CD Article: Subcompacts under $15,000

[CD_Editor]

You may discuss our cover story of the day in this thread....
Feature:

Looking for a budget hatch or sedan?  Jeremy Cato reviews the highs and lows of four 2006 sub- compacts: Toyota Yaris, Kia Rio/Rio5, Hyundai Accent, and GM's Daewoo twins, the Chevy Aveo/Aveo5 and Pontiac Wave/ Wave5.   More...

[Shnak]

This is a well-executed city grocery-getter offered at a very attractive price. Kia's quality history remains a work in progress, though. The big-time warranty suggests the company feels quality issues are no longer a factor. However, Kia resale values trail industry leaders such as Toyota.

Uh? They've had that warranty ever since they came to North America, and if they're still offering it, it's because customers want extra assurance that their Kia will last them many years, not because Kia feels confident that their cars are well built.  I hate reviews that write PR crap like that.

[AVToller]

 

Much as I hate to, I've got to agree with you Shnak.  Companies don't offer a long warranty out of confidence, but rather to allay quality fears among potential consumers. Toyota & Honda don't NEED to offer a long warranty.

[safristi]

Yaris is touting it's "Vibrant Clarity" program......AvT ..how many mushrooms did IT come wif....? .....

 and the Yaris"buzzes like an alarm clock when pushed"...Snooze button included?.....

[AVToller]

No mushrooms included, but I did pick a lot of them (chanterelles) after getting my Yaris. Yummy! 

[safristi]

Oh so you bought the "STRIPPER" edition........... Ya get POLE position fer that...... ...

[sirAQUAMAN64]

The Yaris and Accent hatch would be the only ones I'd be looking at in the segment.

The Aveo5 is surprisingly roomy up front - I actually fit into it vs an EH or Yaris! I was shocked at how well packaged the front is. But fuel economy (with other figures I've seen), refinement, and sophistication are lacking by comparison. Prices are great though.

Rio looks far better than Accent IMO (very European with those black mouldings and unadorned nature), but I'd want ABS and SABs. The Hyundai engine now rates up with Yaris for fuel efficiency finally. The Accent 3dr will probably be my compromise, and I like the Hyundai nameplate, dealer network, and quality more. It'll have all the features I'd want in a roomy package, healthily less than Yaris. I've been very satisfied with my previous Hyundai experiences and quality.

The Yaris is the funky quasi-premium entry - great quality, reliability, resale, engine, fuel economy, and progressive design. Unfortunately, it's uncomfortable for my body type. I also feel my RS would be at least $1,800 more than an Accent hatch, along with having a shorter warranty and higher interest financing. Quality I don't feel would justify the expense vs the Accent, but depending how long I felt I'd keep the car, resale would. But no matter how I look at it, I can't drive the Yaris. Good choice for those who can tho.

The Fit and Versa will really heat things up though. I can't get used to the fit's mini-minivan look but it has a unique interior and what's bound to be the most fuel efficient driveline, whereas Versa will up the ante on power and provide it all in a funky exterior and mature HQ interior, sized just right larger than the others. It should be the most substantial car in look and feel, although perhaps not as youthful and flingable.

[The Mighty Duck]

I'm really excited to see the Fit...  I imagine we'll see a lot with big exhuasts and CAIs, but it seems to be a pretty solid contender in this class as well.  Versa... 

[Arthur Dent]

Hard choice that one - Yaris is the quality stand out but with a price premium and fugly styling (not that any are really lookers). The Rio looks decent, got the stigma of being a Kia (lousy resale), etc. The Hyundai is much like the Rio with likely better resale but bogged down with too many airbags. The Aveo is pure junk though.

[johngenx]

 A base Yaris with AT/AC would be a great commuter car that would hold it's value and be super-cheap to own.  It would be trouble free for nearly forever and would easily be the most economical new car to ever own in terms of all costs including depreciation.

[The Mighty Duck]

 

If you want a car you can drive into the ground, the Yaris is probably the best bet for your money.  And given a higher resale, probably also the best one even if you're not going to drive it into the ground. 

...but bogged down with too many airbags.

Yeah...  cars were much safer when you had no protection at all.  Honest.

[Arthur Dent]

...but bogged down with too many airbags.

Yeah...  cars were much safer when you had no protection at all.  Honest.

my beef with it is on the cost per amount of safety gained airbags are relatively poor. Plus it adds weight. Worse of all any accident is going to total that car no matter how slight the damage because the cost of replacing all those air bags is probably $10K. On a new-ish BMW or something that might ok but on even a new Accent its going to the scrappy. Then everyone's premiums go up with a people driving around in baloon filled compacts.

[hoperrs]

 

[safristi]

.

[The Mighty Duck]

So you'd rather be killed than see your premiums go up.

To each his own...

[paulk]

It would be pennywise, pound foolish anyway.  $3,000-$10,000 in airbags is still a lot cheaper than the liability and hospital costs for treating an injured person.  That's why insurance companies give you a discount for having more airbags in your vehicle.  See the Insurance Bureau of Canada website.

[hoperrs]

So you'd rather be killed than see your premiums go up.

To each his own...

Obviously not, but good seatbelts are enough over the main airbags.

[sterling]

Worse of all any accident is going to total that car no matter how slight the damage because the cost of replacing all those air bags is probably $10K.

I'm not sure if that is sound logic. That argument presupposes that air bags will go off when there is minimal damage to the car. However, accidents that cause airbags to deploy do not result in slight damage. I would submit that an accident where airbags deploy would probably result in the car being totalled anyway. And in those kind of accidents, no airbags means a greater chance of the driver being totalled too. Plus in any given accident, it is unlikely that all the airbags will deploy.

[johngenx]

I'm not sure if that is sound logic. That argument presupposes that air bags will go off when there is minimal damage to the car. However, accidents that cause airbags to deploy do not result in slight damage. I would submit that an accident where airbags deploy would probably result in the car being totalled anyway. And in those kind of accidents, no airbags means a greater chance of the driver being totalled too. Plus in any given accident, it is unlikely that all the airbags will deploy.

This is where things are dependant on the manufacturer.  I've seen low end cars like Neons have a bag deployment with a very low speed and minor impact because their sensing system has a low threshold and no ability to raise the threshold depending on conditions like belt usage.  It's also to deflect law suits as the first thing that happens when people are in ANY type of collision and the bags don't deploy is call their lawyer.  We even have a thread here about some guy about to sue even though he wasn't injured.

Check out my Dad's C230 after it rolled down a hill-side repeatedly.  NONE of the aigbags deployed.  The seatbelt ETR's fired like mad and kept him locked into the seat.  Injury?  The hill was steep and he slipped getting back to the highway and bumped his elbow.  Everyone that saw the car thought he should sue MB because the bags didn't fire, even though they didn't need to.  Other systems were used first and the bags would only have fired if the ability of those systems was exceeded.

The car flipped over and over from roof to wheels, meaning there was little impact on the front/rear bumpers.  Why bother with deploying front bags?  The real protection in this case was the HSLA-steel integral roll cage and seat-belt ETR's.

The passenger compartment, except for the compromised headroom, is perfectly intact. All four doors even work.

[sterling]

It's also to deflect law suits as the first thing that happens when people are in ANY type of collision and the bags don't deploy is call their lawyer.

I guess some people will make that call but I highly doubt that manufacturers base their air bag design on that (apparently Mercedes didn't). Plus, most Neons on the road are only worth $2 anyway. It doesn't take much to total one.

Avoiding the exceptions (there's always exceptions  ), I'll stick with my assertion that accidents where airbags deploy do not result in "slight" damage.