I got the naming issue wrong. That is my bad, I’m very new to these types of challenges. Oh well better luck next time and good luck to everyone who made it to round 2.
I did cheap out on a lot of things to meet the goals set while trying to make a decent enough car.
didn’t know ex-ussr people are picky about what kind of steel their car chassis is made of. it’s not like the lada was made from recycled t34 steel
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No they made them out of cloth and wood. T-34 steel is a valuable commodity, you know.
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trabant is made of plastic. the production is easy, one cuts, other glues
Soviet cars are notorious for rusting away, these buyers don’t want to live through that again.
@EddyBT Correct, untreated panels with an untreated chassis was only the final nail in the coffin for one of these cars.
CSR 102 - Round 1, Part II
Returning from the walk, Ivo found himself back with a clean mindset and sat down to read another batch of reviews.
“Next where I finished off is the Alta Balt S45…”
@MGR_99 - Alta Balt S45
The Alta Balt features the excellent RL5 engine which packs in responsiveness, fuel economy and reliability. The only drawback being the loudness… the interior is comfortable… buying and running the Balt is among the cheapest in the group…
Ivo: "May our three glorious nations be free from the giant, we can and will perform our duties freely without anyone taking back control! We are free and that’s the way it’s supposed to be!
Ahem… sorry, I was feeling a bit patriotic there. Anyways, this seems rather excellent. Well… not a surprise considering who’s making these!"
…right?
A contender in the finals.
@MasterDoggo - Deverre Reliade
Being the most expensive car here, the Deverre Reliade features good equipment… the engine is fuel efficient, if also loud… speed however is average…
Ivo: “I can live with the 9.9 seconds to 100 time, otherwise I think this could one of the best looking cars here. The distinguishable French design is just exciting enough for the kids and understated enough to blend in the streets. What I really like about this though is that they haven’t cheaped out with the body and chassis - this could be the most rust proof car in this test. Even if it’s not incredibly comfortable, I should still give it a shot.”
A contender in the finals.
@NormanVauxhall - Znopresk Zenit
The great Znopresk and their Zenit is by far the cheapest car here… even then, it packs as much equipment as the Deverre… the gearbox could be annoying in city driving…
Ivo: “So, about 1000$ less, the Zenit has as much equipment as the Deverre, is slightly more comfortable and gets better fuel economy? Yeah, guess what’s happening next.”
A contender in the finals.
@Aaron.W - Tanaka Ascent
All-wheel drive and ABS come standard in this Ascent… the fuel economy is excellent… untypical for a Japanese car, the engine reliability record isn’t always good…
Ivo: “Now this here looks good, I really like the distinctive rear. When compared to other cars however, comfort is practically non-existent. That can probably be attributed to the stiff suspension, as the equipment is fine. The engine has been described as slightly odd with the spike in torque power, though fuel economy is among the best. I’d love to drive this but that hard ride and the low load capacity…”
Not a contender in the finals.
@LinkLuke - GMI T-Star
TMI’s I4 engine in this in T-Star provides some of the worst fuel economy, loudest noise and least reliability in this test… the interior, if pretty standard, has been refined well… the design seems very modern, almost concept like…
Ivo: “What I can deduct from this is that the only sides where this might beat some of the others are the great performance numbers and the good driving experience. Sadly, nothing else really stands out. Pass.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@Bmaggiori - Moybu XTR
This is a motorized way of transportation… the ride comfort is excellent… while the engine seems to be marginally better than the unit in the GMI, the end stats emitting from it are not…
Ivo: “Worse fuel economy, slower speed and not as good as drive as the GMI?”
Not a contender in the finals.
@CMT - CMT Astrona
The CMT Astrona is one of the safest cars participating here… fuel economy isn’t great compared to most others… despite the low price, the body and chassis are made of high quality materials…
Ivo: “Okay, let me just say that I am not a fan of this design. Mis-matching lines and empty space fill the design, making it look cheap and not good. As for the car itself, the only real standout is the excellent safety rating. Comfort isn’t the greatest and the engine is loud. It also happens to be the most unreliable car in the group, and that sort of kills it.”
Not a contender in the finals.
–
@On3CherryShake - Hokuto Tierra
Well priced is how we’d describe this Hokuto… the well equipped interior features loads of space, helped by the wagon body style… fuel economy is fine, if nothing special…
Ivo: “This exterior design is great, I’m just a little worried how it would look a few years from now. When it comes to the statistics, the 0-100 hits straight into the sweet spot with a time of 7.6 seconds. The suspension is comfortable and apparently, they’ve built it out of more rust-resistant materials which is excellent news. Really, I don’t have a reason not to drive it.”
A contender in the finals.
@Ryan93 - Washi Harmony
Outstanding comfort and fuel economy already put the Harmony a step above some of the competition… reliability records sadly aren’t as good… the engine here is fantastic…
Ivo: “First of all, I’m definitely a fan of this design. It’s humble and quite attractive so it does the job fine there. And if it’s really as good as they made it out to be in the review, I need to test this one out.”
A contender in the finals.
@goblin95 - Lavish Austerity
The Lavish Austerity is very surprising… surprisingly fuel efficient, cheap to run, reliable and fast… it also happens to be surprisingly uncomfortable for what it is (we should mention that it isn’t actually uncomfortable, we just expected more)…
Ivo: “This design seems a bit familiar, but I can’t put my finger on why… anyways, the specifications definitely seem good. However, a big American barge like this driving around could attract some attention and I don’t think the sound would be too easy to mask either. This also adds to its American roots by having an automatic gearbox. I guess I could live with that but frankly, I won’t.”
Not a contender in the finals.
The disqualified resubmission pictured, original car looked different.
@Darkshade-AP_Autos - Serene GB200
A 3-speed manual is all you’ll find in this Serene GB200… it also happens to be the slowest car here with a top speed of 173km/h… but it is very comfortable…
Ivo: “I know I said that I’ll accept a car this slow if everything else makes up for it, but here? No. Alongside that, nice ancient technology with the gearbox there.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@Mikonp7 - Popas Cheechi
The V8 Popas Cheechi isn’t really the cheapest to buy or run… the comfort quality is great, it also has some of the lowest body roll here… like the Lavish Austerity, it is equipped with a 4-speed automatic…
Ivo: “The interior sure is nice and the performance is good, the engine is a good unit but the reliability isn’t up to standard what the other cars here have. Other than that, the design sure is Russian, though I am getting a hint of British also. It should still be common for some years to come, so at least I’ll fade in. Okay, there’s a part of me that really wants to give this one a shot… but I just can’t. Most of it is good, just not good enough.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@ST1Letho - Kurokama AX-C
The styling of the AX-C is extravagant for the kind of vehicle it is… the interior is fine, if nothing special… performance is up there with the best…
Ivo: “The front is quite busy but overall, I guess fits what I’m looking for. Moving to the rest however is a mixed bag. Performance is great and the load capacity follows suit, but the levels of comfort just aren’t up to standard with what the cars I’ve chosen to drive offer. The same can be said for the fuel economy and service costs, and when combined with the price that’s kissing the limit, it won’t be a cheap experience. Additionally, this model is equipped with and outdated 4-speed manual, only adding to the averageness.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@Keikyun - Haruna Isekai
Ivo: “Huh, there’s an ad here for a used Haruna Isekai. It seems to fit all the criteria I’ve set… Great levels of comfort, a surprising combination of good performance and fuel economy and to top it off, low maintenance costs. It is right at the top of how much I’m willing to pay for it, but the way they make it out to be in this ad, this could very well be a winner.”
A contender in the finals.
@Boiled_Steak - Aria Theso Turbo
A good looking sedan with great performance and better fuel economy… interior quality is above average for its class, interior space however isn’t…
Ivo: “This is a fine looking thing indeed, the interior seems nice and the reliability record seems okay. The service costs are definitely on the high side… It’s good and all, but I just don’t think it’ll be the best choice here.”
Not a contender in the finals.
Suddenly, the phone rings in the kitchen. Ivo gets up and answers it.
“Dad, we’ve been waiting here for 20 minutes. Are you ever gonna plan on picking us up?”
“Oh right, I forgot I had children.”
He leaves the magazine on the table and gets in the Kadett to pick the kids up from school. Once he gets back, he’ll have the final batch of cars to read about. Sadly, it is currently unknown when he’ll be returning as apparently, he’s a bit late on doing everything.
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We said driving pleasure, not braking pleasure or driving safety.
I am still confused how my car could be the least reliable, as it actually has nothing special engineering wise. Standard interior, manual gearbox, no ABS, … the engine is an NA one based on a 1976 lore engine, so nothing complex there…
Oh my god… I did it… I’m in the finals. OH MY GOD I DID IT
Edit: This is a wonderful round so far, very well written and justified, so props to you Corsica!
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It’s been a long time without going into the 2nd round :o
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4 times in a row I got binned on round 1 FUCK
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Well, for me it’s the 10th time I think. So in other words everytime
I am struggling to have a soft suspension but also have a decent load capacity… This is also Tanaka’s (and my) first faux-diesel I’ve ever made. So, reliability may be lacking. Other than that, I’m quite happy.
From “OMG eyebleach” to “might even consider it”, I see this as an absolute win!
I see my two favourite entries made it to round 2, good writeups OP.
I assume the front fascia did most of the binning, a more conservative straight lined approach resulted in horrendous clipping issues. Had another more 80s looking wagon in the works as well, but binned it due to being slightly worse and undriveable in Beam (RWD)
I sacrificed the stereo (get a proper aftermarket CD if you care) and 5th seat (dog rides in the back, non-family can into bus), which would probably lead to an eventual bin anyway.
To keep ABS, power steering, non-poverty spec suspension, and the chassis and panels rust-proof.
Trim reliability seems odd to me, small range, nearly all my cars hover about 55 (+/- 10), while other stats vary from 0 to 100+. Switching between a turbo V6 and NA longstroke I6 did give me a whopping 3.1 extra points for 58.
(“Max power at redline” is kind of a noob tune, but seemed necessary evil to keep the engine unchoked and economical throughout its rev range without blowing up the cylinders)
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I didn’t notice that the reliability is so imported. ( I dont saw it in the main focus.) Also I was quite happy with 59,something. Whatever, good luck all final rivals 
Not in the finals… AGAIN…
WHYYYYY??
Good luck to all i the finals…
CSR 102 - Round 1, Part III
After 15 minute trip to the school and back, Ivo is once again behind the coffee table with the magazine in front of him. 15 cars are left to pick from.
“The final batch starts off with the Quadrifoglio Espada…”
@Quotex - Quadrifoglio Espada
With a 2 liter inline-4, the Espada won’t break any speed records but we’d say it’s good enough… even with the premium interior, the comfort is reduced by the sports tuned suspension… reliability scores are quite average…
Ivo: “This quintessentially Italian styling does look rather fantastic… and that’s about the only feature that stands out. It’s decently comfortable, gets good, if average fuel economy and isn’t all that fast when compared to what else we’ve got here. It’s good, but just not good enough”
Not a contender in the finals.
@Mythrin - Ceder Alize
For what we’re looking for, the Ceder Alize is quite slow… fuel economy is good but not exceptional…the interior quality is good, even with 4 seats…
Ivo: “Yeah, nothing really makes up for the 11 second 0-100 time aside from the costs involved. The design maybe, since it is an attractive looking car. It having just 4 seats doesn’t make the situation much better, which is a shame since the rest of the interior looks nice.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@Dorifto_Dorito - Kepler Constellation VE
Attractive looks are definitely a selling point of the Constellation… like the Ceder, the 0-100 time is around 11 seconds…
Ivo: “The design fits what I’m looking for, it’s cheap to buy and cheap to run and to top it off, the interior is good. What could worry me however are the actual levels of comfort and reliability… to be honest, I’m sort of torn on this car. I can compare this to the next model and see what comes of it!”
???
@Centurion_23 - Gemin SLi
Excellent levels of comfort are a key point in the Gemin… the design is about as Japanese as it can get… the interior is big for a compact car…
Ivo: “It’s a bit more expensive to buy and a bit cheaper to run that then the Kepler, long-term this is obviously the better choice that way. It’s also much more comfortable and slightly faster with a time of 10 seconds to 100km/h. Also, it happens to drive just a tad better.”
Kepler: not a contender in the finals, Gemin - a contender in the finals.
@drain - Hoshi Prinza
Even with a 2.4 inline-6, the Prinza can’t beat the performance of most of its rivals… fuel economy is frankly atrocious… the design is fine, sometimes mismatching…
Ivo: “There are better looking, faster, more comfortable and cheaper cars to choose from here. Goodbye Prinza, we barely even met.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@Navara - Yaman Trace
Cheap to buy and run, very comfortable and with good performance, the Yaman Trace is truly great value for money… the engine is smooth and responsive… interior quality is fantastic…
Ivo: “Okay. First of all, I think this design is exactly what I’m looking for - it’s modern, understated and yet very good looking. And then, there’s everything else. Which is also great. That’s great to hear.”
A contender in the finals.
@Rudzis - Schwarzburg Trueno Kombi
Thanks to the wagon body, the Trueno is very practical… a whole $1100 below our price limit, it still provides a decent interior…
Ivo: “For the price, this seems like a great deal on the outside. Once you get digging however, the reliability, fuel economy and performance figures aren’t really all that impressive. I like it, but I just think that the Znopresk could be better value.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@DukeOFhazards - Ruotsin Pingviini
That’s an interesting name… the 2.6 engine suffers from turbo lag, however is still speeds from 0-100 in just 6.3 seconds… the load capacity is definitely low…
Ivo: “I thought I already put the Conan S45 on the wish list why wou-
Ahh, this is a Ruotsin. Sorry about that. Anyways, it’s more expensive than the Schwarzburg and yet isn’t as comfortable, fuel efficient or easy to drive. It is very fast though… too fast.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@Rk38 - AAU M2087
Despite all the years it has gathered up being in production, the AAU M2087 still manages to be a worthy contender… it is obviously the cheapest car here… the comfort however does not meet modern expectations…
Ivo: “Ahh yes, the M2087! I’ve still got three friends who managed to import these, I don’t think I’d have a problem with blending in. The design is still very much from the 70’s and this will only age with each passing day… but it’s so damn good looking so I don’t care. As for the stats, it’s just as cheap to run as it was to buy and the 0-100 time is… 8.8 seconds? Okay, if this thing managed that, most others don’t have any excuses. But I am definitely worried about the cheap interior… ah, I’ll worry about that later.”
A contender in the finals.
@DoctorNarfy - Shromet Mystic Sport
We would like to apologize in front of our readers when we said that the Arion Pelican is the most comfortable car in this test. That position would instead go to the Shromet Mystic Sport… performance figures are great… costs sort of aren’t as great…
Ivo: “For the design… yeah it gets beaten by some others. The engine though is powerful and smooth, that results in a great top speed and 0-100 time. What isn’t so great is how much fuel it uses up and how easy it would be to service that Boxer-6. Additionally, the chassis alongside all the panels are made of cheaper steel and the gearbox is an automatic. Could live with that, but won’t.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@CC9020 - Saito Sakira
The Sakira achieves excellent fuel economy and good performance… interior materials are also excellent, sadly the cassette player is a of cheaper origins… the driving experience is decently fun…
Ivo: "There’s not much I could really to that. I like the design - there, I can say something. I think a test drive should be in ord-
Huh, what’s this next one?"
@titleguy1 - Kimura Auburn
The attractive look of the Kimura is backed up by the cheap price… while lesser in quality, the interior features one extra seat once compared to the Saito… ride quality is slightly harsh to some…
Ivo: "Oh yes, this one looks really good! We won’t have a problem with fitting in… Alright, honest moment: from this review, I like the Kimura a lot. But, I’m certain that the other’s I’ve chosen for a test drive will still be stronger performers - that also applies to the Saito. They’re both great for what they are, I’m just looking for a bit more.
Come to think about it actually, my mate Aivar said he was looking for something new too…"
One phone call and a quick tip about the Kimura later, the Saito and Kimura are not contenders in the finals.
@EddyBT - BT Panthera
The Panthera is comfortable and gets great fuel economy… with a time of 8.2 seconds from 0 to 100km/h, it’s fast enough… the interior itself is up to the job…
Ivo: “It looks good and the wagon body will make it great for carrying a dog. Like seems to be tradition,”
A contender in the finals.
@saddiseased - Navis MD200
Another good looking car, the Navis MD200 is perfectly quick with a 0-100 time of 7.4 seconds… an automatic transmission is provided, bringing down the reliability records and making the service costs go up… the price happens to be very near the limit…
Ivo: “Aside from the great looks, there’s not much else here. It’s fast, and that’s good, but the fuel economy, reliability and the 4 seat interior setup do bring it down. A lot.”
Not a contender in the finals.
@thecarlover - RCM Atlantic
When it comes to design, the RCM Atlantic was definitely one of the favourites among our testers… the Boxer-4 here is smooth and responsive, it’s just a shame about the fuel economy…
Ivo: “The design here is among my favourites. I don’t know exactly what makes it look so good, it just sort of does. The rest of the car sadly however is outclassed by both of the other wagons I’ve chosen to drive. They’re faster, more comfortable and provide the same interior quality. Shame, as this one really looked fantastic.”
Not a contender in the finals.
“Alright, since that seems to be all, I guess I can take the weekend to test drive these cars.”
MOVING TO THE NEXT ROUND ARE
@conan
@Mad_Cat
@yangx2
@MGR_99
@MasterDoggo
@NormanVauxhall
@On3CherryShake
@Ryan93
@Keikyun
@Centurion_23
@Navara
@Rk38
and @EddyBT
11:05pm. As Ivo prepares to lay down next to his wife in bed, he suddenly gets a call on the kitchen phone downstairs.
“Detective, we need you this Sunday.”
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Round 1.5
Sponsored by I’m Sorry
“Detective, we need you this Sunday.”
“Hang on, I was planning to go to some of the new car dealerships this weekend. You know I can’t drive 13 cars in one day!”
“Well it’s really not my [CENSORED FOR THE KIDS] problem. You’re gonna have to fix this one for yourself.”
Before Ivo could start saying anything back, the line at the other end was hung up.
“Fine, I guess the only way I’m getting myself out of this one is if I just shorten the list a bit.”
@Mad_Cat - Wagner Minister
Ivo: “Once I start comparing this to the others I’ve chosen here, the flaws do start sticking out. The costs involved - price, fuel economy and service costs - are definitely the highest here. Interior materials are great, but even then others are still more comfortable. And finally, it has just 4 seats compared to everyone else here that have 5.”
@MasterDoggo - Deverre Reliade
Ivo: “Let me say that the look of the Deverre is truly fantastic. It just has that French quirkiness to it and it all adds up to a great design. Compared to, for example the Hokuto however, the Reliade starts lacking in comfort and outright speed. It also happens to be the most expensive finalist due to the corrosion resistant panels. The panels are a definite bonus point but sadly it just cuts too much into the price.”
@Ryan93 - Washi Harmony
Ivo: “The Washi Harmony is actually quite similar to the Gemin SLi in many ways - both have the same levels of interior quality, the performance is nearly identical and both have a distinctive Japanese flair to their designs. Added together though, and the Gemin manages to come on top of the Harmony with lower buying and running costs, better comfort and nearly identical performance figures.”
@Rk38 - AAU M2087
Ivo: “By far the cheapest to buy and run, the AAU competes with the Znopresk Zenit in terms of which is the better bang-for-your-buck car. And frankly, I think it’s the Znopresk. While it is slower, it’s also highly more rust-proof, more comfortable and even achieves better fuel economy. The interior is also nicer and for just $450 more, I think it’s worth it.”
To everyone who got binned here, don’t feel bad. All of the cars here were great, Ivo is just a picky man. Even then, congrats for even making it this far. To all the finalists not tagged here, good luck in the finals! The next post will be the finals (I promise).
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F for that round 1 loss again
Good luck to all finalists, jesus you guys are good
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I’m glad that you liked the design. If you found it french and nice, it’s a small success for me even if I lost, you felt what I wanted the car to be. 
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