Is GM now officially dissing the Aveo? Seems like it.

[MetroMPG]

(Oops - I mixed up Spark/Beat. I do that with Polo/Lupo all the time too. Soon I'll be doing it with Aveo/Sonic Yay, marketers!)

[petrified.rabbit]

The nissan versa starting price dropped to $10,990. This is going to be a tough car to beat.

This issue with small car classes is they are all running into each other, gm is new at this game, and has the same drivetrain in the sonic and the cruze. that means which ever is bigger car(even though they are the same size basically) is going to be under powered in its class..

I think the class of small cars should be based more on price than size anymore. And it should be judged on top price as well. Because a +$10k range in options in an $10k-15k base priced car does not make sense me. I don't want to pay $25k for a car the runs and drives like a $15k car with a bunch of knick knacks added.

[rodo]

The nissan versa starting price dropped to $10,990. This is going to be a tough car to beat.

Yep, they broke away from the pack on configured price when they made ABS standard for the 2010 MY. Especially hard to believe when, like the Sonic, that U.S. base price now includes ABS, AC, and stability/traction control.

[wylee]

I think the class of small cars should be based more on price than size anymore. And it should be judged on top price as well. Because a +$10k range in options in an $10k-15k base priced car does not make sense me. I don't want to pay $25k for a car the runs and drives like a $15k car with a bunch of knick knacks added.

VERY well put.

Another problem is paying 25K for a car that car rental companies bought a bazillion of for 13k each. When depreciation is factored into ownership costs, GM cars with options have historically been pretty expensive.

[Thymeclock]

now

VERY well put.

Another problem is paying 25K for a car that car rental companies bought a bazillion of for 13k each. When depreciation is factored into ownership costs, GM cars with options have historically been pretty expensive.

Did we forget what most Americans want in a car? Are you old enough to remember the old commercial jingle about "baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and CHEVROLET"?

Americans usually want to buy big cars with lots of 'bells and whistles'. But when the economy is in the dumper they turn to VW's and Toyotas. In the 1970's,Toyota got its foothold by providing a small car with all the accessories and gadgetry for a fraction of what Cadillac was charging.

GM can't change their thinking, nor their mode of corporate operations. Have you ever viewed their corporate website and reviewed the list of all their corporate head honchos, just for the Chevrolet division alone? General Motors probably has more corporate top brass than the US Army has generals!

Since they are bankrupt and now that the government is the majority shareholder, why should they be run any different than the Pentagon? It's the same mentality...