I just want cheap economy shitboxes back. User serviceable ones. Without an extra half ton of plastic and unnecessary electronics. Bring back wind up windows and normal radios. Vinyl seats. Hell, bench seats. Wind up windows.
The lowest tech car I could find was the Mitsubishi Mirage G4, and they told me it’s being discontinued this year! I think that leaves the Nissan Versa as the only subcompact entry-level vehicle on the market.
My old early 2000s Ford focus that had manual windows and locks died a few years ago. I miss that car, but towards the end every door handle broke and only the back passenger door opened from the outside… which means I always I had to leave a window down(no key hole on that door) or climb through the trunk.
Unfortunately Ford decided to make car doors using a tiny piece of plastic that holds the wire that moves when you pull the handle. When that breaks the handle goes limp and does nothing. But you can’t just replace that piece of plastic… nope. You have to buy a whole new internal mechanism.
Like i said that car died finally, but I’m still salty about the doors. Those broke one at a time about 5-10 years before the engine went. Anyway, sorry about the rant. I loved my not electric windows and doors, but never expected that issue with it down the road.
Most “SUVs” are actually crossovers. Which are just hatchbacks, wagons, and non-sliding door minivans. Take an Impreza hatchback and lift it 3 inches, and suddenly it’s an “SUV.”
But yeah, sedans w/trunks are becoming a bit of a rarity.
Yeah, Subaru is getting rid of the Legacy sedan in 2025 and keeping the Impreza hatchback because the Impreza shares parts with their larger SUVs. The Legacy doesn’t, so it makes them more money to get rid of the car.
We had efficiency answered decades ago during the 70s fuel shortage. Big oil didn’t want to normalize cars like the Vega, Moodymobile, VW Rabbit, later the Geo Metro. They wanted us to burn more oil not less. And that hasn’t changed. Cars don’t need to be designed in wind tunnels.
Regulations on fossil fuels have become very strict in Europe and any manufacturer wanting to sell there is going to maximize aerodynamics. Not to mention the increased range for electric cars. Most people still view cars as utilities, they care more about how far it can go on one charge instead of cool angular designs.
Fucking finally.
Now make cars look like cars again. Last 30 years has been a parade of Jellybeans and Electric Shavers.
What I care more about is making cars… cars. Visit a dealership in the US and it’s 98% SUV/Truck and 2% sedans.
I just want cheap economy shitboxes back. User serviceable ones. Without an extra half ton of plastic and unnecessary electronics. Bring back wind up windows and normal radios. Vinyl seats. Hell, bench seats. Wind up windows.
The lowest tech car I could find was the Mitsubishi Mirage G4, and they told me it’s being discontinued this year! I think that leaves the Nissan Versa as the only subcompact entry-level vehicle on the market.
Which is beyond insane. People are broke.
I just got a leaf
My old early 2000s Ford focus that had manual windows and locks died a few years ago. I miss that car, but towards the end every door handle broke and only the back passenger door opened from the outside… which means I always I had to leave a window down(no key hole on that door) or climb through the trunk.
Unfortunately Ford decided to make car doors using a tiny piece of plastic that holds the wire that moves when you pull the handle. When that breaks the handle goes limp and does nothing. But you can’t just replace that piece of plastic… nope. You have to buy a whole new internal mechanism.
Like i said that car died finally, but I’m still salty about the doors. Those broke one at a time about 5-10 years before the engine went. Anyway, sorry about the rant. I loved my not electric windows and doors, but never expected that issue with it down the road.
Can confirm, I used to daily an 07 focus and it went through door handles like tires
Most “SUVs” are actually crossovers. Which are just hatchbacks, wagons, and non-sliding door minivans. Take an Impreza hatchback and lift it 3 inches, and suddenly it’s an “SUV.”
But yeah, sedans w/trunks are becoming a bit of a rarity.
Yeah, Subaru is getting rid of the Legacy sedan in 2025 and keeping the Impreza hatchback because the Impreza shares parts with their larger SUVs. The Legacy doesn’t, so it makes them more money to get rid of the car.
Modern cars are designed in wind tunnels. We’ll never get the cool designs back.
We still have Hummers. Aerodynamics isn’t everything.
True, but those look like shit, lol
We had efficiency answered decades ago during the 70s fuel shortage. Big oil didn’t want to normalize cars like the Vega, Moodymobile, VW Rabbit, later the Geo Metro. They wanted us to burn more oil not less. And that hasn’t changed. Cars don’t need to be designed in wind tunnels.
Regulations on fossil fuels have become very strict in Europe and any manufacturer wanting to sell there is going to maximize aerodynamics. Not to mention the increased range for electric cars. Most people still view cars as utilities, they care more about how far it can go on one charge instead of cool angular designs.