Change is in the air. That was the overwhelming feeling in my gut as I walked around the Jacob Javits Center on April 14th. On the surface nothing looked askew. Automakers still hawked their wares with attractive and impeccably dressed spokespeople. The difference this year involved the emphasis manufacturers placed on a certain type of vehicle. No doubt many of you already know what I’m alluding to: crossovers. Just like disco, the space shuttle, pogs, and compact discs, sedans have had their time and place. The die is cast, and my coverage of the NY auto show in 2017 is a reflection of this change.
On the same day I ventured into Manhattan the world got its first glimpse at the next installment of the Skywalker Saga. Obviously this is a coincidence, but thematically what we’re seeing in this tantalizing footage reflects the realities facing the auto industry today. Change is inevitable, and if the Jedi Order is fallible, did sedans ever have a chance?
The crumbling of the status quo is everywhere, even directly outside the venue that houses the auto show. The trickle of change within this section of Hell’s Kitchen has become more of a steady flow, as made clear by these new buildings, which are likely going to be residential units.
Within the walls of the Javits Center automakers shook things up a bit. The first notable change was the absence of a Ford performance vehicle hanging from the corner of this wall, which makes sense, as the Blue Oval didn’t have any dramatically exciting or new specialty vehicles to reveal this year. Unbeknownst to me, this would represent the first of many big time changes, as a substantial number of automakers uprooted themselves from their traditional spots in the Javits Center and planted their flags in areas far from their former homes.
It wasn’t surprising to see the 2018 EcoSport at the show, as Ford debuted the North American variant back in January. With the EcoSport, the Blue Oval continues its tradition of revealing its newest vehicles approximately 26 years before they go on sale. Contrast this with Honda, a company that typically introduces their new vehicles about eight minutes before they arrive at dealerships.
The official photos that followed the EcoSport reveal seemed to portray a rear end that didn’t quite meld with the rest of the exterior. In person the design looks much more cohesive.
A cursory glance at the rear tail light might fool you into thinking this silver piece is simply a reflector rather than a cleverly hidden handle for opening the tailgate.
I’ll have a better assessment of the EcoSport’s interior when I can sit in one next year, but for now I’d say materials quality is quite high.
Ford had a second EcoSport on the lower level, which gave me another opportunity to ponder the floating screen motif that has popped up recently in numerous vehicles, including several Mercedes products. From a functional standpoint these start to make sense when they’re positioned in front of the dash and not above it. Has my stance on this interior aesthetic softened?
Pictured here is the interior of a 2017 Fiesta (bottom) and its 2018 counterpart (top). Until I encountered the above comparison shot my opinion of the floating screen motif was decidedly negative. Now I see the value of the design and the drawbacks of the traditional setup. The most obvious flaw with the 2017’s infotainment screen is its distance from the driver. It looks significantly easier to reach out and interact with the touch screen from the next gen Fiesta. The dash of the current Fiesta also has to rise and meet the top of the infotainment section in order to maintain design cohesiveness, a concession that makes the entire dash seem larger than it is. The new Fiesta doesn’t suffer from such a malady.
Back to the exterior. This particular model is a Titanium, and as such it gets some chrome treatment and some “teeth” its grille.
The EcoSport will be the first in its segment to sport a three cylinder engine in the form of Ford’s 1.0 liter unit, a powerplant that currently sees duty in the Fiesta and Focus to the tune of 123 horsepower and 148 Ibs. torque.
At the opposite end of the market lies the 2018 Expedition. Freshly redesigned with the same platform that currently underpins the F-150, the SUV gains all of the aluminum advantages that come with the new body structure. Like other Ford products the Expedition will also get a range topping Platinum trim.
Overall I’d say the redesign looks good.
The interior borrows the majority of its design from the F-150, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
My hot take? The new Expedition ensures that the non-legacy of the Flex will live on. I was surprised at how similar the two resemble each other.
For 2018 the F-150 gets a new front end, a ten speed automatic transmission, an optional diesel engine, a new 3.3L base V6, and power bumps for all of its returning engines.
The Raptor also returns, and it also gets a big power bump: output stands as 450 horsepower and 510 Ibs. torque.
Aluminum also sees use on the recently redesigned Super Duty.
Ford had actual engines on display at the show. There were fewer mechanical displays this year, so seeing these on the floor was a treat.
Here’s the engine, transmission, and frame for the Super Duty.
I’ve written previously about Fusions being used by police departments, so the reveal of the Police Responder Hybrid Sedan isn’t too surprising. Will this be the last Fusion variant officially rated for law enforcement use? I think not. I’d be shocked if the Taurus lasts beyond the current generation; the Fusion’s interior is spacious enough for basic patrol duty, and when paired with all-wheel drive and the 2.7 liter EcoBoost V6, the Fusion has the performance credentials to match the Police Interceptor Sedan.
The NYPD’s decision to outfit the Fusion for their fleet motivated Ford to create an official model for police use. Here’s two of the many NYPD Fusions that were parked just outside the Javits Center.
The Fusion looks good with police markings, but why is the US flag facing the wrong way? Kinda weird.
Law enforcement agencies can pick from a number of different models that have good performance credentials, which makes it unlikely you’ll see a pursuit rated Mustang, but it would be cool, wouldn’t it?
The big news for 2018 is the loss of the V6 Mustang. The plethora of available modifications for the 2.3 EcoBoost is a likely sign that the enthusiast community already moved on, so I doubt many people will miss the 3.7 liter Duratec.
Speaking of Mustangs, Roush was at the show this year, which I think might be a first. I believe this particular model was a Stage 2.
Roush also modifies the F-150! Pretty cool.
With the debut of the Ioniq last year, Hyundai didn’t have anything super interesting this year. The refreshed Sonata injects a bit more passion into a design criticized for being too sedate, but will it be enough to deter people from picking up a Santa Fe instead?
I thought it prudent to snap this pic of Amazon’s advertisement for Alexa’s integration into the Hyundai lineup. Tech companies are vying to get into automakers infotainment systems, and with the amount of gadgets the average American carries with them on a daily basis, its now becoming increasingly likely that their car will allow them to interact with an operating system they’re already familiar with.
The Dodge Demon is appropriately named. FCA continues to get mileage out of a platform that is over a decade old by creating a diverse amount of special editions models, a smart move on their part.
Notice the very skinny front tires. Looks like a spare!
The Demon attracted many spectators. I could have been standing next to someone who will inevitably crash one of these leaving a Cars and Coffee event and not even realized it!
Yeah, that’s a skinny tire alright.
What you’re seeing here is a drag strip simulator tied into the actual controls of the Demon. The car even lifted up and everything! Interestingly enough most automakers had something similar for their own products.
There’s really nothing new with the Charger this year but I liked this color and thought you might too.
Paul recently wrote about Nissan’s climb to ten percent market share. Its an accomplishment that could be felt at their display this year, as their floor space contained more energy than ever before. The Rogue is currently the crown jewel for Nissan North America, so its not surprising to see one outfitted with a continuous track design, a not-so-subtle suggestion that the crossover is capable of handling anything you can throw at it.
Ford recently inked a product tie-in deal with Marvel and its likely the above pic demonstrates why they did it. Nissan’s Rogue One advertisement campaign definitely helped move some metal for the brand.
As stupid as this looks the idea of having a droid is alluring.
I guess this means the Rogue is outfitted with a Hyperdrive? I forgot to ask the R2 unit.
But wait, there’s more! Here’s a Rogue decked out in a color scheme not seen in any Star Wars property.
At least they got the Rebel Alliance logo right.
The Rogue coverage isn’t over yet! The Rogue Dogue (ugh) concept is dedicated to making trips with Fido a cinch.
The carpeting designed to mimic real grass felt quite different than the base carpeting of the Javits Center and it was oddly jarring to walk on.
The bright, bubbly lady showing off the dog friendly cargo area helpfully went through all the accessories contained within this Rogue, which included a drying and washing system, among other things.
I would not want a functional water system in the back of my car, and I’m not sure where Nissan thinks an owner would clean the dog.
Soon after I snapped this pic a gentleman who may have sported a Genesis logo on his suit jacket strolled up to the female Nissan representative and said “are you going to introduce me to your friends?” in the creepiest tone possible. Her immediate response was “uhhh…” and at that point I determined my time was best spent elsewhere.
Here’s a sight that was all too common at this year’s show: a sedan being absolutely ignored by pretty much everyone.
Volkswagen always makes their section feel bright, airy and vibrant, and this year was no exception. The big difference this time around was the amount of people looking at VW’s products, up substantially from last year when people avoided the brand, likely due to Dieselgate still being fresh on everyone’s mind. This Golf Alltrack got the attention of a lot of people.
Floor cars tend to be in a zombie like state at the show. Not quite alive, but not dead either, as some electronics are functional, presumably because the automakers want you to interact with their vehicles as much as possible. I get the feeling this Golf knew something was wrong with itself.
The Golf lineup makes do with an interior that is a mixed bag in terms of quality. This picture shows the contrast between the hard plastics of the center console and the excellent leather seat that brushes up against it. Those slots by the exposed 12V power outlet are card holders.
I was surprised by the stealthy engine start stop button, which resides to the upper left of the gear shift and close to the drivers right knee. Usually automakers make these buttons very visible, with some even coloring them bright red. It’s probably not much of an issue once you get used to it.
One big demerit against the Alltrack: the method of opening the rear liftgate is far too cumbersome. You have to press the top of of the VW logo and hold that position until the hatch disengages the lock. An older couple kept opening and closing the liftgate, apparently in disbelief that a modern car was designed in such a way.
It’s no secret that Volkswagen tends to misunderstand the American market. Case in point: the three row crossover segment. If VW introduced the Atlas five years ago it would have been considered a latecomer even then. With that said, the Atlas does feature an attractive design, and this particular color is fetching. The big news surrounding the Atlas is the standard 6 year, 72.000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. The Koreans gained a lot of market share with their generous terms and it looks like VW hopes to do the same.
Out back the Atlas looks like a more refined Grand Cherokee, with elements of past VW crossovers mixed in.
Inside things are also good. Switchgear quality is satisfying and that big, beefy steering wheel feels great in your hands.
Like the Golf, the Atlas features premium quality materials for the things you touch, and cheap plastic for all the other stuff, like the sides of the center console.
USB charging ports are essential these days, but I’m at a loss at to where VW thinks you should put your device while its charging.
An Atlas RLine was also at the show, but my research seems to indicate this trim level doesn’t exist. Perhaps the I stepped into an alternative reality around that spot.
It’s very possible the long wheelbase Tiguan will end up being more important for VW than the Atlas. With available third row seating and a 185 inch length, the Tiguan competes directly with the Nissan Rogue.
“The all new 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan has been engineered to specifically meet the needs of American customers…” Perhaps VW is finally gaining some self awareness?
Over at Kia the exterior of the Optima gets marred by a blunt rear bumper and tacky rear deflectors.
But the nearby K900 made me quickly forget about the Optima.
I did not expect this sedan to be outfitted with such high quality materials. The K900 boasts a fantastic cabin.
Automakers have started to put more care into the design of their HID headlights, and Kia followed suit.
K900 swag!
Even the side mirror indicators look good!
The next gen Rio sheds its cartoonish look for a more mature appearance.
Peter Schreyer has done wonders for Kia, even if the new Rio comes very close to being a simple clone of the Golf.
Interior quality is about what you’d expect for a subcompact.
The Koreans are making serious moves in the hybrid segment. Hyundai with its Ioniq hatchback, and Kia with the Niro. The Rogue and Rav4 hybrid models can be equipped with all-wheel drive, but neither of them come close to the Niro’s 50 MPG combined figure.
While the Japanese compact crossover hybrids use CVT transmissions, the Niro uses a dual clutch setup, an interesting configuration that likely makes the Niro more fun to drive when compared to the competition.
The Chevrolet SS failed to find many buyers, but that didn’t stop Kia from developing the Stinger, a full size performance sedan ostensibly designed to compete with the likes of the Alfa Romeo Giulia and similar vehicles.
The Stinger will join the Cadenza and the K900 as Kia’s third full size sedan, although it distinguishes itself from the pack with its available all-wheel drive. With the market rapidly shifting away from sedans of all sizes, the Cadenza is likely the only member of the trio with any sort of future, as its platform is shared with the Optima.
This is Kia doing its best Mercedes impression.
While Nissan sides with the Rebel Alliance, Chevy seems to be embracing its dark side with the Tahoe RST, a quasi performance SUV that gains 22 inch wheels, some blacked out trim, and the 6.2 liter paired with the new 10 speed automatic transmission.
The blacked out trim fad will eventually fade, but for now its here to stay. I’d say the Tahoe wears the look well.
The Bolt stands as a sharp contrast to the Tahoe, but not when it comes to darker trim.
The BMW i3 and Ford C-MAX got busy one night and nine months later the Bolt arrived on Earth. Nothing wrong with that at all! I could see myself in a Bolt someday.
Groundbreaking powertrain aside, the Bolt is also pioneering another nascent technology: the rear view mirror camera system. It’s also available on the Cadillac CT6 and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it spread throughout the GM lineup in the coming years.
Critics weren’t too fond of the Bolt’s interior quality and I’m not sure why. I think its right in line with something like a Rav4 or a Sonata, its likely competition given its price point. The issue lies with the grey buttons. Make them too big and they’ll come off as cheap, even if their actual quality is good. This is an affliction that affects most modern GM vehicles.
The Bolt’s availability is still limited so sales have been understandably muted. I’m looking forward to the inevitable Model 3 comparisons.
Chevy’s website claims the 2018 Traverse is a mid-size SUV, but we all know its actually a full-size crossover. The Traverse was already one of the bigger entries in the segment, and the new model gains .7 inches in length, which makes it a pretty big family hauler.
The GMC Acadia got downsized for the current generation in order to better compete with the likes of the Ford Edge, which enables the Traverse to spar with the Highlander and Explorer.
The Traverse clearly emulates its American competition, a good move since its predecessor looked quite bloated when viewed from a similar angle.
Definitely seeing elements of the Explorer and Durango here.
The new Equinox follows a similar styling path as the Traverse but manages to keep a bit more of its personality intact.
Chevy’s current generation of cars look far more attractive than their predecessors, now their crossovers are following suit. The Equinox also will also stand out with its optional 1.6 turbo diesel, a first for the segment. I’d be curious if the decision to offer an oil burner in the Equinox and Cruze was made before or after Dieselgate.
Superlatives for part 1
Best interior: Kia K900
Worst interior: Volkswagen Golf Alltrack
Most likely to succeed: Ford EcoSport
Most likely to fail: Kia Stinger
Most likely to give me heart palpitations when I’m exceeding the speed limit: Ford Police Responder Hybrid
Related Reading:
2016 NY International Auto Show, part 1
I have to disagree with you on two things.
I don’t consider the old Rio to look cartoonish. On the contrary, it was far and away the most mature and European-looking car in its segment. The new one is even more mature-looking to the point of looking conservative. I can see the VW resemblance in its lines.
Also, your point about Kia having three full-sized sedans and only one surviving… I actually see the Cadenza and K900 disappearing before the Stinger. The Cadenza is little bigger than the Optima and simply offers a V6 and more conservative styling over the Optima. Considering how sales are stagnant in that segment, I think the Cadenza (and probably the Ford Taurus, and maybe the Chevy Impala) will soon fade away.
The K900 sells in small volumes. Hell, I didn’t even know they facelifted it. It looks great inside and out but it’s soft and floaty and has no adaptive suspension option like the Genesis cars. It’s also getting on in years and I don’t see where it ever fit in Kia’s US lineup… It just seems like a natural threat to Genesis.
BUT Hyundai needs to platform-share to amortize the cost of platforms. That’s where the Stinger comes in… underneath, it’s the same platform as the upcoming Genesis G70. It’s much more on-brand for Kia AND it’s not a retread of anything else in the segment. I could actually see it becoming a successful niche model. And I sincerely, sincerely hope it does succeed… Why should FCA have a monopoly on affordable RWD performance? The Stinger’s optional twin-turbo V6 is extremely fast and these look great, especially the interior.
Nice that Hyundai/Kia is taking strides differentiating its models too. Hyundai gets the Ioniq hatch, Kia gets the Niro crossover–both are on the same platform.
Bolt looks good. Traverse looks great. Will be interesting to see the take-rate of the diesel in the Equinox. Expedition looks like a winner, I’d love to see how it goes up against the GM trucks. On that note, the Tahoe RST is quite a looker.
EcoSport was developed for developing markets and yet we got it here in Australia and it was a bit of a flop. I’ll be curious to hear how this more Western redesign compares to the competition.
Finally, F-Series and Mustang facelifts are huge improvements. The F-Series looks almost futuristic while the Mustang finally has a lower hood, my biggest criticism of the current model.
From my reading of the British magazine CAR, the EcoSport is a flop in Europe, too.
I don’t know about the 2018 model, but the rest of the world got (is still getting) an EcoSport based on the pre-2011 Fiesta, and that is considered to be it’s biggest problem.
I also think this whole market segment is doing kind of poorly. Of all these “mini cute-utes”, none is a real standout. When they were new, I would see the Buick Whateverit’scalled, and very occasionally I see a Chevy TRAX.
I’m a little bit biased against the Kia because my 2013 Focus looks quite similar to the Rio, and I think the Kia suffers from too much roundness. I actually think its a good looking design, just not as good as the Ford.
The problem with Kia’s sedan lineup is the overlap. The Stinger is within an inch of the Optima in terms of length and width, so it doesn’t make a case over the front drive vehicle based on interior dimensions, which would be fine if sedan sales in all size segments weren’t dropping like flies but the market is turning away from anything with a trunk. If the Chevy SS couldn’t survive, I don’t think the Stinger can either. Of course its very possible the Stinger will do well in Europe, Korea, and China, which may be the reason it sticks around even if its a sales flop. I hope it succeeds because on the merits it seems like a great vehicle, I’m just very skeptical it can do so.
The Stinger is expected to do well in Australia, with local assembly of RWD sixes and eights having ended. Talk is that Kia will pick up the RWD holdout customers. That may be so, maybe not; if people judged a car on its virtues as a product that might happen, but there’s a lot of emotional tie to the Ford and Holden brands that I don’t think Kia will overcome. Even if it works for them, I can’t see that being enough volume if other global markets for the design are flat.
Looking at this from the EU, I’m amazed KIA has 3 such large sedans on its plate, the biggest KIA sedan we have here is the Optima (Optimus Prime’s wife?). Anything bigger will not fly (nothing exists for Europeans other than the Germans on this level).
*ahem* XJ saloon…
Very far behind. And Lexus has not much to show for its efforts either. Infinity? What is it?
While it does look odd, that flag decal is correct. The blue portion with the stars is always supposed to be towards the front of the vehicle.
Yes, the American flag is correct. This is because, logically, the flag is attached to its pole at the edge with the stars, and will be blown rearward by the forward motion of the car. It seems odd at first glance though.
The problem of properly depicting flags being blown by the wind is an old one for artists, going back (at least) to the golden days of sail. Artists with no experience of the sea tend to show flags trailing to the rear of the ship on the theory that the ship is moving forward and the flag follows the movement of the ship.
However, artists familiar with sailing ships recognize that the wind filling the sails comes from behind the ship, and blows the flags forward.
Heh, I never considered that before with paintings.
I don’t think the forward facing flag looks weird at all. On the contrary, I think the left facing flag on the right sleeve of my son’s Cub Scout uniform looks wrong. The Army reverses it on the right sleeve to face forward.
This kind of information is why this site is tops!
+1 !!!
I have some pictures I took at the 2003 show if anyone thinks they are worth posting for a contrast
The NY Auto show is so big and there are so many new products on display that it is very easy to not see even half of them. Some of the autos featured in this article I totally missed or did not realize when I walked by these vehicles that they were in some way new to the market. Makes me want to go back and re-do the show but it is over. Some of the blame goes to me but some goes to the automakers in that if the changes are subtle there often is nothing that from 30 feet will announce something new and you may easily walk by.
To me the real show stopper was the 2018 Buick Regal wagon. Even though it is derived from an Opal product I was thrilled to see an automaker introduce a significant size station wagon into a marketplace that is way, way too dominated by crossovers. I would even love to see Buick go totally retro and introduce a woody version. I hope this is a successful vehicle for Buick.
That gray cladding is the new fake wood.
Very true!
GM introduces a European (or Aussie) derived model that enthusiasts lust after, nobody buys them, they become orphans. Opel 1900, Cadillac Catera, GTO, G8, SS, etc. sorry to sound cynical; I do like it.
Edward, many thanks for that excellent write-up.
The thing I am starting to wonder when new models are introduced is, is this the last, or at the least the penulytimate, generation? Before all-electric, before self-drive, before car ownership is largely replaced (in cities at least) by simply whistling up a Google pod to take you impassively from A to B?
It does feel as though the improvements – to engineering, tech, comfort and styling – are becoming ever smaller and more incremental. Though I did hear myself admiring the interior of the big Kia (and that’s a first).
I really don’t think the Golf Alltrack’s interior is THAT bad. Considering it’s a vehicle priced in the mid-20Ks, some hard plastic on lower dash surfaces isn’t uncommon and a crime. That’s what you get when consumers demand rear-view cameras, blind spot monitoring, and all the parking/driving assistants possible in a compact car for under $30K. Also, those seats in the Golf are leatherette, but very nice, right?
I definitely see the new Expedition’s lineage to the Flex, but I wish they could’ve given it a leaner, less bloated look more along the likes of the Suburban/Yukon. But I guess the Expedition has always look a bit tubbier than the GMs.
I actually really like the look of the Kia Stinger. It’s definitely a niche vehicle, so I can’t say it will sell in high numbers, but given the popularity of the BMW 4-Series Grand Coupe (which outsells the 4 Series coupe and convertible combined), I’d say a budget Kia version will have strong appeal.
The new Chevy CUVs, like their sedans, do nothing for me. Chevrolet’s styling is just so bland and derivative. Not bad looking, but just forgettable. The new Acadia on the other hand, is a more memorable, stylish CUV.
As for “most likely to succeed”, I don’t think the Ford EcoSport will take that title. It’s just Ford’s version of the equally awkward looking Chevrolet Trax, which has failed to achieve much of a following. Or for another comparison, just look at the Ford Fiesta’s lack of much success here since its reintroduction. A slightly higher “SUV-like” version will probably do better, but not by much. Of the vehicles featured in this article, my pick would be the Equinox, given the success of the previous model.
I hope the next-generation Fiesta’s a hit; the current model was intriguing but suffered from really terrible reliability ratings. They do look like fun little cars in ST trim, especially.
Personally, I think they shouldn’t have bothered with the EcoSport since the “Active” lifted-and-cladded version of the next Fiesta would fill that market niche (I use the term “niche” loosely…)
Drop the Fiesta sedan (which people only bought because it was cheaper) and you have one five-door shell in three ride heights (assuming the ST’s a bit lower than the base model) covering the entire small car/CUV market and a better chance to get enough volume to make a profit on that one set of body dies.
nlpnt:
Food for thought:
1.)Ford offers a Mondeo-Fusion station wagon in Europe…and with a turbo-diesel and manual transmission.
2.)Ford offers a Focus wagon in Europe…and again with a turbo-diesel and manual transmission.
3.)Ford offers a Fiesta 3 door in Europe, though it looks like that might be “going away” with the 2018 model.
My point? Ford, and a few other car companies (like VW) don’t seem to notice and/or care if about possible model/body style overlaps.
The problem I have with the Alltrack is the vast difference in quality between the hard plastics and the very premium feeling bits you touch and sit on. I’d be a major hypocrite if I lambasted the VW for simply having cheap materials as my 2013 Focus SE is full of it, but the Ford’s interior maintains a consistency throughout the car, unlike the Golf. The Mazda 3’s quality is great throughout the whole cabin, so it can be done in this segment. As for the seats, I have no idea if they were the real deal. Kudos to Volkswagen and all the other brands that make fake leather, because all of them are doing a great job imitating the real thing.
I have a hard time rooting against any crossover these days and my superlative could have gone to the Tiguan or the Atlas, it was basically a toss up. I just feel Ford is better at marketing and pricing their crossovers when compared to Volkswagen, thats the reason I gave it distinction.
Thanks for clarifying. I get what you mean then. Why even bother to try and class up a cheap interior with a few nice trim bits when you’re not going to finish what you started.
And if you think the EcoSport has the greatest potential to succeed, I respect your opinion. I guess only time will tell.
Consumers aren’t the only ones that demand rear-view cameras, blind spot monitoring and other driver assists, the U.S. requires the back up cameras starting in….2018, IIRC, and blind spot monitoring and other driver assists are pretty much de-riguer (sp?) thanks to thick roof pillars/tiny rear side windows and folks who insist on talking while driving need the assists.
I’ve never understood why some people equate plastic texture or pattern with quality, or the obsession with soft plastic on surfaces you don’t touch.
Its the texture or pattern that is the problem. Also, competitors do their interiors better. Thats why I knocked the Alltrack down a bit, because the Mazda 3 doesn’t make concessions in that area of the interior. I certainly don’t think the VW’s cabin would be a deal breaker if I was in the market for one, I just found the juxtaposition between the cheaper and higher quality materials to be a bit off putting.
I don’t mean to be nitpicky, I enjoyed this piece. But the point I’m trying to make is that texture and pattern are design choices, not indications of quality.
If you look closely you can see the texture on the plastic is very similar to the texture on the seat. That’s an intentional design choice. I don’t think it looks all that great, but that’s subjective and doesn’t mean it’s lower quality than a differently textured plastic would be.
@Phil L:
Plastics that feel and look better create a more inviting environment, it’s as simple as that. Hard, grainy plastics don’t look or feel as good as ones that are softer to the touch and have a finer grain.
Softer-touch plastics generally have a more solid, less hollow feel to them. Padded surfaces with leather or faux leather, stitching, metallic, wood, or other contrast accents make a cabin that’s more visually appealing and comfortable.
There’s usually (or at least, there should be) a correlation between the cost of a car and the quality of its interior surfaces and finishes.
Totally agree with Phil L. Also, there’s the question of durability and how that reflects true quality after a few years. When our 2001 VW was new, the interior seemed like an amazing place for an inexpensive car. Superb feeling leather seating size surfaces and elegant matte-finished plastics. 16 years later, the leather has actually held up pretty well but certainly doesn’t have the aged patina of ’60’s -’80’s BMW or Mercedes leather, and the matte plastic is horribly scratched and betrays the fact that much of it was painted, by peeling. A 16 year old Corolla or even Escort would look better now.
Because surfaces you don’t touch only applies to you. I find every car with molded hard plastic door panels to feel cheap, which is like 80% of the cars out there now a days. I’m one of those weirdos who uses the door sill as the armrest rather than the confining one attached several inches below. I’ll decide what’s an arm rest thank you.
Textures matter too, it’s supposed to look like leathergrain, but there are some vehicles whose texture at best resembles (and feels like) lavarock.
I enjoyed this tour, having missed my own local auto show around the new year.
It amazes me how FCA manages to continue to wring excitement and word of mouth out of such old designs. Awhile back it was the Hellcat and now the Demon. They are going to have to get a new platform before they run out of terms descriptive of the underworld.
For such a major presence worldwide, it amazes me how VW has continued to act like a niche brand here in the US. While I long ago lost track of the number of crossovers offered by Hyundai and Kia, VW has been either completely absent from the market or present only in vehicles that are quite expensive for what they are. Maybe these new ones will do the trick.
Perhaps FCA can wring excitement out of the LX, but I’m not sure it can wring profits.
The product line is looking mighty thin.
FCA just announced 1Q profit up 11%, to $1.67B. Marchionne’s goal is to make FCA debt-free withing a couple of years, to make it more appealing to a future merger/acquisition partner.
He appears to be doing that by letting their model lineup wither away to nothing. By the time he’s done the only things of value left at Chrysler will be Ram trucks, the Jeep name, and perhaps Stow and Go seating.
I guess that makes sense since the rest of the products would overlap any potential suitor’s products. VW would seem to be a good fit but they just said they weren’t interested. Honda would be an even better fit but I don’t think there’s been talk of that.
The only cars that really gets built-in center screens right are the Mercedes E and S class.
I haven’t spent much time in a Golf Alltrack but have in regular and GTI Golfs and find the interiors excellent for their price range, though there’s been some cheapening on the the 2017 models (i.e. the padded felt glovebox lining has been replaced with hard plastic).
Great article indeed! From my experience the Ecosport is super cramped and almost as bad as a Fiesta. I cannot sit behind myself without putting one leg in at a time and having no room to wiggle once I get in.
Living in the past; preferring coupes, station wagons and the simple but quality interiors of W124 Mercedes. There is nothing here at all that interests me – except the Buick noted in the comments.
Edward is an engaging writer. The tour was comprehensive.
Maybe in 20 years, if I live that long, I will be able to appreciate some of these photos. None of these cars do a thing for me. Gotta go read about an 86 Buick or something now to try and unsee some of these atrocities. Egads. Maybe a rusty barnfind will make it better… sorry, I’m just not a new car guy anymore. Guess that stopped 20 years ago?
There isn’t a whole lot I’m enticed to say about the proliferation of crossovers, as while I’m not a fan I can totally “get” the appeal of their combination of driving dynamics, ease of ingress and egress and overall utility.
On the briefly-touched-upon subject of the changes apparent in Hell’s Kitchen however: As a transplanted New Yorker with business ties to the Real Estate industry, once Hell’s Kitchen began being as “Clinton” and my own neighborhood in West Harlem was being increasingly referred to as “Hamilton Heights” (which, to be fair, is a century old moniker that has recently been resurrected for marketing purposes) my own lifelong love for the grit that has long been Manhattan Island started to wane. YMMV. And that’s all I’ve got on that subject.
Ugh, those “tablet mounted on the dash” interiors are just awful.
I disagree. I’ve always thought that trying to embed ever-larger screens in the dash made no sense. It’s much more honest, functional and obvious to mount the screen closer to the driver, and accept it for what it is. The Tesla 3 will have just one such screen mounted just to the upper right of the steering wheel, and no other screen/IP at all. Bravo.
I’ve long wondered why manufacturers just didn’t so the same thing years ago, and allow one to mount it where they like best; either directly in front of the wheel. or slightly above and to the right, and allow one to customize it with the kind of displays one prefers. It should be like customizing the display on your PC/device/phone.
To each their own, but that Model 3 screen has been getting ripped pretty badly and deservedly so in my opinion. I think it’s obvious that the main reason they are doing that is for cost savings. No tactile controls and going between screens to do, well, just about everything.
I have yet to see a touch screen in a car that doesn’t suck in actual use. I guess that’s probably my biggest beef, rather than the look of them. Give me 3 dials for climate control and big buttons on the radio please. Even just physical soft keys along the edges that change with the context are 10x better than touch-only.
Many cars already allow you to customize the gauge cluster because it’s just an LCD display. I’m fine with that.
Not trying to sound like an old fart but being an old fart i can’t help it. I wear bifocals. My eyes don’t readjust from distance to touchscreen fast enough for a touchscreen to be of any use to me. I would have to pull over to actually use one safely. Our population is aging fast. Young people might think that this doesn’t affect them, but if a geezer trying to see a touch screen hits you, then it does affect you. This is just as bad or worse than young people texting. Technology has its limits.
I don’t like touchscreens because they are hard to use on roads that aren’t smooth, plus you need to spend more time looking at them to hit an arbitrary spot on the screen.
Maybe its a bit besides the point, but I wish the automakers would figure out that integrating a videoscreen into the dash is a submoronic idea. The smart move would be to make it such that whatever tablet you want docks right in. People upgrade tablets/phones every few years…this stuff is obsolete soon as the ink is dry on the title. Being able to jack in your existing devices keeps it completely up to date…not everyone buys/leases a new car ever few years.
I agree, to turn the tables on Paul’s defense what these are equal to in my eye are pillowtop seats during the brougham epoch – they look like an everyday object you may think to use in these places for your comfort/convenience, but they’re perminantly affixed without ability to “redecorate”/update – I agree too, they should just set them up to accept an actual tablet, with an app feature to interface with the car. Trying to make it look like something it’s not is the sin here.
I also agree, I have yet to see the logic of having a blatant unnecessary distraction directly in the driver’s periphery.
Bring back single DIN radios I say.
Fantastic article; nice blend of info and pics. I must admit I don’t quite understand the rectilinear rear styling on both the Expedition and Tahoe. The glasshouse and rearmost pillar of both reminds me of a mid-80s Nissan Bluebird wagon. Maybe straight lines are the new curves? Or perhaps it’s now hip to be square?
Great writing, Edward!
Although my eyes glaze over and my ears switch off where new cars are concerned (do I have to hand in my car-nut card for that admission?), your article made the show interesting. I especially appreciate the way you compared new with old (like the Fiesta dash photos); so often in show features magazine writers tend to just gush over everything new, until older folk are overloaded by the constant barrage of new this/new that/new the other. Confronted continually by the new reality and future visions, we lose our footing and can’t relate it to anything we know.
Many thanks for avoiding that pitfall so adroitly.
An interesting read … and perhaps the only thing I will see about this show as I have mostly stopped following automotive news. So I’m glad that CC keeps at least one toe in the modern waters. Like Old Pete, I’m wondering if I need to hand it my car nut card, but in fact my wife has decided to upgrade her car, after 16 years, so it’s time to start doing homework though of course she’ll have the final choice. One general observation though – are sedans really dead? As some one who’s lived through the pony car age, and the personal luxury coupe age, and the small hatchback age, I’m actually surprised at how many 4 door sedans one DOES see on the roads nowadays. Now, my third car was a 4 door sedan, but it was an Alfa; and when I decided to buy a “safe” family car after our second child, to replace our Vanagon, I briefly owned a 528i, but those are the only two 4 door sedans I’ve owned in 42 years. And I could say the same for many of my contemporaries. By contrast, I see 4 door Corollas, Camrys, Jettas, Accords, Civics, Malibus and Chargers everywhere today, and driven by young people who would not have been driving the ’60’s or ’70’s or even ’80’s equivalents back in the day. I certainly see lots of CUVs too, but don’t right off the sedan just yet. Or the hot hatch!
By the way, I guess I spend too much time on CC (and I’ve never been remotely interested in Star Wars) but when I read about Nissan and the Rebel Alliance, I can’t help but mentally jump from Nissan, to corporate partner Renault, to Renault Alliance (aka R9), to AMC Rebel.
And now I have a mental picture of Luke Skywalker blasting down the Death Star trench in a Pacer.
For all the fear we enthusiasts had about the dawn of Hybrids and then electric cars as the ultimate threats to enthusiast cars in the future, it turns out now in 2017 it’s those cars with probably the most exciting enthusiast bases and what’s ultimately going to truly destroy traditional cars are crossovers powered by our beloved ICE engines. What a cruel twist of fate.
I have to echo dman’s comment about these occasional modern news articles here at CC, this article better summarizes what’s going on than a years worth stuff I’ve read at TTAC or Jalopnik.