"Talking Cars On Tuesday: Death of the Sedan Edition"
Looking over the news of GM shuttering a few of their North American plants and dropping a number of their models. Chevy's killing the Volt, Cruze, and Impala, leaving them with a mid size offering (Malibu) and the boxy electric that may or may not be selling (Bolt). Buick is killing the LaCrosse, leaving the only sedan in their arsenal as the Regal (the Cascada is already on the chopping block, and I wouldn't be surprised if the TourX goes away in a year or two). You want a Caddy sedan? Better like the CTS (though I'm sure there will be plenty of CT6s on the lot even when production stops).
So, if you want to get a sedan from one of the Big 3 your options are going to be pretty limited pretty soon. Malibu, Regal, 300, Charger, Fusion (for now, but soon to go away). Am I missing any? Detroit is really ceeding that entire category to Japan and Korea and going all in on the SUV/crossover. Not entirely sure what to think...
Whatever else is going on in the garage these days?
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
9. "That's Buick's problem - Price and status" In response to Reply # 6
They've been trying to ply their wares as a 'premium' brand, but it hasn't been working as well as they like. Anyone looking for a European wagon will rarely, if ever, cross shop a Buick. Bought second hand would be the best bet, and I'm sure that's not what their business plan wants
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
4. "I *would* be surprised to see this." In response to Reply # 2
>wouldn't be surprised if the Koreans and Japanese folks >starting dumping cars too. read recently that the the Rav4 is >Toyota's best selling vehicle. > >I've only had 4 cars in my life. 3 of them were suvs. don't >see going back to a car.
I think American manufacturers are dropping cars because they simply can't compete with Japanese/Korean/German automakers in that sphere. So they're sticking to their SUV/truck strengths and letting the foreign companies stick to theirs.
I'd be shocked if foreign automakers started dropping cars, too. Still a lot of mid-size (shit, all size) sedans all over the roads from those foreign manufacturers.
I don't really have data to support this I just feel like I see an equal percentage of both on the road. Majority of cars seem to be foreign, while majority of SUVs I see tend to be American.
8. "The foreign companies will compete in the crossover/SUV maket" In response to Reply # 5
Full size pick'em ups? They haven't cracked that nut in 30 years, and probably won't. Little more says 'Murica than a F-150. Nissan's Titan failed. The Sequoia is respectable, but I'm sure the Ram smashes it's sales.
Mid size pickups are a different story, as you can't kill a 'Taco. Though with Ford bringing back the Ranger and the Chevy Colorado doing well, that market share for Toyota may start to shrink in that sector.
SUV/Crossover things is where the battle is going to be. Honda and Toyota (and Subaru, I suppose) are already there. Nissan has a crapton of them too. Hyundai/Kia are a little late to the party, but they're coming with more of them soon.
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
13. "The foreign markets still demand sedans as well. " In response to Reply # 4
And that’s part of the reason they do better with sedans in the US than the domestics - because I’m the European and Asian markets that are their home sedans still sell extremely well, so they have more incentive to innovate in that segment.
18. "America is falling behind because they don't value driving experience" In response to Reply # 2
Sure, we can do luxury but I'm talking thrills. The thing that frustrates me the most about American cars is that we don't value the manual transmission. You have two options, low-end or high-end performance if you want a manual.
I'd love a Dodge Charger but they don't come in manual. In order to get a manual, I need to go up to the Challenger. However, where I live a rear-wheel drive care isn't practical in the winter months.
So, my options are to go Japanese. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a WRX unless something changes.
10. "jalopnik ruined sedans for me..." In response to Reply # 0
it was something like...sedans no longer equal luxury or "making it". now if you see someone driving a sedan your first thought is going to be "driver" or "driver for an important person"
i first thought "no fucking way"
now, anytime i see a sedan, luxury or not, I think of it being something that is used to drive people around in, not something that is to be driven
17. "I think it depends on the sedan, really" In response to Reply # 10
If it's, say, a 750iL, S-Class, or A8L (hell, any stretch wheel base sedan), yeah, it's being ridden. S5? E-Class? 3 Series? Somebody's driving it
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
20. "I feel there are a number of factors." In response to Reply # 0
Yes, people are buying more crossovers, trucks and SUVs, turning the market into a very 1920s-level monolith ever so slowly. SUCKS.
I also think that "who has the money to buy new cars" in 2018 also factors into it.
Ultimately, this decision reeks of the "shareholder appeasement" trend that has big corps buying back billions in stock for short-term gains among other things.
crazy that a Ford Fusion may end up being the "USA Ford Falcon" of its time.
21. "as you (and some others) know, the V70 is now retired" In response to Reply # 0
and not by choice. It's been a very weird feeling. 10 years with the same car, the newest I'd ever had up until that point. it was worth the low cost of entry (never mind all the stuff I had to fix over that span). went damn near everywhere with it. DC, ATL, Chicago, Indy, my home town in NY, and I had plans to add more stops. On some Irv Gordon shit (RIP).
Another Volvo wagon has replaced it, and things are still weird, but slowly getting used to everything.
being exposed to the car market straight on has been...weird, to say the least.
22. "I rocked both Saturn long term, so I know the feeling" In response to Reply # 21
8 years for the SL2, 11 on the L200. Staring at the same set of gauges for 19 years is weird, now that I think about it (the instrument cluster was the same).
Here's hoping the new V of Doom does well for years to come.
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
had my 2006 pathfinder since 2009. haven't sold it yet. it still goes, but needs a heater core replacement. I don't want to put that money into a car that's bound to have some other major thing happen.
its been a great vehicle that I was hoping to give to my daughter, but it was time to move on.
these new cars are a world of diff from my 12 yr old Nissan.
27. "bruh. while I was in between cars" In response to Reply # 24
>these new cars are a world of diff from my 12 yr old Nissan.
I got a 2017 Altima rental. and I was like "WTF" @ all the ... stuff in there. in what was essentially a base model, regular car. it honestly reminded me of the Versa Note I drove a couple years ago except the whole "push button start, keys in the center console" thing
29. "That Versa note was one of the saddest cars I ever drove" In response to Reply # 27
Mind you, it had more tech than the Saturn, but the wheezy engine mated to the CVT and the overall build quality made me long for my 20 year old SL2.
Makes sense as a city car, I suppose.
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
33. "the push start thing takes some getting use to." In response to Reply # 27
I still find myself leaving the car running and getting out. or leaving the keys in the car. trying to remember to just put them in my pocket once I unlock the car.
the center console has its benefits. a lot of the vehicle comfort settings are way easier to handle. I like the music access options.
cons though. the voice command rarely knows what I'm saying. the nav is garmin and janky.
23. "Japanese automakers are much better at building small engines" In response to Reply # 0
The European automakers are also somewhat better than the US companies.
The Japanese companies make car engines, motorcycle engines, truck engines, lawn mower & weed whacker engines, generators, etc. There's a lot of crossover R&D (and shareable parts) that can be applied to making inexpensive, low-displacement engines.
The US automakers only make medium and big block car & truck engines. They've pretty-much pigeon-holed themselves into that position.
26. "it's sad they're killing all cars" In response to Reply # 0
I'd have loved to see a hot hatch-esque Fusion for example.
I got a compact suv, and went back to a car afterward.
now we just got another civic hatchback for my wife (she wanted a Fit, but the factory in mexico where they build them flooded in the summer so they're impossible to get)
28. "Closest they have is the Fusion Sport" In response to Reply # 26
Though it's more like a baby SHO with the 2.7 twin turbo they have in there. Not gonna lie, I'd considered trading mine in for one once more hit the secondary market
My wife wants a crossover of some ilk. She likes her girlfriend's CR-V. An Escape would be a lateral move from the Focus, but my son's mother drove one, so that may not work for her
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
37. "a year and a half in I'm loving it" In response to Reply # 35
now that my wife has the EX it's interesting, the driving dynamics are completely different. idk if it's the suspension setup differences, or just the wider tires on my sport touring.
also, the size difference in the trunk is noticeable, I'd be tempted to take hers on a long trip instead of mine.
but yeah man the factory thing was ridiculous. she'd decided on a fit months ago, I figured it would be no problem then the day we were headed to the dealership she mentioned she'd looked and there was only ONE fit in the entire state and I was like waiiiiiiiit *googled* well I guess we're not getting a fit.
they build HR-Vs at another plant too so there are a *few* of those out there, but they're all the low-end models with no moonroof and she just had to have that
36. "The Lincoln Aviator makes me mad" In response to Reply # 34
Not so much as the vehicle (It should replace the MKT and easily sell as many as they can assemble, making another hit for Lincoln), but for the chassis. RWD which can be adapted for AWD and FWD use? Think of the cars that could have been spun off this. A RWD Conti? A Taurus replacement? Cut down a bit, a Fusion replacement? But no...
<-- Dave Thomas knows what's up... __________________________
Jay: Look here homie, any nigga can get a hit record. This here is about respect. Game: Like Gladys Knight. Jay: Aretha Franklin. Game: Word, I like her too. Jay: Nigga...
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