Living in the southwest, getting anywhere usually mean substantial highway miles.
We're currently in San Diego after driving 500 miles from Flagstaff, and my wife has finally admitted that maybe itd be nice to have something bigger and more powerful than a Honda Fit for such duties.
Being that we both work from home, and we've got a cheap Prius for high MPG errand running, we dont need two compact cars. We've got a truck for anything offroad, like camping and hauling, etc.
What we need is:
- Space and Cargo Hauling Capabilities - including coolers, luggage, beach chairs, umbrellas, kids toys, bikes, etc.
- Interior Length - rear facing car seats are space hungry and impact the ability to get a good driving position in smaller cars.
- Stable high speed handling at 80mph+. Yes, most of highways out here have 75mpg speed limits. Id like something with more Autobahn style handling dynamics, so AWD or RWD would be great.
- Power for mountain passes.
- Good MPG, otherwise we might as well take the truck. Id like 28mpg or better. Hyrbids are ok, Im not gonna complain about 35mpg highway.
Budget is under $20k used.
Current considerations are: Newer Pacifica/Voyager, Mercedes Metris, Some CrossOver SUVs, Honda Ridgeline, Volvo Wagons. Open to installing lowering springs and good shocks along with wider wheels and tires to achieve desired handling characteristics.
Ruling out: BMW Wagons - not big enough.
28 mpg at 80 mph is a big ask. I think that requirement puts you into hybrid land. Prius V or Ford C-Max?
Figure out exactly what you want, and how often you would use it. Then calculate the cost of renting said vehicle for the two or six or twelve times a year you would use it. Balance that against the cost and depreciation on buying.
Might work, might not.
Ford C-Max would be on my short list to check out first.
Nothing that big is going to get that kind of mileage.
Renting does seem like a viable option unless you're doing these trips all the time.
Avalon hybrid or Lexus GS/LS hybrid seems like a really good option for a larger highway cruiser that gets good fuel economy, but as traditional sedans, they aren't going to have tons of space for your stuff like an SUV or van.
Pacifica Hybrid might be a nice sweet spot, but they aren't cheap yet. But it might get good enough fuel economy around town (being a PHEV with 33 mile electric range) to replace the Prius for daily driving and then fill the 'road tripper' role too.
A personal experience...
I have a Gen2 Prius, 2007. We were traveling 900 miles to Alabama for a family wedding, two kids in car seats. My MIL offered us to take her very new Ford Escape and my wife liked that idea. Net result, the Escape had less really usable space that the ole Prius. Sample, the front passenger seat of the Escape needed to be a little forward to accommodate a reverse car seat behind it. Not an issue in the older Prius.
The moral here is, caution on the Ford C-Max, it may not really offer any more space than the Prius you already have.
Our recent choice is a Grand Caravan bought directly from Hertz
Subaru Outback, Forester, or VW Golf Wagon or All Road if you want to go the wagon route.
If you have had good luck with the Prius, how about a Prius V?
For the real Wagon Queen Family Truckster effect, get the woodgrain kit!
"You think you hate it now, but wait till you drive it!"
Not sure if it's big enough but our cayenne diesel easily gets 35mpg on the freeway at 80mph. The touareg diesel is basically the same car but will be less expensive to purchase. Both absolutely crush freeway driving and can tow 7700lbs.
ojannen said:28 mpg at 80 mph is a big ask. I think that requirement puts you into hybrid land. Prius V or Ford C-Max?
Heck, there are 1/2 ton diesel pickups getting better than that these days. New Silverado duramax is rated at 33 highway.
Infinity Q50 Hybrid should push you close to 30mpg
Lexus GS/RX hybrid closer to 40
Mazda 6 gas should do over 30, E-loop a tad better
E class Bluetec should be well over 30, but they do like to have little important bits fail
Camry/Avalon hybrid close to 40
Jetta TDI wagon
Nissan Rogue hybrid
Highlander hybrid
Lexus NX hybrid
I would consider the Mitsu Outlander plug in, but once you run out of charge you're in the mid-low 20s
Same goes for XC90 plug in, but it stays mid-high 20s after the juice runs out.
I'm not a big fan, but the Merc GLC fits your bill.
Grand Caravan is the only thing I can think of. Rented one in AZ, drove from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon and back with the 6 of us at 75 MPH and averaged in the high 20s for mileage.
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
And how many of those are under $20K?
My go-to highway crusher is the Toyota Sienna. You won't get that sort of fuel mileage, but it will absolutely crush highway miles, be comfortable, and has lots of storage.
Highlander Hybrid
Older one, but I don't hate this:
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/816452193/overview/
Avalon Hybrid? big car.. good power... 40mpg?
Fueled by Caffeine said:https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/816452193/overview/
Avalon Hybrid? big car.. good power... 40mpg?
These things are very large indeed. This is probably the best bet. Add a small trailer if it doesn't have enough space, but I can't imagine something would do the job better than this for under $20k.
Avalon Hybrids are fantastic, but they don't have the cargo capacity the OP is looking for. They are still just a sedan with a large trunk.
Note he said BMW wagons are not big enough.
ProDarwin said:Highlander Hybrid
Older one, but I don't hate this:
This is off topic, but that's really got some strong "Lowered Forester" vibes that I'm pretty ok with. I never realized the styling was all that close until you posted a pic of a lowered one and my brain just said "that's a Forester" until I read your text.
2019 and newer Mazda CX-9?
Comfortable, large-ish highway cruiser. Good balance of size, power, and fuel economy. Excellent driving dynamics for what it is.
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:ojannen said:28 mpg at 80 mph is a big ask. I think that requirement puts you into hybrid land. Prius V or Ford C-Max?
Heck, there are 1/2 ton diesel pickups getting better than that these days. New Silverado duramax is rated at 33 highway.
Infinity Q50 Hybrid should push you close to 30mpg
Lexus GS/RX hybrid closer to 40
Mazda 6 gas should do over 30, E-loop a tad better
E class Bluetec should be well over 30, but they do like to have little important bits fail
Camry/Avalon hybrid close to 40
Jetta TDI wagon
Nissan Rogue hybrid
Highlander hybrid
Lexus NX hybrid
I would consider the Mitsu Outlander plug in, but once you run out of charge you're in the mid-low 20s
Same goes for XC90 plug in, but it stays mid-high 20s after the juice runs out.
I'm not a big fan, but the Merc GLC fits your bill.
EPA highway test top speed is 60 mph. There is going to be a noticeable drop in fuel economy between doing 60 and doing 80.
z31maniac said:Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:ojannen said:28 mpg at 80 mph is a big ask. I think that requirement puts you into hybrid land. Prius V or Ford C-Max?
Heck, there are 1/2 ton diesel pickups getting better than that these days. New Silverado duramax is rated at 33 highway.
Infinity Q50 Hybrid should push you close to 30mpg
Lexus GS/RX hybrid closer to 40
Mazda 6 gas should do over 30, E-loop a tad better
E class Bluetec should be well over 30, but they do like to have little important bits fail
Camry/Avalon hybrid close to 40
Jetta TDI wagon
Nissan Rogue hybrid
Highlander hybrid
Lexus NX hybrid
I would consider the Mitsu Outlander plug in, but once you run out of charge you're in the mid-low 20s
Same goes for XC90 plug in, but it stays mid-high 20s after the juice runs out.
I'm not a big fan, but the Merc GLC fits your bill.
EPA highway test top speed is 60 mph. There is going to be a noticeable drop in fuel economy between doing 60 and doing 80.
Going down a rabbit hole here, but the EPA HWFET result is not necessarily th number printed on the window sticker/sales material.
In general most cars I have owned have gotten better mileage at ~80mph straight highway, than their highway rating suggests. My current DD is rated at 33 on the highway and will knock down 40+ pretty easily at 80mph steady state. I would not expect a big increase (or any) from a Hybrid, but I would certainly expect most sedans to do very well.
https://jalopnik.com/for-5-999-could-this-2005-vw-passat-tdi-be-passable-1819101611
TDI Passat wagon?
R class diesel?
Hearse...
GX460. Gas is cheap. At $2 a gallon, comfort and reliability trumps anything involving economy.
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