For those eagerly awaiting Gen 3

With gas prices staying low and even going down people don't have the interest in fuel economy.
It really depends on where do you reside. Many foreign countries have much higher gas price than the US. In California where the area is big and the gas price is consistently above $3 per gallon due to the oil refinery regulation, people there do care the fuel economy too.
 
Same here. Unless there’re break-throughs on charging time and driving range!
Sure, do what you want!

With the Prius, we could get 50 MPG with an effort, 47 MPG without an effort. It really saves on fuel, but it is not fun to drive, a lot because of the transmission it has.
The RAV4 Hybrid has the same system and same transmission. I did not drive it, but assume it is also not fun, based on some YouTube reviews.

Range is not an issue as long as you don't drive far regularly. In fact, people charge free at work, where they drive most of the time anyway, and they can use the diamond lanes during their commute with the sticker. With today's ranges, range anxiety is gone, except if you really regularly drive far.

I also had a few loaner EVs for a few hours, I drove the Bolt, the RAV4 EV, Golf EV and the Volt. The instant torque and jerk (acceleration rate of change) is wonderful. Instant gratification.
[media]
Compare that to the CVT transmission feel and weak electric motor of a Hybrid along with an Atkinson cycle gas engine. To each their own.
 
The electric jerk off the line can't compare to the ICE in my opinion. Much prefer the sounds of a powerful motor going about its business vs the relative silence of an electric car.
 
I prefer a plug-in hybrid option. Go electric for short work commute on normal days. Get torque of electric motor. Get range and fuel economy of hybrid for trips and unplanned usage.
Yes. A friend of mine who has a Prius Prime for 3+ years in San Jose area. He only visited gas station once for 9 gallons of gas so far. And he doesn’t need a second car with ICE to drive from NorCal to SoCal!
 
Yes. A friend of mine who has a Prius Prime for 3+ years in San Jose area. He only visited gas station once for 9 gallons of gas so far. And he doesn’t need a second car with ICE to drive from NorCal to SoCal!
Well, here in San Jose most people already have a 2nd car anyway. Most people don't need to drive to SoCal often (why not fly?) and, even if you did go with your EV, you'd need two to three quick charges to make it, so not a big deal for such a long trip anyway.
More people will drive to Tahoe and back, which is within range of a single charge for many EVs.

I am not saying you should choose this over that, just that range for many people is not a concern. There are other reasons you might still want a regular ICE. Also, the pricing of a RAV4 Hybrid vs. gas model makes it an attractive offer. Not sure about the plug-in cost difference.

We'll trade our CX-5 this year for a gas engine car for sure, but there is a good chance that next time around it will be an EV.
 
Well, here in San Jose most people already have a 2nd car anyway. Most people don't need to drive to SoCal often (why not fly?) and, even if you did go with your EV, you'd need two to three quick charges to make it, so not a big deal for such a long trip anyway.
More people will drive to Tahoe and back, which is within range of a single charge for many EVs.

I am not saying you should choose this over that, just that range for many people is not a concern. There are other reasons you might still want a regular ICE. Also, the pricing of a RAV4 Hybrid vs. gas model makes it an attractive offer. Not sure about the plug-in cost difference.

We'll trade our CX-5 this year for a gas engine car for sure, but there is a good chance that next time around it will be an EV.
My San Jose friend sold his second car, a Porsche Boxster, a couple of years ago due to very high CA registration fee, and solely rely on his Prius Prime with his wife. And the only reason getting the Prius Prime instead of an EV is because they want a car which can drive farther than 180 miles such as to SoCal without too much hassle. You may be able to do it with an EV by a couple of quick charges (still 30 minutes per charge?), but just try it during the holiday season that’s the time people are traveling! (See 《Tesla Energy Crisis》video in post #21)

It’d take 6+ hours driving from NorCal to SoCal. You don’t save too much time by flying there with security check and car rental. Not to mention it costs more.
 
I really would have expected the next-gen CX-5 this coming fall, with the new tech debuted in the Mazda3 last year.

Maybe there's an MCA (mid-cycle action) in the cards? As some have pointed out, although there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the tech in the CX-5, it is 6 years old already, having debuted in the 2014 Mazda3.

This news makes my decision to buy a stopgap Mazda3 last year a bit awkward; I'd planned to pass this car down to my wife in the next year or two for a Gen3 CX-5, but now that's at least 3 years away. Realistically more like 4, since I'm finally going to listen to my own advice and stop buying first-model-year cars.

Ugh. They'd better hit me with a SkyactivX I6 mild hybrid or PHEV to make the wait worthwhile.
 
well since the new cx-9's aren't expected to release until 2023, i guess i'll just buy my lease out and drive..haha
 
Even a 4 banger sounds better than an electric motor....
Wasn't there an issue early on in the life of electric vehicles where pedestrians were getting run over because they couldn't hear the car coming? I thought there was legislation being kicked around to require them to be louder.
 
Wasn't there an issue early on in the life of electric vehicles where pedestrians were getting run over because they couldn't hear the car coming? I thought there was legislation being kicked around to require them to be louder.
i believe it's below 25mph the car has to make some distinctive noise. Not sure if the law passed.
 
Well, I just read that the deadline has been set and moved a few times over the past decade.

From Nov 2016 CNET.
If you buy an electric vehicle after September 1, 2019, it'll automatically make noise anytime it's traveling at speeds slower than 18.6 miles per hour

The law was passed in 2010 with a 2014 deadline that kept getting pushed back.
A September 2019 NYT article says the reg takes effect "next fall" (later this year.)

This is why we can't remember...it's a moving target whose deadlines have come, gone and been rewritten more than once.

A similar law has legally been in full force & effect in the EU since July 1, 2019.
 
Last edited:
i believe it's below 25mph the car has to make some distinctive noise. Not sure if the law passed.
Just stupid. Should have outlawed loud motorcycles and loud modified exhaust.
Willing to exchange any day the engine noise with robust immediate torque.
 
Just stupid. Should have outlawed loud motorcycles and loud modified exhaust.
Willing to exchange any day the engine noise with robust immediate torque.
I used to have land in the hills, nearer the roads. Very affluent area. Nothing like hearing a Lamborghini Murci' hammering the apexes while out hiking. Music.
 
Even if it is not a V8 it is music. Flat 6 can sound epic too.
911 GT3


I was talking mostly about loud, heavy and inefficient Harleys, with modified exhaust or "improved" shitboxes with a loud exhaust.
Those are just a public menace and should be outlawed.

Also, the Ferrari video is a rarity for most of us:
1. Empty road: in reality, the Ferrari will be stuck behind a slowpoke driving 10MPH below the speed limit, or going 5MPH in a traffic jam, or with multiple stops at the light.
2. Almost nobody drives a Ferrari. For many Americans, the idea of a fun car is a large heavy SUV/Pickup with a high center of gravity and a large engine.
3. Folks prefer plush luxury to road handling. They also prefer a soft ride over handling. This is why Subaru sells better than Mazda.
4. People prefer a quiet ride to a noisy Ferrari. When walking or sitting at home they prefer quiet cars...

A relative of mine has a Porsche, but it is hard to get into and the clutch is heavy, so he much prefers driving his wife's automatic Volvo wagon.

The video is an idealized driving experience you can pretty much get only on the track. In reality, you drive with many other people, stop and go with very little enjoyment. In this environment, a comfortable quiet ride is better.
 
I like the sound of Harleys.
Sounds like pure power.

My '59 Austin Healey had a Stebro free-flow exhaust on it.
Sounded like a crop duster when you'd let your foot off the accelerator going downhill.

These things are way less annoying and are gone a lot faster than some idiot's unattended-to barking dog.
 
Last edited:
Back