Why the US auto industry is dying – Part 1
The U.S. Auto Industry may not, in fact, be dying, but this is what made it ill: it simply builds inferior cars. Considering the poor build quality, sketchy reliability, embarrassing fit and finish, mundane styling, higher prices and lower resale, there has been no compelling reason to buy an American car. Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, Volkswagen and a host of others, clearly build higher quality automotive appliances.
I had the distasteful experience of sitting in a Buick at an auto show recently. Admittedly, this particular piece of schlock was the bottom of the bottom of the line. It sported cloth seats, and the fabric on the rear bench was bunched up in massive waves on the cushion. I found it unsightly, uncomfortable and unacceptable.
I rented a Chrysler Sebring recently and found its fit and finish and the styling of its interior to be downright depressing. The switchgear look like pre-sucked cough drops that had fallen in the gutter. It was a shockingly unpleasant place to spend my time.
Now contrast that with a recent Kia Rondo rental. The Rondo is a very inexpensive car, but it was bright, fun, roomy, peppy and had a cool interior. And, based on its press, the Rondo is reliable, and backed with a great warranty. The Nissan Versa is another excellent little vehicle with a lot of built-in utility.
So there’s the bad news: many American cars are appalling to those who have had experience with imports. Where’s the good news? Well, there may be at least a ray of sunshine peeking over the horizon of doom. The Buick Lacrosse I rented in New York recently was an eye-opener. The quality of materials was top notch, the fit and finish was first rate, and the driving experience was surprisingly good.
Add to that the beauty, and the excellent build quality, of the new Chevy Malibu. Yes, the Chevy Malibu. The price points for the various trim levels are just right, the cars are loaded with content (except navigation), and the interiors are so stunning that they are creeping into Audi territory; all in a mid 20’s family sedan.
Another ray of hope: apparently Cerberus, the new owner of Chrysler, put many millions into last minute improvements to the interior of the new Dodge Journey. That is very welcome news after my Sebring experience.
Should you need more evidence of a U.S. resurgence, take a look at Saturn. Every vehicle, from the Sky to the Outlook is attractive and well-crafted, including a very satisfying interior. Maybe it’s because Saturns are for the most part thinly veiled Opels, but we’ll take what we can get.
And, let’s not forget the stunning new Cadillac CTS or the vast styling, quality and performance improvements in the Corvette. Of course, the Ford GT, now discontinued, was a world beater at half the price of any comparable Ferrari.
Beyond that, there may even be a chink forming in the foreign automakers’ armor. I recently drove a rented Nissan Sentra, and when I tried to open a cubby in the dash, it came off in my hand! Add to that recent rumblings in the press about the cheap feel of the current Camry interior and issues with the Camry’s fit and finish, and we may sense that even the best of the foreign makers are not perfect.
So to paraphrase Mark Twain, perhaps reports of the demise of the U.S. auto industry are greatly exaggerated. Maybe they’ll collectively chew through their ropes and roll off the railroad tracks just before the train arrives. But can someone explain why, exactly, Ford builds the Taurus X?
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