You can get a stick on lower powered diesels.

You are right. About everything. It is not too big for Europe. However, had it been smaller they would have sold more, which was my poorly worded point. Especially if they had understood the crossover marker better, as buyers looking for a ‘sporty’ crossover are usually only looking for optics and maybe a bigger…

I really do hope they will -finally- spend some money on competitive cars for the European market. For Fiat and Alfa. When was the last competitive car from either brand released? A decade+ ago?

The Alfa 156 and 159 midsize sedans (and wagons) sold in relatively large numbers in the last 2 decades. The Giulia, which replaced the 159, is a flop. Why? Way too expensive, possibly too big, not as reliable as its predecessors and not as pretty either.

The stelvio and Giulia are in the wrong segment. Certainly in the wrong price segment. Alfa used to be somewhat successful in Europe, up until a few years ago really. There are no replacements for their formerly successful cars, so Alfa has been losing market share rapidly. The Giulia and stelvio are way too expensive…

The coupe would only require different sheet metal. That’s not a big investment.

I used a hyperbole. You can even get RAMs in France. Theoretically. But from all the vehicles RAM produces, what’s the percentage that is not sold in North America? Low single digit?

If they were to sell cars in the US, parts availability should not be an issue. In Europe parts for PSA cars are similarly priced as Ford or Opel parts, lower than Toyota stuff. 

So they will improve in quality?

PSA has modern engines, modern platforms, E-tech, competitive vehicles in most midsize and smaller market segments and access to and excellent infrastructure in the European market (which Fiat has largely lost). It has no access to the US market and no big barges.

PSA vehicles tend to be more reliable than many vehicles sold in the US. Like vehicles from FCA, VAG, BMW and Mercedes. Not as reliable as Toyotas, but not as soul crushing dreary either.

RAM is purely a North American ordeal, and I cannot imagine this changing. Jeep, meh. The Wrangler and some generic crossovers/SUVs.

PSA was always going to dump GM tech asap anyway, they bought Opel for the infrastructure, market share and nameplate. Not the tech. The new Astra and Insignia will not have any GM connection.

The EU, yes. But are you family with this little thing called 'Brexit'?

Exactly, no idea why I overlooked this.

PSA has highly competitive subcompacts and compacts, both as cars and as crossovers. They also have good diesel tech (okay, superfluous soon) and a large market share in Europe especially. Brand recognition too. FCA has none of that. PSA obviously has more than this, but the rest overlaps with FCA.

Fiat had nothing covered anymore. FCA has been focussed on the C part for so long, the F part has been utterly neglected. It was being neglected even before the FCA merger. Fiat is not competitive, not even in its home market. PSA however is right on top.

Well yes, you should still check maintenance records and whatnot and have it checked out by a mechanic before purchase. But a 2 year old car with typical 2 year old mileage and a warranty is not exactly a big risk to take.

you won’t have to wonder if the previous owner ever changed the oil in those 30,000 miles.

Why 2-3 years? Would 4-5 not be even more of a sweet spot?