Who will be the US "Big 3" in 2016?

My prediction for the 2016 *retail* US sales rankings:

1) Toyota 2) Honda 3) Hyundai 4) GM-Ford (as a merged company)
Reply to
John Horner
Loading thread data ...

Did you forget the "Cherry" will be here by 2008 LOL

mike hunt

Reply to
Mike Hunter

Why is Hyundai on the list? Everything I have seen made by them is a piece of shit compared to anything Japaneese or American.

Reply to
Reasoned Insanity

Hyundai recently outscored Toyota and Honda in a recent consumer survey of initial quality, among new 2006 vehicle owners.

mike

Reply to
Mike Hunter

Oh, I haven't looked at anything new. I only buy what I can pay cash for.

Reply to
Reasoned Insanity

They also manufacture large cranes. Toyota is into forklifts. Honda makes lawnmowers. I read recently where Honda is going to begin building aircraft for small business. All three are surely making their mark.

Reply to
dbu.

My company has had 2 new Hyundais in the past year and I find that hard to believe. The initial quality to me was above the "Big" 3 but well behind Toyota and Honda. The Santa Fe and the Elantra we have, have many many small but annoying problems within the first 5000 miles.

Reply to
Bob Palmer

Hundai is a heck of a success story. Near death after selling a bunch of crappy cars, they turned things completely around in recent years.

Don't give up on Ford or GM they can make a comeback.

IMHO, their fist big step is making cars that appeal to younger people. All the teens want Hondas and Toyotas and probably continue buying them as they age. I've worked for the same emplyer for 17 years and know many people well. If they're not driving a Ford or GM truck, then it is a Toyota, Honda or Mazda. Many of the US passenger cars are older models. One minor trend is a couple of new Ford Fusions out in the lot.

I find myself wanting a Toyota Yaris liftback. I find myself needing something with better mileage for daily driving (I need to keep the truck for hauling for my side business). Once I again, the American Automakers are asleep at the wheel. They don't produce anything that compares to the Yaris/Fit/Scion. Yes GM has the Aveo, but what's with the crappy fuel mileage? I looked at the Focus, but the design looks tired and boring after nearly 7 years.

Next there's the Ranger compact truck. A decent, reliable vehicle that actually has some Japanese hardware in it, but Ford won't redesign years after it should have been and the "middle" engine is the anemic 3.0L V6 that gets SUV like gas milege and has less HP than many 4 bangers (like GMs new model). The 4L V6 is better after they gave it some more power a few years ago, but the full size truck mileage mumbers stink.

Next there's GM that dumps the compact truck and intruduces a redesigned "midsized" pickup in the midst of higher gas prices. Fuel economy could be a bit better and it still gets the solid black dot treatment with CRs reliability score - just like the crappy S10 it replaced.

Pontiac. Lets build cars that all the models look the same! Let's make the GTO a family appeal car. RIP new GTO. Sheesh.

Overall, their problem is they are too slow in responding to the marketplace and seem to clueless in designing cars with appeal. John

Reply to
JohnR66

I agree with you, but there is not a single gotta-have vehicle for the under 21 year old trendsetter in the current GM or Ford lineups. Not a single one. Two years ago the Hummer was on such a list, but high fuel prices have put that one to bed.

Even the Corvette and Mustang are really cars for middle age guys who want another trip down memory lane.

John

Reply to
John Horner

John I was wondering what you think GM and Ford should be putting in their cars or doing to them to give them more of a youth's appeal. You looking for more sportier with wings and ground effects? i'm not trying to bash you, i am asking because i am an engineering student whom is trying to pursue a career in the automotive industry and i would like to hear yours and anyone elses opinions on what you think the American car manufacturers need to do with their cars to make them more suitable for the public so that they can stay in the top 3. all opinion are greatly appreciated, thanks.

Reply to
enginerd477

And they learned very well, judging by the Toyota plant in Georgetown KY. All the Avalons, all the Solaras and 80% of current Camrys are made there, with utmost efficiency ....and Toyota is evidently well-liked by the community.

Reply to
mack

So do I LOL

mike

Reply to
Mike Hunter

Aveo MSRP starts at $9,995

mike

Reply to
Mike Hunter

Hondas employees in the US do not get as good a wage, benefits, including healthcare, or pensions as do GMs employees. Surely you do not believe that national health coverage will be free, do you? Why do you think gas cost $6 or more in Europe and they have a VAT tax? LOL

mike

Reply to
Mike Hunter

In order to promote good transport systems and it is working

Reply to
Gosi

Excessive taxation slows economic growth. Hence the poor economic growth in Europe, over the past ten years or so, and the high unemployment rates. Free medical is anything but free. Surly you do not want the US to emulate Europe? ;)

mike hunt

Reply to
Mike Hunter

I'm not a car designer by any means, but Ford should stop doing silly things like with the Focus: Why the hell keep the performance engine out of the ZX3 and only in the sedan? Compare the tired styling of the Focus to the modern look of the foreign offerings! The same with GM's Cobalt. Too much leftover styling from the Cavalier. As quoted from Edmund's review, "Cobalt's design seems rather bland and its materials low-grade". The Japanese vehicles tend to put technology in to engines of even the lowest priced models, such as VVT for good performance from smaller engines that get great gas mileage.

John

Reply to
JohnR66

Taxation on petrol has prompted new technology to go away from petrol and thus promoted smaller cars, bigger trains and better economy

US could do well emulating Europe

Europe has been improving a lot its transport system over the last decades and not the least because of controlled taxation by taxing petrol and promoting alternatives

Market economy with lots of interventions by the governments in health care and unemployment benefits has created a very good balance and a strong middle class

The high unemployment rates are mainly in former east areas and results of former centralised controled governments

The production per manhours is much higher in Europe than in the US

The norm is for 6 weeks paid vacations, many countries 35 hour work weeks, not unusual around 50 year pension schemes

The underground economy where people pay each other without letting the government know is also quite high so the overall economy is much better than the official figures show

Unemployed people, people on holidays, medical benefits or pensions are often working and paid with black money giving extra strenght to the economy

The US could learn a lot from Europe but they do not because they think they know it all

Mike Hunter wrote:

Reply to
Gosi

No, but it costs a lot less than health care in the US and everyone has it.

Why do you think gas cost

Reply to
Gordon McGrew

Sure, if you want a stripped Aveo without air conditioning, CD player or anything else you can buy the sub $10k special. Almost nobody does.

John

Mike Hunter wrote:

Reply to
John Horner

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.