OV9

OK, so two things.

Virtually everything will be a BEV, PHEV, or Mild Hybrid. I can't see many cars at all not making it to be at least a mild hybrid, and by that definition I'm including 'low boost' cars like the new C200. This is progress, it's inevitable and I'm fine with it. Hybridification and electrification should bring advantages in many forms to all of us.

However, what is worrying is that I believe we're witnessing the slow demise of the 'traditional' saloon car. So many people now want SUV's, and like guns, once a lot of people have one everyone will want one to protect themselves. I'm from the 'Chris Harris' school of thinking on SUV's. So many are such utterly stupid purchasing decisions - they're more expensive, heavier, handle less well, and use more fuel (with a demonstrable rise in CO2 output linked to SUV sales*) than a normal estate car, but many people buy them just because they give them a slightly higher driving position. This is a very worrying trend IMO. Merc and BMW will sell you an SUV version of most of their cars and Ford is all but cancelling it's 'car' division in the USA, with worrying noises being made about their European business.





*Particularly, with all the effort that manufacturers are making to reduce CO2 emissions and improve fuel efficiency, apparently this effort is being more than 'cancelled out' by the rise in SUV sales and their associated fuel and efficiency penalties.

Saloons aren’t particularly practical - it’s hardly surprising that the average person prefers a more useable/adaptable/do it all vehicle.

And it’s not as though everyone is driving huge 4x4s like LR Discoverys anyway, most are in Stuff like Nissan Gashqais/Ford Kuga/etc, which are basically a Focus with a slightly taller body.

CH drives and worships his G63 anyway.

Rich B wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 12:52 pm Saloons aren’t particularly practical - it’s hardly surprising that the average person prefers a more useable/adaptable/do it all vehicle.

And it’s not as though everyone is driving huge 4x4s like LR Discoverys anyway, most are in Stuff like Nissan Gashqais/Ford Kuga/etc, which are basically a Focus with a slightly taller body.

CH drives and worships his G63 anyway.

Agreed, saloons aren't particularly practical, but estates are very practical, usually more so that the SUV's that are often chosen instead. And I was about to start a new thread about how the Gashqai has become the new c*nt's car. I see so many being driven terribly..

CH's view on the G63 is at odds with the rest of his views on SUVs.

Simon wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 1:02 pm CH's view on the G63 is at odds with the rest of his views on SUVs.

aka Project7Syndrome.

Have you seen his latest on the Cullinan. It even made me wince - I don't think he's going to get invited to test many future RRs. Ferrari designated him persona non grata for much less.

So unpopular they're only making 1000 a day:



And Toyota only sells 995,000 of these a year:



But yeah, have never understood the appeal of saloon cars over hatches and estates but some markets love them. The global car sales figures show how little the UK matters.

I'm less bothered about SUVs these days. As said, so many of them now are just FWD hatchbacks with slightly higher suspension - it's not like "SUV" means a huge lumbering ladder-chassis thing. Even the enormous Q7 got smaller on the latest generation.

When you have a family with all the stuff, and tow race cars an SUV is the best option.

My Next family car i suspect will be a hybrid or FEV however today, the tech isn't there enough for me to go there.

Simon wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 1:02 pm. And I was about to start a new thread about how the Gashqai has become the new c*nt's car. I see so many being driven terribly..

Oldies that need space for grandkids trade in the badly driven Micra for a badly driven QQ.

RobYob wrote: Thu Jan 17, 2019 12:30 pm

Simon wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 1:02 pm. And I was about to start a new thread about how the Gashqai has become the new c*nt's car. I see so many being driven terribly..

Oldies that need space for grandkids trade in the badly driven Micra for a badly driven QQ.

Whilst I'm sure that's true, it's more about the people I see driving really aggressively in them. That, and the Juke 'R' in particular seem to attract some real throbbers around where I live.