Gas Prices Were Rising. These Four Compact Sedans Faced the Ultimate Test.
Key takeaways
- In the epic battle against rush hour and the high cost of gasoline, choose your weapon carefully.
- [This story originally appeared in the July 2007 issue of Motor Trend with the headline "Commuter Combat."] Suddenly, it’s 1973 again.
- The good news is that, when it comes to finding a cheap, economical commuter- combat car, it’s not 1973 anymore.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
In the epic battle against rush hour and the high cost of gasoline, choose your weapon carefully.
[This story originally appeared in the July 2007 issue of Motor Trend with the headline "Commuter Combat."] Suddenly, it’s 1973 again. That big SUV in your garage feels as modern as a Nixon-era Olds 88. Global warming and our everlasting oil dependency are dimming the prospects of GM and Ford following Chrysler into the rear-drive V-8 sedan business. You could drive yourself to work in a Toyota Prius or one of the stealthier hybrids, but even at $3 per, the hybrid won’t pay off for years. By then, the interest on your adjustable-rate mortgage could be sky high.
The good news is that, when it comes to finding a cheap, economical commuter- combat car, it’s not 1973 anymore. No more Datsun B-210s or Honda Civic CVCCs. Of course, your target price is now “under $20,000,” not “under $3000.” The Civic and the Sentra, the latter having been on the market since about the time Datsun was changing its name to Nissan, are no longer their brands’ entry-level cars. The Mitsubishi Lancer, having reached near oblivion as a no-money-down special since it morphed out of the Dodge Colt of the 1980s, now shares its platform with the upcoming, up-market Galant. It also shares the platform with the