NEIAS - The New England International Auto Show

"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54) 01/17/2016 at 13:55 • Filed to: neias

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Though Will and Mike had a blast at NAIAS in Detroit earlier this week, that’s not the only major auto show going on right now. For those of us in the Boston area, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is where it’s at this weekend. It’s nowhere near as big as the Detroit show, and no notable people are on hand to interview, but it’s a great opportunity to check out a lot of different cars inside and out that you might not otherwise see. Test drives are also available from a few manufacturers, but nothing being offered seemed of interest to RFD readers, so I skipped them and went straight to the showroom floor. Here are the highlights and my random ramblings.

Read on Right Foot Down or continue below

Ford

As soon as I walked in the door I was greeted by this Ford Focus RS. It was all locked up so I couldn’t take a very close look, but I already learned what I want to know about this car from the internet, including !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The Explorer has a new face, but other than that and the RS there was nothing earth shattering from Ford.

Jeep

After the other Will’s !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I was interested to check it out in person when I saw this one. They parked it right next to a Wrangler, probably trying to say “No really, this IS a real Jeep!” I was pleasantly surprised by the interior space. The Renegade is a small package, but the inside seemed about as big as the Compass rental I had a couple of years ago. It doesn’t look that big. Maybe Jeep is using some of the same technology as the TARDIS from Doctor Who to make it bigger on the inside than on the outside.

I don’t know if this was intentional or not, but the Renegade was also parked next to the Fiat 500X on which it’s based. Like many of the Jeep faithful, I’ve lamented the fact that the Renegade is a Fiat with a butch face. Please allow me to withdraw that statement. While it’s true that they share a platform, they are very different cars, inside and out. The Fiat is definitely more cute, and shows its strong resemblance to the other Fiat models. The sloping rear hatch, rather than the more vertical hatch of the Renegade, makes the 500X feel much smaller than the Renegade. The Fiat-based Renegade is a much a real Jeep as the Cherokee, which shares its platform with the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200. Speaking of which...

Chrysler

The new Chrysler Town & Country Pacifica was there. But that’s not what I found interesting from Chrysler. Check this out.

This is the cupholder in the Chrysler 200. Big deal, right? Well, if you pull that tab in the corner...

...the whole panel slides back to reveal a cavernous storage compartment. Huge. My camera bag would fit in there, and with the cupholders slid back forward no one would ever know. It’s brilliant. I love it.

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Alfa Romeo

Alfa had precisely two cars, but boy were they good ones. The 4C always looks good, and though I like it in red, Screaming Yellow Zonker was good, too. But the star was the Giulia Quadrifoglio - the first one I’ve seen in real life. This was the closest I could get to it. It was mobbed. I couldn’t get any other angles or inside of it. But I could still see enough to tell that it looks great. I tweeted this picture to taunt Will, who already !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Honda

I still think the new Civic sedan looks like an Accord Crosstour from the back. Unfortunately, despite that swoopy hatchback design, its not a hatchback. Rear access is through a pretty small trunk lid. Why couldn’t Honda make this a hatch? It would significantly improve access to the rear cargo area.

Aside from the controversial rear, I really like the rest of the car. It looks great from the front. The interior is a comfortable place to be with high quality materials throughout. The gauges and controls are well laid out and easy to operate. After all the criticism of the last generation being basically the same as the generation before that, Honda needed to make a big leap forward in the new model, and they’ve done it. It’s a far cry from my old EF Civic wagons.

Then there’s the Honda CR-Z. I wanted to like this car. I really really did. The original CRX is awesome, and this was supposed to be a modern version of it. Unfortunately, its performance numbers are about the same as the original CRX, which doesn’t cut it 25 years later. It’s a hybrid, which is fine. Porsche, McLaren, and others have proven that you can use hybrid technology in performance applications as well as economy. But it seems that Honda couldn’t decide which way to go, tried to do both, and ended up with a car that doesn’t perform or conserve energy well compared to others. Maybe the next generation of the CR-Z can make the same leap forward that the Civic just did.

BMW

This is the closest I could get to the BMW M3. Like the Alfa Giulia, it was mobbed. That bright blue color seemed to attract everyone. More on that later.

As a biker myself, I’m always happy to see BMW embracing their motorcycle heritage as well as their cars. But my enthusiasm can’t compare to this guy’s.

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Lincoln

Though it was only just !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , the new Lincoln Continental was the centerpiece of their display, and rightfully so. This is a good looking car. The grill doesn’t look like a Bentley as it did in earlier drawings. It’s well proportioned and a modern design while still looking traditional. I genuinely like the design.

The grill doesn’t scream Bentley, but the tail lights look like the same design Dodge started with the Charger and has been spreading across their entire product line, from the Dart to the Durango. I like how it looks, but the resemblance to a downmarket competitor is unfortunate.

In the shadow of the Continental, nobody seems to have noticed that the MKZ has gotten a facelift to match. With the same grill and in the same color, there’s quite the resemblance. It looks a whole lot better than the old awkward split grill.

Cadillac

For some reason Cadillac had their coupes on prominent display - ATS, CTS, and the ELR. (Right next to Lincoln, too - coincidence, or planned?) This surprised me, since the coupes aren’t very popular. Maybe they’re trying to change that. I think they’re somewhat oddly angled. I’d prefer a sedan, both for looks and practicality. The CTS-V and ATS-V look mean and are quite comfortable. I’d like to give a new Cadillac a try and see just how far they’ve come from the luxobarges of my youth.

Grand Prix of Boston

In the middle of the show the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! had an Indy car on display. This race will be taking place on the streets of Boston on Labor Day weekend. Though I question whether Indy cars will shatter on the terrible Boston roads, at least they won’t have Boston drivers to put up with as they lap the makeshift track in the South Boston waterfront area (Southie, as we call it). This should be interesting.

Scion

Scion seems to me to be a company without direction. The brand was created to appeal to youth, but it was mostly middle aged people who bought the popular first generation xB. The redesigned xB lost the appeal of the original. Few liked the xA and xD. The tC could’ve been a replacement for the Toyota Celica, but isn’t. The FR-S is a genuine sports car, but it has a Subaru motor and doesn’t fit in with the rest of Scion’s rather bland product line.

Enter the new models. The iM has the potential to be a sporty hot hatch. But it’s basically a Corolla under the skin, which is not a sporty car, and the interior is too cramped to be that practical. It could’ve been a replacement for the Toyota Matrix, but like the tC it just isn’t quite there.

And then there’s the iA, Scion’s first sedan. I don’t know why they’re introducing a sedan in a market where they’re becoming less and less popular. Aside from the bigmouth bass grill, it’s literally a Mazda2. Scion doesn’t even try to disguise it.

On the left is the dashboard of the Scion iA. On the right, the Mazda CX3. It’s exactly the same interior. It’s a nice interior (aside from my personal pet peeve of an infotainment display that looks like someone glued a cheap Kindle to the middle of the dashboard), but other than the emblem it’s exactly the same. Why does Scion, a brand of Toyota, feel the need to sell a worse looking Mazda2?

This sort of badge engineering without any brand direction reminds me of Saturn. They started with a good car, but strayed so far from it that it killed the company in the end.

Subaru

Here’s a familiar face at Subaru’s booth. But what’s with the proliferation of Smurf blue? The BRZ has it (and the WRX, though that color wasn’t on display). The M3 has it. The last few years of the previous generation Mustang had it. And why? Subaru, in particular, already has its own distinctive shade - World Rally Blue, which, in my mind, is The One True Subaru Color. Why, Subaru - why? That, and once again they’ve made some cosmetic tweaks to the BRZ without any real enhancements. Power, suspension, brakes are all the same.

The WRX wasn’t World Rally Blue either, but that didn’t stop me from checking it out. This was one of the only cars with a manual transmission in the entire show. When I checked out a 2014 WRX I was sorely disappointed in the shifter. It was vague, rubbery, and turned me off to the driving experience. Subaru fixed that on the new model. While not as crisp as my BRZ, it’s darn close. I’d enjoy shifting this car every day. When it comes time for me to get a new daily driver, this will be an extremely strong contender.

Kia

This is the Kia Forte5 SX. Big deal, right? Actually, it is. It’s a decent sized, practical hatchback. Beyond that, it has a 200hp turbo motor with a manual transmission, sport suspension, 18" wheels, and four wheel disc brakes. The SX model starts at $20,990. This car with the SX Premium package (leather, sunroof, heated seats and steering wheel, and a bunch of other nice goodies) and an automatic stickers for $27,290. Subtract $1,000 for the automatic and that’s a $26,000 hot hatch that nobody is going to expect.

On top of that, it’s a nice car. The build quality is quite good. The interior is quite comfortable, and the SX Premium package packs features offered on much more expensive cars. I’d have to drive one to see how fun it really is, but from what I saw, this would be a serious daily driver contender for me, too. I’d take a Forte5 over a Scion iM any day.

Mercedes

The Mercedes-AMG GT S is pretty. And fast. And did I mention that it’s pretty?

I’m also highly amused that they put a Smart car right next to a G-Wagen that it could probably fit inside.

Final Thoughts

It’s not Detroit, but NEIAS is a good time. It’s a great opportunity for me, as a journalist, to see a whole bunch of cars all at once, and decide which ones interest me enough to investigate more later (and drive, if I’m lucky). There are no bad cars these days. I made it a point to sit in some of the cheapest cars I could find. Even they can be equipped with leather, Bluetooth, and heated seats at a very reasonable price. Even the less equipped versions are a nice place to be. I called the Jeep Compass rental I had for a month “The Penalty Box,” but even the most basic Hyundai Accent or Chevy Sonic doesn’t leave you feeling like you settled for it. Build quality is excellent, even where you least expect it. This is a great time to be a car enthusiast.

Follow @justinhughes54 on Twitter

Viggen > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 14:11

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IndyCars are gonna eat shit in Southie if the Baltimore GPs were anything to go by. Curious what the support races are gonna be. Kinda bummed PWC won’t be there, but we have Lime Rock for that.

Project WHaT > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 14:34

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I’m so jealous. I lived in Massachusetts all of my life, but last summer we had to move to Louisville because of my dad’s job. i’ve never been so depressed.

Brickman > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 14:53

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Some Gulf Livery would look awesome :D

Justin Hughes > Brickman 01/17/2016 at 15:15

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True! That makes anything look good.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 15:28

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I love how they had the GT on the show cover and no GT

Mr. Malaise > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 16:04

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These tail lights rock.

JustJim > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 16:15

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Indianapolis Auto Show has the unfortunate timing of coming before Detroit and there is a lot of blah and very little bling.

I too noticed Smurf blue everywhere other than it belongs (MX-5) and am happy for the new facia on the Lincoln.

Nice writeup and photos. Thanks for sharing.

Indianapolis Auto Show

The frumious Bandersnatch! > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 16:15

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Is there anything at this show that you couldn’t see by visiting various dealerships?

Aldairion > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 16:32

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This center section looks very Audi/Volkswagen.

James May is my spirit animal > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 16:34

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Will it fit my problem solver , the Glock .40 ? [/sarc]

OPPOsaurus WRX > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 16:34

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James May is my spirit animal > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 16:35

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Too many screens.

James May is my spirit animal > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 16:36

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This would be a great car to keep the chassis, gut the powertrain and start from scratch with a 3-liter something or other.

Justin Hughes > Mr. Malaise 01/17/2016 at 16:47

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I like them. Really. They look great. But I can’t help but think of Dodge when I see them.

Justin Hughes > The frumious Bandersnatch! 01/17/2016 at 16:50

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For the most part, no. The new Lincoln Continental isn’t in showrooms yet, and there were a few top end models you don’t normally see (Porsche 911 Targa RS, Corvette Z06 convertible). The main difference is that no one here is trying to sell you anything. The marketing folks are here to inform and educate, but not to make a sale, so there really is no pressure.

200 Touring > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 16:52

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Already requested for a day off to go to the Chicago Auto Show. Usually try to go mid-week when it should be quiet.

Justin Hughes > James May is my spirit animal 01/17/2016 at 16:52

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Absolutely. Most small to medium size handguns would fit, I think.

Justin Hughes > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/17/2016 at 16:54

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Nice! How did you get that without all the people mobbing them?

Justin Hughes > James May is my spirit animal 01/17/2016 at 16:55

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The center is a screen, but the gauges on either side are actual gauges.

Justin Hughes > James May is my spirit animal 01/17/2016 at 16:58

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I agree! Removing the battery pack would save some weight, and a nice peppy Honda motor up front would make this the car it should’ve been.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 17:01

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Just timing I guess

FSBCyberPropagandaDivision > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 17:01

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Do you get any of the chinese junk we get here in Australia? Chery, GMC, Great Wall, Foton etc

MarcBee > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 17:03

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International?
So... peeps come over from Canada, eh?

BahamaTodd > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 17:11

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The new Chrysler Town & Country Pacifica was there.

lol

The frumious Bandersnatch! > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 17:12

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Thanks, no salesmen would make it worth a trip.

marshknute > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 17:24

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Not pictured: the 45 minutes he waited until there were no people blocking the camera!

Between these 4 photos, I probably wasted 3 cumulative hours waiting for assholes (and their shadows) to get out of the shot!

Scrape > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 17:25

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I daily drive a Forte5 SX with a manual. Its a fun car. It doesn’t have “holy shit” power like a Focus ST, but it is a hell of a lot more comfortable. But the added power is really nice and quite noticable. It handles pretty well for a car of its size (it’s larger than a GTI). It is really comfortable with plenty of cabin space front and rear, has a lot of cargo room, and has the under-floor storage in the rear. My only two gripes with it is that 6th gear is a bit too low, so it isn’t as fuel efficient as it could be. It has MORE than enough power in that engine to put a taller gear in there. The other gripe is my fault, as I waited to long to get one, so I missed out on getting all the stuff inside I wanted. Still, I love the car, and I came from having a decently powered sports car as a DD, and this would keep right up with it.

And at the DC Auto Show (I think it was last year), the Jeep Renegade and the Fiat 500X shared the same display with dual rotating platforms. I guess they want them to be seen together. If you don’t like one, you can immediately see the other one.

PS - DC show starts next week. Can't wait to go!

Erzhik > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 17:28

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Last year was better. This time, Mercedes pretty much locked all of their cars except for the S coupe and C class. I guess last year people absolutely destroyed the S63 that was open, so they locked everything and didn’t even bring the S sedans.

MikeBurnlab > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 17:37

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Great observations all around. I love these kinds of auto show reviews.

Renegade/TARDIS: Right?? It’s crazy how much space is inside. They could have reduced the greenhouse height by nearly a foot and still have enough headroom for Abe Lincoln (and his hat.)

Continental/Charger: Despite all the “quiet luxury”, I’m not so sure the Dodge is downmarket. At least it’s on a respectable RWD platform.

Under_Score > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 18:00

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Why did Chrysler switch to the name of their old crossover (which kind of gained a bad reputation for having horrible visibility) instead of keeping the Town & Country name that people have known well for 25 years? But this auto show appears to be a lot more than just a giant car dealership, which most local shows seem to be like. However, they’re still good, as you get to see most of the cars on sale.

Were there any exotics? I think it’d be funny if they left a McLaren 675LT or other high-end car unlocked for an hour to see what would happen to it (compared to something basic like a Dodge Journey).

soundman98 > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 18:15

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scion=saturn. my thoughts exactly.

cbckly962 > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 18:27

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I went to the show today, and while checking out many nice new cars was a good time, it paled in comparison to meeting one Mr. Simon Pagenaud.

Benjamin Mickey > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 18:35

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We like our Kia Sportage, and would be replacing it with a Forte5 SX, except they’re not as roomy as I expected. Seat travel isn’t long enough, and I’ve got pretty short legs. Also, my 46 year old back complains at the ingress and egress.

doug > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 18:49

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I made the trip to Boston one year for the auto show, but it didn’t seem appreciably better than my local CT auto show, especially when New York is the same distance away...

Keaton Belliston > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 19:07

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My DC2 Integra has about the same size rear deck, yet since it’s a liftback, it holds SO MUCH MORE!! I’m paralyzed from the chest down so I require space for my wheelchair. I usually store it next to me in the passenger seat but when I have passengers (up to 3 - albeit very snug), the chair fits nicely in the hatch with space to spare. For this reason, a trunk is useless to me. GIVE ME A CIVIC/INTEGRA HATCHBACK!!

Keaton Belliston > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 19:14

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I really wanna know the drivetrain specs...

Schaefft > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 19:20

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Not agreeing here, the new grills shape looks fairly generic, the old one wasn’t just more distinctive, it also looked a lot less blunt than the new ones does.

Rocko > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 19:35

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WTF, the Chrysler Pacifica was unlocked there??? When I was at NAIAS yesterday, they were all locked up!

Keaton Belliston > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 20:24

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What ever happened that made manufacturers stop pushing their wheels to the corners of the car? At least in the front, so many new cars have waaayyyy too much overhang...

Justin Hughes > FSBCyberPropagandaDivision 01/17/2016 at 20:25

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Nope, just Buicks.

Justin Hughes > MarcBee 01/17/2016 at 20:26

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The cars are from other countries? I’m reaching here. Most “foreign” brands are built in the US these days anyway.

Justin Hughes > Scrape 01/17/2016 at 20:29

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Good to know! Sounds like a good daily driver that’s kind of fun too.

Justin Hughes > Erzhik 01/17/2016 at 20:30

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Porsche too. Only the SUVs and Panamera were open.

Justin Hughes > MikeBurnlab 01/17/2016 at 20:31

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Thanks! I didn’t mean “downmarket” as a slam on Dodge. Only that the Charger and Dart don’t appeal to the same demographic as the Lincoln, who generally attracts buyers with more money.

Justin Hughes > Under_Score 01/17/2016 at 20:34

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There were a few exotics.

Justin Hughes > cbckly962 01/17/2016 at 20:36

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Cool! He wasn’t there yesterday, at least when I visited the booth.

Justin Hughes > doug 01/17/2016 at 20:37

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True. I’m hoping to get to NY too!

Justin Hughes > Keaton Belliston 01/17/2016 at 20:40

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Hatchbacks rule!

Justin Hughes > Keaton Belliston 01/17/2016 at 20:45

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Me too. The 3.5 EcoBoost in my fiancee’s Ford Flex makes 355hp, and the current version makes 365. The same engine is available in the Taurus SHO. The Continental has a 3.0 turbo V6 with AWD. I have a hard time believing that a Lincoln would have a lesser engine than a Ford, but who knows.

Justin Hughes > Keaton Belliston 01/17/2016 at 20:46

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Good question. If you want to talk about overhang, look at my old P71:

drumbum19 > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 20:50

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Went today. Solid opportunity for consumers to really get hands on with cars from a whole bunch of auto makers. Too bad Jaguar didn’t show up to the party. I really wanted a chance to get into an F-Type.

Justin Hughes > drumbum19 01/17/2016 at 20:52

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That would’ve been sweet! But we wouldn’t have been able to listen to the exhaust, which is one of the best parts of that car.

red014 > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 22:00

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Nice review. I remember about a decade ago when the show was at the old Bay Side Expo Center in October (i.e. not the same time as Detroit) so there were a bunch of concepts and even some new model reveals. Then when they moved to the Seaport they lost their weekend. And now I have a kid so going midweek or late in the day to avoid crowds is impossible. Providence in 2 weeks is generally much less crowded, but it really only has last year’s models. Now I sound like a grumpy old man...

Hank Scorpio > Brickman 01/17/2016 at 22:46

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Gulf livery looks good on anything...

Hank Scorpio > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 22:48

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It’s a decent sized, practical hatchback. Beyond that, it has a 200hp turbo motor with a manual transmission, sport suspension, 18" wheels, and four wheel disc brakes.

Never thought I’d be seriously considering a Kia, and yet here we are...

Joaquin Quinoa > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 23:15

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The writeup is better than any of the cars. Really. Hughes made some of these rides sound exciting, but nothing in the pics grabbed me. It’s like an ink-jet printer convention.

Digital_ > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 23:21

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Justin, get the STi. I just got back from doing donuts and drifting in empty parking lot. She’s my DD and I have never loved a car more than my 15. I have had 2 370z’s a AP1 S2k, a (real) Integra R to name a few and I constantly do double takes after parking due to the fact that to me, its the perfect car..

Topsider > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 23:38

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I went today, had a great time. really surprised at how many new cars they had that were introduced just last week in detroit

Grim99CV > Justin Hughes 01/17/2016 at 23:59

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Holy shit they are the same. Even the oblong scion badge looks out of place on the wheel where it was designed for the Mazda badge.

Mike > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 00:06

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I wish they would change the timing of this show so they could get more of the new models from Detroit on display. Last year it was the XC90, this year the Buick

The test drives are always my favorite part of the show, just because I get to drive random cars I would never think about otherwise and I’m always forced to rethink my opinions.

Keaton Belliston > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 00:28

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IIRC, the bumpers doubled as bumpstops... lol

Turbo-Brick > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 01:12

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I maintain that the Continental concept looked almost nothing like a Bentley, and anyone who thinks it does needs a visual check, a reality check, or both.

Watson > Benjamin Mickey 01/18/2016 at 08:38

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I own a 2015 Forte5 SX with the 6 speed manual. I’ve got about 24,000 miles on it and it’s been a excellent car. It’s quiet, the ride is firm but not harsh, the seats are comfortable and the gas mileage is better than the rating. Handling is good, but it’s not a GTi. It’s definitely quick, but my car took about 12,000 miles before the engine loosened up and I got full power. I find the car very roomy, it has the most room of any compact car. I also have to mention the climate control, it’s fantastic. Just set a temp and forget it, it even turns on the defroster automatically.

Justin Hughes > Hank Scorpio 01/18/2016 at 08:49

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My thoughts exactly. This is no 1999 Sephia.

Justin Hughes > Joaquin Quinoa 01/18/2016 at 08:50

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Now that you mention it, the control panels of the inkjet printer next to me and some of those center consoles do bear a striking resemblance...

Justin Hughes > Digital_ 01/18/2016 at 08:53

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I’ve wanted a WRX for years. I would’ve gotten one instead of my current BRZ except the time I was forced to buy a car was right between the 2014-2015 model years and none were available. As much as I like and appreciate the STi, I don’t need the extra performance over the WRX very much of the time. Plus the power gap between the WRX and STi is pretty small these days. Subaru needs to step up their game with the STi, especially now that the Focus RS has almost 50hp more.

Justin Hughes > Mike 01/18/2016 at 08:56

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I just didn’t feel like waiting around for them. I might have tried the Chevy Volt just for fun, but nothing available for test drives really jumped out at me this year.

cazzyodo > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 08:57

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I was contemplating heading over since I’m a few miles away but decided not to after remembering how I was disappointed last year. This year looks decent and I would have gone just to see the Continental in person.

Oh well. Next year...perhaps with a Jeep pickup in the works?

When I was in high school, Toyota had the FJ Cruiser there as a concept. I get a sad when I don’t see anything different like that.

Justin Hughes > Turbo-Brick 01/18/2016 at 08:57

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Whether it did or didn’t, it certainly doesn’t now.

DriveItLikeYouOwnIt > Keaton Belliston 01/18/2016 at 08:59

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I thought we already *basically* know....400hp/400lb.-ft. available in FWD or AWD.

Justin Hughes > cazzyodo 01/18/2016 at 09:01

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The closest thing to a concept car I saw there was the Toyota Mirai fuel cell car, which I thought I got some pictures of but apparently not. Last year it was up on an unreachable pedestal, but this year they had one wide open, plus a cutaway display showing all the bits and pieces of the fuel cell system. I wish those pictures had come out.

But as others have commented, putting this show on top of Detroit pretty much means that Detroit wins all the cool concepts and reveals. I’m impressed that there were even a few new cars that were just revealed at Detroit, like the Continental.

And seeing as how I own a Jeep pickup (Comanche), I’m extremely interested in how the new one turns out!

cazzyodo > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 09:07

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Oh, that would have been pretty cool to see.

I don’t expect any concepts anymore and I actually stopped expecting any new production cars, to be honest. Or at least some not on pedestals. The Renegade was set way back last year and the Hellcat had a pedestal as well but outside of them I didn’t see anything. The Continental and RS surprised me, particularly the RS being on the floor.

KSEGGFTW > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 09:27

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*drool*

checkeredjaz > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 09:47

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I’m wicked bummed I missed it this year because I was working. I was insanely sick last year when I went and wasn’t truly able to enjoy it. Hopefully next year I can go.

AdmiralAkbar > James May is my spirit animal 01/18/2016 at 10:04

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Or even just their new turbo 1.5L.

Joseph Nutter > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 10:04

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Some of my shots from the NEIAS

Justin Hughes > Joseph Nutter 01/18/2016 at 10:07

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Nice!

Joseph Nutter > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 10:33

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Thanks! taken with a Droid Turbo ha ha

Mokpo > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 12:34

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I was there Friday night. What a great time me and my buddies had siting in cars we’ll never be able to afford. (the beer helped quell feelings of inadequate wallet size.)

Mokpo > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 12:39

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A couple of pics from the NEIAS.

James May is my spirit animal > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 12:45

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Engine up front? This is oppo. Take those words back! Go big or go home! #rearmidengine #whoneedspassengers?



Pibbs says once you go Swede > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 12:47

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I walked the floor yesterday right around the time your article came up. Overall, not a bad show. The Alfas were mobbed by people. Mercedes layout seemed weirdly split in the back corner. Scion had giant stickers on all their cars other than the FRS stating “Good Value”. I got a chuckle out of that. Ford had the best placement, right near the entrance. The employees manning the Chevy display seemed....weird. Hyundai had some sort of game show going on.

Took part in a couple test drives. Mazda gave me a ride in a 3. Not a bad car, but not exactly zoom-zoom. GM needs to take note of how it’s done though. They advertised the Colorado, and it wasn’t available. Then it took almost 45 minutes to get into the Silverado.

The Indycar display was interesting. Met Simon Pagenaud, really cool guy and knew a lot about the proposed layout of the track. Can’t wait for that.

My wife spent most of the time trying to find another car she should have considered when she bought her Jeep Renegade. She left knowing she made the right decision.

AdmiralAkbar > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 12:49

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The biggest Honda dealer in my city carries “Everything Honda”, boat motors, lawn mowers, bikes, quads, and every Honda car - except the CR-Z. They never even have 1 in stock.

drdreydel > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 13:05

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how did you manage to miss the Smurf blue V60 polestar? (which has probably some of the most comfortable front (and rear) seats I sat in all day there.

Pibbs says once you go Swede > red014 01/18/2016 at 13:21

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The Providence show isn’t what it used to be at all. The upper floor is more spread out than it used to be, and there are few to no special events. Used to be that they would have a Sprint/Winston Cup driver there every year. I stopped going there and spent the extra drive time to go to Boston instead. It’s a much better show.

Justin Hughes > James May is my spirit animal 01/18/2016 at 13:29

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The CR-Z doesn’t have a back seat anyway, just a fancy back seat shaped cargo tray. So sure, why not?

Justin Hughes > drdreydel 01/18/2016 at 13:31

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I’m beginning to think some of my pictures got eaten. I tweeted a pic of the V60 Polestar to Ballaban, just to taunt him.

OPPOsaurus WRX > cazzyodo 01/18/2016 at 13:58

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i remember seeing all sorts of concepts there. no more of that cool stuff.

OPPOsaurus WRX > marshknute 01/18/2016 at 13:58

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nope just about 15 seconds

douging > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 14:23

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I think we need more sponsors.

deekster_caddy > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 14:54

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Did Chevy bring anything interesting? Last year they had a couple of ‘Vettes and the old Volt. I was disappointed that they only showed the new Volt in Detroit. Didn’t bother going this year.

jmatta13 > Viggen 01/18/2016 at 15:47

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The city gets to pay for welding down the manhole covers and resurfacing the street in preparation for the race. Track width will definitely be interesting but the race is primarily in the Seaport area which is not the same as the aimless cow paths of the Financial District or the narrow streets in actual Southie.

Daniel Spalinger > Justin Hughes 01/18/2016 at 18:27

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My thoughts...you forgot the Nissan booth...and the “tastefully” modded Toyota Camry with the stanced wheels...

http://nismostuff.blogspot.com/2016/01/new-en…

Anthony > Viggen 01/18/2016 at 18:29

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Will be at both!

Justin Hughes > deekster_caddy 01/18/2016 at 21:57

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Funny you should ask - Chevy was the big surprise to me this year. I’m about to post about that.

Justin Hughes > Daniel Spalinger 01/18/2016 at 21:59

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I must’ve lost some pics. I liked the Nismo 370Z, and how could I forget the “TRD Camry.” Is that anything like the TRD Laser?

1995droptopz > Justin Hughes 01/19/2016 at 10:09

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Living in the Detroit area my whole life, I suppose I was spoiled and thought that’s what all auto shows looked like. This doesn’t look like much more than a few dealer displays placed in a large hall. Interesting to see the new Continental there despite that.

One comment about the new Lincoln design though, is that neither Ford nor Lincoln seems to have any lasting design direction. They seem to re-imagine their corporate look every decade or so, with little to no ties to previous products. Ford currently has the Aston look, which replaced the Gilette Mach3 razor look, which replaced the Blue oval within an oval look. If you took off the emblems there would be no way to tie the generations together.

Lincoln has this look, replacing the mustache look, replacing the waterfall grille. No family ties.

If you look at competitors however, most of them keep familial design cues and make them current. BMW kidneys are recognizable as far back as you can remember. Same with the Pontiac face. Chevy trucks have had the same face for at least 3 decades now. Same with the Dodge crosshair grille.

RabidWombat88 > Justin Hughes 01/19/2016 at 10:16

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How the heck did they not make this a hatch? That tiny trunk opening is ridiculous.

RabidWombat88 > Justin Hughes 01/19/2016 at 10:18

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Maybe its the lighting but the scion dash looks quite shitty shiny pasticy vs the mazda.

RabidWombat88 > Justin Hughes 01/19/2016 at 10:21

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The velociter’s lame ass handling has made it so any more claimed “Hot Hatches” from Kia/Hyundai should be met with extreme skepticism.