djSyndrome

You're kidding yourself if you think this is going to sticker for 26k. That's only a grand more than the Aura Hybrid, which has a fraction of the technology (never mind battery capacity and cost) of the Volt.

Is that a...flat-bottomed steering wheel(?!)

The mileage numbers 'just suck'? Let's look at comparable cars with all-wheel drive.

Impreza (4sp auto) 20/27
Matrix 4WD (4sp auto) 20/26

Forester (4sp auto) 20/26
RAV4 (4sp auto 4cyl. 4WD) 21/27
CR-V (5sp auto 4WD) 20/26
Mazda Tribute (4sp auto 4WD) 19/24

We could have had a Supra for the fraction of the money sunk into this turd. Thanks, Toyota!

Because technically they're two different cars. The Yaris sedan is actually the Belta, but they're all called Yaris in the US for marketing reasons.

http://toyota.jp/belta/index.html

Troll? No, just someone who sees the domestics for what they are. On the hopes of unlimited cheap oil, they sunk all of their money into profitable SUVs, needless money-losing acquisitions of luxury marques (Aston Martin? seriously?) and wasteful engines while they let their small car development languish. Now that Americans suddenly care about gas mileage, they've been caught with their pants down.

I'd hate to see Ford or GM go away because their European divisions offer some truly great cars (which need to be brought here, uh, yesterday). Chrysler is a stain on the industry and can die in a fire.

Awesome post.

Semi-related: I always find it ironic when someone chooses to buy a Mexican-built Fusion over an American-built Camry or Accord and then touts their 'patriotism'. Yes, the dollars ultimately wind up back here, but to me the /jobs/ are just as important - and I'd rather keep as much labor going in America as possible rather than feeding the Mexican government.

Honda's been teasing the Stream for years. I'll believe it when I see it.

IS: RWD
Aura: not RWD.

Expensive hoax? Anyone can mock up a mainframe screen in a terminal window.