Here is the deal. Rich Uncle Moneybags died and there’s a provision in his will to get you a brand new vehicle. Anything you want. Any brand, any make. Whatever.
You, however, must use it for all your needs, it is your daily driver, your go-on-vacation car, and all that. It cannot be your second car, the little sports car only for drives in the mountains or any of that.
…and no weasling out and renting a Mini-van when you have to haul the kids around.
You also have to pay the maintenance, property tax, gas, tires, and all that other practical stuff.
For me, right now? The Toyota FJ. Practical enough to haul the kids, go camping, and all that stuff. It’s got a lot of testosterone to its design. I love the retro styling. Lastly, it’s a Toyota so it should be reliable, low maintenance, and maintain its value.
The one I now own. A Nissan Pathfinder. I take car buying seriously, and have some specific must have requirements.
4x4 (including low range)
Decent ground clearence.
Lotsa room, including leg room for the driver (adjustable peddles)
Towing capacity.
The FJ would be considered, but it looks like a bitch to see out the back. And I don’t think it has as much cargo room. Though I suspect it has more ground clearence than my Pathfinder.
Subaru Forester XT. I could mod the heck out of it, good in snow, and I’m a wagon fan. Otherwise a Subaru Legacy GT wagon for the same reasons.
But honestly, I would get way bored with just one car. I would refuse the money rather than accept the provision that I could only have one vehicle.
ANY car, right? Well, I’d take that money and get myself a DeLorean… and have the guts replaced with stuff that, y’know, works.
If we must choose a stock factory car, I’ve got simple enough tastes. The Subaru Baja has long been a favorite of mine, and I’m aiming at having it when I next buy a car (which, barring the death of some as-yet-undiscovered Uncle Moneybags, won’t be for a while).
The '08 PorscheCayenne Twin Turbo. 500 hp on an awesome platform, smart, very capable offroad and room for the kids, bike, dog, plenty many luggage, whatever. I can’t say enough about this vehicle already and it’s about to get a whole lot better.
I just bought my dream car with Rick’s help, actually. It’s the Volvo S40.
Sporty, reliable, safe. Has heated lumbar support that makes me go all squidgy inside. Honestly, a Volvo has been my dream car since I was about 15. I’m super square.
I’d probably hang onto what I have, a Jeep Liberty. I really would want, down deep in my heart, an old Corvette, but a 2-seater just won’t do right now. As it is, the Liberty is a compromise between a big SUV and a sportier car, both which I would love to have for fun reasons, but don’t for practical reasons. The only types of car that would really work for me right now in terms of practicality would be an SUV, a mini-van, or a decent-sized sedan, and of the 3 of those, the small SUV is the one that I liked the best. And there isn’t any other small SUV that I think I would want rather than the Jeep, so the Jeep it is.
-Toyota because it’s reliable and I’ve always had a Toyota.
-Yaris because I’m tired of a Corolla or a Camry.
-Hatchback because that makes it such a girly car (IMO - sorry to any guys with hatchbacks!), and I’ve always wanted a girly car.
-Blazing Blue Pearl to distinguish it just a little from all the plain colors out there. -Besides, I would love to answer “blazing blue pearl” every time someone asked me the color of my car.
