2010 Portland Oregon Auto Show

I attended the 2010 Portland Auto Show. Now I know this isn't a huge sample, or scientific but here are some impressions.

First of all, BUY TOYOTA STOCK. Portlands economy is really hurting and given Toyota's recent troubles I was interested in how the crowd would react to Toyota. Toyota seemed fine. People were checking out the Toyota line-up in good size crowds. I did not notice any loss of confidence or Toyota's being shunned. I thought Toyota's seemed to be getting as much interest as any automaker, probably more than most. Larger crowds than Mazda or Honda. People seemed interested, and given the large size of the crowd I heard nobody expressing negativity about Toyota. Again I know it's not a large sample or a scientific poll but from what I witnessed at the Auto Show I'd say consumers are still interested in Toyota's and haven't lost confidence in the brand.

Other impressions. Some cars suprised me, cars I had read about but not had a chance to see in the "tin". I checked out an Scion Xb and was impressed. I liked it much better than the Kia Soul, it just seemed like a better automobile.

Suprisingly underwhelming was the Ford Fiesta. I've heard so much great buzz about it. Now Ford did have it up on a platform so you could only get so close to it, no touching or sitting in it. But at least from a distance looked like a slightly "Jazzier" Honda Fit, but without the space and versatility. I expected to really like this car, and looking at it from about 3-5 feet away, I was really underwhelmed. At least when I was attending, Ford was doing little to promote it. It sat off to the side being ignored by most of the crowd.

Suprisingly Interesting were the Ford Transit Vans. Stripped down, very upright and large. Offering a massive amount of space for minimal money. People seemed to love them. They were very impressed with the amount of space, relatively good fuel economy in relationship to "Vans" and the low price of purchase.

If modifying them catches on, which I think it might, Ford could have a strange, stripped down, basic hit.

My own personal rant? Why oh why did Mazda make all their cars have a HUGE front grill smiling face thus giving them all the look of a toddlers toy car? Even the dealers themselves seem embarrassed as most of them had huge oversized licence plate holders that only acted to block out some of the grill and "change" the look. Mazda has some nice agressive styling but IMO giving all their automobiles the look of a PIXAR generated animated character is a huge mistake. If I bought a Mazda the first thing I'd feel I wanted to do was somehow modify the front grill so I didn't feel like I should be leading the Parade down Mainstreet at Disney.

Poor Honda Insight. Sat alone in the back of Honda's floor space. Was on a "stage" but with little or no crowd. Maybe it was just when I was attending, but like the Ford Fiesta, Honda was doing little or almost nothing to promote it. All other Honda models were on the floor and accesible. To open and sit in, and explore. The Insights stage was almost like a banishment. Not like they are selling so rapidly, I think Honda would of been better served at least putting one on the floor. Was almost sad to see it sitting up on a platform with little to no interest being shown.

Back to "Interest". Even though I have sat in and test driven the 2010 Prius, there were two at the autoshow. Both Prius got a lot of constant attention. A nice thing about attending an autoshow is you can compare products from competitors in close proximity and within minutes of each other. I was re-impressed with The Prius. In it's price range, there just isn't anything that really compares. It just feels like more of an automobile, more luxurious than almost anything you can compare it to, even though there really isn't much you can compare it to.

Sometimes in pictures I start to think I'd really dislike the butress dash and shifter assembly on the new 2010, but IMO when you actually sit in the drivers seat, that's when the dash layout really strikes you. It can really only be appreciated once you are sitting in the drivers seat. Once sitting in the drivers seat it becomes a high tech, luxurious cock-pit. I always like it more in person than when I see pictures.

You can compare Prius against other hatchbacks and Station wagons flat out, and it does favorably. Add to it the extreme bonus of also being a hybrid and Prius is a great product. IMO the II's and III's are still great bargains for what you get as a total package.

Speaking of comparing Prius to other hatchbacks and stationwagons...The Volkswagen Golf TDI and Jetta TDI Sportswagen were on display. As reported from many sources from a fit and finish standpoint they are beautiful automobiles. The reality unfortunately for Volkswagen is that Diesel in most of Portland is only pennies less than premium, far more than regular. Plus I had an amusing conversation with a Volkswagen Salesman who admitted that the TDI's were so popular, finding one would be difficult. He "recommended" if I wanted one, using the internet to search a 200 mile square radius. Seems to me if you want one, you're going to pay a premium to get one, with probably very limited choice PLUS given the price of diesel, a lot of your potential fuel savings is gone before you even start. Given I have multiple dealers with real inventory of The Prius, PLUS it runs on regular...despite the fantastic fit and finish of the Volkswagen, I'd score The Prius the winner.

Guilty Pleasures. They make no sense for my life and they guzzle fuel so I won't be purchasing one. But I did buy a raffle ticket to win one. I have to admit I like the Retro Mustang and also the new Camaro. Residual from early childhood when my Parents owned a 67 Mustang. You have to try to live what you preach, and if you preach buying the automobile that most efficiently and closely fits the needs of your lifestyle then I could never justify buying a new Mustang or Camaro...but for 5 bucks, I'll buy a raffle ticket and if one happens to fall in my lap? Damn my luck, I might just have to drive one for a decade or two. I can't justify purchasing one, but winning one would mean I'd almost HAVE to keep it.

More guilty pleasures, again, makes no sense for my life. Really too small for someone that only owns 1 vehicle. But I also like the Mini-Cooper. Limited number of dealers, foreign parts, runs on premium...basicly room for two people and a few bags of groceries...but I always get tempted to throw all reason and logic away and say...this would just be a blast to own. Unfortunately the slam of a rear door or a hatchback always breaks my reverie. No raffle to win one...so too bad.

If I fully embrace my approaching midlife crisis, I'll see you in either my Mini-Cooper or Mustang.

The Closest Competitor to The Prius? For me (personally) it's always been The Honda Fit. It's a great sub-compact. Incredible use of space and configuration. I really like the automobile. BUT when I sit in a Prius, I feel the difference between Mid-Size and Sub-Compact and The Prius just feels more luxurious. I'm MORE impressed. When I sit in the Fit, while I like it, I think it's a nice automobile. I can't get past the FLAT hard plastics. The dash and dials are made of an untextured flat hard plastic. Again, maybe it's from my childhood, but that plastic reminds me so much of cheap toys. The Fit generally gets more credit for being an upscale sub-compact so the hard plastic must not bother many people. But it bothers me. The rest of the automobile is so well layed out, so well thought out, that I really wish that they textured the plastic. The Prius dash is obviously also made of hard plastic, but the texture and feel just seems more real automobile, while again, The Fit's dash reminds me of cracked plastic play toy cars I had when I was a kid.

Quick Impressions: Smart Cars...sorry, they had them next to scooters and motorcycles and the scooters and motorcycles were BIGGER.

Saw a Tesla Roadster. Couldn't actually touch it, only look. Couldn't see the batteries or anything else. Kind of disappointed, as presented it was just like looking at a "Kit Car" that was trying to impersonate a real exotic. Obviously it's performance, and you can't tell that from a platform and a behind a rope. Wish we were allowed to look closer, couldn't really tell much. Would file the experience as underwhelming....hope remains that the product would not be underwhelming...definently a long, long way from being anything but a rich persons investment into something different.

Biggest disappointment. No Nissan presence at the show. Which meant no chance to see the Nissan Leaf.

That's it. That's way too much. But those were my late night, half-asleep observations. If you read this far, thanks.

 

That's interesting. As I said, I couldn't really do much but look from a distance. Maybe I would of been more impressed if I could of actually got in the vehicle or at least hands on close. Hard to be impressed by "features" from a distance. I was "underwhelmed" but admit it wasn't really an indepth or great opportunity to evaluate.