Hey Dave, why'd you kill the Vibe but not the Matrix? They're sisters under the skin, heck they're even built in the same factory. (dealers?)
The Mazda 3 is a good car from what I hear, but a bit of a rocket. You might want to check out the Mazda5 (it's a 5-door hatchback, not the Miata replacement thats the MX5).
I replaced my little CRX last year. Only changed one letter and picked up a certified used CRV. Took me about 3 days to get my inner ear around the fact that I wasn't sitting on the road (I was getting scared turning on exit ramps for a week), I found it excellent.
Problems (for you) 1. It's an SUV (not a big one though and on a unibody Civic base). 2. It's only a 4-cylinder (but a really torquy one) won't smoke anyone at the lights, but it'll climb and highway pass no worries.
Pluses 1. Ridiculous amounts of head and shoulder room, I could almost wear a top hat. Had a Bonneville as a loaner when I got hit and it was like being locked in a box. 2. Decent (not great) milage 20-26 mpg depending.. Comparable to the Magnum. 3. Can come 2WD or AWD (AWD is wonderful for those 50 days a year when the weather REALLY sucks). AWD also gets you around corners with easy (the secret is to keep on the gas just a bit, the rears will get you around). 4. Can hold stupid amounts of stuff (used it while I was deploying computers, could hold a 4-wheel-cart plus monitors). The seats fold all the way forward with 2 levers each, 4 flicks and a light lift. I regularly carry a boatload of emergency and other supplies under the cargo floor, old Boy Scout you know. 5. Does not require a stepladder to get in. 6. Has theater-style rear seats that people actually enjoy sitting in (heck my CRX didn't even HAVE a back seat).
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Date: 2006-02-28 07:58 pm (UTC)The Mazda 3 is a good car from what I hear, but a bit of a rocket. You might want to check out the Mazda5 (it's a 5-door hatchback, not the Miata replacement thats the MX5).
I replaced my little CRX last year. Only changed one letter and picked up a certified used CRV. Took me about 3 days to get my inner ear around the fact that I wasn't sitting on the road (I was getting scared turning on exit ramps for a week), I found it excellent.
Problems (for you)
1. It's an SUV (not a big one though and on a unibody Civic base).
2. It's only a 4-cylinder (but a really torquy one) won't smoke anyone at the lights, but it'll climb and highway pass no worries.
Pluses
1. Ridiculous amounts of head and shoulder room, I could almost wear a top hat. Had a Bonneville as a loaner when I got hit and it was like being locked in a box.
2. Decent (not great) milage 20-26 mpg depending.. Comparable to the Magnum.
3. Can come 2WD or AWD (AWD is wonderful for those 50 days a year when the weather REALLY sucks). AWD also gets you around corners with easy (the secret is to keep on the gas just a bit, the rears will get you around).
4. Can hold stupid amounts of stuff (used it while I was deploying computers, could hold a 4-wheel-cart plus monitors). The seats fold all the way forward with 2 levers each, 4 flicks and a light lift. I regularly carry a boatload of emergency and other supplies under the cargo floor, old Boy Scout you know.
5. Does not require a stepladder to get in.
6. Has theater-style rear seats that people actually enjoy sitting in (heck my CRX didn't even HAVE a back seat).