I’m thinking of buying another car but need one that has a very, very comfortable driver’s seat, & can accommodate my 3 small dogs. I’ve been researching the crossovers because of their size & gas mileage. I recently sold my very reliable 2006 Honda Civic only because my lousy back couldn’t take the angle of the seat (knees slightly higher than the hips). I also recently drove my neighbor’s Honda Odyssey, which was great, but the gas mileage is not.
As another medium young driver, what vehicle(s) can you suggest would give me the most comfortable seat AND decent gas mileage in the city, which in my dream world is close to 30 or even higher.
Is this when you ask me if I know how to spell fat chance?
Thank you for any suggestions you might offer.
And only way that can be determined is by you taking a test drive of more that 15 minutes and setting in the vehicle for at least 30 minutes if the selling place will let you.
Almost every two row crossover the size of a Honda CR-V will average about 30 MPG in real-world driving. With regards to comfort, you will not find any correlation to brand or model. Every model uses a variety of seats depending upon trim. I suggest that you consider vehicles with power adjustment including lumbar and also heated seats, which many folks with bad backs find helpful. FYI, every brand you shop will have a washable cargo floor mat and rear cargo gate for dogs in their accessories guide that you can order and take delivery of with the vehicle. Best crossover for mileage? Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 40 MPG in real world use. If you like your knees slightly lower than hips, the Nissan Rogue is the one to start with.
- ps - We’ve tested the current generation Civic three times at BestRide. In every test it returned better than 35 MPG in mixed driving. Our most recent Civic test was conducted in downtown Boston and commutes in and out. 39 MPG. Measured at the pump.
The CRV is rated up to 28 city / 34 highway so an average of 30 MPG is not going to be every ones result. If short trips are the main driving pattern the low 20’s are more likely.
Plus the OP did not give a price range or even if this is a new vehicle type search.
I think you should focus on the “comfort” part more than the “gas mileage”. Even if your new car is a total gas hog, the added cost would be peanuts compared to the medical bills and emotional cost of dealing with chronic back pain. I very seriously doubt a new Honda Odyssey is a gas hog compared to a 2006 Town and Country.
Comfort is, of course, highly subjective. I have owned the following cars, and had no issues with seat comfort: 1988 Toyota Corolla, 1991 Toyota Camry, 1998 Toyota Camry, 2004 Toyota Corolla, 1995 Dodge Caravan, and another 1995 Dodge Caravan. I also owned a 1991 Toyota Tercel, and while the seat was ok for around-town driving, if I had to sit in the car for hours, my back started bothering me for the rest of the day.
Speaking as someone with back pain, everyone’s back pain is different. I have to have a lean-back chair to dull the pain. Others find a reclining chair excruciating. The good news is that most new cars have lots of adjustments on their seats, so as long as you find the seat comfortable, you’ll probably be able to get it into a position that works for you. Only you can tell what’s comfortable to you, though, so we really can’t help you there.
As to the dogs, they’re small. Anything bigger than an MG Midget would probably be fine unless you transport them in crates, in which case any minivan, SUV, or station wagon would work. Some hatchbacks too.
My daughter got a KIA Soul. the rear seats fold down, 27/33 mpg. It might be worth looking into.
New? Used? Price range?
I recommend a later model Grand Caravan. Standard issue Chrysler Corp seats have always been comfortable. You won’t like using a vacuum cleaner in the CRV. Flat floor out the door is much better. If you drop something in a Caravan you can find it. CRV is not as bad for that as the RAV4 because the shifter is located on the dash instead of the always dirty console which is in a Rav.