Brief impressions of cars

[cjsmith]

Advantages

• Toyota Corolla: I know how reliable these cars are.
• Toyota Yaris: Ditto, plus MPG to rival some hybrids.
• Honda Fit: Man, the STORAGE SPACE. This thing is a hauler.
• Honda Civic: The only decent cup holders I have seen since I began looking. Nifty dash design.
• Honda Civic Hybrid, 2005 used: Yellow stickers are transferable. Different nifty dash design.
• Subaru "Impreza Outback" (no, not the Outback): All-wheel drive. Also, decent stereo. Also, available in a pretty color. Also, 2006, and they're eager to get it off the lot.

Disadvantages

• Corolla: Ugly. Mirrors don't fold. Dumb climate control interlocks.
• Yaris: All of the above and uglier.
• Fit: There is one of these on the entire peninsula and I will not decide this instant.
• Civic: Seat fold-down design nearly pessimal: trapezoidal opening from trunk aims everything at the center, and in the center, there's a big metal protrusion out of the back of the seat.
• 2005 Civic Hybrid: High mileage for its age. Dumb climate control interlocks. SEAT DOESN'T FOLD AT ALL; cannot haul anything. Used car means I would have to haggle, at which I suck.
• Impreza: Low MPG. Can't pop the hatchback even from inside the car.

I also failed to drive the Subaru Impreza WRX wagon: the seat design is a deal-breaker, and it's so sporty that the insurance on them is high.

Disadvantages of ALL of these

• Big, big, big. Significantly wider than my mangled car. Awkward turning radius compared to my mangled car.
• Impossible to get a keyfob that will pop the trunk.
• Impossible to get (without ripping the whole radio out and replacing it) the ability to play a cassette.
• No room for a full-size spare.

Comments

[ambar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I bought the Prius because the Honda Civic Hybrid didn't have folding seats.

I'm a little puzzled by your keyfob comment, since the Prius fob does pop the hatchback (well, unlocks it, doesn't physically make it go *sproing*) and I would think all the Toyotas would work the same way.

Oh, yeah, and the Prius can give you a cassette player.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

*nod*. The folding seats are a noticeable limitation. The Civic Hybrid is also "not as hybriddy" in a sense; the gasoline engine is dominant. Its MPG is not as good as the Prius -- it's in the Honda Fit kind of range. Except it qualifies for stickers.

(well, unlocks it, doesn't physically make it go *sproing*)

Right - near as I can tell, that's what they all do. A couple people said to me that if I got the fob at all I would really regret not making the trunk lid (or hatchback) go sproing. I guess I'm going to go ahead and regret that. :-)

And yeah: the cassette. Grmplgfrble.