Help me find a fun family vehicle

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
04/20/2014 at 11:26 • Filed to: None

I'd like to simplify my vehicular life, as I have too many !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to manage anymore. I want to trade in my wife's near-mint low mileage '06 Mazda 3 (automatic if you're still interested), our '11 Malibu with 38k miles, and my '74 Buick Apollo with 27k miles (for most of you who don't know, think Chevy Nova in a cheap tuxedo). Whatever we get will be her daily driver (she's an excellent and careful driver), as well as the family cruiser around town. It has to be big enough for both of us (we are, shall we say "horizontally abundant"), and we've got at least three years left of having a kid in a rear facing car seat, now that they've changed things so that you have to keep kids rear-facing until they're two years old. We also both want it to be a fun car.

We like the WRX, and I know the new one is a bit bigger so I have hope, but it still is likely too small for us. We like the Chevy SS, but that's stretching the budget farther than I'm comfortable, and my last go-round with an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! car did not go well. We like the Charger, but I trust Mopar quality about as far as I car throw one.

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So that's were you all come in. Got any ideas?

DISCUSSION (15)

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > shop-teacher
04/20/2014 at 12:23

I'd say a new Impala. I'm 6'3" and can make the front seats go back to where I nearly can't reach the pedals. If the front seats in my driving position, I can still sit behind it comfortably. And the V6 model shuffles along pretty quickly.

If you don't want something THAT huge, but still want a sporty sedan, the Buick Regal GS with AWD would be a smaller alternative.

jkm7680 > shop-teacher
04/20/2014 at 12:41

Audi A4, Forester, I would say Wrx again.

Something used possibly? Or do you want to buy new.

shop-teacher > jkm7680
04/20/2014 at 13:11

I prefer my big car purchases to be new, so the lemon law applies to them. Do they still do turbo Foresters? I'll check out the A4, but we like to keep our cars a long time, and old Audi's scare me.

shop-teacher > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
04/20/2014 at 13:13

I like the Impala, but I don't think it will be fun enough to be OK about giving up my Buick. The Regal GS is a possibility I hadn't thought of.

Skif6996 > shop-teacher
04/20/2014 at 14:26

Good luck trading in your 3. Hopefully your area is different than mine. Wanted to trade my wife's 07 and couldn't get any more than $4k below book. If the dealers around here thought I would let it go for $4k, when it was worth $8k... I amwilling to bet the same applies for you. Unfortunately the car has been refreshed twice since our style. Try to sell it privately. Decent interiors, responsive handling, and great gas mileage. We are actually looking at Chargers, too. We want awd so it limits us but if you don't need it you could go for a BMW 3-series or even a used 5-series. Look into Volvo. They have great interiors, and turbo engines. Awd, if you want

Jason Reece > shop-teacher
04/20/2014 at 14:47

What about the new Mazda6? They're gorgeous, fun to drive and a great value. The 2015 came out about two months ago, so the 2014 models are an awesome deal right now! A 2014 Mazda6 Touring w/ Technology Package stickers for $27,490 and TrueCar shows it selling at $23,860. Or a 2014 Mazda6 Grand Touring with the MRCC+FOW Pkg (Mazda Radar Cruise Control & Front Obstruction Warning) stickers for $31,390 and selling for $27,691. Note- it's almost impossible to find a GT without the MRCC+FOW or Tech Pkg, so I included the cheaper of the two. $27,600 will also get you into a 2014 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring FWD w/ Technology Package.

Or what about a 2013/2014 Acura TSX Sport Wagon? Or a 2014 Kia Optima SX Turbo?

JasonStern911 > shop-teacher
04/20/2014 at 15:01

Cadillac CTS-V?

shop-teacher > JasonStern911
04/20/2014 at 15:57

Tried a CTS before I bought the Malibu. Ludicrously small back seat made it a no-go :(

shop-teacher > Skif6996
04/20/2014 at 16:06

I will sell the 3 privately if the offers are low. The thing is loaded, nearly-mint, and only has 50k miles on it, so it should be an easy sell. In my opinion, its still the best looking body style for the 3, although I like the new one too. I'm not a big BMW fan, so if I'm going to stretch the budget, it won't be for that. I'll have to take a look at what Volvo has.

shop-teacher > Jason Reece
04/20/2014 at 16:08

We will definitely be shopping at Mazda. The wifey loves her 3, and it hasn't given us one lick of trouble. I think the 6 looks great as well, and my wife is interested in the CX-5. Acuras don't appeal to me, but the Optima turbo looks nice.

jkm7680 > shop-teacher
04/20/2014 at 17:01

Yeah, In that case check out the Volkswagen Tiguan. It's manual, if that's what you are into, Safe for the little ones, and has some more performance oriented models avalible.

JasonStern911 > shop-teacher
04/20/2014 at 18:44

I wish you didn't say that! I haven't personally driven one, but they are on my list of cars to look into "once I get old", and getting old would likely entail the 996's rear seats designed for anorexic models or golf clubs being too small.

Skif6996 > shop-teacher
04/20/2014 at 20:13

See if you can find any Polestar cars. They are the performance-oriented Volvos.

shop-teacher > JasonStern911
04/20/2014 at 22:05

The CTS would work once the kids are facing forward. A used CTS -V may well be in my future, but sadly is not an option right now.

Jason Reece > shop-teacher
04/26/2014 at 03:17

Silly laws like the requiring kids ride in a rear-facing car seat needlessly complicate and limit your choices for a new car! I rode on the center console (right behind the shifter) of my mom's 1974 Cutlass Supreme until I was at least three and I made it just fine! =) (Obviously, I'm totally kidding and laying on the sarcasm very thick in the preceding statement. Kids should ride in the trunk where you don't have to listen to them scream all the time….um, I mean where they're safe…) =)

In addition to my Mazda6 and CX-5 and Kia Optima SX Turbo recommendations, I thought of a few more. If you like the Kia Optima, in addition to the SX Turbo, there is also a gorgeous version called the SX Limited or SXL. The SX Limited has the features of the SX Turbo with Premium and Technology Packages PLUS 18" chrome wheels, LED fog lights, Red brake calipers all around, Chrome exterior trim accents and door handles, High-grade Black Cloth Headliner, Piano Black high-gloss interior accents, Heated Steering Wheel and (for some odd reason) an Electronic Parking Brake. The highlight of the package is the Premium NAPPA Leather interior in Black, Gray or White depending on exterior color. The SX Limited has an MSRP of $36,100, but dealers are selling them starting as low as $30,500. The SX Turbo sells for about $2k less.

Another potential option is the Optima's sibling, the Hyundai Sonata. The Sonata SE 2.0T is roughly equivalent to the Optima SX Turbo. With the Premium Package (Power moonroof, Blind Spot Detection System, 8" touchscreen Navigation and 360-watt 6-speaker Dimension AM/FM/SiriusXM/CD audio system w/ subwoofer) it stickers for $29,685 and with current incentives it sells for about $25,724. The Sonata Limited 2.0T adds some upscale features including Ventilated driver seat, Premium Leather seats and numerous other small upgrades. With the Technology Package it also had a Panoramic Sunroof, 400-watt Infinity 8-speaker audio system with subwoofer, HID Xenon headlights, 18" Hyper Silver alloys and LED taillights. It stickers for $32,560 and sells for about $28,584.

Back to the topic of Mazdas….in addition to the CX-5 and Mazda6, if not for the 18mpg average fuel economy, I would highly recommend taking a serious look at the CX-9 Grand Touring. I have a 2012 CX-9 GT and it Is way more fun to drive than any 3-row, near-full-size SUV/CUV has a right to be! But that pesky gas-guzzling habit is the CX-9's only major drawback and it's a deal breaker for many in the world of $4+/gallon gas.

The 2014 CX-5 and 2014 Mazda6 are both offering 0.9% APR financing for up to 60 months or 1.9% for 72 months. You also qualify for a $500 Owner Loyalty Incentive because of your wife's Mazda3. If you sell her car before you buy, you can use her current year registration/tag receipt and don't mention that you've sold the car and you will be eligible anyway.

The discounts on the 2014 models are great right now because the 2015 models hit dealer lots in the last month or so. A 2014 CX-5 Grand Touring FWD with Technology Package stickers for $30,275 and TrueCar prices it at $27,653 including Owner Loyalty Bonus. A 2014 Mazda6 Grand Touring with Radar Cruise Control and Forward Obstruction Warning has a list price of $31,390 and TrueCar has it for $27,691. Either one looks like a great deal!

One final thing- I've had a good bit of experience behind the wheel of various Cadillac models. I travel extensively for my job and one of the stipulations in my contract is that I only rent cars from the Premium/Luxury class. I negotiated that after more than a year of driving Corollas, Avengers and Aveos that smelled like a sick combination of hot garbage and unwashed hooker! Never again! I've developed quite an affection for the ATS 2.0T, even more so than any CTS I've driven! If you seriously consider buying a CTS in the future, spend some time getting to know the ATS before you sign on the dotted line! =)

Take care, good luck and let us know when and what car you ultimately pick!