Car for Northwest Hills (Austin, Lucas: neighborhood, buying, live) - City-Data Forum

balor123 · 06-19-2012, 07:06 PM

Will be moving to Northwest Hills in a month or so and it seems to be pretty hilly around there. The Corolla I rented had trouble climbing the hills in the area, such as on Spicewood. We're buying two new cars - should we be looking at more powerful engines? I was thinking of a 4-cylinder Accord and a Mazda5.

mimimomx3 · 06-19-2012, 07:26 PM

No worries. There are ways around the Spicewood hill. You can take 2222, or go through the neighborhood around WEstover club. Actually, the Spicewood hill isn't very steep.

spelrod · 06-19-2012, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

No worries. There are ways around the Spicewood hill. You can take 2222, or go through the neighborhood around WEstover club. Actually, the Spicewood hill isn't very steep.

If you're worried about hills just make sure you don't go the other direction on 2222.

chuck_steak · 06-20-2012, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spelrod

If you're worried about hills just make sure you don't go the other direction on 2222.

No kidding, that hill is VERY steep. Doesn't sound like his/her car will make that one, especially in the rain or snow (not that we'll ever get any, LOL).

The Westover area has some hills, but they are not as steep at that one.

hoffdano · 06-20-2012, 08:31 AM

The Mazda5 is a nice "micro-van" but will be sluggish if you fill it up all the seats.

But I wouldn't buy a vehicle more powerful than you inherently want just for one hill. Just mash the pedal and get up the hill instead of spending more money on bigger engine.

Unless you want the bigger engine anyway.

Trainwreck20 · 06-20-2012, 08:38 AM

Sorry, this reminds me of HS driver's ed, and we had a Malibu, I think? and one other grossly underpowered car, both with emission control systems in the early days of such devices. Halfway up Cat Mountain we had to turn around, the car was just NOT going to make it without dying completely.....

G Grasshopper · 06-20-2012, 09:02 AM

When I bought my Civic (2003), I went with the largest engine they offered, which, paradoxically, got 1 mpg better mileage than the smaller engine. I have never had any problem with hills or with quick acceleration when I needed it. I have always had a 4 cylinder car, but I consider having an under powered car to be a safety risk, as well as being inconvenient. I can't offer suggestions though, as I am not up on cars. You will just have to research the engine options in the cars you are looking at.

10scoachrick · 06-20-2012, 09:12 AM

Our next door neighbors really enjoy their Mazda 5. As I recall, the latest models have 157hp...plenty to handle the hills with judicious gear selection. Fully loaded, they won't be screamers, but I think they could handle the hills without any problems.

On the other hand, our S-I-L drives her daughter's Honda FIT from time to time and she swears it can BARELY make it out of the neighborhood

. Some SERIOUS hills near their house...
https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-...ed=0CAwQ8gEwAA

Spacepup · 06-20-2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spelrod

If you're worried about hills just make sure you don't go the other direction on 2222.

That hill is specifically marked on the Austin Bicycling map with a callout labled "HUGE HILL" with four of the little marks they use to indicate road incline (the legend of the map only goes up to three) and with a suggestion to walk your bike in the ditches on the side of the road. Who would be crazy enough to bike that hill anyway?

I'm a bit surprised a Corolla had trouble in the Northwest Hills area. It has 134hp and should be able to climb them without much issue. Granted it will downshift and sound like you have a herd of extremely angry gerbils under the hood but that's true for any high-revving I-4 (which the accord and Mazda 5 would be too). If you hate the high-revving engine you could look into the VW Jetta TDI, possibly the Sportwagen model if you want a hatchback, as it is a turbo-diesel and produces its power at a much lower speed than a gas engine. Mine never had a problem climbing even the steepest of grades when I was in the Smoky Mountains. Getting 35mpg city and 48-50mpg on the highway is nice too.

cwl1994 · 06-20-2012, 09:46 AM

I have lived in the Northwest Hills/Great Hills area for 17 years and have ridden in all sorts of cars, including smart cars, and they can all make it up the Spicewood Hill. Yeah it is big and at times steep but really if you just punch it, your car should be able to make it up with little worries. Just make sure when you get to the top that you stop punching it.