, leads you to believe they can't make those next steps? VW once made Beetles...now they make $100k luxo-barges. Lexus was never seriously considered competition for the euro's...and now it's the fastest growing luxury nameplate in Europe! So, when you pull your head out of the ground, take a look at what is really going on in the global arena...and apply it to the US market. Midmarket manufacturer's are taking it on the chin everywhere, as the luxo's creep down (1 series now the 2nd best selling BMW) and the bottom feeders creep up (see Koreans, including Chevrolet lineup) in Europe. The core of GM's line-up is being reduced to irrelevancy, but you're sweating the detailing on a Sonata's interior. That's why its apparent that you don't get it...and probably won't. If Hyundai or Kia products actually become more than appliances (and I admitted they were above, if you bothered to notice before trying to prove me wrong with hypothetical Chinese products that do not exist) then you can toss VW, Ford, Mazda, GM, Suzuki, Fiat & others into the mix as likely victims, as they are the proverbial 'low hanging fruit' of the industry. Here's a link to some of Kia's ideas...which may indicate that the 'everyday design' revolution is creeping into the Korean subconscious too. http://car-reviews.automobile.com/Kia/concepts/26/

I just rented a Sonata for a week on vacation. I'm not claiming that Hyundai is a cut-rate Beemer, only that the 'transportation' crowd would be well served by most Kia/Hyundai products and the perceived quality of the autos they produce is good...as good as the domestics and competitive with the class leaders Honda and Toyota.My point is that the underestimation of competitors has been the Detroit 3's undoing, and that the Koreans have made such amazing strides in the last 5 years that I would put nothing beyond their abilities, including creating bargains Audi's for Kia. Much like any other line of autos, there are variations in the desireablility of product, but compare the old Sportage to the new one and extrapolate the improvements to the next generation of products....it's a leap, but not as far-fetched as the posters seem to believe. To assume that the subjective styling of their product will not also advance (and I'll cite the euro-only C'eed as a real world example) is a gross underestimation of the Hyundai conglomerate's ability to make that jump to the next level.

Saab with warranty= Good. Saab without warranty= Get a full time job, which at 16 seems silly. They are wonderful cars...when operational. The 9-3's are chock full of gremlins and the interiors wear poorly. We've got a bunch on the lot. Their resale value is poor and the remaining '06's have up to $8k rebates! That doesn't mean you shouldn't buy one, just buy it 'right' i.e. cheap and in manufacturers warranty or CPO.

So, all of these sources.... 2006 Tucson - Highest Ranked Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle in Initial Quality in the U.S. Hyundai Tucson received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among compact multi-activity vehicles in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2006 U.S Initial Quality Study. Study based on responses from 63,607 U.S. new-vehicle owners, measuring 251 models and measures opinions after 90 days of ownership. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of owners surveyed in February-April 2006. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com. 2006 Tucson - Two 5-Star Safety Ratings by NHTSA Tucson receives the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) top 5-Star safety rating for both frontal crash and side impacts. GLS model tested with optional/standard side-impact air bags (SABs). Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). 2005 Tucson - AutoPacific® Best in Class Vehicle Satisfaction, Compact Sport Utility Tucson receives top rating in Vehicle Satisfaction for the Compact SUV category; based on AutoPacific's annual Research Suite survey. 2005 Tucson – AJAC Best New Crossover Vehicle Hyundai’s Tucson has been named The Best New Crossover Vehicle for the 2005 Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) Canadian Car of the Year Awards. 2005 Tucson – STRATEGIC VISON 2005 Vehicle Experience Study™ Winner of Strategic Vision's 2005 Total Quality Award™ for Best Small SUV Ownership Experience. Strategic Vision's 2005 Vehicle Experience Study™ surveyed, in the U.S. only, 40,793 Oct. - Nov. new vehicle buyers of 200+ models after the first 90 days of ownership. 2006 Hyundai Tucson - "Highest Ranked Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle in Initial Quality" - J.D. Power & Associates 2005 Hyundai Tucson - "Best New Crossover" - AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada) 2006 Hyundai Tucson - "5 Star safety rating (Highest Possible)" - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2006 Hyundai Tucson - "Editor's Choice: SUV/Crossover under $45,000 (2nd consecutive year)" - World of Wheels 2005 Hyundai Tucson - "Total Quality Award: 1st place (Small SUV)" - Strategic Vision 2005 Hyundai Tucson - "Best in Class Vehicle Satisfaction Compact Sport Utility" - AutoPacific 2006 Hyundai Sonata - "Best New Family Car Under $35K" - AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada) 2006 Hyundai Sonata - "Most Fuel Efficient Full Size Car" - EnerGuide 2006 Hyundai Sonata - "5 Star Safety Rating (Highest Possible)" - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2006 Hyundai Sonata - "Best Family Sedan" - MotorWeek 2006 Hyundai Azera - "Best New Family Car Over $35K" - AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada) 2006 Hyundai Azera - "Top Crash Test Ratings for Frontal Offset Impacts" - Insurance Institute of Highway Safety 2006 Hyundai Azera - "Best in Class Vehicle Satisfaction Luxury/Large Car (Highest rated car)" - AutoPacific 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe - "Best in Class Vehicle Satisfaction Standard Mid-Size Sport Utility (3rd consecutive year)" - AutoPacific 2006 Hyundai Entourage - "Top Safety Pick Gold Award" - Insurance Institute of Highway Safety 2005 Hyundai Accent - "Total Quality Award: 1st place (Small Car)" - Strategic Vision 2006 Hyundai Elantra - "Recommended Vehicle (3rd consecutive year)" - Consumer Guide Are biased? Or lying? Or trying to bury the Detroit 3? C'mon. Is it ostrich season already? Are Hyundai's world-beaters? Of course not. Are they contributing to an accelerated fall of the domestics? Absolutely.