The TCC List: 12 Cars With Roll-Up Windows
Sure you can. It's becoming ever more uncommon, but even though power windows are almost ubiquitous in new cars sold in America, some vehicles still start out with roll-ups.
Most new vehicles come with power windows for good reason: cost. It seems odd, but installing wind-up windows could actually be more expensive in some vehicles. It's less complex, and therefore cheaper, to toss them in instead of deleting them, which would mean new door panels and new mechanisms and new engineering.It's only a difficult choice in the very least expensive new cars, or in some ultra-high-end exotica where automotive anorexia is a good thing.
So if you're a Luddite, or hate things breaking, or just want to scrimp in every way possible on your new car, more than a dozen new cars will fit your peculiar bill. The break-over point lies somewhere between subcompacts and compacts, though. Anything larger, and you'll be clicking a switch, instead of winding a lever, to get some fresh air.
These 12 vehicles still offer manual windows as standard equipment, though all of them can be optioned up into the modern era:
Chevrolet Aveo: In the final year of life, the base Aveo still comes with wind-up windows.
Chevrolet Cobalt: Its replacement comes with standard power windows, but some 2010 Cobalt sedans go the manual route.
Ford Fiesta: It's a party inside and out, but you'll need to roll down the windows yourselves.
Ford Focus: In its last year of production, the old Focus has a wind-up-window model--and so does the new 2012 version.
Hyundai Accent: The base Accent comes with wind-up windows only.
Kia Rio: You can get power features on higher-spec models, but base cars will need elbow power.
Kia Forte: The highly-rated Forte sedan skimps on the switches in its base form.
Nissan Versa: No Versa 1.6 sedan can be equipped with power windows.
Smart Fortwo: Pure coupes omit power windows.
Toyota Corolla and Matrix: Manual windows are standard on the base versions of the Corolla sedan.
Toyota Yaris: Power windows are an option on the base Yaris sedan.
And frankly, you might be surprised that these vehicles can't be had with roll-ups:
Chevrolet HHR and Chrysler PT Cruiser: These fleet specials get power windows, even in commercial versions
Honda Fit and Honda Civic: The competition cuts power features on base models, but all Hondas have power windows.
Mazda2: The similar Ford Fiesta does with wind-up windows on some versions, but all Mazda2 hatchbacks are power-windowed.
Mazda MX-5 Miata and Porsche Boxster Spyder: You'd think two essential sports cars with light weight as a selling point could do without, but the Spyder and Miata have power windows.
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Is Demand For Electric Cars Overhyped? J.D. Power Thinks So
October 27th, 2010 
October 27th, 2010
October 27th, 2010 - Articles Contributed: 52
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With a fanfare going up for every new electric car that hits the market at the moment, you'd be forgiven for thinking we're only a few short steps away from widespread EV adoption.
According to marketing information services firm J.D. Power though, this might not be the case. According to the company, hybrids and electric vehicles may only capture 7.3 percent of global automotive sales by 2020, up from the current figure of 2.2 percent.
This is in contrast to estimates made by EV advocates such as Renault-Nissan's CEO Carlos Ghosn, who estimates that fully-electric cars alone would make up 10 percent of the market by 2020. Following the latest estimates of around 5.2 million electric and hybrid vehicle sales out of a predicted 70.9 million total auto sales, it's looking a long way off yet.
However, the figures do hinge on China's adoption of EVs. The emerging commercial superpower is pushing hard to produce electric vehicles to offset the huge pollution problems the country may face if living standards continue improving and more of China's 1.3bn population are able to afford cars.
Should demand in China increase, the 7.3 percent estimate could be beaten. The country is still at a comparatively early stage in transport infrastructure and has the opportunity to bias their network towards electric vehicles.
At the moment, hybrid and electric cars are very much niche products and according to J.D. Power, often bought by people who are older, more educated and have higher incomes than the average consumer.
“Many consumers say they are concerned about the environment, but when they find out how much a green vehicle is going to cost, their altruistic inclination declines considerably” reasons John Humphrey, senior vice president of automotive operations at J.D. Power.
The trouble is when consumers learn the cost of EVs, meaning interest in a particular vehicle drops as much as 50 percent. They're also concerned about looks and design, reliability and performance, as well as the old chestnuts range and charging time. The price can be partly addressed by government and local incentives, and as our sister site GreenCarReports has discovered, if you're clever you can get your hands on a Leaf for little over $12,000...
Only time will tell if EVs take off as quickly as some commentators are saying they will, and should China gain foothold in the industry as quickly as they're intending then we might even see figures greater than the 10 percent that Carlos Ghosn is touting, but as with any area of business, it remains hard to predict.
Humphrey adds, “Consumers will ultimately decide whether these vehicles are commercially successful or not".
