This is one of the best-written, most thoughtful, most constructive things I’ve ever read on Jalopnik. Thank you.

Same actor.

Woe that I have but one star to give...

Well said!

And my image of their owners is they maintain a tab at McDonald’s better than they maintain the car.

Good one! For some reason I didn’t think of the Crosstrek, even though I have a fondness for it.

Geez, I didn’t realize it was FWD-only. Shows you how much interest I’ve had in the thing I guess.

Wow! Thanks for that writeup. I’ve actually seen one of these in the metal but had no idea about its history:

I kept trying to think of today’s version, but the C-HR / HR-V type of vehicles don’t really have the “I can go off-road if you want, really I can!” of the original RAV4 I guess.

The Caliber was impressive in how truly careless and bad it was. There were so many obviously bad details, especially with interior or driving feel, that it was almost...sad.

A C-Class of that era was the first time I’ve ever cut a test drive short. I tried driving a C240 with a manual—it was just dreadful. For all the reasons you mention, *plus* a manual that felt like a PVC pipe in a bucket of marbles.

So basically we now know what David Tracy was like at 18?

This deserves -way- more stars.

Well said.

But moving “upmarket” (at least in pricing) has totally worked for Lincoln!

Actually, K-Mart bought Sears, which as you say has not gone well.

The Caliber was just so...sad and careless. It was hard to find anything to love about that car.

Is anyone shocked the first pedestrian casualty from Autonomous Cars was by Uber?

You. You are my new hero.