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Nitroracer
Nitroracer SuperDork
4/8/11 9:33 p.m.

All of the numbers on paper look good.

Hoping for some quick depreciation, and good on the road results.

NewEdgePerf
NewEdgePerf New Reader
4/10/11 9:38 p.m.
killerkane wrote:
Nitroracer wrote: The front and sides are pretty attractive, but I don't care for the styling from the back. The tail lights are big and up high, and the visibility looks pretty poor. The design reminds me of a cross between a three-door saturn and a cr-z.
I agree, can't stand the back of it!

Only the slower cars will see the view from behind!

Tony D

HiTempguy
HiTempguy Dork
9/17/11 11:09 a.m.

To bring this thread back from the dead, Veloster's are out and on sale now. Supposedly, 28usmpg in the city and 38usmpg on the highway. That is as good, if not better than my old 100hp Civdork EG or EK chassis cars, and it has heated front seats standard (in Canada)

If they go on sale next year with 0% financing, I'll be buying one as a commuter car unless something better comes along.

I wonder how it handles... it's gas mileage and power to weight ratio is quite a bit better than a base Mini, and is about $10k less here in Canada. This could be an awesome car :D

Edit-
- Official 2584 curb weight
- 138 hp @ 6300rpm and 123 ft·lbf @ 4850rpm.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin Dork
9/17/11 12:59 p.m.

I like the looks. MPG ratings are pretty good. Not good enough to justify buying one for a while though. I'd still lean toward the CRZ if I were looking now.

Numbers aren't bad for a newer car, but not great either. I hear comparisons to the last gen 3 door accent, which scares the crap out of me. I just had a 2010 loaner... holy mother of god the car is tall and the driver sits super-high. Feels like driving a normal economy car - if you had to sit on the roof. Additionally, the front suspension was clunking and falling apart, and there were only 30k miles on it.

corytate
corytate Reader
9/18/11 6:48 p.m.

saw my first one yesterday. absolutely beautiful car on the outside, didn't get close enough to see the inside

neon4891
neon4891 SuperDork
9/18/11 11:26 p.m.

It looks interesting, but just not at the top of my list. Too bad it feels like the only cars under 2500# are 100hp econo cars, and Loti.

failboat
failboat HalfDork
9/19/11 7:19 a.m.

i know we are about to look at new cars for the mrs in the next few weeks....and she is going to see this is out and want it. not much negotiation room if the cars are practically selling themselves like the new elantra.......dammit.

Gearheadotaku
Gearheadotaku GRM+ Memberand Dork
9/19/11 8:35 a.m.

Sorry, all I see is another fugly, front-drive econo-box. No interest here.

bravenrace
bravenrace SuperDork
9/19/11 9:28 a.m.

In reply to Gearheadotaku:

Ditto. It's mo fugly, in fact.

darkbuddha
darkbuddha Reader
9/19/11 4:21 p.m.

I'll be looking at a new Focus ST next year... twice the power, better looking (IMHO), and overall awesomer! I'm just bummed we're not gonna get the wagon vesion...

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hatchbacks/1109_2012_ford_focus_st/

kreb
kreb GRM+ Memberand Dork
9/19/11 5:08 p.m.

I think that the Focus is a damn good-looking car, and w/ 250 HP?! Yeah, the Hyundai's nice too. They are on the proverbial roll.

Have to laugh at the "ST" logo on the ford's seat however. It's like they just lobbed a letter off of "STI". Perhaps the AWD version should be the STF, which could easily morph into STFU in the "unlimited" version.

Gearheadotaku
Gearheadotaku GRM+ Memberand Dork
9/20/11 8:03 a.m.

The Focus ST is much better looking, but still has 4 doors instead of 2. Why can't we have a choice like Europe does?

pinchvalve
pinchvalve GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
9/20/11 8:07 a.m.

Im waiting for the Kia version with the 260+ hp turbo motor, 500 pounds less, and $5K less. And while I'm dreaming, it comes with a supermodel.

Bobzilla
Bobzilla SuperDork
9/20/11 8:18 a.m.

208HP turbo version should be out next spring.

Rusted_Busted_Spit
Rusted_Busted_Spit GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
9/20/11 8:44 a.m.

That Focus may make me break my no new car rule.

HiTempguy
HiTempguy Dork
9/20/11 8:55 a.m.
Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote: That Focus may make me break my no new car rule.

In Canada, guaranteed the Focus ST will be a $30k plus car. I have better things to spend my money on

93EXCivic
93EXCivic SuperDork
9/20/11 8:58 a.m.

Why couldn't they have offered the ST in the two door coupe? Either way a cool car. I think Ford should offer a hot diesel version. They could call it the STD.

The Hyundai is just too damn ugly.

failboat
failboat HalfDork
9/20/11 10:04 a.m.

ok the Focus ST looks sooooo much better in yellow. The orange one i keep seeing photos.....i am not a fan of at all.

procker
procker Reader
9/20/11 10:36 a.m.

IMO, that front end looks all sorts of gnarled up...like it was supposed to have braces as a kid or something, and now it looks like Predator with facepaint. Yuck.

Didn't Saturn already have a 3-door car? Not too new of an idea...I guess just different from the notion that cars should be symmetrical (dislike) on both sides. Closed:

Open:

Still, wouldn't mind looking at one (Veloster) in person and getting a better feel for it. Looks like it may be a hot seller and stick around a while!

ProDarwin
ProDarwin Dork
9/20/11 11:00 a.m.

Why is the rear loading height so high?! I just noticed that. Who wants to lift something heavy up that high to load it into the back of the car? Anyone have a pic with the hatch open?

procker
procker Reader
9/20/11 11:07 a.m.

Yeah, looks super odd...and impractical too :(

failboat
failboat HalfDork
9/20/11 12:23 p.m.

In reply to procker:

in regards to the 3 door....i dont think they are claiming to be the first, or that its a new idea. the RX8 had a similar arrangement to the saturn you posted.

one road test review i read yesterday on the veloster did point out that the velosters rear door swings forward like the front door, unlike cars like the RX8 or Saturn, preventing you from being trapped between 2 doors if you are parked close next to a car and exiting from the back seat. Granted a door like on the saturn or rx8 may make it easier to enter or exit, or load items to the back seat. i dont know. theres probably advantages or disadvantages to both arrangements. Both are better than no rear door.

One thing i noticed on the veloster is that the passenger side front door is noticably shorter than the drivers side door, the B pillars are at a different angle on each side. Its strange. No idea if that manages to help your view at all if you look over your right shoulder while driving? the car looks to have a horrendous blind spot anyways.

ReverendDexter
ReverendDexter SuperDork
9/20/11 12:24 p.m.
darkbuddha wrote: I'll be looking at a new Focus ST next year... twice the power, better looking (IMHO), and overall awesomer! I'm just bummed we're not gonna get the wagon vesion...

Or the 3-door.

Hyundai did the same thing with the Accent, too. No more three door. Just the 5-door and the stupid sedan.

When I'm Emperor of the Known Universe, I'm banning sedans and 5-door hatchbacks, at least for 10 years or so. Of course I'll have an awesomeness exception for things like the mid-90s Impala SS, Mercury Maruader, and Mazdaspeed3, but elsewise GTFO. I'm also gonna implement world-wide emissions and crash-standards, so there won't be any "we can't have that over here" BS.

93EXCivic
93EXCivic SuperDork
9/20/11 12:38 p.m.
ReverendDexter wrote: When I'm Emperor of the Known Universe, I'm banning sedans and 5-door hatchbacks, at least for 10 years or so. Of course I'll have an awesomeness exception for things like the mid-90s Impala SS, Mercury Maruader, and Mazdaspeed3, but elsewise GTFO. I'm also gonna implement world-wide emissions and crash-standards, so there won't be any "we can't have that over here" BS.

I am going to get rid of crash-standards all together and automatics and push button starts and .... This list is going to get too long if I keep going.

procker
procker Reader
9/20/11 12:54 p.m.

In reply to failboat:

True, the RX8 did have that third door too...I guess the Saturn just popped into my head first. And looking now, it does in fact have an actual real door, and not a mini third door. Looks like I may have spoken too soon on that one

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