Forbes: Ten Cars Americans Hate
11-03-08, 09:36 PM
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Forbes: Ten Cars Americans Hate
Ten Cars Americans Hate
Jacqueline Mitchell 10.15.08, 4:20 PM ET
http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/15/car...hisSpeed=15000
pic
In Pictures: Ten Cars Americans Hate
Times are so difficult for the auto industry that even Toyota and Honda have now experienced the kinds of double-digit sales dips that have been plaguing American auto giants General Motors and Ford all year. Sales for the entire industry were down 26.6% collectively in September as consumers grew skittish about making big-ticket purchases.
In good economic times and bad alike, however, there are some vehicles that American consumers seem to abhor outright. And they're not just the big, gas-guzzling SUVs that are currently out of favor. It turns out, the cars American consumers hate the most come in many different shapes and sizes, and they're disliked for a wide array of reasons.
In Depth: Ten Cars Americans Hate
"Buyers make the same choices and buy the safe brand," says Jessica Caldwell, manager of pricing and industry analysis at Edmunds.com, an automotive consumer information Web site. "They are not thinking outside the box and buying something that may stand out as an odd purchase."
In other words, the cars Americans seem to hate aren't necessarily bad cars. In fact, the industry underdogs are, for the most part, solid quality cars, according to J.D. Power and Associates ratings on quality, design and performance.
There are usually just one or two elements or features that throw consumers off, as is the case with the Dodge Magnum, which is a wagon (American buyers gave up wagons for minivans a long time ago, then gave up minivans for SUVs); the Audi A3, which is a hatchback (consumers never cared much for them in the first place); and the Acura RL, which is just plain, vanilla-looking, says Stephanie Brinley, auto analyst at AutoPacific, Inc., an automotive marketing and product consulting firm
Car buyers are rightfully picky. From models that have quality issues (real or perceived) to simple design elements that lack aesthetic appeal, in each major vehicle class there's at least one car U.S. consumers tend to steer clear of.
Behind The Numbers
To generate our list of the cars Americans hate, we looked at sales data for the 10 major vehicle segments defined by market research firm J.D. Power and Associates. The sales data, provided by Automotive News, a trade publication, spans 2006, 2007 and the first nine months of 2008. The vehicles with the lowest sales in their class made the list.
We then looked at J.D. Power's consumer ratings in two studies. The 2008 Initial Quality study reports buyer satisfaction with a vehicle in the first 90 days of ownership in terms of mechanical defects and malfunctions, as well as ease of using a particular feature. The 2008 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study measures owner delight with vehicle design, content, layout and performance following the first 90 days of ownership. In both studies, a ring rating is used with five rings as the highest and two rings for the lowest.
Some vehicles that earned five rings made the list, meaning not all high-quality cars are instant hits with consumers. Quite the opposite, in fact. In the subcompact car segment, the Kia Rio earned five rings in both J.D. Power studies, but only 92,087 were sold in the measured period. The Rio even earns better quality ratings than the segment sales-leading Toyota Yaris, which saw sales of 243,602 in the same time frame.
Why the snub? The major reason could be that Hyundai models suffered from quality issues with the engine and transmission in the late 1990s (Kia, a relatively new brand to the U.S., is owned by Hyundai), yet those problems were overcome slowly but surely. Today the company even offers a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty to back up its improved-quality claim. Nevertheless, some consumers still view a car like the Kia Rio as a risk. The Kia brand as a whole only earned two rings in the J.D. Power 2008 overall dependability study.
Stiff Competition
In some segments, like the midsize car, the competition is so fierce that very good cars wind up getting almost completely ignored.
The Honda Accord (1.37 million sales in the aforementioned time period) and Toyota Camry (1.27 million sales) dominate the segment. Sales of the slightly cheaper Mitsubishi Galant were a mere blip (75,089 sales) in that segment. The Galant gets slightly worse gas mileage than the Accord, 21 mpg versus 25 mpg, but according to J.D. Power, Galant owners (five rings in each study) liked their cars more than Accord owners (three rings in each study).
"The problem with the Galant and cars like it is that no one knows the brand," says Caldwell. "You pull up and people ask, 'What's this?' and then they want to know, 'Why did you buy it?' There just isn't a lot of brand recognition."
What car do you well and truly hate? Why? Weigh in. Share your experiences in the Reader Comments section below.
But then there's well-earned hatred, particularly due to quality issues, which is the case with the Jaguar XJ, of which only 10,852 were sold (the leader in the segment, the Cadillac DTS, saw sales above 135,000). The Jaguar brand was sold last year to Indian company Tata Motors (nyse: TTM - news - people ), and when Jaguar lost its British edge it also lost favor with American buyers, says Caldwell. Even though the quality problems of Jaguars, to that point, had been well-known among consumers, the idea of having a British car parked in the driveway was, for a long time, enough to attract loyal American buyers.
And that's what's missing in vehicle purchases today in general, says Brinley. The sheer emotion that persuades some buyers to choose a car they love over one that's generally acceptable to the masses.
In other words, the overall driving experience probably isn't all that different from car to car within a segment. But all it takes is one design quirk or one long-since-overcome quality issue for consumers to develop a negative perception of a car. Taking a risk on an overlooked model within a segment may be a better choice, but consumers make logical, safe purchases rather than ones that might be more fun and stand out a little.
"Many car buyers are still buying cars like they buy appliances," says Brinley. "They buy a car that fits their life needs but they are not purchasing it for the design or style. There's no emotional attachment to it."
Kia Rio (Subcompact Car)
Base MSRP: $11,495
Combined 2007/08 Sales: 92,087
Toyota Yaris, Sales Leader: 243,602
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 27 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: The Kia Brand earned two rings (out of a possible five) in J.D. Power's 2008 dependability study, making it a risky quality purchase for some buyers.
Volkswagen Rabbit (Compact Car)
Base MSRP: $15,600
Combined 2007/08 Sales: 54,094
Toyota Corolla, Sales Leader: 1,038,463
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 24 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says Americans are not fond of hatchbacks, which are widely popular in Europe.
Mazda Tribute (Compact Multi-activity Vehicle)
Base MSRP: $19,135
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 50,372
Honda CR-V, Sales Leader: 547,212
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 22 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: Edmunds.com's Caldwell says the SUV is an oddball in the Mazda mix, and most buyers don't look to the brand for an SUV.
Audi A3 (Entry Premium Vehicle)
Base MSRP: $25,930
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 18,127
BMW 3 Series, Sales Leader: 350,940
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 25 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says Americans are not fond of hatchbacks, which are widely popular in Europe.
Dodge Magnum (Large Car)
Base MSRP: $23,420
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 41,128
Chevrolet Impala, Sales Leader: 810,730
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says that Americans lost their interest in wagons when the minivan came along (which later fell out of favor to SUVs).
Mitsubishi Galant (Midsize Car)
Base MSRP: $19,999
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 75,089
Honda Accord, Sales Leader: 1,373,128
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 23 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: Despite high J.D.Power ratings, Edmunds.com's Caldwell says the Galant suffers from a lack of brand recognition in the ultra-competitive midsize segment.
Jaguar XJ (Large Premium Car)
Base MSRP: $35,060
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 10,852
Cadillac DTS, Sales Leader: 135,483
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 19 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: Edmunds.com's Caldwell says buyers were willing to suffer through some quality issues when Jaguar was British-owned, but the brand lost luster when Ford bought, and then later sold, it to India-based Tata Motors last year.
Saturn Sky (Compact Sporty Car)
Base MSRP: $34,800
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 28,231
Scion tc, Sales Leader: 178,657
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 22 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says the convertible top is cumbersome to maneuver in terms up getting it up and down and just doesn't appeal to buyers who want a convertible
Saab 9-7X (Midsize Premium Multi-Activity Vehicle)
Base MSRP: $40,400
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 13,880
Lexus RX, Sales Leader: 269,907
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 16 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says Saab's quirky interior, like ignition starts located on the center console and not the dash, appeals to "a little different buyer with a little different personality."
Acura RL (Midsize Premium Car)
Base MSRP: $46,280
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 21,529
Lexus ES 350, Sales Leader: 209,496
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 19 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says Acura's bland, plain-vanilla exterior styling is a turnoff to buyers who don't want to blend in in a crowded parking lot.
Jacqueline Mitchell 10.15.08, 4:20 PM ET
http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/15/car...hisSpeed=15000
pic
In Pictures: Ten Cars Americans Hate
Times are so difficult for the auto industry that even Toyota and Honda have now experienced the kinds of double-digit sales dips that have been plaguing American auto giants General Motors and Ford all year. Sales for the entire industry were down 26.6% collectively in September as consumers grew skittish about making big-ticket purchases.
In good economic times and bad alike, however, there are some vehicles that American consumers seem to abhor outright. And they're not just the big, gas-guzzling SUVs that are currently out of favor. It turns out, the cars American consumers hate the most come in many different shapes and sizes, and they're disliked for a wide array of reasons.
In Depth: Ten Cars Americans Hate
"Buyers make the same choices and buy the safe brand," says Jessica Caldwell, manager of pricing and industry analysis at Edmunds.com, an automotive consumer information Web site. "They are not thinking outside the box and buying something that may stand out as an odd purchase."
In other words, the cars Americans seem to hate aren't necessarily bad cars. In fact, the industry underdogs are, for the most part, solid quality cars, according to J.D. Power and Associates ratings on quality, design and performance.
There are usually just one or two elements or features that throw consumers off, as is the case with the Dodge Magnum, which is a wagon (American buyers gave up wagons for minivans a long time ago, then gave up minivans for SUVs); the Audi A3, which is a hatchback (consumers never cared much for them in the first place); and the Acura RL, which is just plain, vanilla-looking, says Stephanie Brinley, auto analyst at AutoPacific, Inc., an automotive marketing and product consulting firm
Car buyers are rightfully picky. From models that have quality issues (real or perceived) to simple design elements that lack aesthetic appeal, in each major vehicle class there's at least one car U.S. consumers tend to steer clear of.
Behind The Numbers
To generate our list of the cars Americans hate, we looked at sales data for the 10 major vehicle segments defined by market research firm J.D. Power and Associates. The sales data, provided by Automotive News, a trade publication, spans 2006, 2007 and the first nine months of 2008. The vehicles with the lowest sales in their class made the list.
We then looked at J.D. Power's consumer ratings in two studies. The 2008 Initial Quality study reports buyer satisfaction with a vehicle in the first 90 days of ownership in terms of mechanical defects and malfunctions, as well as ease of using a particular feature. The 2008 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study measures owner delight with vehicle design, content, layout and performance following the first 90 days of ownership. In both studies, a ring rating is used with five rings as the highest and two rings for the lowest.
Some vehicles that earned five rings made the list, meaning not all high-quality cars are instant hits with consumers. Quite the opposite, in fact. In the subcompact car segment, the Kia Rio earned five rings in both J.D. Power studies, but only 92,087 were sold in the measured period. The Rio even earns better quality ratings than the segment sales-leading Toyota Yaris, which saw sales of 243,602 in the same time frame.
Why the snub? The major reason could be that Hyundai models suffered from quality issues with the engine and transmission in the late 1990s (Kia, a relatively new brand to the U.S., is owned by Hyundai), yet those problems were overcome slowly but surely. Today the company even offers a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty to back up its improved-quality claim. Nevertheless, some consumers still view a car like the Kia Rio as a risk. The Kia brand as a whole only earned two rings in the J.D. Power 2008 overall dependability study.
Stiff Competition
In some segments, like the midsize car, the competition is so fierce that very good cars wind up getting almost completely ignored.
The Honda Accord (1.37 million sales in the aforementioned time period) and Toyota Camry (1.27 million sales) dominate the segment. Sales of the slightly cheaper Mitsubishi Galant were a mere blip (75,089 sales) in that segment. The Galant gets slightly worse gas mileage than the Accord, 21 mpg versus 25 mpg, but according to J.D. Power, Galant owners (five rings in each study) liked their cars more than Accord owners (three rings in each study).
"The problem with the Galant and cars like it is that no one knows the brand," says Caldwell. "You pull up and people ask, 'What's this?' and then they want to know, 'Why did you buy it?' There just isn't a lot of brand recognition."
What car do you well and truly hate? Why? Weigh in. Share your experiences in the Reader Comments section below.
But then there's well-earned hatred, particularly due to quality issues, which is the case with the Jaguar XJ, of which only 10,852 were sold (the leader in the segment, the Cadillac DTS, saw sales above 135,000). The Jaguar brand was sold last year to Indian company Tata Motors (nyse: TTM - news - people ), and when Jaguar lost its British edge it also lost favor with American buyers, says Caldwell. Even though the quality problems of Jaguars, to that point, had been well-known among consumers, the idea of having a British car parked in the driveway was, for a long time, enough to attract loyal American buyers.
And that's what's missing in vehicle purchases today in general, says Brinley. The sheer emotion that persuades some buyers to choose a car they love over one that's generally acceptable to the masses.
In other words, the overall driving experience probably isn't all that different from car to car within a segment. But all it takes is one design quirk or one long-since-overcome quality issue for consumers to develop a negative perception of a car. Taking a risk on an overlooked model within a segment may be a better choice, but consumers make logical, safe purchases rather than ones that might be more fun and stand out a little.
"Many car buyers are still buying cars like they buy appliances," says Brinley. "They buy a car that fits their life needs but they are not purchasing it for the design or style. There's no emotional attachment to it."
Kia Rio (Subcompact Car)
Base MSRP: $11,495
Combined 2007/08 Sales: 92,087
Toyota Yaris, Sales Leader: 243,602
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 27 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: The Kia Brand earned two rings (out of a possible five) in J.D. Power's 2008 dependability study, making it a risky quality purchase for some buyers.
Volkswagen Rabbit (Compact Car)
Base MSRP: $15,600
Combined 2007/08 Sales: 54,094
Toyota Corolla, Sales Leader: 1,038,463
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 24 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says Americans are not fond of hatchbacks, which are widely popular in Europe.
Mazda Tribute (Compact Multi-activity Vehicle)
Base MSRP: $19,135
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 50,372
Honda CR-V, Sales Leader: 547,212
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 22 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: Edmunds.com's Caldwell says the SUV is an oddball in the Mazda mix, and most buyers don't look to the brand for an SUV.
Audi A3 (Entry Premium Vehicle)
Base MSRP: $25,930
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 18,127
BMW 3 Series, Sales Leader: 350,940
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 25 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says Americans are not fond of hatchbacks, which are widely popular in Europe.
Dodge Magnum (Large Car)
Base MSRP: $23,420
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 41,128
Chevrolet Impala, Sales Leader: 810,730
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says that Americans lost their interest in wagons when the minivan came along (which later fell out of favor to SUVs).
Mitsubishi Galant (Midsize Car)
Base MSRP: $19,999
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 75,089
Honda Accord, Sales Leader: 1,373,128
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 23 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: Despite high J.D.Power ratings, Edmunds.com's Caldwell says the Galant suffers from a lack of brand recognition in the ultra-competitive midsize segment.
Jaguar XJ (Large Premium Car)
Base MSRP: $35,060
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 10,852
Cadillac DTS, Sales Leader: 135,483
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 19 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: Edmunds.com's Caldwell says buyers were willing to suffer through some quality issues when Jaguar was British-owned, but the brand lost luster when Ford bought, and then later sold, it to India-based Tata Motors last year.
Saturn Sky (Compact Sporty Car)
Base MSRP: $34,800
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 28,231
Scion tc, Sales Leader: 178,657
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 22 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says the convertible top is cumbersome to maneuver in terms up getting it up and down and just doesn't appeal to buyers who want a convertible
Saab 9-7X (Midsize Premium Multi-Activity Vehicle)
Base MSRP: $40,400
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 13,880
Lexus RX, Sales Leader: 269,907
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 16 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says Saab's quirky interior, like ignition starts located on the center console and not the dash, appeals to "a little different buyer with a little different personality."
Acura RL (Midsize Premium Car)
Base MSRP: $46,280
Combined 2006-08 Sales: 21,529
Lexus ES 350, Sales Leader: 209,496
EPA Combined Estimated Fuel Economy: 19 mpg
Why Americans Hate It: AutoPacific's Brinley says Acura's bland, plain-vanilla exterior styling is a turnoff to buyers who don't want to blend in in a crowded parking lot.
11-04-08, 06:24 AM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
Most of this is based on simple ignorance..........especially with the RL, although there is some truth to the Jaguar quality issues and the Sky/Solstice convertible top being a pain in the a** to put up and down.
The article itself was also wrong in several places, especially with the Hyundai engines/transmission issues dating from the late 90's. The correct time period for Hyundai's worst problems was the late 80's, not 90's. By the late 90's they pretty much had their act together. It is also wrong in the so-called American "hatred" of wagons. The constant, high, year-to-year sales of Subaru Outback and Impreza wagons proves that. The Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, and Dodge Nitro have also been very successful in this area...though the Nitro is poorly-built, with cheap materials.
The article itself was also wrong in several places, especially with the Hyundai engines/transmission issues dating from the late 90's. The correct time period for Hyundai's worst problems was the late 80's, not 90's. By the late 90's they pretty much had their act together. It is also wrong in the so-called American "hatred" of wagons. The constant, high, year-to-year sales of Subaru Outback and Impreza wagons proves that. The Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, and Dodge Nitro have also been very successful in this area...though the Nitro is poorly-built, with cheap materials.
11-04-08, 06:29 AM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Most of this is based on simple ignorance..........especially with the RL, although there is some truth to the Jaguar quality issues and the Sky/Solstice convertible top being a pain in the a** to put up and down.
The article itself was also wrong in several places, especially with the Hyundai engines/transmission issues dating from the late 90's. The correct time period for Hyundai's worst problems was the late 80's, not 90's. By the late 90's they pretty much had their act together. It is also wrong in the so-called American "hatred" of wagons. The constant, high, year-to-year sales of Subaru Outback and Impreza wagons proves that. The Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, and Dodge Nitro have also been very successful in this area...though the Nitro is poorly-built, with cheap materials.
The article itself was also wrong in several places, especially with the Hyundai engines/transmission issues dating from the late 90's. The correct time period for Hyundai's worst problems was the late 80's, not 90's. By the late 90's they pretty much had their act together. It is also wrong in the so-called American "hatred" of wagons. The constant, high, year-to-year sales of Subaru Outback and Impreza wagons proves that. The Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, and Dodge Nitro have also been very successful in this area...though the Nitro is poorly-built, with cheap materials.
Not sure I would title this article "hate", maybe cars Americans laugh at.
11-04-08, 06:40 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Its clear you and 30 other people like the RL but the car simply is a dismal and complete failure. It is sad the writer thinks that the ES is its main competition. Shows how much image the RL lacks.
Not sure I would title this article "hate", maybe cars Americans laugh at.
Not sure I would title this article "hate", maybe cars Americans laugh at.
An RL-ES comparison is simply wrong. The SH-AWD RL, in the Lexus line, is closest to the GS350AWD, not a FWD ES. It is also, IMO, far more solidly built than the new ES.
I agree the title would be better served by the term "laugh at" rather than "hate", but a number of cars on that list, IMO, deserve neither.
If only 30 people besides me like the RL, that shows how few people may have actually test-driven it and given it a chance.
I know almost no one who has actually driven one or owns one who actually dislikes it. It's a little pricey for my tastes, though, even at a steep discount. Subaru, for example, does a superb AWD for far less money.
So I don't disagree with you on the fact that the RL has not sold well (for the most part, it hasn't), but I do disagree, to some extent, on the reasons why.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-04-08 at 07:13 AM.
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11-04-08, 06:59 AM
#8
Its clear you and 30 other people like the RL but the car simply is a dismal and complete failure. It is sad the writer thinks that the ES is its main competition. Shows how much image the RL lacks.
Not sure I would title this article "hate", maybe cars Americans laugh at.
Not sure I would title this article "hate", maybe cars Americans laugh at.
An alternative from the quasi-standard that luxury car = high powered V6/V8 FR. It's distinguished, different. "Honda knew it had no chance standing against the LS, GS, Mx5, etc. So they took a completely different route" (I want to say it was CarGraphic magazine in Japan). I applaud Honda for the current RL (well...the after minor change looks ugly as sin). For being different, being bold, not following the crowd. It may not appeal to the North American market, but it did win COTY in Japan and RJC Technology of the Year award (Automotive Researchers' & Journalists' Conference of Japan).
Sure it may be a failure in terms of business, but shows that Honda is still Honda, no matter how much you hate it.
11-04-08, 07:20 AM
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
lacks image, but I think its a great car.
An alternative from the quasi-standard that luxury car = high powered V6/V8 FR. It's distinguished, different. "Honda knew it had no chance standing against the LS, GS, Mx5, etc. So they took a completely different route" (I want to say it was CarGraphic magazine in Japan). I applaud Honda for the current RL (well...the after minor change looks ugly as sin). For being different, being bold, not following the crowd. It may not appeal to the North American market, but it did win COTY in Japan and RJC Technology of the Year award (Automotive Researchers' & Journalists' Conference of Japan).
Sure it may be a failure in terms of business, but shows that Honda is still Honda, no matter how much you hate it.
An alternative from the quasi-standard that luxury car = high powered V6/V8 FR. It's distinguished, different. "Honda knew it had no chance standing against the LS, GS, Mx5, etc. So they took a completely different route" (I want to say it was CarGraphic magazine in Japan). I applaud Honda for the current RL (well...the after minor change looks ugly as sin). For being different, being bold, not following the crowd. It may not appeal to the North American market, but it did win COTY in Japan and RJC Technology of the Year award (Automotive Researchers' & Journalists' Conference of Japan).
Sure it may be a failure in terms of business, but shows that Honda is still Honda, no matter how much you hate it.
It actually won a 10 best award here and won a C&D comparo (though they butt hump Honda/BMW to death).
Its not all the cars fault (the Accord exterior just kills it before it started) as Acura markets it TERRIBLY and optioned it where people didn't want a loaded car. Every ad I've seen talks more about the damn NAV or Zagat feature than the actual car!
11-04-08, 07:28 AM
#11
Lexus Champion
d
I scratched my head too when I saw the ES listed as the RL's main competition. Apples and oranges in my opinion. Maybe the writer just wanted to show a car with high sales vs. the RL to make some kind of point.
Its clear you and 30 other people like the RL but the car simply is a dismal and complete failure. It is sad the writer thinks that the ES is its main competition. Shows how much image the RL lacks.
Not sure I would title this article "hate", maybe cars Americans laugh at.
Not sure I would title this article "hate", maybe cars Americans laugh at.
: Midsize Premium Car.
11-04-08, 07:56 AM
#13
Lexus Champion
weird.... i love hte magnum, esp. the SRT version. sweet looking car! i also love hatchbacks and all high performance wagons. i'm definitley not the average american car buyer that's for sure.
11-04-08, 08:08 AM
#14
A guy who parked in the same building I used to park in for work has a Saturn Sky. We talked a few times...and he once showed me the steps involved in putting the top down (or up). It's insane!
This is the kind of crap that drives me nuts with American cars in general. Every time I get into one (be it a friends or a rental), I always find at least one thing that not only drives me totally crazy but, makes me whole-heartedly believe that the people who design these cars have NEVER driven them!
Drive the Sky once...put the top down ONE TIME in the real world; you'll realize how idiotic the design is.
For those who have never had this experience....to put the top down...
1) While walking up to the car, press the button on the fob to pop the tonneau cover
2) Get into the car and release the latches
3) Get back out of the car; raise the tonneau cover, lower the top into it, close the tonneau cover
4) Get BACK into the car.
Same thing with raising it...you have to get into and out of the car twice!
This is the kind of crap that drives me nuts with American cars in general. Every time I get into one (be it a friends or a rental), I always find at least one thing that not only drives me totally crazy but, makes me whole-heartedly believe that the people who design these cars have NEVER driven them!
Drive the Sky once...put the top down ONE TIME in the real world; you'll realize how idiotic the design is.
For those who have never had this experience....to put the top down...
1) While walking up to the car, press the button on the fob to pop the tonneau cover
2) Get into the car and release the latches
3) Get back out of the car; raise the tonneau cover, lower the top into it, close the tonneau cover
4) Get BACK into the car.
Same thing with raising it...you have to get into and out of the car twice!
11-04-08, 09:57 AM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
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How much credibility do you want to give to a guy who writes an article that says the base price of the XJ is $35,060? And he obviously has an editor that sits next to him in study hall.