Avant's Hands

February 21st, 2015 at 9:29 AM ^

I have to admit I'm surprised that trucks are the most common car in most states. Maybe it's because there are less varieties of trucks compared to all the different cars.

PeteM

February 21st, 2015 at 4:30 PM ^

I find the assembled here/designed there arguments tiresome.  There's a simple metric to analyze how many US jobs are tied to a car sale (if that's a concern), to me at least, is domestic jobs per sale.  The last stat I saw was that GM employees 2.5 US employees per one for Toyota, and that doens't include dealerships (GM's network is older and more numerous).  I'm glad that Toyota, Honda etc. have more US operations, but the impact on domestic employment of buying one versus the other is not equivalent. 

CLord

February 21st, 2015 at 2:42 PM ^

When so much of the Michigan economy depends upon the success of the AMERICAN auto industry, not sure this is the place to come and defend effing Toyota and Honda.  American cars are now as good if not better than many foreign cars, so next the argument is Japan generates so many jobs in the US so buying a Toyota is the American thing to do... I have a bridge to sell as well.

DonAZ

February 21st, 2015 at 9:47 AM ^

Tucson here ... trucks for sure.  I've seen my share of Dodge ... but also Ford, Chevy, Toyota and Nissan.  But at the end of the day ... trucks.

Mr. Owl

February 21st, 2015 at 9:53 AM ^

Last car was a Mercury Mariner Hybrid, but I'm glad to be car free now.  They're expensive, polluting and they get in the way.

Vasav

February 21st, 2015 at 11:06 AM ^

you can afford to not have a car. Trains are pretty cool though - riding the bullet train was one of my favorite things about Japan.

But I still enjoy my Ford

Mi Sooner

February 21st, 2015 at 11:37 AM ^

i drove a Mercury Mariner Hybrid in NYC during the summer of 2012.  Doing system testing in high pedestrian areas.  lower manhatten has that.  its fun driving there; playing dodge cars with the taxis and clueless and lost vacationers...

MoJo Rising

February 21st, 2015 at 10:26 AM ^

Try spending time in SoCal, especially Los Angeles which is the car capital of the world. There are car dealers EVERYWHERE. You will see almost every make and model imaginable including the exotics. You find more foreign brands on the road than American models. 

RainbowSprings

February 21st, 2015 at 11:04 AM ^

I've lived in SW and central Florida for almost 15 years. I see a lot of Camrys (and Hondas of all persuasions) but nary a Corolla. Most of the latter must be in the densely crowded Miami area. In fact, I can recall wondering a while ago if Toyota still even made Corollas.

MoJo Rising

February 21st, 2015 at 11:14 AM ^

The Japanese have done a bang up job in producing cars that Americans want and producing them to last. The American car companies for a long time failed in doing that but are now doing a much better job producing great cars. The new Mustang is absolutely gorgeous. 

JFW

February 21st, 2015 at 12:34 PM ^

We honestly live in a golden age of autos. Foreign, domestic, you can nearly close your eyes and pick a car at random and you'll get a good value. I've driven Fords and Jeeps to a quarter million miles almost completely trouble free. And I've had friends do be same with Hondas and Subies.



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swan flu

February 21st, 2015 at 1:10 PM ^

Ford Focus (Focus ST)...Mazda 3 (Speed3)... Subaru Impreza...Subaru WRX (STI) [Subaru recently split this from the Impreza line]... Volkswagon Golf (Golf GT)... Volvo V60... Audi (many)

 

There are plenty of hot hatch options in the US. And they are all awesome. 

 

edit: unless you meant the US manufacturers dont have many hatchback options in the US. Then i agree with you.  Ford sells an AWD Focus in Australia that I would LOVE to drive.