The New Car Dilemma

Alright.  I own a 2006 Honda Odyssey minivan.  It is awesome for carting teenagers around, putting stuff in and it’s generally a comfortable ride.  At this point in time, with gas prices around $3.50/gallon, a 20 mpg lack of fuel efficiency and a 25 minute commute each way to work (without traffic… at 6am), I think it’s time to get a very efficient ‘commuter car’.

The dilemma is multi-fold.  What to do with my Odyssey (fully paid for, 100K+ miles, tons of space), and more importantly, what car should I buy?  The first thought was to keep the Odyssey for ‘carting’ stuff around (like teenagers and kayaks) and get a small, fun, fuel efficient car for commuting and running around town (a grocery getter).

The first car that I was attracted to was a Smart ForTwo. I have a friend at work with one, and it’s a surprisingly ‘big’ car.  I fit in the car easily.  It’s made by Mercedes Benz and drives like a German car (very tight).  It’s also available in a convertible version (cheapest convertible on the market), which speaks to a high ‘fun’ factor in driving.  The car gets around 40 mpg, so it is no slouch in the mileage department.

If I wasn’t such a research nerd, the story would end there.  I would own a Smart car and probably be a happy camper.  However, I looked at the market and now I’m confused.

To be complete, I included four other cars to compare to the Smart Car.

[1] The Volkswagen Golf TDI – A very nice vehicle with a reliable diesel engine, giving excellent gas mileage.  The problem with the Golf is that it’s too damn expensive, coming in over $28,000 with an average mpg of 36 (epa rating used as a basis of comparison.. YRMV).  The Golf slid quickly off the list.

[2] The Honda Fit – I love Hondas. Period. Given a choice, I tend to be a loyal Honda customer.  I’ve had great luck with Hondas and I also really like the look and feel of the Fit.  At an average mpg of 30, the Fit is the worst in terms of gas mileage of the vehicles I’m looking at, sliding it down to the bottom of the list.

[3] The Smart ForTwo Cabriolet – As mentioned above, this way cute car started this discussion and was the basis of comparison.  Hitting close to 40 mpg and a price tag around $20K, the Smart car hits on all three of its cylinders.  The problem is space.  I have two daughters that I need to cart around on occasion and having to swap out cars to do my chauffer services could be problematic.

[4] The Scion iQ – Scion is the European Toyota line rebranded for the US.  This car compares VERY nicely to the Smart car.  It has the same mpg as the Smart car plus has a back seat for carrying 1.5 additional passengers (the driver’s seat is too far back to have room for anyone other than a baby or a legless midget).  The Scion iQ drives like a much bigger car, but is nimble like the Smart Car.  If I were to stop the comparison here, I think the decision would be easy.  I’d be in the Scion.  It’s a VERY nice car at a $16K price tag.

[5] The Toyota Prius C Four – The Prius has evolved and this ‘little’ version of the traditional hybrid is a wonderful little car.  First of all, it has an average of 50 mpg, with space for 5 adults and groceries.  At a price of a little over $23K, this is a very cost effective hybrid.  The drive is smooth and quiet, with lots of shiny tech on the dashboard. 

Right now, the decision is between the Prius and the iQ.  You can quantify the difference between the Scion and the Toyota with the gas mileage, space, sun roof, drivability, and tech. I think that I'm decided on keeping the Odyssey for occasional use, but trading in the minivan could enter into the equation as well, but for the sake of argument, let's take that off the table.  The bottom line is that all of the above vehicles are affordable.

I’m very confounded at this point and keep flip-flopping between the iQ and the Prius.  The iQ is probably more ‘fun’ to drive and a more unique vehicle, but honestly they both have plusses and minuses that keep me confused.  In terms of gas mileage, the 10 mpg more that the Prius gives equates to only about $30 in savings per month over the iQ, so the decision can’t be based on mileage alone.

Therefore, like all major decisions of grand importance (insert sarcastic look here), I go to the internet for input.  What do you all think?