Car ideas?
 

Does anyone have any suggestions for a car for a 21 year old girl? I've had a tiny sports car since I was 15, and as I get older and drive back and forth between college and home (a six hour drive), I'm realizing that it is no longer an appropriate vehicle.

I'd like either a nice sedan or a small SUV. I'll be buying used, but I don't want anything extremely old or with very high mileage.

Does anyone have any opinions on the Jeep Grand Cherokee or the Ford Escape? I've been looking at those a lot.

My family has owned both, a new Escape that is less than 2 years old, and a new (at the time) Grand Cherokee that we kept for 4 years. Both have been solid cars, although we did have a few problems with the Jeep, as we've found that Chrysler-based cars traditionally have wonky transmissions. We quit buying them for that reason, although they may have changed. The Jeep will also get a little worse gas mileage than the Escape, although that will depend on the engine size (V6 Escape versus a 4-cylinder Escape)

Not sure what your price point is, but you might want to look into a midsize 4 door w/V6, like a Fusion or a Malibu, or a smaller 4-door like a Cruze (I know that's new but that's the size I'm thinking of)

Also, think about where you're going to be living post-grad. I drive a Pontiac G6, which is a very average sized 4DR and I tend to have issues parking it in the parking garage under my high-rise. Tight aisles/walled spaces means lots of scrapes. If you're looking to live in a city, think about the size and the turning radius! I'm looking to downsize to a smaller 4DR or a 2DR (think: Mini, Jetta, etc.) in a year or so for this reason!

Have you considered any VWs? I have a 2009 Tiguan and I love it (I'm also 21). It's about the size of a Honda CRV, gets 26 mpg I think and I personally think it's an incredibly good looking car, inside and out. It's also so fun and easy to drive, and everyone comments on how smooth the ride is as well as its looks.
I think the 2009 model is actually better looking than the newer ones with the "corporate grill" if you are looking for used anyway.

The Passat is also a nice sedan, and you can find them used with a lot of different options for features, engines, etc. Very spacious, and the 2006-2010 version is the most attractive one IMHO. A Passat also saved my life many years back, so I've got a soft spot for them :)

If you're looking for a smaller SUV, the Grand Cherokee seems pretty big to me, but the smaller Jeeps like the Liberty are notorious for maintenance issues. I don't know that much about American cars, but the Edge seems to be the better option of the two you named.

I'm not sure where you live, but if you go skiing/snowboarding at all Subarus are amazing. My boyfriend (25) has the Impressa which is great with gas milage and handling. It is also perfect for going up to the mountain. I also can't help but sing the praises of the Toyota Camry

This is from kelly bluebook and has helped me pick cars in the past. It lets you state your needs and then compares cars for you.
http://www.kbb.com/cars-for-sale/

This is another quiz which is slightly more comprehensive. If you ever (or more likely parents/grandparents) listened to Click and Clack on NPR, this is from their website.
http://www.myproductadvisor.com/mpa/...nputSummary.do

I like those a lot! Thank you for the suggestion, I will look into it :)

Thank you!

My dad has a Toyota Camry and he loves it, as do I. I think I'm looking more at SUVs, though.

Wow, going from a tiny sports car to a Grand Cherokee? I think that might be a difficult adjustment. Don't get me wrong, I'm on my fourth Jeep and I love them. But Grand Cherokees are big. Really big. I've had two Cherokee Laredos, one Grand Cherokee and now a Liberty. My least favorite was the Grand. It wasn't as easy to maneuver and I kind of felt like I was driving a mini van. They're big gas guzzlers too. All the Jeeps are. They have a nice solid feel though. One of my Laredos kept me real safe in a nasty accident.

I think of my Jeep as a guilty pleasure. I no longer need the space an SUV affords and the mileage sucks. But it's cute and I do feel safe in it.

Best of luck finding the right car.

I know, it will be an adjustment. I do have some experience with driving larger vehicles since my mom has an SUV that I've borrowed several times. However, I really like SUVs because of their safety and I just want something a lot bigger.

Just bought myself a nice Audi A8

So jealous! I'm looking to buy a car in the next year or so and have been drooling over some of the Audis.

What about a hatchback? Good cargo capacity (with the right car, of course. Some have horrible interior make-ups that make the interior organization really impractical.), plus passenger comfort, good gas mileage, and way easier to park than a massive SUV.

I work in arts management, and having a hatchback has been great for transporting art and installation supplies all over hill and dale.

Might I suggest a Honda Fit? I love the 2010 and newer body style, but the older models are good too. The Fit Sport is worth it for the better wheels and the nicer finishes. Plus I think they're doing 0.9% financing at the moment.

Witness: moving from Oklahoma to Pittsburgh in a Honda Fit. Got 40MPGs too!
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1752965_n.jpg

Or, if you really wanted an SUV, why not find a used or end-of-model Element? The seat configurations in that thing are CRAZY. Unfortunately they killed the car, so it may be a chore to find one, but for hauling lots of stuff, can't go wrong. It's the #1 choice for triathletes.

We have 2 Escapes...one is a 2001 that is still going strong. It was my car and now our college aged daughter is driving it. It's been a very good car. I'm now driving a 2010 Escape. Again, no issues. I'd recommend the Escape. I've found them to both be surprisingly maneuverable...they have more of a "car" feel when driving, but I like being higher up in an SUV. Ford just redesigned the body, so this might be a good time to get a deal on a used one. Sometimes when the model changes, the older versions look dated, and aren't as popular. However, I did hear that the used car market is expected to be tighter, as a result of so many cars being totaled by Hurricane Sandy.

As long as you're looking at newer (read: newer than 2004 or 2005), I'd strongly consider some Hyundai options. I drive an 2008 Elantra, and I adore that car- great gas milage, has only given me two little minor hiccups in the past five years, and a fairly spacious interior for the size. The Tuscon and Santa Fe look really nice too, but I have not had personal experience with them.

I really like the Santa Fe. I think it's going to be between that and a Grand Cherokee.

I've had my 2003 PT Cruiser for 10 years now and love it. No problems. Good for passengers and for hauling stuff (flip down the seats and there's a ton of space). If you can find a good used one, I'd recommend it.

If you're looking for a new car, my husband and I just checked out a Dodge Dart. Interior and trunk were much bigger than expected - the Dart is supposed to be Chrysler's compact offering, so I was expecting dinky, but the trunk is almost cavernous. It also is supposed to get about 42 MPG.