In his review of the Ford Fiesta, Jack Baruth identified a personality type that anyone who spends time on car websites will recognize: “Mr Euro.”
Mr. Euro is the guy who, for some reason, wants the cars he cannot have in the United States. He’s the guy who says he would drive a 520i “in a heartbeat” given the chance, the dude who thinks we’re missing out because the Renault Twingo stays on the froggy side of the pond, the fellow who desperately wants a Vauxhall Zafira for child-lugging purposes.
Indeed, some of us might even recognize a little “Mr Euro” in ourselves. Especially when we consider the Hyundai i40, a Passat and Mondeo-benchmarked, Euro-only, wagon-first, expression of Hyundai’s “modern premium” aspirations. Hundai’s reps claim [via Autocar] the i40 will offer “all the credentials of an Audi but an affordable price,” and say that a four-door sedan version (coming in 2012) “would match the VW Passat CC for style.” Too bad America’s Mr Euros make up such a tiny segment (and spend all their money on used cars and maintenance) that Hyundai is likely to never bring it to the US.
I know a couple of “Mr. Euro” types. They say they want euro-spec cars, but will they actually buy one? Are they willing to pay euro-level MSRP? Are they willing to pay euro-level prices (USD $6 – $10/gallon) for gas? US spec cars are good enough for me.
Excuse me, but I struggle with this – how wanting a Euro-spec car is related to suffering European rules, prices and restrictions?
I am Mr. Euro (325i wagon qualifies I believe) and I endorse this Hyundai.
Curse you Hyundai! Make this be the new Elantra Touring!
I believe this is supposed to be the Sonata wagon, but I’ll admit the hood looks a little short for that.
Is this the Venza to our Sonata, or something in-between that and the Elantra?
Hyundai hasn’t totally decided against it, but if they do bring it to the States, it will be badged as the Sonata Touring just as the i30 Estate is sold here as the the Elantra Touring.
Hyundai already stated that they will bring over the next gen i30 (but this time in hatch form) as the new Elantra 5-door.
I have always had a fondness for wagons. I am no Mr Euro though. One of my fav cars I have owned was a 92 Taurus wagon. My wife (girl friend at the time) couldn’t believe how roomy it was. She said it was practical and a decent choice. Funny thing is none of the other girls I dated during that time thought so. I heard the name old mans car as they drove off in their old Explores. The year was 01.lol It cost me 2 grand that I paid in cash. Only issue with it was radiator and do my negligence over heated. I have always loved wagons. Volvo’s, Subbies, Audi’s and the like. This is a good looking wagon.
There was a subtext to what your wife said. The others were just girls you dated – not serious, at least serious with you.
A woman that’s only interested in what you drive isn’t good for more than a weekend or so…
My girlfriend (now fiance) didn’t care whether I arrived to see her in my F150, my 1997 Escort wagon, or on a 150cc Chinese scooter. Love ain’t about your ride, it’s about the person. That was a quality woman who looked past the wagon.
I definitely prefer that front end to the Sonata’s. Thankfully, going by the new Elantra, that corporate face is taking hold in the US as well…maybe the Sonata will get something similar whenever its midlife refresh rolls around.
In North America, sales of the Sonata wagon would just eat into the (higher-margin) Tucson and Santa Fe. So no, we won’t get this.
What I am worried about is Kia not bringing over the next Rondo: that’s a body-style we don’t have enough of here.
I wasn’t implying we’d get the wagon, though that would be nice, but I am hoping the Sonata gets a facelift with something like this car’s front end.
In North America, sales of the Sonata wagon would just eat into the (higher-margin) Tucson and Santa Fe
It’s a wagon. What sales?
The idea that Hyundai’s tall cars have higher margins than their short ones is one of those myths that won’t die. The SUV as a rebodied work truck at twice the price died a decade ago.
@psar,
Higher margins for Santa Fe? How is that possible when in 4cyl, 2wd trim it sells for a Sonata-esque price despite an extra 600 pounds of raw materials?
I suspect the wagon won’t compete against Santa Fe, but rather replace it. Hyundai probably has no choice but to bring it here.
I am Mr. Euro – but the repairs on my about-to-go-out-of-CPO Audi Wagon totaled over $10K in less than 18 months and I gave up the ghost. I bought a 2011 Sonata in October and LOVE it. But if I thought this car was coming here soon, I would have waited – it looks great. For the record, 2 kids under 5 and the extra trunk space would be great – the Sonata trunk is huge, but the room of a wagon(ish) car would be better.
Attention Mr. Euro: Acura TSX sport wagon
Only available with a slushbox, button city on the dash, wrong-wheel-drive. Thanks for the thought, Hondacura, but I’m going to pass. It may be based on the Euro Accord instead of the US Accord, but it’s still a Honda. Though I must admit the exterior is by far the best looking of current Hondacura products.
Jetta Sportwagen TDI?
The styling? It appears Hyundai is covering all the bases here. CR-V front end, Cadillac SRX greenhouse, Venza overall look. A poor man’s Cadillac, to some. Very attractive at first glance.
How did you get CR-V front end out of that?
Besides, the i40 Estate is based heavily on the HED-2 Genus concept which PREDATES (2006) both the SRX and Venza.
@zackman
Agreed. Right on the money.
@bd2
Not correct.
Hyundai has ripped on the Ford Kinetic design multiple times. The Ford SAV Concept car and Iosis concept RELEASED IN 2005 showed the beginning of the design language. This PREDATES the HED-2 Genus concept by one year.
The Hyundai R class, only stubbier.
I hate modern hoodlines. Stubby and cheap looking.
I’d count myself as a Euro (and JDM) too. But hey, I am born & raised (Eastern) Euro, so I guess it will pass as an excuse.
I am a very old far… school too, so I usually bemoan the absence here of older and more utilitarian models: Toyota Land-Cruiser, Prado and Hi-Lux turbo-diesels, most basic spec Mercedes, Volvos and SAABs from the early/mid-90s, Japan-built Outbacks with 2-speed transfer case, basic 5-speed diesel LR Discovery IIs, etc…
Never missed French cars. They are just weird at best and a maintenance nightmare at worst.
It would also be nice to be able to consider an Alfa-Romeo 156 or 159, but probably I would not have enough guts or $$$ to get one.
“Too bad America’s Mr Euros make up such a tiny segment (and spend all their money on used cars and maintenance) ”
Truer words have never been written…..
I also like the front end better than the current Sonata’s, but while I understand the virtues of a cab-forward design, I generally don’t like the way it looks.and this is no exception.
For all you engineers out there, I assume replacement of more conventional flat roofs with this more ‘coupe-like’ styling (you can clearly see it here and in other wagons and hatchbacks as well) is not a mere ‘style’ thing, but must be better in cutting drag or reducing rear turbulence or some other such thing. It must be mileage (e.g., CAFE) driven because it seems to be a common feature of almost all the new automobile designs, from cars to crossovers to SUV’s. I don’t like it much myself (because of headroom and visibility issues more than anything else), but it seems to be everywhere.
A Venza clone? Looks a bit stubby and tall, and I can’t imagine the visibility out the back is any good.
I guess I am a Mr. Euro. But I think it all comes down to practicality. I prefer wagons for the load capacity while still delivering excellent driving feel. I have no need of “my penis is bigger” levels of horsepower in a country where the highest speed limit is 85mph, and most folks can’t find full-throttle with a GPS. I’ll take the extra mpg. If BMW would sell me one, I would buy a 4cyl turbo (320i) or a 4 cyl diesel (320d)in a 3-series wagon in a heartbeat. I am fully prepared to pay Euro prices, you get what you pay for. I think the TRUTH of reliability is somewhere in the middle – German cars are not as bad as most think, and equivalent Japanese cars are not as good as most think. Avoiding the most complex versions of either is key. If it isn’t there, it won’t break.
More like the other way around; the Venza is a clone of the Hyundai HED-2 Genus concept which dates back to 2006.
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/03/geneva_auto_show/image/hyundai-hed2genus4821.jpg
@bd2
The Venza isn’t really the issue here as you try and make it.
Hyundai has ripped on the Ford Kinetic design multiple times. The Ford SAV Concept car and Iosis concept RELEASED IN 2005 showed the beginning of the design language. This PREDATES the HED-2 Genus concept by one year.
Interesting car, but Not. A. Wagon.
Wagons have vertical tailgates (or darn near).
Volvo 245 = Wagon
78 Caprice = Wagon
Elantra Touring = Not A Wagon
Audi Avant = Not A Wagon.
So is the Honda Fit a wagon?
To which this certified Mr. Euro must add:
Peugeot 505 – wagon!
http://www.productioncars.com/gallery.php?car=5662&make=Peugeot&model=505
Citroen CX – wagon to end ALL wagons!
http://daddytypes.com/2009/12/04/pas_disponible_citroen_cx_wagon_diesel_in_the_us.php
“So is the Honda Fit a wagon?”
Yes – it looks quite like a modern Honda Civic wagon.
http://www.netcarshow.com/honda/1988-civic_wagon/1600×1200/wallpaper_01.htm
i don’t care where it is, that’s some good styling, again from big H. but neither them, nor honday or toyotay will sell station wagons here because that would interfere with the CUVs. or because americans rather drive heavy logs for safety.
I always thought that the Mr. Euros on TTAC required rear wheel drive and a manual transmission on their wagon.
This “wrong wheel drive” car with a “slushbox” will never do for Mr. Euro.
A woman that’s only interested in what you drive isn’t good for more than a weekend or so…
is a good time not long time.
This car has eerie resemblance to the Merc R type.
How come R does sell too well, on the contrary the Venza were almost flying off the shelf.
People often think of me as a Mr. Euro, but they are wrong, I just don’t believe in certain body types.
4-door sedan? Why? A wagon is better packaging.
2-door 2+2 coupe a la BMW 3-series – great, you just bought a sedan with two less doors and paid for it. Sucker.
So, in my world, there would be wagons, 5-door hatches, 2-seater sport cars, minivans, and real off-road/work vehicles. That is it. There is no need for anything else.
Also, not obsessed with nose heavy horsepower wars, would rather have handling.
Mr. Euro here. When I see these pictures, I think that this car will be like many euro-pretenders were before: when I sit behind the wheel of this thing, it just will not feel “euro” to me, in terms of interior and road manners…
That’s a Mr. Euro car? It’s a front wheel drive minivan/crossover like the Toyota Venza with the requisite US-spec automatic.