I have driven both. I’d say unless you really need the ground clearance (which you 98% chance don’t) just go ahead and get an impreza hatch stick. The XV is a great little truck, but when paired with a torqueless 2.0 liter engine you really have to rev it like crazy to get anywhere and it just isn’t in keeping with…

The Golf R is the adults choice. The Focus RS is still super boy racer and I think it a good indication of how popular this car will be. Plus it is coming in right as the Playstation Generation has the money to plunk down on something like this.

It is mid rear but it’s too small for this market. They are teeny.

One of the biggest problems they are going to run into is there is no goldilocks car. I see nearly as many Audi S4 and BMW 335i’s as I do the base cars, if not more. I know the four cylinder comes close but by basically having only blonde and espresso, there’s no way this car is going to hit the right level of…

The hazards indicate that she clearly knew something was wrong but just didn’t care to pull over.

I test drove one of these when they had been out for a year or two back-to-back with an MK5 VW GTI. The GTI was clearly faster, but being able to go everywhere with my foot down (including right next to a police car that was unseen by me and a few lanes over) without breaking the speed limit or getting a second look…

Quick question - Does every bike come with wooden pallets to help it get through the sand on those street-biased tires? Or does it just float in space as the other photos show?

Yeah. The S4 has fallen a few branches down Audi’s performance product tree.

You have to remember that in Europe tax structure makes a luxury pickup much more attainable than an equivalent car. There’s an opening in the market and this seems like a cheap way for Mercedes to fill it.

Right after I made the final agreement to sell my Miata I was driving home and enjoying top-down driving for what was going to be one of the last times. My joy was dimmed by a driver in front going over ten miles per hour below the speed limit.

This takes me back to seeing the 2004 WRX Sti for the first time. Bigger. Louder. Insaner!

Having put some time in with an XV I can safely say that what it is truly lacking is torque. The engine is fine and I think fits with the character of the base impreza of needing to be wound out to get around.

I don’t think this is a sure shot until we find out what the fix is. If the fix makes these cars a dog to drive no one is going to want one and there goes your resale.

I would say right now the better deal would be to go into a dealer and push for a good price on anything on their lot since they are going to be hungry…

The real question is: Does it FEEL like it has 320 hp at the crank?

With Jeep’s low entry price point for its Wrangler’s, you can get one without AC for a little over $23,000, I’d say this could be a competitive entry into the small truck market if they play the price point right.

Happy you chose to NPOCP a car that wasn’t A. Under $10,000 and B. A beat up but possibly collectible car. This is the kind of car that is priced low enough to be accessible to most (at least in our imaginations) and also interesting enough to draw some real conversation out.

I’m glad to see they are saving money by using 90’s Enkie rims with the polished lip.

The car depends on the trip... however, if we are looking at the classic American cross country road trip I’d nominate this 1976 Ford Country Squire LTD.

It sounds to me like the truck is priced right based on sales figures. I think your argument could be made for many luxury makers - why get an Audi A3 when you can get a VW Jetta for instance. If you look at these as “luxury cars” rather than true trucks Ford’s formula seem to make sense.

Besides, if they can get more…

Now this evokes the kind of great tourers BMW produced in the 70’s and 80’s!