1994 to 2021 $1000 = $1850, inflation adjusted. Your car is more the $1400 car, but the point still stands.

Point being, the difference isn’t that much. My 2008 z71 Silverado sits a touch above 9" of clearance to the front skidplate, which could be upped with a lift. It gets you 9" even to the bottom of the pumpkin with no load on board, which isn’t going up by much unless you go much larger with tires. And then you need a…

I thought the new ones were closer to 10. Either way, isn’t that “around 9"?

Ground clearance? Most Subaru’s are around 9" of clearance these days, with a few around 10. 10 is about equal to a Wrangler or 4x4 pickup from a few years ago. You can get a bit more with off road packages these days, but it’s not like it’s a night and day difference.

It’s dumb looking either way.   But Subaru sells lots of shit with cladding ALL over it.  Maybe this will fit their market.

The bridge does not need to be raised.

It’s incredible that the driver didn’t stop, given how tight the bridge is. Given the damage it also seems like the driver wasn’t even concerned to go slow.

Exactly. It’s not only low, but it’s very narrow for two lanes of traffic, even for normal car traffic.

I am guessing it is loaded with infrastructure.

Better paint too.

Is there a run on gasoline too?  Seems like a long line for the pump.   

Lives do have value.

You are on to something, but I don’t think the mk4 wins this award. Mostly because it was - and is - very popular. Especially the 337/20th GTIs and R32s.

I suppose if your main requirement is that it must go off road (more than mild trails or dirt roads), then it’s not bad - even great. Same if you just want the roofless/doorless vibe. Otherwise it’s not so awesome. That mpg sucks, they aren’t very refined, the foot print is pretty large - but interior space doesn’t…

I don’t have a ton of experience, but I do think the RAV4 handles rough roads poorly. It’s mega harsh on our NE frost damaged roads. Doesn’t feel like it has much travel. The travel may be there, but again it most certainly doesn’t feel that way to me, especially given it’s (usually) taller profile tires. This being…

Do some of these actually have more travel?    My experience is no.   

These things CONSTANTLY get destroyed by snow plows in my much more southern city.   Assuming Detroit has enough budget to plow the streets and all you will be left with is some stainless lag bolt shanks to destroy tires.

As a kid who grew up in the 80s, holy shit. 8.5 0-60 would be hot shit! Most performance cars of the time were doing that, maybe slightly better.

Neon actually came with about 130 for the base engine, if I remember right. This was somewhat high for the market, well above the Camry and Civic.  That said the Neon was a POS and they in typical fashion they would only sell with slightly elevated numbers.

~140hp pushing 2700lbs was above average for a base level car at the time and much above even premium J body cars of the Cimarron era - although in fairness those are tin cans that are lighter.