Comments by "" (@williamlong2682) on "TheTopher" channel.

  1. Really grateful that you appreciated this car for what it is - a simple, comfortable, quiet, everyday EV hatchback. I feel like I’ve seen more and more reviewers unfairly holding a lack of sex appeal against any EV not trying to project any. Not every EV has to try to rival a Tesla for cool factor, and I think the “normal car” vibe could be an asset for a lot of prospective buyers.
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  2. Grateful that you appreciated this car for the reliable, fuel-efficient comfy cruiser it is, even with all the F Sport fluff, and thank you for only invoking “old people” once in the whole video. I’m just sick of all the tired, boring, old people stereotype jokes becoming too common in reviews of cars like this. Comfort, reliability and fuel economy should be qualities ANYONE can appreciate! Great video as always.
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  3. $69k?! That’s pushin into M3 territory damn...I’d probably go light on the options
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  4. Never thought one day I’d consider a Prius/Miata 2 car garage…but here we are
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  5. HEY THAT’S MY CAR! 😍😍 It’s definitely surprised a lot of people I’ve encountered that they still make this. I’ve been super happy with mine over 3.5 years and 50k miles. I understand the space constraints relative to, say, a Civic hatch, but it’s had all the space I’ve needed (have fit whole bikes inside with the front tire off and the back seats down) and the only passenger I’ve driven who hasn’t fit in the back seats is my 6’3 dad. Driving wise, it does lean more toward the luxury/refinement end of the spectrum, but it can hang if you want to hustle every once in a while. The manual was super easy for me to get used to, but my only issue with it is with the more efficiency-focused gearing, the gears are fairly far spaced, which, with some of these Seattle hills, can be annoying. Hill start assist is a godsend, though, as is radar cruise control with the manual for road trips. Drove mine from LA to SF, SF to Seattle, and on countless trips now from Seattle to Portland and back. Best efficiency on the highway I’ve seen is 37-38 mpg. Overall, Realistick mentioned this in his review, but this is one of those very precisely and specifically targeted cars for a particular customer, but if you are one of those people, there’s nothing else quite like it. Would be a great new car for someone coming out of something like a 6-speed Volvo C30 or Audi A3. Ok, thanks for coming to my owner’s TedTalk.
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  6. Sounds like a million bucks but can’t believe I had to watch Charlie’s unsexy hands the whole time😞 Topher’s hands woulda made this vid👌🏻🤚🏻
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  7. A house on one of my bike routes has one of these. I kinda dig them. Exterior strikes the right balance between being quirky and different but not bizarre or weird for the hell of it. Don’t love the all-tablet center stack and wish there were some more hard buttons, but at least the infotainment seems pretty snappy. I’d definitely take this over a Model Y/3 or Mach E.
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  8. Fellow ‘21 Mazda owner here! Mine’s a 3 hatch with a 6-speed! Been super happy with it and your videos were part of my choice! Manual is no Civic Si manual but still feels pretty good and it’s been easy to learn as a new stick driver. Revs drop really naturally with the NA 2.5, and much prefer its power delivery to a 1.5/1.6T. The parking brake thing is actually kinda handy with the stick, tho. Drove mine from San Francisco to Seattle and it was a great highway cruiser. Super quiet, nice safety tech suite (manual still gets radar cruise!) and I averaged 37 mpg. Totally with you on the infotainment/cabin simplicity. Just a few months and I’m already super used to it, tho my center console and airbag cover also have a few scratches.
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  9. Personally, I’d love to see the 8 Series get the Alpina treatment. I feel like that would be better suited to the overall GT nature of this car...
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  10. That 5 cylinder sound never gets old! All about that slow car fast vibe!
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  11. It’s been on the market for a while now, but this is still hands down my favorite midsize sedan. Still looks sooooooo classy and elegant, even all these years later. The Mazda driving dynamics certainly don’t hurt, either. Accord, especially the 2.0T, is a very, very close second.
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  12. Fun fact - the first vehicle I ever rented was previous gen Elantra! Was flying through DFW for a job interview and the company rented me something “intermediate” and it was this or an EcoSport…easy choice
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  13. I appreciate the character and fun personality that Mini’s offer, but their pricing has just gotten wildly out of control. Wish they would make more of an effort towards affordability and accessibility of sporty dynamics. Also, as spunky and cool-sounding as their engines are, Mini is one of the few automakers I actually think should just dive straight into EV’s. Makes a lot of sense imo for the small, fun-to-drive cars they offer. And I hardly ever say that.
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  14. Lots of nice improvements overall, though I will say I wish they’d kept a V6 in some form, even if it was, say, a downsized 3.0L paired with a hybrid system. But I’m sure the powertrain synergies with the Highlander streamline production and save costs.
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  15. This may seem like a minute, trivial detail, but I really appreciate how you use terminology like “Hyundai’s models” or “products” or “their lineup” as opposed to “the Hyundai brand.” Reinforces that you’re focused on the cars themselves and not image issues, public perception or stereotypes. A small thing that makes a big difference to me.
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  16. The interior buttons alone would sway me into this over a Golf R, as much as I would miss the hatch practicality. Agree on the wheel size, but not feeling the sound very much to be honest, tho granted, I haven’t heard one in person. I’d definitely pull the fake sound fuse if I got one of these. Honestly, I think some other options on the market might tempt me at $45-55k (G70 3.3T, Stinger GT, Giulia, TLX Type S, etc), but definitely wouldn’t fault anyone for choosing this.
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  17. I learned stick on a 5-speed X5 of this era! I still miss it sometimes, even if it leaked coolant on me at 112k miles💀 To it’s credit, though, it made it 900 miles from San Francisco, CA to Spokane, WA flawlessly with 109k miles. But I totally get your point at trusting a super high mileage well-maintained older BMW like yours over one like I had. That’s pretty damn solid for 364k miles!
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  18. A masterclass in the difference between being cohesively distinctive/unique and overstyling just to get noticed. This would be high on my list in this segment, for sure. Would definitely take one over any X3/Q5/GLC.
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  19. Was saying this on Tedward’s leaf video this morning, too, but for being in the position they’re in, Nissan and Infiniti are making pretty darn good lemonade with the lemons they have. If they keep products like this up and continually improve them, I think they’ll end up being just fine.
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  20. With the way this S Class turned out and the way the next gen 7 Series is looking, I think the A/S8 is about to be my favorite of the big 3 Germans in this segment purely by default lol.
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  21. Favorite SUV in this class. Beautiful, modern, elegant, and unique, even after a few years on the market now. Nothing else like it in the segment. Lincoln Aviator is probably a very close second - hopefully you’ll get one of those to test soon!
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  22. Kia did a great job with this. Easy to see why people love them. Personally, the enthusiast in me might pull me a little more towards a CX-9, but this would be right behind it as my runner-up pick.
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  23. In a perfect world, these would sell just as well as XC60s/XC90s😭
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  24. Makes me miss my old E53 5-speed!😢 Glad BMW stepped the plug-in hybrid up to an I-6 for these larger models. Far more befitting of a midsize/full-size luxury driving experience.
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  25. I’ve got a manual one of these 3 hatches with the base 2.5, and I thought about one of these Turbo models but decided against it for a couple reasons. As you said in your last 3 Turbo review, manual is definitely more fun and it’s also important to support the manual new nowadays. But also, as aware as I am that Mazda’s a small automaker with limited resources, I do think they missed an opportunity here to make this more of a hotter hatch. That’s not to say I wish it was a Veloster N/Civic Type R kind of rival. I think this could have been a great, say, AWD Japanese GTI in the balance between luxury/comfort amenities and driving enjoyment. This leans a little too much toward the former for me. And think about what happened the last time Mazda offered a quality, reliable, Japanese interpretation of a fun, sporty European icon. That recipe sound familiar???😏 I really think that could have been a hit for them, and I confess myself a little bit sad at this premium comfort/luxury angle Mazda’s taking and all the edges they’re smoothing over. We’ll see how it works out for them ultimately, though.
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  26. Honestly, I’m kind of getting over my quibbles with the looks. I’m just happy the grille isn’t huge lol. And it’s cool that we even have this on the market at all at this point with how coupes sell these days.
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  27. VW should consider offering the GTI tune of the 2.0T, especially for a larger entry in this segment with upper trims in the high $30k’s…
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  28. Topher hitting milestones! Congratulations! You deserve it! Is it just me, tho, or does every car youtuber and their mom have a BRZ or 86 now? Lmao this is the 4th I’ve seen (Evan Shanks, Jack from savagegeese, Everyday Driver, and now Topher), and I’m sure there are more beyond that.
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  29. Honestly part of me is just so over this whole “tuff and rugged off-roady trail ready adventure” trend going on with crossovers and thinks to myself, “Even Mazda has to do this now? Really???🙄😒” But I know I know, it’s the hot trendy thing right now, and Mazda needs all the $$$ it can get as a small automaker. That aside, though, looks excellent and interior is beautifully done in typical Mazda fashion, and I’m sure it drives great. I love so much of what Mazda’s about and the way they sweat driving dynamics and details other automakers blow over (full disclosure I have a 3 hatch lol), and ultimately I want the best for them as a company. If this is where they judged the greatest sales opportunity to be and it’ll make the cash that’ll keep the Miata around, I guess I shouldn’t complain.
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  30. Honestly I hope Lincoln takes this exact thing and just makes it electric. Don’t change much else, if anything at all. Keep all the interior buttons and knobs and conservative aesthetics and have it be the traditional American counterpunch to the Model X and other future luxury electric 3 row SUV’s.
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  31. Ah yes - the car that started it all for me. A cool neighbor let me sit in his 996 (just a C4S, though) when I was like 5 years old and the rest is history! Love how Porsche knows exactly what the 911 is and evolves it so carefully to stay true to that mission, even if that means going against the grain of the rest of the market. The kinda approach that keeps me coming back to it even 15 years after that first encounter. Just the fact that you can still get a manual on the S versions in 2021 is something to celebrate. That’d be my personal choice in the 911 lineup, but these Turbos are wicked, for sure.
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  32. The whole “M” treatment just seems lost on this. I’d skip this version and just go for an eDrive40. Plenty for a daily driver, I’m sure.
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  33. Long live the NA V8! Props to Genesis for keeping it in the G90! I also appreciate the ergonomic simplicity here. Tech integration done right. Just enough features for the price and nature of the car but nothing excessive. I’d certainly take this over a Lexus LS. What were some of those noises coming from the rear suspension, though? Did not sound great...😬😬
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  34. As great as it may be to drive and as cool as it may be that it offers a manual, I could never live with that interior. Classic example of mindlessly following industry trends without any critical thought as to whether it actually makes for a better product. Real knobs and buttons, then we’ll talk.
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  35. I’d take this over a Prius on looks alone. Styling is subjective, of course, and the Ioniq is far from my favorite looking car, but I’m sorry the Prius is just FUGLY! And I like the powertrain in this with the DCT better than the Prius.
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  36. Thank you for actually providing a more holistic evaluation of this car instead of just roasting the range like so many have. There’s still a lot to like here and a lot Mazda has done well, even if many would like the range to be longer. Let’s see what the rotary plug-in hybrid version has to offer. I think that’ll really be where this car starts to make sense.
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  37. Pretty compelling package overall! Strong feature set for the price point and seems pretty fun to drive and easy to live with! Doesn’t sound half bad for a 1.6T either, tho I would definitely shut off the fake noise.
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  38.  @HardlyaDavidson  Tedward’s actually planning on getting a Civic Si.
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  39. I actually just picked up a manual Mazda3 hatch a couple weeks ago! Plenty practical for my needs and I reeeeeeeeeally wanted that stick, so definitely more of an emotional purchase lol. Rode in a CX-5 to the dealer, though, and still a great crossover in its class, even if it’s been around for a few years.
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  40. Wow I kinda forgot how well-done VW/Audi’s turbo 4’s are! I think personally, I’d be tempted by an XC60 or an RDX over this, but you can’t go wrong with a Q5.
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  41. Great to see some Alpina love on TheTopher! We need Alpina versions of the current 5 and 8 Series in the US!😭 As purely a daily driver, I’d rock any Alpina model over the corresponding M model any day of the week! So much better suited to daily driving on public roads.
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  42. What’s crazy is the concept version of this looked AMAZING! And it wasn’t like it was way too unrealistic for production. But of course Subaru tuned it into just another 3 row SUV🙄
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  43. Still love the Stinger GT. If I wanted a fast, fun, practical 4-door for ~$50k, I’d head straight for one of these and wouldn’t think twice about it. No, it’s not perfect, but none of the slight shortcomings would be dealbreakers for me personally. And as much as I try to stay above discussions of brand stigma, image, perception, stereotypes, etc., what I do think there’s something to be said for in that respect about the Stinger GT is that it’s off the beaten path. It’s an insider’s choice and shows that you’re an intelligent buyer, and to me that’s worth more than any Audi or BMW or Mercedes logo.
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  44. Is the Tedward a standard feature?
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  45. If this keeps the NA 4 cylinder when the Rogue gets the 1.5T 3 cylinder, that alone would make pick this over the Rogue. And I’d take this over a 3 cylinder Escape or Trailblazer or Encore, I’ll give it that 😂
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  46. Hell yeah long live the wagon! These deserve so much more love than they get. I gotta say...if I needed a daily dad whip cruiser, this would probably be my #1 choice. I might skip the cross country and I think I’d get a lower trim version to keep the price in check. But I’d probably splurge on the B&W audio, too
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  47. A constructive criticism if I may as a fan of the channel, though it applies to other car reviewers, as well. Is it just me, or does anyone else think that “special” is becoming one of the most vague, overused buzzwords in car reviews now? I feel like it’s been thrown around so much now that it just lacks meaning. With the Santa Cruz, when you say the interior doesn’t feel as “special” as the Maverick, what specifically do you mean by that? What do you wish Hyundai had changed vs the Tucson? Material choices? Colors? Design? Utility? Would love for you to elaborate further on that in future Santa Cruz videos.
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  48. Never has GT been such a relative term lol
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  49. I’ll give Nissan this…for being in the position they’re in, they’re really trying to make the best lemonade they can with the lemons they have.
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  50. To Subaru’s credit this whole Wilderness trim idea is a good one. Here in the NW there are tonsssssss of Outbacks and Crosstreks running around with modifications like this (lift, knobbier tires, body cladding, etc). Just wish they’d dial in the CVT tuning a little bit more and add some more physical controls to supplement the touchscreen.
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