We just rented a Toyota Corolla for a week and I was very impressed. Seems like every long-lived small car (like the Honda Civic) has gotten bigger and bigger every year. The current model Corolla does not feel like a small car. It drives like a regular size car. You only notice the small engine when you floor it (my other car is a Corvette). The trunk was… I want to say “cavernous” but I will say it holds as much as any full size sedan. I have a huge Samsonite, and it took that plus wife’s full size checked suitcase plus wife’s rolling carry-on. It was not a highly optioned car, but had a backup camera and lane warnings (When you drift over the yellow or white lines on the highway it beeps at you). We drove from Aspen to Crested Butte which included a long stretch of unpaved road (please don’t tell our rental company) and the car handled it with ease.
I think I would start with a Corolla test drive and then try a Camry and an Avalon (and even a Lexus) and see if the extra size and luxury are worth the extra cost.
I think H will have to climb in and out of a few vehicles so we can figure this out. Since we both use both our vehicles, it makes sense for both of us to be happy.
I think he doesn’t want a hatchback due to having our rental car SUV rear window smashed in SF, so he prefers the relative safety of a trunk over hatchback.
H doesn’t think he wants a van or SUV. He was 19 years younger when we bought the van. It is tough for the elders. They do seem to do better entering and exiting the sedan.
Many hatchbacks do have covers over the cargo area. The covers are removable if you want to carry large cargo. You can check for this feature in any hatchback (or SUV).
Yes, but the soft or cardboard covers of hatchbacks are not nearly as protective of valuables (and discouraging to thieves) as a locked trunk. Granted, trunk locks can be smashed and items stolen from trunks as well but it feels like hatchbacks are more vulnerable.
I drove a Sienna for almost 10 years. I now have a RAV4 hybrid. The RAV4 is lower to the ground than a Sienna and easier to get in or out of than a sedan. The rear windows are tinted so you really can’t see in.
I’d go to the Toyota dealership and check out the merchandise.
Just a side note on purchasing a new car. Like OP, we always bought and drove our cars forever. Current car is over 20 years old, and mechanic finally told us to stop. I know the least expensive option is ultimately buying and holding, but this time, we’re considering a lease. I’m doubting we will want to keep a new car another 10 years. The technology is changing so fast. Like electronics, I feel a new car may quickly become outdated in 7 or so years if not sooner. As I age, I especially look forward to all the safety options, and ultimately maybe even self-driving cars.
We actually hunted for a new car recently, but became discouraged. We had specific cargo requirements that were difficult to find in a small or medium sized car. Many old trusted models are increasing in size and thus harder to park in the city. Glass is getting smaller. Rear cameras are a necessity on most cars because you just can’t see - not a good combination as we age. For us, it was hard to find a car we thought we wanted to keep for the next 20 years.
Like HImom, we put very little miles on the car we need to replace, which can translate to better lease terms. Leasing postpones the decision of course, and adds cost, but it also allows us to ride the wave of changes we anticipate. And it avoids the increased maintenance costs of an older car. All the new technology can be very expensive to repair.
Thanks for mentioning this point. Will try to remember. The roads are probably the worst of anywhere we drive of have been driven, including CA, VA, SKorea and Taiwan.
The deslership rep I spoke with agreed about our bad roads.
Test drive, test drive, test drive. You never know how a different car will suit you. Some of the cars I thought I was interested in turned out to be non-starters due to seat comfort, space, blind spots. I’ve also seen how elders have issues getting in and out of a lot of cars because the cars are too low to the ground or the seats have bolsters that make it difficult as well.
We eliminated a whole bunch of cars just by sitting in them at the dealers. Weird seats, bad sight lines, strange interiors. We test drove a 2018 Prius, 2017 Prius V, and a 2018 Camry hybrid. If you like Camrys, you might like that hybrid. It looks just like a non-hybrid Camry but has the more energy efficient hybrid engine system.
We chose the Prius V (last model year was 2017) because there is a lot of room for the back seat passengers. But it is a hatchback/station wagon type vehicle with limited storage space under the flooring in the rear. Also, it seems to ride lower than other vehicles and I’d be leery of taking it out on really rough roads on a regular basis.
How about Subaru? Every third car in Maine (where the roads can be really crappy) are Subarus. Mostly Foresters and Outbacks. We bought a used 2015 Forester for our summer car in 2017. Very comfortable, just high enough for great visibility, but not too high, good gas mileage, feels safe when near the ginormous other vehicles on the highways in Maine. My husband really enjoys driving it.
My niece just bought a new Forester in SF. She was all set to buy another vehicle when she got an offer she couldn’t refuse and fell in love while test driving the Forester. Her H especially loved that it is tall enough for him (he’s much taller than she is). They paid less for the new car than they would have for a used one!
I really don’t have the energy to deal with sitting in cars and test driving now. I will wait until we return at the end of the month.
Reviews on reliability of Suburus are not reassuring. I think I prefer the reliability of a Toyota or Lexus. That’s what my mechanic recommended as well.