mmarshall

Well, for what it's worth (or not worth)...........here are MT's latest automotive awards.

Person of the Year....GM's Marry Barra.

Car of the Year......Alfa Romeo Giulia.

SUV of the Year.......Honda CR-V.

Truck of the Year.......Ford F-150.

http://www.motortrend.com/auto-shows...-trend-awards/

I'm sure these will start some discussions, so fire away.


I'll start off by saying that I more or less expected the new Honda Accord to get COTY. True, it lost its V6 option, but it also is one of the very few family sedans (maybe the only one?) to offer a true three-pedal manual transmission for those who want to wear out their left knee and row their own gears in heavy traffic. Enthusiasts like that.

As for the truck award, I guess a lot depends on just when the upcoming Ford Ranger will be announced...in the fall of 2018 or sometime during Calendar Year 2019. There is no doubting the F-150's popularity, but, with the current mid-sized pickup market in the U.S. being dominated by GM and Toyota, a (once again) credible Ford competitor would be a huge addition.

Fizzboy7

Just want to point out they awarded a car that has a questionable reliability record and extremely limited dealer network. In the real world, those things matter. On the other hand, I'm grateful a dumpy-butt Honda sedan did not win.

swajames

The Giulia also made C&D's 10 Best this year.

Aron9000

Yeah I'm glad it wasn't the Accord either. I don't care how well that car is made or how nice it drives, bad design should never win an award IMO.

The Alfa Guilia IMO is the first really competitive modern product out of Italy that doesn't have a bull or prancing horse on its nose IMO. What I like is that is a great car that people can afford, its not a bunch of bs and excuses like a Maserati or Fiat when you are talking about affordable Italian cars.

mmarshall

What problems do you see in the design? Grille? Lack of a V6?

Interesting, because Dodge tried marketing the Dart (an offshoot of the Giulia platform), and it fell flat on its face.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

been a while since i read anything at motor trend... have to say some of those articles are really good. just read the behind the scenes on suv winner... good stuff!
http://www.motortrend.com/news/behin...v-of-the-year/
and no wonder the '18 crv won, it's excellent.

Coleroad

I had the opportunity to drive a Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio here in the mountains. I get why it was voted COTY. It was a big hoot to drive. I had a big grin on my face the whole time. The car was engaging to drive. You could feel what the car was doing through the steering wheel and the seat. It had all the power you ever need on the road. It's a much more refined car than the 4C is. Not putting the 4C down, but couldn't see it as a daily. I would buy one in a heartbeat if they would come out with the convertible. I would buy one before I bought a new BMW M. They have just lost that drivers car feeling.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

friend bought a giulia. he LOVES it, but he's a devotee of alfas from way back, and knows to have a good mechanic nearby. but so far, the only issues he's had were software updates.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Too bad they haven't applied that winning formula to the HR-V

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

^^^ agreed. boring, bland, cheap.

Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

I'll start off by saying that I more or less expected the new Honda Accord to get COTY. True, it lost its V6 option, but it also is one of the very few family sedans (maybe the only one?) to offer a true three-pedal manual transmission for those who want to wear out their left knee and row their own gears in heavy traffic. Enthusiasts like that.

Not as much as the a V-6, I assumed I would own a V-6 Accord after I retire but that has changed.

mmarshall

The 4C is built for midgets. I haven't actually driven one, but I have sat inside....after shoehorning myself into one like a sardine. IMO, it is more cramped inside than the Mazda Miata...almost as tight as the Lotus Elise. The Giulia, on the other hand, is a car that most people can actually get in and out of with little or no problem.

oldcajun

Drive the 2 liter turbo before you decide that the V-6 is a big loss. My wife's car is a 2011 Accord coupe with the V-6 which she loves. The new 4 is faster than the V-6 at all speeds. I think it is at least as smooth, and the new car rides and handles better since it is not so nose heavy. I'm disappointed but not surprised that the Accord did not win.

Coleroad

I thought the same thing about the 4C. It felt and drove like the lotus. I drove it in Houston when it first came out. I kinda fell into the car , and had a bit of trouble getting out.

Aron9000

I just do not like the new Accord's styling, the front clip is horrible, way too many cut lines, I really wish they had gone more traditional squared off 3 box sedan with a more flat/formal roof over the rear seat area. If you are going to go hatchback, go for it full tilt, make the roof line straight to preserve headroom, then tilt that back glass at a radical angle to make it look cool. Some of these sedans/coupes we have come out in the 2010's should have been full on hatchbacks, they would have looked the same but if that rear glass swung up it would have been a much more roomy car with a reclining rear seat and a lot more cargo room

I mean Ford is ****ing stupid when it comes to this, we get the Fusion sedan with a smaller trunk. . . .



Yet Europe gets the same car, a Ford Mondeo hatchback . . . . Looks almost the damn same, gets a lot more room/versatility.