Yahoo Autos I Need a Car That Can Manage the Potholes and Flooded Streets of New Orleans! What Should I Buy?
Elaine lives in The Big Easy, and her Hyundai Accent Hatchback is a bit worse for wear. She wants to replace it with something that is also easy to park but also has better ground clearance for the worn and wet streets of New Orleans. What car should she buy?
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Here is the scenario.
Looking to replace a 2016 Hyundai Accent Hatchback that’s seen better days. Living in New Orleans, I need something with a high ground clearance (to avoid floodwaters AND potholes) but also reasonably priced. My experience with repairing cars goes as far as replacing windshield wipers, so anything low maintenance or easily rolled into the shop is best.
A nice sized trunk would be nice to lug around gear bags for my rec women’s soccer team or big order pickups from Sams, but otherwise nothing too major. Ground clearance is the major factor for me. I also would prefer something a bit unassuming as car theft is pretty rampant in the city.
I have a budget of up to $30,000 but no EVs as I have no place to charge it.
Quick Facts:
Budget: up to $30,000
Location: New Orleans
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Ride height, reliable, not flashy
Doesn’t want: An EV
Expert 1: Tom McParland - The Benchmark for a Reason
Sourcing a small hatchback with a little bit of lift isn’t a big challenge, but the devil is in the details. A lot of automakers offer similar products at this price point, but you will want to dive into the specs to see which one offers the best combination of height and cargo space. The Subaru Crosstrek boasts the highest ride height of the bunch with 8.7 inches of clearance. However, its 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats isn’t super generous when compared to the new Honda HR-V.
You really can’t go wrong with the Subaru, though, and there’s an updated model due to hit the showrooms soon. It’s not a “fun” car, but it will do the job you need it to do just fine. With a starting price of about $25,000 sourcing one in your budget shouldn’t be a problem, but you may want to stretch your dollars a bit and go for the Sport model with the larger 2.5-liter motor that gives the small crossover a bit more pep for highway passing. Add a sunroof to the Sport, and you are just shy of $31,000. If you don’t want to wait for the 2024 car, the current model isn’t dramatically different, and you can score one with a plain color right now.
