Originally Posted By: Jimbo
What has been happening is that each company does customer focus groups and Americans that make it to those groups ask for more room, more power, etc. So, each generation of car bloats up. What happened this time is that, since it takes 3-4 years to get a new model to market, gas prices have doubled.
The new US-spec Accord is the latest example of this, and it has been a sales flop, compared to previous Honda new model introductions.
If I wanted basic transportation in a new car, it would be a 2008 Corolla. What puzzles me is that the Yaris is smaller, has a cheaper looking interior, but doesnt get better mileage or cost less to buy.
As far as recent Toyota quality is concerned, yes the new Tundra has had a few teething problems, but my '05 Tundra has had zero problems. The ball-joint recall was done, but the old ones were not bad.
I also checked out the Yaris, but there was absolutely no incentive to purchase one over the Corolla. The wife drove the Yaris and promptly did a U-turn and drove back to the stealership and went with the Corolla. She couldn't get in without hitting her knees and she really hated the center mounted console. Don't know why Toyota prices that Yaris so close to the Corolla. Kinds of cannibalizes each others sales I would think.