This car looks awesome, but awesome in a way that still puts it in a similar bracket as the Type R: It’s silly and ridiculous.

Even if the political will were there, I foresee the government attempting to determine how to dole out those cash payments taking a horrifying turn into quantifying Blackness that only makes things worse.

I’d wager that the BSport could get through what most Bronco and Wrangler buyers ever actually drive through. (the same could be said for plenty of other “soft roaders” but I think the looks and interior choices play up the BSport’s capability nicely)

I think they are going to sell an absolute crapload of these. It has the offroady looks to give it some personality, and it sounds like it will have pretty decent capability to back up the looks.

I mean the cheapest Escape with AWD is like $27500 so a base BSport is only like a grand more.

I’d like to think that there are a bunch of GM execs staring at all their unsold Blazers kicking themselves...but I think that’s giving GM execs too much credit.

This has been the case for as long as I can remember with Subarus. The WRX and Forester XT(RIP) are the exceptions for power but they still retain most the rest of the Subaru issues. 

We had to get my wife’s CX5 repaired after someone clipped it while parked. It is the 2014 version of Soul Red and the body shop actually did a really good job. (Though I think in the last 6 years Mazda has added some additional layers to Soul Red) 

For pure aesthetics all three of these are wins.

It says ‘21 year veteran of the force’ not ‘21 year old veteran’

If Tesla can climb over $1500 while building cars whose bumpers regularly fall off in the rain, I think this a smart strategy by GM to try to grab some of that market share. 

This is the point I was attempting to make. 

I share this sentiment and I think Aston has found themselves in a similar predicament to the new Supra. If I was going to spend $60 grand on a sports car with a BMW engine, I’d buy an M2.

Extremely this: Some of Ramsey’s big picture financial advice is a good thing to keep in mind, but also fairly obvious to anyone with a basic understanding of finance.

If they’re worried about the CX5 being too small then they’re gonna have to bite the bullet and get something bigger they probably consider a “big SUV” or a van.

I just figured they would advertise/push the highest available output because this is America.

I think a lot of it has to do with target markets. My Fiesta ST makes its advertised 197/215 when using premium. Per the owner’s manual it can run on regular 87 but it makes reduced power.

Did something change with the way power figures have to be advertised or discussed? 250 horsepower isn’t some limited time “overboost” feature or something that’s just the power it makes when using 93. If you want to save a little cash and have a little less power you can do so by using 87 with no ill effects. 

For the money a Mazda3 turbo will require you can easily get a used Focus RS, Golf R, or Civic Type R. You could also get a new WRX, Veloster N, or GTI for the same or less.

My theory on consumers who SCREAM for more touchscreen controls is that they have never actually spent time in a vehicle with excessive touchscreen controls. (Or they are Tesla stans)