The death of the classic, GM North American sedan

TECHNOLOGY


In today’s world of mini-car models, worries about gasoline prices and saving the planet, the reality is that last year and so far in 2010 SUV sales and big trucks have been on a tear while subcompacts and compact sales are down. The truth is that North Americans, by and large, are bigger people who need roomier vehicles with lots of storage/cargo space for long drives.

Personally, I am a classic sedan lover. Four doors, large trunk and plenty of headroom for someone 6’3” (namely me) or taller, and large front and rear crash/crupple zones for safety. That was the formula for the family vehicle for decades and GM did it well. Think full size Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, and, for the rich, Cadillac.

But the designers at GM are abandoning that formula and this year it has been Buick’s turn.

Buick’s new 4 door large sedan model – the LaCrosse -- is getting lots of favorable publicity. Auto journalists love the new front style and ‘sporty’ look. It replaces the short lived Allure, which replaced the 8 year Century.

But I – as a longtime sedan lover– am not impressed.

I still own 2 Buick Centuries and find the new replacement not up to par.

To start, the LaCrosse, which I call a jellybean on steroids, has a very short, cuts off trunk design.

The trunk is not as huge as in the past, and more importantly has a very small access mouth that will prevent larger objects from getting in.
Great for golf clubs and groceries, but not that piece of furniture or family picnic cooler or new boxed (unassembled) barbeque you just bought at Canadian Tire.

Even worse, I cannot sit in the front without risking spinal injury, and getting through the rear doors is impossibility. At 6’3” I am well within the upper half the the North American male population. According to Wikipedia and Answer.com, half of Canadian males are over 5’9’ and the same for American males. (Females average about 5’4’ in both countries.)

But I can barely get into the front of the LaCrosse without scrunching down and, once inside, my head almost grazes the roof liner -- unless I angle the seat back to a semi-sleeping position. A good pothole or speed bump and my head would be trying to make its own sunroof while my neck and spine would be crunched.

And forget about the rear. Thanks to the sporty sloping roofline I cannot contort myself enough to get in. The door opening hits me in the shoulder – at about the 5’8’ level!

So, are only North American women and below average height males worthy of the new, big Buick?

Next year, its Chevy’s turn to abandon taller people as the Impala is to be replaced with a model in the new sedan look!

What’s left, then, at GM? Just the Cadillac; not your typical ‘average family’ car, but a vehicle design smart enough to know that grown ups do sit in back seats and taller people count as well.



PS - The police departments all over North America are also complaining about the disappearance of the large sedan. The Ford Crown Victoria is being discontinued, as is the Chevy Impala -- leaving only Chrysler’s C300 and Magnum wagon left. But these two Chryslers have poor visibility and huge bind spots (a major safety issue according to police) and drink gas like water. (Ford’s new Taurus – last year’s 500 – is too cramped for police taste, it seems.)


What say you, Taxi drivers?