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Can't wait for the refresh. Source

I know they're 3-rows, but the Highlander and Pilot both come with the active safety features at much lower prices. On both, they are standard.... on the RAV4 they are standard, on the CR-V they're standard on the EX and above. Ford Edge comes with Co-Pilot 360 standard. On the CX-9, it's a $1,290 option available on the base model. With all of those heavy hitters on either side of the segment, it's odd that Chevy continues to choose to bring a knife to a gun-fight with under-equipped vehicles.

Oh I think it'll sell okay. It's basically a re-body of the XT5 and Acadia, so they don't need to sell it in huge numbers. I'm just getting frustrated with GM's insistance on packaging their vehicles this way. I want the extra safety equipment, particularly active cruise-control. GM is pushing me towards Honda and Toyota as a customer.

You want part number 10383646 https://www.gmpartscenter.net/auto-parts/2007/cadillac/sts/base-trim/3-6l-v6-gas-engine/body-cat/grille-and-components-scat

• I cannot imagine anyone having a dislike for the front end, it's head & shoulders above it's segment competition, namely toyoyo, honda, nissan. The rest is nice, clean, mildly dynamic, but the rear isn't as striking as the front. Sort of generic. Whole car really doesn't say 'Chevy' anymore, but it's still well-designed. • I greatly prefer the parking brake on the floor (or as a button if an OEM offers); console-mounted levers take up room and are ungainly to look at. Old school at this point. • I'm interested to see how fabric on the dash lasts long-term- it's going to be harder to clean if soiled than any other material. • Our '16 does not have the heated seats or paddle shifters the '09 did. The paddles are wildly out of place in this class- we never used them outside of the first few 'playing around' times. Still getting used to Start/Stop- it's less obtrusive than I had expected. Question- this feature must be having a measurable effect on 0-60 times, right? • I have not driven this car much yet, but it's 2 thumbs up from Mrs Balthy so far.

The Blazer pricing strategy, to me, is pure and simple "bait and switch", one of the oldest con games in industry.

GM needs to get out of this rut of lofty MSRP v. competition. It seems they're pricing everything to ensure a 20% off sale every damn month. Whacked.

Value of the product offering is exactly what this topic is about.

Profit margins are there

I'll be the oddball here and say that for a 2-seater toy I would get a Sky Red-Line. 260 HP would be plenty for me and I don't autocross.

Ahhh...I work for a university so tuition is covered. Partially how my daughter will be buying a WRX in the next year or two.

I am in the same boat, really want Mustang GT but also interested in Miata, BRZ is not doing it to me for some reason. I checked, Mustang commands enormous insurance rates (even higher than a Corvette). Miata would be fun for autocross and more economical to upkeep and run, but it is like buying a bike, will be very limited use due to the size and also lack of power is bothering me a bit. Mustang GT would be a awesome and much more useful due to a back seat for kids, more comfortable interior but much more expensive to run. Wife will be questioning all the choices but she just got a bigger house and renovated kitchen, I think I deserve to get something as well.

Want an AWD Blazer RS? It'll cost more than an Edge ST. ?

So it's priced comparably to the Explorer, Grand Cherokee, Durango, Highlander, etc. Not sure if it offers anything better than those, esp. with a new Explorer and GC (NG is supposed to have a 3 row version available) coming.. is the Blazer going to be 2 and 3 row, or are they leaving the 3 row for the Traverse?

I'm pretty sure CAFE has to do with footprint and that's why vehicles have gotten larger and not smaller. @Drew Dowdell(It won't allow me to tag anybody else for some reason) but doesn't CAFE have to do with the footprint of the vehicle as well as the fuel economy? Isn't that why we need a CAFE score of like 50mpg and not literally 50mpg.

The CT6 is larger, but the CT6 has a 'big hood'.....CT6 has a large back seat but not entirely as much as one would believe with the wheelbase and size of the car. A car like the S class has always bragged about leg room in the back seat being a big deal. So maybe not in midsize class, but for sure in the lux class, it is fair to say that if someone is looking at a luxury car, leg room is a big consideration. CAFE and government pressure to keep making vehicles smaller is why mainstreams cars are getting whacked in size. If you want size, then you must pay (suburban, big crossovers, etc.)

The difference will be in the size of the sausage.

The Camry has a few issues. One is that it doesn't feel as solid as the other three. Close the door on the Camry and it has a very tinny-sound. The other three don't that. Next is the value argument. That XSE I drove awhile carried a pricetag of $35,333 for the four-cylinder. If I want the V6, I need to add another $2,000. That price doesn't include everything you might want such as navigation, heated rear seats, etc. It gets worse as you climb down the lineup as some models don't get certain features. For example, if you want two USB ports, you need to get into the XLE or XSE - otherwise, you're only getting one.

Last month, Chevrolet announced the 2019 Blazer would begin at $29,995, undercutting the likes of Ford Edge and Nissan Murano. But Cars Direct has gone through the order guide and did some analysis. What they found out is that Blazer isn't as a good deal as Chevrolet is promoting to be. Let's start with the base the Blazer L which begins at $29,995. CarsDirect believes this model "is likely intended mainly for advertising purposes." This is something we saw before when Buick launched the Regal TourX. The L model is also excluded from factory discounts. Most buyers will likely be pushed towards the 1LT which begins at $33,495 - $1,700 more expensive than the Murano S and $2,505 more expensive than the Edge SE. Both the Murano and Edge pack more powerful engines (Blazer uses a 2.5L four-cylinder with 193 hp and 188 lb-ft of torque) and have the option of AWD. The Blazer can only get AWD on 2LT models and above. The 2LT begins at $34,495 and adds the 3.6L V6 engine - 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. If you want AWD, be prepared to shell out an additional $2,700. Again, AWD is cheaper on the Murano ($1,600) and Edge ($1,950). Another disappointment for the Blazer is how much you need to shell out for advanced driver assistance features. If you want adaptive cruise control and front collision warning, then first you need pay $41,795 for the RS and then add $3,575 for Enhanced Convenience and Driver Confidence II Package. If you want automatic emergency braking, then you'll need to step up to the top-line Premier at $43,895 and add the Driver Confidence Package II for an additional $2,165. AEB is standard on the Murano and Edge. Based on this analysis, it does make the Blazer a bit of a tough sell. We'll have to see how things play out in the coming months. Source: CarsDirect View full article

someday maybe this be my toy

The value equation on the Stinger will be good once the car hits discount phase. And I do like it as a choice in the market that wants to find buyers interested in DRIVING. Fewer and fewer of those choices these days. I think if merely the rear door opening for the window didn't have such a similar kink as the Optima, I would see it more as its own car.

As @Cubical-aka-Moltar stated no one yet, but I fit in the Bolt. The wife wants an EV that she likes. If the iPace or EQC covers her list of requirements, I very well could buy one. EVs have far more space inside than ICE. I might be fine in a mid size CUV EV.

How is a 3-row SUV not a volume vehicle?

I can see myself buying another FCA product..another Jeep, maybe a Challenger, Charger or 300. Probably a CPO. But other marques I'll probably look at in the future would include Mazda and Volvo...

Other issues persist but yes...I am with you.

Which is what makes GTI, WRX, ST, RS, R, and ST more than just letters in a soup bowl. Finding them not beaten to death is a bit of an issue. We looked at that for one of my sons friends. What is out there has pretty much been ridden hard and put away wet.

I totally agree as for the first time in my life, I might actually buy non-american and it is their own fault for shitting packaging of features and cost.

I am 53 and my youngest goes away to college next year. I want to enjoy my status as a free man...well sort of...still married and don't plan on changing that.

Edge ST seems like a desirable package. I would not mind test driving one. ....and yet I really like the looks of the Blazer. Hope GM is able to sell this one in enough quantity to make margins and keep it in production. Actually I find it attractive.

With that pricing, just get a three row and call it a day. Probably much better resale value on a good three row as well. My brother-in-law's Ascent is pretty nice and doesn't offer a chintzy base motor FWD option or require a top trim level to get active safety like it is 2015.

New Santa Fe is priced better too for the most part.. cheapest base motor AWD is under 30K and includes active safety.

It has longer rear doors and rear quarters are than the X5, with a thicker, more upright D-pillar..more formal than the sportier X5. Looks handsome to me.

This blows as I like the looks of the Blazer, but GM seems to think they can play in the luxo price tier and not really offer any value in their Chevy line. Someone seems to have lost track of what bracket Chevy plays in especially in relation to Buick, GMC and Cadillac not to mention the competition.

So true and spot on in regards to rear seat and leg room. Yup you have also nailed it for cafe, as to why all I own is SUV's.

Almost all of that is in moving the front wheels forward on the CT6

Wow, those are very similar. You're going to be disappointed in 100% of autos that aren't full size SUVs.

I like it a lot better than the Benz or Audi equivs. It has almost as much presence as a Navigator.

'Hood bumper'.

And this is what Car and Driver wrote about both (pure numbers don't tell the whole story): Buick: HIGHS: Dapper styling, hatchback versatility, compliant ride, peppy turbo engine. LOWS: Middling interior materials, heavy (manual) liftgate, uninspiring dynamics. Mazda: HIGHS: Superb driving dynamics, class-above interior look and feel, pretty darn pretty. LOWS: Virtually no options, no hybrid or plug-in versions, top turbo engine lacks real verve. VERDICT: A sports sedan impersonating a mid-size family sedan. _______________ Sorry, even according to C&D not even close

Everybody keep your cheat sheets handy!

I have to say the interior of this looks top notch. I saw some photos of the beige and blue interior and that looked quite good. The pricing is quite good too, BMW came to play here, gauntlet thrown, we'll see how Mercedes responds with the 2020 GLS.

I’ve been doing practical w 4dr SUVs for so long, I think my next vehicle will be a car with 2 doors, maybe only 2 seats. Buck the trend. Defy the odds. Go against the flow.

Is the review in question? 2018 Buick Regal Sportback FWD I'm going to burst some bubbles here. I recently just sat in a Regal Sportback over the weekend at a local auto show (more on that in an upcoming Afterthoughts) and I hate to say it, I was disappointed. Many of the plastics used were somewhat middling and didn't feel as nice as the one found in the Mazda, let alone the recent Hyundai Sonata and even the Toyota Camry XSE. For a car that stickered around $38,000, it made me shake my head. The cars just listed - sticker between $2,000 to $6,000 less. Now I'll give the Regal that it has the easier infotainment system to use. I'm quietly hoping that Mazda gets their act together and introduces something modern in the next year. Is the Mazda6 the be all, end all midsize sedan? No. There are some areas that would make me hesitate to recommend the 6 like the stiff ride. It does some things quite well that it has earned a place in the sedans I would recommend which includes the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata. I'm withholding comment on the driving dynamics of the Regal till I can get my hands on one. On paper, it may seem like the better car. But I have a sneaking suspicion that I would still pick the 6.

While out and about this afternoon--a cool, breezy sunny Fall afternoon--saw a variety of Pontiacs. Saw the gorgeous black '69/70 Grand Prix again (have seen it maybe 1/2 dozen times in the last year+), a green w/ green top '72 Bonneville 2dr (seen it several times in the last year+), 3 clean G6s--a silver 4dr, a black 2dr, and a red convertible--rarely ever see them), and the rusty white G8 again. All on and off of the same 2 mile stretch of major street paralleling my subdivision.

You may have to go XT4 or XT5 to come close to those floaty luxoboats from 35-50 years ago. Too bad most large sedans are an endangered species these days, especially those wit h high-torque engines (DOHC need not apply).

The reason they don't sell those here is that they're not up to the US safety standards for side impact. Get a CT6.

So no more "Same Sausage, different lengths" design? I guess we'll see.

Right...and when Hyundai builds a distinctive car, Ocnblu and i will show up in matching Ford Focus electrics to celebrate. Mixing BMW thinking in with Hyundai design...is turning my stomach before lunch... What for gods sake is the design look for involuntarily celibate and overweight female office worker? ....ohh wait...that would be Kia Soul. Maybe they can learn something from Kia...

Yesterday was a weird day, driving on the freeway and no time to snap a pic but saw an AMC Javlin kind like this one off the web. Have to say I kinda like the body design. Maybe just a nice big change form the over abundance of the mustang and camaro everywhere I look. Also as I was exiting I saw an old metro van like this: Wife asked what it was as she had not seen anything like it before. Weird day with old iron that you rarely see anymore.

30,000 mile report Passed the 30,000 mile mark recently. MPG particulars. The first 15,000 miles i averaged 31.4 mpg total. The second 15,000 was 30.9. That's combined. Keep in mind there are heavy doses of winter in there. Recently in the last month or so, the mpg has dropped a fair amount.... like by 2 or so. Back a couple months ago, I achieved a 25 mile best of 52.0 mpg. This is repeatable when conditions are right...that was about a 60mph average with few to no stops and a flat windless gradual downhill, with mild weather and later in the day. I consider the fuel economy of this vehicle to be among the economy car ranks.....amazing considering the size of the vehicle IMO. This fuel economy will be what keeps the midsize sedan class on the market despite crossover popularity. I really could go back to my test drive reviews and other previous observations in this very thread and repeat a lot of my same impressions. So I will try to hit the major themes. And after two years, the newless is worn off and I have had a lot of time to consider what i like and what i don't, and what will happen when my lease is up. -still love the styling, except the front grill is getting tired to me. good thing they are refreshing the front for 2019. This is one of Chevy's best styling jobs in the last decade or more. -good fuel economy performance, as mentioned above -jekyll / hyde powertrain. super smooth and quiet on the highway and at higher speeds. GM 4 cylinders are not supposed to run this smoothly. Times when it is surprisingly sprite and peppy in everyday driving, in that 40+ mph range. Very good interstate car!.......Heavy stop and go, or needing a lot of thrust shows the weakness of the small engine more often than you may want. Slow off the line, lag at times, transmission will wait too long to kick down when you really need it to the most. Can strain and moan alot. Sometimes the lack of low to mid power is dangerous. Weather conditions affect how peppy the engine and turbo are at times. If you don't ask or need a lot of the powertrain, it does well enough. Plenty of upside, plenty of disappointment. I think its borderline and does come down to whether you think the cost of more power and reduced fuel economy, how much it matters to you. More power would always be welcome in a similarly compact and smooth engine with more displacement. 1.5 runs fine on plain 87 garbage gas....in fact, it prefers it. Strange for a turbo... but it really doesn't like higher octane or more expensive premium gas. -room and space, i've come to appreciate the size of the malibu cabin, its about right. A larger car would be fine for when i have passengers more, and for more long trips, but as a family car with one primary driver, I like it. If the other class competitors keep growing in size, however, you would want to keep up with the Jones. -driving position and ergonomics... i think the control layout and other things like that, seating position. I really like. I don't like the claustrophobia from the low roof so much, but i may need to get the big moonroof next time. maybe the gauges could be bigger (if not electronic) and the dash ipod could look less fruity.... and they could improve the touchscreen a bunch. The seating is lower and as i get old keeps getting less convenient to get in and out of, but i like being about this position above the road so i still like it for now. Really love the simple climate controls. I would like to be able to still have part of the screen dedicated to other vehicle functions (like a climate control readout, outside temp etc.) when Apple carplay is in use. -driver's seats, i have to put these in a separate category. I don't like the seats in front. They feel weak and insubstantial. They are narrow for the butt. They seem to flex and move around on their mounts a bit. The power recline doesn't work smooth, it makes bumps along the way. The seat digs into your lower back, and you seem to feel where the lumbar device is even when you have not inflated it. The leather is not awesome and is too grippy sometimes. I may be ok with cloth next time. The seat heaters work good. But you can't get cloth heated seats, which is bullshit. -speaking of carplay, that could warrant a separate post. It's been buggy a lot. For a lot of different things. A lot of stuff works fine and considering it was the first year on the market for that, it's been ok. The system is very sensitive to the quality of the USB cable believe or not. You better be using a genuine Apple cable plugged snugly into the USB port (which is in a highly inconvenient, difficult to reach spot below the dash bulge). I see in the future a better system where your mobile profile is pushed to your car platform in addition to your cell phone, or your phone is accessed wirelessly. Things like streaming apple music for example would work so much better that way. -interior and trim. GM has gotten good at building interiors with good assembly quality. gaps are small and things fit together well. switches and buttons feel good. Some plastics are cheap, but this is a low priced car and so they are not too far off the average for that. The all black interior is a huge downer. Seems to be the only choice most of the time in GM cars these days. And the leather is average at best. The vinyl on the dash inserts could be more interesting and better quality and make me wonder if I wouldn't like the cloth inserts more. GM has to start to get a mix of grays in with the back more in their car insides. Yes other interior colors are available but when you check inventories those are so rare its like they don't exist. And they only offer those on higher trims. Why does Chevy have a hard time offering a mostly tan interior on any of their cars? GM seriously needs to figure out how to get away from death interiors. -trunkspace, is good and very efficient. I like the fuzzy material finish, it's minimal but is not that cheap fuzzy stuff. -ride and drive, i think for a midsize family type car, the ride and drive is very good. The car itself feels light and nimble; very balanced. But yet it is solid and planted on the road. I think that is the best quality about this car. It has a chassis that is tuned pretty good but they have so much potential to do more with this! The steering feels good....you feel the road some, and the steering has good feel and is direct. I could enjoy it even more if it were a bit quicker steer and a small percent less effort but that is real nit picky. It is good. The ride on plain pavement is good and a nice compromise on firm and comfortable. The car corners very well I believe for a car meant to sell cheap and many. When the bumps get more harsh it doesn't tackle those nearly as well however, and the suspension has more trouble. I think that's not too big a deal, just try to avoid the bad pavement, right? Road noise is either really quiet, or on certain pavement types can be very loud. Overall i think its fine for quietness, certainly quieter than the tinny Mazda6. It is very quiet at interstate speeds on the right pavement, so that is good for me. It is more lively a car than its platform mate the Regal. For a light large car that is not meant to be a sport sedan, its pretty good. Which makes me think this platform would really be nice to see GM have a suspension and handling package as a reasonably priced option. I'd like to see a small turbo six in this thing, or a better newer 2.0, paddle shifters, performance suspension on the cheap. The 2019 RS package could be that, rather than just an appearance package (I hope the spoiler can be deleted, this car doesn't deserve a tack on like that). I'm interested to test the 2019 when it comes out to see how the CVT is. I don't know why they don't mate the 9 speed and higher horespower version of the 1.5 from the Terrain / Equinox and put it in the Malibu. I doubt the CVT will give big mpg improvements. It may...or may not make for needed improvement in bottom end response. Overall, its been a great car, apart from the crappy seats, tough engine performance (at times), will consider it again when the time is due..... but will also look at others. Will be ok with a 1.5 again if i decide i still like the mpg. Or may look hard at a 2.0 (why can't i get a simple LT 2.0 with cloth), or a Regal. Unless i go dark side and look at a crossover again. (Blazer) *** edit Love the brakes, like the reviews say, they are awesome brakes. Decisive pedal feel. great stopping power. Only sometimes the brake pedal is too firm. Hard to knock that considering how terrible of brake feel GM cars had in the past. The parking brake needs to be electronic. The old, kick lever below the dash is just not as easy to use as a little finger pull on the console. Would really love a switch to turn off the auto stop when i want to.