We are in the market for a new car. Here are my wife's criteria:
4 doors
Doesn't look like a mom car
Good MPG
No hatchbacks
Preferably doesn't look like every other sedan on the road
NO SUVs
As you can imagine, this is quite the list to satisfy. I came up with one match: the Mini Cooper Clubman. I recommended the Honda Fit, too, but she doesn't like the shape of it. Any suggestions? Preferably under 30K.
#2
blotsfan
I don't really know what "mom car" means, but a Prius seems to fit all those categories.
#3
Gared
Hmm... well, unfortunately the car I drive does tend to look like every other sedan on the road, but I've had really good luck with my Ford Fusion. It's a 2007, manual transmission, four dour sedan, SEL model which gets it some of the "nicer" electronic climate control options right on the steering wheel (temp +/- and fan speed), cruise control, gets about 29 mpg in very heavy city traffic and 36+ highway mileage, and as an added bonus the Fusion models score nicely on the newest IIHS safety test, the narrow-head-on collision, which measures what happens when someone barely clips the front of their car on the corner of another vehicle or a tree or a post.
My wife drives a 2008 Fusion SE, so it doesn't have the steering wheel climate controls or, strangely, the indoor/outdoor thermometer and the little sensor on the dashboard that tells the car whether it's dark and needs to turn the headlights on and tilt the rearview mirror. She gets comparable gas mileage, though a little bit less on the highway and a little bit better in the city. And because hers is the "sport" package, it has the little built in spoiler on the back.
They're both nice cars to drive, though hers is a little cramped for me to drive on long trips - but only in the driver's seat.
No hatchback, no SUV, doesn't look like a sedan? Yeesh.
Skoda Rapid's a pretty nice car with good value for money, though I have no clue if it's available in the US
#6
Azurephoenix
Mazda 3. Good value, reliability, excellent fuel economy (get the new skyactiv technology ones), more zip than most econobox 2.0L engines, doesn't look like a mom car. Reasonable price.
She hates the Cube and anything else like a box. I forgot that the 6 was on our list. It's sedany but makes up for it in other areas. She drives a convertible 2004 new beetle now, which she stole from me. She loves it but it needs 4 doors. I'm not 100% sure what mom car means either but apparently it means SUV and station wagon. We did see a Nissan Juke today and she kind of liked that.
#9
Dei
My car of choice is sport wagons so I have nothing useful to add here. Clearly though, you should get her a Tesla.
#10
Sparhawk
I gotta say, I wish that she liked the shape of the Fit. We've had our for just over 6 years now and it's great. Mazda 6 is good.
#11
Bubble181
She...likes the Juke?
There is obviously not enough I have in common with this woman to give useful tips on choice of car. Also, to me, it violates the "no SUV" rule; call it a hybrid, but it's a regular SUV *90%.
#12
Bowielee
What's wrong with sedans?
#13
Squidleybits
I can't wait until my kids are old enough that I can get a 2 door!
#14
sixpackshaker
The Ford Fusion has been the best mid-sized car for several years now.
#15
strawman
Even Though it may violate some of your requirements, depending on how subjectively you define them, you really should take a look at the Mazda 5.
#16
Covar
I drive a Hyundai Sonata. Decent milage (good at the time, but newer models aren't keeping up with other makes it seems), surprising amount of power out of a i4.
I have a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid.
What can I say about it? I fell in love with the thing the moment I got into it. It's pretty roomy, good mileage, and very safe.
Clearly though, you should get her a Tesla.
