[mainertodd]

I test-drove an iM CVT today. I also drove a Prius Two and a Kia Soul + w/ the Audio Package. Overall, I thought the iM was very nice. The interior was very attractive, modern, and well-designed. The car gives off an air of quality. From what little I could tell on the test-drive, the ride and handling were good. A couple things bothered me, though:

1) The throttle tip-in felt very sluggish. Nothing seemed to happen for the first inch or so, and then it would pick up. Overall acceleration seemed decent, and I'm sure this is something that one would quickly adjust to when driving the iM daily, but it was noticeable.

2) Every seemed really tiny! The shift lever was smaller than I expected and the speedometer and tachometer were really small.

3) I had a difficult time figuring out where the corners of the car were from the driving position, which was an uncomfortable feeling.

Compared to the iM, the Prius felt strangely familiar. Throttle tip-in was even more sluggish, of course, but otherwise it was a fairly similar driving experience. The current Prius is much nicer than the previous generation, which I test-drove back when I bought my current car in 2007. Still, I'm not sure it's a car that I could see myself driving.

I drove the Kia Soul + last, and I was very impressed. The back seat was enormous for such a short car, though that came at the expense of cargo space. Overall the car felt much more "normal" than the iM and the Prius, especially in terms of throttle feel. It's going to be tough to pass up a Soul w/ navigation and the upgraded sound system for roughly $1500 less than an iM (based on the prices the dealerships gave me). Decisions, decisions...

 

[S-Factor]

What are you currently driving? May contribute to what feels normal to you.

 

[Briggs]

The Soul is less than the iM? I didn't realize that... Just kinda figured that the iM was a deal as far as pricing went.

 

[Filmore]

The Soul is less than the iM? I didn't realize that... Just kinda figured that the iM was a deal as far as pricing went.

yea but the hyundai dealer could be offering a storming deal on leftover MY15 Souls...

 

[Nick Prescott]

yea but the hyundai dealer could be offering a storming deal on leftover MY15 Souls...

^This, AND would you really have a KIA or Hyundai over a Toyota? I feel like comparing a Korean car to a Japanese car is a bad comparison personally. One will still be worth $10k after 5 years and the other you might be able to trade for set of pogs, a blender, and a pitbull puppy on Craigslist.

 

[ToddMS]

^This, AND would you really have a KIA or Hyundai over a Toyota? I feel like comparing a Korean car to a Japanese car is a bad comparison personally. One will still be worth $10k after 5 years and the other you might be able to trade for set of pogs, a blender, and a pitbull puppy on Craigslist.

POGS?!?! Those are priceless in this day and age.

Seriously though, I have thought about an Elantra GT as it has a little more room for the driver than the iM but have been drawn back because of the resale figures.

 

[Patrick.S]

I would just go for the iM for the better overall ownership; reliability, support, dealer network, etc.

Being as worry free as possible is key here for me which toyota seems to offer.

 

[mainertodd]

Well, I DO currently drive a Kia (a 2006 Spectra5), though that honestly doesn't affect my feelings toward the current crop of cars, aside from the fact that I don't share the same bias against Hyundai and Kia that some people do. I agree that there was a huge difference in quality between Hyundai/Kia and Toyota/Honda 15 years ago, but that's not true anymore. In some respects, Hyundai and Kia are superior; for example, I trust a conventional Kia/Hyundai 6-speed automatic over the Civic/Corolla/iM CVTs. And if my car is any indication, Kias in particular are very well designed and put together. Stats from sites like TrueDelta bear that out.

In terms of price, the iM I drove is selling for MSRP, so $20,180 plus a $300 dealer prep fee, or $20,480 total. Without even negotiating, I was offered a price of $19,300 for a 2016 Kia Soul + with the Audio Package (yes, a 2016, not a 2015), which is better equipped than the iM. And since Kia isn't a no-haggle company, I'm pretty sure I can get them lower. I plan to keep my new car 8-10 years, so resale isn't a huge factor for me.

At any rate, I should probably test drive the iM again. I'm not saying I didn't like it--I do. It was really the throttle feel that was throwing me off, and that was based on a short drive, so it might not mean much. Aside from that, it's a quality car. I certainly haven't crossed it off my list yet!

 

[Joe Chang]

I agree with your point #3 . I drove this car for 3 weeks since I got the car. Every time I parked on the side of the road, I still can't figure out where the curb supposed to be. I noticed I always park about 4 inch away from the curb. This isn't the bad thing at least I won't hit my tires or ruin my rims but it is just difficult to get that feeling.