Buying Tips

Twinned Vehicles

So what are "twinned vehicles" and why should you care about them? In the automotive world, we define twins as two vehicles that are built on the same chassis and share most of their under-hood and interior components. Styling is generally similar, though the vehicles may have different sheet metal. Usually, these vehicles are sold under different brand names and are marketed as unique vehicles with distinct identities in the same price range. Oftentimes, this practice is referred to as "badge engineering," since an automaker can create an all-new model simply by putting a new set of badges and maybe a different grille on an existing model. Manufacturers see this as a way of expanding their reach in various market segments while avoiding the higher costs of engineering a completely new vehicle from the ground up. But widespread reliance on mechanically similar twins can lead to a muddled brand image (GMC, Mercury and now-extinct Plymouth, for example) and confusion among consumers.

When you're shopping for a vehicle, it's a good idea to know who the corporate twins are. Beyond simply being able to see through the marketing spin, such awareness will give you more flexibility (in terms of equipment, trim level and color) and bargaining leverage at the dealership. The packaging of standard features and options is usually the biggest difference between the twins, and an item buried in an options package on one twin may be standard equipment on the other twin. Also, look at warranty coverage: A Pontiac Vibe is backed by a three-year/36,000-mile drivetrain warranty; its twin, the Toyota Matrix, has five-year/60,000-mile drivetrain coverage. One last thing to consider is resale value. In instances in which one twin is branded as a domestic and the other an import, there can be a big difference in this regard even though the cars are mechanically identical. Using the Matrix and Vibe as examples again, you'll see that the Pontiac has a much larger five-year depreciation estimate than the Toyota based on Edmunds.com True Cost to Own^SM (TCO). Below is a list of all the twinned vehicles that will be offered for sale in the 2006 and 2007 model year:

Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Isuzu I-series

Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana

Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra

Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade ESV

Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade, Hummer H2

Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Isuzu Ascender, Saab 9-7x

Chevrolet Avalanche, Cadillac Escalade EXT

Chevrolet Equinox, Pontiac Torrent, Saturn Vue

Chevrolet Uplander, Buick Terraza, Saturn Relay

Chevrolet Corvette, Cadillac XLR

Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Ion, Pontiac G5

Chevrolet Impala, Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick LaCrosse

Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country

Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen

Dodge Dakota, Mitsubishi Raider

Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum, Chrysler 300

Dodge Avenger, Chrysler Sebring

Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Car

Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKV, Mazda 6

Ford Five Hundred, Mercury Montego

Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator

Ford F-150, Lincoln Mark LT

Ford Edge Lincoln MKX

Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner

Ford Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer

Ford Freestar, Mercury Monterey Nissan Quest

Ford Ranger, Mazda B-Series

Nissan 350Z, Infiniti G35 coupe

Nissan Armada, Infiniti QX56

Pontiac G6, Chevrolet Malibu, Saab 9-3, Saturn Aura

Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky

Saab 9-2x, Subaru Impreza WRX

Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe