OT: Suggestions for inexpensive commuter car/SUV

I'm in the market for a car / SUV to replace the wifes commuter Nissan Maxima. Curious to see what fellow Rennlisters would recommend. Here is what I'm looking for: -- Budget = 25K, plus/minus a few. I don't want to get into a loan/financing. New cars only. -- Easy to drive (automatic transmission), low road/wind noise and comfortable seating -- Low maintenance, reliable and safe. -- Should fit 2 kids (one on the way , one more in a few years) -- Wouldn't mind it being a little sporty, lively and peppy... -- But also, easy on gas (Hybrids are better -- Bay Area bridge toll savings and HOV lane access)

How about a Hybrid Accord? With the end of model year clearance stuff, you should be able to get a great deal that'll meet your threshold. I know more than a few Prius drivers who have had issues including one who got the dreaded software failure while attempting a high speed merge onto a highway with retaining walls on both sides. I have a Pilot as my 'other' car. I can fit tons of junk in it and it's Honda reliable. I know it is a bit soccer mom-ish but it is the right tool for the job I ask.

Based on your criteria the hybrid accord sounds about right...

MSRP on a decently equipped Hybrid Accord is about $33-34 K ... that's a little out of budget. Also the Accord Hybrid does not qualify for HOV lane access.

A friend recently went through this. He liked the Mazda 6, but the Accord fit her 5 foot height better. He said the Mazda was much sportier.

I just sold a 2004 Chevy Tahoe Z71 with 4 wheel drive, DVD, Bose stereo, all the options. It was in amazing shape and had around 28,000 miles. I felt lucky to sell it for $23,000. I was getting a bunch of bids at 20 and 21k. I miss the truck but I had four cars and not enough room, so we unloaded that one. If I had the room, I would by one again in a heartbeat. You could put 87 octane in it, just change the oil, and it never had any other issues. It also rode great on long trips with the family and tons of stuff.

Mazda Speed 3

How about Scion xB if you don't mind the boxy look. Great on Gas, less depreciation, within your budget.

Sorry - I just re-read your post and saw "easy on the gas" - forget the Tahoe and consider a Subaru.

I would look at a used XJR I had one for 2 years fast georgeous and about 1K in maintanance a year... They are all over the used car market..

I would vote for a Subaru Legacy. I bought a new one as a winter car a year ago and its great. Very comfortable I got cloth seats no sunroof basically a no extras car except for auto transmission and it is wonderful and only cost me $20k. I think its a nice looking car and would highly recommend one. For a bit more you can get a Legacy GT which has a bit more hp and a bit nicer, but for my commuter it wasn't as important. The car gets very respectable gas mileage as well.

I was all for the xB ... but the wife hates it.

If the hybrid thing is the top feature for CA HOV, then the only qualifying vehicles that can be bought new are the civic hybrid and the prius. Their list is at: California Hybrid list My wife got sick of the rattles in her A6 not too long ago and bought a regular accord four banger AT with leather for something like 22k. Not my thing but she only drives it to and from work.

2007 VW Jetta? Is the TDI available yet?

The Civic hybrid would seem to fit perfectly, unless you consider it to be too small to be safe. Less expensive than the Prius (in your budget range even with the Nav option), and doesn't have quite the same "I'm better than you because I'm environmental conscious" offensive attitude because it looks like a normal Civic.

I drive an 06 Ford Hybrid Escape and have been very happy with it. FWD or AWD. My daughter drives an 05 4cyl AWD Escape; both have been very reliable.

Why is this thread on the porsche forum????

Because I value opinions from Porsche owners and other Rennlisters BTW, I clearly say "OT" in the subject line.

I think you should buy another Porsche........................

i went thru this process myself when i made my c4 purchase in may. i was gonna use it as a daily river.... after a week, i couldnt stomach leaving the car in the commuter parking lot and the harm that could result from 2.5 mile drive each way. i considered all the things you mentioned.... and one more. depreciation. i only considered japanese cars for their stellar reliability and low maintenance costs. i dont think any others come close. when i polled many, many friends who own japanese cars, not one complained of high maint/repair costs. in fact, most said they've done NOTHING other than change oil at 20-35 a pop at dealers for 10-15yrs at which point they sold or gave away. i didnt have a budget... i woulda spent 40k if i felt overall cost was gonna be cheapest. but ultimately, the biggest cost is the depreciation. so with depreciation and low maintenace in mind, i eliminated some cars i woulda really liked to have owned - jetta, saab 9-3, a4, is250.... what i consider fun cars. do wanna mention how much i love the is250. it is a beaut... to me, any way. gorgeous lines. the interior is impeccable, just oozing luxury and class. i only looked at the awd and i was surprised at how sporty it felt. not at all what i expected of a lexus. i test drove gs before i bought my audi a6 a few yrs back and hated the mushy feel. everything was standard on the awd except nav. im talking leather, moonroof, ventilated seats, paddle tip shifter. i got it down to under 31k. i think comparably equipped 325xi would cost 10k more. only drawback was rear seats not fit for adults. kids would be ok, i think. no question in my mind this car is one of the BEST values out there. you dont need an awd being in SF so youd get in even lower. this was for an 06. i test drove: 06 mazda 6 - liked the car. the feel, most sporty of the bunch. brand doesnt sell well and is discounted heavily. doesnt hold value as well as toyota or honda. 07 camry - brand new retooled model. i liked the exterior. interior seemed cheap with lots of plastic. would buy if px was right. 06 outback/legacy sedan - like subarus a lot. awd is nice as i had on a6 and snow is an issue in no suburb of nyc. ride is firmer than camry or accord. tho not as sporty as mazda. decent interior. heavily discounted back in may. decent styling on legacy sedan. outback wagon i think is good looking for what it is. came in a tad more than i woulda liked as total ownership cost was my biggest consideration. not as popular as camry/accord - what is??? - and hence same concern as mazda. i figured that cars with limited audience always suffers when time to sell. it's always harder to sell AND at a lower price. 06 accord - the winner. i bght the vp trim - stripped is what it is but includes all the things i wanted: side curtain airbags, abs, pw, pl - auto for 16,700. the slowdown in car sales forcing mfrs and dealer to really discount. i was amazed that this accord was cheaper than the civic(new and very much in demand), chepaer than similar camry by 2700. i didnt think i can fetch 2700 more for the camry when the time comes for me to sell - min 6yrs, prob 8-10. seats not real good but tolerable. ive already done biz trips to boston(500mi r/t) and i was not uncomfortable. i feel very confident that accord will serve me well, and cheaply. and that is all i ask of a station car. if you really want an awd, subarus warrant strong consideration. for me, at the end, i didnt wanna spend extra 3-5k for either subaru because i thought i would get 1-2k at BEST 8yrs down the road. more money for me to spend on my c4. anyway, these are my impressions. check insideline on edmunds site to see what real people are paying. tons of info there.

Hello My wife just replaced her 540 wagon with an Audi A3. It's suprisingly roomy, has the "fun factor" with the 2.0 turbo, DSG and the S-Line package, and the interior is very female-friendly. Our local Porsche dealer service mgr has an A3 2.0 and he's taken me for some hot laps at Shannonville Motorsports Park......much fun, especially with the chip flash that gets it to 250hp. She's looking forward to a few track days with it.....next season unfortunately as winter will be upon us soon in Canada...boo

Another vote for a Accord if it has to be new...personally I'd pick up a used TL and call it a day.

Camry

If you don't mind a two-door, try a Scion Tc (Xb is too boxy)

Three words: SU BA RU. We're on our sixth and have loved them all. The one we miss the most sounds like the one that would be exactly what you're looking for...the Forester.

Xb is a great little car. I hated it too until I drove it. Easy to drive, pretty comfortable, great on gas and good resale if you want to get rid of it. Just my 2 cents. Good luck in your search.