February 2014 Subcompact Sales

January wasn't a great start to 2014's subcompact sales, and unfortunately, the news didn't get much better for February.

There were some standouts, such as the Buick Encore, which was up 92.7% compared to February 2013. The Nissan Juke was also up to the tune of 83.7%. The Nissan Versa has taken an early lead as the top-selling subcompact for '14, though the Kia Soul is very close on its bumper.

The biggest loser in February was the MINI Cooper/S Hardtop. However, this is likely due to the fact that a new MINI is coming out soon, so dealers are probably down on inventory. Scion's iQ was also down quite a bit selling only about half of what was sold in 2013.

Other interesting things of note: The Chevy Spark was down quite a bit. Just a slump, or has the hot-selling A-segment car peaked? The Mitsubishi Mirage continues to sell fairly well, moving 1170 units.

Official: 2015 Jeep Renegade

Low and behold, the rumors are true, and here's the 2015 "Baby Jeep," officially called the Renegade. This is Jeep's first foray into the small SUV market (remember, this is smaller than the Patriot/Compass). The Renegade will also be a global platform, so this little Jeep will be sold all over the world. Jeep is saying the vehicle was designed in the U.S.A., but will be manufactured in Italy. There will be a host of powertrains and transmissions globally, but no word yet on which combination the U.S. is getting. We're not generally a site that simply pastes a press release for a story, but there's a lot to read, so here's the full story from Jeep:

Is This the 2015 Jeep Renegade aka The Baby Jeep?

It's no secret that Jeep has plans to offer a new "baby Jeep," which will slot under the Jeep Patriot. It's been said it'll be based on the Fiat 500L and have all-wheel drive. There hasn't been any word from Fiat Chrysler Automotive about when it'll be available, what it'll look like, or pretty much anything else. The car is supposed to debut at the Geneva Auto Show next week, but apparently the pic has been scooped. Today, Jalopnik posted the picture above. Apparently the vehicle will be called the Renegade and I like it, assuming this is truly it. 

The new Cherokee's off-road trim level is called the Trailhawk, and this picture looks very similar to that trim level: Same color, red tow hooks, black wheels, and black accents. Frankly, I love it. 

Again, assuming this is truly real, I think it looks a lot like a Fiat Panda, which is a good thing. It also has a very tall, narrow look that kind of reminds me of a Kei car, but in a good way. Hopefully the Renegade will be available with a powertrain to turn all four wheels, which I'm sure it will be. It'll likely be an all-wheel drive system, and with any luck, it'll have a center diff lock. I doubt it'll be four-wheel drive system with low range and all that. I just hope you can get the AWD with a manual transmission.

This little Jeep might just make for a great adventure vehicle. I'm really looking forward to learning more about this, and holding out hope it'll come with a manual trans. Jeep—you've got my attention. 

Review: 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage ES

Holy crap this thing is pink.

Those were my first words when I saw the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage. I don’t subscribe to the “chick car” thing, but do I really have to drive a pink car for a week? It’s likely that Mitsubishi purposely put this color Mirage into the media vehicle fleet, though. The car’s bland 1990s-era styling isn’t going to attract much attention on its own, but throw a screaming magenta finish on it, and now people will take notice. I’m guessing most people who saw it were actually wondering who the heck would buy such an obnoxiously colored vehicle? I really wanted to be able to lean out the window and say, “No, I didn’t select this color.”

This ultra-bright Mirage is the newest car from Mitsubishi. It’s small, rather bland looking, has only 74 horsepower, but it’s rated at 44 highway mpg. In many ways, the Mirage reminds me of a modern-day Geo Metro or an early Kia Rio. Both cars were small, frugal, Spartan, no-frills vehicles that were also available in some gaudy colors. The Mirage hearkens back to a time when economy cars were blatantly economy cars. They didn’t have seat heaters, they had narrow tires, and they weren’t the most refined. Unlike these cars of yesteryear, however, our Mirage came fully loaded with equipment such as cruise control, Bluetooth, power windows and locks, push-button start, air conditioning, fog lamps, and all of the latest modern safety tech. But at its core, it’s still a fairly simple car that’s a bit rough around the edges, but promises very good fuel economy.

Suzuki Jimny Pulls Stuck Semi Truck

I love this so much: A tiny Suzuki Jimny helps pull a stuck semi truck in Japan. It just goes to show that you don't always need a huge truck to get the job done. My little Suzuki has even rescued much larger vehicles.

As someone who worked in the off-road world for years and has a Suzuki, I can wholeheartedly say that oftentimes it doesn't take more than a quick tug to get another vehicle unstuck. However, when it's a Jimny pulling a semi, it certainly makes things more dramatic. and frankly, it's still pretty impressive. 

Thanks to Ben for the link! Got a link to share? E-mail me or message us via the Subcompact Culture Facebook page. 

Nissan Needs to Bring the New Micra to the U.S.

Nissan has officially announced it's going to sell its tiny Micra subcompact in Canada again for the first time in 21 years. It will compete against cars like the Mitsubishi Mirage, Chevrolet Spark, Fiat 500, and Smart ForTwo in the Canadian A-segment. 

It's a well-known fact that Canadians will more readily buy smaller cars than Americans. If you visit Canada, you'll see the Toyota Yaris everywhere. There are a bunch of Honda Fits. There are scads of Kia Rios. And while Nissan already sells the Versa and Versa Note there, Nissan Canada has decided that there's room on the Canadian market for something smaller, and that's the Micra. 

Frankly, I'm jealous. I think this latest Micra, which starts at just under $10,000 CAD, is a great looking little car. It's not quite as angular as the Chevrolet Spark, but not as rounded off as the Mitsubishi Mirage. It's got style, it's affordable, and it'll be fuel efficient. It'll be powered by a 1.6-liter four cylinder making 109 horsepower and 107 lbs./ft. of torque—the same as the larger Versa. Transmissions will be either a five-speed manual or a fours-speed automatic. I haven't owned a Nissan since my 1999 Sentra SE Limited. If this car came to the U.S., it's likely get me back into a Nissan.

I think Nissan should really consider bringing the Micra to United States. It could be a fierce competitor in the growing A-segment here in the States. Plus, it's got more power than most of the A-segments and it looks great (especially in the SR trim). Nissan's Versa is on the bigger end of the B-segment; it's almost a small C-segment car, so the Micra might fit in very well here in the U.S. as well as it fits into the Canadian market. 

The Micra is sold all over the world. I think it's time it was also sold in the U.S.

Packaging of Parts: A Tale of Two Worlds

I needed a few engine gaskets for my Royal Enfield (RE) motorcycle. It didn't take me long to figure out that for the cost of just one of them from the local dealer I could order an entire engine gasket set, including shipping, from the bike's home country of India. There are several well known vendors of RE parts on eBay.  Mostly they have good reputations for customer service and things tend to arrive in about a week or so. I poked around, found what I needed, and ordered.

Due to the recent winter storm, we hadn't received mail in a few days. When service started again I got a note from the post office that they had tried to deliver a piece of registered mail but couldn't because I was not at home.  It was being held at the local office for pick up.   It was from India so I knew what it was. I popped down to the office early this morning to pick it up before work. I arrived a little before they opened and waited with a few other people in the lobby. Once they did open the doors I was first in line, but I really wasn't prepared for what I was handed.

What you see is what I got. It was a slightly oddly-shaped flat bundle that had been carefully hand stitched in two layers of muslin cloth. The stitches were even and snug around three sides of the package and the addresses were neatly written on one side in black ink. After the initial shock, I was a bit taken aback by just how nice the craftsmanship of the packaging was. It really was beautiful.

I glowingly showed it off to just about everyone at work that morning before I opened it. Once I got past the outer sheath it looked a lot like many packages I've received from small vendors in this country: some bubble wrap, random cardboard, and packing tape wrapped around the gaskets to protect them on their voyage half way around the world. And it did; the gaskets were in perfect condition and were actually better quality than I had expected.

Technology keeps shrinking our world.  I had just typed away on a keyboard in my dining room and a few days later the parts just showed up. But after receiving the package and on further reflection later in the day I was really struck by how different things can be in other parts of the world. 

In the U.S. I can walk into any post office and pick up any of half a dozen different size boxes or envelopes for sending things via Priority Mail. All these containers are free, or basically free since just paying the postage of a few dollars for delivery covers their cost. There are dozens of every size just sitting there waiting for you and I usually grab whatever free local newspaper is available on the street outside to use as packing material. At one time I used to just grab a half dozen boxes and keep them under my desk for when I needed them, a first world convenience to be sure. They also have other boxes, tape, and just about any other packaging supply you could need for sale if you just want to send things by regular mail. A cornucopia of cardboard. 

On the other side of the world things are different. There, materials are scarce and labor is cheap, the opposite of my daily world. While they did not have an appropriately sized box handy, which would have made the packers task easy and quick, they did have someone there whose job it is every day to create custom packaging for every item that goes out the door, with great care and skill from simple materials. 

It made me stop and think. It made me delay opening the package for while just to have it around a little longer. It made me open it slowly and carefully rather than just tearing it apart to get to the contents. I didn't just crush it and chuck it in the recycle bin. I laid it down carefully on my desk. It's still there and probably will be for a while.

I'd love to wrap this piece up with an elegant and poignant philosophical point, but to be honest I can't find the words. So I'll just leave you with the picture and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

January 2014 Subcompact Sales

The first month of 2014 proved to be a difficult one for automakers, thanks in part to the polar vortex, which kept people in their houses and out of cold dealership parking lots.

There were a few highlights in the subcompact segment, however. The Buick Encore's first full year marked a big number, although that should come back to earth next month. Nissan's Juke was up nearly 46 percent, the Kia Rio and its cousin, the Hyundai Accent, were also up. MINI was the only other manufacturer to show a positive gain over January 2013.

The biggest lower, or maybe more accurately, the slowest starter for 2014, is the Toyota Yaris, down more than 65% vs. January 2013. Also slow out of the gate is the MINI Roadster, MINI Hardtop, and unsurprisingly, the Scion iQ. However, few models had it easy in January. I'm going to guess, barring any other crazy weather (we've had our fair share here in Oregon), February will be better.

Snowlandia: My Slow-Ass Commute During Snowpocalypse 2014

Portland, Oregon is one of those cities that shuts down when we get an inch of snow. People freak out, grocery shelves go bare, and news coverage goes 24-7 for two days before and two days after the storm. When I first moved here from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin, I thought this snow reaction was laughable. "OMG, snows! I freaks now!" However, this city has a lot of hills, only a handful of snow plows, and doesn't use salt. The other thing is many Portlanders are not used to driving in the snow and sometimes go too fast, too slow, or, well, not at all.

For instance, on Thursday my place of full-time employment told us we should probably leave early, and I knew the commute would be as slow as molasses in January February. I drove my AWD Subaru WRX, which is equipped with studded snow tires. If anyone was prepared to drive in inclement conditions, I was.

I headed towards my usual route and sure enough, I-405 was gridlocked—a damn parking lot. Although it would've been the flattest way home, I'm piloting a veritable snowmobile. So hills be damned, I'm going to snake through downtown.

Many of the side streets downtown were indeed much more traffic-free, although the main thoroughfares were backed up. I called my wife who suggested going up Broadway and through the hills near OHSU Hospital. Again, I am not concerned about making it up the hills in my WRX. My WRX laughs at hills. It scoffs at geography. It guffaws at the snow! So, I get up to Broadway which is quite packed with cars, but so be it. As I wait for the stoplight to turn, I noticed the car next to me, a front-drive Pontiac Vibe, spinning its tires but not going anywhere. Then the light turns green.The car in front of me, a new Subaru BRZ on stock tires, also not moving. I look over my WRX's dashboard only to see the BRZ is also stuck in one place, rear wheels spinning. Shit. It suddenly occurred to me that while I might be able to get home easily, it was everyone else that was going to impede my snowy trek home. Double shit.

I went around the BRZ and decided to turn onto a side street to calculate my next move. I flip on my phone's navigation, and it tells me to go a back way home. Perfect! I'll again avoid the traffic ... hopefully. Oh, and now I've got to pee. Great.

Fortunately, this was a better way, for certain. I did have to go around the Californian in the mid 1980s Mercedes SL on summer tires who was attempting forward progress by standing on the throttle. I also followed a group of other AWD vehicles as we went around several front-drive cars on summer tires that were obviously not accustom to driving in the frozen precipitation.

Then I found myself on SW Corbett Ave. This is a very hilly area that slopes down towards the Willamette River. Unfortunately, there are other cars around and I fear getting hit by an out-of-control driver. I turn a quick right, not exactly knowing what street I'm turning up, and find it's SW Hamilton St., possibly one of the steepest roads in southwest Portland, and the site of my wife's snowpocalypse 2008 wreck when she got hit by a sideways-sliding SUV while in her Civic. And just as I realize where I'm at, I see a guy in a Chevrolet Cobalt sliding sideways down the hill. I crank the WRX wheels to the right in case I need to zoom out of the way. Luckily he goes on by, and I bust a U-turn (when clear) and go back down Hamilton to Corbett again.

OK, new game plan. At the end of Corbett Ave. are two steep hills that parallel each other and are separated by a median. They're sparsely traveled even in good weather; the streets are usually only driven by the people who own homes on that stretch of road. If I can make it to the snow-covered hills, it'll eventually dump me out onto the main road, Barbur Blvd., and I should have an easy trip home since it's all flat.

It doesn't look bad since I just finished shoveling the 

driveway, but we've got 8" of snow here, and more on
the way!

My prediction was right—there was no one going up or down these inclines. I get a bit of a running start and scoot up the snow-covered slope. A 90-degree right (and a twinge of Scandinavian Flick), and I come to one more hill. Here, a Ford Econoline van and a mail truck are at the base unable to go up. The mail truck has its hazards on (maybe he was just delivering mail?), and the van was turning around to go back down the hills. Again, the WRX easily zooms up the snowy road.

Finally, I make it to the stop light on Barbur Blvd. As I wait at the light, I keep a close eye on the vehicles going through the intersection. As the light turns yellow, an early 1990s 2WD Nissan pickup starts to lose control, and slides sideways through the intersection, sliding to a stop just past the stop light. Damn it—just let me get home!

Sure enough, I was able to make it home safely. My usual 20 minute commute had taken me two hours and had reminded me why I stay off the roads in Portland during a snowstorm. I also learned the WRX appears to have a RWD bias when it gets slippery, and when the turbo kicks in, the ass-end likes to kick out. Good to know.

It's now Saturday, February 8, and as I type, we're under our third winter storm warning. We've got about 8"+ inches of snow at our house. I did take the WRX and the Sidekick to fuel up, since there are hardly any other cars on the road and the gas station was open. Both cars did admirably in the deep snow, but frankly, I'm going to stay off the streets unless I have to go out.

Our WRX Gets a Cat-Back Exhaust System for its Birthday

Our beloved Subaru Impreza WRX hatchback just celebrated its first birthday. What do you get a car for its birthday? Forget cake and ice cream—we bought car parts, of course. This is the second modification after our Rally Armor mud flaps, and it's a good one, if I do say so myself.

After much research, I decided I wanted the Magnaflow system for the car. I'd had a Magnaflow exhaust system on my 2001 Ford Focus back in the day; it fit very well and sounded fantastic—still one of the best sounding cars I've owned. But after watching (and listening to) countless exhaust clip videos on YouTube, the Magnaflow sounded the best to my ears, and I liked the look once installed.

The system can be had for around $680 all day online, but semi-amazingly, I found the exact system I wanted on craigslist! The seller, who ironically lived nine blocks from me, said he had a baby on the way and it was too loud for his tastes—plus he could use the money. He also said it only had 1,500 miles on it, and from the looks, I'd say that'd be about right. I picked it up used for $400. Cha-ching.

Installation was a snap. I simply unbolted the original system, slid it off the hangers, and installed the new unit. The Magnaflow system is 100% stainless steel and comes in five main parts: two main pipes, a muffler, and two exhaust tips; pipe diameter is 3-inches. The two main pipes and tips sleeve into each other and use clamps to keep things bolted up. It's very easy to install and works great. The hardest part? Getting the tips lined up the way we wanted. As you can see in the photo above, the stock muffler is quite a bit larger than the Magnaflow and also weighs a lot less.

As evidenced by the video at the top of the page, the tone is deep and a good bit louder than stock with a rich, smooth tone. Some people think the system drones too much on the highway, but as someone who has owned about 10 cars with custom exhaust systems, I'd say this one has a mild to moderate tone under wide-open throttle and cruising speeds.

We've very happy with our super craigslist find and love the extra volume. It emphasizes that classic Subaru boxer sound and adds just the right amount of volume from our favorite four-wheeled one year old.