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Yes imagine overtaking an 18 wheeler on a highway in Leaf, Yaris, Scion IQ, Chevy Spark or the Smart ForTwo. All these are 100 hp more or less. I once rented one of these cars and while driving next to the big rigs, the car wanted to get sucked under the trailers for some reason.. not fun at all
I've passed 18 wheelers in my Hyundai Accent hatchback. No problem at all.
If looking at those definitely check out the Kia Forte5, Hyundai Elantra Sport, and the new turbo charged version of the Kia Soul. All use the same 1.6T engine good for 0-60 in the low 6s range, so plenty of power on tap when needed.
I picked up my 15 Forte5 SX for $17,900. Average 29mpg in city/suburban driving, very rare to see any highway. Hasn't had a single problem nor are there any common ones popping up in the community. It's actually the #1 car with the NHTSA with the fewest safety complaints. Good interior, lots of standard features. It's basically 85% of a GTI for 60% of the price. With them having grabbed Peter Schreyer from Audi there's definitely some of that European VW-ish design element going on.
The Soul may be a better choice for an older mother. Easier to get in and out of with the higher seating position. But still a compact easy to handle in the city and with lots of cargo room. Soul is rated as one of the top resale value cars among compacts too. Top Compact Cars With the Best Resale Value - Autotrader
Our 2011 Kia Soul base 5-speed in clear white has been a good, solid rig. Kind of slow, it's got the 1.6L 4 cylinder engine. Solid car all-around.
A cool new Kia coming out is the 2018 Kia Rio. Google it - Peter Schreyer influenced and small like a Rio is. Sporty looking with that VW rear end square-back look.
I am going to have a hard time not buying one - trade the '11 Kia Soul in on one.
Yes imagine overtaking an 18 wheeler on a highway in Leaf, Yaris, Scion IQ, Chevy Spark or the Smart ForTwo. All these are 100 hp more or less. I once rented one of these cars and while driving next to the big rigs, the car wanted to get sucked under the trailers for some reason.. not fun at all
Lol no thanks. I drive a Lexus LS430, with a powerful and effortless 4.3L V8. There's no freeway situation it can't handle without even the beginnings of breaking a sweat. Gun it and you're well into triple digits before you even realize it.
Location: San Ramon, Seattle, Anchorage, Reykjavik
2,254 posts, read 2,738,154 times
Reputation: 3203
Quote:
Originally Posted by AJT123
This isn't true. Just off the top of my head, I can tell you a Prius is underpowered for freeway driving. Step on (floor, rather) the gas and not much happens.
If OP wants a car to feel comfortable merging with, a Prius would be a nightmare.
(I'm not a Prius hater, btw.)
Jesus, I must have big balls. I drive a rental Prius all over lots of big cities.
Jesus, I must have big balls. I drive a rental Prius all over lots of big cities.
You have to be kidding me.
I kid you not. Would you honestly say one of a Prius' strong suits is acceleration, especially at higher speeds? That's what the OP is looking for. They're ok enough, I guess, for around town traffic but at highway speeds there's nothing.
I had a Lexus CT loaner (same drivetrain), my foot was to the floor in virtually every situation I drove it in, not much happens. Granted I'm used to a powerful V8, but a Prius is a slow car any way you cut it.
Clearly you have never tried to enter a highway on a short on ramp with a 72 corolla with toyoglide transmission. Or a 240d Mercedes for that matter. Here in Ct there are several on ramps and merges I drive thru on a regular basis that use to cause serious white knuckles in slow cars. That said most modern cars I have driven on these routes are fine including a versa.
Location: San Ramon, Seattle, Anchorage, Reykjavik
2,254 posts, read 2,738,154 times
Reputation: 3203
Quote:
Originally Posted by AJT123
I kid you not. Would you honestly say one of a Prius' strong suits is acceleration, especially at higher speeds? That's what the OP is looking for. They're ok enough, I guess, for around town traffic but at highway speeds there's nothing.
I had a Lexus CT loaner (same drivetrain), my foot was to the floor in virtually every situation I drove it in, not much happens. Granted I'm used to a powerful V8, but a Prius is a slow car any way you cut it.
I wonder how we all survived driving those huge 70's boats with less horsepower than a Prius. My V8 1977 Caprice Classic had less than 150 hp when it was new and a 0-60 of 11.0 seconds. CT200? 10 seconds. Doesn't seem that bad.
I guess if you want to spend your money on a big V8 then you should go for it. Very few people care about that. I guess I'm one of them. However, back to the OP, unless you like high performance cars, and just want to get where you are going with a reliable, efficient, and inexpensive car, just about anything will do. And all will drive just fine on the freeway.
For reliability a Yaris or Corolla is a good bet. For a nice warranty the Elantra is hard to beat. For a bigger car you can get a deal on Altima, Sentras and Chevy Cruze are good bets.
The new Corolla with the CVT is a slug. Step on the gas and it makes a lot of noise but barely gains any speed.
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