Battle of the Boxes (daily driver edition)

Requirements: 5 speed manual ample cargo capacity somewhat boxy shape (I like boxes) decent fuel economy more cargo space than current Fit:

Subaru Forester vs. Kia Soul vs. Mazda 5 vs. Chevy HHR.

Go!

Have you looked at the Honda element and whatever the Scion box is?

Forester will have not very good fuel economy or storage compared to the Fit. The 5 is basically a "Fit Plus", it does everything a little bigger. The Soul and Cube are both decent boxes, great on cargo, so-so on MPG's (aero). The HHR is very cramped. The Element is weird.

I'd go drive a 5, Soul, and Cube and possibly bring whatever your "normal" cargo is. The 5's advantage is being able to have the big storage area and have the front 4 seats taken (I brought home my Harbor Freight garage while I had two babies in rear-facing car seats in there). Or if you don't need the second row, the cargo area is properly massive.

I'm a Subaru guy... and I'd go for the 5 unless AWD is a requirement.

HHR SS panel...

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Have you looked at the Honda element and whatever the Scion box is?

We have both. SWMBO has an 07 Element and I have an 06 Scion xB. We love them both.

I loathe driving the cube, I took a few customers cars with intermittent issues home for the evening/extended test drives to try to recreate said issues.

Holy wind noise, and I used to daily a soft top TJ. I don't think I'll ever grow accustomed to a CVT, always felt like I was winding up a rubber band. I found the seating position spot on, however the seat itself uncomfortable, Volvos have spoiled me though.

The good thing though, the ergonomics are perfect, for me anyway, everything was right where it should be, and there are eleventybillion cup holders.

Nothing says boxy like a Volvo wagon, just saying.

• Lee

Element: Not so stellar mpg according to Fuelly. Somewhat overpriced also.

Cube: Driven one before. Didn't like the layout and was boring to drive.

Scion Box: I would consider a second gen Box (07+). I didn't think about them. I had a Yaris with the same motor as in the first gen Box and it was a little slow to say the least.

HHR Panel: Mrs. DX vetoed this idea.

Mazda 5, Forester: Need to test drive both.

Soul: Have rode in one as passenger. Need to test drive behind the wheel.

92dxman wrote: Scion Box: I would consider a second gen Box (07+). I didn't think about them.

A number of friends have the 2nd gen, even a 5sp. All love them as well.

My brother-in-law recently purchased a Soul and I was impressed with the incredible value it represented. Ride was a little harsh, but it seems like tires are aired up to the max PSI for the journey to the dealer and are never aired down. IIRC, he paid about 15k for a base model (1.6L) with the auto.

Trooper.

5-speed, 4wd, boxy, roomy

I've heard Volvos are boxy but good

I love our 5, but it definitely does NOT check the fuel economy box. Like others have said, it's a big Fit...with sliding doors. The Fit was DEFINITELY more fun to drive. I definitely feel the weight bump in the 5. That said, it'll do a lot more when you stomp the "go" pedal than the Fit, and is much more comfortable and roomy.

If you're looking for more cargo room than the Fit, I don't think the XBox is gonna get you there. Not the first gen anyway. I test drove one the day I bought the Fit.

Forrester, 5, V70 or Element. Otherwise I wouldn't bother changing from the Fit (space wise or other wise).

element

A recent thread on here got me on the lookout for a Saturn Vue. Holy huge cargo area. Can be had with a 5spd 4cyl, get respectable economy for their size. Also, can swap in any number of mega-hp ecotec drive trains.

I vote Forester. I average high 20 MPG with my '98 5-speed. It's pretty fun to drive, has tons of room, and it is actually quite capable offroad if that's your thing. Plus they come in a turbo flavor.

It was likely me who mentioned Saturn Vue in an earlier thread.
Here is mine parked mext to my wife's '10 Mazda 5

Paid $2400 for this '03 with 145k miles but a documented engine of 40k miles. I added another $500 by getting two tires, rear hub, tie rod and sway bar link along with front rotors and pads. Since then, I have put on over 7.5k miles in the past 2 months.
It has been returning 23 to 29 mpg with an average of 26.
Here is the link to my Fuelly page.

It is not a fast car, it is not an exciting car but it has been cheap to run. A Saturn Vue would be the perfect compliment to a Miata. One for light utility and passengers, the other for fun.

The CVT trans offered in the 4 cyl Vues are totally a bad design and guaranteed to fail. This keeps the prices low and keeps the supply of junk yard examples high to pull low mileage parts off.

If you want a newer example, this same basic body was sold from '02-'07 and all those years offered a 2.2L with 5 speed manual. '06 & '07 have an updated grill and much nicer interior.

This was the recent thread mentioning Saturn Vue with manual trans.

IMO. Soul, 5, Scion. In that order.

No Jeep Patriot? Replaced a Forester with one in our fleet. Mid-20s or better mpg, available with a 5 speed, 2 or 4 wheel drive depending on what you want/need and pretty much the equal of the Subaru in every way aside from needing timing belts (chains FTW).

Known issues: avoid sunroofs (leak), ball joints (replace with greaseable MOOG), the occasional wheel bearing (must buy them from Subaru).

Every person I've spoken to that has driven an HHR has hated it. Colossal blind spots.

Hyundai Elantra Touring--though they stopped making them in 2012. They have a stiffer suspesnion and a much bigger rear swaybar than the sedans--handles decently...and has the interior room of a small SUV. The SE 5-speeds came with B&M shifters too. I like mine...its a 2011 and I have almost 74K miles.

as previously mentioned the saturn vue did come with a manual, thus they are beyond hard to find. I'd look into a Versa Note as well, Nissan's (decade later) answer to the Fit.

If you like the Fit, but want something bigger, the Mazda5 is best. Gets about 28 mpgs, fun to drive, and quite spacious. A bigger Fit, as others have mentioned.

the saturn vue did come with a manual, thus they are beyond hard to find

They dont actually seem hard to find. I think it's because most of the autos are in the Jyard already so a disproportionate % of Vue listings are 5spds.

As far as manual Element mpg, i read here on GRM that you can upgrade the 5spd to a 6 spd, in the car, with $2-300 in dealer parts, and gain like 6 hwy mpg. I like elements so this is a very interesting idea to me.