Five things I learned at the LA Auto show
11-27-10, 08:37 PM
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Five things I learned at the LA Auto show
1. Lotus is going to kick some serious butt in the sports car market if they can actually pull off their plans. Their current designs are homely, but their proposed ones are incredible. Getting supercar looks for under $100,000 (Elan) and even $50,000 (Elise) is mindblowing.
2. The new Nissan Quest is still an also-ran. Still doesn't seem to do anything better than either the Odyssey or Sienna outside of how the third row folds down for more space. If only the Sienna didn't have one of the cheapest interiors ever to spoil a $45,000 vehicle.
Note: I went the first day and then again later. The first day, they did have a Quest in their showroom. Then the second time I was there, all they had were brochures as they moved the Quest away like they were embarrassed by it. 
Well, it's good to see Nissan/Infiniti back at the show anyways.
3. Acura is out of their minds. The ZDX is a colossal failure and I can't see how anyone could greenlight it, much like the Aztek.
4. Wow. I was shocked at how impressive the Kia Optima was. I much prefer it to the Sonata. The interior looked much more refined and wasn't marred by that ghastly A/C button configuration in the shape of a person that the Sonata has. The Optima seems a much better value and their entire line up was worlds better than it was just four years ago. The salesperson there was proclaiming to people, "hard to believe it's a Kia, right!?!?!"
It's like all the salespeople that failed the Hyundai course got sent to Kia. And that's saying something.
5. Chevy gave out Hotwheels Camaros, Ford gave a drawstring backpack, Dub some small hand towels, and Toyota some silly bands and air fresheners (if you won). Last year there were almost no freebies that I recall, so I assume the auto industry is recovering enough to give out swag again.
2. The new Nissan Quest is still an also-ran. Still doesn't seem to do anything better than either the Odyssey or Sienna outside of how the third row folds down for more space. If only the Sienna didn't have one of the cheapest interiors ever to spoil a $45,000 vehicle.
Note: I went the first day and then again later. The first day, they did have a Quest in their showroom. Then the second time I was there, all they had were brochures as they moved the Quest away like they were embarrassed by it. Well, it's good to see Nissan/Infiniti back at the show anyways.3. Acura is out of their minds. The ZDX is a colossal failure and I can't see how anyone could greenlight it, much like the Aztek.
4. Wow. I was shocked at how impressive the Kia Optima was. I much prefer it to the Sonata. The interior looked much more refined and wasn't marred by that ghastly A/C button configuration in the shape of a person that the Sonata has. The Optima seems a much better value and their entire line up was worlds better than it was just four years ago. The salesperson there was proclaiming to people, "hard to believe it's a Kia, right!?!?!"
It's like all the salespeople that failed the Hyundai course got sent to Kia. And that's saying something.5. Chevy gave out Hotwheels Camaros, Ford gave a drawstring backpack, Dub some small hand towels, and Toyota some silly bands and air fresheners (if you won). Last year there were almost no freebies that I recall, so I assume the auto industry is recovering enough to give out swag again.
11-28-10, 11:40 AM
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I was absolutely surprised at how nice the interior was on the new ford focus. I sat in the IS-F and I said to myself "Damn, the focus' interior was much nicer!".
Did any of you see a group of girls start protesting at the Nissan Leaf? They began chanting something bad about the car holding up a sign, but I have no idea what it was or what they said. Employees were standing in front of their sign and security had them out shortly after I saw them.
Did any of you see a group of girls start protesting at the Nissan Leaf? They began chanting something bad about the car holding up a sign, but I have no idea what it was or what they said. Employees were standing in front of their sign and security had them out shortly after I saw them.
11-28-10, 11:45 AM
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Why did you see the Quest as an also-ran? I saw pictures of the interior, I'd say it looks pretty darn good in there.. & I don't mind the boxy JDM-ish styling either.
&I prefer the Optima to the Sonata as well. Though to me, they're both overstyled. One angle looks great but another looks just weird. Hard for people to admit, but they are pretty nice now though!!
&I prefer the Optima to the Sonata as well. Though to me, they're both overstyled. One angle looks great but another looks just weird. Hard for people to admit, but they are pretty nice now though!!
11-28-10, 03:07 PM
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What else did you think of the new Focus (if you care to say)? Because it is technically a 2012 model, it won't officially be sold until after January 1. I've got a couple of CL requests for a full-review, and I intend to do so after the car is released here on the East Coast. But our local auto show in D.C. is not till late-January...so you have had a chance to see it before we do here. (I assume that, by now, the new Focus was out on the floor unlocked, and not up on a turntable. We had one or two turntable displays here at the D.C. show last year, but not out on the floor where we could get a good look at them).
Despite the intense auto press/media hype over the Fiesta's introduction several few months ago (and, yes, there are several good features on it, I was not impressed with either the dash design/materials or the smoothness/drivability of its 6-speed automanual drivetrain). I'm hoping that the Focus will be more refined on both counts.
Also, did you get to see the new 2011 Explorer at the Ford display? That's another vehicle I plan to review, by CL request, ASAP. I don't know why Ford is dragging its heels so long on releasing it.......all of the other 2011's seem to have been released by now, and the Explorer (still) seems to be the last holdout. The Ford people say it will be released here on the East Coast around Christmas.
Did any of you see a group of girls start protesting at the Nissan Leaf? They began chanting something bad about the car holding up a sign, but I have no idea what it was or what they said. Employees were standing in front of their sign and security had them out shortly after I saw them.
If that had happened at the D.C. Auto Show, they would have had it all over the airwaves that very evening. In fact, more than once, at the D.C. show, I've had reporters and cameras come up to me, with a mike, and ask me my opinion of this or that model. (No, I wasn't protesting.
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11-28-10, 07:40 PM
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The interior and features of the Honda are better and the Toyota exterior looks the best. There isn't anything about the Nissan that stands out, like reclining seats, extra large DVD screens, HDMI, trash bins, refrigerated compartments, etc.. It's also not any more powerful, cheaper, or better value, etc. It would have done well against the previous generation minivans, but not the current one.
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11-28-10, 09:39 PM
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Thanks for posting. What else did you think of the new Focus (if you care to say)? Because it is technically a 2012 model, it won't officially be sold until after January 1. I've got a couple of CL requests for a full-review, and I intend to do so after the car is released here on the East Coast. But our local auto show in D.C. is not till late-January...so you have had a chance to see it before we do here.
(I assume that, by now, the new Focus was out on the floor unlocked, and not up on a turntable. We had one or two turntable displays here at the D.C. show last year, but not out on the floor where we could get a good look at them).
Despite the intense auto press/media hype over the Fiesta's introduction several few months ago (and, yes, there are several good features on it, I was not impressed with either the dash design/materials or the smoothness/drivability of its 6-speed automanual drivetrain). I'm hoping that the Focus will be more refined on both counts.
Also, did you get to see the new 2011 Explorer at the Ford display? That's another vehicle I plan to review, by CL request, ASAP. I don't know why Ford is dragging its heels so long on releasing it.......all of the other 2011's seem to have been released by now, and the Explorer (still) seems to be the last holdout. The Ford people say it will be released here on the East Coast around Christmas.
What else did you think of the new Focus (if you care to say)? Because it is technically a 2012 model, it won't officially be sold until after January 1. I've got a couple of CL requests for a full-review, and I intend to do so after the car is released here on the East Coast. But our local auto show in D.C. is not till late-January...so you have had a chance to see it before we do here. (I assume that, by now, the new Focus was out on the floor unlocked, and not up on a turntable. We had one or two turntable displays here at the D.C. show last year, but not out on the floor where we could get a good look at them).
Despite the intense auto press/media hype over the Fiesta's introduction several few months ago (and, yes, there are several good features on it, I was not impressed with either the dash design/materials or the smoothness/drivability of its 6-speed automanual drivetrain). I'm hoping that the Focus will be more refined on both counts.
Also, did you get to see the new 2011 Explorer at the Ford display? That's another vehicle I plan to review, by CL request, ASAP. I don't know why Ford is dragging its heels so long on releasing it.......all of the other 2011's seem to have been released by now, and the Explorer (still) seems to be the last holdout. The Ford people say it will be released here on the East Coast around Christmas.
I'm pretty sure it was the highest trim available.
The only problem I had with it was that the shifter was up too high.
The IS-F's interior had many many more features in it, but it didn't click with me as much as the focus did. (Not saying the interior is bad, on the contrary. The interior on the IS-F was great too. But I wasn't blown away as much as the focus's interior)
Didn't get to sit in the Explorer, the only other fords I got to sit in were the Fiesta, Mustang and the Taurus. Fiesta was ok, the Taurus felt nice and comfortable, but I didn't like the interior in the Mustang.
Your local media did not cover it or report it on their nightly TV news? If that had happened at the D.C. Auto Show, they would have had it all over the airwaves that very evening.
In fact, more than once, at the D.C. show, I've had reporters and cameras come up to me, with a mike, and ask me my opinion of this or that model. (No, I wasn't protesting.)
If that had happened at the D.C. Auto Show, they would have had it all over the airwaves that very evening. In fact, more than once, at the D.C. show, I've had reporters and cameras come up to me, with a mike, and ask me my opinion of this or that model. (No, I wasn't protesting.
)
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