Vehicular Decisions
Thanks for all the car suggestions, people. I went out and test drove some of them this weekend, and so far it looks like I'm deciding between the Mazda 3 and the Honda Element.
The Mazda is a smallish hatchback, very sporty. The drive and handling are nice and tight, feeling like a much higher-end car. In a lot of ways it reminds me of my dear, departed VW Jetta. The disadvantage is that the interior is a bit small, particularly the back seat.
The Element is technically a utility vehicle, but it behaves more like a passenger car. It's very zippy and handles quite well, and gets nearly the same mileage as the Mazda. There's a ton of room inside, even without folding or removing the rear seats. It could easily fit four people plus all their luggage and camping gear for a weekend. Downside on this one is... well, I can't really think of any, unless my environmentally-inclined friends would think less of me for driving an SUV.
I also tested some Toyotas, including the Prius, but none of them fit me at all. I think my body and limbs are exactly the wrong length for these cars, because the pedals and controls seemed very inconveniently located. Also the visibility frankly sucked; all the B pillars left me with huge blind spots in bad places. The Prius in particular left me feeling like I was sitting in a tunnel. So as much as I like the idea of the hybrid, the Toyotas are just not comfortable for me to drive.
The Mazda is a smallish hatchback, very sporty. The drive and handling are nice and tight, feeling like a much higher-end car. In a lot of ways it reminds me of my dear, departed VW Jetta. The disadvantage is that the interior is a bit small, particularly the back seat.
The Element is technically a utility vehicle, but it behaves more like a passenger car. It's very zippy and handles quite well, and gets nearly the same mileage as the Mazda. There's a ton of room inside, even without folding or removing the rear seats. It could easily fit four people plus all their luggage and camping gear for a weekend. Downside on this one is... well, I can't really think of any, unless my environmentally-inclined friends would think less of me for driving an SUV.
I also tested some Toyotas, including the Prius, but none of them fit me at all. I think my body and limbs are exactly the wrong length for these cars, because the pedals and controls seemed very inconveniently located. Also the visibility frankly sucked; all the B pillars left me with huge blind spots in bad places. The Prius in particular left me feeling like I was sitting in a tunnel. So as much as I like the idea of the hybrid, the Toyotas are just not comfortable for me to drive.