All Cars, All the Time

Talk About Turkeys

Every Thanksgiving a new round of "automotive turkey" stories appear. It could be worst sellers of the year or ugliest of all time. The overriding principle is that the cars are losers in some regard. What upsets me about this MSNBC story of supposedly "un-great" cars is that many of the cars described aren't turkeys at all: Scion xB, Hummer H2, Citroen 2CV, and Honda Element. The story states that the xB is hip with older drivers and therefore making it unhip. This would have actually been a better case for the Element. Scion has done a pretty good job of marketing to its intended. If you spend any time driving around California's major cities, you'll see that the xB has done pretty well with younger drivers. Say what you will about the H2. It's big. It's thirsty. It may be ridiculous. But it's not a turkey. The H2 is a styling success that thrust the Hummer brand onto the mainstream market: a vehicle that truly captured the spirit of its brand. The 2Cv is funky, it's French, but a turkey? Sacre bleu! (okay, that phrase may have been from Cap'n Crunch) In any case, how can you call a peasant car a Turkey? The deux chevaux was big hit because it was simple and practical. When you're struggling to get by, you don't need a car that costs several farm animals to maintain. The Element is unique in its styling, I'll give it that. The Honda also missed its intended demographics and actually skewed much older. But a turkey? When there are so many other deserving cars out there? Please. Have you seen the new Element with painted fenders? It doesn't look so awkward. If you ask me, this MSNBC article is a turkey! Okay, that's my rant for the day. Back to my vacation! I'll see y'all real soon!