Chevy Aveo and Toyota Echo Hatchback

"windmere" > wrote in message
news:un1Ub.388385$JQ1.184454@pd7tw1no...
> I noticed the cute ads for the Aveo - very nice (mom loves driving her
> teenage son's first car). Echo's in contrast are creepy (monsters coming
out
> of the hatch, etc.). But all these cars are being marketed to kids. They
did
> that with the original Echo sedan too and the average person who drives
> those is 45.

The Element and Aztek were marketed towards the youth as well. No youth
bought any since they are way beyond their budget (and really ugly.) The
Echo (and hatch) and the Aveo are closer to that price range. Around here
all the kids want Honda Civics. The Aveo and Echo are a lot closer to that
than boxy SUVs..

As far as ads, I've found the Echo hatch ones stupid "What goes in the hatch
is up to you." Have they ever looked in there? You could fit two small
shopping bags, that's it. Have you ever played the online game? You can only
fit 5 tiny items in there. I would much rather the Echo Sedan. Although the
one where there is the pit crew inside is kind of cute.

I've found the Aveo ones kind of cute. I especially liked the one where
daughter shuts off the car and lights and coasts into the driveway "Official
car of broken curfew." Reminds me of when I coasted into the driveway
running dark late at night (early in the morning?) Not that I broke curfew,
I just wanted to come in quiet.

Stephen H. Westin wrote:


> I imagine that the height of the vehicle helps here. Does the seat
> back stack on top of the cushion? That wasn't feasible on the Escort,
> as the load floor was too close to the floorpan.

Yes. It moves down as the front moves up a bit and forward.

The trick is that the seat is a little lower than the cargo area.

Mark Pippin wrote:

> Put the "footballs" on the rear floor before you fold the seat down if
> you must. Why remove them at all? There's no need to, the seat folds
> just fine with them in place.

Only if you are 5'7". If the seat is back more than a couple of inches,
they don't fit(why they are removeable, btw).

But not place to store them. I suspect if you drilled a hole in the lower
section of the inside of that rear storage panel area for the other leg
to go through, it would fit in there.

Bill 2 wrote:

> As far as ads, I've found the Echo hatch ones stupid "What goes in the hatch
> is up to you." Have they ever looked in there? You could fit two small
> shopping bags, that's it. Have you ever played the online game? You can only
> fit 5 tiny items in there. I would much rather the Echo Sedan. Although the
> one where there is the pit crew inside is kind of cute.

Yeah. The Matrix is what they really should be advertizing. It's a nice
vehicle for the 20-something crowd.

> I've found the Aveo ones kind of cute. I especially liked the one where
> daughter shuts off the car and lights and coasts into the driveway "Official
> car of broken curfew."

That seems more like the Prius. Electric power the last block.

"Joseph Oberlander" > wrote in message
hlink.net...
> Bill 2 wrote:
>
> > As far as ads, I've found the Echo hatch ones stupid "What goes in the
hatch
> > is up to you." Have they ever looked in there? You could fit two small
> > shopping bags, that's it. Have you ever played the online game? You can
only
> > fit 5 tiny items in there. I would much rather the Echo Sedan. Although
the
> > one where there is the pit crew inside is kind of cute.
>
> Yeah. The Matrix is what they really should be advertizing. It's a nice
> vehicle for the 20-something crowd.

Oh for sure. I know someone (mid 20s) that was considering the Vibe and the
Mazda 5 when buying their first car. Unfortunately they were still slightly
more than he was willing to pay, but he could afford them next time around,
in 5 years or so. I like the idea of the wagon in that it's the same length
as the sedan, but you get much more storage capacity, especially with the
seats folded. Although you'd be amazed what you can fit in the truck and
back seat of a compact car (not echo hatch).

> > I've found the Aveo ones kind of cute. I especially liked the one where
> > daughter shuts off the car and lights and coasts into the driveway
"Official
> > car of broken curfew."
>
> That seems more like the Prius. Electric power the last block.

That takes away all the fun. I'd prefer coasting in, more adventurous.

Joseph Oberlander > writes:

> Stephen H. Westin wrote:
>
> > I imagine that the height of the vehicle helps here. Does the seat
> > back stack on top of the cushion? That wasn't feasible on the Escort,
> > as the load floor was too close to the floorpan.
>
> Yes. It moves down as the front moves up a bit and forward.
>
> The trick is that the seat is a little lower than the cargo area.

Or that the cargo load floor is higher than the seat . It's all
tradeoffs.

--
-Stephen H. Westin
Any information or opinions in this message are mine: they do not
represent the position of Cornell University or any of its sponsors.

Bill 2 > writes:

> The Element and Aztek were marketed towards the youth as well.
> No youth bought any since they are way beyond their budget
> (and really ugly.)


I remember wondering about the Aztek's price point versus its
intended market when it first came out, and expecting it to
either languish on dealers' lots or attract an unexpected
(read: older) demographic. As for its looks, I find its
ugliness to be overblown. I consider it more odd than ugly,
and even then, only when viewed from the front.

The Element is far from pretty, but it has enough personality
that it really grew on me. Like the Scion xB and rhe Hummer
H2, it's fun to look at without being conventionally attractive.



Geoff

--
"When I want your opinion, I'll read it from your entrails."

Bill 2 > writes:

> I know someone (mid 20s) that was considering the Vibe
> and the Mazda 5 when buying their first car.


Is the Vibe anything close to a sales success? I must see
ten Matrixes (Matrices?) for every Vibe I notice.

Toyota must have a lot more credibility in the youth market
than Pontiac does. Personally, I find the Vibe to be the
better looking vehicle of the two, both inside and out.
I like the reverse rake of the window line at the back,
especially.

I was interested to read in one of the car magazines that
the 2004 Matrix no longer has a feature that I never even
knew if offered: an AC power outlet. Does anyone know
why this was deleted? (Maybe there were liability con-
cerns, or perhaps the inverted proved to be troublesome?)
Does (or did) the Vibe have one, also?



Geoff

--
"When I want your opinion, I'll read it from your entrails."

"Geoff Miller" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Bill 2 > writes:
>
> > I know someone (mid 20s) that was considering the Vibe
> > and the Mazda 5 when buying their first car.
>
>
> Is the Vibe anything close to a sales success? I must see
> ten Matrixes (Matrices?) for every Vibe I notice.
>
> Toyota must have a lot more credibility in the youth market
> than Pontiac does. Personally, I find the Vibe to be the
> better looking vehicle of the two, both inside and out.
> I like the reverse rake of the window line at the back,
> especially.

It's the same car.

> I was interested to read in one of the car magazines that
> the 2004 Matrix no longer has a feature that I never even
> knew if offered: an AC power outlet. Does anyone know
> why this was deleted? (Maybe there were liability con-
> cerns, or perhaps the inverted proved to be troublesome?)
> Does (or did) the Vibe have one, also?

Yes it had one. We sat in one in the showroom and thought "What's this? an
AC outlet.

Bill 2 > writes:

[I said I see a lot more Matrixes than Vibes]

> It's the same car.


Yes, I realize that. There are nevertheless detail differences
in the styling, and those differences are why I find the Vibe
to be better looking than the Matrix. Your mileage, as they
say, may vary.



Geoff

--
"When I want your opinion, I'll read it from your entrails."