Small, reliable AWD hatches?

[snapt]

My wife gave birth in the passenger seat of ours and we were still able to get the seat so clean you would never know.

Ha! What Dan says is Truth. I hardly have the back seats in mine so its like having a truck with a shell on it. Plenty of sleeping room, great fishing/hunting/skiing rig especially with a dirty wet dog. It sucks to drive in the wind, but so do all high profile vehicles, otherwise cheap to maintain and practical. Great in the snow with snow tires, I run slightly larger than recomended Hankook Dynapros the rest of the year for better clearance. Plus it looks like a toaster.

[shirk]

Mini Countryman All4 with a 6spd manual? Should be kinda fun to drive.

[Danno]

Note to self: if I meet DTM and he offers me a ride, sit in the backseat.

[Dantheman]

Note to self: if I meet DTM and he offers me a ride, sit in the backseat.

Heh. We sold it.

[The AD]

Who would have thought a "what car should I buy?" thread would turn out to be so morbid?

[stfu&gbtw]

I have an SX-4. It's not a very nice car, but it's fun-ish to drive, manual transmission, incredible in the snow, and has been completely bullet proof. Buy one post 2010 to avoid the self destructing engine.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...4166/overview/

[BmillsSkier]

I know you didn't mention it in your requirements but the smoker's window visors are a nice touch.

Also, there's a dent.

[TAFKALVS]

I know you didn't mention it in your requirements but the smoker's window visors are a nice touch.

Also, there's a dent.

Drop in a Chevy Vortec V8 and beef up the axles in that rig, and you can tow 5500lbs with it also. We should let the dude in the other thread know about this rig.

[gravitylover]

V50 AWD wagon. The manual version is rare but a few out there.

I don't know why I didn't think of these. V50 R Type is relatively easy to find with the 6 speed manual.

[El Chupacabra]

Drop in a Chevy Vortec V8 and beef up the axles in that rig, and you can tow 5500lbs with it also. We should let the dude in the other thread know about this rig.

[MontuckyFried]

The Mazda 3 is the biggest shitbox I have had the pleasure to drive in a while. It struggled with any sort of incline. I think the pre-Ford '91 B2600 that crapped out on me in the middle of North Dakota was more fun to drive too.

Not sure whatchu talkin' bout. I owned a Mazda 3 hatch for years. I've owned a lot of fun and fast cars, and have driven plenty of exotics too to know at least have a base line of what a good driving car should be like. Anyway, the 3 was a really fun car to drive. Was plenty peppy with the 2.3L/5-speed manual combo. Not fast...peppy. Handled like a champ with its fantastic suspension setup and some good rubber. I really enjoyed the heck out of that car, so not sure what exactly you drove. Was it a sedan with the 2.0L and the auto? In that case, it would've been slow, but should have at least handled reasonably well. The 3's always been a favorite among reviewers and for good reason, mostly being its great driving characteristics.

[TAFKALVS]

You're speaking my language.

[plugboots]

Not sure whatchu talkin' bout. I owned a Mazda 3 hatch for years. I've owned a lot of fun and fast cars, and have driven plenty of exotics too to know at least have a base line of what a good driving car should be like. Anyway, the 3 was a really fun car to drive. Was plenty peppy with the 2.3L/5-speed manual combo. Not fast...peppy. Handled like a champ with its fantastic suspension setup and some good rubber. I really enjoyed the heck out of that car, so not sure what exactly you drove. Was it a sedan with the 2.0L and the auto? In that case, it would've been slow, but should have at least handled reasonably well. The 3's always been a favorite among reviewers and for good reason, mostly being its great driving characteristics.

There's 3 3's in my extended family, and they run great, drive fine, and have had zee-ro problems. All my 3 rentals have been better than the typical cheapest rental thing I usually get also. Why so mad, bro?

[robgoose]

I've thought of foregoing the AWD for a simple reliable front wheel hatch. Anyone had an experience with the Mazda 3s or the Mazdaspeeds? For front wheel drive, they seem to be right in the wheel house otherwise.




You are the Charleton Heston of subarus.



No more germans.



No more germans.

I drive a 6M 3.0 A4 Quattro, the girlfriend drives an auto FWd Mazda 3 (sedan). Handles well, fun to drive. Does not have the pick up of my A4, but I enjoyed driving it.

[Art Shirk]

I don't know why I didn't think of these. V50 R Type is relatively easy to find with the 6 speed manual.

How's the reliability in these?

And I've looked across the U.S. and found very few manual SX4s without a ton of miles in them. I think it fits the bill perfectly.

What do you guys think is the most comprehensive search site? I've used autotrader, carfinder, truecar, CL. And a few of those don't even list Suzuki as an option.

[stfu&gbtw]

The sx-4 was the "official" car of my neighborhood for several years. There were probably 5 of them here at one point, maybe 7 total. We collectively put well over a million miles on them driving on sort of maintained dirt and snow roads. 1 early model blew an engine at 100k. Another did it at 175k. The others are all still running afaik. I have 100k on mine. My closest friend up here has 190k on his. They're great cars. Wouldn't hesitate to buy another. Again, buy the newer model that doesn't have the lifter issue.

[BmillsSkier]

Good news!

The Dacia Sandero checks all your boxes.

[Art Shirk]

Hey Bmills, found a new App for you. #Harambewasframed

[Sirshredalot]

How's the reliability in these?

And I've looked across the U.S. and found very few manual SX4s without a ton of miles in them. I think it fits the bill perfectly.

What do you guys think is the most comprehensive search site? I've used autotrader, carfinder, truecar, CL. And a few of those don't even list Suzuki as an option.

I think the v50 shared a platform with some euro ford models that had a nice reputation for reliability. If I were in the market for one, I would do my homework, but I'd consider it.

I've noticed some of the suzukis in my neighborhood, too. The roads here are steep and they are fully snow-packed from November-March in a good year. The Suzuki SX4 seems to hang with the Subarus, Elements, and Tacomas in the snow.

I considered getting an sx4 or an element, but I ended up snagging a Nissan Leaf. For the commute and short errands around town, it is the cheapest car to operate on a per-mile basis. And we still have the other car for longer trips and days when the road is total shit. We will see how the Nissan does this winter: I'm going to put it on studs, turn the traction control off, and cowboy up, but I'm also going to have a tow strap and chains in the trunk. I don't want to be the guy who says to just drive what I drive, but if you want a beater fwd hatchback to save money, it is the cheapest to operate, and it's fun-ish to drive in a weird way.

[BmillsSkier]

Hey Bmills, found a new App for you. #Harambewasframed

Hahaha

I'm just glad my Captain Slow joke didn't go unnoticed. And that #Harambe made it into your thread

[snapt]

Good news!

The Dacia Sandero checks all your boxes.

[frorider]

......

[alpinevibes]

Checks the America, Fuck Yeah! box
Checks the non-euro box
Checks the AWD, four door, non SUV boxes
Checks none of the other boxes, but is boss



The other beater, POS 'Mericun AWD "hatch" you could look at is the Caliber R/T AWD, but I wouldn't recommend it over anything else aforementioned (unless you have no money and hate driving a decent car).

[plugboots]

Still waiting to hear how Subarus kill dogs.

[hawkgt]

Checks the America, Fuck Yeah! box
Checks the non-euro box
Checks the AWD, four door, non SUV boxes
Checks none of the other boxes, but is boss



The other beater, POS 'Mericun AWD "hatch" you could look at is the Caliber R/T AWD, but I wouldn't recommend it over anything else aforementioned (unless you have no money and hate driving a decent car).

FKNA!!!