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I think an interesting new model to watch will be the upcoming Buick Regal TourX. In theory, to all those people who are claiming wagons would do well, now is the chance to find out. AWD, wagon, premium materials, lets find out.
Yep....last one sold here in the American market was the superb 3Gen model, which ended in 1996. The wagon was somewhat awkward-looking, though....made even more so by the unusual double wiper-blades for the rear window.
I think an interesting new model to watch will be the upcoming Buick Regal TourX. In theory, to all those people who are claiming wagons would do well, now is the chance to find out. AWD, wagon, premium materials, lets find out.
With the AWD option, the Tour-X would have been a good competitor to the old Subaru Legacy Wagon (at a normal ride-height). The Tour-X doesn't sit quite high enough off the ground to compete with the Subaru Outback.
Yep....last one sold here in the American market was the superb 3Gen model, which ended in 1996. The wagon was somewhat awkward-looking, though....made even more so by the unusual double wiper-blades for the rear window.
One of my co-workers has a Camry wagon like this albeit in a pewter color. Awkward looking but mechanically sound.
I think an interesting new model to watch will be the upcoming Buick Regal TourX. In theory, to all those people who are claiming wagons would do well, now is the chance to find out. AWD, wagon, premium materials, lets find out.
Maybe when the CUV trend peaks and starts to decline wagon sales in N.A. will increase as consumers look for something a little different. I doubt that it will happen though. Audi sales of the new gen Allroad wagon are considerably higher than the old gen but still only 200-300 per month. For example the aging Q3 which is due for an update sells 1100-1200 per month, and the new gen Q5 around 5000. It will be interesting to see how the Regal does.
Ok. So thinking from a logical pov. Do you really think Toyota would make the trunk opening smaller? The manufacturer of the #1 US selling car for 15 straight years would more than likely not shrink the trunk opening.
Yes, and Toyota has been making trunk openings smaller on the Camry. From personal experience, it started with the 5th-generation (2002) Camry.
Back then, I was doing some volunteer work and responsible for setting up displays that included having to carry a TV with built-in video cassette player. The TV fit into the trunk of my 4th-generation Camry with absolutely no problem. But when I traded to the 5th-generation Camry, I noticed that I had to be careful about how I placed the TV into the trunk because the opening was smaller. I was no longer doing that volunteer work by the time I switched to the 6th-generation Camry but the trunk opening seemed just a bit smaller yet again.
If Toyota made a Camry wagon or hatchback (or now, ES wagon or hatchback), I would absolutely consider it. But the Camry wagon would not sell in North America (the Venza, essentially a Camry wagon sold well in Canada but not in the USA and now has been cancelled), and everywhere else the Camry is sold, it is a premium (executive) sedan so again, the wagon would not sell.
Did Toyota ever make a wagon version of the Camry or Corolla?
Toyota no longer produces a Camry wagon. There is an Avensis wagon available in Europe (larger than Corolla but smaller than Camry). The Corolla wagon is available in Japan and Europe (but under the Auris nameplate in Europe).
Overseas markets like Russia etc did have the 1996-01 Toyota Camry Gracia wagon.
One of my friends repairs PC's for a living, and I once asked him why he always used a wagon, when everyone else had an SUV?
He said that the wagon has a longer trunk which was more useful to him, and that the SUV had a taller wagon space, but he could not vertically stack his computer equipment.
If you look up the market share, they haven't lost that much market share.
In the end it's a business, you don't have to be #1 to be very successful.
I still think they have lost ground, but how can you not loose ground when your competitors have n^X power variations of the same vehicle. Wagon, coupe, sedan, GT, with I4s, I6/V6s V8s, Turbo manual automatic. The sheer product stack outdoes Lexus. In the end their doing fine, for what they are offering. If they launch it on the TGNA platform, with substantial updates its going to be a good vehicle, just dont expect them to magically woo ex BMW/MB owners as brand loyality is hard to break***
The only thing now is the market is different on the top end. BMW is cutting off heavily subsidized leases, audi is being audi with support (old product as well), and MB well theyre basically market leaders in design as their currently running a fresh stack of products
No doubt they have lost ground, I agree, but like I said it's a business, they're selling cars and that's what it's about. Are they the sort of cars I want? Less and less so.
I still think they have lost ground, but how can you not loose ground when your competitors have n^X power variations of the same vehicle. Wagon, coupe, sedan, GT, with I4s, I6/V6s V8s, Turbo manual automatic. The sheer product stack outdoes Lexus. In the end their doing fine, for what they are offering. If they launch it on the TGNA platform, with substantial updates its going to be a good vehicle, just dont expect them to magically woo ex BMW/MB owners as brand loyality is hard to break
I liken Lexus to Apple. Nice product but other companies have more, options, variations. Lexus has shaken the industry with the LS400 like Apple did with the original iPhone. These companies keep their products very uniform, don't update much. Probably functioning on the same 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mentality. Every now and then they have a renaissance and a great idea comes to fruition, but both companies like to rest on their laurels whether its the product fit and finish, reliability etc.. BMW and a few others are more like Android in regards to wilder ideas and products, more 'open source' and customizable. Both Lexus and Apple seem to do more with less (having simpler options, models etc..), but still compete well against BMW and Android products respectively.
To your point, I think Lexus is fine. Like Apple (likely) has a better phone with the iPhone8 compared to an iPhone7 release when iPhone6 was the current, Lexus with the LC, 5LS, and future GA-L platform vehicles will be significant improvements to the brand. With a new chassis beginning to grace Lexus, a new series of powertrains is on the horizon, I think folks will be happy.
To the 2018 Camry. Toyota has a hit on their hands. This makes excited to see whats in store for the next Corolla and IS in a few years.
I'd rather Lexus focus on a few models than do a BMW or Benz and spray the entire market with me-too vehicles. Now all they need to do is to update the CT.
Let's hope the Buick Regal wagon sells, it's a fine looking car with good mechanicals that could spark American and Japanese automakers to make more wagons. What's really annoying is that Ford actually has tons more body styles for European and Australian buyers - the Fusion or Mondeo comes in hatchback and wagon variants overseas, alongside the sedan, whereas North American buyers only get the sedan. The engineering has already been done, all they need to do is to recertify those variants. Ford doesn't even need to build them in the US because the Spanish Mondeo plant has lots of capacity left over.
Anyway, enough ranting. I'd love for Lexus to make an ES hybrid wagon with a big plugin pack under the extended rear floor. More cargo space, all electric running, that's enough for me.
07-02-17, 07:24 AM
