Friday, July 2, 2010
Which subcompact would you like to see in AWD?
If you want an all-wheel drive subcompact in North America, you've got one choice: The Suzuki SX4. (I love mine.) Soon there will be more choices: the Nissan Juke and MINI Countryman, for example. In the 1980s and '90s, there were several options including the venerable Subaru Justy, the Mitsubishi Expo LRV/Eagle Summit Wagon/Plymouth Colt Vista, the Nissan Axxess, and the Toyota Tercel wagon, for example.
In other parts of the world, many subcompacts are still offered with the option of having power to all four wheels: Toyota Vitz (e.g. Yaris), the Toyota Ist/Urban Cruiser (e.g. Scion xD), Honda Fit, Nissan's Tiida (e.g. Versa), and others.
So what subcompact would you like to see offered with AWD in North America (or the continent you're on)?
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6 comments:
in some places the Swift comes with AWD as an option. I would love to see the new one here in the US with AWD and the M16A 118 HP engine. At its low weight it would be a fun drive.
AWD has too many packaging and gas-mileage compromises, I'd rather have a limited-slip diff as a factory option.
A selectable AWD makes a lot of sense in a subcompact. FWD in summer. Put it in AWD when the snow comes. I can live with a smaller trunk to accomodate the rear subframe/differential.
For me, I'd love to see an AWD Mitsubishi Colt come to the states. This might help Mitsubishi get some new market share. Of course, I would also love to see the Suzuki Jimny come to the U.S. Although I know it won't happen, I would have loved to have seen the Scion xD (e.g. Toyota Urban Cruiser) come to the States in its AWD variant, which is sold in Japan and Europe. An AWD Scion would've been very cool.
The Kia Soul would STOMP the SX4 if it had a similar AWD option. As for MPG, find a station that doesn't do the 10% Ethanol and it's fine! Today I got almost 34mpg on the highway!
I agree with 39, the XD would be pretty cool with AWD too.
I don't think the Kia Soul could get near an SX4 with AWD. I have driven both, on the same day, on the same roads. The Soul is not as confident as the SX4 in the handling department and I don't trust the Beta II, especially the cobbled together electronics in the Soul. No the new Forte 5 door in SX trinm with AWD would take the SX4 out.
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