Are there any small, 4cyl autos that don't suck to drive?

Space + fun? Can't beat a Honda Fit Sport. Shocking room inside, "magic rear seats," easiest car to see out of and park you'll ever own, and a decent 5 speaker sound system comes standard.

Manual is preferred, but the slushbox is liveable. Either choice could use just a little higher "high gear." She does sound a little buzzy on the freeway. But it's a Honda with a chain, you'll never hurt the motor.

I'd definitely try to find a Sport, rather than the standard. Gaining 5mpg from just a little funky spoiler on the hatchback is a big advantage. The back window is always dirty because the air is so disrupted it can't form a low pressure area. Hence the extra gas mileage.

There's something to be said for stomping the go pedal of a supercharged lesabre and plowing traffic too. Different experience, same result. Also, see that chump race where the lesabre straight dogs the aw11 for 7 minutes.

Or a Maxima. They are great with the automatic, plenty of zoom and utterly invisible in asphalt gray.

No, no, hear me out. They're slow. Which means you have to drive the lug nuts off them to keep up with traffic. It's all about maintaining momentum - velocity is a precious thing not to be squandered. And while you're maximizing cornering speed and timing traffic lights, nobody is paying any attention to you at all. The automatic doesn't matter because you've basically got your foot pinned all the time.

I worked at a used car lot at a Ford dealership for a while, and it was my favorite parts runner. We even had the sport model with the little spoiler like the one in the picture.

Keith Tanner wrote: No, no, hear me out. They're slow. Which means you have to drive the lug nuts off them to keep up with traffic. It's all about maintaining momentum - velocity is a precious thing not to be squandered. And while you're maximizing cornering speed and timing traffic lights, nobody is paying any attention to you at all. The automatic doesn't matter because you've basically got your foot pinned all the time. I worked at a used car lot at a Ford dealership for a while, and it was my favorite parts runner. We even had the sport model with the little spoiler like the one in the picture.

This is 100% true. My 89 escort was an exercise in just this.

Eh, I DD a small 4cyl auto. Does it suck to drive? No more than commuting/errands/whatever in anything else. I don't race it, so I haven't had a chance to evaluate the suck in those conditions. Does what I need it to do, good gas mileage, reliable, low cost of ownership.

In reply to mndsm: The Beetle was an exercise in maintaining momentum too. Though the activity kept you alert, I never thought it was a good thing, especially on a long hill.

So I really want to keep it a 4cyl. Probably unnecessarily dogmatic but thats me.

I need to fit 5 (rarely but definitely) with 5 shoulder belts assuming it's gonna be cramped back there.

My driving style isn't FAST as much as it's "I don't slow down for corners".

9th gen Corolla is about right but the slower Xb has more room out back.

Last caveat if you will, is whatever I drive will get some form of rally treatment both in appearance and on every dirt road or snowy parking lot. I don't thing a LeSabre will look that good with aggressive tires and a row of 7" driving lights on the bumper... Or would it?

ebonyandivory wrote: So I really want to keep it a 4cyl. Probably unnecessarily dogmatic but thats me. I need to fit 5 (rarely but definitely) with 5 shoulder belts assuming it's gonna be cramped back there. My driving style isn't FAST as much as it's "I don't slow down for corners". 9th gen Corolla is about right but the slower Xb has more room out back. Last caveat if you will, is whatever I drive will get some form of rally treatment both in appearance and on every dirt road or snowy parking lot. I don't thing a LeSabre will look that good with aggressive tires and a row of 7" driving lights on the bumper... Or would it?

I like the Lesabre idea even more now.

Someone find that picture of the LeSabre on mudders. I'm on my phone and can't do the hotlinks. But yes, it's a good idea.

ebonyandivory wrote: So if I had to suck it up and drive a small, 4cyl auto I might not drive myself off a bridge? I'm gonna miss shifting but it seems like I might be able to manage for awhile... Thanks so far and please keep it coming!

The only concerns I have are that it's not particularly small by my standards (3000lb, 100" wheelbase) and the trans is a little too eager to kick down for my tastes. Doesn't even feel like a turbo car, which makes sense since the turbo is the size of a thimble and only builds 4psi boost, but the upside is that I can't make it get less than 30mpg.

OTOH, my driving style with an automatic is, if I expect to need to accelerate soon, to force a kickdown then hold speed with the brakes until the way is clear and then GO. So maybe that is why I never notice any lag...

In reply to Knurled:

What's that thing?

Add-on: remember the Frankencar VW's? Slightly lifted, larger tires? Yeah? I like that look too!

That is a first gen Volvo S40

The Impreza RS 4-door weighed 30 pounds more than the 2 door. That's nothing. The 4-cylinder is legendary and sounds like a Rally Car. It looks like a rally car. And no boy-racer worth their DC shoes would ever buy an automatic, so they are not beat on like the 5-speeds.

5 Reasons you need to buy a 2.5 RS

The only issue that I can see, and really it is the ONLY issue...I don't actually know if they were available with an automatic.

Kia_Racer wrote: Think Korean

Honestly, this. The Spectra's, Elantra's, Forte's etc all have decently torquey 4 cyls and the auto's aren't completely horrific. Plus, they tend to have plenty of interior space.

Non-turbo 626 from 1988 to 1996. Yes, that's two generations, and they're both decent. If you get the auto do not get a turbo in the 88 to 92. From everything I've heard they were marginal with the turbo's torque.

I freaking LOVE this site btw!

Where else can you ask such an inane, boring question and get really good, passionate, informed answers like this?

In reply to pinchvalve:

They WERE available with an auto, but also rust psychopathically and have the worst of the head-gasket eating 2.5s...they are good, fun cars but I would not recommend one as a DD.

mndsm wrote:

Thank you, that's the one. I mean throw a light bar across the front of that and just go around being awesome.

Something with a lot of low end toque and a flat powerband, so not a small (under 2 liter) 4 cylinder.

The Focus with the 2.3 PZEV Duratec is reasonably tolerable with the automatic. A lot better than the P5, that's for sure.

pinchvalve wrote: The 4-cylinder is legendary and sounds like a Rally Car. It looks like a rally car.

They don't sound like no BDA i ever heard of...

BTW - an Automatic 2.5RS nearly won Stock AWD at rallycross nationals a couple years back... both people driving it. And it's for sale, too!

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Something with a lot of low end toque and a flat powerband, so not a small (under 2 liter) 4 cylinder.

The Volvo I mentioned above is rated for something like 170ft-lb from 1800 to 4500. Not that you ever get to build full boost below 3k with the automatic. Basically it was Volvo's answer to the 1.8t. You get a car between the Jetta and Passat in size, and none of the typical VW problems. And I say this as a VWAG fan. Transmission is the AW55 which was used in a whole lot of Japanese cars. Not a ZF transmission (whew!)

Neon with a 2.4 swap goes great with the ATX, but then you're out of "buy one and drive it" territory.