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Where is Ford and Toyota???

24K views 88 replies 26 participants last post by  HRV4ME 
Completely agree. I remember a few years ago when they started sloping the back ( I think the best early example was the Lexus RX) for style. There goes some of the utility.


Now I don't expect it to be the box like my '04 xB , as extremely useful as that is. Square is "out". But at least make a nearly upright back to make for a more useful cargo area.


To it's credit, the RAV 4 does a good job disguising an upright back. That is why it actually has a bigger cargo volume than the CR-V. Other companies can use their imagination and do something similar.

Ah, that was my dream car when I was in high school! Still love the looks of them, but not going to pay that much for a car and sadly my parents didn't pay that much for my car then either..:crying::D
 
My 06 Escape is about where I would like to see rear styling. The hatch glass can easily open independent of the hatch, there is ample room and great visibility. It really surprised me how quickly and completely compact SUVs lost their outdoor utility roots.

I said this before and I know you commented, but I would be probably buying the escape if it hadn't changed into the ugly mess that it is now. My mom used to drive one before she had to look into something else and I always loved it!
 
I think its safe to say Toyotas entry in this market IS the RAV4 , Fords IS the Escape....really if you think about it Honda is late to the party .

"I'd bet they'll take the CMax and grow it into this segment in the next product cycle."

Very interesting idea ...I bet you are right. Ford: I could see them taking a stab at it with this existing model and repackaging it slightly to conform better into the segment.

Toyota had the Scion XB but I think I read its done after this year - so they are bowing out and don't care about this sector ...they also have the RAV4 but I would probably take the HRV over that .... I test drove a late 2014 XB last year and was impressed how close it performed to my 2008 Honda Element (mini sport ute ?) ...HP, driving characteristics etc. were VERY close to each other ...XB was a little noisier inside but not by much at all which I heard was a complaint in numerous articles with the XB ........XB had a cooler looking stereo (but in all fairness there the Element stereo was 6 yrs older) ....Element had 5 spd auto vs the fossil "4" speed auto in the 2014,15 XB which is totally behind the times ..... My Element even at 176k got 22.5 -24 mixed driving mpg sometimes hitting 25 on long highway trips ,,,the XB is rated only 22/28 and I have heard it only gets 24 in real world mixed driving .....


B U T resale value on a Honda will always eek out a Toyota unless we are talking Tacomas or Tundras which have awesome - ridiculous resale values.....I got a really fair price on my Element when I sold it with 176k on it ...ps the only repair in all those miles was an AC condenser fan :) ....can you say "QUALITY" .


Fords Escape looks interesting but the price / resale value doesn't attract me like a Honda does personally - Fords are usually a dime a dozen in the resale market and tons of them out there for resale ...people it looks like to me hold on to Hondas longer in general which speaks volumes .


I think Honda will only have to fight with the Jeep Renegade in this mini "ute" esque market based on sales numbers. The Jeep already has quality flaws (9 spd auto) but a lot of people buy on looks alone....Soooo the Toyota (RAV4) and Ford (Escape) are probably their only planned entries in this market segment and will obviously lose to the HRV ...... no matter what they do I think Honda will own this segment of the market with the HRV ....

I agree with you even though they aren't considered to be in the same class. They are in the same class with the CRV. My own opinion is that I think the CRV should be leaving that and the HRV entering as the CRV has really grown in size - used to be the same size as the HRV! I'm sure the others have grown as well, but the HRV looks like a small SUV, not a fun stylistic and cramped CUV like the Juke, CX3, etc.
 
I agree this market segment I think will explode....an interesting decision is coming in November from Hyundai about the mini crossover / truck concept - Hyundai Santa Cruz ...30+ mpg diesel compact truck ...I would buy one in a heartbeat ! They have done a ton of research indicating people want a small bed for Home Depot runs but not true truck like capability ,high truck pricing AND they want excellent mileage ...I usually don't believe 99% of concepts make it to market but it sounds like this is going to be greenlighted in November by Hyundai ...top Hyundai execs are all on the same page stating this is not a truck , it doesn't have the towing capabilities etc ..if you want a truck go elsewhere because its something new in a class all by itself . They may lose the suicide doors one exec said in an interview I saw. I also dont think the expandable bed will make it to market either. They have two engineering teams assigned and working on it now .

Is that the most girly truck or what - will it come in a shade of purple or pink!? :D If it came in pink it looks like it could be Barbie's truck!


Note: Sorry if you are a male and actually like this. :D
 
For the past couple of years I've been seeing newspaper articles with "brands that will disappear next year" lists. Mitsubishi has been showing up on those lists for the past 3-4 years (along with places like Blockbuster) as a company likely to pack it in soon, which is why I'm not looking at them. I don't want to buy a new car that suddenly has the company go out of business.

Interesting, but I guess I understand that since they aren't one of the big ones. Do like an eclipse though!
 
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