So far, we have looked at the Vibe, Astra, Matrix, City Golf, SX4, Mazda3 wagon, and Impreza.
What did you think of the other cars you've test driven?
The other cars were all decent, and each had their strengths and weakenesses... the Astra was underpowered, but was more stable than any of the other cars tested at highway speeds, including the City Golf. The problem with that car is really the questionable 4-speed auto.
The City Golf felt snug, but that is to be expected given that it is nearly a 10 year old design. VW has done an incredible job of updating the car, but I don't know if the 6-speed automatic was an improvement, given that it shifts much too frequently in city driving. While this will enhance fuel economy, it also makes for too many noticable shifts. The other problem with the current City Golf is that they have decontentized much of the small interior bits. The plastic quality is not as good as the earlier Golf, and little things like grab-handle dampeners (which used to allow for the handle to gently return to its original position) are now gone. You let go of the grab handle, and it snaps back in place with a decidedly cheap feeling click. The new dash LOOKS nicer, but plastic is reminescent of my early 1990s Golf in feel. I am a big VW fan, but many of these issues weaken its competitiveness against more modern competitors. The legroom and headroom of the back seats were also the worse of all the cars tested.
The Impreza was nice, but definitely not as hard-core as the last generation. It felt like a more well-built Corolla with AWD, but was otherwise not that special. It also suffered from a wierd vagueness in its steering, which reminded me of the 1985 Pony I once had. The lower centre of gravity of the boxster engine was nice though, as it felt very well planted in the turn. A good choice, but also one of the pricier options for us.
The SX4 looked great on paper, but just didn't feel right behind the wheel. Its steering was not linear, with a big dead-spot in the centre, but too abrupt on the extremes of the turn. It was also much smaller than I expected, though still larger than a City Golf in overall feel. Though I am surely going against the trend on this one, I liked the used Aerio I tested at the same time better.
The Vibe is by no means perfect, but it strikes a nice balance of all the attributes that we are looking for. ONe thing I have noticed though, is that it is seriously decontentized compared to the first generation model, which came standards with A/C, a roof rack, fog lamps, a fold-flat front passenger seat, and a split hatch. most of these are now options, and the split-hatch is no longer available. However, it has gained ABS, 4-wheel discs, ESC, and six-airbags, all standard. The fabric and plastic on the new model (contrary to what many reviewers have posted) is a decidedly lower quality. There is also less headroom in the backseat, and there is a "lip" on the base of the hatch, unlike the completely flat opening on the old model, which made it possible for me to slide heavy objects into the trunk without lifting. Apparently, this is a safety improvement to give more support to the rear hatch in a serious rear-end collision.
