Upcoming Economy Cars

[Daox]

I just read that the new Fiesta's Cd is .33. Kind of disappointing. But, while talking with Darin, we both agreed a grill block may nearly cut that in half haha.

I still have high hopes for the car. I'm just awaiting what Ford will do with an engine in it.

[Unforgiven]

Originally Posted by some_other_dave

"Should"? Perhaps if you said that "it ought to be engineered to be able to". But I don't think you can make much of a case that a car with all of the features of the Yaris should be able to get Geo Metro FE. Check some of the more interesting differences between the two.

Yaris: 1.5 liter 4-cylinder; 106 hp and 103 lb·ft
Metro: 1.0 liter 3-cylinder; 49 HP (early XFi model)

Yaris: 2300 lb curb weight
Metro: 1620 lb curb weight

Yaris: • Child Seat Lower Anchorage • Adjustable Upper Belt - Front • Pretensioner
• Energy Management Feature [AKA "lots of well-designed crumple zones"] • Rear Center Lap/Shoulder Belt • Advanced Air Bag Features • Side Airbag - Front • Head Airbag - Front • Rear Seat Head Restraint • Trunk Release • Tire Pressure Monitor
Metro: Some crumple zones; possibly rear-seat headrests

The Yaris is a more luxurious-feeling car than the Metro. It is faster. It has lots more "features" of all kinds, from safety to comfort to... Its suspension pickup points won't rust away within 10 years.

In every way (except one!) that "most" consumers care about, the Yaris is an infinitely "better" car than the Metro was. We are the exception, in that we care about that one way (the fuel economy) much more than most consumers do. Until enough people start putting FE above elbow room, or cupholders, or six-layer crash protection, or the need to get to 60 MPH before that guy in the next lane, chances are slim that we'll see anything like the Metro again.

-soD

Yaris, produced decades after the Metro became a canidate for social security payments (heh ok so I exaggerate) yet where are the actual improvements? Creature comforts like a trunk release? Metro owners check my memory, for I seem to recall seeing one of those in a Metro before. Airbags were a gleam in someone's eye back in the Metro days, and I would suspect that if you added the "luxury" items from the Yaris to the Metro, you would be at almost the same weight... go figure huh? Main thing I am thinking here, is that the Yaris "should" be a much better vehicle than what it is, especially since it is marketed as a fuel efficient vehicle (read econobox).

[some_other_dave]

Originally Posted by Unforgiven

Creature comforts like a trunk release? Metro owners check my memory, for I seem to recall seeing one of those in a Metro before.

Actually, I think they mean the "release handle inside the trunk", for if some kid gets themselves shut in. Yeah, NBD, but it was in the list I found so I kept it.

Airbags were a gleam in someone's eye back in the Metro days, and I would suspect that if you added the "luxury" items from the Yaris to the Metro, you would be at almost the same weight.

I bet you would, or at least be close. Then again, the thin sheet-metal and woeful (by today's standards!) rust protection on the Geo might keep it a little lighter yet.

Like it or not, the standard for "what makes an economy car" has changed. If people start to believe that they can live with a vehicle that takes 15 seconds or more to get to 60 MPH, that doesn't have five hundred and fifty airbags or a massive safety cage, that may feel a little cramped inside, then we may see a return of the small very light weight modestly powered economy car.

I'm not holding my breath.

Thank heaven I have a CRX!

-soD

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Unforgiven

Creature comforts like a trunk release? Metro owners check my memory, for I seem to recall seeing one of those in a Metro before.

I've owned 3 (no... make that 4)... never seen a remote hatch release.

Airbags were a gleam in someone's eye back in the Metro days

However all the 95's and up have dual airbags.

[Wonderboy]

F***ing finally! I went to europe this winter and saw all kinds of better-than-american cars let alone american car(s). The ford Ka was released in 1996... why wasn't it released in the U.S.? Sure there are assholes here who think SUVs and giant chevy impalas are oh so much safer, but considering all that I know, and all that everyone on this forum knows, there can't be THAT much of a minority in the US that knows well that the 30MPG mark is NOT a significant milestone in car mileage. I find it so hard to believe that american consumers PREFER an 11mpg piece of **** that is "safe" and huge to a 45mpg "dangerous" Ford Ka or Geo metro. To an extent I agree with the free market capitalism thing "hey, if people want to buy giant, irresponsibly inefficient vehicles, then let them have cake!", but I can't get on board with it when it comes to vehicles. I see a hummer and I always think "you're using up perfectly good gas that I could be using several factors more efficiently - you're wasting gas that I could be using more responsibly".

This argument that all the pundits are making about "well, these are the types of cars americans want to buy" is bollocks. I bet people would buy Ford if they released the Ka in the US, they would buy the diesel ford focus and the diesel audis, just as people buy the VW TDIs. I would have no problem supporting the domestic auto industry if they didn't make ****ty cars - the durability is NOT my issue here - who gives a **** if your vehicle is durable and lasts a long time if it weighs 98237 pounds and gets 8mpg? If I weren't a used car kind of guy, I would definitely buy a ford or GM car if it had better mileage than honda or toyota, etc.. This is not the case. Maybe this is not the attitude of the majority who "need" to cart their 2+ children around to karate, soccer practice, play dates, masturbation excercises, etc... All I have to say is that we're overpopulated anyway. We have many cultural problems, and entitlement and addiction to energy are just two of them.

I can tell I'm losing my coherence in my drunken rant here (it's my bday night ), so here's the obligatory "I love you guys... seriously man" "This is such a good forum, and I'm glad not everyone out there is seriously uninformed or irresponsible"

f***

[gascort]

Originally Posted by Wonderboy

...but considering all that I know, and all that everyone on this forum knows, there can't be THAT much of a minority in the US that knows well that the 30MPG mark is NOT a significant milestone in car mileage. I find it so hard to believe that american consumers PREFER an 11mpg piece of **** that is "safe" and huge to a 45mpg "dangerous" Ford Ka or Geo metro....

You underestimate the power of uninformed people in numbers, acting on "facts" fed them by their TV and radio.
We are a rarity.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Unforgiven

Airbags were a gleam in someone's eye back in the Metro days...

Airbags first appeared in some Tempos in '85; Metros were introduced to the U.S. in '89...

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,



Another Toyota, called the Auris may be their new low(est) cost hybrid, and it will also share a neat looking 1.33L engine with the iQ:


(click on image for link)

This engine has Stop & Go technology, and is very compact -- it is the same size as the 1L three cylinder.

[some_other_dave]

Not bad in profile. Looks a bit like a mid-90s Civic Hatch, at least in the angle of the rear of the car.

Nice compact engine, but it looks rather tall for my tastes. I wonder if they could do a version that sits over on its side? Better aero potential if you can keep the motor flat...

-soD

[vinny1989]

Originally Posted by some_other_dave

Actually, I think they mean the "release handle inside the trunk", for if some kid gets themselves shut in. Yeah, NBD, but it was in the list I found so I kept it. -soD

They can get rid of that to save a few grams!

Ive never seen an boot(trunk) release handle inside the boot(trunk) in ANY European cars, so why do American cars need them?