Toyota to make some EV's. Why are they so ass-ugly?

[Piotrsko]

Originally Posted by JSH

I get it. I prefer wagons but the cheapest wagon left in the US market is a $41,000 Volvo V60.

So it looks like my next vehicle will be a crossover.

Depends on your definition of wagon. Those hearse look alike GM products with awful mileage come to mind

[JSH]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

The Metro was fairly extreme for its ground clearance in its cohort.

Also, mine FORMERLY had 6.3" of clearance... :P

The 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage also has 6.3 inches of ground clearance. It is on the high side while the Sonic was on the low end. Most are in the mid 5 inch range. Yaris 5.3 inches, Versa Note 5.5 inches, Kia Rio 5.5 inches, Hyundai Veloster 5.6 inches.

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

The Chevy Trax is probably illustrative of the trend of going from a car to a CUV/Crossover format. It's built on the Sonic platform/chassis, which had 4.9" ground clearance.

I'd wager if you compared clearance for CUV's developed from car platforms, the majority (if not all) are jacked up relative to the car they're based on.

Certainly most will have a modest increase in ride height. Going from somewhere in the 5 inch range to somewhere in the 6 inch range.

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Depends on your definition of wagon. Those hearse look alike GM products with awful mileage come to mind

You will need to be more specific on which Chevy crossovers you think look like a hearse.

However, that comes back to my point - what is a "Crossover". It has no real definition and has become a catch-all classification for anything that isn't a clearly a sedan, truck, or van. It is a marketing term more than anything.

A VW Alltrack is just about the perfect vehicle for me. I don't need AWD but the 7 inches of ground clearance is high enough for forest service roads but the car isn't so tall that it is hard to put things in a topbox or roof rack. It carries 4 adults with gear OK although the rear seat is a bit cramped.

[Piotrsko]

The might be 'burbs, I dunno. They are black tall and ugly, I 've only seen a couple, always black with little chrome and limo tint windows.

[Cd]

Imagine someone in 1979 trying to convince you that in the year 2021, people would be driving CUVs, and that THIS was "futuristic" :
( This the 1980 AMC Eagle )

[redpoint5]

I liked when cars had bumpers you could bump into something with and not get a $1000 bill to repair.

[Cd]

Originally Posted by Cd

Imagine someone in 1979 trying to convince you that in the year 2021, people would be driving CUVs, and that THIS was "futuristic" :
( This the 1980 AMC Eagle )

BTW folks, in case you were not familiar with the car in the previous post, this is not a station wagon that someone modified with ridiculous wheels.
They actually sold this thing back in 1980.

And about the bumpers- i think it would be possible to have bumpers that are not 'tacked on' and ugly, but still not destroy the rest of the car if meerely brushed up against.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I liked when cars had bumpers you could bump into something with and not get a $1000 bill to repair.

That is why I'm a fan of current bumpers. They can take a pretty good hit (straight on) and flex back into place. Old metal bumpers would dent from those hits.

Move beyond the design limits though and the old metal bumpers win.

[redpoint5]

I whacked a parked car with a 1985 Volvo at about 10 MPH when I was 17, and no visible damage was done to either vehicle. The rubber covered steel bumper absorbed the impact without even maring the other vehicle.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I whacked a parked car with a 1985 Volvo at about 10 MPH when I was 17, and no visible damage was done to either vehicle. The rubber covered steel bumper absorbed the impact without even maring the other vehicle.

Ah, you are talking about the really ugly rubber bumpers. I'm thinking of before bumpers grew rubber warts and still looked good.

[jakobnev]

Ugly? These things are pieces of art:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I_S3vExDBY