Toyota Corolla owners chime in.

[85Dan85TType]

I had a 99 GEO Metro which is the same car.

I believe it was the Prizm that was the same car, though I could be wrong. I think the Geo Metro was a Suzuki Swift.

To OP: My stepfather owns a 2000 that he bought used, and he absolutely loves it. It has nothing in the way of amenities or comfort, it's manual everything except trans. Now that he bought it he doesn't know how he lived without it. He's a very cautious driver, but is able to get close to 40mpg in it, opposed to the 15 he used to get in his old truck. Although it's more on the girly looking side, an Echo (~2000 - 2002) might be a step in the right direction as well. I believe they are even more stripped down and offer more mpg than the Corolla.

The newer Corollas, from what I know, are a step up from the old ones. I think a Yaris in more in the same category that an older Corolla is now.

If he is set on buying an American car that is similar, he might want to check out the Cobalt XFE, it only comes as a manual trans, but offers 36mpg last I checked. Seems like it will be a pretty cool car.

Hope it helps!

-Dan

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

My friend can't drive a stick... and I guess looks don't matter much either. I will do some looking around...

 

[Dwayne]

Buy American...........it's that simple.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

I agree.. but I'm not sure he's convinced yet. The corolla does have quite a history.

 

[85Dan85TType]

Also, remember, it does not have to be a 4 cylinder econo box to get good economy.

I forgot to respond to this. Last year about this time, I went on a trip from IN to North Carolina, with my buddy driving an '05 or '06 BMW 530i (I believe that was the model). He drives a little on the quick side, we were averaging 80 the entire way, A/C on, and got stuck in two seperate traffic jams for ~45mins each, one each way. Our full trip fuel economy out of a German 6 cyl? 32mpg. WTF?

As all of our Buicks show, Technology > In³

:smile:

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Then imagine what a corolla would get on that trip, with on person in it