YACT: What is a car that is very fun to drive and gets excellent gas mileage?

[raildogg]

Thanks for all those great replies. It turned out to be a pretty big thread. I want a car with 30+ mpg. I currently drive a Honda Accord V6 and I get around 26-27 mpg with mixed highway and city driving. I have cut back on my speeding and accelerate slowly now. The Volkswagen Jetta TDI is looking sweeter and sweeter to me. Today, I had a converstation with a buddy of mine and he said that diesels are noisy and other things. That is something many people believe and I don't blame them, especially after they see a big truck or bus pass them by. I read in a magazine that the TDI has a 10-11 sec on the 0-60 - which is slowish, but I don't mind at all. I don't want to race people from stoplight to stoplight.

Too bad that if you add in extras the VW Jetta TDI turns out to be kind of expensive. Also, they offer no xenon headlights for this model, or not that I'm aware of. I really want xenons, lol. But I understand they are not necessary and I can get by without them. Do you all think that a VW TDI is a better choice than a Civic Hybrid? I drive quite a bit on the highway but when I go into the city there is a lot of stop and go traffic. So driving is mixed but I would say that 60% of driving is done in the city. Considering this, will the VW Jetta TDI be a better choice? Or with stop and go traffic, a hybrid is better?

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: thescreensavers
Toyota matrix XRS or Corolla XRS (6SPD)
redlines at like 8100rpm and hits lift from around 6000rpm

What lift is
matrix/rolla forums

I want to get this car. I heard its fun to drive.

or if you got alot of money and dont need having more then 2 people in the car get a lotus elise exige same engine jsut they torbo it and stuff.

I actually considered an XRS for a while. But then I realized buying used is a better option (at least IMO)

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: jagec
1989 Toyota MR2.

How about a newer 2001 MR2 Spyder. Even better a Lotus Elise or Extige.

I'm a cheap bastard, who feels that the $2k I spent for my '89 in great condition is much, much more fun for my dollar than upwards of $20k for something brand-new. But yeah, everyone says the Spyder is great to drive...

 

[ballmode]

Base RSX or Civic Si hatchback if you can still find them new.

 

[CTrain]

Originally posted by: MrChad
My RSX-S is a blast to drive. I get around 30 mpg.

Winnar.
The 2006 Si is the same but you can't find them used for right now.

 

[Tab]

Damn, if I could only find a deisel VW Passat/Jetta.... For $6k... Everything else it out of my price range.

 

[Hyudra]

impreza STI

 

[marqucha]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
mini

FTW

 

[tommywishbone]

A Pinto filled with hookers & toot.

 

[Bullhonkie]

Originally posted by: Hyudra
impreza STI

Agree on the very fun part, but definitely not excellent gas mileage. So far this summer with lots of spirited driving and the a/c getting plenty of usage, I've been averaging just over 22mpg.

As far as fun AND good mileage I'd agree on:
Mini Cooper
MR2
Miata/MX-5
Elise

 

[Troll4Hire]

Originally posted by: Whitecloak

Originally posted by: Phil

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
well my new ford focus is fun to drive and it must do about 35-40MPG..... its a 1.4 zetec 16v tho.

Are you talking about the new new Focus, or the first generation? I didn't think they made it with a 1.4, I thought 1.6 was the smallest engine because that's what I have.

my fiesta > your focus

Ford Fiesta and Ford Aspire are a rebraded/rebadged Kia

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: jagec
1989 Toyota MR2.

How about a newer 2001 MR2 Spyder. Even better a Lotus Elise or Extige.

I'm a cheap bastard, who feels that the $2k I spent for my '89 in great condition is much, much more fun for my dollar than upwards of $20k for something brand-new. But yeah, everyone says the Spyder is great to drive...

Exige? WTF. If you're trying to save gas it's because you're trying to save money. You buy an Exige when you're slightly wealthy and just want the best-handling car money can buy.

I second the MR2 all the way. If you want a very, very nice car, get a second-generation MR2 Turbo: 2.0L 3SGTE motor (200 hp and 200 ft-lb) in a car that weighs about 2400 lbs, but the first generation is lighter and gets better gas milage with its 1.6L.

 

[Farbio]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Mazda 3s. I get 34.9MPG regularly on the highway with mine.

I'm not sure what you're doin different than me brandon, but I can't seem to top 32 on highway in my 3s 5spd (i drive 70-75 usually on hw and have a 24mile commute each way)

but yea, the 3 would be my choice!
the tdi is a great engine, but does the bulletproof-ness of a diesel overcome the multiple commonplace problems people have had with vw's in recent years (myself included)?

 

[kumanchu]

just got a 2006 civic lx yesterday. it's pretty direct and handles clean in normal driving but i don't think that it would be "fun" without a stiffer suspension and another 50hp. i like the look of the new civic, and it seems to have been built solid.

40 mpg highway is nothing to scoff at either.

 

[BoldAsLove]

i like the 06 civic. seems pretty nice.

 

[kevinthenerd]

Define a car that's "fun to drive." If you want cars that are VERY fun to drive, stay away from front wheel drive cars (except maybe the Mini). Some great options that come to mind include the Mazda Miata, the Toyota MR2, and maybe even the Mazda RX-7. Going with something new won't land you anything affordable that's particularly fun, although if you're not used to a rear-heavy car, a mainstream compromise will be your best choice anyway. If you know what you're doing, ANY car can be fun to drive.

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: BoldAsLove
i like the 06 civic. seems pretty nice.

If we're assuming "fun to drive" is a relative term, then by no stretch of the imagination is a Civic "fun to drive," or at least more "fun to drive" than its competition. It's beaten by the Toyota Corolla in the slalom, the Saturn ION in the 0-60, the Nissan Sentra in the quarter mile, and the Mazda Protoge in braking, and all of these are also crappy cars. Please define "fun" a little more clearly, such as "more fun to drive than a schoolbus" or "more fun than dental surgery." Thanks.