Like every car whose HP deficit has been fixed, there is only one question:

Speculation:
“Oh yah! Airbaaygs! I gone dun’t even think about that. Shoot.”

No, there’s two discrete things that aren’t being sorted here:

Soooo... That “bad boy” douchebag stuff actually works for you ladies?

I’d like a direct comparison to the Civic Sport hatch (which I currently have and similarly am loving).

Great for “how to get your clutch to last”.
Headline promised “how to make your manual transmission last”, though.
It’s not the replaceable soft/wear parts that I worry about, as an experienced and enthusiastic driver who occasionally autocrosses on the weekend, and who’s “fun car” I purchased new in 1995... I’m looking…

The rear looks great.

285 pounds...
...of pure muscle.

I have to say - I have a Civic Sport Hatch. I wanted the hatch because I really wanted a commuter-and-lifestyle-car alternative to a CUV, being a guy who grew up autocrossing.
It also has about 180hp - and for a lightweight car, it does feel quick.
I don’t even have the manual transmission - I was intrigued by the CVT…

If they charge $5k to give you a different grille (that likely doesn’t cost a penny more to make than the standard grille) and stitching on the seats - that’s enough to make me surely never visit a Buick dealership...

Does selling my old one and buying a new/modern, lighter, factory turbocharged one count? That’s what i did for my daily driver.

I’m surprised you didn’t get a Civic hatchback, although I’m admittedly unclear which trim gets the always-terrible, always unjustly expensive factory navigation, that’s always better (as well as “free”) even in the cheapest Android phones...

Shame.

“much better”

“People already willing to spend $50,000 on an automobile can much better absorb that hit.”

Is it a deterrent?

Did you even read the post that I am responding to?
The section that I specifically called out, to frame the context of my comment?

“drivel like this: There was a story two days ago in a major newspaper talking about people living in Canada, coming into the United States, and smuggling things back into Canada because…

On the Canadian “smugglers” - it’s SO difficult to read, and realize THAT CAME FROM THE GUY RUNNING THE COUNTRY!

I’m dating myself here... But true story:

That’s great, but...
...was just at a music festival, a local Chevy dealership had a booth.
They brought a Malibu.
The sticker was over $40K. Jaw dropped. Base price was almost $40K, even.

GM thinks a Malibu is worth $40K.
GM thinks a Malibu - fleet and rental car special - is worth $40K.
GM thinks a Malibu is worth FORTY…