Weekly Top 3: Reputations vs. Reality
Conventional wisdom can be a drag when it comes to car shopping. Many shoppers will settle on a particular brand because it has a reputation for this or that virtue, only to discover that the reality is rather different. Or maybe they'll go on believing in that mythical reputation, simply because no one's told them otherwise. That's where this week's Top 3 comes in. We're going to break it down for you -- three examples of brands that either deserve more credit or aren't living up to their reputations.
1. Hyundai's Excellent Interior Quality. In the final installment of our recent crossover comparison drive, editor Riswick noted that "the [Mazda] CX-9 is the seven-plus-passenger crossover all but one of us would take home." I was that rogue editor who just said "No" to the rough-riding, needlessly sharp-handling Mazda -- but it wasn't merely the Hyundai's preferable ride/handling balance that won me over. Hands-down, the Veracruz had the nicest interior materials in that test, from its tasteful faux-metallic trim to its luxuriously trimmed dashboard, which is comprehensively covered with rich-feeling soft stuff. Forget the Lexus RX interior (Hyundai's benchmark) -- the Veracruz's materials bring to mind BMW's X5.
Yes, that was the Veracruz interior in my teaser post. Looks pretty nice, eh? And it's not alone; the Sonata has a high-quality interior, for example, and the new Genesis' cabin is outstanding. There are still some people out there who are keeping alive the myth that Hyundais look and feel relatively cheap inside. Consider that myth busted -- Hyundai has become a class leader in this department, while the Japanese brands are generally heading in the other direction.
2. Honda's Bad Brakes. We've often heard Honda referred to as "the Japanese BMW." Heck, we've probably said that ourselves once or twice. But what
is going on
with Honda's weaksauce brakes? I combed through the Edmunds archives on this one -- here are some highlights.
The current Odyssey came in fourth out of five minivans in 60-0 mph braking distance (though a 2008 Odyssey performed much better), with our team commenting that "if there's anything average about the Odyssey, it's the brakes. Stopping from 60 mph required 136 feet, beating out only the Chrysler."
The current Civic has likewise failed to impress -- we said of a 2006 model that "pedal feel is acceptable, but braking performance could be better," while a 2008 model evinced "significant ABS noise and shudder -- especially up front. Some lane wander too."
The Ridgeline? "Under hard braking," we observed, "the pedal feels a little too stiff and offers very little feedback. The vehicle stopped straight, but we also noted some fade over the course of four stops."
How about the current Accord EX-L V6 Coupe? "The Accord's brakes began showing signs of overheating by the third 60-0 stop, and even more so when slowing after the third quarter-mile run, where ABS failed to pulsate and the pedal went soft."
Although the current Accord sedan has generally performed well in our braking tests, the previous-generation Accord EX V6 sedan didn't win any fans, with "a noticeable amount of tire scratch coming into the cabin, as if the car was braking on a gravel road. By the third stop from 60 mph, the brakes were fading and beginning to smoke."
Let's check in with the new Acura TSX, which is our version of the Euro-market Honda Accord. Ooof! Things aren't looking any better. "While the distances from 60 mph were erratic, ranging from 134, 133, 138, 135, 134, we witnessed dramatic fading only after three successive quarter-mile runs. Still, a best stop on par with a moderately sized crossover is a poor performance for a sport-luxury sedan."
Last and least, we have the new Honda Pilot, which turned in an eye-popping 149-foot 60-0 mph stopping distance, 15-20 feet longer than what we'd expect of a good crossover SUV. Our comments: "Some of the Pilot's poorly sorted brakes are due to the tires that offer little bite, but also they faded after only three stops. Moderate ABS noise and some dive. Pedal got squishy and pads began to stink."
To be fair, the CR-V's brakes have garnered positive comments. Otherwise, though, the only Honda brakes that have consistently received rave reviews are those in the hardcore S2000 roadster. Japanese BMW? We don't think so. BMW would be positively ashamed of this spotty braking record.
3. BMW's Bargain 3 Series Pricing.
Yeah, that's right. We just used "BMW" and "Bargain" in the same sentence. The 328i, for example, starts at $32,700, and it's no stripper -- you get a fantastic 10-speaker stereo, a sunroof, leather upholstery, segment-topping driving dynamics and one of the sweetest six-cylinder engines in the business, which will incidentally return over 30 mpg on the highway if you drive judiciously. What of the reputed price-leader in this class, the Infiniti G35? Starts at $32,250, sunroofless and sporting a mediocre six-speaker stereo. Yes, the G's got a broad-shouldered V6, but the 328 boasts superior refinement, sharper handling and a more compliant ride, all for roughly the same price.
The 335i coupe is an even better deal relative to its rivals. A base price of $41,200? Are you kidding us? Audi's competitively priced A5 coupe can't come within sniffing distance of the 335i's performance, while Mercedes' CLK-class coupe starts at over $46k, and that's for the V6. The 335i's only direct competitor is really the Audi S5, which starts at an eye-watering $50,500. What about the Infiniti G37, you say? Nice car, and attractively priced to boot -- but it's more of a GT than a sports car in disguise, and it's got the same refinement issues as the G35. Honestly, BMW could plump up the 335i's bottom line by $5k and we'd still be singing its praises.
Bargain BMWs, bad-braking Hondas and top-notch Hyundai interiors? What's the world coming to? The lesson is, things change rapidly in today's automotive landscape. If you think you know what various automakers are all about, make sure you verify those assumptions before acting on them when you're shopping for a car.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com
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- Josh Sadlier July 25, 2008, 12:59 PM
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I like feeling like I've been up on all these for awhile now.
I've been thoroughly impressed with Hyundai's interior work since the current-gen Tiburon was introduced in 2001. Honda's bad brakes is one of my biggest complaints about the brand (you neglected mentioning the Civic Si's woefully track-inadequate brakes, which faded "within a lap"). And while the 3-series was a pricy alternative back in the heart of the E46 generation, the E90 is a pretty good deal for what you get compared to its increasingly expensive competitors. (doesn't change the fact that I really don't like the E90 much at all).
JOsh, you chose the Hyundai over the Mazda? :( Okay, I'm a Mazda fan, so I may not be completely objective...
But I'm objective enough to know that Mazdas have good brakes and good build quality. Before I bought my Protege5 I did all the "research": read consumer and editer reviews on Edmunds.com and MSN Autos.
I bring this up because one of my best friends is adamant that Mazdas have terrible brakes and have body panels made with thin sheets of metal! Despite me, a first-hand Mazda owner telling him of my experience and research that that is untrue, he refuses to believe me! He opted for a (now prev-gen) 2007 Accord EX-L 4-cyl instead, because it's presumably a better car! It's ironic that Accord has a (actually proven) reputation for medicre brakes. It's interesting when people refuse to take notes of the facts and believe reputations instead.....
Josh, I think there's a mistake with the 328i. The base 335i has the premium stereo but not the base 328i....
That's a great photo of Chris circulating the skidpad!
blackadder,
Interesting story -- I certainly agree with your conclusion about facts and reputations. But to complicate things further for you, a Mazdaspeed3 I drove recently had almost as many rattles as my own '95 Integra. :D
Regarding the 328i, the base stereo has 10 speakers and 2 subwoofers, and it sounds fantastic -- one of my favorite stereos in any reasonably attainable car. If they slapped a "harman/kardon" label on it or whatever, no one would ever doubt that it was an uplevel stereo.
-Sadlier
Good article, and the plusses - or not - of these vehicles. Regardless of what you buy, have a voice in sharing your experience. i was just at
www.women-drivers.com and after i test drove and after i bought (two different expereinces and dealerships), i got a chance to rate my salesperson, the dealership, and alot of other aspects of both exchanges. Passing it on.
Hyaundai is a great value today.
Isn't it leatherette in the base 3-series? A coworker has one and it's very nice stuff, I probably would be fine with it. But I don't think it's real. Or did they do away with leatherette?
Yup, it's fake leather. But it is really nice. I hadn't really considered the 3-series a bargain, but I'm looking at their website and there are a lot of standard features that I expected to be optional, aside from what's already been mentioned:
-heated mirrors and windshield washer nozzles
-sunroof
-rain sensing wipers
-real wood trim (some of us still like it)
It says bluetooth controls are standard, but does that mean it actually has bluetooth, or are those just the buttons and the actual functionality is optional? Anyway, I guess I could live without any of the options, although premium package and sports package would be tempting, as well as split-folding rear seat, xenon headlights... before long I'm in the $40's... But I really could do without all that if I absolutely had to have a BMW.
Okay, last comment. There is one option that I absolutely must have. That is montego blue metallic paint. I'd refuse to drive a plain non-metallic black or white BMW. Maybe the freebie red would be okay. But I love that shade of blue. So I wouldn't be able to make it without ANY options after all.
I think the base 328i would be perfect if it had dual-zone AC as standard. I think it's not, and if I remember right, it has to be included in an expensive package.
In fact, I'd trade dual-zone AC for the 10-speaker stereo. It's easy to get a great amplifier and speakers aftermarket, but an AC is almost impossible to upgrade.
Dual zone auto climate control is in fact standard. It even has rear seat vents.
Bingo! Wow!
So you get leatherette, 10-speaker stereo, dual-AC, heated mirrors all as standard.....all for about $33k, including free maintenance and superb customer service? Why then do people bother to load up BMWs?....the only thing lacking here is Bluetooth!
I've been thinking my next car would be a Mazda 6, but if BMW keep this comprehensive standard equipment list I might well change my mind!
Thanks, ahightower!
Ah, you guys are right, leatherette is standard. Funny, I could have sworn the Monroney said leather was standard on a short-term 328i sedan we had recently (the one in the picture). But BMW's website says otherwise.
I agree with you all though -- leatherette's no dealbreaker. And anyway, our interior specialist (a.k.a. Snake Doc) mistook the leather on our short-termer for leatherette, so the real stuff's not that much nicer.
The one option I'd insist on for my 328i would be the Sport Package. Our short-termer had it, and there simply weren't any compromises -- supple ride and sportscar-like handling. That tacks on $1700...throw in destination and you're out the door at about $35k even.
If I were buying a car today, that model would definitely be on my shortlist. They even fixed the pinched Daewoo-style taillights for '09, much like they fixed the e46 3 Series taillights midway through the cycle.
-Sadlier