Honda Fit Driven

Many car makers have turned the vehicle name-making process into an apparent lottery of meaningless alphanumeric titles. On many counts, at least the numeric part means something, but even that is not true across the board. It goes from "LR3" to "550i" and on to more silly concoctions like "SLK55 AMG". These three names apply to magnificent vehicles, but with these titles being used in such a widespread fashion, non-enthusiasts are finding it hard to keep it all straight.

Where am I going with this? Think back to the 80's and 90's, when automobile names sometimes even represented the characteristics of the car on which the badge hung. Integra. Sure, it's not much of a genuine English word, but those small Acura's truly were full of structural and mechanical integrity. The title, as carried by the greatness of the car, held quite a bit of sway in the young-tuner crowd.

Discovery. That's about as close as you can come to accurately naming a Land Rover. You could discover places where nobody knew there were places if you were in a tough, old Disco.

Now, I know, the names weren't always representative. An Acura Legend, however solid and luxurious, will not be participating at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2050. Legendary, er, not quite.

But many times, the naming process truly resulted in a great end result. Now to my point; the new Honda Fit. In some places, as you may know, this vehicle is actually called the Jazz. These are generally places where the Fit is not equipped with a 109 bhp engine which propels the small Honda quite briskly due to the light weight and overall small stature of this tidy hatchback.

See what I'm getting at? "Fit" is a perfect title for a car that has managed to keep the percentage of fat down and also worked out in Honda's laboratory enough to garner a few compliments about being quick and agile.

Sure, the Fit is a lightweight contender, but it brings to the ring a strong chin, some ability to throw the big knockout punch, and tenacity to go in and out of corners. Honda's Fit starts at just under $15K CDN, but at that price is not amazingly well-equipped. That's not to say a Fit DX is bare-bones; but to simply suggest there ain't as many bones when you only spend $15,000. The Fit I was interested in was the LX, which for bare-bones Civic pricing offers a lot of stuff. CD, air-con, power locks, mirrors, and windows will satisfy most people at this price level, and safety features are abundant across the Fit spec chart. Up the price to over $19,000 and you're inching your way deep into Civic territory, but you do get a lot of extras. An extensive body kit, bigger wheels and tires, paddle shifters upon choosing an automatic tranny, six speakers, cruise, and keyless entry all conspire to make the Fit Sport look and feel like a good purchase.

Despite being in the same price realm as low-level Civic's, cargo capacity and flexibility make up for the fact that you didn’t purchase Canada's best seller. With the Fit being a real city car, I decided to take my drive at hours when my city behaves like a big and busy city.

I left Honda's parking lot in the middle of a sunny Friday. Fit's haven't been around for long, and this produced some curious onlookers. I took my typical route up through a hilly section of town, with the specific hill I love on being the only place where the Fit did not seem so fit, at least cardiovascularly). Low-speed corners are abundant and some rough patches all confirmed that the little Honda drives much more like a big car, but only when you want big-car feel. On the other hand, its smallness was the overriding trait when testing the turning circle on a cul-de-sac and shifting through the 5-speed with typical small-car, small-engine feel.

Put another way, the Fit felt like an Accord when I judged ride, but like a Civic when I judged handling. Sitting in the backseat again felt like a big-car, but visibility out through the rear window proved to me that my rear window wasn't too far away, a'tall. I was never intimidated by 18-wheelers on the highway, but reversing into a parking spot was remarkably easy. Bothersome behaviour was not to be found. The clutch was mounted too high for my liking, but still operated in typically smooth Honda fashion. The C-pillar combines with the front seat headrests to block vision slightly. Buttons and switches were all of quality not normally found in cars as inexpensive as this. Fuel economy from the 1.5L inline-4 is expected to be impressive, and as already stated, a 1.5L never felt so zippy.

Small cars are the new big thing in North America, led by the Mini Cooper and the smart fortwo here in Canada. Alphanumerics have fortunately not yet taken over the tiny-car segment.

IIHS VIDEO OF SMART FORTWO CRASH

YouTube hosts a clip of an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash test of the Mercedes-backed smart fortwo. smart has been selling cars across the world for years, but the USA is only recently finding fortwos on the interstates.

The IIHS hasn't released their ratings of the smart fortwo, however. It'd be more than too early to make our own judgements, as well. IIHS frontal offset crashes take place with 40% of the width of the vehicle hitting a barrier at 40mph. These tests are followed by an awful lot of in-depth reseach of the crashed vehicles.  

Read all smart-related posts with a simple click

A look at the IIHS page responsible for informing us all regarding this test reveals a number of things. Firstly, "Test results can be compared only among vehicles of similar weight." Next, the categories the IIHS looks at - "structural performance, injury measures, and restraints/dummy kinematics — determine each vehicle's overall frontal offset crashworthiness evaluation" - make very clear that there's more to establish than quantifying scratches on the paint.  

Thirdly, "Manufacturers supply information...." and "...Institute engineers review this information and rate vehicles based on the same evaluation parameters used for the Institute's frontal offset test." Did'ja know that? "To ensure manufacturers' good faith participation, the Institute is conducting audit tests." Finally the mission: "The Institute's test primarily assesses how well a vehicle's front-end crush zone absorbs energy during a crash and, in turn, how well the occupant compartment, or safety cage, holds together." 

For now, just watch how the little city car holds up. 

MERCEDES-BENZ MONEY TALK

Having just covered BMW's current financial situation - with help from Bloomberg.com of course - GoodCarBadCar figured it only makes sense that the #2 player in the luxury automobile sector gets some attention as well. 

The economic downturn in the United States has a great effect on the rest of the world; few would deny. In the case of Mercedes-Benz, this can be too clearly seen. Have a look. And... or... check out other Numbers or $$$ posts from GoodCarBadCar while you're visiting. Mercedes-related articles can be found here.

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32 - percentage drop in profit during the first quarter of 2008 compared with the same period of 2007 for Mercedes-Benz, the world's second largest purveyor of luxury automobiles

1,330,000,000 - announced quarterly net income, in euros, for Daimler (ie Mercedes-Benz), a 640,000,000 euro drop from the 2007 period

20 - carryover stake, measured in percentage, Daimler holds in Chrysler, the maker of Dodge and Jeep as well, after the former DaimlerChrysler divorced

491,000,000 - loss, in euros, resulting at Daimler during this last quarter because of their 20% stake in their old American 'wife'

25 - percentage drop in the value of Daimler shares so far this year, following a serious boost last year when shares jumped after the sale of EADS

50,900,000,000 - approximate valuation, in euros, of the worth of Daimler

7,100,000,000 - cost savings, in euros, Mercedes-Benz has garnered by shaving 9,700 factory jobs since 2005

45 - percentage boost in operating profit by Mercedes during January, February, and March

BMW MONEY TALK

Suits, beancounters, corporate honchos: sit up and pay attention. When BMW starts talking dollars and cents (and euros), the numeric values are generally high and of great import. Grasping some figures that Bloomberg reported this morning, GoodCarBadCar displays below some of BMW's current fortune.

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17 - percentage drop in first quarter profit for the world's largest luxury automaker, BMW

487,000,000 - total net income earned in the first quarter of 2008, measured in euros, a 100million euro drop from the same period one year earlier

236,000,000 - total charge, in euros, booked by BMW because of "bad debts and lower values on cars it sells in the U.S. after leases expire," says Bloomberg.com

1.6 - percentage gain made by BMW at the Frankfurt exchange this morning

16 - approximate percentage drop in the value of BMW shares so far this year

27,404 - total units sold by BMW in March in the USofA

8.7 - percentage drop in American BMW sales this March compared with March of 2007, a figure that's 3.3% worse than the BMW group (Rolls-Royce and Mini, too) as a whole

351,787 - total worldwide sales for BMW in January, February, and March

1,800,000 - anticipated total worldwide BMW sales per annum beginning in 2012, necessitating a quarterly total  98,213 cars better than the first quarter of this year

VOLVO RECALL of XC&V70s

It's like Honda recalling engines, Audi recalling all-wheel drive components, or Mitsubishi recalling turbochargers. Volvo.... yes, Volvo is recalling safety gear.

Brand spankin' new XC70s and V70s - 65,000 of them - have a problem with side-impact airbags. In cold weather testing the deployment of the side-impact bags was delayed. Delayed airbag popping? Not so good. 

The XC70 and V70 are very much the same vehicle underneath the skin. Expect Volvo to deal with this sort of problem swiftly. 

AUDI NEWS by NUMBERS

At one time in the not-so-distant past, Audi was Volkswagen's loftiest brand. Now Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini cause the four-ringed badge to appear downmarket. 

No, not really. Audi has plans to be the best-selling luxury brand in the world sometime early next decade. That feat will require overtaking BMW (heard of it?) and Mercedes-Benz (familiar-sounding?). Here are some recent Numbers that tell a little of Audi's current story.

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1200 - total Audis anticipated to be sold in India during the year 2008

350 - total Audis sold in India during the year 2007

2 - likely drop in the number of cylinders in Audi's S4, from a V8 to a V6 that'll feature a small supercharger and turbocharger, similar power, better fuel economy, and less weight in the nose of the car

8 - different iterations of the Audi TT to be seen managing the Isle of Man TT, one of the world's most famous motorcycle races

40 - estimated miles per gallon on the EU cycle for the 2.0L turbodiesel in the new Q5, one of a few engines with which North American Q5s won't be available

0.33 - coefficient of drag championed by the Q5 small crossover/SUV/SAV/cute-ute thing, a very impressive car-like figure

4 - number of wheels to which the remixed Audi A3 - with turbocharged 2.0L - can send power, having previously been offered only with front-wheel drive whilst the upper-tier A3 V6 could be had with Quattro

TOYOTA CAN LOSE AT SOMETHING

Tsutomu Tomita is clearly quite sick of losing. Tomita works for Toyota. And there are not many employees of the new number 1 auto-seller in the world who have a problem with losing. Toyota, as an auto-seller, does not lose.

Toyota, as a Formula 1 race team, loses every race. First race : 2002 Australian Grand Prix. Recent race: 2007 Bahrain Grand Prix. 91 total races, 2 pole positions, 155 team points, but never once a race win. To state the obvious, Toyota, without even a race win, has never won the Constructor's Championship nor have their drivers ever won a Driver's Championship.

Put it this way: send 91 people into a Toyota dealership in, say... Ottawa. How many come out with a car? Paaaaahlenty. Send 91 races in Toyota's direction, how many conquests? Zero.

Something doesn't add up. This massive Japanese manufacturer with three sub-brands, an overriding belief in its dependability, its loyal workforce and the largest cash reserves amongst all carmakers, can't win a race. Not only are those cash reserves the largest, they've used up hundreds of millions of dollars of those cash reserves to finance an F1 program that has never won a race. The $ figure is higher than any other competitor in F1, more than Ferrari; McLaren-Mercedes; or BMW.

So Tsutomu Tomita will leave for a different posting in the Toyota corporate structure, leaving behind his F1 Chief job at Toyota for another part of the company that is, perhaps, more dominant. It is not fun to lose. Especially when you're under pressure, work harder, and spend more.

Toyota does, however, have other laurels on which to rest.

GM HORSEPOWER ALERT

Cadillac's CTS-v and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will be making use of an even more powerful supercharged V8 than originally thought. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, despite Cadillac's status as General Motors loftiest brand and Chevrolet being at the bottom of the rung, this V8 still makes more power in the less restricted Corvette ZR1 than it does in the hi-po CTS.

When The Good Car Guy drove the regular 300+ bhp CTS at GM's Milford Proving Grounds, power was plentiful. Amazing then, isn't it, that the V version produces an extra 263 ponies than that car? Beyond the base North American CTS, the CTS-v motivates with 304 horsepower. In other words, attach the middle 3.6L V6 to the basic 3.6L V6 (non-direct injection) and you have 567 horsepower - same as the Cadillac CTS-v.

Check out the search results of Cadillac CTS from here at GCBC

Chevrolet starts the Corvette with a 6.2L V8 which generates 430 horsepower. A dual-mode exhaust bumps that figure to 436. Up next is the 7.0L V8 from the Corvette Z06. Yeah, I know 505 horsepower seemed good enough. However, we are now told the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will produce 638 caballos.

Watch video from a 'Vette drive at Milford with a click up on in here

Indeed, the Milford Proving Grounds loop wasn't enough to contain the Corvette ZR1. GM brass sent it to Papenburg, Germany where it achieved a certified 205mph. In fact, the Corvette ZR1 struck 208, but that was with a tailwind. 

CLASSIFYING THE QUOTES OF THE BIGSHOTS

People talk. People talk everyday. Even important people talk everyday. I took a look at the spoken words of three important individuals; words spoken in just the last couple of days. They show the diversity of each human, but also the disparate 'lives' of three different companies.

Take a guess - who spoke these words? "I didn't welcome this morning's news.... We'll fight for every sale...We still have the majority of the year in front of us..."

What about these words? "Our first quarter results came in somewhat stronger than expected, but there are many uncertainties going forward... We remain focused on improving our quality, productivity, and business performance."

Last ones. "We have a vision to grow our business.... into a company that will be competitive for the long run."

#1 was Rick Wagoner, head of General Motors. Quote #2 was Alan Mullaly, the big-shot at Ford Motor Company, and the third was Tom LaSorda, CEO of the Chrysler Group.

Here's the background. GM just got knocked to number two in worldwide auto sales during the first quarter of the year, behind Toyota. (See story here.) Ford just announced that it lost over $200million dollars in three months. And Chrysler is on the auctioneer's block, and the gavel could come down soon.

You have one man who speaks with competitive passion because he doesn't want to stay number 2. Then you have Mullaly (see story here) who speaks with some honesty but also with some hope. And then LaSorda, upon the announcement of new operations in Marysville, Michigan mentioning with some subtlety that, uh...guys, we need to make this company last.
It's struggling, but we're investing to make this work.

The companies three, one with European cars coming (Saturn Astra), another whose CEO desperately wants to bring its European cars (Mondeo, S-MAX, Focus) and another whose European division - that'd be Mercedes-Benz - is the profitable side of their business. Such irony, such coincidence, such oddly coexistent events and circumstances.

TRULY, VERIFIABLY, GENUINELY GREEN CARS

Studies can be a frightening thing for our preconceptions; turning them into misconceptions or fallacies even. Illusions, distortions, misrepresentations or old wives' tales. Yikes, sounds awful.


Perhaps then, just a misunderstanding. Is the Toyota Prius really so green? Is the Jeep Wrangler really not so verde?

CNW Marketing studied. And the results are very surprising. We hear all the statistics - bare, objective, simple facts - regarding fuel consumption and emissions. CNW studied deeper.

So say they, "CNW Marketing Research Inc. spent two years collecting data on the energy necessary to plan, build, sell, drive, and dispose of a vehicle from initial concept to scrappage. This includes such minutia as plant to dealer fuel costs, employee driving distances, electricity usage per pound of material used in each vehicle and literally hundreds of other variables. To put the data into understandable terms for consumers, it was translated into a 'dollars per lifetime mile' figure. That is, Energy Cost per mile driven."

CNW itself does not proclaim this report to be a technical document, but a resource for consumers. Just to warn you, Green Party supporters; Leonardo DiCaprio believers; and hybrid pushers, you should have a cold facecloth and a glass of water nearby. Now. If you are not prepared to read content disturbing to your inner-Sierra Groupiness, please steer your mouse to the GCBC Libary.

Of vehicles sold in the USA up till 2005, the Scion xB was the greenest car in the world. CNW lists the Ford Escort next, then Jeep's Wrangler, the Chevrolet Tracker, and the Toyota Echo. Ion, Elantra, Neon, Corolla, and Scion xA filled out the top ten.

More telling is the mathematical figures. That xB didn't just top the list, but it beat the Honda Insight by $2.46 per mile. The Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, Prius, and Honda Accord Hybrid $0.24 and $0.36 worse than the Insight.

CNW says, "This doesn't mean that hybrids, for example, are a bad choice. That is not the intention of the research. What it does mean, however, is that a 2005 hybrid uses less gasoline and produced fewer tailpipe emissions, but costs society significantly more in overall energy costs than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles."

It is safe to assume that everyone would agree. There is more than one reason for buying a Prius or a Civic Hybrid, just two examples of the growing number of hybrids available. Hybrid vehicles are often better equipped than their stablemates, offer a save-the-whales image that some people crave, and can save money at the pump.

What the study does suggest, quite firmly, is this: The jubilant hybrid-pushing crowd should think twice about their own cause. Consider this, there is one specific reader of this site who just bought a hybrid Civic, due partially to my advice. If a car is good, I don't mind saying so. Nevertheless, a Prius may well need major replacements at 100,000 miles. A Toyota Landcruiser? Probably 300,000. CNW believes the Range Rover Sport is 25% greener than a Prius.

Hybrids have high research & development costs, are complicated to build (if only because of two modes of power), and much of their hardware and software is extra expensive. The president of CNW spoke thus, "Basing purchase decisions solely on fuel economy does not get to the heart of the energy usage issue." True enough.

NEW MAZDA 6

Result. Mazda is showing the '09 Mazda 6 - the North American 6 - and it looks good. This latest Mazda isn't daring, but possesses clean lines and lasting handsomeness. In the shadow of the 6, purportedly sedan-only in America, the Toyota Camry looks chubby and the Accord begins to appear dull. Does this mean Mazda is about to top the midsize sales charts? 

No.

But don't blame the appearance or driving dynamics. The looks are top notch and Mazda's typical driving quality should permeate the 6 just as it does vehicles as varied as the MX-5 and CX-9. The 4-cylinder engine is a 2.5L; the V6 is the same 3.7L CX-9 drivers enjoy. 2.5s come with either a 6-speed manual or 5-speed auto. The V6 is equipped with a 6-speed automatic. 

Mazda's first-generation 6 was introduced earlier this decade but was really a continuation of the 626. The 6 was a major bridge as Mazda attempted to carry the reputation of the world's best selling roadster, the MX-5 Miata, through to the company's mainstream cars. Even as the first-gen 6 was widely considered to be a perpetual best driver's car in the midsize sedan category, so now are the CX-7 and CX-9 crossovers in their respective sectors.

Honda Civic Driven

It seems that growing up in a country where Honda is a major player is an equivalent way of saying that you have spent some time in a Civic or two or ten. The Honda Civic is now the company’s second least expensive model and peddles its wares successfully on the basis of being a perennial best-seller in Canada, a holder of value in the long-term, and a possessor of a lofty reputation as reliable yet fun transportation.

Due to these factors, young Canadians (and Americans), whether driving or being driven, have only lived in a time when Civics were an obvious choice for their parents, friends, or themselves. In other words, I have been in the passenger or driver seat of more Honda Civics than I can count. Beige, late 80's 4-door with a 5-speed manual that the owner said had lots of get-up-and-go in third gear. Red, late 80's CRX (it’s plenty Civic) that refused to die but kept coming back for more despite the young owner’s torture. Purplish mid-90's Civic coupe that was always being talked about in a way that made me think it would be modified, but was never touched by any speed shop in the way that thousands of other Civics were.

More recent Civics have seen me take up residence in front of the steering wheel more than the older generations. Automatics and manual; hatchback Si or 4-door sedan; well-equipped or slightly less well-equipped.

The list could go on, but, this article is actually about the most recent Civic. You know the one. The windshield is raked back daringly. The trunk looks small but isn’t. The wheels better fill the wheel arches. Headlights are narrow slits and the car as a whole looks distinctly more modern than previous iterations, however handsome they may be with 19 inch wheels, a lower front air dam and side skirts.

If you are car shopping, there’s a good chance you have thought about buying one, bought one, or at least peeked in the Civic parked in the spot next to you at the grocery store when you noticed in your periphery that the interior was strikingly unique. Honda calls the two-tier instrument panel ‘space-aged cool and super functional’. I don’t know what NASA’s Discovery shuttle has for an instrument panel, so I can’t back up the claim of space-aged coolness, but I do know that Honda decided to take a touch of a risk in our somewhat conservative North American automotive market.

You could say the emperor has new clothes, but it goes beyond new clothes. More powerful engines, more features, more control once on the move, and more comfort. Critics decried the move away from a front wishbone suspension on the previous generation and some are apparently scared off by less ordinary styling on this generation. North American consumers, however, gobble up Honda Civics like quarter-chicken-white-meat-with-fries-and-dipping-sauce.

Why? For the little things and the big things. The wheelbase of a current 4-door Civic is within 20mm of an early 90's Accord. Yet the car as a whole is about 20cm shorter from bumper-to-bumper. This means a shape that is tidier overall, more easily maneuvarable, yet spacious inside. The new Civic, always Honda’s small car, is now wider than the Accord was in 1992. Its 4-cylinder engine is around 400cc smaller, yet produces as much, or more, horsepower than that Accord. Compared with 2005 Civics, the latest Honda enters the game with a couple dozen extra horses under the hood while achieving the same highway mileage.

For companies that consistently perform at the head of the class it becomes preternatural to compare their new vehicles with competitors - but even more so with the previous incarnation. Step out of a previous-gen Civic and into the new edition and you will notice the interior and exterior styling differences right off the bat. Typically Honda-like, the controls reside where you want them, everything feels as though it will stay glued, welded, or hinged together, and visibility is decent all around. Soichiro Honda was the company’s detail-oriented founder, and when you grab hold of a steering wheel that has a proper circumference and feels good in the hands you realize the fruit of his labour. Doors thunk nicely, gauges are perfectly legible (and you become transfixed by the digits on the upper tier), the seats hold driver and passenger firmly in place.

I drove a DX sedan and came to a few conclusions. 140 horsepower is more than 117, and the trademark VTEC kick - now i-VTEC - was subtle but welcome in the upper reaches of the tachometer. The shifter was excellent, although the clutch did not have quite enough travel and was a little difficult to master quickly. The driving experience as a whole was not significantly different from the former generation of Civics, but the differences are easily defined. Better high-speed stability, flatter cornering, a more mature-feeling car that is also more fun, and the detectable power increase.

It comes as no surprise to anyone when they read positive comments regarding a new Honda. When the neighbour, cousin, friend, and co-worker all drive a Civic, you had already figured there were reasons.

NEW WORLD ORDER - low-tech solutions work for Chevrolet Cobalt

Follow this link to read a more thorough take on this story, but be ye alerted: all of a sudden, Chevrolet will sell you a very frugal Cobalt. 

Named the XFE (get it? eXtra Fuel Economy), this Cobalt will make use of low-rolling resistance tires - a great trick many hybrids make use of - while also remapping the 2.2L four-cylinder engine. The 36mpg result comes with the manual transmission only. Reserved for former Cobalt's and continuing automatic tranny cars will be 31mpg on the highway.

Five miles per gallon is hardly gradual, but referencing it that way for now help makes the point that subtle, gentle changes can make huge differences in the long-term. If year-over-year, General Motors and its competitors can make gains like this in efficiency, consumers will save money in two different ways. First, fewer fill-ups. That's easy to understand. But equally important is the lack of expensive technology required to make the Cobalt into a 36mpg car on the highway. 

The Chevrolet Cobalt XFE leaves the home-market Ford Focus just 1mpg behind, but strong competitors like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla are also in arrears. Traveling an extra mile or two on every gallon of gasoline you pump into your car is going to - or already is - going to mean an awful lot. 

Smart thinking, GM. More like this and this, please. 

MALIBU LTZ - four cylinders, six speeds, 32mpg

Five years ago, the introduction of a more fuel efficient and very well-equipped Chevrolet Malibu would not have garnered a mention. Anywhere.

Now, the Malibu is a North American Car of the Year and multiple award-winning product of the General Motors conglomerate. Now, average fuel prices in the United States is way over $3.00/gallon and the gas station down my street is posting $1.26/litre. Now, the Malibu 2.4L LTZ

Thus, pairing the smallest engine available in the Malibu with the best transmission has become obvious. Of course, this is the Chevrolet Malibu LTZ; the most upmarket trim. We still want to be coddled.

This Malibu will start at $26,545 USD once the destination charge is applied. That equals a $1,200 savings over the Malibu LTZ V6, which, with 252 horsepower, generates an extra 83 ponies. Interestingly, the projected EPA rating of 32mpg on the highway is equal to that of the Malibu Hybrid. 22mpg in city driving for the 4-cylinder LTZ is only 2 fewer than the gas-electric combo. 

One of the Malibu's prime competitors, the Honda Accord (a Good 12 member), is priced almost identically when fashioned as an EX-L with a four-cylinder and automatic. The EPA's estimates put its fuel economy 1mpg below the Malibu in both city and highway driving.

BIG NEWS - TOYOTA & GM

The first quarter of 2007 will forever mark Toyota's ascension to the top of the podium. Toyota, including Lexus; Scion; Daihatsu; and Hino, sold 90,000 more cars than General Motors in the first three months of this year.

2,350,000 Camrys/Corollas/LS460's/4Runners/Tundras/xB's etc. vs 2,260,000 Impalas/ Silverados/Corvettes/9-3's/Astras/Vibes/Escalades and others. That 90,000 gap is an interesting separation, in light of yesterday's post (seen by clicking here) regarding General Motors 60,000 unit cut to fleet sales. Add that GM cutback to Toyota's small increase in production for fleet sales, and you appear to have the sales difference wrapped up in a nutshell.


But this has never been purely about selling to Enterprise or government TPW departments. Toyota builds cars faster. They have an impressive array of dealers whose salespeople know the cars will sell themselves on quality and dependability. The vehicles are on the dealer lot for a short time, stay with the customer for a few years, and the cars bring the customer back to the showroom. Toyota is in almost every segment of the automotive world except the very sporty stuff and has necessary, but successful, strategic alliances . Subaru will quite likely build 100,000 Camrys in Lafayette, Indiana, for instance.

To understand the gravity of this situation, remember that General Motors, a 99-year old company, has held the top spot for 76 years. GM's 2.26 million vehicles sold is actually up 3%, but Toyota's total is up 9 percent. To understand the impact of this situation, read this story.

Subaru Legacy Driven

During the first year of school wherein spelling tests became routine, I learned that each Thursday morning we were going to be asked to spell the ten words the teacher pronounced. As time went on, such piddling tests gave way to exams and an increasingly common use of the hated pop quiz. Stars rarely aligned properly, but when pupils could anticipate a teacher’s week-long build-up to the pop quiz, there was present the taste of victory.

Subaru equips every car they sell in our market, as well as most other markets, with all-wheel drive. AWD means that the horse does not push the carriage or pull the carriage. The horse does both jobs. And few can lay claim to the all-wheel drive expertise that Subaru possesses.

My pop quiz for a February test drive was a snowstorm, albeit the eastern edge of a storm which produced only the necessary centimetres and essential mercury drop to make for some rather slippery conditions. I felt like my grade nine math teacher as I watched the Subaru Legacy wagon appear before me, realizing that the machine was fully prepared for, and ideally suited to, these very conditions.

It is conditions like these - snow-covered side streets, slick main roads, a touch of blowing snow and a -7C thermometer - in which manufacturers of AWD vehicles shoot commercials. It is the prototypical real life scenario in which we can ascertain how a vehicle will react to the ordeals through which we live.

Legacy wagons like the one I drove cost approximately $28K. Save between $1000 and $1500 on any Legacy by choosing the 4-door sedan over the wagon. The Outback is still very much akin to the Legacy, but less and less so with each passing generation. Outback base prices start a few grand north and there is an extra engine option - a six cylinder, in fact.

Although typically well-equipped for a midsize competitor of Accords, Camrys and their ilk, there were a few things that stood out. I’ve driven quite a few Subarus since I first was licensed, and each one feels a notch above the last in terms of perceived quality. We can’t reach inside the engine and determine if the seals are fashioned correctly, but buyers can and do decide if the doors thunk properly; if the window surrounds ward off wind noise; if the stereo and HVAC controls are textured nicely; and if the car feels worth the money. Car consumers in 2007 want to feel the manufacturers money in the tangibles so that they can safely assume that money also went into researching and developing the appropriate mechanicals. If a door handle falls off during a test drive, ask yourself when the exhaust will fail.

Subaru’s latest Legacy has a quality feel that was never missing, but could always stand for improving. Admit though, I must, that sitting in a Legacy does not feel like sitting in some of its Japanese competition. The Legacy feels worth the figure on the window sticker, but some vehicles give the feeling of purchasing a car that was worth more than the MSRP. No failing on its own part, just excellent craftsmanship and material selection on the part of others.

Begin the driving part of the pop quiz by exiting directly off our lot and onto a notoriously un-plowed street, and the Subaru begins to shine. AWD is not magic. Plenty of tall vehicles with 4x4 written on the side have ended up in a snowy ditch because the operators believed AWD was magical. However, the loss of traction the Subaru became aware of as I pressed the right-most pedal immediately resulted in different diverting of the 175 horsepower. Job well done. Proper steering weight is especially pleasing when all senses are on alert in rough conditions. Why would I want to worry about bad reactions from the machine when I have to concern myself with the faulty responses of myself and others around me carrying 3000 or more pounds on their backs?

The Legacy is by no means a purely inanimate object for transporting one’s self, but it does a fine job in relaxed cruiser mode. Solid brakes, decent power ( plenty more available in turbocharged editions) the aforementioned steering, and a completely confident feel. The Subaru did not travel through snowbanks or open fields or drift-tempting vacant parking lots as this was just the eastern edge of a storm which was only nasty in other parts of eastern North America. It was a typical northeastern winter night with enough weather to make drivers alert and respectable vehicles radiate.

The Legacy did just that, with the obligatory set of good tires; navy colouring to hide some of the salt; enough power to have fun; and the sleek appearance which all discerning shoppers require. Proving that it is best to arrive prepared for a surprise test and walk away unscathed.

OF BUICKS, FIAT, CHINA FINANCING, AND TOYOTA RENTAL CARS

Kia is selling to fleets at an increase of 60% this year. Nissan - 45%. Toyota? 30%. Why is this the case, why is it far more likely that your next trip to Enterprise will result in a drive-away in a Camry, rather than an Impala?

For just that reason - the car could be a Camry or Altima because times have changed, and it isn't nearly as likely in 2007 that your rental will be an Impala or a Taurus (nee Five Hundred nee Taurus).

GM and Ford have dropped production that was previously thrust at rental companies and government by over 120,000 units this year already. It's always "units" when it comes to fleet sales. No emotion, no passion. Units. Ugly units.

Prices of rental cars are up more than 20% in the last two years as a result of GM and Ford de-competing and the rental companies needing to find new ways to get the stuff, the units, they need. The point? Resale values - residuals - are rising for Ford, Chrysler and General Motors products. Constantly providing sustenance for rental companies erodes the brand.

Great short-term profits; meet the UAW and CAW demands by keeping the factory doors open and all shifts running; and it can cause a pain during yearly, rather than quarterly, profit announcements. You're selling the cars for less because you're selling more cars.

Meanwhile, The Good Car Guy sees that your car is all over the Avis lot and safely assumes that those units can't sell on a dealer's lot. Then The Good Car Nation is informed, and it all goes to rubbish.

So as Kia desires 12-15% of their sales to be fleet, Ford still sold 199,000 fleet vehicles in the first three months of '07. 33% of Fords, Lincolns, and Mercury's were to fleets, 16% of total F/L/M sales were to daily rental companies. Times are changing, but things are still somewhat the same.

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The people of China do not like buying on credit. And despite their booming automotive market, only 10 percent of car sales in China are bought with money people do not have. The rest of the world? Between 30-40% of sales go to people who think wealth during poverty, rather than the Chinese thinking, "One must think of poverty even when wealthy."

Carmakers desperately want to change that ideology, and thereby increase sales. So Mercedes is heavily advertising the E280 for 280 yuan ($36USD) a day for 3 years, with 30% of the total on the salesman's desk.

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Fiat's net income doubled in the first quarter of 2007. One of the world's preeminent small-car producers, Fiat had eaten itself into trouble. A $2 billion gift from General Motors - for NOT buying Fiat - helped their cause. The changing tides have been orchestrated by Sergio Marchionne, which is a very cool name. Fiat shares have risen over 80% in twelve months. Check out the next Fiat 500, the Cinquecento, as we Venicians say.

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Buick debuted a concept Riviera in Shanghai. Buick is shouting, and rightfully so, "Long live the Chinese automotive dream!" China loves Buick. I once picked up a Chinese friend in my brother's old car. James had recently immigrated to Canada.

When we got out of the car, he asked, "What kind of car is this?" I replied, "Buick Century." He was in raptures, "I really really like this car, a very nice colour." It was a beige Buick Century.

China loves Buick. And the Riviera concept (right) is nice to look at, as is the Enclave, I must say.

TOYOTA vs GM - First Quarter Numbers

The figures were confusing in 2007. Did Toyota produce more; did General Motors sell more? Did an outside source confirm the figures that were announced by the manufacturers? Whatever - that was then, this is now. Below you'll fnd some preliminary worldwide Numbers from Japan-based Toyota and American-based General Motors.

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2,410,000 - total vehicles sold by Toyota across the planet during the first three months of this year

2,250,000 - total vehicles sold by General Motors across the planet in January, February, and March

2.7 - percentage gain by Toyota compared with the first quarter of 2007

1 - percentage loss suffered by General Motors compared with the same period of last year

64 - percentage of sales made by GM outside of North America

8 - percentage gain by GM in vehicle sales outside of their home continent

20 - percentage increase for GM sales in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East

1,970,878 - combined worldwide total sales of Nissan and Honda, Toyota's two major Japanese competitors

SOME SATURN NUMBERS

Saturn originated as 'a different kind of car company'. At the top of the heap, however, sat General Motors. General Motors is responsible for a very large number of automotive brands and, certainly in the late 80's and early 90's, had a very specific mode of operation. Saturn has now lost its plastic body panels and even its unique and solitary assembly plant. 

On the other hand, few car companies possess a lineup that has been so drastically revamped in the mold of the new Saturn: Outlook, Aura, Astra, Sky, Vue. Here are some Numbers to tell you a little about Saturn's current state of affairs.

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286,000 - total Saturns sold in the year 1994, a time when Saturn was competing with just one model

240,000 - total Saturns sold in 2007, a time when Saturn was offering multiple models

50 - percentage of Saturn's buyership that is of the female variety

80 - percentage of Saturns sold in situations where women have significant influence

2006 - year in which Saturn's midsize sedan, the Aura, was named North American Car of the Year

7,000 - price increase, measured in USD, of the average Saturn sale in 2008 compared with 2006

16,495 - lowest price of entry at a Saturn dealership

28,995 - base price for Saturn's most expensive vehicle, the Outlook

3 - absolutely direct competitors for the Outlook from General Motors alone, from the Buick Enclave; Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia

2 - mentions of the word 'sport' - as in sport sedan and sport compact - on Saturn's main page, beneath both the Aura and Astra

7.5 - percentage drop in sales for Saturn in the USA from March 2007 to March 2008