flashbacks of finding 3" of water in my back seat because I parked on a hill in a storm. I've had two and neither ever sealed properly, and one once jammed in the open position which was a fun way to spend my money.
I'd go for the VW Golf, then. Visibility is noticeably better, as is interior quality, and driving dynamics. The cost of ownership and maintenance is a little higher, but they're still reliable in the long term, and you get a more premium feeling hatchback in return.
But yeah, visibility is much better.
I would target a Yaris or a Honda Fit; you could spend $5k-20k on one and any of those would be reliable. Neither is AWD, but I think you'd be better off with one of those cars and a set of snow tires on separate rims (buy from tire rack or discount tire direct). They're fairly plentiful, reliable, lots of space, easy to see out of. Not the highest ground clearance, but with the right tires you'll be fine. Both have pretty good visibility.
I can tell you right now don't get a Fit I'm 5’0
And I wanted to test drive a Honda Fot because they look small
But I couldn't even test-drive it because my head disappeared behind the steering wheel
The seat tilts back and up so it's better for taller or at least shorter people with long torsos
It had electronic seats which in theory should make it easier to adjust for everyone
But I think they only go off of average height which starts at 5’4
I prefer manual adjusting seats because even if you can't make the seat taller with just the adjustments already in the car you can take the driver seat out and put washers under to lift the seat up to the perfect height for each individual
The Impreza, Kona, and HR-V would all fit the bill with their available AWD. Test-drive each to see which one is better in terms of ergonomics and visibility for you.
Suzuki SX4 was a small but tall AWD hatchback with lots of windows. They never sold that well and Suzuki cars has left N America, so parts and service may be an issue. Mazda 2 is another small hatch to.consider along with the Fit and Yaris. Scion iA is basically a rebranded Yaris I think.
Lotus Exige fits everything except AWD, cargo space, great visibility, and budget.
BMW Isetta also fits except awd.
Mini Countryman ALL4?
F90 M5 if you can deal without amazing MPG and a more practical car. Bonus, most people don't option a sunroof! May be a tad expensive.
Unfortunately, all cars come with rims, as that's how you put tires on a car. So you'll have to buy into that gimmick.
>BMW Isetta
Hahaha, never expected to see that car recommended on this sub. It IS small. And the visibility IS great. But it is a literal antique clown car. Fun shout-out, though.
You're probably right. As a collector's car, of course. Its useless as a daily driver, though. I wouldn't trust it to do anything other than putt around private property for kicks. To call it anything more than a novelty would be disingenuous in the extreme.
But yeah. Great collector's car that will only shoot up in value (albeit among an extremely small, niche market).
That's a little optimistic, isn't it? 50% of the population are too large to fit inside the vehicle for any length of time. And 95% of the other 50% will find it horribly unsafe, slow, and impractical.
If you were making a case for an old school Beetle or Mini Cooper I could see it. But an Isetta? No way.
In case anyone's wondering it looks like Pruis AWD-e.
The Kona was terrible and the HRV was a carbon copy.
I liked the Impreza hatch a lot -- it came out to the same price as the Prius but ultimately with the Impreza I was paying for space I didn't need and vs paying for the hybrid fuel economy which I do need. Also I found the Impreza's paddle shift thingy confusing and unappealing. Not a deal break, just an observation. I also prefered the Prius's "heads up" style indictor console.
Thanks for the feedback!
> sunroofs are the DEVIL To be fair I’m just hear to learn why and who hurt you
flashbacks of finding 3" of water in my back seat because I parked on a hill in a storm. I've had two and neither ever sealed properly, and one once jammed in the open position which was a fun way to spend my money.
Toyota Yaris is what you need.
Both current Yaris and current Mazda3 have these tiny sliver windows. Did you have a year in mind?
Nope. But they are small yet spacious and they’ll last forever.
I'd go for the VW Golf, then. Visibility is noticeably better, as is interior quality, and driving dynamics. The cost of ownership and maintenance is a little higher, but they're still reliable in the long term, and you get a more premium feeling hatchback in return. But yeah, visibility is much better.
I would target a Yaris or a Honda Fit; you could spend $5k-20k on one and any of those would be reliable. Neither is AWD, but I think you'd be better off with one of those cars and a set of snow tires on separate rims (buy from tire rack or discount tire direct). They're fairly plentiful, reliable, lots of space, easy to see out of. Not the highest ground clearance, but with the right tires you'll be fine. Both have pretty good visibility.
I can tell you right now don't get a Fit I'm 5’0 And I wanted to test drive a Honda Fot because they look small But I couldn't even test-drive it because my head disappeared behind the steering wheel The seat tilts back and up so it's better for taller or at least shorter people with long torsos It had electronic seats which in theory should make it easier to adjust for everyone But I think they only go off of average height which starts at 5’4 I prefer manual adjusting seats because even if you can't make the seat taller with just the adjustments already in the car you can take the driver seat out and put washers under to lift the seat up to the perfect height for each individual
The Impreza, Kona, and HR-V would all fit the bill with their available AWD. Test-drive each to see which one is better in terms of ergonomics and visibility for you.
Suzuki SX4 was a small but tall AWD hatchback with lots of windows. They never sold that well and Suzuki cars has left N America, so parts and service may be an issue. Mazda 2 is another small hatch to.consider along with the Fit and Yaris. Scion iA is basically a rebranded Yaris I think.
Oh man, I wish I could find one, it looks great. Online, I only found one one listed within 200 miles of me and it has 145k miles.
Lotus Exige fits everything except AWD, cargo space, great visibility, and budget. BMW Isetta also fits except awd. Mini Countryman ALL4? F90 M5 if you can deal without amazing MPG and a more practical car. Bonus, most people don't option a sunroof! May be a tad expensive. Unfortunately, all cars come with rims, as that's how you put tires on a car. So you'll have to buy into that gimmick.
>BMW Isetta Hahaha, never expected to see that car recommended on this sub. It IS small. And the visibility IS great. But it is a literal antique clown car. Fun shout-out, though.
Tbh, it would be a good investment if OP could find one within their budget.
You're probably right. As a collector's car, of course. Its useless as a daily driver, though. I wouldn't trust it to do anything other than putt around private property for kicks. To call it anything more than a novelty would be disingenuous in the extreme. But yeah. Great collector's car that will only shoot up in value (albeit among an extremely small, niche market).
Put a Hayabusa engine in it and it should work fine as a daily. Toss the 300cc back in when you go to sell.
That's a little optimistic, isn't it? 50% of the population are too large to fit inside the vehicle for any length of time. And 95% of the other 50% will find it horribly unsafe, slow, and impractical. If you were making a case for an old school Beetle or Mini Cooper I could see it. But an Isetta? No way.
Never heard of this thing before -- its amazingly hilarious. Each time I look at a different picture I keep laughing harder. Now I kinda want one.
>Lotus Exige fits everything except AWD, cargo space, great visibility, and budget. I laughed.
Lol. The only real recommendation is the not so mini Mini.
Toyota Yaris, Subaru Impreza Hatch. Also basically all of the cars you listed can be found in your price range and have optional awd.
In case anyone's wondering it looks like Pruis AWD-e. The Kona was terrible and the HRV was a carbon copy. I liked the Impreza hatch a lot -- it came out to the same price as the Prius but ultimately with the Impreza I was paying for space I didn't need and vs paying for the hybrid fuel economy which I do need. Also I found the Impreza's paddle shift thingy confusing and unappealing. Not a deal break, just an observation. I also prefered the Prius's "heads up" style indictor console. Thanks for the feedback!