2024 Fiat Pulse: Elevating Expectations in the Mexican UV Market

The 2024 Fiat Pulse marks an evolution in the realm of B-segment utility vehicles, designed to captivate the hearts of discerning Mexican drivers seeking an emotive, technologically advanced, and safety-focused driving experience for a budget-friendly price. Crafted under the Italian influence and precision engineering of the Stellantis Group, this UV combines the essence of sophisticated … (read full article...)//

 

[bill burke]

This Fiat might make a good product for their reboot in the North American market. Not sure if it meets US safety standards or if it will be competitive, but on first impression it looks viable.

 

[patfromigh]

The competitors are moving on and abandoning the small cheap sedan (or hatch) segment and for good reason.The Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage are living out their last days here. Transmissions with pulleys instead of gears do not produce high customer satisfaction. People are waiting on months-long waiting lists for hybrid sedans priced significantly higher. Vehicles such as the Corolla or its crossover variant the Corolla Cross are hot. The Ford Maverick hybrid has a years-long waiting list. People are doing the math and figuring out buying an econobox is not worth it when more substantial vehicles get better fuel economy. The Pulse marketed here would simply be a pricey econobox.

 

[bill burke]

The competitors are moving on and abandoning the small cheap sedan (or hatch) segment and for good reason.The Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage are living out their last days here. Transmissions with pulleys instead of gears do not produce high customer satisfaction. People are waiting on months-long waiting lists for hybrid sedans priced significantly higher. Vehicles such as the Corolla or its crossover variant the Corolla Cross are hot. The Ford Maverick hybrid has a years-long waiting list. People are doing the math and figuring out buying an econobox is not worth it when more substantial vehicles get better fuel economy. The Pulse marketed here would simply be a pricey econobox.

Don’t follow this market segment but your insight appears sound. Seems to me that Fiat could be the “econo car brand” staking out a niche that you have identified here as shrinking fast all to themselves as others exit. Just like sedans and coupes, there will always be a market and someone has to fill it. The SUV rage has to fade someday. I’m kind of hooked on my Jeeps, but not abandoning my coupe for real driving fun. .

 

[patfromigh]

The problem with the low end price segment is that money isn't cheap anymore. It is much harder to obtain a loan. The zero emissions mandates have changed the rules. Back in the 1980's and 90's manufacturers pumped out econoboxes at cut rate prices so they could sell more profitable products and still have a good CAFE score.

Today, Fiat can't compete with the Korean brands in our market, nor should they try. The new 500e is a good start, but it should be closely aligned with the Free-2-Move network. The future of entry level will most likely be services such as Free-2-Move. If half the cars have to be battery electric, it makes much more sense if they are small city cars without a large battery pack taking forever to charge.There is high speed charging of course , but it is proving unreliable and dangerous.

 

[bill burke]

The problem with the low end price segment is that money isn't cheap anymore. It is much harder to obtain a loan. The zero emissions mandates have changed the rules. Back in the 1980's and 90's manufacturers pumped out econoboxes at cut rate prices so they could sell more profitable products and still have a good CAFE score.

Today, Fiat can't compete with the Korean brands in our market, nor should they try. The new 500e is a good start, but it should be closely aligned with the Free-2-Move network. The future of entry level will most likely be services such as Free-2-Move. If half the cars have to be battery electric, it makes much more sense if they are small city cars without a large battery pack taking forever to charge.There is high speed charging of course , but it is proving unreliable and dangerous.

Another thoughtful insight, thanks. I agree, there is a role for electrics and small city cars and commercial vans seem the best fit. I believe the mandates and government regulations are falling apart as we write and 50% or whatever, will be gone with the new administration in 2024. You made a good point for those following this thread.

 

[patfromigh]

It is hard to talk about this without getting too political, but I'll try anyway. The EV push isn't about the environment and even less about energy conservation. Certain foreign powers and even some American investors want to replace petroleum with lithium as the primary energy resource. That is why this lemming like rush to the edge is occurring. A propaganda machine is being fueled by money from certain foreign powers. Instead of a slow methodical triage approach combining environmental, energy, and strategic resource concerns, we hear a drum beat of Chicken Little hysteria. A slow pace offers more opportunity for R&D into competing solutions for battery chemistry and charging network design. A triage approach examines problems and prioritizes them. The SAE had some proposals a decade ago that were ignored. The triage approach also takes affordability into account, while Chicken Little has left the middle class entirely out of the equation.

The Japanese saw right through this and are calling us out. There is the reality of the zero emissions mandates and the Japanese automakers do offer battery electrics and some rather reluctantly.