S/O Car "window shopping" -- recc smaller sedan?

[momin2013]

We have a Mazda 3 and I absolutely love driving it! It's sooooo zippy, super easy to park too!

[zarapipe]

Ford fusion

[Koala]

I love my Prius, but I don't know if I would call it "zippy".

[lolo]

VW golf GTI

[spk926]

We love DH's Subaru Crosstrek.

In full disclosure we're trading it in soon but DH is tall and it's hard to fit him and 2 car seats, one that is rear facing, in there. But that would be the case with most cars which is why he's getting an SUV next.

[curbsideprophet]

Apr 11, 2016 11:05:55 GMT -5 Koala said:

I love my Prius, but I don't know if I would call it "zippy".

They get great gas mileage in stop and go traffic though!

[simpsongal]

Apr 11, 2016 10:59:56 GMT -5 zarapipe said:

Ford fusion

I like my Fusion but I wouldn't call it small and zippy. But I'm not sure I'd want 2 car seats in a smaller car.  DH's Civic is zippy, but really cramped w/ just 1 car seat.

 

[preppy]

DH used to have an Audi a4 and I loved that car so much. I was so sad when he totaled it. He has a Subarau crosstrek now and it is the opposite of zippy, good car but no pick up.

[zarapipe]

Apr 11, 2016 11:37:58 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

Apr 11, 2016 10:59:56 GMT -5 zarapipe said:

Ford fusion

I like my Fusion but I wouldn't call it small and zippy. But I'm not sure I'd want 2 car seats in a smaller car.  DH's Civic is zippy, but really cramped w/ just 1 car seat.

 

It's zippy compared to my dodge caravan .

I agree with you though, when we were car shopping we actually tested the ford focus with a infant car seat (chicco) and a FF 5pt harness. It was very cramped. I would suggest going midsize in a car. I don't think you will regret having the extra space.

[zarapipe]

swizz, when I think midsize I think of a fusion, camry, accord, etc. I think any one of those would still be considered zippy, but then again I can race with the best of them in my van.

[Ashley&Scott]

If you're going midsize I really like my Nissan Alitma. It can comfortably fit 3 adults & a car seat, so it would easily fit 2 adults & 2 car seats.

[simpsongal]

Apr 11, 2016 11:58:17 GMT -5 swizz said:

Apr 11, 2016 11:55:26 GMT -5 zarapipe said:

It's zippy compared to my dodge caravan .

I agree with you though, when we were car shopping we actually tested the ford focus with a infant car seat (chicco) and a FF 5pt harness. It was very cramped. I would suggest going midsize in a car. I don't think you will regret having the extra space.

What is considered midsize? 

Zippy/pickup is a necessity. I drive down 95 daily and being able to quickly move out of the way of an idiot driver is required on the daily. 

VW Passat, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Toyota Corola - I think those are all pretty classic midsize. But I doubt they're zippy.

I remember just googling "mid size" or "compact" car reviews when I was car shopping. That should give you a good run down.  Good luck!

[mainelyfoolish]

Apr 11, 2016 12:14:49 GMT -5 simpsongal said:

Apr 11, 2016 11:58:17 GMT -5 swizz said:

What is considered midsize? 

Zippy/pickup is a necessity. I drive down 95 daily and being able to quickly move out of the way of an idiot driver is required on the daily. 

VW Passat, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Toyota Corola Camry - I think those are all pretty classic midsize. But I doubt they're zippy.

I remember just googling "mid size" or "compact" car reviews when I was car shopping. That should give you a good run down.  Good luck!

FTFY

[patbutcher]

I love love love my Hyundai elantra. This is my second one. I leased a 2012 and last year I bought a 2015. It comes with so many things as standard like heated seats, bluetooth etc. It's a zippy ride and it looks sporty. It has great pick up which is important to me for highway driving. We also have a Nissan versa and the pick up is so crap compared with the elantra. 

[chickens987]

midsize AND zippy, I agree with momin2013 re: the mazda3. I loved mine!

[chickens987]

Apr 11, 2016 12:21:47 GMT -5 swizz said:

Apr 11, 2016 12:17:29 GMT -5 chickens987 said:

midsize AND zippy, I agree with momin2013 re: the mazda3. I loved mine!

We drove one years ago and this has always been a top contender for me. 

zoom zoom!

LOL.

[dcrunnergirl52]

Honda Fit. Ours is very zippy, and much roomier than it looks on the outside.

[kkfeb04]

We were going to get the Subaru Impreza for H because 40 mpg and it fit my fat butt in the back. We went with the Legacy instead, 36-37 mpg, fits the two kids and 50 lb dog comfortably. We took it to Florida for a week (minus dog) and while smaller than other sedan it fit us just fine, had enough room to bring back too much from Disney and Legoland and our gear from the wedding we went to.

It isn't bad horsepower for a 4 cyl but it doesn't have the power of our supercharged V6. That car gets 19 mpg so trade off.

[spk926]

Apr 11, 2016 12:25:37 GMT -5 chickens987 said:

Apr 11, 2016 12:21:47 GMT -5 swizz said:

We drove one years ago and this has always been a top contender for me. 

zoom zoom!

LOL.

My first car was a Protege and then I had a CX-7. I had personalizes license plates that said ZoomZoom!

[magpie]

Apr 11, 2016 11:05:55 GMT -5 Koala said:

I love my Prius, but I don't know if I would call it "zippy".

same!  I don't find it lacking for power and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the hatchback design.  I'll never go back.

[spunkarella]

I was coming in to recommend a Jetta.

[pizzapizza]

The car we just traded was actually named "Zippy". It was a Honda Fit. Unfortunately not super awesome in the bells and whistles department but really cheap. We sold the Fit to get a minivan, a Honda Odyssey, which I love.

We LOVE our Nissan Leaf, not sure how long your commute is. It has a range of 90 or so miles.

[bugandbibs]

We have a Chevrolet Spark and it's supper zippy. It's a 4 seat vehicle, but our RF car seat and Graco Argos fit together in the backseat nicely.

It has lots of options including touch screen display, Bluetooth, Sirius radio, etc.

[centralsquare]

I have an Acura TSX. Love it. Love that it's a Honda, so anyone can work on it and repairs aren't insanely expensive.

[meltoine]

I loved my Nissan Versa when I had two kids. It's surprisingly roomy (passenger seat all the way back with a RF car seat) and has a decent size trunk (I could fit a double stroller and some other random stuff).

[browneyedgirl9]

I had a nissan sentra that I really liked.

[FoxInFiji]

Apr 11, 2016 12:21:47 GMT -5 swizz said:

Apr 11, 2016 12:17:29 GMT -5 chickens987 said:

midsize AND zippy, I agree with momin2013 re: the mazda3. I loved mine!

We drove one years ago and this has always been a top contender for me. 

We liked the Mazda 3 but it didn't have enough room in the back for a rear facing carseat and the seat all the way back (I'm tall). We ended up getting a Nissan Rogue and love it! We got the medium trim line which has a ton of great features for not too much $. I use the birds eye camera everyday to park.

[luckyno7]

Acuta TSX. They guy who put my car started said he loved these cars...they are like a civic on steroids. Best car ever...only needed routine maintenance.

[jackie011]

I've driven SUVs or a minivan for the past 15 years, so sedans aren't really my thing. I have driven my sister's Mazda 3 several times and found it to be very zippy. I don't know that I'd buy it for a growing family, though. I recently drove an Accord as a loaner car and I really liked it. I thought the backseat was roomy, good trunk space, but it did not feel like too much car.

[celiacmom]

Apr 11, 2016 12:58:18 GMT -5 magpie said:

Apr 11, 2016 11:05:55 GMT -5 Koala said:

I love my Prius, but I don't know if I would call it "zippy".

same!  I don't find it lacking for power and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the hatchback design.  I'll never go back.

I love my Prius v (hatchback) and I agree I never find it lacking for power.