Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Tiny Cars!
I'll admit a certain affection for tiny cars, something I seem to have inherited from my Grandfather, who later in life took a break from Buicks and bought a little yellow Fiat. It was a blast to ride in, and now I know why. Little cars are light and tossable, and usually come with the control you get with a manual transmission.
Especially in the summer, it is hard to resist, since it seems like a waste to drive some big car or SUV. I've had a few small cars-- a VW Fox (1989-91), a Honda Del Sol (1991-94), a Mazda 3 (2007-2010), and a Miata (1996-present)-- and there is something wonderful about it. I have my limits, though... when you get something as little as a Smart car or the Toyota IQ, I start to wonder if there is enough there to be safe. I'm curious about the new Volkswagen UP!, which is sold in other countries but not the US. It looks like this:
Don't you just want to jump into that and take off?
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Tiny cars are great in crowded cities and for people who do not shop at Costco. That VW looks cute but I'd be afraid to have one of those mammoth trucks whiz by my cute little car on the highway. I love the old Fiat 500 and the Citroen 2CV..genius tiny car classics!
Forget SCOTUS opinions, getting the right car is of far more importance, especially now that I am commuting to St. Paul every day.
My wife and I both enjoy Civics. But for family road trips in the ice and snow, we prefer our small to medium SUV, presently a Chevy Equinox. (And preferably a Subaru, Toyota, or Honda in the not too distant future.
On the other hand, the number of days you actually need such a car, even in icy MN is rather small, and it feels dumb commuting in such a vehicle.
What to do then? Own three cars, two for each of us to commute in, plus something for longer trips. That hardly seems practical, or just bite the bullet and drive the damn SUV everyday?
Solution: cue the plug-in electric SUV, the first of which will be the Mitsubishi Outlander. (not that I can afford one anytime soon.)
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/09/mitsubishi-debuts-a-plug-in-version-of-outlander-suv/1
Or a close alternative, this plug-in diesel-hybrid SUV from VW
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/vw-unveils-crossblue-plug-diesel-electric-suv.html
My wife and I both enjoy Civics. But for family road trips in the ice and snow, we prefer our small to medium SUV, presently a Chevy Equinox. (And preferably a Subaru, Toyota, or Honda in the not too distant future.
On the other hand, the number of days you actually need such a car, even in icy MN is rather small, and it feels dumb commuting in such a vehicle.
What to do then? Own three cars, two for each of us to commute in, plus something for longer trips. That hardly seems practical, or just bite the bullet and drive the damn SUV everyday?
Solution: cue the plug-in electric SUV, the first of which will be the Mitsubishi Outlander. (not that I can afford one anytime soon.)
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/09/mitsubishi-debuts-a-plug-in-version-of-outlander-suv/1
Or a close alternative, this plug-in diesel-hybrid SUV from VW
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/vw-unveils-crossblue-plug-diesel-electric-suv.html
I was watching Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld the other day. It was the episode with Larry David. Jerry picked up Larry in a 1957 VW Bug and said, "I love driving cars that feel like toys."
I was watching Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld the other day, the episode with Larry David. Jerry picked up Larry in a 1957 VW Bug and said, "I love driving cars that feel like toys."
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