Apparently they will, since the SI and Type-R are manual-only. And the Focus/Fiesta ST were (as was the RS). In fact, that’s what you’re complaining about - that they don’t put an automatic of some kind in what’s supposed to be a sports compact car.

Major difference in size and weight there, plus RWD vs FWD, 4 doors as an option, etc.  It’s a good point if all you’re looking for is “sporty car”, but if you’re looking for more practicality or have significant winter concerns, the Civic is going to be potentially far more useful. 

Quite a bit, depending on what you’re looking for and need.  Sport compact != small sports car. 

While I happen to agree, significantly different power and handling numbers there than a small light sports coupe/compact like the SI. I don’t find the GTI with the DSG all that engaging, but I loved the manual one I had. Small/light/FWD isn’t as fun for me with a DSG, but I absolutely plan on buying a C8 with one.

Buy an ILX then?  Or just put the 1.5 in the ILX?  I’d argue the latter is what they should do more. 

Maybe it’s time to just give up on this one.  Let them die.  We had some good times, but it’s time to let go and move on. 

You’re not quite following my point. I know I’m an outlier. I’m saying that I don’t think Mazda’s target audience really exists because of human nature - even if that car would work fine for 95% of people in the states, I suspect strongly most are going to ignore it because they don’t ~think~ it will, and I’m not sure…

If you can actually teach people to not be idiots, you’ll be the first person in history (outside of wartime) to do so. That’s like saying that communism is an ideal situation, as long as you ignore human nature, or physics is easy, as long as everything is a sphere with 0 friction working in a vacuum.

That’s an interesting point, and a fair one - but is that a growing market, or just a stable one where you’re trying to cannibalize from your competitors?  At what point is that profitable enough for a small manufacturer to continue doing it?  I don’t know the answers to those questions, but you raise a good point -…

While my situation is unusual (it’s impossible for me to not live 50+ miles away from where I work, since my work covers the entire front range of Colorado to the entire western half of the US), expecting everyone to live close to where they work is not really sane, especially with cost of living / housing going up…

I don’t disagree, but can you convince THEM of that? We have people buying huge trucks to drive around alone the entire time without hauling anything, how are you going to convince people that 135 iles of range is enough?

Mini sells a rather larger car than it started as - the 500 sold so well it’s dead in the states, and the majority of Wranglers sold are 4-door models. Other than the 500, they’re not really city cars either - they’re just cars that people use in the city.

Possibly.  Maybe even probably, but I’d argue that the “city car” concept hasn’t worked in the US since the 60's either - this isn’t Europe.  Sadly, we don’t have mass transit and things are FAR apart in the western half of the states.  

Systems Architect.  

I’m applying them to most of the people I work with too.  Most of us put ~18,000 miles a year on our cars for work.  Only one owns an EV.  This is in an office of ~100 people.  

To quote one of the best managers I ever had: “Perception is a bitch, but it’s reality.” I’m not going to drive a car home that says it has 3 miles of range left. Doesn’t help that the only supercharger in town (not attached to a Tesla store with 30 minute maximums) is 55 miles from my house in the wrong direction.…

Nope. 50 some days, 95 others, 150 others, and 250 once or twice a month.

“It also challenges the idea that EVs have to compete directly with ICE vehicles in terms of range”

95% right. The nacelles generate lift (oddly enough) under thrust, so moving them forward means that at high-throttle they tip the plane farther up than before - this is fine if you’re moving at a good clip, but if you’re low and slow (takeoff/go-around/etc), that sudden tip up can take you from the edge of a stall…

Now you need two trucks - one to tow the other one :(  Don’t get me wrong, that’s what we do (especially since my friend’s Bronco tops out at 60 on a good day), but it’s not as nice as being able to use it for more than just a weekend toy