I’ve expanded the search for the new car. The list from last month is still in play:
I’ve hunted down every other two-door car I could find in our price range except for a Mustang and then tossed in the Sonata’s younger brother, the Elantra, just for giggles. Here is the spec chart for these cars:
Again, all numbers reflect the difference between the Emperor and the new car (except interior volume.)
Let’s take each one at a time and discuss their relative merits and demerits. They are priced typically using the base model with mats and an Ip-odd adapter.
New Miatas Known quantity. Not real enamored with the look and fairly expensive compared the rest of the list.
Mini Fun to drive, cute as a button and fits in the garage. Quirky interior.
Genesis Sporty, with love it or hate it styling.
Sonata Best looking car of the group. But four doors and will probably be a dime a dozen by the time we get around to getting one.
Accord Positively sinister looking in black, but it is huge and will be hard to find priced in the lower 20’s.
Civic I’ve always liked the looks of the Civic Coupes, but haven’t had any looking being comfortable driving one.
Mazda RX-8 Sporty look and the chops to back it up, so it would an engaging drive. Most expensive on the list, lousy gas mileage and no blue.
Altima Has a little Infinity G37 Coupe look, but not nearly enough, so it comes off sort of dowdy.
New Beetle They aren’t making anymore of this model and if the spyshots I’ve seen accurately reflect the new New Beetle, ick, it looks like a squashed bug
Elantra I like the looks of this car, but it has four doors. This is the stuffed model to get it equipped like the Sonata, but it ends up being just 3 grand less than the larger car.
tC It’s got 2 doors. It is unexciting looking. Hope it is hoot to drive…
Focus This is the last year for this model and the 2012 model looks awesome compared to this car, but it won’t come in a coupe. Who knows, by the time we actually buy a car, if the new one is out, it may warrant a look.
Forte As with all the Korean cars, you get a lot for your money. We saw one in person this past weekend and I liked it, Donna not so much. Points off for trying to be different with the spelling of the word coupe.
CR-Z I seriously considered the CRX back in ’89 before I knew of the Miata’s existence and we were Honda drivers for a dozen years before Mazda won us over. Trouble is, this is a hybrid with all its faults (battery replacement costs) and hardly any of the benefits (gas mileage.)
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 925
Not sure if I told you, but we finally got a convertible back in the fall. It’s a Sebring. Ok, it’s my wife’s..
My comments on your options:
Miata: my choice for a convertible – if I ever get there.
Mini: I’ve heard too many bad things about them and don’t like the look (to each his own)
Sonata: I’ve heard good things about them. No facts.
Mazda: I had a Mazda truck. Good truck. I’ve always been impressed with the company.
Friend of mine at work got his wife a Sebring this past summer. We have rented a couple in the past on vacations and they are very nice for that purpose, but I would hate to ride in the back seat with the top down, I bet it is very windy back there. The Mini is still on the list because it is fun to drive and would fit in the garage easily. One of the purposes of the second car would be to drive it to and from work when the weather would preclude any chance of top down driving. So having this car in the driveway on the cold mornings of winter or on a very rainy day would be a downside.
My wife Linda and I bought a 2010 “smiling” copper-red retractable hardtop MX5 last fall. It has a nicer ride and the sound is addicting coming from the more peppy engine with tuned exhaust. The hardtop feels more secure for parking or driving in questionable areas. We already owned a 2004 MX5 and could not part with it as it drives and feels the same as the day we bought it. In my opinion, the MX5 is worth more because of the quality and the fun. As far as the “smiling” part, the grille idea is easier to live with if you look at the cars that the designs are based on. The new Lotus is also smiling.
Oh! I forgot…I’m smiling too.
Mike – How is it in the snow? I know the Emperor made it about a 1/2 mile this morning before we turned around and got back inside the garage. The question is of rhetorical, because I have read enough on Miata.net to know that there are folks who drive their Miatas year round in much worse than the 1 to 1-1/2 we had here this morning. It is all in the tires and trust me, wide high performance summer tires don’t cut the mustard.
I have a style issue with your car and it is not the mouth, I like the grin a lot better than the squashed oval of the NC1. It is from a straight on side view, I think the PHRT looks like it has a shrunken head and is wearing high-top sneakers. But even today, after 7 years, I still don’t like the looks of my car’s surfboard seat backs…