Ongoing General Automotive Thread 2.0

[Fuzz]

That rear quarter is a mess.

[81MC]

...what the #### is going on. Stop it, please.

[dammage79]

When it comes to EVs, I'm pretty sold on the Rivians . I think we're about 15 years away from a proper ev sports car though.

Batteries have to advance a fair bit to extract the kind of durability and weight loss a sports car needs.

But to be fair I think Audi and Porsche have done pretty stellar work with what is available today.

I'm growing into an anti tesla person the more I see what the other indy EV makers are putting out.

[photon]

Why do they all feel like they've got to make pretend it's a coupe with fake lines and blackouts in the rear?

If you're going to have a massive 'grill' then that's not bad (mind you I don't mind the M4 either), but the weird nose.. beluga is appropriate lol.

I think I'd rather get a Lyriq over that.

[Ashasx]

meh it looks like an RX with cleaner lines to me. The top of the grill being body color is a little odd but no doubt an f sport trim will black it out.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I'm getting Ford Probe vibes from the side view.

Looks more like a modern update on the old Subaru SVX to me.

[FLAME ENVY]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

2023 Lexus RX dropped today...



Not sure why of all the cars you'd choose to copy - that you'd chose the front end of a Civic... Baby Beluga lives....

Don't matter what it looks like, the RX will always sell in droves.

[Terradude]

I was in the market for a new vehicle last year when my BMW X5 diesel started giving me grief, so I bought a 4Runner. Big mistake. I had one previously, a 1999, but this new one was a heavy beast. I can handle poor gas mileage if it performs, but this new one did neither.

So this last week I traded in the 4Runner and bought a Genesis GV70. What a vehicle.

[TorqueDog]

^Tell us more about the GV70. From everything I've seen they look like pretty sweet machines.

Originally Posted by Fuzz

That rear quarter is a mess.

Fixed.

[Erick Estrada]

So strange Toyota would copy what is the least desirable styling cue of the new Honda Civic. The sloping forehead bulge looks even worse above the predator grill.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

^Tell us more about the GV70. From everything I've seen they look like pretty sweet machines.

Fixed.

My wife loves hers. Pretty good value for the money as a well equipped version undercuts the Germans while feeling a little more upscale inside. Only downside is that fuel mileage is poor with both engines. I can't comment on reliability though as we haven't owned ours long enough.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Not sure why of all the cars you'd choose to copy - that you'd chose the front end of a Civic... Baby Beluga lives....

The front of a Civic, the back of a Murano. What a hot mess.

[you&me]

In fairness to Toyota, er, Lexus, the look is dictated by crash and pedestrian safety standards...

Doesn't make it any less ugly, but it's not entirely their fault.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by you&me

In fairness to Toyota, er, Lexus, the look is dictated by crash and pedestrian safety standards...

Doesn't make it any less ugly, but it's not entirely their fault.

How does that explain every other automaker that meets crash and pedestrian safety standards without the beluga whale look? That's a conscious styling decision and nothing more.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

How does that explain every other automaker that meets crash and pedestrian safety standards without the beluga whale look? That's a conscious styling decision and nothing more.

There are standards to meet and each manufacturer has their own approach to how they're met within the brand's design language.

Toyota & Lexus' current design language is crap, but that's a problem that's exacerbated due to the standards they need to meet.

There are definitely better approaches (IMO the current MB styling is great), but the stub nose is more or less dictated by these regulations.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by you&me

There are standards to meet and each manufacturer has their own approach to how they're met within the brand's design language.

Toyota & Lexus' current design language is crap, but that's a problem that's exacerbated due to the standards they need to meet.

There are definitely better approaches (IMO the current MB styling is great), but the stub nose is more or less dictated by these regulations.

Can supply evidence of this styling cue being dictated by regulations? No other automakers are using this approach on their new models to meet regulations. I'm probably the biggest car guy on this forum and have not heard of this.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Can supply evidence of this styling cue being dictated by regulations? No other automakers are using this approach on their new models to meet regulations. I'm probably the biggest car guy on this forum and have not heard of this.

If you say so...

Literally every SUV and truck has the blunt, stub nose... Most are better at integrating it into their design language than Lexus, but they all have it.


Let me Google that for you:

Why Pedestrian Safety Is Ruining Car Design

These regulations are driven by a combination of fuel economy and pedestrian safety standards resulting in specific parameters for automotive design. In recent years, new car designs have seen a proliferation of blunt front ends, high hoods, and the “reverse teardrop” shape on many three-box (three separate compartments: engine, passenger, and cargo) vehicles.

Mark Adams, design chief for Opel/Vauxhall, claims: “In the last five to 10 years designing cars has gotten a hell of a lot tougher.”

With each successive year, the homogenization process has rolled forward, making each generation of cars look even more identical. The Mazda Miata is an example of a vehicle that began as a slick two-seat roaster that evolved into a shrunken version of all the other cars on the road with a swollen nose, rear, and beltline.

[TorqueDog]

^ Read as: If people like Cappy would stop getting hit by cars, they'd be prettier.

The cars that is, not people like Cappy.

[Terradude]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

^Tell us more about the GV70. From everything I've seen they look like pretty sweet machines.

Fixed.

The GV70 is a well designed vehicle. Inside it is very well put together, flowing lines, leather wrapped dash, good tech, excellent supportive seats.

I got a 2.5 prestige, so the base engine but in sport trim so it doesn’t have the 2 spoke steering wheel. I wasn’t too fussed by that but I’m glad I got the sport wheel.

I’m still in the break-in period so I haven’t really tested it but it is certainly better than the 4Runner for responsiveness. I’ve had a few BMW’s and this engine seems about as powerful as an older BMW N54 although it has more turbo lag. I think that the 2.5l is quite boosted but torque is right there when you need it.

Handling is excellent. It really is an excellent highway cruiser. Much more comfortable than my old BMW X3 M40i. That was scary fast but would jar your bones, even in comfort mode.

I am quite impressed with the fuel economy. I’m in Invermere right now and on the drive out I averaged better than 8 l/100km. That’s ok in my estimation. It should continue to improve out of the break in period until about 20k km or so. I’m sure mileage will suffer if I drive it hard but this has more than enough to make passing on 2 lane highways less of an adventure than it was in the 4Runner.

Time will tell about how reliable the GV70 will be but Genesis has been shown to build good cars. You can’t beat the price…it’s about 10 to 15k less than the equivalent BMW. I am very impressed on the sales process here. Log into the website and build your vehicle. No haggling, no BS. They even honoured their trade in estimate on my nearly new 4Runner months later, no questions.

I think you will be seeing more of these on the road. Genesis has a winner here.

[timun]

Originally Posted by Terradude

I am quite impressed with the fuel economy. I’m in Invermere right now and on the drive out I averaged better than 8 l/100km. That’s ok in my estimation.

Damn son, that's better than "okay" for a vehicle that big.