Hi folks, I've just accepted an offer at a company in downtown Seattle and will be relocating in a few weeks. My 1999 hand-me-downwn died last weekend and I'm really struggling to find a suitable replacement. Any help choosing a car would be greatly appreciated. Here's my deal- I drive alot and like to go on long trips. I don't enjoy driving (old car didn't have cruise control), hate paying for gas(old car got 25 MPG) but I enjoy hiking and exploring new places on the weekends. If it's an extended weekend, my ass is on the road headed to the mountains. I've driven 12+ hours in a day(Portland to Banff) and have no qualms driving 5+ hours to a trail or park. To put it in perspective I've put 36k miles on my car these last two years with a 10 mile work commute. TC: 205 Base:130 Debt:0 Age: 27 Sex: Dude Height: Daddy longlegs Dependents: Eddie, my 3 year old golden doodle Things I'm looking for: Cruise control/Autopilot, fuel efficiency, ease of parking in a city, and overall funness. Edit: Cars I'm considering-Tesla Model 3 RWD (I'd take over the remainder of my uncle's loan at 649/mo 4k on the odo), Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota RAV4
Get a Subaru cross trek or an outback. They have adaptive cruise control and all wheel drive which will serve you well in the Pacific Northwest rain and especially if you go often to the mountains.
+1 for the Crosstrek.
Is AWD that much better than snow tires?
If you want to fit into the PNW, get a Subaru. If you like being edgy, get a Diesel VW
Does the diesel version come with an emissions settlement from VW?
Porsche Maccan !
Just get a Subaru. The ultimate Seattle car for all seasons.
Is AWD that important in the PNW?
Well you mentioned you like going outdoors. Some of hiking trails need some clearance on unpaved roads, and skiing in winter is like an hour or 2 in any direction. Roads aren't great here, and lots of hills, so a awd just feels safer in the rain. Finally Subaru is part of the Seattle culture and charm, so it's just the car for fitting right in. Disclaimer, I drive a jeep Rubicon.
Tesla m3. Have it would never go back to ice
+1 on Crosstrek. Love it. All wheel drive 28.5mpg and I’ve never gotten stuck off road or in snow
Tesla is not your car if you want to do the long drive / mountain thing. No charging station on that forest service road and if you drive into the mountain in winter the cold can seriously impact you battery life which may already have been a concern if the drive to get there was long. Look into Crosstrek it's a great choice for a smaller vehicle or Forester if you want something a bit bigger.
I don't ski/snowboard so I'm not planning on doing much mountain driving during the winter aside from crossing Stevens/Snoqualmie pass. Good point about the range and forest roads. Is the charging network that limited in WA?
You don't need a car. The parking is a nightmare in downtown Seattle and your car window will probably be smashed by homeless people. Use Zipcar or reachNow.
Tesla has a tax credit for the remainder of the year if you can take delivery. Make sure you buy it in Washington or have your uncle register it under his name and then transfer it to you. Otherwise Washington charges sales tax on cars if you can't prove that you yourself paid sales tax. I live downtown and I got rid of my car. I don't really miss it. But if you go on long trips it might make sense. Parking is expensive though.
Toyota. Honda. Hyundai.
Hyundai Santa Fe - the best SUV for everything