Note: What follows are my thoughts on cars that I have driven in my search for a new vehicle. I'm hoping to focus on how cars would react in real, Houston conditions. Not whether they have "tech" or how sporty they are or what their 0-60 time may be (although I will discuss those things). I hope that you come away from this with a better idea how a car would be in everyday conditions, not around a test track. What follows is my opinion, and my opinion only. I have not received any compensation or influence in writing this other than my own impressions on each vehicle. Your mileage may (and will) vary. Finally, the following should not be considered either an offer, or advice, on whether YOU should buy a particular car or not. Go out and make your own decisions.
Part 1: The KIA Optima
Part 2: The Dodge Dart
Part 3: The Toyota Camry
Part 4: The Mercedes CLA 250
Part 5: Cars that didn't make the grade.
When starting this series I meant to offer up two more installments, one on the Ford Fusion and one on the Volkswagen Jetta. Unfortunately, time and real life had interfered so I'm going to briefly mention them here, and then tell you what I ultimately ended up buying.
Ford Fusion
I liked this car, a lot. I liked the styling, the ride, the handling as well as the comfort of the cabin. Finding a comfortable driving position in this car was very easy. I didn't like the gas mileage for the model I test drove (The SE which clocked in at a paltry 22 MPG estimated in the City) nor did I like the price if I tried to equip it as I wanted. ($26,000 with better wheels, dual-zone climate control, a rear-view camera and heated seats [a biggie for my wife, who gets cold anytime the temperature drops below 70 degrees]) As usual, I skipped the electronic nanny and, as a dog owner, I tend to shy away from leather seats.
I did opt for the technology package and, although Sirius XM radio is a thing now, I would skip that because I've had it for a while and never find myself listening to it. I also didn't like the fact that AWD was prohibitively expensive in this car. Given Houston's rather uncertain driving conditions, I feel like AWD with traction control is a big positive.
Volkswagen Jetta S w/Technology
I selected the Jetta S not because of price but because I found the two-tone leather seats on the higher trim models to be distractingly ugly. I also didn't like the limited choice of color options that they were providing. The SE (highest model) only had a leather seat option that I could find, for example, and, as you know, I tend to shy away from "sport" suspension which is typically a code-word for "rough ride" in automotive circles.
First off, this car felt German. Everything was precise and made sense. When you opened and closed the doors there was a satisfying "thunk" that implied sturdiness. This was a sound that was noticeably lacking on the KIA Optima, as an example. The gas mileage was projected to be good (25 MPG in the city estimated) and the ride was fine. Handling was a little bit off-putting but the car overall went where I expected it to go.
Downsides? For one, no option for AWD (something that Volkswagen seems content to only provide on their Audi's) and a lack of customizable options. Of all the cars I drove this one was certainly the cheapest (the MSRP for the one I drove was $22,500 and I got a "real price" quote [more on that in a future post] of $21,500 which the dealer suggested was non-negotiable) although it was quite a bit smaller than the other cars I navigated to the Jetta because the Passat felt uncomfortably large when I drove it. That is odd because the other cars that I drove didn't feel as unwieldy as did the Passat, I'm not sure why.
What I bought.
Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium
In the end, the newly redesigned Legacy checked most of the boxes that I was looking for in a new car. It had a comfortable ride, good handling, AWD, dual-zone climate control, cloth seats that were heated, Bluetooth and other technology.
It was also very inexpensive considering all of the technology and accessories that are included as standard. The car that I ultimately purchased had an MRSP of $24,960. That's AWD, dual-zone climate control, cruise, automatic lights, automatic dimming rear-view mirror, hands-free telephone use with voice activation (which also works for climate control, radio changes and a host of other features) for less than $25K. Considering what else is out there that's a heck of a bargain.
The Subaru Legacy is also the highest rated family sedan by Consumer Reports. One of the biggest selling points, to me, was the 4 Cyl "Boxter" engine that comes standard. My wife drives a Subaru Legacy with the same engine and I consider it to be among the best engines on the road today. It's reliable, has plenty of power (although it is not, as many reviews will mention, going to win you any drag races) and it's quiet and economical. (the Legacy is rated at 26 MPG estimated in the City, I've been averaging a MPG or two above that, even in Houston rush-hour traffic.)
Going over one of Houston's many pot-holes is now no big deal. The ride is very smooth and the cabin is a very nice place to be. It's not fancy by any means, but well thought out and the power driver's seat has many different adjustments that allows the driver to customize his/her position. The road noise is OK as well. You hardly hear any engine noise although you do hear a little tire noise and some wind whipping past. One bonus, my car had the windows tinted by the dealer, which gave me more negotiation room since add-ons of that type are almost pure profit.
Annoyances? Well, there's a gauge right behind the wheel that tells you whether your are driving economically or not. It's bothering because it cannot be turned off. In Houston rush-hour it's a little ridiculous to tell me that I'm not getting the most out of the car when I'm sitting still on a freeway. Also, while Car & Driver panned it, I've found the CVT suspension to be pretty good. Yes, it's a little jerky when moving along in slow speeds, I've found that you can circumvent this by switching over to "manual" mode and compensating with the paddle gear shifters. However, most times I just let the computer do it's job and I'm not bothered by the slight jerk.
All in all I've been happy with my choice. I think I'll be even happier when I bring the car in for the first free oil change. (Subaru provides free maintenance for two years) and I'm going to break down and put some of the free ownership badges on the back since this is our 2nd Subaru, and camping, rallying and cooking badges are pretty cool.
OK, that's it for car blogging. I hope you found something interesting in all of these posts. I know that I've enjoyed writing them. Good luck in your own car hunt if you find yourself needing one.
