Help me pick a car

[Randy Chase]

This is for Andrea. She has grown sick of her Lexus GX-470 as it is not fun to drive, the payments are pretty high, and the gas mileage sucks. She drives about 60 miles a day. We looked at a Lotus Evora. A bit out of the price range but ruled out as the back seat is really too small and for the price, she could get two other cars. So the goal is a 4 seater daily driver and a used Lotus Exige S for the weekends.

She needs a 4 seater as she has 4 year old twins. She dislikes torque steer. She wants something peppy. Probably in the $25-35k range. Things like heated leather seats and built in Sat-Nav a plus. It has to have good safety features. And MPG should be 25 or better highway.

Cars so far being considered:
Subaru WRX
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
Hyundai Genesis 3.8l Track
Mini (Clubman?)

Other cars we looked at:
Mazdaspeed 3. Really liked it but she did not like the small amount of torque steer from the FWD.


What are your recommendations? What cars am I missing?

Thanks!

[Steve Ekstrand]

Hemi Charger

[Max Hayter]

Pontiac G8!

[Don Salyers]

Shelby GT Mustang

Don

[Will Kalman]

Continuing the theme started by Steve and Max...

Studebaker Champion!

DeLorean!

AMC Eagle!

[Mako Koiwai]

The new WRX's are pretty impressive ... I would definitely give one a test drive. I like their slimmer profile over the wide body STI's. Lighter then the STI but with 265 hp ... and with the 2.5 engine, nice torque.

[Kurt Rahn]

I vote for the Infiniti G35. I loved that car everywhere but on the autocross course. Fast, RWD, comfortable, handles really well for a big car, plenty of room, available with a manual trans, reasonable price, lots of available bells & whistles. The present incarnation has a much nicer interior than the first gen did. Definitely worth a test drive to see if she likes it.

BTW, if she doesn't like torque steer, stay away from the MINI, at least the S version.

[Christine Grice]

Prius

Hypermiling is the best excuse for going around corners as quickly as possible. You can't slow down because it would use more gas to get back up to speed. ;)

[Greg Peng]

And it's faster than an Evo...

[Jeff Wong]

And it's faster than an Evo...

Maybe a STi would have been a better race?

[Steve Ekstrand]

Yeah.... If Tom was driving the STI.

[Sebastian Rios]

I really like that G8 especially the GXP model.

[Mako Koiwai]

Instead of the Exige S ... Kestler's is a great value: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2453

[Bob Beamesderfer]

G35 or G8 GXP, which is going for cheap according to my GM source.

[Michael Palero]

MKVI GTI or GTD

[Kristoffer Gjevre]

Prius

Hypermiling is the best excuse for going around corners as quickly as possible. You can't slow down because it would use more gas to get back up to speed. ;)

I have to admit I am a bit intrigued by the latest gen Prius, and with 17 inch wheels and faster steering rack it is even a little sporty, but find it hard to swallow the approx $33K price (leather and nav included, no other way to get the wheels and rack than in the V model)...

[Eric Clements]

Two MR2's would have 4 seats!

New only? Whatever...

Used, BMW 335i, E46 M3 (coupe only)

[Ken Motonishi]

Subaru WRX- the new 265 hp engine is fabulous- stronger than you'd think. Civilized to drive. Wouldn't hold your breath for gas mileage though.

Sounds crazy but I'd get a Prius and save the fun for when you can REALLY get on the gas without getting arrested.

Otherwise get a slightly used Lexus IS350 or a BMW 3 series. I think the 335d sedan is fabuloso but even a used version would be in the $40s though.

Evo X with the twin clutch SST but that's more like $40k.

If you don't mind FWD, Jetta TDI (love DSG tranny but concerns over durability of coping with 236ft/lbs TQ real low), GTI or Honda Civic Si sedan.

[Craig Naylor]

Prius

Hypermiling is the best excuse for going around corners as quickly as possible. You can't slow down because it would use more gas to get back up to speed. ;)

I have to admit I am a bit intrigued by the latest gen Prius, and with 17 inch wheels and faster steering rack it is even a little sporty, but find it hard to swallow the approx $33K price (leather and nav included, no other way to get the wheels and rack than in the V model)...

Personally I never gave the Prius a thought in the past, to pedestrian in my mind.

But working a program for Toyota, I've been greatly impressed with the Gen 3. My personal pick would be a IV (for the Leather seats) w/ the Solar roof package -solar powered ventilation & remote air-conditioning. The V is not available with this option, and I don't have a need for the other V standard features: LED headlamps (though nice), Fog light (can be added aftermarket), or the V Advanced Technology Package: Pre-colision system (brakes), Lane keep assist, Dynamic Radar Cruse Control, and Intelligent Parking assist. If the 17's were important I get lighter aftermarket rims.

So far as the different steering rack goes, even in my Toyota University info, I don't find any mention of that. Nor have I noticed a difference while driving.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

You'd probably lose some aero advantage by going aftermarket rims on the Prius.

+1 for the diesel BMW, although it won't fit the price range. Same for the Evo.

Is the DSG that fragile?

[Kristoffer Gjevre]

Prius

Hypermiling is the best excuse for going around corners as quickly as possible. You can't slow down because it would use more gas to get back up to speed. ;)

I have to admit I am a bit intrigued by the latest gen Prius, and with 17 inch wheels and faster steering rack it is even a little sporty, but find it hard to swallow the approx $33K price (leather and nav included, no other way to get the wheels and rack than in the V model)...

Personally I never gave the Prius a thought in the past, to pedestrian in my mind.

But working a program for Toyota, I've been greatly impressed with the Gen 3. My personal pick would be a IV (for the Leather seats) w/ the Solar roof package -solar powered ventilation & remote air-conditioning. The V is not available with this option, and I don't have a need for the other V standard features: LED headlamps (though nice), Fog light (can be added aftermarket), or the V Advanced Technology Package: Pre-colision system (brakes), Lane keep assist, Dynamic Radar Cruse Control, and Intelligent Parking assist. If the 17's were important I get lighter aftermarket rims.

So far as the different steering rack goes, even in my Toyota University info, I don't find any mention of that. Nor have I noticed a difference while driving.

Dang, I could not find any info on the quicker steering rack on the Toyota web site or in the printed brochure... but lots of statements on the net referring to mag reviews etc, such as this one:
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-201 ... ius-v.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
so perhaps they did not put that into the V...

Also just noticed that the V now has no choice of no technology package which it did when I researched it back in late October (only nav was required)...

So then I agree that the IV is a better choice... I wonder how much the 's 17 inch wheels would cost as I like them...
With the IV you have to get one of these (both pretty expensive):
Navigation System w/JBL® Audio $2,480
Solar Roof Navigation (Includes Navigation Package) $4,280

[Kevin Price]

Drive a Prius before you fall in love with its numbers. I drove an '09 across Southern Wyoming a couple of weeks ago. If you close your eyes, its a bit like an overloaded Civic 4 door automatic- unresponsive, uncertain, etc. It got 44mpg the way I was driving it. Meh- my old Civic got almost 40 and it was $13k.

I think that its a car for people that hate cars.

[Kristoffer Gjevre]

Drive a Prius before you fall in love with its numbers. I drove an '09 across Southern Wyoming a couple of weeks ago. If you close your eyes, its a bit like an overloaded Civic 4 door automatic- unresponsive, uncertain, etc. It got 44mpg the way I was driving it. Meh- my old Civic got almost 40 and it was $13k.

I think that its a car for people that hate cars.

Well, there certainly are a lot of Prius haters out there (the editor of Hot Rod mag comes to mind...)
I have only had a chance to test drive it twice, at the OC Autoshow and at a dealer.
Been looking for a place to rent a 3rd gen for a day or two, but not found one.
Don't care much for digital mph speedo and the rest of the gimmicky instrumentation...
Highway millage is not that interesting to me as it would mainly be used for commuting to work on surface street with at times heavy traffic, and that is where it shines. Others I am considering... Smart (only fits 2 though), Fitt, Fiesta, all much cheaper cars, and maybe the Fusion Hybrid, but base car is expensive... meanwhile I keep driving my Suburban and Z06...

sorry for the thread hijack...

[Craig Naylor]

oops dup post

[Craig Naylor]

Thread Hijack re-directed

Hi Kevin,
'09 vs. '10 night and day. Car is new from the ground up. Old car was anemic, current car isn't.

'09 76 hp 1.5L w/ 85 lb-f /tq Gas motor & 67hp w / 195 lb-f /tq
'10 98 hp 1.8L w/105 lb-f /tq Gas motor & 80hp w / 153 lb-f /tq

Obviously the 2nd gen relied more on the torque from the electric motor at dead stop. The net effect was improvement in measured numbers there too, but more importantly major improvement once rolling.

No I don't work for Toyota, but rather a program for them at this moment in time.

My wifes short list for a replacement for the Integra (commuter car at this point since purchase of the Miata): Prius. My short list: Jetta Wagen TDi (manual available), Golf TDi (manual available), A3 TDi (DSG ), Mini Clubman (Manual), Mazda 3 5dr (manual). But to be totally honest, I'd settle for the Prius (CVT ) III w / solar if a compromise of "fun" vs. "efficient" was necessary with the wife.

Randy, if "fun" and "effective" were the objectives, and a lotus was half of the equation, I could then jump whole heartily behind that combo, or one of the VW TDi's (some fun left in commuter portion).