Related, auto industry bafflingly ignoring a market segment. I drive a 2007 Honda Accord coup six-speed stick. I like coupes, have always driven them. I like stick shifts, have always given them. But good luck finding upper-midrange car like that. Honda/Toyota Accord/Camry coupes ended with 2017 models. So I can go up or down -- down to Honda Civic, up to ... Lexus/Infiniti/BMW/etc. You'd (well, at least I) think what I'm looking for should be sweet spot for fair number of consumers: youngsters, early marrieds, empty nesters. I drive mostly alone, if not alone, mostly with my wife. Occasionally/rarely I stuff people in back seat. So coupe -- with larger doors -- is optimized for my use.
I've badgered dealers, manufacturers at industry/trade events to make more coupes. Nobody buys them, they say -- sure -- because you don't advertise/market or even build them. As this piece said, "Detroit’s answer? Bigger cars and trucks you can’t see a 10-year old over" -- but it's not just Detroit.
Stick is separate issue -- last I heard, 1% cars sold no have them. Besides making driving more enjoyable, they're excellent anti-theft feature -- see funny online videos of failed car thefts.
For a while I was interested in Hyundai Veloster -- compromise three-door model, one door driver side and two doors other side. Went for a test drive, was about to back out of spot at dealer. Looked back, no visibility - huge rear pillars. Got out, gave back keys -- told salesman, I'm not driving this menace. That's a separate question, of course -- insane design decisions on cars that ARE built.
Related, auto industry bafflingly ignoring a market segment. I drive a 2007 Honda Accord coup six-speed stick. I like coupes, have always driven them. I like stick shifts, have always given them. But good luck finding upper-midrange car like that. Honda/Toyota Accord/Camry coupes ended with 2017 models. So I can go up or down -- down to Honda Civic, up to ... Lexus/Infiniti/BMW/etc. You'd (well, at least I) think what I'm looking for should be sweet spot for fair number of consumers: youngsters, early marrieds, empty nesters. I drive mostly alone, if not alone, mostly with my wife. Occasionally/rarely I stuff people in back seat. So coupe -- with larger doors -- is optimized for my use.
I've badgered dealers, manufacturers at industry/trade events to make more coupes. Nobody buys them, they say -- sure -- because you don't advertise/market or even build them. As this piece said, "Detroit’s answer? Bigger cars and trucks you can’t see a 10-year old over" -- but it's not just Detroit.
Stick is separate issue -- last I heard, 1% cars sold no have them. Besides making driving more enjoyable, they're excellent anti-theft feature -- see funny online videos of failed car thefts.
For a while I was interested in Hyundai Veloster -- compromise three-door model, one door driver side and two doors other side. Went for a test drive, was about to back out of spot at dealer. Looked back, no visibility - huge rear pillars. Got out, gave back keys -- told salesman, I'm not driving this menace. That's a separate question, of course -- insane design decisions on cars that ARE built.