Quarter Sales Numbers

Hyundai is quite reliable now -- check the CR data. Kia lags, and who knows how the Daewoo-built, Suzuki-badged cars will do?

As an ex-owner of a '98 Cavalier, you've got to be joking. The Altima is a far superior car in every conceivable way, interior included.

Also, Altimas use a fully independent rear suspension. The rear beam axle is long gone.

I can also assure you that the torque steer is only a big deal to auto reviewers and people who don't actually own the cars. Most of us learn to deal with it about 2 hours after taking delivery, if not during the test drive itself. Since I actually know how to drive, I don't find it to be a big deal.

Rear door machining? Now, you're nitpicking. What do YOU drive, so I can put it on my list of Maxima-killing sports sedans?

So you're telling me you own NO Japanese electronics? Nothing from Germany?

I'm glad they didn't, else we'd all be driving K-cars and Pintos.

THIS, we agree on. I did own a VW Jetta at one time, and it about ate me alive. I'm in complete disagreement with people who buy Japanese autos because of perceived high quality. I do think that most new US vehicles are just as high quality as Japanese makes. I bought my Maxima because no US automaker has an equivalent, except maybe the CTS, and pricewise that is out of my league. If it had been a "Chevrolet Maxima", I would have gladly bought it just the same.

I think so too, but not with flying colors. Yet, I could never stand the Mondeo or the Taurus, way below the competition from GM...

Argh!

I couldn't care less about either...

It may work for you, but when the profile of the new TL is from the B column onward a Bonneville and, backwards, a Phaeton, to me, it's neither, it's nothing. Yawn...

Funny, since the same company owns both.

No, it really is. Kia has better layout, design, and features by far, and Hyundai has slightly better reliability. Go figure.

Yeah, but I suspect they're made in different plants (except for the Sonata-clone, Optima).

Coming from a Cavalier, I see what you mean...

My mistake. The previous Maxima was like that.

I prefer cars which keep it minimal. No, but no, thanks. I don't like to make excuses for lack of refinement.

Who's talking about the Maxima? If you can swallow the small trapezoidal window s in the rear doors of a car with barely any straight line, knock yourself out.

Look at the variation among GM brands...

Matt

Hyundai recently bailed Kia out. Prior to that, they were really two different manufacturers.

Brad

:-) Well, that's a choice that has little to do with a car - at least not in the back seats of what they sell for cars in Japan. ;-)

Overpopulation is a choice that people in a society make. I live in a growing urban area and constantly read in the paper about people complaining about their quality of life being degraded by more people moving in. Most of them of course are also out having the usual American 3.5 children.

Ted

If you don't like it you don't buy it. Maybe many Americans disagree with your opinion.

DAS

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A pity you don't get the Focus from Ford of Europe. Britain's top seller year after year. I rented them a few times. Nice cars.

DAS

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Again, shame a you don't get the European Mondeo. Highly praised, well-selling in the UK.

DAS

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We got the previous one (Ford Contour, Mercury Mystique). Didn't sell well -- too small inside for its price range, too conservative in its styling. Since the Focus has the same, or more, interior room, Ford decided to drop it in the US.

So you don't mind that the top CEO's of Hyundai are getting nailed one after the other for funnelling hundreds of millions (possibly billions - see how much more turns up) to the government of North Korea?

Lloyd Parker wrote:

Hyundai is quite reliable now -- check the CR data. Kia lags,

And you'd conclude that lemmings are thus the most intelligent living beings on the planet... :-D

I drove one for 1500Km in Germany and Austria. Exactly the same POS as in the US. Not a difference whatsoever.

It looks very nice indeed and said to be much better than its pitiful predecessor.

On basis do you make your judgment?

I had a Ghia version. Quite well appointed and well screwed together. As it was the booted version (i.e. with trunk) I found it very boring to look at. I refer the hatchback.

DAS

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