What Can The Fiat 500L Do For Fiat USA?

Let's assume for a moment that the new Fiat 500L will undercut the Mini Countryman in price, just as the 500 undercuts the Cooper. With that assumption in mind, we'll assume that the stylistically-challenged Fiat 500L might sell at least as often as the Countryman. 

The 500L is only available with front-wheel-drive. Even the Mini is only available with all-wheel-drive at the top of lineup. Neither car is a faithful design follower of the iconic original; the Fiat less so. Neither car is particularly quick. Both cars feature highly stylized interiors, neither of which is roomy like a proper SUV. By Mini standards, the Countryman isn't pretty. By car standards, the Fiat is ill-proportioned.

Regardless of their stark differences and apparent similarities, it's safe to project approximately 20,000 annual U.S. sales for the 500L, based on the Mini Countryman's total. Fiat USA will likely sell around 43,000 500s in 2012.

If the 500L can find 20,000 buyers in 2013 while selling another 43,000 500 hatchbacks, where does this position the Fiat brand?

Strictly judged by volume,  Fiat would only barely be trailing Mini. Fiat would be selling nearly as many cars as Volvo and would be selling twice as many vehicles as Porsche. 

Even if the 500L becomes a 20,000-units type of vehicle, Fiat won't sell 20,000 in what will be an abbreviated 2013 launch year. Yet we can still expect to see Fiat's 2013 year-end volume climbing at least 40% even if the 500 posts no year-over-year sales increase.

Check out historic monthly and yearly sales figures for the regular Fiat 500, Mini Cooper range, Mini Countryman, and any other vehicle or brand by making your selection at GCBC's Sales Stats home. U.S. brand rankings, where Fiat ranked 29th in October and Mini ranked 24th, can be accessed here.

2013 Ford Escape vs. 2012 Honda CR-V - Concept vs. Production

We've all learned to hate how auto manufacturers release stunningly finished concept vehicles. We know the themes will hold fast, but the end result won't be half as fascinating.

Now, to be honest, the 2011 Honda CR-V Concept wasn't fascinating, but it did have presence. Did anybody actually believe those wheels would be on the production 2012 CR-V? Of course not.

The 2011 Ford Vertrek Concept, a preview of the 2013 Ford Escape, was indeed a stunner. It wasn't just the wheels, it was the well-defined character lines, aggressive front end, and squat stance. Make no mistake, the 2013 Escape is rather handsome for a small crossover, but notice how the two bulging lines on the hood are perched rather closely together? On the Vertrek Concept, those two lines formed the edges of a freaking hood bulge. Did anybody think the bulge would make production?

No, but it was part of what made the Vertrek an eye-catcher, and now that it's gone, the production Escape is without a design feature that made its inspiration so visually arresting. Same goes for the line near the door handles - it's there on the production vehicle, but not nearly as there as it was on the Vertrek. Strangely, the Escape's front end lost little of the Vertrek's OTT nature, lending an air of cartoonishness to the production vehicle, an accusation that couldn't be leveled at the cohesive Vertrek Concept.

Again, the production Escape didn't stand a chance of looking exactly like the Vertrek, and we've all come to understand the nature of these preview concept vehicles. We're not talking about pie in the sky stuff that never makes it to production. 

But if you call something the Jaguar C-XF and we end up with the XF, well, we're disappointed, handsome though the XF may be. We thought there'd be a little more C in the production Jag. In the case of the new 2012 Honda CR-V and 2013 Ford Escape, the disappointment is not so keenly felt, but it still seems like an odd strategy to release an impressive concept so soon before releasing the less impressive production vehicle. These images prove it.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
2013 Ford Escape vs. 2001-2012 Ford Escape Image Comparison
Top 10 Best-Selling SUVs In America - October 2011
Top 10 Best-Selling SUVs In Canada - October 2011

2013 Ford Escape vs. 2001-2012 Ford Escape Image Comparison

When does a company need to replace their compact SUV? After four years; maybe five? What if the company's compact SUV is the best-selling SUV in North America? In that case, are new engines, a revamped interior, and additional features enough to let it linger?

These are difficult questions to answer given that the Ford Escape is indeed the best-selling SUV in both the United States and Canada and therefore, in a manner of speaking, doesn't need replacing. But in all honesty, the Escape is no longer competitive. Oh, it competes for sales rather well, but that's mainly because of its low price point. Surely there hasn't been a respectable comparison test in the last five or six years in which the Escape was at the top of the heap. After all, driving the 2012 Ford Escape is a lot like driving the 2001 Escape. Meanwhile, driving the 2013 Mazda CX-5 will not feel like driving a 2001 Ford Escape.

Regardless of the company's reasons, Ford has finally decided to replace the first-generation Escape for model year 2013. Thankfully, the 2013 Ford Escape is all-new, and first impressions suggest the 2013 Ford Escape is all good.

The 2013 Ford Escape will be offered with a base 2.5L which generates 168 horsepower and 167 lb-ft of torque. Upgrading to the 1.6L EcoBoost turbo nets 173 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. Finally, the fun will be in Escapes equipped with the 237-hp 2.0L EcoBoost turbo which twists out 250 lb-ft of torque. All three powerplants operate with four cylinders and six-speed automatic transmissions. Of course, all-wheel drive is optional. Images and more details are viewable after the jump.

In each of these image comparisons - front, rear, profile, interior,
and cargo area - the old Escape is on top. Click any image for a larger view.

Ford has been issuing press releases over the last few weeks detailing some of the 2013 Escape's innovative features. The Escape can be outfitted with Ford's park assist, which you've seen before on the Focus. The liftgate can also be (optionally) opened by simply waving your foot under the rear bumper. Safety features are built in which should stop your Schnauzer from perpetually opening your rear hatch when he's out doing his business. Drivers and passengers who hate modern headrests may be happy to find that they're adjustable in the new Escape, not just up and down but forward and back. On a more practical note, the cargo area has grown slightly, from 31.4 cubic feet to 34.3 cubic feet with the rear seats up and from 67.2 cubic feet to 68.1 cubic feet with the seats folded.

There's a full gallery of photos below the comparison images of the first-gen Escape with this new 2013 model. You'll likely agree that the 2013 Ford Escape isn't as masculine as the Ford Vertrek concept which previewed the production model's look. Though the 2012 Ford Escape's design had long since grown dull, it was a true SUV shape. The 2013 Escape is more clearly a crossover, an effect which is particularly visible when looking at its profile view from a slightly elevated position. The 2013 Escape's more aggressive stance should make for no mistakes in the real world, but there's a hint of minivanishness visible from some angles, just as there is with the Mercedes-Benz M-Class. That's partially the fault of the sloping hood.

Styling is patently subjective, but the 2013 Ford Escape is wonderfully cohesive, strikingly modern and as eye-catching as its best competitors. Yes, things get a bit funny where the body seems to narrow just as it rises to the rear windshield. On shinier wheels the 2013 Escape seems a little toy-like. The gaping grille is a bit much when viewing the 2013 Escape directly from the front. And the hood strakes are calling an awful lot of attention to the spray nozzles. 

All in all, from the design to the engines to the improved cabin, Ford's 2013 Escape is exactly what Ford needed it to be, a totally modern reincarnation of a now archaic vehicle. Admittedly, figuring out what Ford "needed" when the current model remains a rip-roaring success isn't the easiest task. But it seems likely that, with the right price and yet-to-be-tested-but-undoubtedly improved dynamics, the Ford Escape should be the best-selling SUV in America in 2012, just as it is in 2011.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Top 10 Best-Selling SUVs In America - October 2011 & YTD
Top 10 Best-Selling SUVs In Canada - October 2011 & YTD
2013 BMW 3-Series vs. 2006-2012 BMW 3-Series Image Comparison
2012 Hyundai Accent vs. 2012 Kia Rio Image Comparison
2013 Ford Escape vs. 2012 Honda CR-V - Concept vs. Production

Fiat Halifax News

The vast majority of GoodCarBadCar.net readers aren't from Canada. The vast majority of Canadian GoodCarBadCar.net readers aren't from Nova Scotia. Nevertheless, in deference to the homeland, this post is all for GoodCarBadCar.net's Halifax readers, with some gossip that might interest observers from away.

In the last couple years, an upheaval in the U.S. automotive industry wreaked havoc on the dealer networks of General Motors and Chrysler. This resulted in Carroll Pontiac Buick GMC Hummer closing up on the Bedford Highway and Forbes Chevrolet Cadillac permanently vacating the premises on Portland Street. McPhee, the owner of Forbes as well as its own GM dealership and Halifax Chrysler, was royally messed up. Steele Chrysler moved in to take over Bayers Lake-based Halifax Chrysler. This you know.

As for the Fiat connection, well, this is where it gets interesting. Nova Scotia's only Fiat franchise was awarded to Halifax Chrysler. After speaking to a couple sales reps in Bayers Lake, however, I learned that Chrysler Canada/Fiat/Sergio Marchionne wasn't happy with the showroom situation out there. Carroll's old store on the Bedford Highway, right beside Atlantic Acura, had been closed for a while. Steele Chrysler's showroom on Kempt Road is a terrible affair. As you might've then guessed, Steele Auto Group will be taking over the spot on the Bedford Highway for Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep. 

The 500, incidentally, will be parked right where Hummer used to be in its own Fiat-specific corner.

Now things get interesting. Fiat Canada sold nine cars in the waning days of February, surely all of which were pre-sold Prima Edizione 500s. Halifax Chrysler will be getting three Fiat 500s, all of which are fully loaded $22K+ cars, all of which are sold, two of which were sold to "Italian brothers". It's likely that the handover won't even be dealt with in Bayers Lake. After the 500s roll off the truck, they'll be taken to one of Steele's more urban locations where the sale will be finalized. Apparently one of these first three 500s sold is going to Halifax's first owner of the first-generation smart fortwo, a car this owner still has. Allegedly.

Saying he'd been in close contact with Fiat - which I'm guessing doesn't mean Fiat HQ in Turin - this once-upon-a-time Fiat salesman who is no longer eligible to sell a 500 says fewer than 2000 500s have been built for Fiat's North American dealers at this point. While he's certain that'll change rapidly, the thought of 50,000 continental Cinquencento sales, let alone 50,000 annual sales solely in the U.S., still seemed impossible once he considered the limited appeal of one specific model. 

This great new Chrysler 300 every reviewer seems to admire so? Chrysler Canada dealers can't get their hands on them, says this salesman, at least not dealers in this locale. Same goes for all 2011 Chrysler/Dodge cars. Minivans and trucks? There've been tons made, tons sold, and many more are on the way.

The Good 12-winning Jeep Wrangler will be promoted with big incentives come mid-April. So for the 900 or so Canadians who plan on buying a Wrangler in March and haven't yet done so, I tell ye wait. Wait on that.

The 2012 Fiat 500 is currently featured on the Canadian website with 5.99% financing. So you might want to wait on that, too, potential Fiat buyers. The 500 is another Good 12-winning product from Chry... er, Fiat... oh, whatever ya call it. Says my "source" (attempting to speak like a reporter is so tedious), Fiat wants to ramp up the 500 slowly so they can see how buyers react to different trim levels before they decide to build thousands of 500s in Lounge trim when Sport or Pop is more sought after. Supply, therefore, will be weak for some time.

Patience, grasshopper. Patience.

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2011's The Good 12 Part 4 - Fiat 500

Fiat 500: Old vs. New
Watch The Fiat Panda 4x4 In Action Off-Road
Fiat 500C Gallery

2012 Hyundai Accent vs 2012 Kia Rio In Pictures

Sharing a 101.2-inch wheelbase and an engine lineup, the design paths of the 2012 Hyundai Accent and 2012 Kia Rio diverged in a wood, and Kia chose the more stylish route. That's not to say the 2012 Hyundai Accent isn't a handsome hatchback, GoodCarBadCar.net sees huge sales in its future, even more so after driving a 2012 GL Sedan. But from the rear, the 2012 Kia Rio is undoubtedly (beauty-in-beholder's-eye factor notwithstanding) a more cohesive package. Moreover, Hyundai's images of the new Accent make the hatchback's wheels appear terribly tiny when viewed from the rear three-quarter. The Rio, on the other hand, has strong five-spokers which could fool you into thinking this is the sporty high-output Rio derivative.

Read Updated 2012 Hyundai Accent Specs, Pricing,
Pictures & Fuel Economy Details Here

This is by no means the first time The Good Car Guy has thrown two Hyundai/Kia platform-mates into an image comparison. Some of the more popular posts on GoodCarBadCar.net include the Kia Sportage vs. Hyundai Tucson photo comparo as well as the Kia Optima vs. Hyundai Sonata contrast from this past November. Of course, the new Kia Rio and the new Accent must face off against other rivals, too. The 2011 Ford Fiesta is a capable, high-tech, fuel-efficient hatch with the now desirable Blue Oval badge. The Honda Fit is a tremendously roomy hatchback, one that's surprisingly fun to drive. And Ford's disconnected sibling, the Mazda 2, is attractive and more fun overall than the Fiesta.

2012 Kia Rio

Nevertheless, these eight images are meant to showcase the differences between two Korean hatchbacks, vehicles which will invariably feature low MSRPs and heady levels of equipment. We already know the Accent will be fitted with 6-speed transmissions and a full slate of safety gear - one would assume the Rio won't go without such niceties. Kia's press release for the 2012 Rio says some markets will also receive a 3-door hatchback and 4-door sedan. So there will be differences (the Accent is a 4-door sedan or 5-door hatch only) in the cabin and perhaps even the driving experience, but the most unique aspects of these two cars is surely the exterior design. Until more pictures become available, satisfy yourself with the two 2012 Kia Rio Galleries and The Good Car Guy's brief analysis after the jump.

2012 Hyundai Accent

Not too many years ago, we would've paused a moment and contemplated the largesse of the Rio's headlamps. Now, the over-the-top front end seems simply to be a uniquely Kia take on the typical OTT front fascia. The gaping air intakes remind me of the 2011 Volvo S60 (its photo gallery can be seen here) while the narrowly connected grille is the main connector to the 2011 Kia Optima. Merely noticeable from the front, the scalloped sides of the 2012 Rio are downright eye-catching when you stare straight at the Rio's taillamps from the corner of the car. Arching straight through the door handles, the two character lines which cause the concave surface help the small hatchback escape without appearing hefty while at the same time provoking visual interest. Details like the Kia badge sitting atop the trunk release are the sort of thing you wouldn't have expected to see so nicely turned out on a Kia of yore. 

The 2012 Kia Rio's rear has something of an old Seat Leon look to it, but it's also a little Ford Of Europeish. These aren't bad things, and no copycat criticism should be laid on a company for its latest hatchback. It's a two-box car - there are only so many places you can take a product with an engine room, a cabin, and four wheels. 

On to the Accent, the overall look is a little bit safer; a little bit more mature; a little bit more of what you'd expect. Let's not get ahead of ourselves: both cars are pleasantly-styled; neither car is ahead of the game or one bit avant-garde. Even so, where the Rio is more stylish in the moment, the Accent is clean and purposeful and features less you could dislike. Parked side by side the Accent might seem a little boring, but we should give credit for a few strong features.

First, the hood's shutline is enormously apparent but the eye remains drawn to a dose of character as things go concave where normally you'd see power bulges. In the same spot on the rear of the car is a lip just below the rear window that contributes to a very BMW 1-Seriesesque presentation. It's also obvious from the rear that this car, like the Rio, seems to offer a narrow slit for a backlight. That's a sacrifice for style. In these initial pictures the Accent looks to be the longer, lower car, truly a trick of designers and/or photographers. Besides that strange concave shape on the hood, there are a few other regions of the car that make the Accent look like the serious big brother of the two. 

There's droopiness over the license plate surround at the back. There's extra glass behind the rear door windows that the sportier Kia doesn't have. And that lip below the hatch's window must be there for a reason, and the reason can't be straight up style.

All in all, judging only on appearances, the Accent will look more current in ten years; the Rio is cooler now. And why do the exterior designs of two subcompacts matter so much to The Good Car Guy? Aren't these econoboxes acquired based on the best deal available? Consider this: in a thousand ways, the 2012 Kia Rio and 2012 Hyundai Accent are the same car. Driving them won't feel all that different. Paying for one won't be dramatically more expensive than paying for the other. Fuel economy will be the same. What's that leave? Style, my friends, style. Look as good as you can.





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2012 Hyundai Accent GL Sedan Driven
Hyundai Canada Sets 2012 Accent Prices
2011 Kia Sportage vs. 2010 Hyundai Tucson Image Comparison
Small Car Sales In Canada - 2010 Year End
Small Car Sales In America - 2010 Year End
2012 Hyundai Accent vs 2011 Hyundai Elantra

Is The 2011 Subaru Outback An SUV?

Issue after Everest-related issue arises in Jon Krakauer's book, Into Thin Air. Whether it be a brief history of Sherpas, a play-by-play of every village passed by on the trek to Base Camp, or a look at the long overdue rise of environmentalism at the foot of the world's tallest mountain, Krakauer engages the reader with the sort of anticipation one would expect from a man who viewed all this in the context of a soon-coming climb up Mount Everest. Yet one matter which winds a path through many pages of Into Thin Air is that of the qualifications, experience, health, and even morality of the hundreds of mountaineers (or supposed mountaineers) who were attempting to reach the summit of Everest in the spring of 1996.

It is Krakauer who points out amidst an attempt to resolve such a controversy that, "The question of who belongs on Everest and who doesn't is more complicated than it might first appear." Krakauer indicates a number of factors which, by themselves, should not (and could not) shun a climber from the mountain: wealth, expedition affiliation, age, and previous altitude acclimatization. At the same time, Into Thin Air's wildly accomplished author suggests a lack of experience and a willful disregard for safety are reasons to avoid guiding a hopeful climber up the harrowing, intimidating peak. And at no point does Krakauer ever suggest he has all the answers to issues so complicated that regulations have gone unregulated for decades and self-policing expeditions have gone un-policed.

True, the Subaru Outback is not a climber attempting to reach the summit of an iconic mountain. You've got a point there. But stick with me after the jump and you'll understand the parallels.

For a good portion of its lifespan, certainly in its initial two generations, the Subaru Outback was simply considered a slightly taller Legacy wagon with some SUVesque lower body cladding. Many other automakers hopped on the bandwagon, most notably Audi's A6 Allroad (still available elsewhere) and Volvo's much-loved XC70 Cross Country. Europeans have been offered some less attractive propositions including the Volkswagen CrossGolf and Skoda Octavia Scout. Generally speaking, these up-armoured vehicles are simply wagons or hatchbacks with extra ground clearance and consequently greater height as well as bodywork which would supposedly protect bumpers from challenging elements on an off-road course. Indeed, many of the donor vehicles are excellent in their own right but in "SUV" form lose much of their appeal once on-road dynamics are taken into account.

The 2011 Subaru Outback, however, is doing anything but losing its appeal. Credited with paving the way for Subaru to become a mainstream automaker in North America, the first Outbacks can't be credited with doing a whole lot more than a garden-variety Legacy wagon could. Both featured all-wheel drive, the same engines, and the same interiors. One could crawl a slightly higher curb. Consumers didn't care - they wanted the Outback, so much so that the most recently-introduced Outback up and committed flagrant fratricide. The Subaru Legacy wagon is not a member of Subaru's Canadian or American lineups.

Still, it seems as though the question is being avoided. Is The Subaru Outback An SUV? Well, what is an SUV?

Sport-utility vehicle is, to be frank, a term which means absolutely nothing. "Sport".... like, er, basketball? Auto racing? Nah, people don't race Chevrolet Tahoes. And they only play sports in cars on Top Gear. Utility? One hopes for some form of extra practicality in sport-utes, but often, the case could be made that Grandpa's Country Squire was more utilitarian. Vehicle? Uh, yeah: they're all vehicles.

The term, therefore, clarifies nothing. Cultural definitions only go so far. The Good Car Sister, in place of SUV, prefers jeep, small j. Don't ask how she's managed to stick with such ridiculousness when such a knowledgeable brother exists. Crossover or CUV, as in crossover utility vehicle, have moved in as noms du jour for vehicles as unique as Acura's ZDX and the Chevrolet Traverse. Crossing over, like Shania Twain playing on pop radio stations in 2002, is a strange way of defining a specific format of vehicles which are basically tall hatchbacks with all-wheel drive. Nevertheless, no matter the coinage, we aren't making any progress in determining how the Subaru Outback's qualifications align with the stars. Let's look at the vehicle itself.

Motor Trend awarded the 2010 Subaru Outback its coveted SUV Of The Year title. Although the decision sound strange at first, Motor Trend didn't shy away from the obvious argument, that the Outback wasn't an SUV. The Outback had greater ground clearance than the Jeep Grand Cherokee; it's just six inches shy of being six-feet tall; three unique all-wheel drive variations are available; towing capacity is 3000 pounds. Plus, when perching one wheel on a rock in icy blue with grey cladding, the Outback looks like an SUV.

But c'mon, the Outback is just a jacked up Legacy wagon - which still exists, remember - and the Legacy wagon is, you may remember, a wagon version of the Subaru Legacy, a car. C-A-R. Two degrees of separation does not an SUV make.... or does it? Countless SUVs or crossovers or CUVs available today use platforms or architecture or core elements provided by cars. Was there something so tough about the Chevrolet Equinox that you thought it was, ahem, a genuine Jeep Wrangler rival? Did you plan on taking your new Honda CR-V on the Rubicon Trail? What about your rich cousin's BMW X5 and its snobbish BMW-only sport-activity vehicle designation. You're wanting to drive down PEI's red dirt roads in that?

Why don't we just rephrase the title of this article? See, Subaru's U.S. website thinks the Outback is not an SUV. Subaru reserves the SUV heading for Tribecas and Foresters. Moreover, Subaru has been calling the Outback something else since it was first introduced back in 1996.

Granted, for anyone who's seen an AMC Eagle, there's falsehood in Subaru's labelling of the Outback as the "World's First Sport Utility Wagon." However, Subaru is allowed to showcase the ® symbol when using the aforementioned five word set. American Motors didn't put up much of a fight.

Thus, as you would have already guessed from GoodCarBadCar.net's constant inclusion of the Outback in midsize car sales charts, the Outback isn't believed to be an SUV, not around these parts. Subaru was quite accurate in its initial designation, so let's stick with it. 

No, the Subaru Outback is not an SUV. The 2011 Subaru Outback is an SUW.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Midsize Car Sales In America - 2010 Year End
Midsize Car Sales In Canada - 2010 Year End
Top 10 Best-Selling Japanese Cars In America - November 2010

Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air introduction begins like this:
In March 1996, Outside magazine sent me to Nepal to participate in, and write about, a guided ascent of Mount Everest. I went as one of eight clients of an expedition led by a well-known guide from New Zealand named Rob Hall. On May 10 I arrived on top of the mountain, but the summit came at a terrible cost. Among my five teammates who reached the top, four, including Hall, perished in a rogue storm that blew in without warning while we were still high on the peak. By the time I'd descended to Base Camp nine climbers from four expeditions were dead, and three more lives would be lost before the month was out. 

Scion Canada Starts Out With 247 Sales In October 2010

Preliminary data from Toyota Canada says Scion sold 247 vehicles in its first full month of selling in Canada. Scion is only selling in the Greater Toronto Area, Vancouver, and Montreal. The Good Car Guy is on the record saying this probably isn't the best way to introduce a new car to Canada. Although Scion will undoubtedly pick up sales momentum (one would hope so, with only 247 sales in October 2010), and will find it easier to do so once expansion takes place in the spring of 2011, this first month seems disappointing. In light of all the social media hyping up Scion engaged in, 247 sales - equivalent to about one-quarter of all Toyota Yaris sales in Canada last month - sounds as though most people don't know Scion exists.

That, of course, will change dramatically once Canadians of all ages start seeing uniquely-designed Scions on roads across Canada.

Autumn isn't prime car selling season in Canada. Unleashing a new brand inside a brand which posted a huge sales decline in October 2010 - Toyota Canada sales were down 24.7% in October 2010 - in October with just three models and just three cities isn't easy. Perhaps Toyota is thrilled with 247 sales. If so, great. They know what they want and they know if this exceeded their expectations.... or not. At GoodCarBadCar.net, Scion Canada's initial sales volume would've come across a lot better if the number was over 500. There was a LOT of hype, after all.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
The Future Of Scion In Canada
Scion xB Photo Comparison
Canada Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010

Scion xB Photo Comparison With Kia Soul And Nissan Cube

It's always meant to be. When a GoodCarBadCar.net reader makes a simple request, giving in to that request is guaranteed. In the comment section of this Scion Canada story, conwelpic thought it'd be a good idea to see the 2011 Scion xB, 2011 Kia Soul, and 2010 Nissan Cube lined up with their profile pictures. 

Here, then, are the three budget-minded boxes, with some pricing details to help you form your own opinion. Whoever first explains the Kia Soul 2.0L 4u's $1800 auto-trans anomaly* wins applause.

Canadian Pricing
2011 Scion xB Price: $18,270 + $1020 for automatic transmission

2010 Nissan Cube S: $17,398 + $1300 for CVT automatic

2010 Nissan Cube SL: $20,898 (includes CVT automatic)

2010 Nissan Cube krom: $23,098 (includes CVT automatic)

2011 Kia Soul 1.6L: $15,995 (no automatic transmission available)
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L 2u: $18,595 + $1200 for automatic transmission
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L 4u: $20,595 + $1800 for automatic transmission*
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L 4u Retro: $21,295 + $1200 for automatic transmission
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L4u Burner: $21,595 + $1200 for automatic transmission
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L 4u SX: $22,395 + $1200 automatic transmission
*Kia.ca website mistake.

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The Future Of Scion Canada
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Photo Comparison Of Ten Large Luxury Sedans
2011 Kia Sportage vs 2010 Hyundai Tucson Photo Comparison
Niche Car Sales In Canada - September 2010
Niche Car Sales In America - September 2010
2011 Scion iQ - Projected Price And MPG

The Future Of Scion Canada

Toyota's Scion division is now a semi-active participant in the Canadian automotive market. The $17,200 2011 Scion xD, $18,270 2011 Scion xB, and $20,850 2011 Scion tC are on sale in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The Greater Toronto Area's population of 5.6 million people in a vast country of just 34.3 million people indicates why Scion may be going about its launch slowly, even if The Good Car Guy disagrees with the theory of selling only to part of the country.

With an anticipated base price of just over $15,000 in Canada, the 2011 Scion iQ may well boost Scion sales in Canada and in the United States. However, with approximately one month of Canadian selling complete and little data yet in circulation, the expectation for Scion greatness in The Great White North seems to stand in contrast to what Scion's been able to accomplish south of the border in the ol' USofA.

Scion began selling Californian cars in the United States in 2003. By that we mean, Scion sold cars only in California. With just two models, Scion quickly gained popularity and the "youth/budget" brand of Toyota's spread to dealers across the country. Scion added a coupe model, the tC, and eventually replaced the dowdy xA with the xD and the small and boxy xB with a newer, larger, less boxy xB. Sales began to disappear.

In fact, the whole Scion brand has been out-sold by Mini through September of this year in the USA. Through those first three quarters of 2010, Scion sales fell 29.7% from 2009 levels. Scion xD sales are down 34.9%. Scion xB sales are down 23%. Scion tC sales are down 34.6%.

Is Canada supposed to be excited that Toyota has finally delivered to us a brand Americans have seemingly rejected? Read more after the jump for a look at the cold, hard, numbers.

To be truthful, yes, Canadians should be excited, if only for the sake of increased competition. Perhaps a little pressure from the Scion xB will make the purchase of a 2011 Kia Soul even easier. And the Scion iQ is will be an ingeniously modern tool for effective and fun urban transportation.

But....

In calendar year 2009, Scion sales were nearly chopped in half, dropping 49.1%. Every model posted steep declines. In 2008, sales dropped to 113,904 from 130,181. tC sales, in particular, fell off a cliff. 2007 sales were down 24.7% from 2006 levels. In 2007, xB sales plummeted from 61,306 to 45,834; tC sales dropped precipitously from 79,125 to 63,852; and combined sales of the xD and xA (20,495) couldn't come close to matching xA sales from the year prior (32,603).

If Americans have roundly fallen out of love with Toyota's youth-directed value brand, why should we Canadians even begin a flirtatious encounter with Scion? Perhaps that's a silly question. Certainly, Americans never would've elected Jean Chretien to the White House, yet we kept the Son Of Shawinigan in office for more than ten years. Last Wednesday, fewer than 10,000 people watched an NHL game between the Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks in Columbus, Ohio. In Canada, almost anywhere in Canada, 18,000 fans would be a sure thing. On the automobile front, America's favourite car is the Toyota Camry. Canadians didn't even make the Camry one of the country's 20 best-sellers in September 2010. So we have different tastes. Just because America has turned its back on Scion (and hockey) doesn't mean we will too.

Except, with dealerships residing only in Canada's three biggest cities, Scion is open to less than half the Canadian auto market, a number, it could be argued, which is actually closer to one-third. Even with plans to eventually move out to other cities in Canada, Scion is extremely late to a small party. The Kia Soul is crushing the Nissan Cube. Latecomers like the Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Borrego, the aforementioned Nissan Cube, and the Honda Insight are all struggling to gain traction in segments where others trod long before. Consider Mitsubishi, as well, a brand which left Canada way back when but returned in 2002. It's not working out.

Are the Scion xB, Scion xD, and Scion tC bad cars for Canadians? No, not necessarily. From an analyst's perspective, however, it seems likely that Canadians will be more receptive to car brands they know and love, brands selling what happen to be, quite frankly, better and more exciting products. The first Scion sales numbers for Canada should be out in the next few days. With nothing to compare Scion's one-third-of-the-market-sales-volume against, it'll be difficult to gauge success. One year from now, Scion should be selling elsewhere and watching sales rise. If not, Scion can officially be labelled a failure.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Scion's First Full Month Of Sales In Canada - October 2010
Scion xB Profile Photo Comparo With Kia Soul & Nissan Cube
Honda CR-Z 3 To Beat
2011 Scion iQ - Projected Price And MPG
Toyota's Scion Brand Will Come To Canada In 2010
Canada Auto Sales By Brand

IIHS Examines Insurance Losses By Vehicle Model

The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute have finished compiling the data on insurance losses by vehicle type and specific models. "Loss results are stated in relative terms," the study says. "100 represents the average result for all vehicles in each loss coverage category." Rated across various fields (collision, property damage liability, comprehensive, personal injury protection, medical payment, and bodily injury liability), the easiest way to understand the ratings are by the colour in the "All Coverages" section.

Yellow is substantially better than average. Dark yellowish-orange is better than average. Peachy-pink is average. Orange is worse than average. Red is substantially worse than average. White means "insufficient data to compute a reliable result".

What's it all mean? Well, that's something to take up with your insurance provider, not The Good Car Guy. Basically, from the insurance industry's perspective, the following vehicles are - in relative terms, the ones with the lowest instance of loss: Chevrolet Corvette, Mazda Miata, Volkswagen New Beetle, Saturn Sky, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Veracruz, Honda CR-V Subaru Outback, and Toyota 4Runner.

From your perspective, you're interested in finding the least expensive cars to insure. GoodCarBadCar.net has that data, too. Automotive insurance is the unspoken word tandem in most North American car reviews, an almost mysterious extra best left to the consumer after his new car purchase. The more information on auto insurance you have under your belt before heading out to find your new vehicular love the better.

After the jump you can find vehicles grouped by segment type, midsize sedans or large luxury cars or small luxury SUVs or whatever possible permutation anybody's ever been able to come up with.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Top 5 Least Expensive Vehicles To Insure In America In 2010
Top 5 Least Expensive Vehicles To Insure In America In 2009
Insuring The Smart Fortwo For A Second Year
The Good Car Guy's Chevrolet Corvette Acceleration Run At Milford

CLICK ANY CHART FOR A LARGER VIEW

Source: IIHS via Autoblog