Why Dealer Lobbyists Want To Bring Weird European Cars To Canada

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Aggravating-Curve755@reddit

What's up with the "weird"? European cars are the top standard in many ways? Usually very safe, very economical and so on

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I do like to point out that the US mandated things like reverse cameras, ABS, Traction/stability controls before EU standards, and that the EU emissions used to be more concerned with CO2 rather than other emissions which made diesels more popular. It's not really a "better" standard, but a different standard.

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Aggravating-Curve755@reddit

Google is your friend, use it. European cars far outclass US cars for safety

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5GCovidInjection@reddit

I have to wonder if that’s for European-made cars exported to the US. Because there are definitely Dacias and Chinese imports sold in Europe that wouldn’t comply with DOT standards (to include rollover roof strength standards, head impact protection, etc).

Not to mention, California emissions standards are still more stringent than anything in the EU (except for fleet average CO2 emissions rules).

Also, fun fact. Front airbags are still not mandatory in the EU market, but have been required since 1996 in the US. The US required ESC (Electronic Stability Control) two years before the EU.

On the flip side, roadworthiness inspections are much more strict in most European countries vs the US (except for states like Pennsylvania and Virginia).

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claspen@reddit

Yes, I, too, saw that European report that cherry-picks a result to show European standards are better.

You can argue that EU standards are better for EU traffic conditions, but a blanket statement of "EU standards are better than North American standards" is far too simplistic.

"The results suggest that when controlling for differences in environment and exposure, vehicles meeting EU standards offer reduced risk of serious injury in frontal/side crashes and have driver-‐side mirrors that reduce risk in lane-‐change crashes better, while vehicles meeting US standards provide a lower risk of injury in rollovers and have headlamps that make pedestrians more conspicuous."

the citation used in that ETSC report

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Eggith@reddit

Both things can be true. Citroen has definitely produced some "weird" things to say the least.

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2braincellsarguing@reddit

”The french copy no one and no one copies the french”

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raculot@reddit

"Except that one time with the Nissan S-Cargo, but we don't talk about that"

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CaptainGo@reddit

I'd argue the S-Cargo was a tribute, not a copy

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alligatorjay@reddit

I mean it's still a copy but everyone is chill with it because it just wants to be fun and quirky.

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YellowFogLights@reddit

I don’t know why you got downvoted. The quirkiness of French cars is their endearing pride.

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sioux612@reddit

I guess if you are not used to them and small cars then they can be a bit quirky

If US media wasn't as popular we'd call American cars weird as well

You guys took our small gardener semi truck made them less usable and turned it into a luxury car

It's like a wagon that doesn't protect your groceries from rain

That's super weird if you think about it

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--_-__@reddit

I think the US as a whole has a lot more outdoorsy and DIY lifestyles that require you to drive. I’d estimate half of americans either hunt, surf, ski, kayak, or do their own home repairs. Having an open bed truck makes all that so much easier.

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alehanro@reddit

Weird because we don’t have entire brands here in some cases; not just a model here and there. Not bad weird. Just really really different weird. We haven’t had French cars in so long there’s virtually none left anywhere, not even scrap yards. We don’t really get station wagons (or estates and shooting brakes as the Europeans call them) anymore so that’s different, ie weird. We also have waaaay larger and heavier vehicles like trucks, so tiny little lightweight cars like Alpines and Lotus would be very welcome and very out of place. I am absolutely all about bringing these weird Euro cars over. Let the Americans eat their heart out with jealousy.

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YellowFogLights@reddit

Weird in design compared to traditional NADM cars. The first gen Citroen Cactus had pillows on it!

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redridingoops@reddit

You can't see them from behind the wheel of an F-150 in traffic, that's weird !! D:

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ur_sexy_body_double@reddit

I wish we did this in the US. I want a kei car!

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Wonderful_Device312@reddit

I'd love a Kei car but I wouldn't love getting driven over by a lifted F150 that thought they just went over a speed bump.

They also can't really do our highway speeds. They aren't even designed for Asian highway speeds.

Now if we start building our cities properly? Kei cars will be magic.

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ur_sexy_body_double@reddit

I live in the Minneapolis/St Paul metro and while I wouldn't daily a kei car I would love one for funsies and could see myself being able to use one for most situations

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Aggravating-Curve755@reddit

Aren't kein cars Japanese?

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ur_sexy_body_double@reddit

they're specific to a japanese regulation. the TLDR version is they're small and have a sub-660 cc engine

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dfjdkdofkfkfkfk@reddit

but but how would americans manage to merge into highway without at least 400 horses in their family wagons?

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shellmiro@reddit

How would they actually fare on American highways with 6k lbs bulldozers all around? It'll be a very handy car in urban/suburban areas though.

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ur_sexy_body_double@reddit

lol I don't think a Hijet can go highway speeds

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toothpastewarfare@reddit

in the past couple days I’ve done about 300 mostly highway kilometres in mine and realistically 90km/h is your ceiling, and it is not comfortable. highway limits around here are about that speed anyway so it works out, but I can see why some states in the US have barred them from interstates as those in my experience are considerably faster

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ur_sexy_body_double@reddit

You hero. The highway I need to get the kids to school and myself to the office, 65-70 mph is the normal speed. I wouldn't want to commute in a kei car or daily it, but my oldest is 1 year out from graduating high school so I'm about to have a bit tuition-sized hole in my budget that I want to fill with a frivolous car :D

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Zappiticas@reddit

I had a friend who had a Honda Beat for a while. On the interstate it was…well we only did it once then never again.

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ur_sexy_body_double@reddit

😂😂

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Abba_Fiskbullar@reddit

They typically aren't fast enough.

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PaulTheMerc@reddit

not on public roads I don't. Fucking F-350 wouldn't even notice it ran me(and the car) over.

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ur_sexy_body_double@reddit

I happily drove a Fiesta for 6 years. I'm not saying I'd daily something like a Suzuki Wagon R or Daihatsu Hijet, but I'd love it for some funsies.

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PaulTheMerc@reddit

Oh I bet they're a blast. I just...wouldn't want to put a kid in it, for their safety in case of a crash.

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BlackDS@reddit

Get a Scion xB?

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V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit

Some states actually allow Kei car, don’t they ? Kei cars are considered same ATV category.

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ur_sexy_body_double@reddit

The feds would need to allow them for import

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Snoo93079@reddit

https://www.slate.auto/en

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ur_sexy_body_double@reddit

not a kei car. Daihatsu Hijet would be a kei truck

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sonrisa_medusa@reddit

I'm not sure why people keep referring to the Slate as being Kei-sized. It's 40" longer than a Kei truck.

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bestdriverinvancity@reddit

Give me a Renault Megane RS or a Subaru Levorg!!

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CaptainGo@reddit

I'd love to get one of those proper small Euro hatchbacks. Up!/C1/Aygo etc

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Fododod@reddit

I just wanna be able to get another sportwagen when my mk7 eventually kicks the bucket. Maybe even an R

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MissingGhost@reddit

I want a GTD!

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CaptainGo@reddit

Up! GTI for me

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DaisyMa1@reddit

Let me guess, so they can make money?

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khanak@reddit

Yes please!

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c74@reddit

canada has almost no parts made for european or east asian cars.

might seem like a great idea at the time... but we'd be heading down the path of the usa which has woken up to the transfer of wealth. the only long term true winners of this are the wealthy elite.

if you think i am a wack job... think of all the automotive and component plants in ontario. just shut'em down... and all their sub suppliers. great idea? nope.

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Vict0o0o@reddit

There's so many cars that would make me happy in Europe but so few here in Canada, I am 200% for this. But the price might be a barrier, cars in France are quite expensive.

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FuckMyLife2016@reddit

I think cars being expensive is strictly a European thing. At least some of them levy an eco tax. I think GR Yaris, 718, F-Type etc. has 60k€ eco tax. Only Alpine A110 has minimal eco tax but it was designed and manufactured by the French around their laws.

I think a similar tax is in the Netherlands making the GR Yaris 100k€ or more.

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