The problem with the Kia soul is the sports model. It is called the "R" model. But no, it is not the "Soul R". No. They named it the "R Soul". Yes really.

They are obviously total morons and should be avoided.

I've got just under 70K hillbilly miles on my 2008 Suzuki SX-4. So far it has been a very good little car. The AWD was a big plus Wednesday night when I climbed our unplowed mile hill with 6" + of snow which was icey underneath weedling around a bus that slid across most of the road in a steep section. They are still around $14,000.

ooh, thanks griff, will look

OK so the AWD drive start at 17,000 but that's still in the ball park and beest really like the AWD idea. we get some slippy days here. No dealers nearby, though...

Ah, they bumped the price 3k since I bought...

My son is a Mazda salesman. Last year he sold me a Mazda 2 for under $14K. Very nice car and surprisingly roomy.


Too bad you're not in PA or he could have hooked you up ;)

I was going to suggest All Wheel Drive, but I didn't know of any hatch-type cars that have it. My Subaru has it and it is stable and self-correcting, even when I deliberately try to hang the back on a corner on a dirt road. If you drive in snow or wet (or dirt) a lot it might be good. I'm not sure how it will work on a hatch - the length of the subi also helps keep it stable, I think.

And that Suzuki looks pretty cool.

The Subaru Impreza comes in a hatchback in the States but costs quite a bit more than the Suzuki. Pete has a 2005 or 6 (?) that she adores with a ton of mileage on it. The 2012 has much better gas mileage so when repairs start outstripping car payments, she may go that way. I'd rather drive my Suzuki in the snow but she'd rather drive her Subaru. I think the Suzuki has a shorter wheelbase but I was a Jeep driver early in life so I'm very comfortable with it.

Make sure you take your hockey gear with you when you test drive to make sure it fits. We can put two fencing bags in the hatch. The rear seats fold down for cargo as well. If I take the front wheel off my mtn bike it fits in the cargo area.

Very tempted by a Subaru with the AWD, two of my work collegues have just bought them. I can get dealer invoice through a work discount, guess I'd better go look at one.

we have enjoyed our Mitz Outlander , 4 doors , lift back , seats fold down for some decent hauling room , high 20s in town and low to mid 30s on the highway ,
but if there had been a Subaru dealer any were close we would prolly gotten a Subaru

We've had the smallest Subaru Outback (AWD) since 1998 and it's been a very good car. It has a few rattles, but that's mostly due to driving off-road, which I think the car is not intended to do.

We use to have a Suzuki SX4 (until our financial situation hit the shitter and we decided to surrender it.) Loved that car. Didn't feel cheap or flimsy. The AWD was awesome in the winter. Husband use to drive it to work every day and it got better mileage than one might expect. The only problem with it we had was that the little spot in the back behind the seats was just about wide enough to fit a 3 ring binder.

We test drove the SX 4 a few years ago, and were very impressed.

Our need for a new car coincides with beest's need to use up his vacation allowance.... test-drive city, here we come......

(we're liking the Subaru recommendations. it does come in manual, right?)