Just paid $4.37 per gallon this morning for premium. Oy. While patiently waiting for (another) $60 to leave my wallet a lady pulled up in a Smart Roadster. I haven't driven a Smart yet, but from I'm told, it blows. However, it really doesn't weigh very much. A few days ago, a dear friend called me and asked if she and her one-year-old should buy a used Audi. Let me rephrase that: she wanted to buy a used A4. I tried explaining that when new, the A4 sold for three times what a Mazda Protege went for. Today the Mazda is worth more. She wasn't hearing it. I then touched on the fact that she could well be paying $400 a month in bizzaro repair bills, like CV joints and a new electrical system. And the (relatively) poor mileage. "But Jonny, it's so cute! My friend has one– I love it" I finally talked her out of it by mentioning that the auto-dimming rearview mirror will eventually leak mercury all over her infant. That worked. Long story short, she's got about $15k to spend. I told her to get a Honda Fit. "Oh no! My friend says they're death traps." Based on what? Her friend– a TV actor– test drove one and thought it was a death trap. From the test drive. Long story short, even though she wants a clean, high mileage car, she ain't going small. Because of her baby. You?
Find Reviews by Make:
Read all comments
I’ve already gone small. I have a Fit and a Yaris, both with ABS and side curtain airbags. Plenty safe for me and when we have kids I’ll have no problem putting them in either one. I’m actually disappointed in the Fit’s mileage, but the Yaris has been awesome so far.
Ready to go small? Already did, sort of. VW GTI. But I honestly think it’s too big. Next time around for my commuter, I’m going B-segment – MINI Cooper or ideally, the new Fiat 500 if it’s on sale here ever. Otherwise the new Fit looks good.
@polpo:
What kind of mileage are you seeing with the Fit?
Good one, Jonny: “the auto-dimming rearview mirror will eventually leak mercury all over her infant.” Keep ’em coming!
Unless you really need a new(er) car, it doesn’t make financial sense in these crazy times to trade in your guzzler for a fuel-sipper. You can buy a lot of gas with the money you’d lose, even at $5 per gallon.
As for me, no, I’m keeping my 2 Camrys and older Frontier, all 4-cylinder models, the Camrys with side airbags and ABS, the truck with a manual tranny.
1996 chevy s-10 pickup with a 4 banger and a 5 speed manual tranny. 2005 honda civic. been buying small all my life. the harley’s a different story, but it gets 40mpg.
JL, you have the patience of a saint.
I actually have been fielding similar questions sans annoying friends’ opinions. While the Fit is very safe for a small car, there’s always that qualifier. Yes, with less SUVs on the road it’s safer out there for a subcompact, but weight is still important. And to give up peace of mind when driving your family is a lot to ask for.
I recommended moving up to a base Accord or Altima.
Personally, I have a Mazda3, which is a great size. I wouldn’t want to go any smaller. Or much larger at that.
My 2002 Saab 9-3 is the largest vehicle I have owned. I have had no mechanical problems with it and it averages around 27 mpg on a tank of gas. My commute is about 20 minutes each way. Taking public transportation would take about 90 minutes due to the bus schedule. As more and more people trade in their giant SUVs, my car just gets safer and more practical.
Nope. No small cars, just not gonna fly.
Larger cars are safer (I said cars, not SUVs) at least according to this:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/surprise-small-cars-still-more-dangerous-than-big-ones/
For my money, you just can’t beat the Grand Marquis/Crown Victoria siblings. That much comfort, storage space and decent fuel efficiency (for such a large car). I got 28.5 mpg in my old ’88 years ago.
Of course my commute is only about 2 miles each way, and I bike it when the weather permits. So yeah, no need for a suicide sardine box (Smart) or any other of those cars. It’s gotta have a V8 and seat six, minimum.
Plus there’s the excellent reliability.
I already have a 1st gen Xb and have put on 57K miles. I can carry all sorts of things like air conditioners lawn mowers etc that my old accord coudn’t carry.
Justin Berkowitz: I have no problems getting mid-high 30s on the highway, and I even saw 40 once while driving across Wyoming. The city mileage is where it falls apart, though. I get mid-20s. It looks like the revised 2008 EPA MPG figures agree with this; the 2007 numbers were a very optimistic 33/38.
We Americans just can’t seem to shake the “bigger is better” premise, even in the face of rising fuel costs. We say we “want” better fuel economy, but not at the expense of driving our large and/or “cute” cars. Until we truly come to grips with the reality that (right now) smaller cars really do get better mileage and we haven’t totally reversed the laws of physics, the full swing to smaller cars won’t happen here. It’s a shame, because with creativity, small cars can offer an amazing amount of practicality and fun. Witness the abundance of hatchbacks overseas. I know, I know…hatchbacks tend to be the scurge of the automotive world here in the US, seen as being one step above mopeds on the scale of desireability, but the days of the roaming SUV are (hopefully) coming to an end and people might want to get used to “right-sizing” their automotive purchases.
I wouldn’t go any way but small. I drove an ’85 LeSabre for about a year (18mpg, woo!), but the rest of my driving existence has been in small cars. I have a feeling because of model bloat, my ’07 Civic is the biggest car I’ve ever owned.
I hate the feeling of large cars anyway – I’d rather try to avoid an accident than just let isaac newton take the wheel. And if push does come to shove, I have full faith in my car’s frame to keep the big baddies out.
Eventually I’ll downsize, but for now it doesn’t make any financial sense to get rid of car and buy another one to save on gas. I drive a total of 12 miles a week, on average. So my V8 Cadillac burns one gallon of regular gas every week, unless I’m taking it on a trip.
Regarding subcompact death traps, a friend of mine rolled his Yaris (with me riding shotgun) and there were no injuries. See a picture of it here: http://tinyurl.com/6rt7m9
I recently went from a ’94 Mazda MPV to a a 350Z. In some circles, that’s going small. It even gets better gas mileage. In any case, I’m ready to buy small because I see no reason not to.
Ok, this might be a heroically stupid question, but has anyone done the math on buying cheap 87 and adding Toulene (inexpensive if you buy through industrial supply outfits)?
I grind my teeth buying 87 but the cost difference can be fairly staggering.
Or is this kind of thing just too third world?
I have been for forty years.
I’m ready for my next two Hondas – One large (Fit) and one small (Zest).
when will the new Fit be on sale???
I went small back in late December when I was able to pick up a nice 2002 Ford Focus priced at wholesale. I’m still hanging on to the minivan and the 97 Yukon though. They are not driven enough for their lower mpg to be a problem.
2009 Fit arrives this fall, I believe.
If they bring over the just-introduced Fit-derived Honda Freed, a little microvan with 3 rows, I’d seriously consider getting it when we have to replace a vehicle. It makes the larger Mazda5 look like a wasteful guzzler.
I would consider smaller cars if their city or overall mpg were better. If it’s 20-23mpg or so it’s not enough of an improvement for the trade-off in interior space, performance and pretty much everything else to make it worth it.
Not going small, but staying with the same car despite gaining more kids. I now fit three across the back of my WRX.
Things are changing so fast, and will continue to do so unless gas prices crash, that IMO this is a poor time to downsize. Wait a couple of years, or maybe a 3-4, for new more efficient stuff to come out. Hasn’t Honda announced a hybrid Fit? And today Norway’s Think Global announced that a small electric car is coming to the US.
Gas hits $6/gal and I will buy a smaller vehicle than my 9-5 wagon which gets 33 mpg on the highway portion of my commute, and 22 mpg on backroads if I am really easy on the throttle.
That smaller vehicle will be a nice commuting bicycle which I should be able to use about 8 months out of the year here in MA, or year-round if I am tough enough.
radimus:
How’s your radiator overflow tank holding up?
In about 1998 I got turned side-ways (NASCAR style) and T-boned by a semi doing 70 miles an hour while driving my Festiva. Drove the car home and parked it. The car got handed down to friends needing cheap transportation and now has over 300K on it making a daily 120 mi round trip commute. Anyone ever see a smashed up Surf Blue Festiva plying I-71 between Mansfield and Columbus?
Having said all that, I just got done running errands in the 81 VW diesel pickup at 52 MPG. What a tin can….
I get 30 MPG in my Accord, which I paid $17K for new. The trade-off from going smaller (and less safe) just isn’t worth it for an extra 5-10 MPG and a couple of grand.
Now, if small meant safe and 50 MPG and fun to drive (Sorry, Prius), then I’m in.
The wife’s new 2008 Accord is the biggest car we’ve ever owned. Mileage is (so far) very similar to my 2003 Protege.
Smaller? Eventually. If I had to replace the Slowtege today, I’d look at a Yaris or maybe an Elantra (I don’t like the looks of the Fit).
Although I am willing to buy another tiny car (I had a Ford Aspire), I do not think I would buy another tiny car that I felt was unsafe (like a Ford Aspire – I almost never drove it on the freeway).
I think a Smart would be OK in terms of safety but it’s too expensive for what you get and the improvement in fuel economy is unimpressive. At $12K or so, the Smart might look like a deal.
We’ll probably get a Prius… safe, similar fuel economy, more seats, only slightly more expensive than a Smart, much more versatile.
And maybe, someday, a Miata for the weekends.
No automotive engineer (or any engineer, for that matter) can rewrite the basic laws of physics.
Therefore, my next daily driver is going to be large(-ish), but since I’ll probably be doing 30 mpg at $4.00 per gallon rather than 25 miles at $5.00+ per gallon, it really won’t be that painful.
Not much smaller than currently: Mazda3 wagon. Once the family starts growing, something slightly larger wagon would be preferred.
Something like an Escape, Outback, or used XC70.
And, I’d like to get us down to 1 vehicle when the 240 dies (if it ever does). Work is less than 7 miles, I have a road and mtn. bike to use. Of course that depends on what the main vehicle would be…
Does an RS4 convertible count as small?
Why worry? The government will make SUVs get 35mpg and then we’ll be fine. Hehe.
I drive a 2002 Miata right now, and I’ll be honest – when funds allow, I’d rather have a car with better side-impact safety. Like the current-generation Miata. (Older Miatas do pretty well in frontal crashes.) btw your friend should just get a used Accord and be done with it. Or, show her the IIHS death rates table. I remember the Rav4 did surprisingly well on it.
Regarding subcompact death traps, a friend of mine rolled his Yaris (with me riding shotgun) and there were no injuries.
Rolling a small car is very different from being hit in a small car by another vehicle.
I couldn’t trade now if I wanted to due to being upside down. It just wouldn’t make sense. Having said that, I doubt I will ever buy a very small car, but it just depends on what’s available. I buy what I want, not what gets the best mileage…
Absolutely – I have a Mazda3 and a Mini Cooper and both a perfect for what my family needs. It’s not even the money but I just prefer smaller cars for city driving. If BMW would ever bring the 120d or 130 hatch to the US, I would be first in line for it.
KixStart: Haha! I had an Aspire, too, a sexy red 2-door heat & keys model; it didn’t even come with a clock. Also, it had a 1.3 liter engine, something I always think about when I fire up the 1400cc motor of my motorcycle…
One thing that really told me that small cars have arrived is that my wife, a North Dakotan through and through (anything smaller than a Grand Marquis is suspect and silly in her eyes) turned to me and said, “Maybe the next car we get can be a little one, like a Civic or something.”
I want very much to go small, but the NVH is what scares me off. If they come out with a car that’ll give me 40+ mpg on the highway and a quiet, smooth and comfortable ride I’ll pay good money for it. I can’t afford to care about 0-60 times or luxurious appointments, I just want something reliable, comfortable, and efficient.
Boy, talk about missing the point.
Don’t need a small car to get good MPG. I have a mid-sized station wagon that gets 35 city/ 40 hwy.
I went small several years ago. I traded in a less than reliable and thirsty Grand Marquis for a well equipped (but high freeway miles) Cavalier. At the time, my kids were done with Scouts, volleyball etc., and I really didn’t need the capacity any longer.
It has a pushrod 2.2 with plenty of torque for city driving and if I don’t play Speed Racer, it will return 25-27 in town and 35-37 on the freeway. Since gasoline has reached $4/gallon I drive like grandma these days, but even if I flog the dumb thing in city traffic, I’m still getting 20-22 MPG. I could never ever hope to reach those kinds of numbers with the Marquis de Sade…
Safety? Bunch of mamby-pamby sissies I say. Oh yes have to protect the children. Geez, when I was a kid, one of my dads cars didn’t even have seatbelts and no one wore the ones that did. Soon you won’t let your kids walk to the corner store unless they have body armor and a helmet.
My last 3 cars have been light, 4cyl, 5speeds. I don’t spend time worrying about what is safer than what. Small light weight cars are toss-able and fun to drive.
I find the ongoing sissification disturbing.
I hope fuel prices go higher so I get more nice light cars to choose from.
Well I like midsized cars. So my PRius is just doing great. Averages mid 40’s. Wish the XB had a hybrid. The new Cube may offer some options too.
A hybrid Xb would be the Cats Pajamas right now. Not a good as the Prius on the freeway, but just a good in stop n’ go.
love my GTI. big enough for 4 people to fit just fine. and gets +33mpg on a highway trip. Tons of airbags and safety acronyms.
I had to register just to reply to this. My last car was a 2004 WRX (sedan), and I traded it in for a 2008 Honda Fit Sport (automatic). I got around 20mpg on my best days with the WRX, and would mix in E85 for autocross days (STX class, but with a modified boost map for daily driving). My Fit gets around 30mpg with city driving and the A/C blasting most of the time (I’m in AZ). I got the auto because I developed problems with my knees, which was a major player in why I got rid of the WRX.
As for safety, I have no problems with it. It handles quite well (although this Sunday might be its first run through the cones) and has great braking. But then again, I prefer to avoid issues possible accidents so I lean toward better handling.
It’s a very efficient car, in terms of space inside, space outside, and fuel. My only issue has been taking it on the interstate, but I am learning to just go slower (I’m used to cruising at much higher speeds ;-)) and the car is fine.
So for you folks out there that are more expert in this area, what would be a good car for a growing family. Considering things like safety, reliability, and value. What’s a young growing (non-wealthy) family to do?
Right now our little family of 3 is fine (I think) in our ’06 Sonata 4cyl and ’00 Saturn SL1. But as we’re about to enlarge and the Saturn is nearing death, what type of vehichle should I consider? We certainly don’t need anything like a big ol’ Yukon, but can we get by with another regular sedan or should I look at something like a small SUV or wagon?
Just looking for some wisdom from the other family car heads out there… :)
My wife is a rare breed of American woman: she prefers tiny, twisty little cars to behemoth tanks. I should count my lucky stars (as well as the thousands of dollars in sticker price and gas we’ll be saving).
As I mentioned in another comment, our 180k-mile Saturn SL is on the clock.
The Fit towers over the current field, especially since its one HUGE Achilles’ heel (lack of left foot rest) is solved with the new generation. Following that are the Yaris, Civic, Corolla (willing to give it a test drive), Sentra, Versa, 3, and Prius (she’s willing to go mid-size for 50 mpg).
Of course, my wife is 25 years old and thinks she’s indestructible. I’m having a hard time talking her out of a motorcycle to commute to grad school. A Fit is a freakin’ vault by comparison.
@Covert: We have 3 (1 year old) in the 06 Mazda3 wagon and it’s fine now that the stroller has gotten smaller…but we can take long trips just fine in it with plenty of room for us and the cargo.
I hate trunked cars (sedans, coupes) as they eat away the useability and flexibility of a vehicle.
Like I said above, I’d like to consider something slightly larger and with some more capability for Idaho (winter, camping, whatever). I usually stick with FoMoCo due to excellent deals, service, and (so far) reliability. I think the Escape or a used V70 XC would be our preference, but even an Outback will be considered.
My mom went small and safe. MINI Cooper S. It has a fully boxed frame and a but load of standard features, gets ok milage 33 on the highway) the city milage will make you loose your lunch! 25 mpg city. thats from personal experience. There is one down side to this car, PRICE! Try finding a smaller car for more money per pound!
Covert7…I’m a big guy and with twins I required a car that would allow two rear facing infant carriers in the back which narrowed down my choices.
My wife and I just went through the car buying experience recently, and the best I could find that was reasonably priced (20K or less), decent mileage (EPA city 20+) and could have me drive and carry two kids and some cargo was a Mazda5.
Anything else that fit the bill was large sedans (300/Charger/Magnum) or SUVs, and those failed in the mileage department.
The 5 is, surprisingly, fun to drive and an excellent value for the money. We paid 20.3 for a 2008 Touring automatic.
Wife and baby drive in a Grand Marquis – wonderful vehicle that is overlooked by most. I commute in a Corolla, which I hate.
If gas was cheap, I’d be driving the Grand Marquis, and the wife would probably have an SUV like a Grand Cherokee. Call us throwbacks, but I much prefer larger vehicles, but I’m not stupid about money and the cost of gas.
I just accept it as the fact our standard of living is dropping in this country, so we are now driving vehicles better suited to 3rd world countries.
Already drive “small” thanks.
Don’t care if gas went to $2.50 again. We’re already driving what we like.
Wouldn’t mind a Eurovan Weekender for trips though.
MINI Cooper S here. Funny how the mileage isn’t stellar for the size (as a previous poster mentioned) but you automatically get a pass from the green police based on size. Around town it’s BARELY more fuel efficient than my old M3.
We’re looking at replacing our ’02 X5 (I6, 5spd) here shortly, and are really scratching our heads on what to replace it with. Can an average American nuclear family cope with TWO small cars? :-)
Another cheap and cheerful way to boost cargo capacity on small(er) vehicles is to get a trailer hitch with a cargo shelf like this:
http://www.sportomotoring.com/everthere-folding-carrier.html
It won’t tank you highway mileage will like putting something on the roof.
Now if Honda would just offer the new Accord as a Wagon. It would be the reincarnation of the Griswold family truckster.
A coworker and I were just talking about this the other day. At what price point will we be riding 250 Ninja’s in to work or spend money on some car that gets good mileage? $8/gal? $12/gal? I just don’t know.
It will take some price point where it’s starting to drain my bank account. I imagine that will be when it costs over $100 to fill up the tank. Sticker shock or what not. Maybe even $80. $30, $40, meh. Maybe at $8/gal, I buy me a 1989-1994 Geo Metro AND a used 250 Ninja for a thousand or two. And keep all my other vehicles, heh. I didn’t really downsize, I just bought more specialized vehicles.
It’s not so bad, just get you something that gets great fuel mileage. Potentially even move close to work. I’ve already been eyeing some houses that are right down the street from where I work.
Don’t like it, drive electric instead. For the price of a used car you can convert your current vehicle over to electric to commute in and run errands. Then buy you a motorcycle or high mpg car for trips. Or rent a car. Cause for the near future, an electric will be a second car and not a coast to coast just in case you need it type car.
Or buy more oil stock and burn more fuel! When you’ve got three or four hundred thousand in Exxon Mobil stock, you kinda like it when they have a good quarter. Sell oil for a million a barrel. Then I WILL spend the money to convert and drive an electric. And I’ll park my fleet of vehicles for the time being.
The nicest thing about driving electric is you no longer care what the price of gas or oil is. And you can take your electric motor, controller, charger, and batteries and move them from one car to another in the sense that when you get a new or different vehicle, it can be converted with the hardware you already have! A one time purchase(if you buy Lion batteries).
The ad is scary – 6 bags of concrete hanging off the trailer hitch? What would that be like to drive? Light front end? My class-1 hitch wouldn’t handle that well…
I agree though – we’ve got alot of creative options.
My family has gotten along well with our 1st gen CR-V for 9 years now. Still plenty of room though I am considering a small weatherproof trailer to carry the bikes on top of with luggage inside the trailer when we bring along the dog who uses half of the cargo space in the CR-V “way-back”.
ONCE a year (Christmas) we’d like to have some more space to carry gifts. We’ve been adjusting Christmas a little each year so that it represents less shopping for multiple gifts per person and concentrate on meals, games, and other ideas. We’ve long wanted 1 per person but the family surprised us by requesting us to draw names. Every kid “buys” a gift and gets a gift, same for the adults.
Lots of ways to change our lifestyle for the better even driving small vehicles.
Another example would be trips to grandma’s or the cousins. Instead of travelling many weekends through the year we’re seeing family less often and enjoying it more when we do. We’re also scheduling multi-day visits so the kids can play. They like this too.
It’s easier to shop for the right vehicle once the kids’ knees bend over the edge of the rear seat and their legs don’t stick straight out like when they are two years old.
Just think outside of the box. Mazda5, CR-V (and the like), used wagons like VW and Audi, Subbieroos, etc. Skip all the fancy AWD systems where possible unless it doesn’t represent a big drop in mileage or you actually get snow where you live. Our AWD CR-V gets about 1 mpg worse mileage than the FWD version from 1999. I use AWD maybe twice a year and FWD would be fine.
you should be able to buy and drive whatever you like..
from Smarts to SUVs..
small cars are great till trip time.
mine are at least 600 miles and NO WAY is anyone but an environmental wacko/masochist going to feel comfortable in a mini car
This ain’t Europe where you can drive through three countries in 5 hours and by the way they most likely have great rail service because their cars cant be driven long distances…
@taxman: When did a smaller car equate to a standard of living equal to a 3rd world country?
You can buy several small vehicles that are nicely equipped and north of $20grand. That’s about 10x the price of what many in 3rd world countries would consider as a luxury.
Thanks for some of the input folks!
In looking around at some car sites, I at first really dug the Mazda5 but the one thing that really breaks the deal for me is that Stability Control isn’t even an option on those at this time. Hopefully the next models will fix that though.
Guess I need to focus on thinking in terms of a small SUV (CRV/Rav4/Tuscon) or a wagon. Which probably won’t happen since my wife can’t stand the though of driving a wagon…
Kazoomaloo: “KixStart: Haha! I had an Aspire, too, a sexy red 2-door heat & keys model;”
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen “sexy” used in the same sentence as “[Ford] Aspire” before. It’s a bit… disturbing.
Mine didn’t have A/C, either. I’m not sure an Aspire equipped with A/C would both move and run the A/C at the same time, anyway.
I can see myself going small if I got a second car for commuting next year, but only if I do that. I currently have a Mazda6 wagon, and while it’s a gas hog, it’s not a truly horrible one. Coupled with the low resale value and enormous cargo space, it’s not all that useful a car as a daily driver, but well worth keeping around for road trips and cargo hauling. For daily driving, I might see if I can’t get something with better mileage, like a Mini Clubman or Prius Touring.
Can you use “sexy and “Aspire” in the same sentense? Sure, after all, they’re both Brazilian, right?
I fail to see the need for stability control in a Mazda 5, or any other low-powered, FWD car for that matter. It is next to impossible to get a low-powered, FWD car out of shape to the point where stability control would be an asset, even in the snow. I drove a 4cyl Camry like it was a racecar for 6 years through the Canadian winter and can’t even remember one time where I would have benefited from stability control
Uhmn I’ve amassed enough spare parts to keep my his’n hers 528es going for another decade. In 2018, I’ll be looking for newer wheels.
I’m ready to “go small” as soon as car manufacturers realize that “small” doesn’t have to also mean “stripped down and cheap”. Right now about the only small car I would consider is the mini cooper, maybe also the Fit. And I guess if I were the kind of person who would be willing to be seen in a Camry, I would consider the Elantra – it even can be gotten with heated seats, ESC, etc.
Gone small..have been small. Had a first gen Mini for 6 years and now we’re on a new 2nd Gen. Do I worry when my wife or I drive it? Nope. The bigger is better logic bandwagon leads you to accept that a Hummer make perfect sense. I’m willing to risk the small chance that we will have an accident, that the accident will be of such violence as to be dangerous, and that its dynamics will be such that it will thwart the safety features of the Mini for good gas mileage and the money we’ll save. Life is unpredictable, but I’m not going to be wearing lead underwear and living enclose in a bubble due to it.
Bring ’em on. I love small cars. My current “family vehicle” is an ’08 Scion xB and I’d love a Fiat 500 for my commute.
Those minis just get average fuel mileage: http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/2008-mini-cooper-3.htm
I gotta go all the way. Geo Metro, Honda Insight. What are some more cars that get fuel mileage like that?
I’ve never been impressed by the Prius fuel mileage. When they add a plug on it, then it will be something:
Fact is, unless you drive a lot, and own a big time guzzler, selling your car strictly for the mileage is usually not the fiscally prudent move, even with 5 dollar gas. That said, I enjoy driving smaller rather than larger. Light weight is a reward in and of itself.
I small sized with a MINI Cooper S in 2003.
When I need a truck, I borrow one or rent one.
Mexico only has about 7 years worth of oil to export….and why is our oil under their sand anyway?
No, but I’m ready to join a revolution to overthrow the oil king running America into the ground.
I have always preferred smaller cars, as lugging around a whole bunch of seldom used seats and a big cargo box seems like a waste. Currently, I drive a 2007 MINI Cooper S and get a bit over 31 mpg with it (mostly suburban driving). As a few posters mentioned, if FIAT brings over the 500, and especially in Abarth Esse Esse guise, I would get it. I have not, nor will I ever, purchase an SUV.
I haven’t decided yet. I now drive a 2001 MB E320 4Matic. I’m not ready for a Prius. I might be ready for a C-Class, a 3 series or maybe even a TSX. But all this is very much on my mind. Part of me says you only live once. Get another E-Class. Oh and safety matters more to me than mpg. See Informed For Life.
You talked her out of purchasing an Audi?
Some gentleman dressed in all black will come visit you in the middle of the night! Ja!
Seriously, the new A4 are less troublesome than earlier models and Audi was giving 0.9% APR on them in my area.
I agree with her and not purchase a Fit if you have infant.
Size matters!!
My suggestion, Lexus IS250 or Acura TSX for her and the infant.
IS250, TSX, and A4 are total chix cars.
As for me, I have sized down but not in engine size!
Lexus IS350, 3.5 300+hp V-6 replacing 1.8T 170 hp turbo inline4 VW Passat
350z, 3.5 300+V-6 replacing 3.2 250hp V-6 TT.
More Pooooooooooooooower!!!!!!!!!
Ready? I say bring on the Lilliputians! I honestly never understood why my fellow countrymen desired to own those marshmallow-suspended Conestoga wagon look-alikes that were out-handled by either a bumper car or a supermarket trolley.
I hope that gas prices increase past five-a-gallon, so we continue to demand smaller. Imagine Fiestas replacing Explorers, Corsas replacing TrailBlazers, and perhaps for the first time, a sound business case for the MiTo, Fiat 500, VW Polo, etc. Maybe even the Fronsh will make a return – how cool would that be?!
I just can’t wait for the day when Muffy Tennis Whites’ Lincoln Townhouse no longer obscures my view down the road.
My A4 is a compact car according to the feds. It looks large to me.
My dad’s Expedition was a badly designed bus, not a car.
I get a steady 29 in winter and 32 in summer. Theres not that much left to save by going to something that gets in the high 30s.
I will go small though, next, they are more fun to drive than large, in principle.
As a GTI owner, I also already have a small car. Wait, we talking size not weight right? I didn’t choose it for mileage and I don’t get high mileage out of it.
As far as safety is concerned I guess I believe in avoiding an accident first and the design of the vehicle if I can’t avoid it. I was hit head-on by a dope in an Explorer trying to make a left turn while I was driving a rental Corolla. The Corolla was totalled and wedged under the Explorer but I didn’t suffer any injuries.
Owner of 2 A4s and an A6. Older A4 with 130K just needed a throttle body, exhaust and clutch. Thats not $400 per month over the past year but its a real ding if someone isn’t prepared for repair costs. Its German, for goodness sakes, and smaller doesn’t seem to mean cheaper repairs. But it was the devil I knew and a replacement markedly more reliable would have been markedly more expensive. Newer ’04 1.8T MT6 A4 gets 30mpg in my suburban commute at an average speed of 37mph. Good enough mileage and Audi is the leader in demonstrating small doesn’t mean craptastic interiors or a paucity of features. It would get better mileage if it weren’t such a heavy little tank, but thats OK. Depreciation? That only matters if you flip cars, a proposition where you either lose or lose big.
The A6,meh. Just waiting for a moderately OK deal on something smaller. No adult sized kids to haul any more and 23mpg doesn’t make me happy.
Already have an ’03 Matrix. At the rate it’s going (tires and oil/filter changes is all so far after 135,000 + miles) we’ll have it forever, at least into retirement in 9 yrs. 5 mo.! We live in a rural area and 4WD/AWD is a blessing in the snow and ice and even for wet, slick rural roads. Would probably go with another Matrix AWD unless the Fit or Yaris or some other as yet unamed model offer it in the future. Have to keep the Expedition too for trailer towing (and for when the snow gets really deep!).
@Jonny Lieberman
How’s your radiator overflow tank holding up?
Fine, as far as I know. What should I be looking for?
I already own two Jetta TDIs, so I already drive “small” cars. Although I’d love to be able to buy something smaller, like a Polo TDI. But VW won’t bring them over, so a Jetta is the smallest diesel option. :(
If Smart really was as their name implies, they’d be selling the Smart CDI in the US and advertising the high fuel economy numbers.
@sashazur: You should be looking more closely at several newer model compacts…they’re not the penalty boxes you may believe they are. Almost all of them can be loaded up quite nicely with features.
“Long story short, she’s got about $15k to spend.’
A smart move for her is to hit the nearest Hertz Used Cars sales lot and pick up a 2007 Taurus for $9995 like this one:
http://www.hertzcarsales.com/FindYourCar/vehicleDetails.jsp?&vin=1FAFP56U17A195131&referrer=yes
That is a lot of car for under $10k, is much safer than a Fit and isn’t going to put you in the poor house like an Audi anything. Around town fuel economy will be in the low 20s instead of the high 20s like Fits return.
“Geez, when I was a kid, one of my dads cars didn’t even have seatbelts and no one wore the ones that did.”
Road fatality rates are down more than 50% since the halcyon days of the 1960s. Luckily you and your family survived, but that doesn’t mean it was due to skill or even good genes, just luck.
Size, vehicle choice and seatbelt use all make a difference:
http://www.iihs.org/news/2005/iihs_sr_031505.pdf
Small car? Can I get a hell no? I’ve entertained the thought of a small “drivers car” but then I remember my friend’s Honda Prelude, aka The Rollerskate. I’m thinking G8 for my next daily driver and early ’90’s Cadillac Brougham for my next toy car.
If I were buying today, I’d go small. My daughter has a 2008 Ford Focus sedan that she’s let me drive on a few occasions. After reading the TTAC review, I expected to hate the thing, but it’s actually quite a pleasant car to drive. Yes, the exterior looks odd, and yes, the interior plastics are only a small cut above Chrysler’s bargain-basement materials, but the car is comfortable, rides well, handles decently, and gets 30 mpg or better in mixed driving. I could live with that.
Will I trade my 2000 Mercury Sable in early to get a new Focus? Not bloody likely. The Sable has 100,000 miles on it, but the car is paid for, doesn’t lose much value to depreciation each year, is dirt-cheap to insure, and gets about 25 mpg in mixed driving. Since I drive roughly 12,000 miles a year, trading the Sable for a Focus would reduce my fuel consumption by 80 gallons a year. At current gas prices, that’s less than one monthly car payment for a Focus bought on a three-year note. Repairs might add another two payments’ worth of costs to my annual outlay, but I’m still saving a pile of cash by driving the old car until it quits.
My 98 Jetta Wolfsburg is 26/38 mpg, so not sure if I need to upgrade. That’s not bad for a 4door 4 cylinder automatic car that is 10 years old. No problems with the car and I just do the regular oil change and tune ups. Would love to have a truck but maybe I should look into other options like wagons or CUV’s. But never a small car, couldn’t make it my primary car.
If I had to get a new car today, I’d look hard at a Civic. If the Fit got about 10-15 mpg more than the current Civic, without being a hybrid, I’d look at that. I currently drive an Accord.
We’re having a baby in August
We got a new Civic SI. It has all those fancy ass curtain airbags, reinforced steel doors etc – the nanny government has essentially regulated extra weight and safety into the car for us.
we get 26 mpg city, 32 highway. It swallows everything I own without complaint (no problem eating 4 wheels with tires to take to autocross).
small can be safe and efficient.
I just want to add that
“I’m having a baby so I need an SUV” is one of the most retarded things I’ve ever heard, yet so many people believe it.
Car seats fit in the back of a regular car. Unless you have a brood, you don’t need an SUV. My family of 4 did fine in a BMW 5-Series and Mercury Sable.
I am both amused and enraged, simultaneously, when idiots (for instance, TV actors who test drive $15k cars) state their ill-informed opinions as authoritative fact. The inevitable result is that folks like us, who actually spend time researching and educated ourselves on a topic before advising others, get to first ‘un-do’ their damage before actually offering useful information. Even more ridiculous, some still won’t heed the good advice even with hard facts (crash test data, CR reviews, etc). I guess they deserve what they get!
One of my favorite quotes seems appropriate here- “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than speak out and remove all doubt.”- Abe Lincoln
TV actors- take note!