Car Talk → 2022

[samagon]

2011 Suzuki Swift - Possible U.S Return

http://www.leftlanen...zuki-swift.html

the 2 door 'sport' version looks pretty hot.

regarding the PMOTY cars, Jo Collins picked a winner! one of my favorite cars of all time, and Liv Lindeland made an excellent choice as well.

[Urbannizer]

2011 Honda Odyssey

The 2011 Odyssey is lower and wider than the outgoing model, and features what Honda is calling a "lightning bolt" beltline, a feature that was present on the concept van that we saw in Chicago. We aren't sure if we're in love with that quirky design element, but one thing's for sure, you won't see the origami fold and stepped greenhouse on any other minivan in the shopping mall parking lot. Other new features for the 2011 model year include available HID headlamps up front, new 18-inch alloy wheels, larger 12.6-inch ventilated front disc brakes, revised side mirrors and a power tailgate. Honda has yet to release full performance specs, but we do know that there's a 3.5-liter i-VTEC V6 under the hood, and early estimates state that the top-trim Odyssey Touring Elite should achieve 19 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg(!) on the highway.

Inside, Honda has made the most of the Odyssey's extra width, offering an additional inch of shoulder room in the front row. What's most interesting, though, are the three second-row seat configurations, including an all-new wide mode which allows the two side captains chairs to be pulled away from the center seat, meaning three child car seats can fit all across one row. Again, the Odyssey hasn't really done anything innovative with its interior packaging, but new features like a chilled cool box in the front center console, HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) input, 16.2-inch widescreen entertainment system, 15 upholders and a trash bag holder (yep!) will make the cabin more attractive to consumers who need one heck of an all-around family hauler.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/17/2011-honda-odyssey-revealed-gallery-minivan-video/

[HoustonMidtown]

2011 Honda Odyssey

Not bad as mini-vans go.....although the window kink / sliding-door cut line looks very strange to me....almost like the camper shell sitting on top of a pickup truck bed...

Edited June 18, 2010 by u080570

[mkultra25]

Not bad as mini-vans go.....although the window kink / sliding-door cut line looks very strange to me....almost like the camper shell sitting on top of a pickup truck bed...

Honda has lost its way design-wise, particularly when it comes to the front ends of most of their lineup. The Civic and the Fit are OK, but the Accord and Odyssey front ends are far from attractive. And the less said about the same feature on Acuras, the better.

[LTAWACS]

Barf. Just Barf.

[Subdude]

Honda has lost its way design-wise, particularly when it comes to the front ends of most of their lineup.

The chatter out there in blog-land has been that Honda lost its way not just in design, but overall. They made their reputation with cleanly designed, well-engineered cars, but then drifted off to make garish, big-for-the-sake-of-big, boats (Crosstour, Accord).

Autoblog on Honda

[mkultra25]

The chatter out there in blog-land has been that Honda lost its way not just in design, but overall. They made their reputation with cleanly designed, well-engineered cars, but then drifted off to make garish, big-for-the-sake-of-big, boats (Crosstour, Accord).

Autoblog on Honda

I would agree with most of those sentiments. I think most of the blame can be attributed to the fact that Honda executive leadership used to come up almost exclusively through the ranks of engineering as opposed to finance. That hasn't been the case for quite some time.

Big cars have their place, but not at the expense of forgetting what got Honda its reputation in the first place - small, well-engineered, high-quality cars. I've owned quite a few Hondas over the past 20+ years. I own two now, and they are 11 and 10 years old respectively. Hondas used to clearly distinguish themselves from the pack, but there isn't nearly as much that I find appealing in the newer ones.

[Subdude]

I would agree with most of those sentiments. I think most of the blame can be attributed to the fact that Honda executive leadership used to come up almost exclusively through the ranks of engineering as opposed to finance. That hasn't been the case for quite some time.

Big cars have their place, but not at the expense of forgetting what got Honda its reputation in the first place - small, well-engineered, high-quality cars. I've owned quite a few Hondas over the past 20+ years. I own two now, and they are 11 and 10 years old respectively. Hondas used to clearly distinguish themselves from the pack, but there isn't nearly as much that I find appealing in the newer ones.

It's been a long time coming. Back in the 1990s I had a friend who kept pointing out how each generation of Honda was larger and more luxurious than the previous. He predicted that Hondas would end up being what Oldsmobiles and Buicks were for our parent's generation: respectable luxobarges for the middle classes. I think he got it right.

[mkultra25]

It's been a long time coming. Back in the 1990s I had a friend who kept pointing out how each generation of Honda was larger and more luxurious than the previous. He predicted that Hondas would end up being what Oldsmobiles and Buicks were for our parent's generation: respectable luxobarges for the middle classes. I think he got it right.

Up to a point. The Accord, as big as it has gotten, is still nowhere near the softly-suspended luxobarge that the Camry is. People who are used to driving Buicks and similar large American sedans will almost always prefer the Camry, finding the Accord too stiffly-sprung for their tastes. But the US Accord is quite different than the Accord sold in Europe and Japan, which is rebadged as the Acura TSX for US sale and is considerably smaller and sportier.

Of course, either of them are worlds removed from the 1980 Accord sedan I got for my wife in 1993 after someone ran a red light and totaled her VW Rabbit.

[Urbannizer]

Speaking of Honda and the Accord...updated for 2011.

Sedan

Coupe

Honda has unveiled updates to its new Accord Sedan and Coupe for the 2011 model year. Chief among the changes are improvements to the car's aerodynamics, reduced engine friction and revised transmission gearing that all add up to increased fuel efficiency. According to the automaker, four-cylinder sedans equipped with an automatic transmission now achieve 23 miles per gallon in the city (a two mpg improvement) and 34 mpg on the highway (a three mpg improvement).

Styling updates are mostly limited to the front fascias, which now appear to be more in line with the blocky look of the Accord Crosstour... for better or for worse. Brake lights and bumpers also get slight revisions, and new wheels are optional on V6 models. The Coupe gets optional steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and a USB Audio Interface, while all models with navigation get a rear view camera system.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/honda-releases-info-and-images-of-revised-2011-accord/

[Urbannizer]

2011 Mercedes-Benz CL Class

For starters, the CL550 4MATIC now packs an all-new twin-turbo 4.7-liter V8 engine with around 429 horsepower and a beefy 516 lb-ft of torque. The keen-eyed among you will notice that the eight-pot is down in displacement by almost a full liter, but still manages to crank out 47 more horsepower and a massive 125 lb-ft of torque compared to last year's powerplant

http://www.autoblog....d-pics-aplenty/

Edited July 2, 2010 by Urbannizer

[sevfiv]

At quick glance the back end of the Mercedes looks like the Honda...unintended amalgamation of car design?

[Subdude]

At quick glance the back end of the Mercedes looks like the Honda...unintended amalgamation of car design?

You're right. Boy, I'd bet the folks at Mercedes would be pretty unhappy to read that.

Here's a rare one I saw on the street. I didn't know what it was, so when it was stopped at a red light I rode up and checked it out.

Lancia Fulvia coupe. The one I saw was the same color as in the picture.

[Urbannizer]

2011 Volvo V60

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/05/officially-official-volvo-v60-sports-wagon-gets-surprisingly/

[Urbannizer]

2011 BMW X3

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/14/2011-bmw-x3-fills-out-adds-a-dash-of-sport/

[HoustonMidtown]

2011 BMW X3

Soooooooo much better interior than the previous model......

I'll hold judgement on the exterior until I see it in person...

[Subdude]

2011 Infiniti QX56. This has to be one of the ugliest things I've ever seen on wheels. It's even uglier than the earlier version, which is no mean trick.

[HoustonMidtown]

2011 Infiniti QX56.

It is quite bizarre looking...

"Lets put some of those oh-so-cool-right-now fender vents on, but make them shaped really weird so they look like the owner bought them at Pep Boys and put them on crooked"

[Subdude]

It takes years to develop a new vehicle. I'm sure dozens of people must have to sign off on the design. Don't you think at some point along the way someone would have raised their hand and said "Uh, guys, it's really ugly!"

[dbigtex56]

It takes years to develop a new vehicle. I'm sure dozens of people must have to sign off on the design. Don't you think at some point along the way someone would have raised their hand and said "Uh, guys, it's really ugly!"

Perhaps it's a tribute to the Pontiac Aztec?

[Fringe]

It's nice to see someone continuing to make the PT Cruiser. 

[Subdude]

It's nice to see someone continuing to make the PT Cruiser. 

Huh? I thought Chrysler just stopped production of it.

PT Cruiser stops production

[Fringe]

Huh?  I thought Chrysler just stopped production of it.

PT Cruiser stops production

I was referring (tounge-in-cheek) to the Infinity just posted. To me it looks like a PT Cruiser on steroids. 

[Subdude]

I was referring (tounge-in-cheek) to the Infinity just posted. To me it looks like a PT Cruiser on steroids. 

Oh. Duh, I didn't get it.

[gwilson]

lol, I have an 08 QX56 and love it. I looked at every other SUV on the market and it was the most comfortable with the best toys at the time and I liked how it looked. Mine is quite a big a way from stock right now though.

That said, the exterior styling on the new one is, different to say the least. I went and saw it in person this past week (went and looked at a few other ridiculous cars as well like the Aston Martin Rapide, Panamera Turbo and the new Jag XJ...all of which I like), and it looks much better in person. The interior, however, is possibly one of the best I've ever seen.

I like the CL, but that wood steering wheel looks so cheap (their wood wheels look odd in general) and there is (I never thought I'd say this because I love wood trim) waaaaay too much wood in that thing.

[Urbannizer]

2011 Ford Explorer

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/26/2011-ford-explorer-unveiled-tries-crossing-over-on-road-to-redemption/

[Subdude]

I kind of like it, especially the grill. They should get rid of the strip of plastiwood on the dash however.

[Subdude]

Perhaps it's a tribute to the Pontiac Aztec?

I had to give this one some thought. The Aztek was beyond a doubt incredibly ugly, but at least it was sui generis ugly. You couldn’t accuse Pontiac of plagiarism – at the time there simply wasn’t anything else like it on the road. Like occasional other ugly ducklings, the Aztek wasn’t without its oddball charm. On the other hand, the Infiniti is much more a collection of current styling clichés. More than just ugly, it aspires to be “upscale” and in consequence comes off as somewhat vulgar and bloated.

Oddly enough, despite its challenged looks, Aztek was a forerunner of the crop of fastback SUVs that we see about us today; the BMW X6, Honda Crosstour etc. I’d lay money on it as being a future collectible.

[Urbannizer]

2012 Audi A7

[20thStDad]

Audi makes some really slick looking cars. Does the performance match? Are they generally worth the price?