Where are the wagons?

Motor Trend recently posted an article about the official launch of the Audi RS6 Avant - aka wagon - in Europe ("2014 Audi RS6 Officially Revealed, Still Not Coming Here"). Lower on the page, in the "related articles" section, you can see articles and photos of Audi's smaller, RS4 Avant, also not destined for these shores.

No doubt, the RS6 would not be for everyone. Indeed, its price tag alone (I'd guess we're talking close to six figures for this one) would be enough to send most shoppers to another car. But, I don't think I'm alone in saying the mere fact that I CAN'T buy the car in America, makes me WANT to.

1996 Chevrolet Caprice Classic

I also don't buy the logic that Americans don't want wagons. True, nobody wants a vintage 90's Chevy Caprice Classic wagon with faux wood paneling. But, if you suggested to a person that you could get a car that was the right size, maintained good mileage, looked cool, AND had enough space to haul the family's luggage for a week's vacation, I think you'd get more demand than you think. And, I'm not the only one.

For years, Volkswagen has made sure that its Jetta Sportwagen model has been available to consumers. Subaru's Outback was the first wagon-based crossover vehicle , and has had a place it the lineup ever since. And, if Audi were to bring the RS6 Avant to America, it would not be the first luxury sport wagon with a huge engine. Cadillac currently holds claim to the fastest wagon in America with its $65,000 CTS-V wagon.

Cadillac CTS-V Wagon

There was a time when we declared the hatchback dead. It was ugly and clunky, and relegated to Saabs (even Saab stopped making hatchbacks in the early 2000's).Now look and you'll see these designs everywhere, from the ubiquitous Prius to the gorgeous Audi A7. It turns out that the problem wasn't the hatchback concept, but the examples themselves that people didn't love.

I'm not suggesting that any wagon could suddenly enter the market to success. I am suggesting that a manufacturer COULD find success with a wagon IF it was willing to make an appealing car that happened to have the utility of a wagon. For the record, no car with faux wood paneling counts as "appealing".

UPDATED: Can an auto company call mea culpa?

Last week, Motor Trend gave a Quick Drive review of the 2013 Honda Civic, asking the question whether the car is back on track ("Has the Civic Gotten its Groove Back?"). In spite of great sales for 2012 (254,716 units sold through October), Honda recognized that its new-for-2012 Civic was not up to its lofty standards and rolled out a revised car for 2013 that follows big brother Accord, which was also refreshed for 2013.

2013 Honda Civic

To me, the interesting story is not whether the new car is an improvement - how could it not be? I'm more focused on the fact that a car company placed a higher value on its brand than on its bottom line. 

As an inexpensive, volume car, the average lifespan of a Civic platform is 4-5 years, with a mid-cycle refresh tucked in somewhere. That means that the 2012 Civic should have continued with only minor changes through the 2016 model year. 

Changing a model after only one year means that Honda will spend more money on R&D after never having fully recouped the expenses of developing the original car. Had they chosen to wait 1-2 more years, even average sales would have saved them considerably.

Honda is not the first company to call a mea culpa when it comes to erroneous designs. In 2002, BMW launched a drastically altered 7-Series flagship sedan, dubbed E65, under the leadership of former design chief, Chris Bangle. That car, which was mocked mercilessly for its "Bangle Butt" in the media, still managed to continue with strong sales, ultimately becoming the best-selling 7-Series. But, in 2006, when the 7-Series would normally be receiving a mild refresh, BMW rolled out a car with new front and rear fascia, and a revised iDrive system. Keep in mind that unlike the $20,000 Honda, a top-line BMW takes a little more work and money to update, so a turnaround after three years is very much akin to what Honda has done this year.

Again, that both the Honda and BMW were able to revise for the better is good, but not the point. Both were willing to sacrifice certain profitability to protect the perceived quality of their brands. To me, that is a quality worthy of praise.

In the case of BMW, the E65 platform carried on with praise for its updates, and was replaced in 2008 with the current version of the model. As BMW designs have become more conservative, there have been some comments expressing regret for the loss of Chris Bangle and his boundary-pushing designs - proof that BMW was able to successfully put the negative attitudes in the rear-view mirror. 

Will Honda be so lucky? It's off to a good start.


UPDATE!

This week, Car & Driver Magazine reported online that the Chevrolet Malibu would also be undergoing an unscheduled and relatively dramatic mid-cycle refresh ("Chevrolet Malibu to Get Early Mid-Cycle Makeover"). For the article, General Motors CEO, Dan Akerson confirms that engineers are working on an update to be revealed next year, and acknowledged the "unflattering reviews" of the 2013 car, which undoubtedly contributed to the bold decision. 

Power of the press? Power to the people? Whatever the source, the power is having its way with the auto industry's heaviest hitters.  

Review: 2013 Kia Optima EX

If you read my inaugural blog post, "Welcome", then thank you! In the blog, I declared Kia as one of my winners for 2012, due in large part to the success of the Optima sedan. To back up my statements, I thought it appropriate that I offer up a review of the car. I chose the EX because its price (pricing begins at $23,500)  and powertrain are likely to be more appealing to a broader audience.

The car comes nicely equipped with leather, power driver seat, and keyless start/stop standard on the car. For those inclined for a more luxurious family-hauler, heated & cooled front seats (including heated rear seats), dual-panoramic sunroof, navigation with back-up cameras, and more are available in option packages.

The Engine

The Optima EX comes with a 2.4L inline-4 featuring Hyundai/Kia's proprietary gasoline direct injection (GDI), paired with a 6-speed automatic.The engine produces an average-for-the-segment 200 hp and 186 lb-ft torque. Kia claims a very optimistic 24/35/26 fuel economy. For what it's worth, I haven't been able to get much more than 30 or 31 mpg on the freeway with an average of about 23 mpg in mixed driving.

The engine feels quick, if not overly strong. Acceleration off the line is very good, and if you bury the pedal it will keep pulling for you. Officially, the 0-60 time is 8.9 seconds, but for a car like this, those numbers are really pretty meaningless, as nobody will be drag racing an Accord. For the record, the Optima would probably win against a 2012 Accord with 4-cylinder (0-60 in 9.1 seconds).

The Drive

Around town, the Optima feels like a typical family sedan. It's a big car, but it doesn't feel too big. As noted, the engine provides enough oomph that you never feel concerned merging into traffic. Where I was suddenly aware of the car's size was in braking. The brakes are strong enough, but getting full effect required a little more effort than I would have liked.

Push the car a bit more through some turns and the car definitely tries. It hangs in there with you as far as it can, although it doesn't take too long before you are reminded that it's a big car that was never intended to be athletic. My experience in the more upscale SX version showed that car to be much more lithe,  but the upgraded suspension and wheels will cost, and do sacrifice some ride comfort.

The ride is well-controlled, threading the needle between Honda's occasionally harsh ride and Toyota's isolationist attitude. At freeway speeds, the noise levels get just high enough to raise the volume on the stereo, but never intrusive or unpleasant. The suspension absorbs most bumps quite well, transmitting the worst as muted kicks or jiggles.

The Cabin

The cabin was actually one my favorite parts of the car. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn I was getting into a much more expensive car. The leather-clad seats are soft and supportive. Again, not as firm as what you would expect in a Honda, but not soft enough to let you start sinking in. My biggest gripe is the leather-wrapped steering wheel. The designers were going for soft, but managed to make it slippery and very artificial-feeling.

I thought that the center console was very well laid out. I've read descriptions that say how similar it is to Audi. Frankly, I don't buy it. But it is handsome. Interestingly, the designers decided that it made sense to keep the console clutter-free while making the steering wheel buttons confusing. Where most cars have one set on the left and one set of buttons on the right, Kia adds a second set on both sides, meaning that my thumbs are always busy, and not often finding the right buttons.

The cabin feels all-around roomy. I'm six feet tall and can easily get comfortable in the driver's seat, and the back seat is still comfortable. We've used the car for longer, family trips and with two car-seats and enough gear to keep two small kids happy, the car never felt cramped. The trunk also, while about average for the segment at 15 cubic feet, was able to comfortably hold luggage and a stroller - key for traveling parents!

Recommendation

In case you hadn't already figured it out, I wound up buying the Optima. So, naturally, I think the car is worth consideration. It's not going to be perfect for everyone. But, if you need space, but aren't ready to sacrifice style, this could be the car for you. If you're a die-hard European car driver, this is not going to make you change your ways. It's also a great car for people who don't want to be driving the same thing as everyone else. But you'll have to move quickly. With sales numbers rising steadily, you'll be seeing a lot more Optimas over the next few months.