Hey all. Over the weekend my girlfriend's '05 Taurus got severely sideswiped by a drunk driver while parked on a city street. I'm not sure yet, but I've got a fairly strong hunch that this one might get totaled. Of course, it's less than two weeks after she replaced the transmission, but I digress.
So assuming that the car is totaled, it's time we find her something else to drive. She is 24, unable to drive a stick (yet...I know, I'm working on it), drives about 20k miles a year between a longish commute and visiting her family that lives 350 miles away, and she's also 6'2" with a 36 inch inseam, which means legroom and headroom are paramount. We would also like something we could put a medium-size dog crate in.
She's not a gearhead (I know, I know) although she has said she would prefer something smaller and more nimble than her Taurus. She has a friend with a first-generation Scion xB and she has mentioned that she likes it a lot. I would not mind finding something in that vein. Reliability is most important, followed by fuel economy, safety, and cargo space in that order.
As for price, we're going to be in the 5k-9k range. Obviously if we could find something good at the lower end of that range, we would go for it.
I'm thinking an xB, Vibe/Matrix, possibly an Impreza or Outback wagon. Other suggestions (or reasons to run away from these) are welcome.
All are good suggestions.
Add in specifically CRV and newer Rav4's along with the wide range of Cute-Utes.
Mazda 3 might be an option.
pigeon
HalfDork
4/12/10 11:15 a.m.
Tall girl! I don't know on pricing but how about a newer Accord? Plenty big on the inside, smaller and more nimble than a Taurus, reliable, comfortable for long distance slogs, good mileage, and plenty powerful with the V6. Safe too - my nephew was hit head on in one and walked away with only a minor thumb fracture.
Volvo 850/V70 wagon? Reliable, safe, lots of cargo room, best seats ever, more nimble than you might expect. I'm also 6'2 with a 34-36" inseam and the one I owned for 3 years was a perfect fit.
Most important. Have her sit in the vehicle. Everything else is a matter of choice.
I like the Volvo idea. Hadn't really thought of it. Might be a difficult sell to her parents (since it's older), who although they don't have veto power can make things difficult. I know they're safe, luxurious, and actually pretty fun. I don't relish the idea of doing a heater core when it goes, though.
Around here Accords seem to be priced above where we want to be. I would jump at a decent one if we could get the right price, though.
Buddy of mine is 6'5" and fits his Subie wagon just fine...I think it's an '08 Legacy ex-fleet special he picked up for 11 or 12. His previous was a 4 banger legacy, earlier model, slow as dog crap in December but ultra-reliable.
BTW, I recently rented a newer Corolla, and had a hard time fitting into it- and I'm 5'10". They aren't especially bad cars, but definitely check the seating position. I like the oriignal xB, and it seems like it might have more room. Alternatively, I've heard nothing but raves out of Honda Element owners, and supposedly they handle surprisingly well.
Since the Element was mentioned, I'll post my recent road trip experience.
It definitely has cargo room and is good for tall drivers (I'm 6'1) and seemed like a great all-around vehicle. I'd CERTAINLY pick it over a taurus (though not necesarily over some of your other choices).
I don't have any idea what their price is, though.
Also, I was driving with a canoe on top, a dog flailing about untethered, and a girlfriend who owned the car in the passenger seat...so performance handling is not something I can comment on. I wish I could've tossed around on the tasty national forest roads we were traveling, though!
They're pretty nice for utility stuff (like the dog crate thing). The floor is flat and can be hosed out! Cool.
Clem
DrBoost wrote:
Miata?
Definitely not the answer, but thanks for playing. She can't get comfortable in mine.
The xB definitely has enough space. It seems to be a great choice for anyone who's got a little extra vertical endowment.
I will look into the element. I don't know if they're going to be in the wheelhouse price-wise and I'm unsure how good the fuel economy is.
Don't know about the Element, but our CRV (same platform) gets about 23 or so with my wife driving it in town, and I've seen as high as 27mpg on the highway. I love it, and I never thought I would say that about a SUV.
The fuel economy in my wife's Element is terrible. We get 20-21 in town and 18-20 on the highway. Lots of room for dogs (we have three) and it does handle nicely. Its also been 100% reliable for the last 125k miles. The four drive sucks. It waits till the front wheels are spinning (a lot) before sending power to the back wheels. The seats also seem to be designed for short people. The lumber hits my back at exactely the wrong spot so I'm in constant pain whenever we take the thign anywhere.
My wife loves it. I hate it.
stumpmj wrote:
The fuel economy in my wife's Element is terrible. We get 20-21 in town and 18-20 on the highway. Lots of room for dogs (we have three) and it does handle nicely. Its also been 100% reliable for the last 125k miles. The four drive sucks. It waits till the front wheels are spinning (a lot) before sending power to the back wheels. The seats also seem to be designed for short people. The lumber hits my back at exactely the wrong spot so I'm in constant pain whenever we take the thign anywhere.
My wife loves it. I hate it.
The AWD is probably the reason for the bad MPGs. I've heard numbers closer to the 27 HWY mentioned above on front draggers. They also do carry a metric f-ton of stuff. I hated them when they first came out, but as I said, have heard nothing but positives from owners. A bit of scouting around should nab a decent one towards the high end of your price range, a bit used, but those Honda engines...well, you know. I wouldn't blink twice at picking up one with 150,000 on the clock. Of course, mine would have to be a manual...
She can't go wrong with the Scion xB.
I have an xA, it's got 80,000 miles on it. It shares all the mechanical bits with the xB. I've never had a problem yet (knock on wood). The clutch might be getting long in the tooth, but if she's picking up an auto then that's not a worry. I get around 35 mpg average, which is usually 50/50 highway and city.
My brother has an xB which is super comfy and just as economical. I would advise getting an 06 or higher, as this year got a better stereo and an ipod jack.
