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My mom has been looking at new vehicles recently to find one that would be best for her and i told her i would help her out. She most likely won't be in the market for a new one for a while now. She is looking at possibly a Ford Escape Hybrid or a Subaru Outback, but she's not dead set. Currently she owns a 2000 Ford Explorer. Unfortunately she is really not a hypermiler and definitely doesn't break epa standards, but she does try to drive efficiently to save fuel when she can. Right now the worse thing she does is uses a remote car starter in the mornings to warm up the Explorer :(. I've tried to explain how bad that is, but she still does it. She said the next vehicle i'll have to install an engine block heater on it, so she can use that instead. Maybe i am getting thru to her a little bit :eyebrow:.

The typical route M-F is a 1.6 mile one-way commute to work and back on side streets, with about 1/3 of the trip being a steep downhill on the way there and uphill the way back home. She definitely wants one with either 4WD or AWD because she knows she's not the best driver in the snow. We can get some bad snow storms here and she needs to be able to make it up the hills and not get stuck. Unfortunately walking/biking is not an option for her, at least right now because she is not in the best of shape with bad knees and she's 61. Once a week or so she drives the highway to go shopping. Definitely under these conditions with going such a short distance everyday she'll never get great f/e.

She doesn't have a set budget, but she doesn't wanna pay a crazy amount for a new vehicle. Right now money is pretty tight with my dad being out of work and that's why it will be a while before she gets a new vehicle. She would want one with good crash ratings (5 stars preferred).

Under these conditions, what vehicle would be best suited for her and to get the best possible f/e?

Hi Dan! It's a big decision with lots to think about. I would recommend searching and figuring out potential autos and waiting until summer to purchase. Especially if one of her requirements is four wheel drive. In this weather, they would command a premium over summer prices. Would a front wheel drive suffice?

Here is the link to an article I just posted on the home page: Top Ten Tips for Buying a Car (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29227)

CleanMPG member Blackbelt picked up a Suzuki SX4 AWD as a winter car for his wife a few months ago.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26818
You can show your mom the photos and see if it sparks some interest.
It seems to me that short trips in a cold climate are going to kill FE no matter what you do, so logically the best route is the smallest displacement engine. Little cylinders gulp less fuel than big ones. The EPA numbers go right out the window when you start the car at 15F and drive it for only a mile or two. At that point, a small engine and low rpm are your only hope.
The Suzuki has a 7 year 100k powertrain warranty. I don't have any personal experience with Suzuki, but there are a few CleanMPG'ers who are driving them, under both the Suzuki and Geo Metro badges.

My wife has been driving the sx4 a lot the last month, because of all the snow we have been getting. Even in heavy traffic, and using AWD(it can be switched off in the SX4)she has been getting around 28 MPG(and she uses no hypermiling techniques at all).
The 2010 model has a CVT, or a 6 speed Vs the 4sp auto or 5 speed of the previoous versions(ours is a 5 speed 09).
So far we are pleased with the car. No problems at all with it. Considering what you get for the money, the are a bargain.