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19th
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Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. This is great and everything, but at some point it all becomes a little dull.
Recently, Toyota unveiled their latest 2014 Corolla and although not revolutionary by any stretch of the imagination, the new car shows signs of progress in the right direction. Although it remains progress, I'm not certain that Toyota created anything entirely new. Driving impressions are a few months away, so final judgment will be reserved for then.
On the design front, a colleague of mine sent me the picture you see in this story. He concocted this picture in only a few seconds, but the message it conveys is quite clear: Design barriers were not torn down with the new Corolla.
In fact, with the exception of Kia and Hyundai, few others are really doing anything concrete or original. The Dodge Dart is decidedly a handsome car, but the gapping grille, aggressive bumper, and profiled headlights have been around since the 2010 MAZDA3 in the same segment.
So what's going on? Easy: There are innovators and there are followers. For some manufacturers such as Mazda with their gorgeous MAZDA6, they bank on being noticed first, then appreciated for their technology second. I don't know how well it will work for the 6, however, when the new 3 arrives, hold on to your hats.
So, what does this all mean? Well, in the Corolla's case it's a matter of Toyota deciding to invest further in content (to match the Koreans) and to depend on its namesake to attract and maintain clientele. As a note, it will work. In the case of the Kia Forte, its success depends heavily on two things: bang for the buck and styling. I think they've managed both.
If we look at every car in the compact segment, many look alike from one angle or another and even if I find the situation a little sad, conservative buyers in this segment like it this way. As the years and months go by and our aging population moves out of cars, manufacturers will have to spruce and spice up designs to attract younger buyers.
The process has already begun so within a few years, stragglers will all catch up. The end result? The compacy car segment will be a good looking bunch (and clearly all from the same lineage) in the very near future.
Recently, Toyota unveiled their latest 2014 Corolla and although not revolutionary by any stretch of the imagination, the new car shows signs of progress in the right direction. Although it remains progress, I'm not certain that Toyota created anything entirely new. Driving impressions are a few months away, so final judgment will be reserved for then.
On the design front, a colleague of mine sent me the picture you see in this story. He concocted this picture in only a few seconds, but the message it conveys is quite clear: Design barriers were not torn down with the new Corolla.
In fact, with the exception of Kia and Hyundai, few others are really doing anything concrete or original. The Dodge Dart is decidedly a handsome car, but the gapping grille, aggressive bumper, and profiled headlights have been around since the 2010 MAZDA3 in the same segment.
So what's going on? Easy: There are innovators and there are followers. For some manufacturers such as Mazda with their gorgeous MAZDA6, they bank on being noticed first, then appreciated for their technology second. I don't know how well it will work for the 6, however, when the new 3 arrives, hold on to your hats.
So, what does this all mean? Well, in the Corolla's case it's a matter of Toyota deciding to invest further in content (to match the Koreans) and to depend on its namesake to attract and maintain clientele. As a note, it will work. In the case of the Kia Forte, its success depends heavily on two things: bang for the buck and styling. I think they've managed both.
If we look at every car in the compact segment, many look alike from one angle or another and even if I find the situation a little sad, conservative buyers in this segment like it this way. As the years and months go by and our aging population moves out of cars, manufacturers will have to spruce and spice up designs to attract younger buyers.
The process has already begun so within a few years, stragglers will all catch up. The end result? The compacy car segment will be a good looking bunch (and clearly all from the same lineage) in the very near future.
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