Here's the rules:
This would be an all year around daily driver. I'm looking for comfort, efficiency, style, and new enough to easily last 7 years, 100k miles reliably.
Just get an Acura TL. I think thats the closest you'll get to all those.
N Sperlo wrote: Just get an Acura TL. I think thats the closest you'll get to all those.
bravenrace said: Manual trans or an auto with a favorable reliability record.
Except for the transmission part...
Sounds almost like a unicorn to me. Lots of cars fit some of the criteria, but can't think of one to hit them all. Closest I can think of is Acura TL Type S.
noddaz wrote:N Sperlo wrote: Just get an Acura TL. I think thats the closest you'll get to all those.bravenrace said: Manual trans or an auto with a favorable reliability record.Except for the transmission part...
That's been blown way out of proportion. I happen to be familiar with it because I owned a TL for a number of years. The failure rate is 5%, which is double Honda's 2.5% allowable defect rate. However, what people fail to realize is that 95% of them are fine.
In reply to bravenrace:
The TL would be almost perfect (I do still prefer rear or all wheel drive and a manual trans), except that I find them hard to get into and out of. I have major back and neck issues that make it uncomfortable to bend over.
What about whatever Acura SUV is out there? MDX or RDX or whatever letters they're slapping on the asses of those things. Or a 4cyl Rav-4?
mndsm wrote: What about whatever Acura SUV is out there? MDX or RDX or whatever letters they're slapping on the asses of those things. Or a 4cyl Rav-4?
Well I don't know. I've thought about small SUV's in general, but don't know much about them. I've also not looked further because we already have one and don't need two. But if it was the right vehicle I'd still consider it.
Get an RDX, trust me. The MPG is slightly less than what you are looking for. But if I kept out of boost I could get 28ish highway and low 20s city. Turbo 4 cylinder.
I owned one for a couple of years. As a precursor I HATE SUVS WITH A PASSION even though I drive one currently. The RDX is a whole different story and I would buy another one today.
If you stay out of boost its mild mannered and efficient. Get on the gas and it actually has some balls. My 2010 was good for about 7 seconds to 60 and 15 flat in the quarter. The BEST part is the handling IMO, I actually would take mine up through the back roads when the lex was being worked on.
I LOVED that car, had the technology package and everything else. This is what I would buy if I were you.
As far as the MDX, I had an 05 and an 08 which I traded for the RDX. MDX is awesome and would manage 26 hwy mpg, had plenty of power. Not nearly as nimble as the RDX and a new one is $$$$.
So, I recommend looking at 2010ish RDXs.
-Josh
I take it the TL does not have a manual option. We can fix that... 
N Sperlo wrote: I take it the TL does not have a manual option. We can fix that...
They absolutely did come with a 6 speed manual. They just aren't terribly common.
MINI Cooper Countryman and the KIA Soul are the only things I can find that come even remotely close (with sticks). Depending on when the Mazda CX-5 gets here and it's options/prices that may well work as well.
The Mazda3, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Matrix all match the mechanicals, but the interiors will be lacking, as will the entry/exit. The new Hyundai Sonata and KIA Optima both equal a lot of what you want but I don't know how easy they will be for you to get in and out of. The KIA especially has a really nice interior though.
You may have to look at automatic crossover/mini-SUV's (of which there's about a zillion) to get close to all of your requirements.
MG Bryan wrote:N Sperlo wrote: I take it the TL does not have a manual option. We can fix that...They absolutely did come with a 6 speed manual. They just aren't terribly common.
That makes things quite a bit easier. Less rubber bands and duct tape.
In reply to N Sperlo:
Yeah, try finding a manual TL.
Infiniti EX35/FX35? Or does that fail the stick requirement...
szeis4cookie wrote: Infiniti EX35/FX35? Or does that fail the stick requirement...
No, they fail in the butt-berkleying-ugly department.
Duke wrote:szeis4cookie wrote: Infiniti EX35/FX35? Or does that fail the stick requirement...No, they fail in the butt-berkleying-ugly department.
LOL. I agree.
In reply to CLNSC3:
I was somewhat inspired by the RDX suggestions, but they are only rated at 24 highway mpg and I couldn't find one in my price range with the miles I was looking for. I won't rule it out, but it looks like it will be hard to find one.
Okay guys, what about a Ford Edge?
bravenrace wrote: Okay guys, what about a Ford Edge?
I've driven them. It's a perfectly adequate means of transportation, but I found it impossible to find a comfortable seating position, the lack of lumbar support gave me a sore back, and I couldn't see anything that wasn't in front of me.
You may find dissimilar results.
In reply to bravenrace:
Auto only, won't get 30MPG in reality, but a decent tall wagon thing. The stock seats suck, but there's different trim levels so try them all out. Interior is a cheap plastic smorgasport.
In reply to Javelin:
That doesn't sound too good. How about something RDX-like and in my price range?
Another thought: Volvo V50 (small, but you can get turbo motors and/or manual transmissions)
05+ Subaru Outback or Legacy? I think that checks all the boxes.
octavious wrote: 05+ Subaru Outback or Legacy? I think that checks all the boxes.
Neither hits 30 MPG or has a nice interior.
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