That's the same math I got. I was seriously bummed about finding that the base Focus comes with rear drum brakes. WTF?!?!!! In this day and age? Really? This is the kinda thing that makes a car like the Veloster look better and better. I just hope it's got the kind of interior room we need. Otherwise, we'll be looking at the Elantra for sure.
Yeah, MSRP is $20,085, but word on the street us the SE Sport Pack is a slow seller due to low demand (because nobody knows about it). The dealers want to get them out of there so they can stock up on fully-loaded auto-trans models.
I would think the new Accent hatch would have a bit more room than the Veloster up front and significantly more in the back seat and for cargo. Elantra hatch though looks like the king as far as the combination of interior space and price.
I'm hoping for significantly better than 30 in mixed driving with the Mazda2. After weekly fill-ups of my wife's SUV for the past 10 years at $55 or so (doing the math, that's getting scary close to $30K in gas!), I'm looking forward to something more miserly (and more fun to drive to boot). And these were midsize 6-cylinder SUVs, not Suburban class.
Elantra thread
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/another-appliance-thread-hyundai-content/34080/page1/
$16,500 brand new
150hp
6 speed manual
4 wheel discs
I get 40 mpg every tank
No problems at all
25K since May
Picking a winner... Priceless
i.e. Mazda3) would be downright pleasant. Don't think you're gonna see a combined 28mpg out of it though, at least not driving it like you're having any fun.
I struggled to get less than 30 AVG in the 04 mazda 3 i had. No skyactiv this and that. Not even 5 gears.
I got it up to 42mpg. If i had been the primary driver, i would have averaged near 40mpg with it based on my driving conditions ,etc.
It was sort of like how Aussiemg describes the Elantra up there, except it had 2 less hp, cost less, and was trouble free for 100k more miles.
So i would definitely recommend a used mazda3. Although of these mentioned i think i would like the fit best.
Vigo wrote: So i would definitely recommend a used mazda3. Although of these mentioned i think i would like the fit best.
I don't know what is different about our Canadian 3's, but I've never saw one get good gas mileage... EVER.
Alfa105_BMWE30 wrote: I would think the new Accent hatch would have a bit more room than the Veloster up front and significantly more in the back seat and for cargo. Elantra hatch though looks like the king as far as the combination of interior space and price.
According to Hyundai's specs, the new Accent has essentially the same interior room as the Veloster. Accent shows .9" more front head room, 1.9" more rear head, and 1.6" more rear leg room than Veloster. But it shows ~2" less shoulder and hip room. That 2" less of rear leg room may be the deal killer unfortunately.
Anyway, here's the interior specs from Hyundai's website:
Accent GLS (4 door) Interior Dimensions Head room (in., front / rear) 39.9 / 37.2 Leg room (in., front / rear) 41.8 / 33.3 Shoulder room (in., front / rear) 53.7 / 53.4 Hip room (in., front / rear) 51.3 / 47.2 Passenger volume (cu. ft.) 89.7
Veloster Interior Dimensions Head room (in., front / rear) 39.0 / 35.3 Leg room (in., front / rear) 43.9 / 31.7 Shoulder room (in., front / rear) 55.6 / 54.0 Hip room (in., front / rear) 53.2 / 52.6 Passenger volume (cu. ft.) 89.8
Check out the Elantra specs
suffice to say the passenger volume is 95.6 and the trunk is 14.8
My 6'3" son is comfortable in the back seat and I have had a folding wheelchair in the trunk
Yeah, the Elantra definitely has the interior room edge. It's about the same size as the Focus I was in today, which was totally comfortable.
Looked at a Veloster in person for the first time last night on a dealer lot ($5K "market value" added so $25K sticker, who are they kidding?) after hours. With a sunroof it definitely looks like a tight fit for front and backseat occupants. Car is also a little bigger in all dimensions than I was thinking--the tie to a CR-X is really a stretch (literally and figuratively) other than the general shape. Understandable though that even if it's only a semi-usable backseat, it's not going to have CR-X or CR-Z dimensions.
Also sat in a Mazda2. They've done a really nice job both with maximizing the interior space given the outside dimensions and meeting a price point without it feeling overly cheap. Dash layout is really attractive other than the tach being too small. The driving position, seat height, and visibility are also really good--another artifact of the more utilitarian design vs. the Veloster. I can see though how it wouldn't work for taller/bigger folks--they certainly didn't build in the extra inches in every direction that would be needed. For us it should be just right. For the backseat, in our grandparent role, the need is until they are all in school and then the daycare situation will change. So plenty of room all-around.
Didn't even want to drive it because it was an automatic and their only one--rather not taint the experience with an uninvolving underpowered example. I think that had this car existed in 2003 when the Mini Cooper was released it would have made a dent in their sales because of the practicality of having a 4-door in the same basic packaging. I've read that the Mini Cooper was a popular choice for style conscious first-time moms back then and I think many would have given up a couple style points given the virtues of the Mazda2. A third door like the Clubman and Veloster is better than not having it, but it's still a compromise. Peeking at a 5-speed Mazda3 hatch on the way off the lot with an MSRP of $23K and 20 mpg EPA (2.5 liter) also helped to confirm that the smaller Mazda2 is a better choice for us despite the sleeker styling of the 3. We are hoping that the green shade on the 2 makes it that much more unique and Mazda is really making a mistake by so severely limiting color choices on the 3 (as others have commented on) even vs. past years--like trying to turn a pretty enticing car into an appliance.
Just to drag this thread back from the dead one last time...
Bought and drove home 300 miles in a 5-speed eye-popping green Mazda2 touring model over the weekend to serve as my wife's new daily driver (closest one in the color, etc. my wife wanted). Trip computer indicated 37 mpg averaging 65-70 mph on a brand new engine. It's as much fun to drive as has been reported. Reminds me a lot of my former Mazdaspeed Protege in terms of the quick and precise steering.
The 5-speed is a great transmission (short throws, no slop, and being an Alfa enthusiast, I enjoy the high-mounted shifter) and the clutch is also very smooth. If it had another 40 hp (yes, it does feel like an econocar in that regard, but not in the rest of the driving experience) and a tighter suspension it would be a world beater (Mazdaspeed2, please). The stock suspension though gives a controlled ride and is plenty sporty.
Hopefully in the next couple thousand miles the engine loosens up a bit and gives a similar peppy feel as my 140 hp E30 318is. The Mazda2 certainly transmits road noise that makes it suboptimal for a mile-eating highway cruiser, but I'll take that tradeoff in the name of maximum mileage and a lower sticker price.
I'm really impressed with what Mazda has done, especially by not diluting the driving experience from the original non-U.S. version that Ford couldn't bring themselves to do with the Fiesta so far at least.
Thanks for the reply. Interestingly, the Mazda2 also apparently has 2 cubic feet more rear seat passenger room than the Fiesta, which might make up for the disappointment I felt when I sat in the Fiesta and found the rear seat leg room nearly non-existent.
BTW, I think we've decided to wait a bit longer before actually buying, but it'll be on our agenda for the new year. Waiting on crash test ratings and Mazda's release of the SkyActiv Mazda3. We did talk to the owner of a new Veloster and he seemed very please with it, and the interior quality was quite impressive actually. Didn't get a chance to check rear leg room yet though.
Will keep folks posted.
darkbuddha wrote: That's the same math I got. I was seriously bummed about finding that the base Focus comes with rear drum brakes. WTF?!?!!! In this day and age? Really? This is the kinda thing that makes a car like the Veloster look better and better. I just hope it's got the kind of interior room we need. Otherwise, we'll be looking at the Elantra for sure.
??? I was pleased as pie to see drums on the rear of the Fit. They're light...like the rest of the car. Why on earth would you need/want to pay for disks on the rear?
poopshovel wrote:darkbuddha wrote: I was seriously bummed about finding that the base Focus comes with rear drum brakes.??? I was pleased as pie to see drums on the rear of the Fit. They're light...like the rest of the car. Why on earth would you need/want to pay for disks on the rear?
+1
poopshovel wrote:darkbuddha wrote: That's the same math I got. I was seriously bummed about finding that the base Focus comes with rear drum brakes. WTF?!?!!! In this day and age? Really? This is the kinda thing that makes a car like the Veloster look better and better. I just hope it's got the kind of interior room we need. Otherwise, we'll be looking at the Elantra for sure.??? I was pleased as pie to see drums on the rear of the Fit. They're light...like the rest of the car. Why on earth would you need/want to pay for disks on the rear?
No kidding. There is no need for rear disk brakes on those cars.
I suppose y'all are right.... it's not like these cars weigh 3500 lbs and have a ton of power. Still, I prefer discs for fade resistance (which I have encountered more than once with cars on the street under spirited driving conditions). And I still have pretty vivid memories of locking the rear drums on my '70 Mustang nearly every time it rained.
Dragging up my old thread, 'cause the search is over. We decided to (pre-)ordered a 2013 Focus ST. Very excited, and even though mpg specs haven't been determined yet, I'm optimistic that combined will be mid to upper 20s. Should be awesome!
You'll need to log in to post.
