xcel
12-28-2006, 09:03 AM
The car that most suited us was the $16,000 Honda Fit. (http://www.courant.com/hc-hta-1228-ht01wheels01.artdec28,0,2884674.story)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_Honda_Fit_Sport.jpgHartford Courant - Dec. 28, 2006
The 2007 Honda Fit “fit” this family nicely …
Many families trade in for a new car every year. But for the Motavalli/Masarech household, the last new car goes back to 1985. But my wife Mary Ann’s trusty ’96 Subaru Legacy Outback wagon blew a head gasket at 140,000 miles, and we’d grown tired of used cars.
And so the search was on. We really wanted to go hybrid. We came close with the Toyota Prius, which had great tax advantages, dependability and fuel economy. The Honda Civic Hybrid was also a contender, but Mary Ann banged her shin climbing into it. What could I say? This was her purchase … well, she had help from our girls, 12-year-old Maya and 10-year-old Delia.
“The girls and I often comment on the cars you test drive,” Mary Ann told me. “And most of the time what we say gets short shrift. But we were in the driver’s seat of this purchase. We had the advantage that the cars we considered were pre-approved by you for reliability and fuel efficiency. After that, girl talk ruled, and the car that most suited us was the $16,000 Honda Fit.” Mary Ann’s talking points:
Headroom (make that hair room). Plenty of roomy high-end cars are built for men with long legs. When I inch the seat up to be able to reach the pedals, my short (but rather vertical) hair occasionally touches the ceiling, which really bugs me. I don’t want anyone or anything to mess with my hair. The narrow but tall Honda Fit could accommodate Marge Simpson’s beehive.
Cupholders. I’m the inveterate multi-tasker, especially on my regular commuter drives from Fairfield to my job in Princeton, New Jersey. Eating and driving are the norm. Delia: “Your cupholders are big enough to hold bottles of Vitamin Water.” Maya: “There are three in the back seat!”
Fuel efficiency. Maya: “Mom, this gets good gas mileage, 31/37 mpg. That’s good for all your trips to New Jersey.” What Maya didn’t mention: I hate to stop for gas or, worse, pump it myself, so better fuel economy is a huge plus.
Cargo room. As a satisfied wagon owner, I worried about not having enough room for stuff. I need at least a hatchback. The Fit, although tiny, has really versatile fold-flat rear seats, which can also be pushed out of the way for tall items.
Looks. It’s incredibly cute, and the blue color we selected delighted the girls and matched my new cell phone. I found I was emotionally drawn to the Fit. I wanted to drive a car that got noticed, but had plenty of room for the family of four. I think I fell in love with a car for none of the reasons you write about. Delia picked up on this, and asked over lunch: “Mom, when you say you shouldn’t buy this car ... but want to ... is that a mid-life crisis?” Now if it only had heated seats.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_Honda_Fit_Sport.jpgHartford Courant - Dec. 28, 2006
The 2007 Honda Fit “fit” this family nicely …
Many families trade in for a new car every year. But for the Motavalli/Masarech household, the last new car goes back to 1985. But my wife Mary Ann’s trusty ’96 Subaru Legacy Outback wagon blew a head gasket at 140,000 miles, and we’d grown tired of used cars.
And so the search was on. We really wanted to go hybrid. We came close with the Toyota Prius, which had great tax advantages, dependability and fuel economy. The Honda Civic Hybrid was also a contender, but Mary Ann banged her shin climbing into it. What could I say? This was her purchase … well, she had help from our girls, 12-year-old Maya and 10-year-old Delia.
“The girls and I often comment on the cars you test drive,” Mary Ann told me. “And most of the time what we say gets short shrift. But we were in the driver’s seat of this purchase. We had the advantage that the cars we considered were pre-approved by you for reliability and fuel efficiency. After that, girl talk ruled, and the car that most suited us was the $16,000 Honda Fit.” Mary Ann’s talking points:
Headroom (make that hair room). Plenty of roomy high-end cars are built for men with long legs. When I inch the seat up to be able to reach the pedals, my short (but rather vertical) hair occasionally touches the ceiling, which really bugs me. I don’t want anyone or anything to mess with my hair. The narrow but tall Honda Fit could accommodate Marge Simpson’s beehive.
Cupholders. I’m the inveterate multi-tasker, especially on my regular commuter drives from Fairfield to my job in Princeton, New Jersey. Eating and driving are the norm. Delia: “Your cupholders are big enough to hold bottles of Vitamin Water.” Maya: “There are three in the back seat!”
Fuel efficiency. Maya: “Mom, this gets good gas mileage, 31/37 mpg. That’s good for all your trips to New Jersey.” What Maya didn’t mention: I hate to stop for gas or, worse, pump it myself, so better fuel economy is a huge plus.
Cargo room. As a satisfied wagon owner, I worried about not having enough room for stuff. I need at least a hatchback. The Fit, although tiny, has really versatile fold-flat rear seats, which can also be pushed out of the way for tall items.
Looks. It’s incredibly cute, and the blue color we selected delighted the girls and matched my new cell phone. I found I was emotionally drawn to the Fit. I wanted to drive a car that got noticed, but had plenty of room for the family of four. I think I fell in love with a car for none of the reasons you write about. Delia picked up on this, and asked over lunch: “Mom, when you say you shouldn’t buy this car ... but want to ... is that a mid-life crisis?” Now if it only had heated seats.