Yahoo Autos I Need a Roomy, Fuel-Efficient Ride for Louisiana Swamp Roads! What Car Should I Buy?
Stuart is a history professor in Louisiana looking for a comfortable but fuel-efficient commuter that can handle a 160-mile daily round-trip commute as well as some swamp roads. Stuart is a tall fellow, so he’s not comfortable in most of the high-MPG compacts. What car should he buy?
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Here is the scenario:
I need an automobile that’s roomy but also fuel efficient. My daily commute is 160 miles. Most of it is highway, but there are some swamp roads involved (literally in a swamp. I see at least one roadkill gator a week, no lie). Although this should be fairly simple, it’s complicated by the fact I’m 6'4" and of a lineman body type. I simply do not fit or am not comfortable in most fuel efficient small cars. As much as I would love to buy a Prius or similar small car, that isn’t happening due to my size. In addition, my wife and I just had a child, so we need more room for his car seat and other stuff that inevitably comes with children. I currently drive a 2017 Rav-4, which is reaching the limit of what I can fit in.
I tend to prefer Toyotas because they are well-built and reliable but I could be swayed elsewhere. However, I will not buy any Chrysler products. I am looking to spend under $50,000
Quick Facts:
Budget: Under $50,000
Location: Hammond, Louisiana
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Comfort, Reliability, Good MPG, some ground clearance
Doesn’t want: Anything from Stellantis/FCA
Expert 1: Tom McParland- The Other Toyota Hybrid
Given your good track record with Toyotas, the logical answer seems to be a new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The only problem with that approach is that the RAV4 Hybrid seems to be the logical solution for practically everyone else looking for a compact and fuel-efficient crossover. A quick search reveals only 18 RAV4 Hybrids for sale within 300 miles of you; all of those listings have stock photos, which usually means those cars are already sold.
However, there is another Toyota hybrid that does pretty much the same thing, but doesn’t seem to be quite as popular: the Venza. While advertised as a “mid-size” crossover it’s basically the same size as the RAV4, but a hybrid powerplant is standard which returns up to 39 MPG combined. Some folks say the Venza is a bit nicer on the inside but has less usable cargo space compared to the RAV4. Within the same search radius, there are only 18 Venzas, but about half of those listings show live photos of cars on the lot, so your chances are a bit better to actually snag one.
