Sayonara...

[nissangirl74]

....to the 14 cars listed below that won't be returning for 2013. Believe it or not, I have never driven any of these. If you have, give your honest opinion on why it's a good thing they are going away, or why they should stick around.

Ford Escape Hybrid
Lexus HS 250h
Mercedes Benz R Class
Kia Sedona
Hyundai Veracruz
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Mitsubishi Galant
Mitsubishi Endeavor
Tesla Roadster
Volvo C70
Saab (all)
Chevy Aveo
Chevy Avalanche / Cadillac Escalade EXT


http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/10 ... k-for-2013

[AZhitman]

Good riddance to all but the Tesla Roadster.

[MellowZ32]

and i will not miss a single one.

[Jesda]

The last batch of Saabs were built by hand and delivered this week out of remaining parts. Most of the cars were partially assembled and left sitting when production came to a halt last year. I'd -love- a new 9-5, but these were right hand drive 9-3 sedans and convertibles intended for the UK market. The dealers accepting them are charging extra for an aftermarket warranty, making them fairly expensive. Parts should be available soon since parts production is continuing in the UK.

Sales for non-Outback Mitsubishis are so slow that the loss of three models will hardly make a dent. The Outback Sport has been an unexpected hit for a brand that nearly disappeared from the US market. Like the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger, it sells because its a lot of car for little money.

The Galant was a reasonably competent and reasonably well made car that was completely unremarkable. I completely forgot until a couple months ago that I rented one and took it on a road trip in 2007. I remembered that trip VERY well and recalled what we ate, where we stayed, the band at the bar, the local paper that interviewed us, and the music we listened to on I-90, but I completely forgot about the car!


Even after digging up the pictures I took, I can't remember how it drove or how it felt:




YEP, IT'S A CAR. Good riddance to that unremarkable fleet queen.

[themadscientist]

The only one I'll miss.

[Bubba1]

....to the 14 cars listed below that won't be returning for 2013. Believe it or not, I have never driven any of these. If you have, give your honest opinion on why it's a good thing they are going away, or why they should stick around.

Ford Escape Hybrid
Lexus HS 250h
Mercedes Benz R Class
Kia Sedona
Hyundai Veracruz
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Mitsubishi Galant
Mitsubishi Endeavor
Tesla Roadster
Volvo C70
Saab (all)
Chevy Aveo
Chevy Avalanche / Cadillac Escalade EXT


http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/10 ... k-for-2013

I can sum it up in two words.....Buh Bye.

I'm mildly surprised about the Escape and Lexus hybrids as they haven't been around that long. But perhaps thats a good sign that the silly infatuation with hybrids is starting to wane.

[Heavy]

Eh joel the HS250 was just a filler car they put in between the IS and the ES as a "economy" option. I never understood why they made it and then introduced the CT200h right after it which has outsold the HS since day one.

[krash]

The escape hybrid was pretty nifty. The valet company I used to work for had 4x4 escape hybrids. I had to drive one to an event once, it got something like 28ish mpg. And thats driving around in DC. Pretty cool for a 4x4 vehicle with almost full size SUV cargo room.

[DJ_B_Easy]

When I had my death defying accident in the Altima Coupe my insurance company gave me a Sabb 9-3 Turbo for 5 weeks. I enjoyed the s*** out of that car, though my experience doesnt cure Saab's dilemma.

A little suprised on the Escalade EXT, Fitty Cent needs a new contract?

Mitsus, eh...

[300ZXttZMAN]

I won't miss any of them either.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The MB R-Class is a strong contender for Ugliest Car Ever Made.



I've never been fond of Mercedes Styling (or engineering, for that matter) but the R-Class is in a league of its own. I can't complain about the proportions because IT HAS NONE. It's a formless blob. With the worst adaptation of the already-terrible MB quad-round headlights of any car to date. There's almost nothing to its styling, yet it still manages to be offensive to the eyes. That MB designers managed to fail so hard with so little is astounding.

For its last couple years, MB gave it a facelift which they keep referring to as "more muscular." That's akin to claiming you're more muscular than Rosie O'Donnell. It looks less terrible because it doesn't look like a Mercedes Benz. In fact, it looks like a 10 year old Chrysler.


"Nice new Pacifica!"
"IT'S AN R CLASS!! MERCEDES BENZ!!! MY CAR MAKES ME IMPORTANT!!!!"



I'm not surprised the HS250H is failing to sell well. You can't just take a european econocar, stick a hybrid powertrain in it, change the badges, and expect it to sell under a North American Luxury brand. Lexus's strongest seller (the ES) has always been a baffling oddity in that it's just an average family car with goofy headlights and some L badges. Infiniti tried the same thing with the I and it didn't work out nearly so well. But where the G and M stole the I's sales right out from under it, the IS and GS just can't compete with the ES. Same didn't hold true for the HS, though...probably because NO ONE EVER WANTED A "PREMIUM HYBRID" IN THE FIRST PLACE. Especially not one that's about as premium as a Toyota Corolla.

Sales for non-Outback Mitsubishis are so slow that the loss of three models will hardly make a dent. The Outback Sport has been an unexpected hit for a brand that nearly disappeared from the US market. Like the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger, it sells because its a lot of car for little money.

Outlander?
Funny thing is, the first-gen Outlander always looked like an Outback Sport ripoff to me.
The problem with Mitu's take on "a lot of car for a little money" is that the ratio is no better than anyone else's, it's only the money that changes. But uninformed buyers want to save, so they buy the cheaper Mitsu. The early-model (for the US, anyway) Lancer is still the record holder for the Cheapest Feeling Car I have Ever Ridden In. Outside, inside, and underneath, it's heaping volumes of cheap@ss. It feels cheaper than the basest of base-model Neons OR Cavaliers. Quite a feat.

My favorite thing about Mitsu over the last decade or so is their love for gluing "V6" badges on cars. They remind me of Ford or Toyota of the 90s and early 2000s, bragging that their [insert class of car here] is the only one with a V6, while everyone else only offers fours. But the reality is the V6 Mitsu is so proud of offering is decades old and far inferior to the basic fours everyone else puts in their cars. The iron block 6G7 is a complete joke. Heavy, inefficient, gutless, and lacking any form of refinement. In 1992 it might have been impressive. That was twenty years ago.

[Mr1der]

The only one I'll miss.

meh. I'd much rather have the Elise it's based on. Hell, they get 30mpg or better anyway.

[Loki]

The MB R-Class is a strong contender for Ugliest Car Ever Made.

I was just coming in here to say this. Every time I pass one on the road I cringe, and wonder why someone would pay money for one.

[Jesda]

Outlander?

DERP! I meant to say Outlander.

[Dattebayo]

The Escape was even more girly than the Xterra, from what I remember, so bleh.

[Dattebayo]

Outlander?

DERP! I meant to say Outlander.

http://frontrowreviews.co.uk/wordpress/ ... der_BD.GIF

[alms24sebring]

R-class surely a top 10 contender in ugliest cars ever.

Im so happy the Escalade will partially die (too bad its only that trim, honestly its a prettier Avalanche). Im sooooo tired of seeing some big huge SUV getting pimped out with tags that say ESCALDE (true story). Yes... I can tell by the badge what you drive, congratulations. I never liked them. And I honestly did not know they still made Eclipses still. I never see them anymore. Underrated?

[Jesda]

The Escalade is amazing. It's everything a traditional Cadillac should be -- excessive, bold, thirsty, and a bit garish.

Of course, I'd rather see those brand values in a long and low Cadillac Ciel, but for now its awesome.


That said, my favorite full-size American SUV is still the 03-06 Navigator.

[MinisterofDOOM]

That said, my favorite full-size American SUV is still the 03-06 Navigator.

Very much agreed.

I've always found the Escalade very underwhelming. Where the Navigator feels like a genuine Lincoln product, the Escalade feels thoroughly "Suburban with a body kit".

[AZhitman]

^ COrrect.

The Navigator looks like a shoe box balanced on 4 toothpicks. That behemoth has to have the highest CG of any vehicle built since... well.... built.

[Bubba1]

That said, my favorite full-size American SUV is still the 03-06 Navigator.

Very much agreed.

I've always found the Escalade very underwhelming. Where the Navigator feels like a genuine Lincoln product, the Escalade feels thoroughly "Suburban with a body kit".

I found both the 'Sclade and Town Truck..er Navigator underwhelming.
The Gator is certainly plush, roomy, and comfortable, and downright cheap to buy used. If you were foolish to buy one new (as two friends of mine did), you'd be annoyed as hell as their resale value plummeted faster than the Titanic. so the only people smiling are the ones that are long term owners that use them for towing or with big families or those that buy old ones dirt cheap.

That said, the two folks I mentioned dumped theirs due to the same primary issue. Gas mileage. They both averaged maybe 10mpg. Easier to justify when gas was half the price it is now. No longer the case.


I

[Jesda]

The second-gen Navigator had fantastic steering for an SUV. It was a smaller wheel that offered lots of communication and it was surprisingly quick from lock to lock. That didn't change the fact that it was a top-heavy tank, but it felt nice when darting around town. It was even more fun to drive than the Range Rover. I'd argue that the Navigator was more comfortable too -- I did St Louis to Tampa in one shot without any breaks besides quick (and frequent, lol) stops for gas. When I arrived I felt fully energized and ready to hit the beach.

The Escalade looked and felt old-fashioned inside but had a smoother ride and more power. The interior and paint quality was better as well. Though Navigator had a cheaper interior, the satin nickel and wood made it appear more expensive.

Today's Escalade has the handling, steering, technology, and comfort figured out and gained the Navigator's power running boards and power hatch. Still, the Navigator, despite the garish and instantly dated styling of the third-gen truck, is more user-friendly. Ford's AdvanceTrac is outstanding, negating the need for AWD in most conditions.

But then there's the third row issue. In its third generation, the Escalade STILL lacks a power folding third row seat!


Looking at the used luxury SUV market, I'd get another 2003-2006 Navigator without hesitation -- I really miss mine.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I'd actually argue that the Navigator is the LEAST ungainly and top-heavy of all the half-ton SUVs. They tend to be low-slung (by truck standards) and high-tech. Advancetrac RSC and the electronically-controlled air suspension work together to combat a fair amount of the car's top-heavy behavior.

I've always preferred GM's luxury powerplants to Ford's (the AJ V8 is an outsourced abberration), but Lincoln...at least until the whole [x]KS rebadged Ford era began...seems to be much better at taking average cars and turning them into luxury cars. The Cimarron, first-gen SeVille, Catera, Escalade, and XTS are all examples of Cadillac's lack of skill at badge-engineering. Ground-up Caddies are generally superior to Lincolns. But they're not good at making luxo Chevies in the same way Lincoln excels at making luxo Fords. AND THAT IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR THE EFFING MKS YOU BASTARDS.

[Mr1der]

The Escape was even more girly than the Xterra, from what I remember, so bleh.

there's not a damn thing girly about an Xterra. That's a truck's truck.

[Jesda]

Word. The XTerra is the Real Thing (TM)

[MinisterofDOOM]

The Escape was even more girly than the Xterra, from what I remember, so bleh.

there's not a damn thing girly about an Xterra. That's a truck's truck.

Damn straight. Solid rear axle. No one else does that anymore except Toyota, and theirs comes with factory rust.

I sincerely hope that the next generation Xterra gets the VK56VD since the Pathy has traded in its V8 option for a CVT. Xterra with VK56 would be the only truck I would ever need.

[Mr1der]

It's a damn capable off roader bone stock too.

It out Jeeps Jeeps (not that big of an accomplishment, but still)

[TgduMg]

What Jesda said, as well as this . . . . .

But then there's the third row issue. In its third generation, the Escalade STILL lacks a power folding third row seat!

The Navi's and Expedition's third row seating comfort in both standard and extended wheelbase models is far superior to any of the full size utes from GM. The third row room in the big Fords are virtually the same regardless of wheelbase and they exceed that of the Suburban, Yukon L and ESV.

And

I've always found the Escalade very underwhelming. Where the Navigator feels like a genuine Lincoln product, the Escalade feels thoroughly "Suburban with a body kit". Ground-up Caddies are generally superior to Lincolns. But they're not good at making luxo Chevies in the same way Lincoln excels at making luxo Fords. AND THAT IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR THE EFFING MKS YOU BASTARDS.

The first and second gen Escalade interior looked no more than a Tahoe's with a wood kit. At least FoMoCo differentiated the Navi's interior from the Expedition and the Zephyr/MKZ from the Fusion/Milan. But the Mark LT conversion was neglected. It looks like a cheap aftermarket grille was slapped on an F-150 and wood kit added to the interior.

Still, there is something about piloting what essentially is a Chevy Truck with a wreath and crest on the grille and tailgate that makes you feel just a little more "tingly" than one with gold bow-ties from Louis (Antoine Lamuet and Louis were both French descendants).

Quick, somebody tell John Rich. He's needed at the freak parade!

Danisiti 1

[AZhitman]

The Escape was even more girly than the Xterra, from what I remember, so bleh.

The Xterra has its own off-road event. http://gonemoab.com/category/gallery/

The Escape? Not so much.

[Jesda]

The Escape might have been the first modern crossover. It was based on the Mazda 626 but received the boxy styling of the bigger Explorer. It's intended duties were primarily on pavement -- it could handle mud and rocks to get to a campsite or plow through a foot of snow, but nothing too crazy.

And the darn thing KEEPS SELLING despite few substantive updates in more than a decade. I guess people want a wagon that masquerades as an off-roader. I'd consider an Escape or Tribute if I came across a killer deal.




But yeah, its no Wrangler or XTerra, not by a long shot. Nor is it as capable off road as the older Explorer or Jeep Liberty. Heck, you can look underneath and see the lack of a pumpkin.