I usually agree with Mark Phelan's reviews in the Detroit Free Press. His take on the new Civic is that it lacks the kinds of things that made past Civics some of the most fun compact cars around....

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...512010457/1015

 

I don't know why everyone gets so fired up when people say the Cobalt's interior sucks. Sure, the layout isn't bad, but some of the materials are closer to those used in making my garbage cans than those that are in my 5 year old VW. I've sat in one about 5 times, and the first thing that I notice is that the dash screams "cheap."

Even on their other cars, I see lots of things that suggest they don't pay attention to details. For example, on the new Buick (la crosse) when you open the door, you see non-glossy paint and visible spot welds. Ok who cares, but walk over to an import car (or even the Ford 500) in the same or lower price class, and most have glossy paint in the door jambs and have somehow hidden all the spot welds. The thought process that goes through a customer's mind is this: "If they aren't "sweating the details" here, where else aren't they?

In regards to the MT article: MT sucks. The new Civic is underwhelming.

 

Why has the Civic made the greatest leaps forward and most impact in its segment? Surely since this is what the award is for they will tell you in quotes in the artical? If this is what the award is for, someone tell me how the Audi came in second "trying to prove that less can sometimes cost more." How is that leaps forward and an impact on the market, unless if people now think less = more $.

 

Plastic is plastic. The Germans have learned to conceal the cheap glossy look of it by painting it. Unfortunately heat, humidity, abuse, and the oils in the human hand cause it to peel soon after most of the press have returned the car to the manufacturer. How do I know this? Because I consistently have customers(Im a BMW tech) bringing their $75,000-$130,000 745/750/760's in to have the b-pillars/kickpanels/a/c vents/ center console release buttons/ etc. replaced after the paint peeled off from 15-30k miles of use.

 

I guess I get fired up on the Cobalt because I really like it. I know you aren't alone in your opinion, though...a couple other people seem to feel the same way you do regarding the "cheapness." Frankly though, C&D really liked the inside of the Cobalt. If they like it, being the biggest of the dashboard fondlers, I guess I figured it was pretty damn good. I mean, I love it inside...but what do I know

 

I don't know what BMW and MB are using, but other than 1 out of my 4 door handles, I've had no paint peeling or other damage in nearly 6 years and 90,000 miles. Only really cheap thing was that the floormats were as heavy duty as cardboard.

I will say that it's stupid to paint door handles and switches, no matter who does it.

 

Painted interior? You mean like my GMT-800 Silverado had all over the hollow PVC-plastic snap-together dash? That stuff wore off in any area where hands were commonly placed.

 

I've got an '03 Suburban; it doesn't have PVC-plastic interior; nor any painted plastic. Nothing's worn off and nothings broke either. My father in law has a '99 GMC 1-ton. Again, no "pvc-plastic" and no painted plastic either and nothing broken. My brother in law has an '01 Sierra 1500. Funny: nothing pvc, painted, or broken on his vehicle either. I'm skeptical: what year was yours? There's a big difference between "cheap appearance" and "an actual lack of durability".

GMT800's are GM's biggest seller, platform-wise. I'll open this up to everybody else: GMT800 owners: tell me about your PVC-plastic (yes, I'm being literal here -- you didn't say PVC-like, you said "PVC-plastic"), painted plastic, and broken interiors.

 

PVC was in my estimation and from what I've heard from several others, as well.

Painted is a fact. You're wrong. Period. I've seen the paint come off several GMT-800 vehicles including mine, a couple Tahoes, an Escalade, and a Yukon Denali.

Don't believe me? find a hidden place anywhere along the dash and take some very light grain sandpaper to it to simulate a couple years of normal use with somebody who often rests their hand on the dash or whatnot. Whether it was originally beige, gray, or black, it'll come off and reveal flat black plastic underneath.

It's especially apparent on the tan interior, though.

I guess when the paint came off mine and I was surprised and the dealer said "oh, the paint just wore off.. that happens all the time, we'll order another trim piece - just try to keep your hands off of it when you can as it'll just come right off again", that he was just lying to me?

This stuff is VERY common on the GM truck boards. A lot of the guys won't admit/complain about it, but that's why so many of those guys resort to sanding and painting their dashes with profesional car paint or using suede or buying new 'upgraded' trim, etc.

 

Even I know MT scribes wouldn't know which way is UP. Who would take them so seriously anyway... apart from the automakers receiving the awards?

 

I was also amazed that the Civic took it.
I had all my money on the 3 series. Powerful engine, new design, and still the best car in its class.
Civic...eh
What I dont get is what is "Fun to drive"? That you can rev the car to 8k rpm? The total lack of torque? The interior looks like it was layed out by a child, and everything looks very cheap. It wins gee-wiz points with the 6spd manual and the DVD navi, but the outside looks someone left an Ion coupe in a wind tunnel. The rake is waaaaaay too much, the body lacks any serious style (par for the course), and its only really nice thing I liked about it were the nice seats. Thats it. Engine is high strung, as they all have, its blander then all hell, and if it wasnt for that red metalic paint, the car would blend in. I have seen several new Civics, and they are REALLY ugly. The sedan is just flat out horrid. I cannot belive it won car of the year.
I dont think any GM car should have won either, outside of the Solstice, but the Civic? Did they include the HHR? Maybe thats too "niche" for COTY? Tack on the Solstice as well. Cobalt deffinatly is falling behind the new onslaught of import compeditors, I will say that much, but its still not a bad car. I cant belive that ANY Hyundai would be considerd is amazing in itself. Sorry, they could put a million mile warranty, and they still fall apart.

 

Motor Trend judges their Car of the Year on the best and most significant NEWLY INTRODUCED car that year. With that as a guideline, I'm not really surprised Honda got it.

Best and most significant can be something that is simply innovative, or creates a whole new class of automobile. If Bulgaria came out with a solar powered car that worked, was cheap, but looked like a Yugo, it would still be COTY because it's innovative, and goes into a new direction. That's just the way MT's rules are set up.

Being the BEST new car of that year has nothing to do with their choice, and neither does being the bast new car on the market if it's over a year old.

Pretty crappy guidelines IMO.

 

I would be with you on that. How the Civic won out over it is beyond me.

 

I personally think the Civic should have won. But, I do think they should have used a better optioned Cobalt as the stripper models can really make them look a lot cheaper than they really are.

 

I guess the Lucerne should've had something as useless as self-turn on wipers, instead of something actually useful like its heated washer fluid...