A Year in Review - 17 Observations From a 2019 Spent Watching the Automotive Industry
From the characters that control it to the engines at the heart of it, from the history that hems it in to the future that waits for it, from the designs that define it to the manufacturing that fulfills it, the automotive industry has something for everyone.
That’s why we cover it. That’s why we read about it. That’s why we drive and research and analyze, why we memorize specs and memorialize eras, why we wax eloquent when given the opportunity to explain the inherent balance of an inline-six, and why we correct people when they say, “CVT transmission.”
It’s also why we develop deep-seated automotive opinions that have as much chance of coming undone as your Jordan versus LeBron GOAT verdict. (Jordan, obviously. Gretzky, Federer, Mays, and Brady, too, for the record.)
Despite the fact that there was no shortage of automotive opinions dancing around in my head in those twilight moments before sleep each night at the beginning of the year, I nevertheless developed more conclusions over the course of 2019. After having little time to think of much else, and after driving hundreds of different cars, here’s an exhaustive (and exhausting) 17-part sampling.
2. The Ford Transit Is Impeccable
3. SPO
4. Was the Aztek That Bad?
5. Heated Steering Wheel Is No.1
6. Buick Wasn’t Kidding Around
8. The F30 BMW 3 Series Really Needed to Go
10. The RLX Is Still Comically Unappealing
12. The Kia Telluride Could Work at $65K
14. Nothing Gets In the Way of Wrangler Desirability
15. The Flex Felt Old
16. RWD Is a Winter Answer
17. But Usually, Cars Aren’t Fun
The diagnosis is serious, but there is a prescription: get up frighteningly early on a summer’s Saturday morning and drive for the sake of driving. Get out of town. Go nowhere in particular.
It’s worth it.
[Images: Tim Cain, Murilee Martin, Honda, Ford, Hyundai]
Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Driving.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars and Instagram.
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- Rishabh Ive actually seen the one unit you mentioned, driving around in gurugram once. And thats why i got curious to know more about how many they sold. Seems like i saw the only one!
- Amy I owned this exact car from 16 until 19 (1990 to 1993) I miss this car immensely and am on the search to own it again, although it looks like my search may be in vane. It was affectionatly dubbed, " The Dragon Wagon," and hauled many a teenager around the city of Charlotte, NC. For me, it was dependable and trustworthy. I was able to do much of the maintenance myself until I was struck by lightning and a month later the battery exploded. My parents did have the entire electrical system redone and he was back to new. I hope to find one in the near future and make it my every day driver. I'm a dreamer.
- Jeff Overall I prefer the 59 GM cars to the 58s because of less chrome but I have a new appreciation of the 58 Cadillac Eldorados after reading this series. I use to not like the 58 Eldorados but I now don't mind them. Overall I prefer the 55-57s GMs over most of the 58-60s GMs. For the most part I like the 61 GMs. Chryslers I like the 57 and 58s. Fords I liked the 55 thru 57s but the 58s and 59s not as much with the exception of Mercury which I for the most part like all those. As the 60s progressed the tail fins started to go away and the amount of chrome was reduced. More understated.
- Theflyersfan Nissan could have the best auto lineup of any carmaker (they don't), but until they improve one major issue, the best cars out there won't matter. That is the dealership experience. Year after year in multiple customer service surveys from groups like JD Power and CR, Nissan frequency scrapes the bottom. Personally, I really like the never seen new Z, but after having several truly awful Nissan dealer experiences, my shadow will never darken a Nissan showroom. I'm painting with broad strokes here, but maybe it is so ingrained in their culture to try to take advantage of people who might not be savvy enough in the buying experience that they by default treat everyone like idiots and saps. All of this has to be frustrating to Nissan HQ as they are improving their lineup but their dealers drag them down.
- SPPPP I am actually a pretty big Alfa fan ... and that is why I hate this car.
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"Heated Steering Wheel Is No.1" Where do you live? As someone who lives in Minnesota, remote start is #1, heated seats are #2, cloth seats are #3 . Heated steering wheel, is a couple of steps down. If you park outside, a block heater pushes it's way up to #1 on days when it's -40. "Hyundai Design Is… Out There" I've long considered Hyundai to be wildly overrated and am tired of the automotive press lauding them, but never owing them, especially a 10 year old Hyundai (cause they're crap). However, I appreciate their willingness to design a little bit different. It doesn't always work, but sometimes it does.
RE #12 Had a chance on 12/10 to get up close and personal with a Telluride. A professional colleague....who I KNOW makes far more than just about anyone else I've met in my field since I moved here....bought a Telluride SX. Moss Green with the Dune Brown (light tan) interior. All the bells and whistles. Had to get it shipped here from a dealer in NJ (his home state..so maybe he has a contact?) because the dealer here wouldn't play on finding that color combo for him or inquiring about a custom order. But he loved the test drive. I got to sit inside. I owned an 2007 Audi Q7 until this past February, and the Kia was just as nice a place to sit. The interior fit and materials punch way above its class, and of course, it has much newer tech than my old Audi. And that color combo is the best. Its a REALLY nice green, and the comfortable (ventilated) seats I'm guessing are probably a wonderful way to make traffic suck less here in the tropics. I asked him why the Kia? He said there was nothing else this size and with these features that had a 5yr/60k basic warranty (10yr/100k on the powertrain), at anywhere near the same price. I'm not sure of every feature he may have, but the SX starts at 41k and tops out with AWD and fully loaded at around 48k on the website. He asked me what I think he paid (which I hate to answer, because there are so many variables, etc), and I know Kia is willing to wheel and deal, so I guessed maybe 45k, plus the shipping costs. 41k, for everything...taxes, title, 90 day temp registration (pending inspection), shipping. He had to get the inspection done here, so that's like $20. Its mind blowing what he got for the money. I didn't get to ride in it, just sit in it parked, so I can't speak to that, but it at least looks the business in my limited experience.