It’s all for the base MSRP. They want the Jetta to start around $2k cheaper than the Golf. Whether it is the right choice or not, VW positions the Golf as more of a premium hatch and the Jetta as a mainstream sedan. I assume it is because Americans don’t buy many hatches anyway, but Ford and Mazda have gone the same…

I’ll never forget the C&D review when this was new: “This is probably the most disappointing new American car in a decade.” And if you recall how many other bad American cars there were from 1992-2002 that pretty much sums up the Ion.

On the positive side, Ford is apparetnly bringing back Bronco next year so you’ll have one to add to the list soon.

Our Ford Ranger is a manual with no tach. I’ve only wished it had one once or twice. You can feel what it’s doing just fine. I appreciate it being there in my Forester, but after the first week or two of owning it I mostly ignored it. It has reminded me once or twice on the highway with the radio up that I was in…

All 120 of them...

FWIW, Subaru automatics STILL sap too much power. The Impreza to 60 is 8.4/9.0 seconds manual/CVT. The Forester is worse at 7.5/9.0! (Big part of the reason I bought a manual one.) It’s not as bad as the 80’s but most companies have gotten the gap minimal or even geared their AT’s to be quicker so you’d think…

That frameless rear-view mirror.... why is this not standard everywhere by now?

Same thing over here in San Antonio. Everyone refers to the freeways by their numbers, except occasionally one of the radio traffic reporters will spout off “Anderson Loop” and it takes my brain a minute to figure out that means 1604. Oddly enough, these roads do have official names that are on signs and even some…

Maybe it depends what part of the US you are in, but I use a broker here in TX for both my auto and home insurance. She consistently finds me great deals from lesser know but still well-respected companies that don’t advertise all over TV. I recommend using a broker to all of my friends. A lot of people seem to go…

That era? Come on now it’s a feature of all eras:

David, I love you, but even at $1 you overpaid. I try to find the redeeming qualities in every car but Aleros are worthless even when they are running. That car singlehandedly summarized everything that lead to GM’s bankruptcy.

Nope but not surprised to hear they are just as bad up there. I bet I’m already approved for credit at Summit Place Kia too.

A lot of people will dismiss it as “just a Kia” because they don’t want to put up with the shit-show that is Kia dealerships. Around me, anyway, all the Kia dealers are bottom-feeding, shouty radio commercial, bait-and-switch tactic, finance anything with a pulse, dingy showroom hell holes. The car probably is…

San Antonian here. While I don’t think we are realistically more than 5th or 6th on the list of cities for the NFL to come next, there are a couple things that you’re missing that keep SA’s name popping up in these conversations. First, even though the metro is the size of somewhere like Sacramento, it is growing…

I saw one the other day. It wasn’t in the best shape.

An Accord coupe is an awfully hard sell when the Mustang and Camaro match in on price. In the past you could point to refinement and economy as reasons to buy something like an Accord, but that isn’t the case anymore. Add in that the new Civic coupe has grown very close in size and has a Touring trim that includes…

Ryan, great piece. This is old-school Jalopnik long-form at its best. One thing that I think gets kind of lost here: the reason All JDM is in trouble has nothing at all to do with the 25 year rule or knockdown-reassembly or JDM things or even cars at all. The reason they attracted heat is trying to pass off nearly…

Coming to a Copart auction near you!

How many GT’s have you seen on the road in real life? Because even though they don’t look that different in the picture at the top, the GT is significantly uglier in real life. The problem is that it’s not a hatch version of the F10 5-Series - it’s not even on the same platform. The F07 GT is actually older and…

What advantages does it have over the simlar price, similar power, similar size, similar wing WRX STi? And don’t say hatch. Nobody buying something as rediculous as an STi, RS, or Type R is putting of “hatch practicality” that high on their priority list.