I've been driving a 2004 PW since I picked it up in 2009, but I feel for a daily driver it's time for an upgrade. Any suggestions for a replacement? Most of my driving consists of low-speed, city traffic on the weekdays, average speedis 45 mph w/ lots of lights. However, I'm only an hour from the city and civilization, so most weekends involve a 1-2 hr road trip on the freeway. The xB runs fine, but want something a bit more modern. The little 1.5L is showing it's age getting around 26-28 mpg city, and without any fun factor.

For a replacement I'm not sold on a body style, but want factory turbo and direct injection. Something I won't have to mod to be fun to drive.

Right now my top pick is a Nissan Juke



It seems to embody the xB's utility but adds in creature comforts and a lot more HP (188 HP). Upright seating, AWD, independant rear suspension, direct inject turbo, 31 MPG highway, keyless entry, pushbutton start, smaller than a Versa so easy to park, crazy styling, why wasn't this available as a Scion?


Second pick is a Mini Countryman S



Similar specs to the Juke, 181 turbo-charged horses, same motor size, similar MPG, but different styling and a little more expensive. Better resale but I'm worried will be a bit more to maintain, though a bit more cargo space.


Third would be to finally get a 2-door coupe, a Genesis R-Spec.



The (big IF) is if Hyundai upgrades the existing 200-HP turbo 2.0L with the direct inject version now in the Sonata and Optima, good for 284 HP and probably tuneable higher for a sport model. Seriously, when the Sonata outperforms your RWD coupe, it's embarrasing.

I'll still be in the Scion family with my 2006 xB, now on it's 3rd forced induction incarnation [Greddy supercharger (threw rods through the block) --> Greddy turbo (blown head gasket) --> Garrett GT2252 w/ (built block, still being tuned)]. Still too many mods awaiting install to list.

 

i vote the mini or the genesis. i have always hated the juke. the turn signals are just ugly. without those id like it though

 

juke looks so effing ugly. anything but the juke. the cube is more appealing than the juke.

 

I love the Countryman. I have yet to see a Juke in person, so I can't comment on it, but it's certainly a love or hate design.

 

MINI's not only high-maintenance, it's expensive high maintenance. If purchase price and $5/gal gas don't concern you, get the 2012 Genesis. If you want to economize, get the Juke.

 

I already emailed blue batmobile, he said he can do overlays for the turn signals. In person the Juke is actually pretty nice looking, but it depends on the color. Lighter tends to look better because they hide the turn signals. A lot of people said the same thing about the xB if you recall.

Could wait on the '12 Genesis but Hyundai has yet to confirm if it's getting direct inject and the twin-scroll from the Sonata. When the base Mustang puts down 305 HP, I'm not getting RWD good for only 200, and am not too keen on the extra cost for the Gen V6.

Any other vehicles I should consider? The list of factory turbos around or under $25k seems pretty short. Only other I can find is the base WRX.

 

Juke is just too ugly. I'd rather drive a Soul than that. Mini is expensive to maintain and very fragile- daily driving kills them fast. Genesis is exciting.

 

Avoid the Juke, I test drove one and hated it, then as I read the owners manual I saw the advertised MPG is when it's in ECO mode and if you put the Juke in that mode....it just feels like someone yanked out the turbo and put a 250cc motor in there. YUK

I ended up with a 2011 tC

 

Mazdaspeed 3 is 263 hp turbo & under $25k, but FWD. Personally, I gave up playing boy racer, because there's always someone else faster. I'd get a Soul or Cube, and stop trying to compete against EVOs, Mustang GTs, STis, etc.

 

Mini of those 3 would be my pick. The juke's design is not to my liking. Looks like a shrunken murano with a poorly designed front end. Not a hyundai fan.

For the new odd feeling, there is the Fiat 500 http://www.fiatusa.com/en/build_your_own.html

 

have you seen a Soul in person, or worse, driven one? Absolutely horrible inside and out, very cheap construction (all hard plastic), uncomfortable paper thin seats, and ridiculously tiny on the inside. No thank you. Cube would be pointless, if I want slow and big interior I'd just keep the xB.

Not trying to be a boy racer, and hence avoiding the Focus ST, EVO, etc., though the Mazda Speed3 does look promising, I didn't realize it was turbo. Thanks for the suggestion Sentra, it's def. going on the list.

Surprised there hasn't been one positive voice for the Juke though, other than the front end styling it's pretty much everything us 1gens wanted in an upgrade, more power, better handling, no big hit on gas mileage. As wierd as it looks, it's pretty much on par w/ the Mini from most reviews I've seen, edging it out even in Motortrend's comparison.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...son/index.html

I'm sorry, but the Fiat is just too girly. If ford threw an Ecoboost in the Fiesta I'd consider it, or a boosted non-ST Focus.

The last thing on the list is the Veloster



Again a love or hate it design from Hyundai, but 40 MPG, easy ingress / egress from a coupe (via the 3rd door), and a loaded cabin make it intriguing, along with the dual-clutch trans and possibly a turbo model. Won't be out until 2012 though.

 

I like the golf TDI
otherwise I vote for the Juke...awd and turbo..rocks

 

That was my main sticking point. Some folks on the nissan forums are clocking in a 20mpg on the Juke. That just made me 180 on that car. If I want mpg that low I'll just find a twin turbo and be done with it.

 

Really do not like the juke. Looks like a aladdin's lantern on wheels. And it is getting only 20mpg? wow.

 

Read the forums a bit. It seems most of the OMG 20 mpg comes from the trip computer not calculating mileage correctly. People going old school (# miles between fill-up / gallons put in tank) report 24 city, 31 highway. They also say ECO is useless except for long highway commutes, and putting it in 2WD will also help the numbers.

People don't seem to understand a turbo motor. When it's in boost, it burns more gas and acts like a 3.5L V6 for gas and power. When not in boost, it's a fuel-efficient 1.6L direct inject motor.

I drove one last weekend, it rides great, has a clean interior, plenty of space, and the keyless entry is great. Right now it's my #1, but need to sell the xB before considering anything.

 

wait for the FR-S to come out. no exceptions.

 

I figured based on reading your posts over a number of years that this would be your top pick

 

Right, just as soon as I get my iPhone 5. If I wanted a Subbie motor, I'd go for the real-deal WRX.

Also checked out the Mazdaspeed 3. Engine note sounded great, but was unrefined and the interior still screamed Mazda3, hard, plasticy, and a bit like an alien spaceship. The tech package GPS screen was smaller than my phone, and more buttons on the steering wheel than an F-16 cockpit. Not exactly conducive to focused driving.

Got up close to the Gen coupe too, but as soon as I popped the trunk I was done. I'd have trouble getting my laptop bag in there, much less a full set of travel luggage (I fly fairly regularly for my job, sometimes for 2+ weeks at a time). The rear seats may as well be non-existent, and their fold-down reveals only a porthole view port, not a proper pass-through. Honestly, the 370Z had it right, saying forget it, pull the back seat and make it a hatch (like the OG 240Z).

I've yet to see the Mini, finding a dealer is a bit of a pain, but maybe this weekend. Any other vehicles to consider please let me know. Looking for turbo, direct-inject, 4-doors, ~$25k. Maybe the VW Tiguan or TDI is worth a look.

 

I absolutely loved my 2010 jetta tdi

 

Its actually not too bad... me and mom loaded mine down in april and took off for PA. but yeah, it was difficult ish to get a suitcase in it...

and yea, the back seat is no more than a padded shelf. I have a friend that is 5'4" and when he got in the back seat he had no head room