This is the case with most SUVs, especially ones “high on design”, the hatchback equivalents are far more practical.

I’m happy I was able to score a killer deal for the last six-cylinder, rear wheel drive hot hatch from BMW. The front-drive Bimmers are an afront to the brand.

Being from the same small region as Alex, rock on!

I have used them only rarely on my M140i, mostly I let the gearbox to its own devices and it does fine.

“The best part of all? Its starting price is going to be lower than its direct competition — things like the Mini Countryman John Cooper Works All4, or the BMW X2 M35i, or the Mercedes-Benz GLA35 — which start around the $40,000 mark. Fun doesn’t have to be expensive.”

The car you are thinking off is the i30 N Performance.

It is… but only for a while. Once the novelty wears off you end up never using them.

And a much larger engine range.

7 speed dual clutch, micro hybrids across the range and an upscale interior. All of that in a small car.

The Taos is far bigger than the T-Roc and related to the C-Segment VAG CUVs (such as the Seat Ateca.

The Puma wasn’t designed with the US in mind so the re-engineering would drive the cost up. Also it would probably come with the 155bhp engine as standard which starts at 25k € (base trim level, no auto).

Federalising cost and bigger engine options would probably drive the Puma’s price up.

They are nicely spaced in Europe:

The Puma has the MHEV versions of the Ecoboost engine as well as a 7 speed dual clutch gearbox, both of which are not available in the Ecosport. Also the interior is much more upscale.

For Europe, it was a stop gap before they had a decent B-segment CUV definitely.

The Puma in the US is a 30k car probably. That would make it an automatic failure.

The 1 litre makes sense in Europe for tax reasons. That why it had versions with up to 155bhp and mild hybrids.

It won’t for the same reasons Volkswagen does not sell the T-Roc in the US.

The Puma is too expensive and sophisticated.

The Ecosport was a stop gap in Europe too. The Puma heavily outsells.