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  • Drew Dowdell
    Drew Dowdell

    Q3 2018 - GM Posts $2.5 Billion Profit

      Revenue and Income both up strongly

    GM reported an income of $2.5 Billion for the third quarter of 2018 today with strong showings in North America, China, and GM Financial.  Automotive operating cash flow was up by $1.3 billion to $2.5 billion. Overall earnings per share diluted was $1.75.

    In North America, margin is up to 10.2% driven mostly by sales of all-new full-size trucks and continued good sales of crossovers, China reported equity income of $0.5 billion, while GM Financial reported revenues of $0.5 billion. 

    During the period, GM delivered nearly 700,000 vehicles in the US with average transaction prices of $36,000.  In China, sales were up 10% year to date to nearly 836,000 vehicles. In China, Cadillac continues to do well, up 4% year over year and up 20% year to date.  Bolt EV production is being increased by 20% to meet growing demand.

    Source:  General-Motors-Q3-2018-Earnings-Press-Release.pdf

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    1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

    How big of a back seat do those EV's have? 

    Asking for a friend. 

    Are you talking about the BOLT? If so, I can tell you it has plenty of head, shoulder, hip and leg room in the back seat even when I set it for me sitting in front of my self.

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    LOL Your head is hunched forward and that door cannot close with your leg NEXT TO the driver's seat. You have no clue how happy I am to see you not comfortably fit in the back of the Bolt after all you preach about it. 

    @ocnblu 

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    12 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

    LOL Your head is hunched forward and that door cannot close with your leg NEXT TO the driver's seat. You have no clue how happy I am to see you not comfortably fit in the back of the Bolt after all you preach about it. 

    @ocnblu 

    That is funny.  The Bolt is a small car, smaller than the Sonic even, it is tiny.  Also why I don't think it is worth the price.  Now when they get a bigger EV, like Cruze or Equinox size then it is a different story because and EV the size of a Cruze on the outside will have interior space like a Malibu.

    2 hours ago, William Maley said:

    Should be noted that GM is offering voluntary buyouts to about 18,000 salaried employees "who have 12 years or more experience." According to Automotive News, this is a ""proactive" measure" to address the expectation of slowdown in North America and China. - 

    Making money and downsizing the workforce.  The American way in action.

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    36 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

    That is funny.  The Bolt is a small car, smaller than the Sonic even, it is tiny.  Also why I don't think it is worth the price.  Now when they get a bigger EV, like Cruze or Equinox size then it is a different story because and EV the size of a Cruze on the outside will have interior space like a Malibu.

    Making money and downsizing the workforce.  The American way in action.

    The Volt is the Cruze.. so for almost 60 miles... the option is there

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    Doesn't it alarm anyone else that GM is making BIG profits selling vehicles that people WANT to spend their money on (trucks and SUV's) so they can put R&D money into building (pathetic, electrified COMPLIANCE) vehicles that people have demonstrated time and time again that they DO NOT want?  HOW is this good for the corporation's future once the desirable stuff is priced (or legislated) out of reach of the customers they have today?  They will have NO customers!  Stupidest thing I've ever heard.

    4 hours ago, dfelt said:

    Are you talking about the BOLT? If so, I can tell you it has plenty of head, shoulder, hip and leg room in the back seat even when I set it for me sitting in front of my self.

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    You're such a goof OMG, you crack me up!  Look at you crammed in the back of that Bolt!

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    18 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

    Doesn't it alarm anyone else that GM is making BIG profits selling vehicles that people WANT to spend their money on (trucks and SUV's) so they can put R&D money into building (pathetic, electrified COMPLIANCE) vehicles that people have demonstrated time and time again that they DO NOT want?  HOW is this good for the corporation's future once the desirable stuff is priced (or legislated) out of reach of the customers they have today?  They will have NO customers!  Stupidest thing I've ever heard.

    You're such a goof OMG, you crack me up!  Look at you crammed in the back of that Bolt!

    Your alarm is unwarranted, especially given that Tesla is making profits now.  Forget Faraday, they are done.  GM simply does not want to caught off guard like they were with Toyota in the 70s and Lexus starting in 1990.

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    5 hours ago, ccap41 said:

    LOL Your head is hunched forward and that door cannot close with your leg NEXT TO the driver's seat. You have no clue how happy I am to see you not comfortably fit in the back of the Bolt after all you preach about it. 

    @ocnblu 

    Actually the door does close just fine and I am not crunched up or sardine tight. The interior is bigger than you realize.

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    59 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

    Your alarm is unwarranted, especially given that Tesla is making profits now.  Forget Faraday, they are done.  GM simply does not want to caught off guard like they were with Toyota in the 70s and Lexus starting in 1990.

    Caught off guard on what, exactly?  Government mandates can only go so far.  Forcing the public at large to contribute, through tax breaks, to the failed attempt to get people to change their minds on electrics can (and has gone) only so far.  There simply is not enough interest in the concept to keep it going.  When are these governments going to listen to the people they supposedly represent?

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    1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

    Doesn't it alarm anyone else that GM is making BIG profits selling vehicles that people WANT to spend their money on (trucks and SUV's) so they can put R&D money into building (pathetic, electrified COMPLIANCE) vehicles that people have demonstrated time and time again that they DO NOT want?  HOW is this good for the corporation's future once the desirable stuff is priced (or legislated) out of reach of the customers they have today?  They will have NO customers!  Stupidest thing I've ever heard.

    You're such a goof OMG, you crack me up!  Look at you crammed in the back of that Bolt!

    You seem to be ignoring just like Detroit did in the 70's to Asian auto building that China is now setting the standard and with China and Europe having followed that Hybrids / EV is the future, build at your own peril or death. GM knows where their future is and that is in China not the US. We get left overs and as has been stated, sales of BOLT are taking off around the world. Selling more than they can produce so that they are adding a shift and exporting the Bolt to markets that want to buy the auto. The US is now a follower of the world due to poor leadership and your wanting GM to die rather than innovate and provide what the world markets are dictating.

    Follow the Money  Biff, otherwise you will be left far behind!

    31 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

    Caught off guard on what, exactly?  Government mandates can only go so far.  Forcing the public at large to contribute, through tax breaks, to the failed attempt to get people to change their minds on electrics can (and has gone) only so far.  There simply is not enough interest in the concept to keep it going.  When are these governments going to listen to the people they supposedly represent?

    Unlike the current idiots that suck up to the oil companies here in the US still Ignoring the people and giving out Billions in so called R&D tax dollars to these same billion dollar profit oil companies that should not be getting our tax dollars and should go to paying off the debt, stabilizing our SS / Medicaid benefits?

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    I think electrics will never really be competitive with gas cars on saving purchase price. The problem is that leases are the only reason electric  cars make sense. no one is willing to plunk down money on unproven technology unless it’s someone with big money to buy a Tesla.

    my version of “unproven” here = rapid obsolescence.

     

    in just 3-4 years the average range of any electric of car for sale has doubled or even tripled...good and bad. Charge times are also being reduced

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    9 hours ago, dfelt said:

    Unlike the current idiots that suck up to the oil companies here in the US still Ignoring the people

    Ohhh... so you mean people who drive Suburbans, Escalades, and V8 Trailblazers?  You have no leg to stand on.  You prefer to talk the talk while failing to walk the walk.

    Again, a government mandate does not make a desirable automobile.

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    12 hours ago, dfelt said:

    Actually the door does close just fine and I am not crunched up or sardine tight. The interior is bigger than you realize.

    That's what you SAY but that's sure not what it LOOKS like. 

    2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

    Ohhh... so you mean people who drive Suburbans, Escalades, and V8 Trailblazers?  You have no leg to stand on.  You prefer to talk the talk while failing to walk the walk.

    Again, a government mandate does not make a desirable automobile.

    100% spot on. 

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    2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

    Ohhh... so you mean people who drive Suburbans, Escalades, and V8 Trailblazers?  You have no leg to stand on.  You prefer to talk the talk while failing to walk the walk.

    Again, a government mandate does not make a desirable automobile.

    And as I have stated as have others, I have a spouse to satisfy and while I would have been happy to buy a Bolt, as more options come on the market, I will end up buying as to why I do not have a car payment or am buying any ICE auto. I am waiting for more EV options.

    32 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

    That's what you SAY but that's sure not what it LOOKS like. 

    100% spot on. 

    Might look tight from that photo, but until your actually sitting inside, it is amazing how much room there is.

    100% disagree since a single person he has no one to please other than himself. I have a spouse to keep happy as to why I have not bought anything new since 2008. 10 years and waiting for more EV options.

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    3 hours ago, ccap41 said:

    Your spouse drives all of those vehicles regularly? 

    Yes, she drives the SS the most, but will take the Escalade, Suburban or Durango which ever is easiest to get out. They all drive very easily like a car.

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    @dfelt Everybody has their own life circumstances, nobody is judging that.  However, to be fair you have probably the most gas guzzling, most inefficient fleet of cars among the members here, yet you preach the most about saving gas and going electric.  Kind of hypocritical, don't you think so? ;) 

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    Especially when there are three vehicles at the home. 

    If you truly wanted an EV one of those three could be an EV and your wife would never deal with them being too small for her to drive.

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    1 hour ago, ykX said:

    @dfelt Everybody has their own life circumstances, nobody is judging that.  However, to be fair you have probably the most gas guzzling, most inefficient fleet of cars among the members here, yet you preach the most about saving gas and going electric.  Kind of hypocritical, don't you think so? ;) 

    Nope, not at all. My house is Energy Star 3.0, Windows are triple pane argon gas. Insulation is R30 through out and all my lights are on sensors running daylight equal 6500K LED bulbs. From Hydro / Solar power supply to the house and Natural gas for heating, my house is very efficient. All downspouts catch the rain water to be used in the garden or watering the yard. Composting of all material so that I put out usually less than a 13 gallon kitchen bag of garbage. Like the rest of the state, we have mandatory recycle / composting for all citizens. As such, I have 2 - 128 gallon compost / yard waste bins, 1 - 128 gallon recycle bin and a 16 gallon the smallest they have garbage can. Washington state along with Oregon and California requires their citizens to wash out all recyclable materials before putting them in the can. You get find for dirty recyclables. Composting allows us to have an awesome supply of Black Gold soil for the farms and for personal use in gardens, flower beds, etc.

    Even during below freezing my combined electrical / natural gas bill is barely $100 every two months.

    I have included the latest Energy Star 3.2 spec for your review if interested.

    or wa program requirements 3.2 v3 2018-05-16_clean.pdf

    My 1994 Suburban is parked as I am working to convert it to AWD Electric. Battery pack will be between the wheels for best center of gravity. The engine bay will become a Frunk, bigger than anything Tesla has built.

    Since buying my house in 1999, I have done everything I can to minimize my carbon footprint. Auto's is the last area to be done and yes at 6'6" tall 300lbs I am not a small person, my wife is Korean at 5'8" tall and both my daughter and son are the same height.

    We camp and enjoy the great outdoors as well as help family and friends with projects so SUV's and trucks are the most common use auto here. If Cadillac still made their Hybrid SUV I would own one. Probably own two if they also had the Hybrid in the ESV format.

    Due to personal lifestyle, I usually drive 6 to 9 people up the mountain every weekend during the winter for Ski / Snowboarding. Up during the summer for Mountain biking and the rest of the year group hiking and exploring. 

    You can see my life style by following me here:

    https://www.instagram.com/_g_d_f_/

    I agree with everyone that my auto's I drive are NOT the most fuel efficient. As an engineer, I know we can make them fuel efficient and way better. The auto companies just need to build them and the customers will come.

    If you have test drove the BOLT, Tesla, you will know just how much fun the EVs are and can be and drag racing EV's like the White Zombie or the Zombie 222 have proven they can smack down ICE.

    Like all technology, time, engineering effort and drive to a better way of doing things is what it is all about.

    The moment my wife says yes to an EV that fits the family, I will buy one. Till then, I know the beneficial gain to society, the planet and individual people that EV's will bring and I will support them and talk about them. Check out the 1964 Lincoln with Suicide doors EV they are building. Sexy as all get out at Bloodshed Motors.

    White Zombie -http://www.plasmaboyracing.com/whitezombie.php 

    Zombie 222 - 

    http://www.bloodshedmotors.com 

     

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    @dfelt This is all very cool, what you did with the house, I am currently trying to make my house as efficient as possible as well to minimize heating and cooling bills. 

    However, this is not a home improvement website.  Your cars are still are big gas guzzlers regardless of who uses them and how they are used.  So until you actually show pictures of the converted electric Suburban or Bolt/Tesla on your driveway it is still hypocritical to criticize others while driving an Escalade. 

    And you got no argument from me personally regarding the electric cars, they are the future, just not the present, not yet.

    Edited by ykX
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    17 minutes ago, ykX said:

    @dfelt This is all very cool, what you did with the house, I am currently trying to make my house as efficient as possible as well to minimize heating and cooling bills. 

    However, this is not a home improvement website.  Your cars are still are big gas guzzlers regardless of who uses them and how they are used.  So until you actually show pictures of the converted electric Suburban or Bolt/Tesla on your driveway it is still hypocritical to criticize others while driving an Escalade. 

    And you got no argument from me personally regarding the electric cars, they are the future, just not the present, not yet.

    ? Guess we have different definitions of hypocritical to criticize. I have not criticized anyone's choice of buying an ICE auto. 

    I have vocally supported the benefits of EV's and will continue to do so. 

    I have never that I can recall attacked anyone here about buying, owning an ICE auto. I find all auto's awesome, but do strongly feel the need for the planet, future generations and the health of my fellow world citizens to get to cleaner air while still supporting the passion of driving enjoyment.

    Future is coming faster than I think some realize. I truly believe the flip to EV's will happen faster than those on this site believe.

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    No but you'll criticize somebody for their "dated" mindset if they aren't on board with EVs. 

    9 minutes ago, dfelt said:

    but do strongly feel the need for the planet, future generations and the health of my fellow world citizens to get to cleaner air while still supporting the passion of driving enjoyment.

    And this is what makes it ironic. 

    10 minutes ago, dfelt said:

    I truly believe the flip to EV's will happen faster than those on this site believe.

    Well, the biggest supporter doesn't have one yet so I'm not sure why you believe that. 

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    11 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

    No but you'll criticize somebody for their "dated" mindset if they aren't on board with EVs. 

    And this is what makes it ironic. 

    Well, the biggest supporter doesn't have one yet so I'm not sure why you believe that. 

    Simple, Choice. Right now There is Tesla, Chevrolet Bolt, Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq.

    None pass the spouse test, If I was single, I would have the Bolt for my daily driver to the park n ride 1.8 miles from my house. Yet when your married, life take another persons input into consideration and as anyone who is married or has been married can appreciate, Happy wife (Spouse, Partner, etc.) Happy Life. 

    I get to do much in my life, why would I want to add the stress of a made wife to my life when holding out for more choice options is around the corner.

    As I have stated in other threads, I very well could end up having my first non american EV once the Jag iPace or MB EQC hit the lots so I can test drive it, check it for my test on room inside.

    Never know when things can change, but I do expect things to break loose as more auto makers deliver on bringing EVs to the marketplace. :D

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    2 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

    Why does she care what you drive as long as you have other larger vehicles to drive when she's with you? 

    LOL, you must be single and never married? ?‍♂️

    Your spouse does play a part in all large dollar purchases no matter what anyone says.

    I have to say this is a sweet looking GMC.

     

     

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    No, I know what it's like but you have a 3rd vehicle. Tell her she can get some jewelry with the gas savings and also get rid of the eye sore in the garage/driveway/yard. 

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    1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

    No, I know what it's like but you have a 3rd vehicle. Tell her she can get some jewelry with the gas savings and also get rid of the eye sore in the garage/driveway/yard. 

    What eye sore? They all look beautiful. :D

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    Car choices in families can be interesting...many couples I know each buy their own cars...often very different products from different manufacturers..and they never drive each other's vehicle unless it's in the shop.    My folks were old school, my Dad would buy cars for my Mom--usually Ford or Mercury personal luxury coupes, and a big sedan (Mercury or Lincoln) and a fun car for himself.  My sister with each of her 3 husbands always bought her own cars.  It was funny, with husband #2 they had the same color, make and model--both drove gray '85 Nissan 300ZXes when they met.  

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    In my family I drive the car I want (but of course needs to be practical enough for our family, that's why it is a sedan) and my wife drives the car she likes.   Her car is usually does the family car duty most of the time but it is also something my wife enjoys driving.   My car has manual transmission so she can't even drive it even if she wanted.  Sometimes, it creates an inconvenience but I was not ready to sacrifice my driving enjoyment for some sole-less appliance.   However, after I am done with my current car the plan is to get cheap practical daily and a weekend fun car.

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    On 10/31/2018 at 4:52 PM, frogger said:

    Volt is also 6 inches shorter than a Cruze.

     

    Not true.. the Volt is 3.3 inches shorter than the Cruze but is almost  identical in wheelbase, and actually wider than the Cruze

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    On 10/31/2018 at 4:35 PM, smk4565 said:

    But the Volt doesn’t have the interior or trunk room of a Tesla Model 3.

     

    Interesting.. research shows the space internal isn't that far off

    Interior               Volt         Model 3
    Maximum Seating 5 seats 5 seats  
    Front Legroom 42.1 in 42.7 in  
    Back Legroom 34.7 in 35.2 in
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    The Model 3 has 5 more cubic feet in the trunk plus the Model 3 has the small trunk up front too, where the Volt has an engine.  I have not been in a model 3 but I assume no center tunnel for exhaust exists either.  

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    35 minutes ago, Cmicasa the Great said:

     

    Interesting.. research shows the space internal isn't that far off

    Interior               Volt         Model 3
    Maximum Seating 5 seats 5 seats  
    Front Legroom 42.1 in 42.7 in  
    Back Legroom 34.7 in 35.2 in

    The Model S has virtually the same legroom numbers as the Model 3....F 42.7 in, R 35.4 in.   More shoulder room, probably.

    Edited by Robert Hall
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    4 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

    Passenger volume per Cad and Driver

    Model 3: 95 cubic ft.

    Volt: 90 cubic ft. 

    Per Car & Driver, the Model S passenger volume is 94 cubic ft.  Pretty f'd up that the smaller model is slightly bigger inside. 

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    9 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

    Per Car & Driver, the Model S passenger volume is 94 cubic ft.  Pretty f'd up that the smaller model is slightly bigger inside. 

    Hmmm that is odd. 

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    2 hours ago, smk4565 said:

    The Model 3 has 5 more cubic feet in the trunk plus the Model 3 has the small trunk up front too, where the Volt has an engine.  I have not been in a model 3 but I assume no center tunnel for exhaust exists either.  

    FYI, the center is for the T shaped battery, there is no exhaust like in a normal car. Very different routing of the exhaust on the Volt.

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    4 hours ago, smk4565 said:

    The Model 3 has 5 more cubic feet in the trunk plus the Model 3 has the small trunk up front too, where the Volt has an engine.  I have not been in a model 3 but I assume no center tunnel for exhaust exists either.  

    True.. but the Volt has something that the Model 3 doesn't have.. an ALTERNATIVE propulsion system that is easy to re-invigorate within about 3 minutes. And make no mistake I have said the same thing about the Bolt. Personally I am not on board with complete EV line-ups until the infrastructure to "fill-up" is in place everywhere a gas station is or at least as many.  Range anxiety is real if for no other reason than some people simply forget. With the petrol situation its as easy as grabbing a damn jug.. hell a 2 liter coke bottle, walking 2 miles and filling it up with enough to get U to the next fill.. far as I know.. they don't make 2 mile long extension cords.. ? I stand by this even if Caddy decides that EV cars are a go. I think its a mistake to not keep a CT6 Plugin on the menu.. as much as I think Chevy should've long since expanded the VOLTEC fleet 

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    The Bolt is not spacious by any measure of reality. It’s a subcompact. What do you expect? Every subcompact recently has had size bloat or need turned into a marked up jacked up crossover. Only thing the Bolt has got is that it’s electric.

     

    and Voltec is dead. The writing is on the wall. 

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    As far as range anxiety, how often do people's phone's hit 0% battery?  People remember to charge their phone, they will remember to plug in their car.  And with wireless charging, you don't even plug in, you can just park it in the garage.  Plus we are probably 5 years away from being able to charge a battery as fast as one can fill a tank with gas.

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Its low-slung aspect can present a slight demerit.  The windshield and profile of the front doors is very raked and, as a person of average height, I had to duck a little more than usual to enter the car.  Similarly, the rear backlite borders on almost being horizontal.  This does give the rear storage area a little more usable height. Inside, the front pillars’ rake is mitigated by fixed renditions of what used to be vent windows in older cars.  However, they still seem to block an instinctive sight line compared to more upright vehicles like the current Camry and Corolla.  Inside, the feeling is more cockpit-like.  Similarly, the rear view has the thicker pillars and flatter backlite that require more proactive work – looking over the shoulder attentively and using the amber traffic monitoring warnings in the outside mirrors.  A complementary feature is the chime that assisted lane changes. The Prius has a 4-cylinder engine that seems to spend more time in EV mode than did the hybrid Camry.  That means good fuel economy and, over 3 days, I only added 6 gallons for between 200 and 300 miles of motoring.  In terms of power, handling, and roadability, the Prius gets mixed comments from me.  It does have agility when the pedal is pressed and it moves from eco to power mode.  It also eases upward to higher than anticipated highway speeds if not paying attention!  The transmission is a CVT with a “faux” first gear and it works well.  The Prius has a more noticeable wheezing sound when in reverse gear, which actually advises those inside the car and near it.  However, when pushed, the powertrain gets buzzy, as in noisy.  But at steady speed, any engine noise is not that noticeable.  The vehicle’s handling, smoothness, and quietness vary.  Handling is always nimble and, even at highway speeds, it maneuvers adeptly.  The ride is mostly smooth.  However, noise control could use some improvement.  Some of that can come from the tires they equip the car with, fitted with aluminum wheels that hearken to the ones on Tesla products.  That said, it’s hard to tell if the drone is tire thum or wind.  However, if you prioritize handling among these, I was surprised to see how well the Prius handles … on the highway, on city streets, and even in tight parking spaces, where 3-point attempts are rarely necessary. The cockpit is unusual and very different from yesterday’s Priuses, which I’ve only seen and never driven or been a passenger in one.  I remember how the first model had an oval main instrument pod set up on the cowl in the middle of the dashboard but angled toward the driver.  Today’s Prius has thin and smaller pods, almost set on ledges that seem to staircase down as the cowl approaches the driver.  The main panel looks like a small tablet that is set quite far from the steering wheel.  Depending on how the wheel is titled, there could be some visibility issues seeing all the information.  This required adjusting the wheel and the seating height.  Also, the front seat can be very far from the pedals.  So, while the door is low, taller drivers might like this potential distance.  The infotainment center sits slightly forward of the main instrument screen and is conventionally placed atop the center stack.  Thankfully, it continues with touch operation as opposed to being operated via a remote dial.  Most functions are the ones you’ve known for a while, so setting things up doesn’t take long.  I did struggle a little with the Android Auto, even though the Bluetooth pairing was quick.  Note that, while the Camry has USB-C ports, the Prius does not.  Further down on the center stack, the climate control is easy to work with (not the 3-dial type that so many exports and even domestics have) and the A/C blows colder a little quicker than in the last Camry I drove.  The console deck is about the right height and its overall dimensions, including the box, are generous.  The compactness of the shift lever is sort of fun … think of a small underpowered low-cost EV Corvette! When going into gear, it’s not about moving the selector linearly.  A quick jog to the left and up toward the instrument panel is for reverse while that same quick jog followed by a rearward move puts the vehicle in drive.  It doesn’t take long to get used to this.  Also, the park feature is easy to work with.  Just push in P when stopped and, whether in reserve or drive, the gear selector goes to park.  The only thing is that it is not forgiving when shifting the lever … your foot must be firmly on the brake, so no slipshod maneuvers.  The seating is comfortable and the buckets seem a little high, but this offers support from top to bottom.  The same is true in the rear of the cabin and the headrests do intrude with an already thicker rear sail panel / C-pillar.  Legroom in the rear also seems good and the length of the vehicle allows for that.  Space is sensibly distributed in the 3 volumes from front to back. I always thought a Prius would have something daunting or different about it.  Its look is different in that it lost its first-gen look that looked like an upright Nissan Versa of 2016 … sort of like the runt of the litter that is on the run because it has been kicked in the rump.  This Prius looks planted.  Upon pushing the prominent and easy to use “power” button on the dash, there will be no noise and the dash will literally tell you when it, and you, are “ready” to go. It's a smaller but roomy vehicle where the price isn’t a bargain, but not that steep in today’s terms.  I find there are a few things that I wasn’t crazy about – the height, the main instrument pod sitting in the distance, and not the best noises suppression – but I liked most other things about it.  With so many Priuses going the long haul, this one will probably do the same … and look a lot more presentable while doing it. - - - - - PHOTOS FORTHCOMING  
    • I'm laughing.   There are always reasons why things are "discounted." With me, it's DFW and Austin that give me heartburn.  San Antonio, too, even though I don't know it as well.  I just don't like the look of the DFW area, whether natural or built.  I don't like Austin for being the governmental engine of a big red place next to a massive university with over 50,000 students that is a big blue place.  I'm more of a moderate and don't want extremes in either element.  I also don't like the "way cool" leanings in Austin. Houston has its negatives, but I'd take it for nearby Galveston, and water in general, the extensive pinewoods, the dark red brick homes, an attractive downtown, and for being America's most ethnically diverse city that has always rolled with that spirit.  There is no "you shouldn't be here" factor.  IIR, I've heard of a saying about Madrid that goes, 'When you're in Madrid, you're from Madrid.'  Having lived in various places, I pay attention to those subleties.
    • Very cool to see This Hyundai Ioniq 5 Owner Managed 413,991 Miles In Under Four Years, With One Big Catch
    • Removing tariffs that idiot47 caused so much pain with for getting nothing in return show how stupid a person can be in not understanding true business and how to negotiate.  A real man with Business sense would have put together a package of tariffs to present to China to address specific areas that are an imbalance not just attack everything and see what falls out. As such, incompetence in not understanding the long road map to building greatness shows how foolish the current administration is and now they are going to sign an exception list for the auto industry. Destroy good trading partners just to cause Chaos! Never a sound business strategy. Trump to Sign Order Later Tuesday Easing Auto Tariff Impact
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