I wasn't aware of it. That's welcome news. And a diesel no less. :)

When Ford announced the Focus ST and Fiat brought over the Abarth, I felt like we were entering a golden age of hot hatches in the US. The Fiesta ST then arrived as a revelation in the segment. But when Mazda retired its Speed 3, and Subaru (inexplicably) dropped the hatch versions of its WRX and STI, the segment took…

Totally this. In a good year, the roads up here in Vermont are pocked and creased by the freeze-thaw cycle. But the hard winter this year has left many sections of road a borderline ruin. I've never seen it this bad.

The kid had driven through the park THREE times already when the truck finally put a stop to it. I don't care where the other kids were at the time, the driver of that truck did the absolute right thing.

Vee, this is a great breakout. I am of course aware of the sundry Japanese and Euro upbrands. My question really was specifically about the lazy, copy-and-paste job US manufacturers seemed to do with some of their cars, and your description here did a fine job of explaining why that was. Thanks.

Can somebody educate me here? Was the prestige ladder strictly an American thing, or did foreign automakers also tart up car models to drive a higher brand?

Yeah, I get what you are saying. I'm just opposed to amping up the brightness of rear lights to the point that they interfere at all with the operation of the vehicle, regardless of its proximity. But then, I personally feel that LED brake lights are too bright already.

You're kidding, right? LED tail lights are already too bright as it is. The solution to tailgating can not be "blind other drivers." It just can't.

This is true, which is why I'm less concerned about brake light confusion and more about visual distraction and unnecessary glare. But keep in mind, the CHMSL is, in fact, a brake light. So, now drivers are diagnosing the top light and trying to figure out if brakes are engaged or not.

Actually, couldn't the software gauge distance based on the camera's visible field toward the road bed? It would just need a solid image of the oncoming vehicle's front end to determine exactly how far away it is.

Do not want.

The increasing use of LEDs for rear lights makes driver disorientation a real problem. I am totally against any system that complicates the already crowded visual environment, and this idea would do that in spades.

It would, except he's calling for a flashing signal. So that would be visually distinct. My issue is that the flashing would degrade vision, not just for the tailgating driver, but anyone else who happens to be nearby. The solution may end up creating more risk than it resolves.

I find it hard to believe an SX-4 is offering performance anywhere close to a WRX. Am I missing something?

I'm good with winter, which is why we're up here. Honestly enjoyed this last one. It was just like old times...

Burlington area. And now that I think about it, I wonder if the SX-4s are a Chittenden County phenomenon. A compact all-wheeler is nice to have in the, um, city when you are commuting from Essex or Colchester. Not sure folks in White River or Warren would see the value.

We have SX-4s everywhere in Vermont. They're pocket Subarus.

All of this. I'm looking forward to the aftermarket of handheld seat belt clips that you can plug into the receptacle to defeat this terrible idea.

I'm in Vermont. If I try to muddle through winter in the stock 17s, I will die alone in a snow drift. As for those wheels, up here style goes out the window in the winter. Everything is covered in a layer of road salt and half the cars run steelies fished out of a scrap yard. But I see your point on the…

This is outstanding info. Thanks, fudge (can I call you fudge?).