February 1, 2012
The Auto Companies. Editor-in-Chief's Note: I neglected to mention in my column this week that the reason I was able to write about some of the Super Bowl commercials is that the car companies can't seem to help themselves with regard to keeping a lid on their respective commercials before the big game itself. Chalk it up to insecurity because deep down they know that they're likely going to get lost in the ad shuffle, or maybe it's just a most egregious case of Surprise Interruptus, but the fact remains that most of the car commercials on the Super Bowl have already been revealed this week. I guess if these companies are really insecure about the impact of their spots on the game then they might as well get it over with. But if they're going to reveal their spots through multiple media platforms (social and otherwise) and they're going to talk about it incessantly to the press, then why should anyone bother paying attention when they actually run on the broadcast? Guess what? They won't. - PMD
Hyundai. Editor-in-Chief's Note: One spot that has appeared before the Super Bowl is Hyundai's "All For One" spot, which features a hapless worker bee inside Hyundai muttering to himself that "this is impossible, it's never going to work," when he's immediately set upon by his boss who starts bum-bum-bum-bah-ing the theme to "Rocky," which is then picked up by the rest of the people in the office, on the factory floor, etc., etc. The spot finishes with the guy saying that he'll give it another try. It's so lame and so relentlessly bad that it never should have seen the light of day. Ever. It's everything an automotive spot on the Super Bowl should not be and a monumental waste of money. Truly pathetic. Watch it here. - PMD
VW. After last year's charmer with the little Darth Vader kid, VW's ad on the Super Bowl this year isn't nearly as good, proof positive of just how difficult it is to keep hitting it out of the park in the ad biz. Watch it here.
Editor-in-Chief's Note: Our favorite car on Bring a Trailer this week. Go here. - PMD
Editor-in-Chief's Note: Our West Coast correspondent, Tom Pease, has sent along another "Letter from L.A." The subject this time around is driving impressions of the Scion iQ, which might come off as a little underwhelming in this Land of Wanting/Getting More for Less. - PMD
Letter from L.A.
By Tom Pease
Beverly Hills. I had the chance to spend a week in the Scion iQ, Toyota's new city car. Toyota is banking on the idea that in our increasingly crowded cities with ever-increasing gas prices America is ready for a smaller package at a not necessarily smaller price. We do it with laptops and cell phones; will we do it with cars? Here are my impressions of the iQ...
Day 1: Picked up car at Toyota central in Torrance. It's very small, but wide and the seating position is fairly high so it's not claustrophobic. The seats are covered (upholstered would be rather over-generous) in a very techno-looking cloth. The dash has a small binnacle with a speedo and tach and a smaller one to the left with digital readouts and a clock, fuel gauge and a reconfigurable display I set on Eco. Scion calls this a 3+1; with the front passenger seat forward I have enough room for even me (at 6'2") for a trip across town. The +1 would be for luggage, a child seat, or someone you had a bitter grudge against. I head off to the South Bay to rendezvous with a friend.
On the way to Manhattan Beach I stop into a Jack in the Box for a soda. I ask the 18 year old counterman to come out and tell me what he thought. I was expecting him to diss it as a chick car; he liked it, but was surprised it wasn't a hybrid and thought it was a bit expensive. My 30-ish friend who had just bought a Mini liked it a lot, mentioning that it would be great for the South Bay's narrow streets and impacted parking spaces. A middle-aged guy on a corner we were stopped at gave us a thumbs-up, saying he was ready to trade his xB.
Day 2: 14 cup holders, but no center armrests. The controls are Toyota-quality which is great, but the plastics are hard and the shiny black plastic hood over the (aftermarket looking) stereo looks like an earlier version of Darth Vader's helmet The glove box is a pull-out bin under the passenger seat. Mid-level (optional) radio pairs and plays well with the iPhone, getting playlists and phone contacts pretty easily. I keep looking through the rear-view mirror and cursing people for tailgating me, until I remember that this car has nothing behind the rear window. I drove a friend to Malibu for lunch. The iQ kept up fine. I was shocked that it needed gas after only two days; and when it took four gallons when I filled it up I knew why.
Day 3: Took it up Loma Vista, which taxes a lot of cars. Handled it with ease. Took it on Mulholland. Here's where the CVT lets you down; it's like asking your aunt Yetta to go for a sprint. It will manage a short burst, but immediately sits back into the recliner and starts knitting. Not spirited at all. But then again, that's not what it's about. It really makes me wish it came with a sunroof at least.
Took it to UCLA, to what must be its natural habitat, Sorority Row. Asked a passing passel of co-eds what they thought. "Looks like a Toyota Yaris and a smart had a baby," was the answer. Pretty much.
Spent the rest of the day just cruising around. It's an enjoyable little car running around town: enough low-end punch to deal with city driving if you don't delude yourself into thinking it's not and I'm constantly surprised at the size of the spaces it can wedge itself into.
For kicks, I parked it bumper to curb behind a tourist bus. It's only a hair longer than the bus was wide. The bus driver was impressed with it; he wanted a test drive. I told him it was on sale now in California. Sadly, Hollywood Scion had cars, but no info when I dropped in, and the car on the floor was over 17k with the low-end stereo. Ooops.
Day 4: Pouring rain, so I decided to try the freeway. Went over the hill and topped up with three gallons even, then got on the 101 towards Calabasas. It kept up with traffic fine while getting about 43 mpg according to the dashboard. It didn't struggle uphill; down the long hill into Camarillo the CVT kept the car in check (I noticed the Mini did the same thing going down Loma Vista). I drove home via Malibu, taking Mulholland Highway and Topanga. Handled it all fine, as long as I took the car for what it is: it's not sporty. It won't surprise you by turning into a ferocious, hairy-chested beast. It occurred to me that it would be good if it had stop/start. When you have such a small gas tank every little bit helps.
Day 5: Errands. I decided to see what it would fit. I brought down a shopping bag, folded the backseats up and tried to fit it in. Nope. With those seats up the best you could hope for is an iPad with a padded sleeve. I opt to keep the +1 seat folded for groceries. I'm constantly surprised at how nimble this little car is and the parking spaces it fits into. On the narrow, twisting streets of Beachwood Canyon it's right at home. This is the first car I've ever driven that could handle the switchbacks on Durand, Flagmoor and Belden without backing and filling.
Day 6: Met a friend in West Hollywood to get his opinion. He liked the space and the gas mileage, noting that his Prius didn't deliver upon its advertised mileage (neither did this: I got about 32 MPG according to the dashboard as opposed to the claimed 36 mpg city). I also showed it to some older friends from Beverly who liked it. They thought it was small but were pleased by the 11 airbags, the mileage and the seating position. They said they would consider it as a second car.
Day 7: I return it to Toyota HQ, this time determined to burn off my $4 per gallon gas. I drive South to Palos Verdes, around the peninsula to San Pedro, then back up to Torrance. I still have about 1/4 tank before I just give up and drop it off.
I did really like it but I do have some questions: why is it rated at 60 mpg in Europe when I'm only getting a little over 30 mpg here? Why in Europe can they get leather, or even beige cloth why we get any color as long as it's black? Why can't we have stop/start, armrests or a sunroof? My only other caveat is that this is going to be somewhat of a hard sell to Americans who are used to getting more for less. My test car was a hair over $17k and if I started adding alloys, XM and nav system I can balloon that to over $20k. I love this car at $15.5. I even really like at $17. $20k is pushing it into territory where there are a lot more choices, including the 500 cabrio.
Is there a market for this? Sure. I can see it easily as a second car for a household of empty-nesters, singles like me who want great mileage and don't have to carry a lot, or people sending their kids off to college who want something small, safe and economical that will hold said kid, a BFF and a really good haul from Forever XXI. I really hope that they'll be able to bring the diesel to the states and really deliver on the mileage promise the hybrid-like styling promises but only half delivers.
Oh, and did I mention a sunroof?
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