Top 5 Fun, Fuel-Efficient European Cars (You Can't Get in America)

Bob Hubbard

Bob Hubbard

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Top 5 Fun, Fuel-Efficient European Cars (You Can't Get in America)


There may be no better crystal ball to see what environmental solutions the world's automakers have in store for us than the Geneva Motor Show. In Europe, small-city congestion and a growing concern about CO2 emissions have prompted automakers to continue to think small. Of course, Europeans still like to drive—which means pint-sized cars still have to provide big-time fun. We found the five best ways to have a blast on the curviest roads while staying frugal at the pump and easy on the environment.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4307154.html?page=1
 
Yeah, this is a giant ball of crock. The people who do not want to see American automakers survive complain bitterly about how the US automakers forced us to buy huge, inefficient land yachts and monstrous SUVs when what we really wanted was fuel efficient mini cars. THAT IS BS. The big three made the cars that Americans wanted to buy. The Hummer was absolutely a wild seller for quite some time - hell, people wanted BIGGER vehicles.

Yeah, they have itty bitty cars in Europe. Why not here? Because we don't want them. But we hate to admit that about ourselves, so we blame someone else. Yes, you were FORCED to buy a big car, you really wanted a little one. Cry me a freaking river.
 
Bill Mattocks said:
Yeah, this is a giant ball of crock. The people who do not want to see American automakers survive complain bitterly about how the US automakers forced us to buy huge, inefficient land yachts and monstrous SUVs when what we really wanted was fuel efficient mini cars. THAT IS BS. The big three made the cars that Americans wanted to buy. The Hummer was absolutely a wild seller for quite some time - hell, people wanted BIGGER vehicles.

Yeah, they have itty bitty cars in Europe. Why not here? Because we don't want them. But we hate to admit that about ourselves, so we blame someone else. Yes, you were FORCED to buy a big car, you really wanted a little one. Cry me a freaking river.
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These are the ones we can't get in NA. There are other options. When my Elantra is paid off, I'm trading it in on a new Smart ForTwo 451. The missus has an Elantra mini-wagon, and when we get right down to it, we only drive one and a half cars.
 
I was partial to the Scion xB, but the newer ones lack the gas millage of the 2006 and earlier models. Right now, I'm leaning towards a Yaris. If I find a Ford or GM car with good ratings, efficiency, etc, I'll consider that, but for the buck and my requirements, Yaris looks to be right. Now, if VW would market their minivan in the US, I'd consider that, or if GM would sell their $7k van here, I'd consider that, but they don't. Course, I remember when the VW Bug was a cheep no frills car, now it's what? $25k Yuppiemobile? "Peoples Car" my right cheek.
 
Gordon Nore said:
These are the ones we can't get in NA. There are other options. When my Elantra is paid off, I'm trading it in on a new Smart ForTwo 451. The missus has an Elantra mini-wagon, and when we get right down to it, we only drive one and a half cars.
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I had a 1973 Honda CVCC that got 45 MPG, for God's sake. Those kinds of cars have been available since I was a kid. I do not understand this need to blame someone else for the fact that we choose to drive gas guzzlers and now we're sorry for it. We've always had choices.

There's a SMART USA dealer on my way to work. Even before this latest crisis began, when gas was at $4.35 a gallon here, they were sitting on his lot like old Christmas trees nobody wanted - they're still there. Lot full of 'em. SO please don't tell me that there is some vast conspiracy to deny economical choices to Americans - we have 'em, we just don't want 'em. Present company excepted.
 
Bob Hubbard said:
I was partial to the Scion xB, but the newer ones lack the gas millage of the 2006 and earlier models. Right now, I'm leaning towards a Yaris. If I find a Ford or GM car with good ratings, efficiency, etc, I'll consider that, but for the buck and my requirements, Yaris looks to be right. Now, if VW would market their minivan in the US, I'd consider that, or if GM would sell their $7k van here, I'd consider that, but they don't. Course, I remember when the VW Bug was a cheep no frills car, now it's what? $25k Yuppiemobile? "Peoples Car" my right cheek.
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Not one of them would live through a Detroit pothole season. SUV for me. I see Scions roofs in the potholes as I drive over them, their weeble contents wobbling at me.
 
Well, yeah, but they are sturdy. Have to be to fall in and fill in those holes and hold your SUV. My old tempo could never have survived that. LOL!
 
Considering there are Canadian drivers that make Boston drivers look like saints, that doesn't surprise me :lol2:
 
We have small cars because our roads aren't that big, round my way up in the Dales the roads are single lane and usually blocked by sheep! Most of our towns and cities were built centuries (in many cases a hundred centuries before cars!) before cars and were built to accomodate horses so there's no room for big cars. Richmond the next town to me was built in 1071 on a hill, the roads are all narrow, no room for big cars! Our next biggest town, a bit further down is Northallerton and that's Anglo-Saxon, nice places to visit but traffic on the narrow roads is a nightmare especially on market days.
 
Andrew Green said:
SUV's seem to have a natural attraction to ditches up here as soon as the roads get icy...
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Ah, that's not the SUV but the driver. My first 'SUV' was a 1946 Willys CJ2A, and I learned to drive it properly in Colorado. I have a vague notion of how to drive on snow and ice. Haven't ditched one yet. But I know whereof you speak.
 
Tez3 said:
We have small cars because our roads aren't that big, round my way up in the Dales the roads are single lane and usually blocked by sheep! Most of our towns and cities were built centuries (in many cases a hundred centuries before cars!) before cars and were built to accomodate horses so there's no room for big cars. Richmond the next town to me was built in 1071 on a hill, the roads are all narrow, no room for big cars! Our next biggest town, a bit further down is Northallerton and that's Anglo-Saxon, nice places to visit but traffic on the narrow roads is a nightmare especially on market days.
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When I was in Okinawa, the American cars they had brought over for us to use were fine on base, but could get stuck driving down narrow alleys and some streets offbase. The streets sometimes have mirrors on them so you can see around blind corners, and only our Toyota 'Bongo' vans could get down the streets in places like Kitemae and Kin and so on.
 
"but all you need to know is that the mission statement was to optimize the power-to-weight ratio" Alfa Romeo.........sigh...... :inlove::inlove:-vampfeed-:inlove:

OK I know which job I'm taking. I wonder how long it'll take to smuggle one of these back in carry on luggage?
lori
 
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