Sure, in 20+ year old engines. What was the last modern non-wrx Subie you had a head gasket go in?

Which car isn't?

Lose the screens, put back the buttons, and return the Outback to a station wagon and we'll talk.

Luckily I am not American.

Amusing. Clearly you've never driven in the Midwest where you'll see a ranger stacked over the cab with scrap metal crawling down the highway on a daily basis.

I've had my Hyundai for 5 years so I guess Subaru was 1 year too late.

I don't know the technical term for this precise part of the car, here's an image.

This is a newer model, but on the BYD seal I examined I nearly bent this just by leaning on it. Completely gave way under me, as it's just a thin piece of floating metal with a small rectangle of foam under it.

On a more traditional manufacturers car body this would be part of the unibody - directly joined to the frame. On BYD it's a floating panel. Same with the side panels, so if you open the door you can see between the car panel and the interior car frame. There is a thin piece of foam insert to block access, but it was loose and easily came out - more premium manufacturers make this a part of the unibody again. It prevents water (or debris/dirt) coming in between the panels, and strengthens the body, at the cost of some weight due to the added steel. BYD - nah, foam insert is fine.

Like I said, they're built to a price point and there are many points of failure that other manufacturers have learnt are not corners worth cutting.

Its the same size as a fifth gen hilux with a short bed option. Slate likely will make a long bed option in the future, but a short bed is hardly a deal breaker for a compact truck.

Well, no. It may be a vinyl wrap but it looks fake because it's matte. A glossy wrap wouldn't have the same illusion

Unfortunately I am in America and that is a compact car. Most vehicles here are 4.75 meters in length or more. I do have to haul an equipment set for work.

The body is... plastic. Its the same material used by Saturn which is still holding up today.

Let's just let Elmo kill people.

It's because it's a vinyl wrap, not paint.

Volvo batteries are made by Geely. ID4 batteries are made by LG.

I would avoid any battery pack not made by CATL.

Just keep in mind every diesel maker was found guilty of altering emissions testing.

German industry went from CAD to customer around 2010 and never looked back. It's one reason why no one is buying any VAG products. The VAG has dried up. AUDIs now all have plastic oil pans.

I was expecting a fair comparison between 5 different cars having features I liked, so that I could choose one to purchase.

Your logic is faulty but we still love you.

What do you mean by "razor thin bonnet cut outs"? Wouldn't a smaller cutout be a sign of better engineering?

Me, if they have better build quality than BYD, which is definitely low end of engineering. Door gaps, trim and panel misalignment, razor thin bonnet cutouts.. They're really not built to last imo - and that's why they can be priced so low.

I don't doubt it's a safety considersation.

In a less tinfoiler note - why would they release a car that's not been tested well enough to discover this fault condition?

Is it not already well known that these batteries contain enough energy to be a practically inextinguishable firebomb?

Why would any company, let alone one as big as VAG release a vehicle without going through every test to prove that their vehicles were safe?

rip oversea lesbians

yes.

Please read the article. This is a safety measure as part of a recall to stop potential fires. This is a good thing, not a conspiracy

why do they have to be so damn ugly. every single smart looks like a blob