I have zero interest in GM products, & I have even less interest in Daewoo products made for GM.
If Toyota &/or Suzuki were making vehicles for GM again, I would have some interest.
I have zero interest in GM products, & I have even less interest in Daewoo products made for GM.
If Toyota &/or Suzuki were making vehicles for GM again, I would have some interest.
Dirk Diggler (11-03-2019),fc321 (11-03-2019),poorman1 (11-11-2019),Pryme (11-05-2019)
Yea for small cars, I'd be interested in driving a new Suzuki offering. As well, I would like to try Lancia, and also any of the British and French cars that just don't sell in North America. I'm a bit wary of Daewoo, maybe unwarranted, I think they make quality heavy equipment.
Wary about fixing a car like a Spark.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)
fc321 (11-03-2019)
The only new small hatchbacks I would consider in today's market are the Mirage, Honda Fit, & KIA Soul. I only consider vehicles with manual transmissions, however. When I was in the market for small car, I wanted one that was affordable, reliable, & economical. I also expect a small economy car to get 40+ mpg. The Mirage was an easy pick!
Last edited by Mark; 11-03-2019 at 03:19 AM.
I have a 5 speed manual Mirage myself. Harder and harder to find manuals these days! I think the Kia Soul is automatic-only after 2020 model year. Not sure why, but manuals don't sell. I won't open that can of worms. I feel manuals last longer too.
I like the Honda Fit sedan variant that Honda sells elsewhere in the world. I am not much stuck on the looks of the Fit hatch, or any new Honda's lately, with their weird angular lines.
The Chevy Spark is real weird-looking too, but looks and tastes are all subjective.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)
fc321 (11-03-2019)
2020 KIA Soul LX comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission. It's no longer paired with their 1.6L engine, however. The base model has their 2.0L engine now.
If the KiA Soul got 40-50 mpg, I would have bought a used one. I don't care for the looks of the new Honda Fit, but I feel they are well built cars. They don't get as good mpg as the Mirage, and I've never seen a Honda Fit for under $10,000 brand new. Otherwise, I may own one of those.
Cheap, reliable, & economical - A highly discounted Mirage is pretty hard to beat!
fc321 (11-03-2019)
@$30/weekend I got to evaluate almost every small car made during 2014-2015. I'm not much of a give me bling kind of guy, so plain but functional does it for me. The Mirages I rented came along after many, many other brands. Within the first afternoon I knew it was the car for me.
Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.
Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!
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View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)
fc321 (11-03-2019)
I did some research on the Spark before I bought my Mirage, including visiting one of the main Spark forums. It was more like a support group than a forum for car enthusiasts. Just people b!tching about surly dealer service managers, dealers dragging their feet on warranty claims, calls to Chevrolet headquarters to get help dealing with those dealers, cars drinking oil at 500 miles, AC system failures, on, and on, and on. All the stuff you would typically see on a cheap GM car that wasn't a rebadged Toyota or Suzuki.
Plus, I never liked the big goofy headlights on the early Sparks that extended from the middle of the front bumper all the way up to the base of the A-pillar.
Reading what Spark owners were saying about Sparks made it very easy to choose the Mirage, though from what I understand the '16-up Sparks are better.
fc321 (11-05-2019)
I think I told you and/or others on the Forum, at home I own a 2014 Mirage, but when I flew out West to Edmonton Alberta to Jasper last May, I had a 2019 Santa Fe for a rental for 5 days. My point is I was getting 8.5 L/100 km's average, and down to 8.2 after 700 km's of me driving, so I think that's like 33 miles a gallon.
So a hulking thing SUV AWD like that that gets 33 miles a gallon, I would rather something bigger than a Soul or even a Spark that doesn't get like 50 miles a gallon possibly like a Mirage. What is the point, then? to a small car if not for the fuel economy.
Otherwise the Santa Fe was so comfortable, except to park.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)
fc321 (11-05-2019)
You guys are making me feel bad for getting the CVT
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View my fuel log 2019 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 38.8 mpg (US) ... 16.5 km/L ... 6.1 L/100 km ... 46.5 mpg (Imp)
Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.
Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)
fc321 (11-05-2019)