Looking for car that gets over 32mpg

[Byteme]

2000-2001 4-cylinder Camry. Find an XLE and you'll get leather seats, ABS, automatic climate control, and a nice JBL sound system. We love our 2000 LE. Regularly gets 35 on the highway when I drive it.

OK.  I asked becasue I'd be quite comfortable in a Mazda3 sized car for hours on end while others might find it too small and some automatically equate smallness with being unsafe. Just trying to get in your head a bit more on your desires. 

Any of the cars I mentioned in my original post would work for you, IMO.  Besides those there is a multitude of cars meeting that broad criteria, it's a target rich environment.   

[Raza]

Uh - exactly what my post said - something big enough I can safely drive an hour and 10 minutes in Michigan lake effect snow and ice and get at least 32 mpg?

It's kinda why I'm loooing for ideas.    

Size doesn't really equal safety. If you're looking for safety in snow, I'd look at something with AWD.  The base model Impreza currently gets 36mpg highway, so I'd imagine a used one can't be that far off.

[ifcar]

Size doesn't really equal safety. If you're looking for safety in snow, I'd look at something with AWD.  The base model Impreza currently gets 36mpg highway, so I'd imagine a used one can't be that far off.

As recently as 2011, they topped out at EPA 27 mpg highway. New, smaller engine for 2012.

[mzziaz]

Size doesn't really equal safety. If you're looking for safety in snow, I'd look at something with AWD.  The base model Impreza currently gets 36mpg highway, so I'd imagine a used one can't be that far off.

AWD isn't really important for safety in winter driving, IMO.
ESP on the other hand.......

[Raza]

As recently as 2011, they topped out at EPA 27 mpg highway. New, smaller engine for 2012.

Poopies then.

[Raza]

AWD isn't really important for safety in winter driving, IMO.
ESP on the other hand.......

I've never had an AWD car through the winter, only RWD and FWD.  ESP is great, as long as you can turn it off, otherwise you're not going anywhere.

[68_427]

I'm sure an '02-'06 Impreza would get at least 30 mpg, especially with a 5 speed.  My mom's Legacy gets that much at 70-75mph.

[Madman]

Size doesn't really equal safety. If you're looking for safety in snow, I'd look at something with AWD.

OMG, there's snow on the ground!!!  We HAVE to have four wheel drive or we're all going to die!!!!
We'll be stranded in our homes and we'll have to resort to cannibalism just to survive!!!!!!!!!!

Reality check time.  Growing up, we drove rear wheel drive Detroit Dinosaurs through some of the worst Chicago winters imaginable and somehow we survived without having to eat each other.  There is absolutely no reason whatsoever why a modern front wheel drive car can't cope with a Midwestern winter.

Just like how you don't need a sledgehammer to drive a thumbtack into a wall, you don't need 4WD just because it's snowing.  Get a grip, people.

[Raza]

OMG, there's snow on the ground!!!  We HAVE to have four wheel drive or we're all going to die!!!!
We'll be stranded in our homes and we'll have to resort to cannibalism just to survive!!!!!!!!!!

Reality check time.  Growing up, we drove rear wheel drive Detroit Dinosaurs through some of the worst Chicago winters imaginable and somehow we survived without having to eat each other.  There is absolutely no reason whatsoever why a modern front wheel drive car can't cope with a Midwestern winter.

Just like how you don't need a sledgehammer to drive a thumbtack into a wall, you don't need 4WD just because it's snowing.  Get a grip, people.

I hear lake effect snow is really bad.  I'm the biggest "you don't need AWD" guy out there, but if it's his main concern, than that should be his main purchase criteria.

[Madman]

I hear lake effect snow is really bad.  I'm the biggest "you don't need AWD" guy out there, but if it's his main concern, than that should be his main purchase criteria.

As far as I can recall, this is the only 4WD sold in America in the last 20 years that will get 32 MPG Highway.



Subaru Justy.  Good luck finding one these days.

[Byteme]

I hear lake effect snow is really bad.  I'm the biggest "you don't need AWD" guy out there, but if it's his main concern, than that should be his main purchase criteria.

Back in the day they had mostly RWD cars there as well and coped.   In an average year how many days will the roads actually be impassable because of snow?  Three of four?  There may be snow on the ground but the roads get cleared pretty quickly.  I'd argue that knowing how to drive in snow is more important than what you are driving.



When I was young I had a 63 Chevy with recapped snow tires in the winter and it easily handled slick roads and ice and snow.

My wife is telling me we need a 4WD pickup for Arkansas and I'm telling her she's wrong.  If it snows you park the 2WD pickup at the bottom of the drive.  And if it snows hard you roll over and go back to sleep.

[ifcar]

As far as I can recall, this is the only 4WD sold in America in the last 20 years that will get 32 MPG Highway.

Or one of three current Subarus, but of course they're more than $8,000.

[crv16]

The best highway mileage we can get with our Forester is about 28-29, and that's only if you keep it at 65mph or under.  Brick like aerodynamics don't help.

[Laconian]

As far as I can recall, this is the only 4WD sold in America in the last 20 years that will get 32 MPG Highway.



Subaru Justy.  Good luck finding one these days.

They're still around in Alaska. Instead of Metros, people bought Justys.

[68_427]

The best highway mileage we can get with our Forester is about 28-29, and that's only if you keep it at 65mph or under.  Brick like aerodynamics don't help.

If your Forester can get that much, there shouldn't be any doubt my mom's legacy will get over 30mpg.  (Which it does, I've calculated it multiple times, but nobody believes me because it's pre-CVT era.)


Are you allowed to go to the government auctions, rohan?

[Eye of the Tiger]

You could get a Suzuki Samurai and get about 27 mpg going flat out.

[GoCougs]

I throw props out for the new Impreza, especially the hatchback. It is light years beyond the outgoing model and all around an excellent effort by Subaru. There's some cheapness (cable-operated HVAC vent controls of old) but all in all it's a fantastic deal for ~$20k (well optioned hatch with alloys).

[68_427]

I throw props out for the new Impreza, especially the hatchback. It is light years beyond the outgoing model and all around an excellent effort by Subaru. There's some cheapness (cable-operated HVAC vent controls of old) but all in all it's a fantastic deal for ~$20k (well optioned hatch with alloys).

The manual cars are even slightly quicker, with 30hp less.

[GoCougs]

If the Impreza hatch was available with 50 more ponies this could be a dark horse candidate for my next car. Alas, as is, there's just not enough scoot.

[SVT666]

If the Impreza hatch was available with 50 more ponies this could be a dark horse candidate for my next car. Alas, as is, there's just not enough scoot.

It's called the WRX.

[ifcar]

It's called the WRX.

The 2012 WRX is still the old generation.

[2o6]

And IIRC, the next WRX and STI will be entirely different from the Impreza.

[Speed_Racer]

My parent's SX4 AWD gets about 30-31 mpg mixed. Has ESP as well.

[rohan]

Front wheel drive = good in snow.

38 MPG City, 46 MPG Highway.

Legendary longevity.

$5,500.



http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tracktype=usedcc&csDlId=&csDgId=&listingId=79593374&listingRecNum=54&criteria=prMx%3D8000%26sf1Dir%3DDESC%26prMn%3D0%26mkId%3D20089%26stkTyp%3DU%26mdId%3D21285%26rd%3D250%26crSrtFlds%3DstkTypId-feedSegId-mkId-mdId-pseudoPrice%26zc%3D37221%26rn%3D50%26PMmt%3D1-1-0%26stkTypId%3D28881%26sf2Dir%3DASC%26sf1Nm%3Dprice%26sf2Nm%3Dmiles%26isDealerGrouping%3Dfalse%26rpp%3D50%26feedSegId%3D28705&aff=national&listType=1


You're welcome!

That's what I'm talking about!  I love the idea of a diesel and over 40mpg and I don't care at all if it rusts or parts fall off it's transportation only.  Just wish diesel wasn't so high but it seems like that mileage would make up for it quick!

I like may of the other ideas to.  Here at the Whites for a bash but I'll look more up laterr on.

Thanks again.

[rohan]

Size doesn't really equal safety. If you're looking for safety in snow, I'd look at something with AWD.  The base model Impreza currently gets 36mpg highway, so I'd imagine a used one can't be that far off.

It does where snow and ice are concerned.  Weight is a primary concern for winter drivability.

Back in the day they had mostly RWD cars there as well and coped.   In an average year how many days will the roads actually be impassable because of snow?  Three of four?  There may be snow on the ground but the roads get cleared pretty quickly.  I'd argue that knowing how to drive in snow is more important than what you are driving.

Where I live Lake effect usually doubles the amount of forcasted snow and usually drops ice in first or in the middle and the snow is usually heavy wet stuff that will pack to ice quickly.

Right now budgets are super tight and roads get plowed ONLY when required.  No one here has "clear road policies" because we just can't afford it instead they only salt hills and intersections- and the freeways only because the feds fund it.

And around here we get probably a couple dozen days where the roads are nearly impassable.  The freeway is included in that because of the traffic load turns everything to ice so quickly and bellow 0 (I think it's zero) salt stops working.

[2o6]

That's what I'm talking about!  I love the idea of a diesel and over 40mpg and I don't care at all if it rusts or parts fall off it's transportation only.  Just wish diesel wasn't so high but it seems like that mileage would make up for it quick!

I like may of the other ideas to.  Here at the Whites for a bash but I'll look more up laterr on.

Thanks again.

Those Jettas are notorious for having serious electrical and transmission (manual and automatic alike) problems.

[Byteme]

My parent's SX4 AWD gets about 30-31 mpg mixed. Has ESP as well.

Just what everybody needs, a car that reads minds.   

[Byteme]

It does where snow and ice are concerned.  Weight is a primary concern for winter drivability.
Where I live Lake effect usually doubles the amount of forcasted snow and usually drops ice in first or in the middle and the snow is usually heavy wet stuff that will pack to ice quickly.

Right now budgets are super tight and roads get plowed ONLY when required.  No one here has "clear road policies" because we just can't afford it instead they only salt hills and intersections- and the freeways only because the feds fund it.

And around here we get probably a couple dozen days where the roads are nearly impassable.  The freeway is included in that because of the traffic load turns everything to ice so quickly and bellow 0 (I think it's zero) salt stops working.

I'd move.

Seriously, thanks for the info.

[GoCougs]

The 2012 WRX is still the old generation.

Not only that, the STI-like body kit is ridiculous. It's a bit less garish on the hatch but still too much.

[Speed_Racer]

Just what everybody needs, a car that reads minds.   

Haha just you wait. I'm sure somebody's working on it