Jalopnik 
Enter your username and password.
Detroit, 12:48 AM
Mon Nov 23
9 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip your editors:
tips@jalopnik.com
Editor-in-Chief:
Ray Wert | Email | AIM
Road Test Editor:
Wes Siler | Email
Weekend Editor:
Murilee Martin | Email
Associate Editor - Houston:
Matt Hardigree
Associate Editor - Detroit:
Ben Wojdyla
Editor-at-Large:
Mike Spinelli
Contributors:
Mark Arnold
John Krewson | Email
Andy Didorosi
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
12/15/08
What's that, you say? That would cost Ford five, ten, or fifteen thousand dollars over the life of each car???
I rest my case for buying a Japanese car.
12/16/08
12/15/08
12/15/08
And I gotta admit... I quite liked it.
12/15/08
12/16/08
12/15/08
12/16/08
12/15/08
Out of total academic curiosity, Wes, do you feel like you have an obligation to write a positive review when Ford has shelled out cash for you to come and review it? Like they'll cut you from the press fleet if you don't say nice things? I don't mean it as a criticism, but I'm curious how to interpret this, whether I'm reading too much between the lines, or whether I should take your tepid enthusiasm at face value.
The reason I ask, and I admit my bias, is I can't help noticing the difference between this, and several of your GM reviews, particularly the G8 GXP. Your opinion on that was very clear, but I find it harder to interpret here. Or, are you writing this article as an informative car review which focuses on the positive merits of the car, rather than on your own opinion?
I suppose what I'm asking is what did you really think. I acknowledge how hard it is to write a rave review of vanilla ice cream, but what was your impression? Was it, "Damn, this is pretty friggin' good", or "Meh. More vanilla. need nap now."?
Oh, and happy birthday. :) (No secret is safe on Teh Intarwebs!)
12/15/08
Wes had a very strong point of view on the Pontiac and BMWs that he's reviewed, because he really cares about performance cars and performance driving.
When stuck with something like this, he can try to evaluate it in the areas he cars (performance?) or just kinda guess at what someone would care about.
What Jalopnik (and Ford) really need to do is get the low-level accountant lady from my work to drive it. I bet she doesn't even know how many cylinders her Camry has.
12/15/08
12/15/08
Agreed. This sounded a bit "Well hello again, and welcome to..." Maybe Jalopnik is desperately trying to singlehandedly revive pride in American engineering, but the car is based on the previous gen Mazda6. They've only proven that they can take a good thing and not completely mess it up. For some of the other automakers, this is a victory, but American automakers need more. It's time they start treating the American buyers like smart people with some taste, and then maybe we'll actually develop some brains and taste.
12/15/08
12/15/08
We know these are fairly good cars. We loved them as the Mazda6, and they were considered very reliable then. Now, what, we just hate them because they're Fords?
12/16/08
Have I come across as more excited about cars like the G8 GXP? Yes, but that's because they're more exciting.
12/15/08
I guess Ford transmissions haven't gotten any smarter, though. The CD4E is fucking clueless, so the TF-80 and FNR5 can't be any worse... but still.
12/15/08
Um, but Detroit is to use Japanese engineering and Mexican manufacturing to prove it.
12/15/08
12/15/08
12/15/08
12/15/08
12/15/08
Everything that makes them bad to us makes them good to their buyers. These are people who want a "nice" car and buy the second-cheapest tires presented to them.
Wes loves the 4cylinder stick-shift? They will sell approximately 12 of them.
4 of those will be the result of someone checking the wrong box on an order form.
12/15/08
Nice to see genuine progress being made....
12/15/08
You've probably already noticed that this design is the first step in merging the US and European designs, too.
12/15/08
12/15/08
12/15/08
12/15/08
As for me, I'd rather buy a Mondeo.
Always wanting that which I cannot have,
Scroggzilla
12/15/08
12/15/08
Why this attitude? Because he once owned a 1989 Taurus that spent too much time in the shop. So now, every car that doesn't come from the land of the rising sun is crap to him.
I'd like to think I'm a little more open-minded than that. I'll take a look at the new Fusion, sure. And if I get banished from the family, so be it.
12/15/08
12/16/08
12/15/08
Cognitive_Friction detects some cognitive dissonance on the part of Mr Siler...
Whether us Jalops like it or not, cars with stellar reputations for build quality and reliability will always hold appeal to the average car buyer even if they look like blah and accelerate like a mule.
12/15/08
And contrary to what most around here feel, the majority of the driving public does not appreciate spirited driving. If all your driving experience consists of nothing more than the back and forth daily slog to the cube farm, then driving excitement may not be something you are acquainted with. My in-laws come to mind as does my other half. The appliance metaphor has legs in other words.
12/15/08
12/15/08
12/15/08
I'm a Camry fan, what's not to like? The thing is bullet proof, it moves well, and people seem to respect you for making a good choice in car buying.
That's straight As across the board if you ask me.
Show me any, any American that is the Camry's equal. I haven't seen it yet.
12/15/08
I bought a 1995 Avalon for my wife two years ago. The "appeal" for me was that the boring, slow, ugly Toyota wouldn't leave her stranded somewhere along I-43 north of Milwaukee on a day like today (wind chill -20 degrees this AM).
12/15/08
12/16/08
The current Malibu, the current Fusion/Milan/MKZ, and now the new Fusion/Milan/MKZ. All of them are better alternatives for anyone with even the remotest semblance to automotive enthusiasm.
Hell, even the previous-gen Malibu (particularly in SS trim) was more entertaining, and the final run of Pontiac Grand Prix GXPs were a downright blast. Three years, on there have been no problems with them.
12/16/08
12/16/08
12/15/08
12/15/08
for your small-steering wheel pleasure
12/15/08