Car Shopping - Small Crossovers

[Koronin]

Irulan, when it gets closer to when we can actually afford to to make a purchase, I'd love to see what all you like/dislike about yours. Nothing is better than actually talking with someone who owns a vehicle (even if it's a different year).
nscrbug, we live in NC on the coast, so we don't get the real bad harsh winters of the mid west or the north. But that is definitely something to think about.

[zoom-zoom]

Irulan, when it gets closer to when we can actually afford to to make a purchase, I'd love to see what all you like/dislike about yours. Nothing is better than actually talking with someone who owns a vehicle (even if it's a different year).

You can see what I said about my '06 3s 5 door, upthread. There are things we love about our 3 ("zoom-zoom", height-adjustable seat, the way it fits my 6'2" hubby and <5'4" me equally well, wonderful manual transmission) and things we don't love (really low-rent sheet metal, continuous CEL since about 55k miles, mediocre gas mileage for a car of its size). When it comes time to buy our next car we'd still look at Mazda, but going back to Ford or Honda are also likely options. We've had better luck with those 2 brands than we've had with our Mazdas (which is saying something, since our Mazdas have served us fairly well, really).

[Koronin]

zoom-zoom, we've also had great luck with Fords, although we've never had Ford cars, only trucks. We currently have two Rangers. One is a 1987 with well over 300,000 miles on it. The other one is a 2005 which so far has been really good to us as well. Just no experience with their cars. I've always had GM cars, previously a Pontiac Sunbird that had over 100,000 miles when I traded it in for my current car, a 2003 Monte Carlo SS. Basically what I'll be looking for in a new car is very good gas milage with a good bit of cargo space due to all the driving I do for my job and at times how much stuff I have to carry with me. My current car gets around 25 miles to a gallon, so a new one must get better than that and I basically need a hatchback or a stationwagon (if I can find one). Right now the Focus is at the top of my list.

[chryss]

I just bought the second car of my life: I used to live in European capitals, where you don't need a car, but am now in rural Alaska outside Fairbanks. AWD/4WD was a requirement, plus "small-ish SUV or small pickup truck" seemed to be the best first approximation. I ended up with a 2002 Mazda Tribute, which is nearly identical to the Ford Escape line. Mine comes with anti-locking brakes (not all of that year do), which is great.

The car has for in the last 2 months really grown on me. It seems very solid, visibility is great, handling's great. We dealt with roads that were ice for miles, melting ice, new snow, and now foot-deep slush. No issue. Driving on the highway ... well, it feels like a car, not a truck. Fuel economy is what I think of as awful, but my American friends assure me that 18.5 mpg isn't bad for an SUV.

I'd been thinking of a Toyota RAV 4, Honda CR-V, or even a Subaru Forester or Outback (and looked at Kia Sportage -- my car is a trade-in bought at a Kia dealer), but can definitely recommend the Mazda should you come across one.

Oh, my bike fits fine inside with the back bench flattened.

[Irulan]

Irulan, when it gets closer to when we can actually afford to to make a purchase, I'd love to see what all you like/dislike about yours. Nothing is better than actually talking with someone who owns a vehicle (even if it's a different year).
nscrbug, we live in NC on the coast, so we don't get the real bad harsh winters of the mid west or the north. But that is definitely something to think about.

Here's a teaser.

[zoom-zoom]

Awesome, Irulan! Looks like we have the same Yakima rack. We got it primarily for transporting our tandem. The bike is nearly as long as the car! Your photo reminds me that my car is still filthy from neverending Winter.

[Irulan]

FYI, 3 bikes 3 bikers 3 loads of crap belonging to said bikers... 31 MPG. On a two lane highway.

another view.... turned the fairing over so I'm not advertising for Yakima

[zoom-zoom]

Ooh, ha...just found this...

[Xrayted]

Hah! A Converse Chuck Taylor box!

[Koronin]

That is one thing the new car will be getting, (unless we end up with an electric car), however that is a reason to keep in mind for a gas car. That whole pros and cons list.

[tulip]

Koronin, I adore my VW Rabbit (2007). Made in Germany, except for the engine (Mexico) and the 5-speed manual transmission (Argentina) if that matters to you. I get a ton of stuff inside, it gets decent--but not great--gas mileage (low 30s), and is just a blast to drive. It also has all the extras that most other cars charge you extra for (standard on my mid-level Rabbit): heated seats, blinkers on the side mirrors, side airbags, CD changer, ipod plugin. I have 57k miles on mine and have had no problems. It's just a fantastic little car with alot of room inside. I regularly haul my border collie in his crate, one bike inside, one bike on the roof, lots of luggage, and I still have plenty of room.

And it's so much fun to drive!

My next one will be a TDI diesel because it gets well over 40mpg, but they were not selling those in the US in the 2007 model year.

[Blueberry]

I have a 2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDI and so far love it. I traded my Honda Element for it because 1)the dealer told me no more hauling kayaks on the roof (they caused leaks into the passenger compartment) and 2) if I couldn't haul toys, I was not going to put up with 18-21 mpg (without the boats). Haven't had any long trips with the Sportwagen yet - but in mixed driving I get 38-40 mpg average. Diesel and gas aren't that different in price right now. As Tulip said, it came nicely apportioned - heated seats, mirror blinkers, etc. We had a colder than average for my area winter (which means some mornings in the mid-teens) and there was never a problem starting it up.

I've hauled file boxes in the back - no toys yet.

[Koronin]

Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't thought about VWs. I have no issues with European cars at all. (Other than I know they can be more expensive to fix when things go wrong.) I would need an automatic transmission though. I also really hadn't thought about diesel, but they do get better gas mileage. Hmmmm, more to consider. (My two dreams cars are a Ferrari, which will probably never happen, or a Mercedes, which is unlikely to happen. Both are just too expensive.)

[Irulan]

Koronin, I adore my VW Rabbit (2007). Made in Germany, except for the engine (Mexico) and the 5-speed manual transmission (Argentina) if that matters to you. I get a ton of stuff inside, it gets decent--but not great--gas mileage (low 30s), and is just a blast to drive. It also has all the extras that most other cars charge you extra for (standard on my mid-level Rabbit): heated seats, blinkers on the side mirrors, side airbags, CD changer, ipod plugin. I have 57k miles on mine and have had no problems. It's just a fantastic little car with alot of room inside. I regularly haul my border collie in his crate, one bike inside, one bike on the roof, lots of luggage, and I still have plenty of room.

And it's so much fun to drive!

My next one will be a TDI diesel because it gets well over 40mpg, but they were not selling those in the US in the 2007 model year.

Mazda has a lot of the nicer features too. This is where my Mazda 3 beat out a Toyota matrix. How's reliability and maintenance on VW's I had a jetta years ago that ate me alive in electrical issues.

[tulip]

Older Jettas had reliability issues, it's true. My brother had one that went bonkers.

Rabbits/Golfs are made in Germany, as are all diesel models. Gas Jettas are made in Mexico or Brazil, but they seem to have fixed their issues, as Jettas are apparently not unreliable anymore as they were 10 years ago.

I've had no problems with my Rabbit. I created an elaborate decision matrix when I was shopping, and the Toyota Matrix came out on top...but I found it such a drag to drive and the rear visibility bugged me. I ended up going with the car I wanted, not the car that the excel table told me I should buy! There's something to be said for fun-to-driveness.

The Mazdas are very nice. I also like the Subaru Impreza WRX. I like actual driving with manual transmission, so that kind of performance is important to me.