<p>Mycollegekid- I rented a Yaris when I drove through the Berkshires. It did fine.</p>
<p>I would really like to get a new Subaru Forester, but the interior is nearly white for all exterior colors except 2, and then the interior is black. I can’t imagine what that light interior is going to look like after several spilled cups of coffee, etc. And the black is going to be HOT in Texas. Does anyone have the very recent light color? How is it holding up? I keep my cars for at least 10 years, so this is important.</p>
<p>We replaced the minivan last Christmas (2009) with a Kia Rondo. We looked at Outbacks but they had just changed the model and they were huge. I felt like a doll sitting on the seat. </p>
<p>Kia is not sending Rondos to US any more but they are one of the most popular cars in Canada. They have been deeked here bec they want to support the new Sorentos, which are being made down South. </p>
<p>I love the Rondo – just the right size for when only 2 are in the car, but you can also fold down the seats and get plenty of stuff in there when you need to. Mine brought 53 cases of Girl Scout cookies home last week, and actually had room for about 10 more.</p>
<p>Replaced the last minivan (after 20 years as a minivan mom) in November 2009 with a 2010 Subaru Forester. I LOVE it!!
It is red with a grey interior. I prefer the fabric seats and was able to get seat heaters (few cars have them on non-leather). It has the largest sunroof I’ve seen.
Compared the RAV-4, CR-V, and Outback; I felt most comfortable in the Forester. It’s been great in these past two record snow DC winters.</p>
<p>preironic…I have been looking at the Forester…and I have NEVER seen a white interior…not one. The cloth seats I’ve seen here are either black, grey or beige. The leather are the same. This is for blue, green, red, white and black Foresters I have seen.</p>
<p>Thumper1 - what I’ve seen is either “platinum” or black. I do exaggerate about the white, but the “platinum” is pretty darn close. That’s the only color offered for the interior of all exterior colors except silver, red, and black which have black interiors. Do you think different regions have different interior colors?</p>
<p>We’ve had a minivan since the mid 90s and we have one AWD with 143K miles and the last kid perched to take flight next summer. Kids 1&2 are unlikely to return to where we live after they finish college. Thanks for the thread - applies very much to us.</p>
<p>My DH got a new car last Nov and it has very light beige interior. Very light.</p>
<p>Love my Highlander Hybrid. Going on 5 years old, 100K miles. First new car I will keep until it dies (yea, I know, bad finances). I live in the northern rockies.</p>
<p>Hate that it has great resale value as I don’t plan to sell it :D.</p>
<p>^ NO, that is GOOD FINANCES!!! Keeping a car as long as possible is a GOOD thing!! Congrats!</p>
<p>A few days ago I test-drove the Mazda5, which has to be the smallest minivan ever. It was front-wheel drive, handled well, huge inside (I’m looking for something to carry the two standard poodles I have plus the third poodle I’m still just thinking about). Gas mileage appears to be excellent. Still mulling it over. Present car has 100K miles but seems to be going strong and the mechanic assures me 150K will be no problem.</p>
<p>@jym:</p>
<p>My bad finance comment was directed to the fact that all my other new cars have been sold long before they should have been. This will likely be the first time I will actually be financially responsible. Having a kid in college has finally made us somewhat more frugal.</p>
<p>lhs, as a frugal, longtime “drive it til it dies” car owner, my method is always to pay it off as quickly as possible and then continue saving the payment (or a portion thereof) so that no loan is needed the next time around…and no “pinch” is felt when you hit those 80/120/180K mile repairs. Cars are such a horrible “investment” that it’s always nice to be payment free:)</p>
<p>I drove a minivan for 12 years, 230,000 miles. Yes, the same one. It was replaced by a Mazda Miata. LOVE IT!!!</p>
<p>Yes, I know it’s too low for you to compete with Denalis but I wanted to make sure you looked at all the options :o)</p>
<p>oops- sorry I misunderstood, ihs76. We are like sk8rmom-- drive as long as possible. Unfortunately, in my family, that usually means someone has an accident and totals the car :(</p>
<p>^^ I was unclear. My bad.</p>
<p>Car payment free is a good feeling. I had a paid off Honda Accord that I loved and would have kept driving it except I was almost T-boned by a woman who ran through a stop sign. I had my 1 year old baby in a carseat in the back. Within 24 hrs, I had a Suburban. Figured if people were going to be bad drivers, I would need to be bigger than them. Finally broke my Suburban habit with this Highlander Hybrid. Nice compromise between size, fuel economy etc. Love how the engine shuts off when I come to a stop.</p>