Here’s a bit about the new Chevy Colorado / GMC Canyon trucks:
Instead of Ford, maybe GM has a better idea.
On paper . . . theoretically . . . that new Colorado looks pretty good
If it’s reliable, capable and sells well, Toyota will have to make substantial improvements to the Tacoma
Seemed to be a fair amount of interest in the Colorado at the Seattle Auto Show. Toyota had a variety of Tacoma’s too including the TRD pro. There’s a need for a smaller truck but some prospective buyers might experience sticker shock. I think we all miss the days when these smaller trucks were around $10,000-$15,000 new. Going fairly light on the options other than the V6 W/T I priced a Colorado at $26,000. I didn’t notice the sticker price on the one at the show but probably was closer to or over the $30,000 mark.
The examples at auto shows are usually very well equipped to show off the options. I suspect one reason Ford and GM got out of compact trucks is that many of them were sold without many extras. Hard to make much profit on entry-level trucks. Of course, what they do (if they’re decent) is build brand loyalty that sells bigger, more profitable trucks years later. I can’t say I’m very impressed by the styling of the Colorado and Canyon, but small pickups rarely look like much.
I wish the VW Rabbit pickup trucks were still around. Definitely on the low end of capacity, but also no-frills and cheap.
I’ll go off topic
VW’s Westmoreland plant apparently shut down because of management and union problems
I mentioned Westmoreland, because I believe the US spec VW pickup was built there
Interesting quote from the article says the main reason the plant shut down was bad marketing and/or lack of demand due to VW’s failure to update their vehicles…just like the Ranger.
“In the end, tension with the UAW was not the main reason for the plant’s closing, former workers and VW executives said.”
“German executives had become frustrated with American sales managers, who they felt had botched the job of marketing the small cars built in Pennsylvania. In turn, said the former VW executives, who requested anonymity, the Americans blamed the Germans for failing to offer updated designs to the boxy Golf or features American buyers demanded, like cupholders.”
“The American public wanted change in the body style,” said former plant worker Jerry Lucia, 68. “We were there when the plant closed in 1988 and they hadn’t changed the body style.”
@jesmed1
Did you read the part about the unauthorized wildcat strikes?
I’m normally pro-Union . . . because I’m in a union . . . but I’m smart enough to realize that the union bigwigs can sometimes lose sight of the big picture, and make unwise decisions, which come back to haunt them
The last line says it all. You have to have the proper products to compete in the US. Don’t update for 20 years and your sales will not be there. If you have a hot product, strikes, poor labor relations, work slow downs, etc. will not stop the product from being made. But if you have a stale product, anything will cause a burp in the system. I think VW still doesn’t understand the US market, evidenced by its poor market share here.
As far as Ford goes, I think the designers need to take a step back and take a look at their product once in a while. Like I said before I was interested to see the poor trunk fit on some of their new cars including Lincoln. Yesterday I had to take a long look at the quarter panel on a new car (not sure which model) but I was sure there was a long crease in it. Nope, that was the way it was designed-to look like it had been dented. I also noticed this on some trunks where they have a reverse crown on the lower portion that looks like it has been rear ended. This is pretty basic stuff boys.
“I think VW still doesn’t understand the US market, evidenced by its poor market share here.”
Apparently, Hyundai does understand the US market, because over the years, their cars have gone from cheap garbage to high quality, competitive cars. And many of them are even highly rated. And they certainly seem to sell many cars. Hyundai has increased their market presence AND the quality of the vehicles. While VW seeks to increase market presence by cutting corners, so they can sell more cars at a reasonable price
“it was designed-to look like it had been dented”
Like the Hyundai Santa Fe?
Many cars have design quirks that most buyers never notice. I think the current Fords are mostly an attractive bunch, the main exception being the Taurus, which I find heavy-handed. Oh, and the current Transit Connect, hideous from every angle. A shame, as I quite liked the previous one.
"hideous from every angle..."
LOL. Sounds like Ford’s version of the Aztek.
For a long time, whenever the word hideous was used in referring to cars the Aztek is the one that always popped into my mind.
I’ve come to the opinion anymore that the Nissan Juke has taken that title away from the Aztek by managing to out-ugly the Pontiac.
The Juke is a solid contender, though I still consider the Datsun F10 the ugliest car of the last 50 years. The Aztek and Juke are odd (as is a Pacer), but the F10 was a grand collection of bad ideas. The Subaru Tribeca’s original nose (very original) puts it onto the ugly list, too. Of recent designs, the new Cherokee is notably ugly. Strange, as Jeep is usually so conservative in its designs.
The Subaru Tribeca originally had a nose that tried to resemble a large version of the Impreza of that same vintage (or maybe just the WRX) but to most of us it just screamed Edsel. With the Outback style nose of the newer ones it looks better. The Cherokee is strange looking but mostly around the headlights.
While we are on the subject of ugly cars, my vote for ugliest in the last 50 years is the Citroen 2CV.
First generationScion XB makes the Citroen look like a Jaguar.
The Citroen 2CV is now a classic.
The Pontiac Aztek will always be hideous, and in 5 years no one will even remember it. Except the people who keep lists of the top ten most hideous vehicles ever made.
Fans of"breaking bad" will remember it-Kevin