regfootball

Nicely functional and simple interior....

Good friend turned in his 2014 Malibu company car and got a 2020.  He's impressed!  Simple white LT with black cloth.  Checked it out the other day and remembered many reasons why i like this current version of the Malibu so much, especially considering I had a 2016 myself.

Already he's raving about the fuel economy, size, interior design, comfort.

Too bad Chevy can't promote this more.  I think an AWD Malibu and a more accessible price on a 2.0 turbo would help.  

One of Chevy's best shapes in the last 20-30 years....

2 hours ago, riviera74 said:

The Envisions down here are actually discounted by $5000 or more.  And these are the 2020 models sitting on my local dealer's lot.

https://www.dixiebg.com/VehicleSearchResults?model=Envision&year=2020

NICE DISCOUNTS ON THOSE......gets the prices almost within line.  about 40 for a premium 2 is not bad, still feels a bit steep but i guess other stuff is 50 and 60k....

11 hours ago, ocnblu said:

I'm going out on a limb and saying it is longer, lower and wider than the current Envision, and that its styling fools you in the photos, similar to the difference between the original Encore v. the new Encore GX.  Lack of a quarter window, for example, I think fools the eye into thinking it's smaller.  It looks long through the doors, similar to Cadillac's theme with the XT4, imo.

when we see the specs on this vehicle we will know if its an XT4 clone or not.

the XT4 is a lot smaller inside than the envision.  Now, if the new Envision is on the XT4 platform, but has been legnthened and widened, such that it comes out with the same interior space as the current Envision, that is my hope.

I really like the current Envision (no contest vs Equinox and Terrain) apart from where it is built but that is with a deal breaker / caveat.....the dashboard and all its plood is hideous.  Also, the pricing on the Envision can be quite comical.  The pricing and trim packages as GM usually does them is what ultimately dooms the product on the sales chart.  Priced way too high, the cars sit on lots for a year until GM throws rebates at them.  There are still many XT4's from 2019 needing a home, with ridiculous MSRP's that now they have to look at DEEP discounting before anyone will pop.

GM's failure in Europe AND USA is why they had to rely on China.

I'm not terribly bent out of shape about GM's failure in Europe anymore.  If Fiat and PSA are still building cars, that says something...low standards....apart from the homerism to BMW, Merc, VWAG.

GM's pending failure here in the US is partially a product of not producing in the US as much as many other issues.....downsizing interiors and engines, styling miscues, product class miscues, marking huge miscues, caring more about autonomous vehicles and CAFE.....and electric.....

GM can probably offset some losses in China if they lose share there, by growing in other parts of the world not called Europe, and I think they are chipping away at those new opportunities. But then they give up AU...with Holden.....

Really at the end of the day, Buick could be a huge contributor to increasing their US sales based on crossovers, and by building them here.  GM's overall size and class strategy still confuses...is this smaller than the current Envision?  Is it more like the XT4?  The Enspire I HOPE is still coming, and that it is Blazer sized.  A mid-large 2 row ala Edge / Blazer with premium status WOULD help Buick a lot, esp if built in the US.  BUT it also has to look good and GM can't be trusted to put out well styled vehicles but maybe half the time these days.....

56 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Makes the current model disappear, never to be seen again.  Sexy!  Hate its country of origin though.

it's unoffensive / attractive but yet you could almost throw any badge on it.  No real 'Buick' cues whatsoever.

But at least you get FOUR cylinders!!!!

On 6/8/2020 at 6:07 AM, frogger said:

Looks much better but still made in China, kind of a deal breaker no?  When it is so easy to purchase a vehicle  made elsewhere.

 

 

GM makes so few of their vehicles in US anymore.  Encore = Korea, this in China...my TourX was Germany.  I get the 'world market' part of this, but maybe GM will learn that sending most of its production (by model count) outside our borders is a shitty deal.

is this sort of "Buick Mazda CX-5" looking?

I hope it is not SMALLER than the current Envision.......

https://www.buick.com/future-vehicles/2021-envision

5 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

In contrast to this part of your post, I was at the Montreal auto show in January...mind you I didnt spend all that much time at the show, nor at Cadillac's display...but at the little time I did spend getting in and out of the CT4-V and CT5-V,  there were virtually NOBODY, young or old, looking at these brand new offerings. Everybody, I mean everybody was at the Escalade. That would be this generation Escalade. Not the next gen that debuts in 2021. There was no mention of the new gen. Yeah...that's right, Montrealers young and old were salivating over the old, soon to be replaced 'Slade. 

A few boomers were checking out the XT6. 

I dont remember seeing the XT4. Not that I was looking out for it either.  Im sure it was there, but I didnt really care.

I was sad that literally nobody was checking out the new sedans.  V versions too...  But then again, it was only a small snippet of time as I spent no more than 5-7 minutes at Cadillac.  But I kid you not, folk were pushing each other to get into the 5 year old 'Slade.  

I was smitten with both V cars. More with the CT5.  I kinda wanted the Blackwing version CT5 to have the actual Blackwing V8 under the hood, because its a real deal Cadillac engine in a Cadillac car, but the next gen LT4 that will power the CT5 Blackwing may be a better engine choice overall.  Corvette powered anything turn out to be awesome machines. That would also include LS/LT engine swapped foreign badged cars as well!  

I do see your complaint about the  low firewall, cramped with a big driveshaft tunnel syndrome. At 5 foot 6and a half inches tall that I am, I too am not comfortable with it, although not as much as you as I am...well...short. 

Yeah I am 6'1 and a waist and belly that is too large and even if i were thin again the ingress and egress and driving position in the car is something you'd want in a sports car, not a luxury brand sedan.  Its not befitting daily luxury transport.   People rip front drive platforms but remember back to the larger cab forward front drivers....... more comfort and room.  That said, the Ct6 is woefully comfy, but yeah, Cadillac decides to kill that car.  

9 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

@Robert Hall  I think that any car that's worth its salt would offer a minimum of three interior colors - black, tan, and gray - and the contrasting pieces would not be black, but a darker shade of tan or gray if that's what the main seating color.  Any other colors are "gravy" and usually dictated by price point.  I think it's sad that the Malibu, for example, which now has to cover a lot of bases only offers black in LS, LT, and RS trims.  Ditto on your opinion about wood accents inside.

@regfootball  It's a mix of good and not so good.  I like the big arcs on the interior dash but not the infotainment screen.  It cancels out the sweeping arcs behind it on the cowl.  The console does not look as high as that of the outgoing LaCrosse.  Maybe the power seat can take a person closer up to the console height.

First and foremost, I do not like how the rear passenger window mouldings taper off into the C-pillar.  And, so close to that is a funky rear light assembly, further cluttered by a built in spoiler.  They look more Hyundai-grade.  It would be a "no go" for me.  The car looks better up front.  Why can't automakers design car envelopes that look balanced?

You mean it snows where you live?  J/K.

this Cadillac platform has always been ergonomically challenged.  Low firewall, cramped with a big driveshaft tunnel.....badly shaped floor.  Hip point way too low.  You really have to twist, contort, and wrench yourself into the seat and God forbid if you are a chunky midwesterner over the crest of 50 and not some lithe millenial with lots of flexibility from yoga.

The platform is shared also with Camaro so they did not design the cars on this platform for older large person comfort which IMHO is partly why Cadillac sales flounder.  

In contrast, when i went to the auto show back in early March before it got shut down they had the CT4 and CT5 there and there was a lot of interested folks checking them out....particularly youngsters.  Maybe Cadillac IS on to something here.  Those youngsters actually like the cramped interior and low rider seat.

On 2/23/2020 at 7:05 PM, riviera74 said:

SO how did the radio sound on this one as opposed to the 2017 CT6-V with the Blackwing?

but it sounded better than that CT6 tt.  I am guessing there was something wrong or badly set up on the Ct6 panaray i tested.  that used CT6 is still for sale, interestingly enough......

On 4/5/2020 at 8:56 AM, Robert Hall said:

That looks like the trim and spec of one I sat in at the auto show (seems like so long ago now).  I didn't care for the dreary charcoal interior and vile CF trim.   A light tan interior w/ some wood would be way more appealing to me. 

i didn't mind the black but do agree.  some of the CT5 trim options include a light color.

red leather seats available on the Pacifica now,

But wife doesn't want another minivan........after they add red leather and all wheel drive to the options list,.....😩

even the Lexus will be deeply discounted though, too...

The 2020 Lexus LS would be a far better looking option this this faux lux vehicle....... although i do understand the Lexus is more pricey....

that's sweet!

On 4/7/2020 at 1:26 PM, riviera74 said:

Thanks,  apparently China does matter to Elon Musk.  The question is whether Tesla SALES will actually rise anytime soon.

NOw that i think about it, this song by California gal Marnie Ann must have been an early love song for Elon Musk,

but I digress, Carry on,.....

12 hours ago, balthazar said:

China's car sales in Feb were down 79% vs a year ago.

well, there goes Buick then!

No, this is a stupid idea.  Really ashamed that someone from Ford would suggest this.

How about concentrating on how many more new 2020 Escapes you can sell instead of 70,000 dollar Aviators now?

Likewise, GM, maybe something like the Cruze is a valuable entry in the car lineup now?

Watch GM spin this into needing all sorts more money to dump into autonomous and electric black hole now.  I would be for the development budgets of electric being increased if the charging grid were part of that investment but I haven't seen jack squat of that to date.  And in the meantime, how about instead of cash for clunkers, get more hybrid powertrains into volume lines.  Like an Equinox hybrid.  Give credit for continuing hybrids in some of its product lines.  

yikes, that is 'basic'...its like the little suzukis in india....

I didn't try the CT6-V.....:(

i like blackout trim on cars but TBH i would prefer that they leave some chrome on the Sport......

On 3/31/2020 at 12:23 PM, balthazar said:

I disagree that the Aurora 'wasn't coupe-like'. It shed the traditional 3-box proportions of a sedan for a very fluid, flowing envelope, like many coupes did. [I eliminated the rear door handle / cut line on the Aurora and darkened the pic so we can focus on the profile/proportions]

2 of GM's best styling jobs ever.  I would love to find a collectible one of either in good shape some day.

regarding this new Genesis,

MEH

now it seems even more criminal that Cadillac punted and the real Escala on Omega never saw the light of day.  new G80 is a huge TURD in comparison.

Parking Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert w/Braking - $565.00
Blind Spot Monitor - $500.00

be nice if this were standard on a lexus

On 3/20/2020 at 2:43 PM, Robert Hall said:

When I went to the auto show a month ago or so the Trax was $31k, the Equinox $41k, the Blazer $51k....madness...

at the auto show was a new Encore GX, almost 38 grand.  Loaded sure. But wow, about 10 grand too high IMO.

1 hour ago, dfelt said:

Amazon just put out a notice that in larger cities, deliveries will be delayed till product comes back in stock on select items and you might only get a partial order delivery.

https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/real-time-coronavirus-updates/281-b258146d-219a-40a0-8874-cb0fb4f81ec2

Local news here has updated that Washington State has the most cases in the nation. 

• 40 dead
• 642 confirmed cases
• over 4,000 pending results
• over 8,000 negative results
• All local ski resorts, sporting events, convention events, etc. are closed till further notice,
• Supreme court just approved the county purchase of hotels and sites so that King County alone will run 6 different isolation sites from various purchased hotels. These places will have fences erected around them with security and health care workers to insure everyone stays isolated and no one leaves till healed.
  • Kent lost their lawsuit against the county that was wanting to purchase the hotel as a coronavirus site.

Over all ugly, and the stores are just crazy vacated on stuff. People really are acting crazy!

aren't most of those dead elderly from one nursing home