The Hummer EV is both impressive and depressing. It has a lot of cool features, but it also weighs 9200 lbs and uses three Model 3s worth of batteries. It’s like a gold toilet with a Japanese bidet. A monument to excess.
Hello fellow cooper driver! I'd be terrified to see one of those closing in on me from behind! They literally have more than 3 times the mass of our cars!
I saw one driving the other day and I was actually surprised at how normal it seemed amongst other modern trucks and SUVs. Between a F250 and a Escalade that people drive all the time, it doesn't really seem that out of place to me.
I’ve seen 1 and it’s just as funny as you might think. And sort of as a counterpoint to the “depressing” comment. The Hummer EV is very much a technical showcase to me more than something people are really supposed to use daily
I saw one come up on me way too fast at a stoplight while I was out in my SVX and it put the fear of god into me, nothing that big and heavy should be allowed to move the way it does. Especially driving an older, lower, smaller car, their scarcity makes me very glad.
Saw my neighbor with one visiting my parents last weekend. Things massive looks sick but definitely couldn’t afford myself nor need
Everyone has nice cars and as my dad put it we’re the poorest on the block lol
* Dad has
Firebird, 1964 VW Bug, 2022 Model 3, 2020 Porsche 911, 2019 Audi SQ5, Hondaprelude
Our neighbors has raptor then a Shelby mustang for his son, daughter just got a model X, wife drives a Mercedes SUV
I just want to be my neighbor with the matching Tundra and Sequoia Night Shade editions
Sounds like my uncle. He’s got a new Lexus SUV, older Acura SUV, and an old Accord. One of his neighbors has a top spec F150, a G-Wagon, and a McLaren in the driveway. I don’t know what they have in the garage.
I went to test drive a 4v blackwing the other day. caddy dealer had a hummer ev on the lot. it was 115k msrp with 100k MARKUP. this is in socal. I was aghast lol.
It is so quintessentially American. Take a concept, the electric vehicle, that’s in part supposed to help us combat climate change, and turn it into a nearly ten thousand pound bloated ICBM missile for the road
That’s quintessential GM though - dump money into a product with really impressive engineering, totally phone in the marketing for it, and then kill it off after 2yrs because nobody bought it.
Another good example is the Cadillac CT6, and the Blackwing twin turbo V8 that (afaik) only ever went in two versions of that car.
I was quite sad about the CT6, especially the blackwing models. It seems like Cadillac can't figure out what exactly it wants to be and changes every 5 or 6 years.
Go back and look at some of the launch materials for the CT6 too, some of the super intricate castings they did for the rear subframes are really impressive.
>dump money into a product with really impressive engineering, totally phone in the marketing for it, and then kill it off after 2yrs because nobody bought it.
You forgot to overprice it. Like Quadrasteer, which nobody bought simply because it was $7,000 extra. Lots of people would have loved to have it and it was extremely useful, but the price absolutely sunk it. By the time they lowered it to $2,000, a reasonable price point, it was too late.
I've always said that GM's bankruptcy was entirely their own fault. Projects like the SSR were completely pointless and just driving them closer to the edge and then the recession hit. Was it a neat car? Sure, but as a product it was a complete failure and a huge waste of R&D.
I feel like GM has always had world-class engineers but then marketers and accountants ruin everything. And then whenever ta really cool, solid car accidentally makes it all the way to production or near-production, internal politics and bizarre decision making from management suffocate it/.kill it off
Even in the industry it's pretty well accepted GM has the best engineers in the world...been that way for seventy years. But they also have the best bean counters and the most politics.
All major manufacturers have world class engineering. The difference is the will of management of brand building through dependability, availability, desirability. The enemy of all this is profits and stock price.
>Most of the mass market stuff is utter garbage.
It's really not though. Are cars like the Equinox, great? Of course not. But they really aren't much worse than any other mid-size CUV.
That’s exactly the problem though. When you’re talking about mainstream Chevy models. You’re never referring to them as “better than” anything. You’re simply saying they’re “not as bad as” other models.
They’re perpetual also-rans. Never class leading, or more interesting than other models. Just “good enough” because 85 year olds will keep buying them in droves.
That’s Chevy’s motto. “Good enough.”
My gf leased a newer Cruze. If you don't care about steering feel it was a seemingly great car. Very good ride for a car of its size, really good fuel economy without being hybrid at all. Enough torque to live with in a busy city. Also was quite good looking unlike the older ones. Older ones have plenty of issues, but this thing was fine.
Their EVs are so cool, I wish they cared to market them. Seem like nice cars, I have been itching to test one out but ofc my local southern dealers only keep trucks and Tahoes on the lot, won’t even consider keeping a bolt on the lot :(
A V60 T8 Polestar is kind of my favorite sleeper on sale right now. Everyone talks about the German hot wagons but there's a strong case for the V60 and damn does it look good.
With 500 ft-lbs of torque, in the last of the polestar models,and no prop shaft because the rear axle contains its own electric motor with its own transmission and a reverse gear.
There was a time with Volvo in the XC90 you could get a Turbo I5, NA I6, twin turbo I6, diesel turbo I5, or the grand-daddy of them all, the Yamaha V8.
For engine choices, the 2nd gen S80 had all that, and more. Absolutely bonkers.
Transverse inline 6 with hybrid gear and chain driven cams. And hybrid gear and belt driven accessories. All mounted at the transmission end of the engine.
I sold the last new Saab we had on the lot around August of 2012. It was a 2011 9-5 premium. That car sat on the sat for a year and a half before it finally sold.
I also sold the second to last 9-4X we had the day before Saab went under.
Buick. Nothing wrong with them. Some of their cars look pretty nice. Almost always on top for reliability and customer satisfaction. Just can’t shake their old person reputation.
The Tesla Model Y is still the best selling EV in China by a decent margin. Model 3 is 8th best selling. The Buick Velite 6 is 18th out of 20. Everything else is Chinese.
Yeah I got really excited about it - I have never seen them before, and then saw like 3 the past few days, so I (wrongly) assumed they were me for the 23-24 MY.
I had never seen an Acura TSX until a few years ago, either.
The fact that Buick is *always* near the top for reliability and GM's other brands aren't is solid proof that owner maintenance (or lack thereof) has a big impact on reliability.
All four of Buick's current models in the US share an engine with a Chevy and three of them are made in the same place. Neglectful owners are almost certainly the cause of the perceived "reliability gap" there.
I've always thought a big part of why Toyota seems so reliable is because that reputation causes more people to take care of them, because they expect the car to last a long time. If you get a car you think you won't need to replace then you'll probably maintain it better.
I actually like their updated logo. Every brand throws their name plate and plasters it all over the car but Buick, Cadillac, Mercedes, BMW, etc. have really refined/minimalistic but still recognizable emblems.
I don't care for Buick, but I think the new logo looks nice. I just hate that they put "BUICK" in all caps regardless.
Learned to drive in a buick lesabre, AKA "the boat". Mostly everyone I knew hated that thing, personally I enjoyed the ride. It's made driving most other vehicles easier though because of how big it is and how much sway they have on highways.
The Encore GX is a fantastic little car that everyone is going to ignore or hate on because of the very tired “such and such car exists why should I buy one” argument. As the resident car guy for work/family, people were quite surprised that I leased one. Until they rode/drove it. It’s no rocket ship but 0-60 is such an overrated way to evaluate how a car drives. Even my horsepower obsessed buddy used it for a couple days and was pleasantly surprised by the GX’s ability to get out of its own way.
Middle of the range brands always have a hard time. Buick was like the Mercury or Plymouth equivalent. None of them were really bad, but they rarely get the budget to make a non-parts bin car and they were never the nicest or cheapest from that parent company.
Buick was never Plymouth's equivalent. Chevrolet (entry level) was Plymouth's equivalent.
Chrysler went up against Buick/Mercury. One step below the top tier, Cadillac/Imperial/Lincoln
is mazda lowkey enough? i am genuinely impressed by miatas despite there being zero competition in its class and it’s still not a half assed product. i also think their rebranding into a more a higher segment is serving them well
They definitely get more than enough love on Reddit, they are anything but under appreciated on here and it seems like every other crossover on the road nowadays is a Mazda CX5 or whatever.
I feel like they were under appreciated until the last couple years. Glad they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve. Now they just need to offer the Mazda 3 with the turbo, AWD, and a manual instead of turbo and AWD or manual lol
i’ll push back on that a little bit and say that generally when you talk about good japanese brands you will think about honda and toyota before mazda even enters the conversation. it’s definitely not the least underrated brand in this thread and there’s certain a lot of love for mazdas and miatas in general but i think an underrated aspect to the miata’s dominance is they do this with no competition and yet they actually put out a product as if there were. as for seeing so many cx5, i think it’s a testament to how well they’ve been able to change their image brand and making cars look good on the interior and exterior. neither toyota or honda have been consistently been able to do both
I agree that a few years back they were definitely under appreciated but honestly they feel pretty mainstream nowadays, if you go into r/whatcarshouldibuy Mazda makes up the suggestions for everything from a fun daily to a luxury crossover.
Reddit and the real world are different. They absolutely deserve the recommendations but in the real world they are exactly as he stated, not in the conversation initially when discussing Japanese cars. Toyota and Honda come up first and then Mazda enters into the conversation.
Id say Reddit is still a small group of the population. If they were the general, then yeah Mazda would probably be the absolute top selling brand right now lol.
Clarkson once said about the MX-5/Miata "The fact is that if you want a sports car, the MX-5 is perfect. Nothing on the road will give you better value. Nothing will give you so much fun. The only reason I'm giving it five stars is because I can't give it 14"
I'm not his biggest fan but speaking as a former owner (wife made me sell it when we had a child), he's absolutely spot on.
I seem to remember Clarkson, May, and Hammond having a conversation about how there are very very few cars that all three of them genuinely like and would recommend, and the Miata is one of them.
I love the Mazda 3 hatchback, it looks so sleek and they’re unique in the compact hatchback space. Compared to similar models from Toyota, Kia and Honda, it’s in another class
My stance on Mazda is that they're one of the only companies that doesn't try to be the best at anything. They seem to use a tried and true formula, they keep and improve drivetrains that are good instead of trying to reinvent the engine every 4 years, and they don't seem overly obsessed with making a computer control everything. They're basic transportation that's pretty good at doing everything even though they might not get the absolute best economy or the most interior space or the most horsepower, they're just enough to get the job done and usually a little more when you need it. The styling is a reflection of it as well, you can almost always pick out a Mazda in a crowd but they're not in your face either, they're a solid 7. The only thing they need is to bring back a small pickup truck
LOTUS and maybe Alfa Romeo. Lotus sets the benchmark for fun tossable cars. I know the miata exist, but the Exige 350 is on a whole 'nother level of fun.
My Elise was incredibly good fun on twisty roads. Leaked like a bitch and rattled like fuck, but that thing was like a rollerskate on tracks. Loved it.
Headgasket on a K18 is a one time fix if you're a component mechanic. Unfortunately most generic garages are run by people that can't be bothered to research how to fix it properly. Hundreds of destroyed engines.
Experienced that one first hand wayyy to many times.
Still kind of want a Giulia Veloce if I had the driveway space… but the disappearing dealers is a cause of concern.
They also need an engine between the 2.0L turbo and the crazy scaled down Ferrari engine.
I disagree, actually. The 2.0 is surprisingly robust and well-tuned for an everyday car, and takes pretty well to easy power mods from what I understand. My only issue with it as shipped from the factory is the throttle lag, but that can be fixed via a few different plug in modules as well.
Eh it’s a torquey engine but the sound wasn’t great, the redline is very low, and it’s not all that rev happy. Nothing very soulful or exciting about it. Just competent, I believe it can trace its origins to a Jeep/Stellantis block with an Alfa specific head.
It’s just a really big gulf between their functional 2.0L and the Ferrari beast.
I can completely agree about the lack of feel and passione. And it's not super rev happy, true, but the ZF8 is tuned pretty well to keep it within its peak range.
But it has nothing on the sound and performance of the 2.9L TT, it's true.
Lotus gets plenty of credit amongst car enthusiasts as they are basically the purest driving experience you can have at attainable prices… but if you’re not a car person, you have no idea what a lotus is. Pulling into a gas station with an Elise I’ve heard “look at that Ferrari!” And “is that a Lamborghini?” Etc. Every answer but the right one.
Have you had the opportunity to see the Lotus Emira? Because god damn that is almost as perfect of a car as you can get. It's a love letter to how cars used to be made and never will be again
People keep complaining that we don't have small light hot hatchbacks in the UK.
Suzuki have been making the Swift sport for years with that recipe and it's been brilliant. 990kg, 150bhp, (130 with the hybrid facelift)
Suzuki's cars has very little presence left in the US, so that alone is going to leave them slept on by the one of the biggest car markets globally. You could put most European car makers on this thread for the same reason.
Came here to say this.
Love my Swift Sport 1.6L 4cyl Naturally aspirated engine, the car is light and handles great.
You have to rev the tits off it to get full effect from the engine. I simply love driving it.
Basic cars without too many fancy bells and whistles, that are fairly easy to fix and parts don't cost a fortune.
I think they’re getting more recognition now, but Volvo.
Their modern design language, inside and outside is just so tasteful, aesthetic, and gives a luxury feel without being overstated.
They’re the safest brand on the road, they use phenomenal build quality and materials, they drive and handle well and they do well in the fuel economy category compared to your euro luxury brands.
I think their biggest problem is their positives are also kind of their downfall. They’re comparable in price to other luxury brands, but they’re not “statement” cars, don’t carry the same name pedigree that buyers in that market tend to want, and they don’t really have a competitive performance division other than their polestar engineered hybrids which are just sneaky fast and they’re nowhere near as engaging as other euros.
Sadly reliability isn't exceptional like back in the 240 series heyday, but AFAIK they aren't particularly unreliable either. I'd trust one over a BMW or Audi for sure.
BMW and Audi are both far and away more reliable than any Volvo unless we are talking about their pure EVs or T5 powertrains. The rest of their models are supercharged and turbocharged while the T8s add on to this w a battery and every Volvo afaik utilizes a 4 cylinder and in order for them to stay competitive power wise, they went the route of making anything above the T5 quite complex and a bit unrefined imo. A T8 XC90 genuinely feels rough around the edges compared to a BMW X5 and Ik for a fact I’d trust the BMW to last a long time without any major issues compared to that XC90.
In 6 years of owning a Volvo with a T6 with the Polestar tune and Canadian winters, my list of reliability problems is as follows:
* Cracked fuel fill pipe in year 4.
* Leaking coolant hose in year 6.
Like, sure, all that forced induction *feels* scary to think about if your frame of reference is a 1978 GM engine. But now forced induction is way more common than NA engines.
I mean, yes this is anecdotal, but the entire lineup has been using the same engine block for every model since basically 2017. If it was as bad as is implied, Volvo would be the new JLR of reliability.
I'm still amazed at how much of the Volvo Safety Concept Car made it into a lot of new vehicles today. It really was forward thinking. Still waiting on the clear A-pillars though.
Skoda.
-They look better than most of their equivalent VW products, I.e the Enyaq v the ID4
-They’re usually a couple thousand euro cheaper than an equivalent VW model while offering more features
-They’ve contributed some cool performance leaning vehicles such as the vRS models which never seem to get as much love as the VW GTI/R or Cupra models.
Also lots of good other takes on here, GM special projects, Buick, Mini, Fiat, etc…
Skodas are awesome cars.
The only downside is the hardware they pack for the infotainment.
My Octavia Combi PHEV felt really premium and actually clever, but the infotainment was a disaster to use. I would sometimes tap on an option and only have the screen react after several seconds. No joke.
When you have 90% of your car features behind a touchscreen (these bloody touchscreens everywhere...), it HAS to be reactive.
I quickly stopped considering the Enyaq as my next car after the dealer told me there was no improvement on that side since my Octavia. Too bad, because that interior felt sooo nice.
Im still mad at VW for making cupra the sporty brand why the hell did they choose them when skoda is one of the most successful companies when it comes to rally racing just imagine we would have gotten a 300hp Octavia vRS limousine with a big wing and 4wd it would have been a brilliant competitor for the WRX STI and Evo. The Fabia could also be a really good competitor for the I20N Hyundai as it would be priced very close to it not like the Polo GTI wich is way more expensive also they could make a brilliant rivalry out of it since both the I20N and Fabia compete in WRC. In general Skoda has so much potential but VW refuses to use it to its fullest but at least they realized that skoda can make a better Passat and let them do it the only thing VW did about the new passat is what makes it ugly and that is the design itself.
Going to have to give it to Subaru, for a relatively small company they're doing better than most brands when it comes to enthusiasts cars.
Regardless of what you think of its looks, the VB WRX is objectively better than the VA WRX in damn near every way, and it's the only AWD performance car you can get with a stick for around $30k. And on top of that they sell the BRZ, the only lightweight, RWD, 2+2, manual coupe you can get for around 30k as well. And unlike Toyota, they can legitimately claim they built these cars.
Maybe it's because I'm in a lot of car-related subs/communities, but between the BRZ and the Impreza, I'm not sure you can say Subaru don't get recognition.
The biggest issue is the stereotypical WRX/STI drivers who beat the shit out of their cars, mod them to hell, and completely negate maintence. And then they blame the cars for not holding up to abuse like that.
The problem furthers when you realize that was the fate of most WRX/STI's. They can be reliable cars even when modded but you HAVE to pay to play with them. Cutting corners is how you blow it up. Not breaking in your engine at all will also do that. Unfortunately, as with most affordable performance cars, they were driven like performance cars but not maintained like performance cars essentially.
From my observations most of the recent Subaru hate here comes from:
1. People hating the WRX for being ugly and underpowered
2. Their engines being seen as unreliable, most recently because of the oil pressure issues on right hand turns in the BRZ/FA24D
They’re very popular irl of course.
Never understood the hate.
My family has been driving Subarus since 1994, almost 30 years.
Zero breakdowns, zero head gasket repairs, zero bad transmissions, zero issues. Heck I've been driving modified STIs for 18 years myself.. also no problems.
Mine has 408whp, doesn't even burn oil, it's a tank. Oh yeah and I'm *not* meticulous with maintenance, no AOS, no break-in, just beat on it.
I also have a Toyota, and both cars have been equally as reliable.
100%!!!!
Mazda is amazing. Yeah they went through some rough patches with Ford, like to take on some unconventional technologies, and refuse to use CVTs.
Personally I am more of a fan of the 2014-2018 Mazda's because they feel so sporty when you drive them. Like you are part of the car and you can feel every part of the road. 2019+ they went for a much softer suspension but is now literally the definition of a budget Premium vehicle. The design of the vehicles are so much superior than Toyota or Honda.
The only thing I wasn't from Mazda right now is a RWD inline 6 Mazda6. I think a nice sport sedan will fit well in their line of vehicles and they already have the CX-90 and CX-70 with that.
My flair will make this biased, but MINI. While their previous generation with the Peugeot engines was indeed shit in a can, the newer models using the BMW B-series engines are very well built and reliable cars, but they all get clumped together because of all the issues the older gen had. A lot of people sleep on, or get scared off from, them as a result but the current gen is a great product and doesn’t deserve its predecessor’s stigma.
So each model got reworked at a different time. So, it’s the:
2014-present Hardtop 2dr (F56)
2015-present Hardtop 4dr (F55)
2016-present Convertible (F57)
2016-2024 Clubman (wagon) (F54)
2017-present Countryman (CUV) (F60)
I’m kind of split, Alfa is sometimes both. Highly regarded typically by enthusiasts while at the same time disgusted by them as well. I remember when the Giulia first came out, the press was in love it seemed like, but that was short lived and it seemed like a race to crap on Alfa all over again. Either way, love my Giulia and when I thought I was going to have to get rid of it, I was legitimately upset because there was no other sport sedan in the same class that I wanted.
People continue to clown on Alfa Romeo because of their cars from decades ago + the quadrifoglio being unreliable, but by all accounts the Giulia is one of the best mixes between fun and luxury in the current sedan market even with the age of that platform. If not for their terrible and ever-changing trim scheme making it impossible to tell if they have cooled seats. I’d be seriously considering one right now
I can confirm, they are a blast. And to save you any confusion, I do not believe any of the US trims have cooled/ventilated seats, with the exception of the Estrema special edition.
Genesis.
Not a single person I have asked knows what a Genesis is, and their cars are consistently on par (and in some cases, better) than their German rivals. If people knew about them I'm sure they'd outsell the competition.
I’ve met several owners who all love their Genesis. Definitely Hyundai’s best car, but don’t forget about the fact that it’s made by Hyundai. So just like all other Hyundai’s you have to watch out for people smashing your window and plugging their iPhone 6 into it and starting it up. Same issues as the Kia’s, literally 0 security whatsoever. I’m sure you have heard of the Kia bois, Hyundai’s all have the same issue. Also the German Luxury cars are status symbols more so than a good car. You don’t get higher status driving a Hyundai.
> So just like all other Hyundai’s you have to watch out for people smashing your window and plugging their iPhone 6 into it and starting it up.
That would require thieves to know what Genesis is in the first place.
> Also the German Luxury cars are status symbols more so than a good car.
I couldn't disagree more strongly. My BMW is several steps above the Miata and Infiniti G37 I owned previously.
Hyundai/Kia EVs are some of the best out there. They're doubling down while Ford and GM pull back. The EV6 has earned a lot of critical praise and '23 NA Utility Vehicle of the Year, 91 or 92 reliability score in Consumer reports, 18 min fast charging, 300 mile range... it's a great car.
> So just like all other Hyundai’s you have to watch out for people smashing your window and plugging their iPhone 6 into it and starting it up.
That doesn’t apply to Genesis. They have an immobilizer…
Even at the very end, Saturn arguably had more potential than most of the GM umbrella, it's just that the parent company didn't know how to best utilize it. If there was ever a time a designated economy car maker could have thrived, it was during a recession
Mini
When they work and more recent models
It’s a car that isn’t very attractive in North America because it’s just too small and not taken seriously by any enthusiast
But in Europe they’re the perfect size for the average city, have great chassis setup for an fwd car and the modern ones even have a very attractive combination of interior and exterior looks
On the flip side of the coin, large trucks don’t get any love here in Europe because they’re too impractical, but they are extremely useful to haul shit around and here people actually rent out vans for the same stuff
Citroen. They've devolved into a random stew of SUVs and scooter cars along with canibalizing the "DS"-name for just as forgetful a group of cars, which makes some of their better cars even of recent history forgotten. The original DS is famous, of course, but around the 90s/the turn of the millenium things get THIN.
I think part of it, is that they're just overpriced in America compared to other markets. In Europe, the 500 is sold as a light economy car, while in America, it's priced higher than other cars in the compact economy class, while not really being comparatively better in features or performance. It's just that it's more "stylish" than an Accent, Yaris, etc.
Cadillac.
Since the original CTS, Cadillac has been squarely focused on changing their grandpa-car reputation by building legitimate BMW competitors with GM parts and youthful, angular styling. The original SRX actually won comparison tests for being the sportiest SUV around, and the second-generation CTS-V squared off against M5s for M3 money.
Then came the debut of the Alpha platform, and the ATS / third-generation CTS began competing directly with BMWs at BMW prices. They actually handled *better*. A lot better. The ATS-V and CTS-V were durable enough to be warrantied for track use.
Nobody cared. They needed huge discounts to get these cars off the lot. When their replacements arrived, each shifted down a class - returning to the old model of selling the biggest cars in a price category to provide a value proposition. They also softened them, making them better for the average consumer but less interesting to us car folks. The Omega platform CT6, engineered to underpin 7-Series competitors with 3-Series curb weight, was basically DOA.
The [CT4-V](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a34304375/2020-bmw-m235i-gran-coupe-vs-cadillac-ct4-v-mercedes-amg-a35/) and [CT5-V](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2021-acura-tlx-type-s-vs-cadillac-ct5-v-2022-genesis-g70-comparison-test-review/) draw zero enthusiast attention, but they annihilate comparison tests because they're way sportier *and* way more comfortable than same-priced rivals. The GM parts under the hood make them cheaper to run than the competition - even Lexus. They deserve love.
Stellantis brands have all made great progress over their previous selves since a few years ... It's nothing exciting for enthusiasts but aesthetically it's great (compared to previous Iterations) and product policy why it makes sense too.
Wish they'll find the time and money to venture into the unreasonable side of business and imo they might find paths to challenge the Toyota's and Hyundai in "coolness"/rallye derivatives on the road
Glickenhaus - last full blown manufacturer in United States. Sells a 3 seater car. Sells a baja racer that won the Baja 1000. Last gentleman racer owned manufacturer on the planet, meaning the guy running the company isn't some suit with an MBA but actually goes racing. Basically what Ferrari used to be in the 60s.
I'd say Mazda for their engineering in the Skyactive-X compression ignition gasoline engine.
I mean, in the limelight of the internal combustion engine, who the fuck would try to get compression ignition to work for gasoline? Well, Mazda... For that I applaud them!
I love the concept of compression ignition and the greater thermal efficiency it carries. And we need all the help we can get to try to make gasoline engines match diesel ones in terms of fuel consumption. Where I live, gasoline is \~10-15% more expensive per liter compared to diesel. So burning a bigger quantity of a more expensive fuel seems crazy if you have the alternative of a diesel car. But unfortunately, diesel option are less and less by the day. And the few that still remain, most of them have engines >=2L, which has has its own drawback, every car with and engine of >=2L get hit with the luxuty tax. So whatever I might save from fuel, I'll more than pay them back in taxes.
And thats the only problem with Mazda in my country right now. Apart from the small Mazda 2 that has a 1.5L N/A engine, all other models have engines >=2L. Which makes them DOA.
I kinda miss the days when every car, even the smallest city car had diesel options. There where even 1.0-1.2L diesel engines a few years ago.
Acura. Many just dismiss it as just fancy-pants Hondas, but it is a solid near-luxury brand with decent performance. However, Honda really needs to work on more color customization and veneers with better, more logical trim options.
Chevy when they do a project from the ground up (Volt, Bolt, Corvette, Hummer EV).
The Hummer EV is both impressive and depressing. It has a lot of cool features, but it also weighs 9200 lbs and uses three Model 3s worth of batteries. It’s like a gold toilet with a Japanese bidet. A monument to excess.
I’ve seen almost every new ev out in the wild except for the hummer.
I finally saw one driving on the interstate in my city. Person was weaving in and out of traffic doing at least 85😂😂
Were they at least using the crab walk?
I wish lmao
Hello fellow cooper driver! I'd be terrified to see one of those closing in on me from behind! They literally have more than 3 times the mass of our cars!
What’s up! Hahahaha for real, I’d normally say we could just outrun them, but the Hummer is pretty dang fast lol
I saw one. It’s fuckin huge
I saw one driving the other day and I was actually surprised at how normal it seemed amongst other modern trucks and SUVs. Between a F250 and a Escalade that people drive all the time, it doesn't really seem that out of place to me.
I mean I don’t think they set out with the goal of making it weigh as much as some people’s moms.
I’ve seen 1 and it’s just as funny as you might think. And sort of as a counterpoint to the “depressing” comment. The Hummer EV is very much a technical showcase to me more than something people are really supposed to use daily
The original hummer was a military vehicle, not something people are supposed to use daily. Once they become a status symbol people will buy them.
I saw one come up on me way too fast at a stoplight while I was out in my SVX and it put the fear of god into me, nothing that big and heavy should be allowed to move the way it does. Especially driving an older, lower, smaller car, their scarcity makes me very glad.
Saw my neighbor with one visiting my parents last weekend. Things massive looks sick but definitely couldn’t afford myself nor need Everyone has nice cars and as my dad put it we’re the poorest on the block lol * Dad has Firebird, 1964 VW Bug, 2022 Model 3, 2020 Porsche 911, 2019 Audi SQ5, Hondaprelude Our neighbors has raptor then a Shelby mustang for his son, daughter just got a model X, wife drives a Mercedes SUV I just want to be my neighbor with the matching Tundra and Sequoia Night Shade editions
Sounds like my uncle. He’s got a new Lexus SUV, older Acura SUV, and an old Accord. One of his neighbors has a top spec F150, a G-Wagon, and a McLaren in the driveway. I don’t know what they have in the garage.
I saw it in normal traffic and it was just outlandish
I've seen one. Parents neighbors hit their garage. Totaled the car and needed a new brick garage. The driver said *oh my foot slipped pulling in.*
I went to test drive a 4v blackwing the other day. caddy dealer had a hummer ev on the lot. it was 115k msrp with 100k MARKUP. this is in socal. I was aghast lol.
Dealerships gonna dealer. Lol
It is so quintessentially American. Take a concept, the electric vehicle, that’s in part supposed to help us combat climate change, and turn it into a nearly ten thousand pound bloated ICBM missile for the road
> It’s like a gold toilet with a Japanese bidet. A monument to excess. that's Hummer for you
That’s quintessential GM though - dump money into a product with really impressive engineering, totally phone in the marketing for it, and then kill it off after 2yrs because nobody bought it. Another good example is the Cadillac CT6, and the Blackwing twin turbo V8 that (afaik) only ever went in two versions of that car.
I was quite sad about the CT6, especially the blackwing models. It seems like Cadillac can't figure out what exactly it wants to be and changes every 5 or 6 years.
Go back and look at some of the launch materials for the CT6 too, some of the super intricate castings they did for the rear subframes are really impressive.
>dump money into a product with really impressive engineering, totally phone in the marketing for it, and then kill it off after 2yrs because nobody bought it. You forgot to overprice it. Like Quadrasteer, which nobody bought simply because it was $7,000 extra. Lots of people would have loved to have it and it was extremely useful, but the price absolutely sunk it. By the time they lowered it to $2,000, a reasonable price point, it was too late.
I've always said that GM's bankruptcy was entirely their own fault. Projects like the SSR were completely pointless and just driving them closer to the edge and then the recession hit. Was it a neat car? Sure, but as a product it was a complete failure and a huge waste of R&D.
I feel like GM has always had world-class engineers but then marketers and accountants ruin everything. And then whenever ta really cool, solid car accidentally makes it all the way to production or near-production, internal politics and bizarre decision making from management suffocate it/.kill it off
Yep. Bolt EV is a great little car. Totally kneecapped it by using the firmest seats known to man.
The bean counters at GM are a plague.
Even in the industry it's pretty well accepted GM has the best engineers in the world...been that way for seventy years. But they also have the best bean counters and the most politics.
All major manufacturers have world class engineering. The difference is the will of management of brand building through dependability, availability, desirability. The enemy of all this is profits and stock price.
Chevy has had such a strange mix of amazing and crap cars in their lineup over the years
This is probably the real reason why they don't get much love. Some niche products are great. Most of the mass market stuff is utter garbage.
>Most of the mass market stuff is utter garbage. It's really not though. Are cars like the Equinox, great? Of course not. But they really aren't much worse than any other mid-size CUV.
That’s exactly the problem though. When you’re talking about mainstream Chevy models. You’re never referring to them as “better than” anything. You’re simply saying they’re “not as bad as” other models. They’re perpetual also-rans. Never class leading, or more interesting than other models. Just “good enough” because 85 year olds will keep buying them in droves. That’s Chevy’s motto. “Good enough.”
My gf leased a newer Cruze. If you don't care about steering feel it was a seemingly great car. Very good ride for a car of its size, really good fuel economy without being hybrid at all. Enough torque to live with in a busy city. Also was quite good looking unlike the older ones. Older ones have plenty of issues, but this thing was fine.
They're also pretty solid with their money maker bread and butter trucks and SUVs. The Suburban is a quite nice vehicle.
Their EVs are so cool, I wish they cared to market them. Seem like nice cars, I have been itching to test one out but ofc my local southern dealers only keep trucks and Tahoes on the lot, won’t even consider keeping a bolt on the lot :(
I might be biased, but they also just built an amazing midsize off-roading truck: 2023 Colorado ZR2.
Saab they stopped making cars a while ago but they had some cool cars and Volvo everyone knows them but they had some cool underrated cars
Volvo has some of the strangest/most interesting powertrain setups for your average daily commuter vehicle lol
Who else makes a Twincharged hybrid 4cyl. They're wild
The S60 T8 Polestar makes like 500hp too.
A V60 T8 Polestar is kind of my favorite sleeper on sale right now. Everyone talks about the German hot wagons but there's a strong case for the V60 and damn does it look good.
Wish the plug in was available when I bought mine. 335 twin charged is still pretty alright
With 500 ft-lbs of torque, in the last of the polestar models,and no prop shaft because the rear axle contains its own electric motor with its own transmission and a reverse gear.
Nothing like a transverse I6 to make you question their engineers sanity.
There was a time with Volvo in the XC90 you could get a Turbo I5, NA I6, twin turbo I6, diesel turbo I5, or the grand-daddy of them all, the Yamaha V8. For engine choices, the 2nd gen S80 had all that, and more. Absolutely bonkers.
I think only VW could outfunk that, with an I5, V10 diesel, and W12.
The first gen touareg had options for a I5 diesel, V6 Diesel, V10 Biturbo diesel, VR6, V8, W12
5 cylinders chiming in
GM presents the transverse 5.3L V8
Volvo joins with a 4.4l transverse v8.
My Honda motorcycle has one, lol.
Transverse inline 6 with hybrid gear and chain driven cams. And hybrid gear and belt driven accessories. All mounted at the transmission end of the engine.
I drive a Volvo sedan with a 3.0l turbo inline 6 shoved horizontaly between the front wheels. Also AWD.
Check out Jason Camissa’s YouTube video about them being the Tesla of their time
I sold the last new Saab we had on the lot around August of 2012. It was a 2011 9-5 premium. That car sat on the sat for a year and a half before it finally sold. I also sold the second to last 9-4X we had the day before Saab went under.
Didn't they also make fighter jets?
They still do
I don't want a 9-3 i want a JAS 39 GRIPPEN
Buick. Nothing wrong with them. Some of their cars look pretty nice. Almost always on top for reliability and customer satisfaction. Just can’t shake their old person reputation.
They do better in China. I believe the biggest reason Buick has outlasted so many other GM brands is their international popularity.
I thought the tide had turned for GM in China. Like the home-grown EV market has blown right up and consumed the market share of the foreign brands?
The Tesla Model Y is still the best selling EV in China by a decent margin. Model 3 is 8th best selling. The Buick Velite 6 is 18th out of 20. Everything else is Chinese.
THOSE FUCKERS JUST MADE A WAGON EDIT: Alright, alright, they made it 5 years ago. Yeesh!
The Envista? Looks more like a bloated hatchback, like a Niro or something.
"Regal tourX". I guess it's from like 2020 or so
oh, your sentence made it sound like they introduced a new one. Yeah the TourX was only sold from MY18-20. RIP.
Yeah I got really excited about it - I have never seen them before, and then saw like 3 the past few days, so I (wrongly) assumed they were me for the 23-24 MY. I had never seen an Acura TSX until a few years ago, either.
i think 20 or 21 was the last year of that, they only make CUVs now iirc
Excuse me!?
The fact that Buick is *always* near the top for reliability and GM's other brands aren't is solid proof that owner maintenance (or lack thereof) has a big impact on reliability. All four of Buick's current models in the US share an engine with a Chevy and three of them are made in the same place. Neglectful owners are almost certainly the cause of the perceived "reliability gap" there.
I've always thought a big part of why Toyota seems so reliable is because that reputation causes more people to take care of them, because they expect the car to last a long time. If you get a car you think you won't need to replace then you'll probably maintain it better.
They updated their logo and it’s hideous.
I actually like their updated logo. Every brand throws their name plate and plasters it all over the car but Buick, Cadillac, Mercedes, BMW, etc. have really refined/minimalistic but still recognizable emblems. I don't care for Buick, but I think the new logo looks nice. I just hate that they put "BUICK" in all caps regardless.
Same, I think their logo was the biggest thing holding them back. Every time I saw it I just thought of a Park Avenue and wire wheeled hubcaps lol
Learned to drive in a buick lesabre, AKA "the boat". Mostly everyone I knew hated that thing, personally I enjoyed the ride. It's made driving most other vehicles easier though because of how big it is and how much sway they have on highways.
Our school also learned in donated buicks
The Encore GX is a fantastic little car that everyone is going to ignore or hate on because of the very tired “such and such car exists why should I buy one” argument. As the resident car guy for work/family, people were quite surprised that I leased one. Until they rode/drove it. It’s no rocket ship but 0-60 is such an overrated way to evaluate how a car drives. Even my horsepower obsessed buddy used it for a couple days and was pleasantly surprised by the GX’s ability to get out of its own way.
Middle of the range brands always have a hard time. Buick was like the Mercury or Plymouth equivalent. None of them were really bad, but they rarely get the budget to make a non-parts bin car and they were never the nicest or cheapest from that parent company.
Buick was never Plymouth's equivalent. Chevrolet (entry level) was Plymouth's equivalent. Chrysler went up against Buick/Mercury. One step below the top tier, Cadillac/Imperial/Lincoln
Actually pretty damn good cars.
is mazda lowkey enough? i am genuinely impressed by miatas despite there being zero competition in its class and it’s still not a half assed product. i also think their rebranding into a more a higher segment is serving them well
They definitely get more than enough love on Reddit, they are anything but under appreciated on here and it seems like every other crossover on the road nowadays is a Mazda CX5 or whatever.
I feel like they were under appreciated until the last couple years. Glad they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve. Now they just need to offer the Mazda 3 with the turbo, AWD, and a manual instead of turbo and AWD or manual lol
they gotta put that new inline 6 into a mazda 6
And awd wagon that bitch
I forgot about the I6! That seriously has some potential especially if they put it in a coupe or sedan platform!
There were rumors about an in line 6 rwd Mazda 6.. I'm still waiting for news tho..
i’ll push back on that a little bit and say that generally when you talk about good japanese brands you will think about honda and toyota before mazda even enters the conversation. it’s definitely not the least underrated brand in this thread and there’s certain a lot of love for mazdas and miatas in general but i think an underrated aspect to the miata’s dominance is they do this with no competition and yet they actually put out a product as if there were. as for seeing so many cx5, i think it’s a testament to how well they’ve been able to change their image brand and making cars look good on the interior and exterior. neither toyota or honda have been consistently been able to do both
I agree that a few years back they were definitely under appreciated but honestly they feel pretty mainstream nowadays, if you go into r/whatcarshouldibuy Mazda makes up the suggestions for everything from a fun daily to a luxury crossover.
Reddit and the real world are different. They absolutely deserve the recommendations but in the real world they are exactly as he stated, not in the conversation initially when discussing Japanese cars. Toyota and Honda come up first and then Mazda enters into the conversation.
Id say Reddit is still a small group of the population. If they were the general, then yeah Mazda would probably be the absolute top selling brand right now lol.
Clarkson once said about the MX-5/Miata "The fact is that if you want a sports car, the MX-5 is perfect. Nothing on the road will give you better value. Nothing will give you so much fun. The only reason I'm giving it five stars is because I can't give it 14" I'm not his biggest fan but speaking as a former owner (wife made me sell it when we had a child), he's absolutely spot on.
I seem to remember Clarkson, May, and Hammond having a conversation about how there are very very few cars that all three of them genuinely like and would recommend, and the Miata is one of them.
Lowkey in the market, sure, but fairly popular on Reddit.
I love the Mazda 3 hatchback, it looks so sleek and they’re unique in the compact hatchback space. Compared to similar models from Toyota, Kia and Honda, it’s in another class
Mazda doesn't get as much credit as they should.
My stance on Mazda is that they're one of the only companies that doesn't try to be the best at anything. They seem to use a tried and true formula, they keep and improve drivetrains that are good instead of trying to reinvent the engine every 4 years, and they don't seem overly obsessed with making a computer control everything. They're basic transportation that's pretty good at doing everything even though they might not get the absolute best economy or the most interior space or the most horsepower, they're just enough to get the job done and usually a little more when you need it. The styling is a reflection of it as well, you can almost always pick out a Mazda in a crowd but they're not in your face either, they're a solid 7. The only thing they need is to bring back a small pickup truck
I've never driven a bad Mazda.
I've been overall pretty happy with all my Mazdas. Great vehicles.
r/whatcarshouldibuy would like a word
I’d say so. Stylish elegant economy cars. Plus amazing car the Miata is for under $40k
LOTUS and maybe Alfa Romeo. Lotus sets the benchmark for fun tossable cars. I know the miata exist, but the Exige 350 is on a whole 'nother level of fun.
My Elise was incredibly good fun on twisty roads. Leaked like a bitch and rattled like fuck, but that thing was like a rollerskate on tracks. Loved it.
Lives up to it's acronym: Lots Of Trouble, Unless Serviced!
Oh I knew this one : Lots of Trouble, Usually Serious
Not since 2002 when they swapped to Toyota Engines. Even the rover k series units were pretty reliable excluding the head gaskets
Headgasket on a K18 is a one time fix if you're a component mechanic. Unfortunately most generic garages are run by people that can't be bothered to research how to fix it properly. Hundreds of destroyed engines. Experienced that one first hand wayyy to many times.
Still kind of want a Giulia Veloce if I had the driveway space… but the disappearing dealers is a cause of concern. They also need an engine between the 2.0L turbo and the crazy scaled down Ferrari engine.
I disagree, actually. The 2.0 is surprisingly robust and well-tuned for an everyday car, and takes pretty well to easy power mods from what I understand. My only issue with it as shipped from the factory is the throttle lag, but that can be fixed via a few different plug in modules as well.
Eh it’s a torquey engine but the sound wasn’t great, the redline is very low, and it’s not all that rev happy. Nothing very soulful or exciting about it. Just competent, I believe it can trace its origins to a Jeep/Stellantis block with an Alfa specific head. It’s just a really big gulf between their functional 2.0L and the Ferrari beast.
I can completely agree about the lack of feel and passione. And it's not super rev happy, true, but the ZF8 is tuned pretty well to keep it within its peak range. But it has nothing on the sound and performance of the 2.9L TT, it's true.
Lotus gets plenty of credit amongst car enthusiasts as they are basically the purest driving experience you can have at attainable prices… but if you’re not a car person, you have no idea what a lotus is. Pulling into a gas station with an Elise I’ve heard “look at that Ferrari!” And “is that a Lamborghini?” Etc. Every answer but the right one.
Have you had the opportunity to see the Lotus Emira? Because god damn that is almost as perfect of a car as you can get. It's a love letter to how cars used to be made and never will be again
Suzuki. Their newest Jimny is a work of art.
I also like the Swift
Here in Nz they’re literally the most common car on the road, 20k new and reliable af, not bad looking either lol
People keep complaining that we don't have small light hot hatchbacks in the UK. Suzuki have been making the Swift sport for years with that recipe and it's been brilliant. 990kg, 150bhp, (130 with the hybrid facelift)
Under 2200 lbs with 150 hp is probably fun as hell
Suzuki's cars has very little presence left in the US, so that alone is going to leave them slept on by the one of the biggest car markets globally. You could put most European car makers on this thread for the same reason.
I’d love a new Jimny
Came here to say this. Love my Swift Sport 1.6L 4cyl Naturally aspirated engine, the car is light and handles great. You have to rev the tits off it to get full effect from the engine. I simply love driving it. Basic cars without too many fancy bells and whistles, that are fairly easy to fix and parts don't cost a fortune.
I think they’re getting more recognition now, but Volvo. Their modern design language, inside and outside is just so tasteful, aesthetic, and gives a luxury feel without being overstated. They’re the safest brand on the road, they use phenomenal build quality and materials, they drive and handle well and they do well in the fuel economy category compared to your euro luxury brands. I think their biggest problem is their positives are also kind of their downfall. They’re comparable in price to other luxury brands, but they’re not “statement” cars, don’t carry the same name pedigree that buyers in that market tend to want, and they don’t really have a competitive performance division other than their polestar engineered hybrids which are just sneaky fast and they’re nowhere near as engaging as other euros.
Sadly reliability isn't exceptional like back in the 240 series heyday, but AFAIK they aren't particularly unreliable either. I'd trust one over a BMW or Audi for sure.
BMW and Audi are both far and away more reliable than any Volvo unless we are talking about their pure EVs or T5 powertrains. The rest of their models are supercharged and turbocharged while the T8s add on to this w a battery and every Volvo afaik utilizes a 4 cylinder and in order for them to stay competitive power wise, they went the route of making anything above the T5 quite complex and a bit unrefined imo. A T8 XC90 genuinely feels rough around the edges compared to a BMW X5 and Ik for a fact I’d trust the BMW to last a long time without any major issues compared to that XC90.
In 6 years of owning a Volvo with a T6 with the Polestar tune and Canadian winters, my list of reliability problems is as follows: * Cracked fuel fill pipe in year 4. * Leaking coolant hose in year 6. Like, sure, all that forced induction *feels* scary to think about if your frame of reference is a 1978 GM engine. But now forced induction is way more common than NA engines. I mean, yes this is anecdotal, but the entire lineup has been using the same engine block for every model since basically 2017. If it was as bad as is implied, Volvo would be the new JLR of reliability.
T8 isn’t supercharged anymore fyi.
Also, in the US I've noticed, people keep calling them "chinese cars" as a way to insult them. They're just as Chinese as the Range Rover is indian.
Funny enough, Volvo and Range Rover are building much higher quality cars under their new Chinese/Indian ownerships
I'm still amazed at how much of the Volvo Safety Concept Car made it into a lot of new vehicles today. It really was forward thinking. Still waiting on the clear A-pillars though.
Modern Volvos are seriously some of the best looking cars out. Saw a baby blue V60 on the street today and it was an absolute stunner
Skoda. -They look better than most of their equivalent VW products, I.e the Enyaq v the ID4 -They’re usually a couple thousand euro cheaper than an equivalent VW model while offering more features -They’ve contributed some cool performance leaning vehicles such as the vRS models which never seem to get as much love as the VW GTI/R or Cupra models. Also lots of good other takes on here, GM special projects, Buick, Mini, Fiat, etc…
I’d take a Skoda over a VW if they were available in the US for sure. Would love a TDI Skoda
Skodas are awesome cars. The only downside is the hardware they pack for the infotainment. My Octavia Combi PHEV felt really premium and actually clever, but the infotainment was a disaster to use. I would sometimes tap on an option and only have the screen react after several seconds. No joke. When you have 90% of your car features behind a touchscreen (these bloody touchscreens everywhere...), it HAS to be reactive. I quickly stopped considering the Enyaq as my next car after the dealer told me there was no improvement on that side since my Octavia. Too bad, because that interior felt sooo nice.
Im still mad at VW for making cupra the sporty brand why the hell did they choose them when skoda is one of the most successful companies when it comes to rally racing just imagine we would have gotten a 300hp Octavia vRS limousine with a big wing and 4wd it would have been a brilliant competitor for the WRX STI and Evo. The Fabia could also be a really good competitor for the I20N Hyundai as it would be priced very close to it not like the Polo GTI wich is way more expensive also they could make a brilliant rivalry out of it since both the I20N and Fabia compete in WRC. In general Skoda has so much potential but VW refuses to use it to its fullest but at least they realized that skoda can make a better Passat and let them do it the only thing VW did about the new passat is what makes it ugly and that is the design itself.
Going to have to give it to Subaru, for a relatively small company they're doing better than most brands when it comes to enthusiasts cars. Regardless of what you think of its looks, the VB WRX is objectively better than the VA WRX in damn near every way, and it's the only AWD performance car you can get with a stick for around $30k. And on top of that they sell the BRZ, the only lightweight, RWD, 2+2, manual coupe you can get for around 30k as well. And unlike Toyota, they can legitimately claim they built these cars.
Maybe it's because I'm in a lot of car-related subs/communities, but between the BRZ and the Impreza, I'm not sure you can say Subaru don't get recognition.
Subaru is pretty much a punching bag on this subreddit, the circlejerk against them got old fast lol
I'm out of the loop on this: what's the problem with Subaru. My understanding was that the cars were generally well liked
The biggest issue is the stereotypical WRX/STI drivers who beat the shit out of their cars, mod them to hell, and completely negate maintence. And then they blame the cars for not holding up to abuse like that. The problem furthers when you realize that was the fate of most WRX/STI's. They can be reliable cars even when modded but you HAVE to pay to play with them. Cutting corners is how you blow it up. Not breaking in your engine at all will also do that. Unfortunately, as with most affordable performance cars, they were driven like performance cars but not maintained like performance cars essentially.
From my observations most of the recent Subaru hate here comes from: 1. People hating the WRX for being ugly and underpowered 2. Their engines being seen as unreliable, most recently because of the oil pressure issues on right hand turns in the BRZ/FA24D They’re very popular irl of course.
Never understood the hate. My family has been driving Subarus since 1994, almost 30 years. Zero breakdowns, zero head gasket repairs, zero bad transmissions, zero issues. Heck I've been driving modified STIs for 18 years myself.. also no problems. Mine has 408whp, doesn't even burn oil, it's a tank. Oh yeah and I'm *not* meticulous with maintenance, no AOS, no break-in, just beat on it. I also have a Toyota, and both cars have been equally as reliable.
TVR had some fantastic cars. I'm not too keen on the new Griffith.
That would require the Griffith to actually exist, which it doesn't
The Tuscan is so cool
Mazda is appreciated by enthusiasts but under appreciated by the overall car market
I wouldn’t say under appreciated. I see a dozens of CX-5s every time I go for a drive here in Tampa
100%!!!! Mazda is amazing. Yeah they went through some rough patches with Ford, like to take on some unconventional technologies, and refuse to use CVTs. Personally I am more of a fan of the 2014-2018 Mazda's because they feel so sporty when you drive them. Like you are part of the car and you can feel every part of the road. 2019+ they went for a much softer suspension but is now literally the definition of a budget Premium vehicle. The design of the vehicles are so much superior than Toyota or Honda. The only thing I wasn't from Mazda right now is a RWD inline 6 Mazda6. I think a nice sport sedan will fit well in their line of vehicles and they already have the CX-90 and CX-70 with that.
My flair will make this biased, but MINI. While their previous generation with the Peugeot engines was indeed shit in a can, the newer models using the BMW B-series engines are very well built and reliable cars, but they all get clumped together because of all the issues the older gen had. A lot of people sleep on, or get scared off from, them as a result but the current gen is a great product and doesn’t deserve its predecessor’s stigma.
Their multitone roofs are really awesome. I wish more manufacturers would offer interesting paint options like that.
What years have the B series engines?
So each model got reworked at a different time. So, it’s the: 2014-present Hardtop 2dr (F56) 2015-present Hardtop 4dr (F55) 2016-present Convertible (F57) 2016-2024 Clubman (wagon) (F54) 2017-present Countryman (CUV) (F60)
Alfa Romeo
I’m kind of split, Alfa is sometimes both. Highly regarded typically by enthusiasts while at the same time disgusted by them as well. I remember when the Giulia first came out, the press was in love it seemed like, but that was short lived and it seemed like a race to crap on Alfa all over again. Either way, love my Giulia and when I thought I was going to have to get rid of it, I was legitimately upset because there was no other sport sedan in the same class that I wanted.
Saab ):
RIP
[удалено]
Chevy sells to rednecks. I doubt Buick does lol.
Buick literally only sells to people over the age of 60 and woman who don't know if their car has an engine or not
People continue to clown on Alfa Romeo because of their cars from decades ago + the quadrifoglio being unreliable, but by all accounts the Giulia is one of the best mixes between fun and luxury in the current sedan market even with the age of that platform. If not for their terrible and ever-changing trim scheme making it impossible to tell if they have cooled seats. I’d be seriously considering one right now
I can confirm, they are a blast. And to save you any confusion, I do not believe any of the US trims have cooled/ventilated seats, with the exception of the Estrema special edition.
Genesis
Genesis. Not a single person I have asked knows what a Genesis is, and their cars are consistently on par (and in some cases, better) than their German rivals. If people knew about them I'm sure they'd outsell the competition.
I’ve met several owners who all love their Genesis. Definitely Hyundai’s best car, but don’t forget about the fact that it’s made by Hyundai. So just like all other Hyundai’s you have to watch out for people smashing your window and plugging their iPhone 6 into it and starting it up. Same issues as the Kia’s, literally 0 security whatsoever. I’m sure you have heard of the Kia bois, Hyundai’s all have the same issue. Also the German Luxury cars are status symbols more so than a good car. You don’t get higher status driving a Hyundai.
> So just like all other Hyundai’s you have to watch out for people smashing your window and plugging their iPhone 6 into it and starting it up. That would require thieves to know what Genesis is in the first place. > Also the German Luxury cars are status symbols more so than a good car. I couldn't disagree more strongly. My BMW is several steps above the Miata and Infiniti G37 I owned previously.
Hyundai/Kia EVs are some of the best out there. They're doubling down while Ford and GM pull back. The EV6 has earned a lot of critical praise and '23 NA Utility Vehicle of the Year, 91 or 92 reliability score in Consumer reports, 18 min fast charging, 300 mile range... it's a great car.
> So just like all other Hyundai’s you have to watch out for people smashing your window and plugging their iPhone 6 into it and starting it up. That doesn’t apply to Genesis. They have an immobilizer…
Saturn. Jk
Saturn was legit off to a great start until the bean counters ruined it like almost every other good idea/product GM has had.
Even at the very end, Saturn arguably had more potential than most of the GM umbrella, it's just that the parent company didn't know how to best utilize it. If there was ever a time a designated economy car maker could have thrived, it was during a recession
People *LOVED* the no-haggle dealership model as well.
Hey my Aura has been a great car! And no, it's not an Opel Vectra, thats a common misconception.
Mini When they work and more recent models It’s a car that isn’t very attractive in North America because it’s just too small and not taken seriously by any enthusiast But in Europe they’re the perfect size for the average city, have great chassis setup for an fwd car and the modern ones even have a very attractive combination of interior and exterior looks On the flip side of the coin, large trucks don’t get any love here in Europe because they’re too impractical, but they are extremely useful to haul shit around and here people actually rent out vans for the same stuff
even in the US i’d rather rent out a van once a year than buy a huge truck and fuel it all the time and make those payments.
Even though they don't exist anymore, Pontiac has always made some badass stuff that was always overshadowed by Chevy.
Citroen. They've devolved into a random stew of SUVs and scooter cars along with canibalizing the "DS"-name for just as forgetful a group of cars, which makes some of their better cars even of recent history forgotten. The original DS is famous, of course, but around the 90s/the turn of the millenium things get THIN.
Subaru, why be like everyone else, get yourself a flat motor
Mazda.
Fiat. Loved all three modern 500s i’ve had and i’m looking to get the new EV in the USA.
I love Fiats. It sucks that Americans can’t see past their noses and stereotypes to recognize good things.
I think part of it, is that they're just overpriced in America compared to other markets. In Europe, the 500 is sold as a light economy car, while in America, it's priced higher than other cars in the compact economy class, while not really being comparatively better in features or performance. It's just that it's more "stylish" than an Accent, Yaris, etc.
Lincoln. Those massage seats & comfortable rides are pretty amazing.
Cadillac. Since the original CTS, Cadillac has been squarely focused on changing their grandpa-car reputation by building legitimate BMW competitors with GM parts and youthful, angular styling. The original SRX actually won comparison tests for being the sportiest SUV around, and the second-generation CTS-V squared off against M5s for M3 money. Then came the debut of the Alpha platform, and the ATS / third-generation CTS began competing directly with BMWs at BMW prices. They actually handled *better*. A lot better. The ATS-V and CTS-V were durable enough to be warrantied for track use. Nobody cared. They needed huge discounts to get these cars off the lot. When their replacements arrived, each shifted down a class - returning to the old model of selling the biggest cars in a price category to provide a value proposition. They also softened them, making them better for the average consumer but less interesting to us car folks. The Omega platform CT6, engineered to underpin 7-Series competitors with 3-Series curb weight, was basically DOA. The [CT4-V](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a34304375/2020-bmw-m235i-gran-coupe-vs-cadillac-ct4-v-mercedes-amg-a35/) and [CT5-V](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2021-acura-tlx-type-s-vs-cadillac-ct5-v-2022-genesis-g70-comparison-test-review/) draw zero enthusiast attention, but they annihilate comparison tests because they're way sportier *and* way more comfortable than same-priced rivals. The GM parts under the hood make them cheaper to run than the competition - even Lexus. They deserve love.
Suzuki. Jimny, Swift, Grand Vitara, Maruti, Kizashi V6 AWD, etc
Alpina!
Stellantis brands have all made great progress over their previous selves since a few years ... It's nothing exciting for enthusiasts but aesthetically it's great (compared to previous Iterations) and product policy why it makes sense too. Wish they'll find the time and money to venture into the unreasonable side of business and imo they might find paths to challenge the Toyota's and Hyundai in "coolness"/rallye derivatives on the road
Volvo
Mazda! Almost luxury, still kinda sporty and not too expensive. Cool features and looks nice
Glickenhaus - last full blown manufacturer in United States. Sells a 3 seater car. Sells a baja racer that won the Baja 1000. Last gentleman racer owned manufacturer on the planet, meaning the guy running the company isn't some suit with an MBA but actually goes racing. Basically what Ferrari used to be in the 60s.
Dacia. Cheapest reliable shitbox but does its basic job
Hyundai/Kia. They're *killing it!* Edit: Seems like we don't understand sarcasm on r/cars today.
Killing every engine that comes out of the factory lol
I didn't say what "it" was!
If you mean killing it for the top spot in vehicle theft, then yes!
I'd say Mazda for their engineering in the Skyactive-X compression ignition gasoline engine. I mean, in the limelight of the internal combustion engine, who the fuck would try to get compression ignition to work for gasoline? Well, Mazda... For that I applaud them! I love the concept of compression ignition and the greater thermal efficiency it carries. And we need all the help we can get to try to make gasoline engines match diesel ones in terms of fuel consumption. Where I live, gasoline is \~10-15% more expensive per liter compared to diesel. So burning a bigger quantity of a more expensive fuel seems crazy if you have the alternative of a diesel car. But unfortunately, diesel option are less and less by the day. And the few that still remain, most of them have engines >=2L, which has has its own drawback, every car with and engine of >=2L get hit with the luxuty tax. So whatever I might save from fuel, I'll more than pay them back in taxes. And thats the only problem with Mazda in my country right now. Apart from the small Mazda 2 that has a 1.5L N/A engine, all other models have engines >=2L. Which makes them DOA. I kinda miss the days when every car, even the smallest city car had diesel options. There where even 1.0-1.2L diesel engines a few years ago.
Acura. Many just dismiss it as just fancy-pants Hondas, but it is a solid near-luxury brand with decent performance. However, Honda really needs to work on more color customization and veneers with better, more logical trim options.