What ALL-NEW Vehicle Is On The Market That You Would Have NEVER Considered A Year Ago?

Honestly, the new Genesis actually has me looking forward to future generations of this car and new models from this brand. A year ago I was more than skeptical, but after having driven and ridden in the Genesis, as a luxury car, it more than holds its own. I wish Hyundai would build a Sport model Genesis with more spirit into the driving experience or a shorter, RWD model to rival the 3/C/A4, or even a smaller one to rival the A3/CLA/2/ILX.

This is a Volvo in the article, not a Genesis. What story are you on.

If you read the piece I am asking what all-new vehicle people would consider that they wouldn't a year ago. Has nothing to do with the Volvo, actually, aside from that was my personal choice.

LOL. Is your foot still in your mouth?

Agent00R:

The XC90's sales are NOT doing well. It sells less than 500 units a month and the annualized volume for 2015 based on its performance in the market thus far in 2015 is a little over 4900 units. TEN TIMES that would make it a mild success for Volvo. It would sell like hotcakes if it were priced $20K lower. The prospect of shelling out up to $70K for a near-premium crossover with a coarse/hoarse 4 cylinder turbo is not resonating with buyers.

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As for gotta have new car: Camaro. Technically it's on the market with product on its way. I am not a Chevy person at all, but the new Camaro--like the new Mustang--will elevate the notion of what is a muscle car so much that lackluster efforts like the Mercedes C coupe (with its inflated condom look), the 4 Series (with it parade of BMW cliches), and the A5 (which will be all new yet all old) will experience cross shopping. $45K in a Mustang or Camaro buys AMG-level performance.

Another gotta have new car: Giulia. It's not great looking and the license plate with make the awkward face even more so. The chassis is based heavily on the Ghibli which is largely a Chrysler 300. But I would would love to have a Giulia and drive the crap out of it to see how fast I could kill it with the hope of being pleasantly surprised.

Matt, on a global basis the XC90 well overshot its forecasted production numbers.

So, that makes it a failure?

Interesting thoughts on the Camaro.

I get your take on the C-Class, 4-Series, A5. They're all sort of played out, but I must say I dig the all-new C in a big way.

Giulia is sounding like it will make all the right noises and have more than adequate power.

I have to agree with Matt on the XC90. In the next year to two, I will be ready to upgrade my Q7. While I love the look of the XC90 and the interior, the 4 cylinder may keep me away. In the premium midsize segment, there are few options with a third row. Q7, XC90, Infiniti QXwhatever, and hopefully a Grand Wagoneer (sub premium). X5 does not count (cargo space and third row are a joke). I am hoping by the time I am ready to trade in, the portfolio looks better.

@Agent00R, You're engaging in semantics and you know it. Sales of the XC90 were a trickle and the new one is doing better, but still a trickle, but you're ready to strike up the band and cheer. The XC90 needs to have ten times the volume to be what Volvo needs to save itself. Unless and until Volvo has a breakthrough volume model, they are in danger of being the next SAAB.

Volvo should have aimed the XC90 at the Explorer/Highlander class not the Cayenne+ class. it's that simple.

On a global basis the company slated 50,000 copies. It has orders for 57,000 copies.

No semantics there. It's doing well, end of story.

@Agent00R I call PR bullspit. The PR arm announces that the orders are a certain % above their projection and the dim bulbs of the world focus on the % gain rather than the sales number. The PR arm spat out some BS.

Audi is PRAISED here for its often double-digit sales increases, but NO ONE looks at numbers. US sales of Audis are terrible compared to BMW and Mercedes, but the % gain is announced and the "agents" go into their happy dance all while ignoring reality.

If BMW knew the X5 would only sell 57K units worldwide, they would not build it because there would be no business case for it to be a profit center. THAT is the issue with Volvo and the XC90. 100K units would be a very modest volume for this type of vehicle WORLDWIDE.

57K units is a dismal failure worldwide. Volvo cannot be content with such terrible sales volume.

Back when Chrysler introduced the 200, they crowed about having thousands of orders for the car sight unseen. Those orders were NOT, N-O-T NOT customer orders but product they were pushing out to dealers in allocation which they CALL orders in the industry.

So PR says 50K was the goal. Volvo excretes 57K. PR strikes up the band.

Emperor's new clothes.

I hear you, Matt, but the reality is these are far more niche manufacturers while BMW, Mercedes and Lexus are volume pushers.

Regardless of what you say, Audi's growth rate has been impressive for a small luxury auto manufacturer.

The problem is - there is no ALL NEW vehicle on the market - almost ever. Virtually ALL of the vehicles made today have something in common with their immediate predecessor - and with the first cars made too.

When the Chrysler mini-van first came out - it was something different that it defined a new category of vehicles - and yet it still was a descendant of the VW Bus. They made electric cars along with steamers in the 1920s. The "Hybrid" system was a new power source- but not especially new for the rest of the vehicle.

Suv's have been on the market for decades - the Suburban has been since 1934/35. The new Volvo may LOOK different - but in reality - it does not push any envelope - or any of my buttons either. And it does have lots of competition - some of which are more advanced than it. AND Audi is not a small "Premium" (Note - I do nto equate premium and Luxury to be the same thing) car manufacturer - any more than Cadillac is one as well. They are parts of the largest car manufacturers on the planet.

The question I would ask is - do you want a CHINESE made vehicle for $80,000 or a German one?

The new C-class is ridiculously slick! Especially the C400 (& of course the C63). Very impressive for the updated baby-Benz.

I would consider the new Mustang (fast, cheap, fun), the new WRX (another fast, cheap fun vehicle), the new LEXUS RX and this new XC90.
I just saw the XC90 inside the Galleria Mall here in Houston and I was very impressed. This is a very elegant SUV and I am pretty sure my wife will consider it when the time comes to replace her vehicle.

The XC-90 is a product that has attracted me to Volvo for the first time since the ancient 164E. The interior spanks everything else in the segment and I've looked. You can disagree but its a fabulous interior and the exterior is also strong. Add that to all the safety videos of this car on the inter-web and its a game changer. I'd previously considered the MB GLE but... with this interior and the safety, Volvo is on the list. Concern: the power-train is complex, need to understand it better.... Lexus, BMW, Audi, Cadillac... not interested.... are there others?

The XC90 is gorgeous; it looks like no other vehicle on the market; the only vehicle that comes close to its interior and exterior detailing is the Range Rover (not the Sport, the full-on Range Rover). Volvo is going to sell a ton of them. As 00R said, they are ahead of projection for the year; momentum hasn't even started to build yet.

Want my prediction? Ala Range Rover, Volvo is going to find the demand so great for the XC90, that they will see the market potential and launch a gratuitously premium version (perhaps a long wheelbase) and price it $25,000 higher, with a nicer interior (icing on the cake because the standard interior is beautiful), more wood. Heck, maybe they will eliminate the third row, add a rear center console and it would be the tasteful rich-persons all-weather version of a Maybach or like the long wheel base Range Rover. I think there may be more room inside the XC90 versus the Range Rover - 00R do you have that info?

The XC90 is going to knock it out of the park - because its beautiful and because its NEW.

Bulls Eye!

@mre30 So a $100K XC90 with a 4 cylinder engine? #delusional

As far as I know they are not tracking to launch an uber premium XC90.