When the time comes what are good replacements for a vibe?

[kostby]

Jake, according to this chart on the Subaru website, there's not a huge amount of difference in interior dimensions among the 2015 Forester, 2014 CR-V and 2013 RAV-4. I think the 2014 RAV-4 was redesigned. Also, consider the source, Subaru. The CX-5 probably is larger, which is why it isn't included.

http://www.subaru.com/tools/compare-veh ... ester.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[kostby]

Even if you're not in the market for a Hybrid, take a look at the Ford C-Max as a Vibe replacement.

IMG_4007med.jpg (83.17 KiB) Viewed 4104 times

We just purchased this brand new 2013 SE for my wife today to replace her 1996 Taurus.
We found one with all the options we wanted and a dealer who was ready to move it out thousands below invoice price (which as everyone knows isn't close to true dealer 'cost'.)

There are dozens of well-equipped new 2013's in dealer inventory, built as late as January 2014.

C-Max is based upon the Focus platform, but as a 'tall wagon' it's VERY Vibe-like in size, shape, and handling.
Even though it weighs about 900 pounds more than the base Vibe, and 300 pounds more than a Toyota Prius V, it feels very nimble on the road with 188 combined horsepower.

Actual gas mileage on the 17 mile trip home from the dealer was 47.3. Rated 43 combined, 45 city, and 40 highway.

There's an active Ford C-Max forum, friendly and helpful just like the GenVibe family: http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I've been lurking for a couple of months, and finally registered last week, kostby over there too.

And the Vibe is staying in the family, cause it's still 'my car', and the new toy is 'her car'.

[ColonelPanic]

Beauty! And congrats. I still glance at those every day as I drive by the Ford dealer. Out of the choices for hybrids, I'd hazard a guess that it's one of the better driving ones for sure. I'm sure the Focus roots make it drive a little less appliance-like than a Prius. Keep us posted on the fuel economy.

Last year when we were shopping for small, efficient transportation these things were still very much a novelty and reasonably priced examples weren't anywhere to be found. I wouldn't have objected to acquiring something more Vibe-like such as this instead of the Sonic we ended up with, but there's that whole budget thing...

[vibenvy]

I see a grey C-Max a lot driving around town and I like the looks of it. It does seem like it would be very comparable size-wise to the Vibe.

[kostby]

Quick C-MAX MPG update:
Got to drive my wife's new C-MAX to the bank and back yesterday.
The bank is about a half-mile from home, so the entire trip was in EV mode, and the gas engine never started.
Boy, is that ever QUIET!

At the end of every trip, the car displays the instant trip MPG. Results for this trip: 999.9
That's really NOT accurate. MPG was infinite, because no gasoline was burned at all.

Rather than babble on and hijack this thread again, I'll start a new thread in The Others about our C-MAX adventure.

[WhgVibe]

I was next to a "newer" Mitsubishi Outlander today in trafiic and the darn thing was very close in size and shape to my Vibe. I dont see many of them around here and I was surprised at the similarity. Anyone driven one of these?

[ColonelPanic]

When the Outlander first came out, I was sure they were a Vibe knockoff. Someone at work had bought a blue one with grey cladding at the same time I bought my similar looking Neptune Vibe. The Vibe wore it better.

Mitsubishi's constant state of being on death watch for the last many years is concerning for me... Going through the pain of owning an orphaned car/brand once was plenty for my lifetime.

[vibenvy]

Looks like the Chevy Trax is coming to the States in 2015! This would no doubt be a cheaper option for anyone who likes the current Buick Encore.

[DeClercq]

Looks like Honda is bringing over the HR-V, based on the FIt:

http://automobiles.honda.com/hr-v/
Doesn't look all that bad. Won't be out until next winter, though.

[Nasmfell]

Anything that is not or has any assocation with GM

[jake75]

In regard to the Ford C-Max, anyone know the details of the Ford friends and family discount? I recently learned that if you have owed Ford stock for at least a year you are eligible. I have had 1,500 shares of Ford stock since 1991. Saw it go from the low 20's to about $2.50 in recent years. Its' now about $16. My cost basis is only about $6.50 so especially considering all the dividends it has paid in the past 23 years I am satisfied.

[meinmi]

I like the looks of the c-max as well then found out it is a hybrid. I drive 40,000 to 50,000 miles a year, over 95% highway so I don't feel i can justify the extra expense and possible long term maintenance of a hybrid when it really isn't suited to how I use a car. Does ford make a c-max that is gas only? Of course, a small turbo diesel would be the best but I know that ain't happening in this country any time soon.

[kostby]

Gas-only or diesel-only are available in Europe, but not here yet. I have seen nothing, not even wild rumors, that they ever WILL be imported, but you never know.

The German C-MAX and GrandMax are available with 16 different engine/transmission configurations, including Gas, Diesel, and LPG!
http://www.ford.de/Pkw-Modelle/FordC-MA ... rimaryTabs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[vibolista]

Foolish of Ford not to let us share in the C-Max diesel. US manufacturers are a little shy about offering diesel models, due to the issues they had with their poor diesel product attempts way back in the 1970s after the first oil embargo. GM did the most to kill any love of diesel in our country by adapting gas engines to diesel. They cheaped out, and the results were not good.

I owned a diesel Rabbit that I brought back from Germany in 1979. The thing was an incredible car. I loved the 55 mpg that I got commuting, or on trips, I loved the way it drove and I even made it look like the then unobtanium Golf GTI with all the wheel lip cladding, grill and badges that I brought over from Germany. Koni shocks and alloy wheels with fat tires were also added to finish the "look".

It was so well done, that I was stopped in Phoenix on the then 4 lane Beeline Highway in 1981 or 2 (now NW Grand Ave or Phoenix-Wickenburg HWY) by a group of German engineers driving a gaggle of "test" Westmoreland, Pennsylvania manufactured Rabbits and couldn't believe I had a Golf GTI in the States. They even took pictures of it. I had to pop the hood to prove that it was in fact a Diesel Rabbit. I'm a big fan of small, efficient, great handling useful cars from way way back.

That's what made me a fan of the Vibe. Load area, dependability and good mpg in a smallish package.

The Hybrid C-Max is a Focus based car and drives nearly a well as the Focus, which is in fact a great handling road car. Incentives are now pretty good for C-Max buyers. I would buy one in a minute. The ride is quiet, responsive and way more refined than I expected in a car of this type. The C-Max is within an inch or two of every Vibe dimension and the shape is very close side by side.

Unfortunately for me, or maybe not, my Vibe is still in great shape and has almost broken in, nearing 20k miles! So not nearly in the market for a new car just yet. We use my wife's 2011 Prius for long trips. That car is a really nice travel car. I can't find anything to complain about on the thing. MPG normally runs in the 50 to 55 range, so very happy with it.

If you want a car that has about the same interior room and exterior dimensions of the Vibe, the C-Max is the car. Go drive one. Expensive, yes, but it's a quality built car that drives exceptionally well. I was very impressed with it when we rented one last year. I know that the EPA numbers were brought down on it this year, but if you learn to drive the hybrid to get the most MPG out of it, and that doesn't mean slow, but it does mean smoothly, you can easily get 44-47 mpg out of it. That's what I got, and I drove it with 4 to 5 people aboard each time, except one short trip by my self. It was in Florida, so the A/C was on all the time. Worth a look, and especially a test drive.

For anyone looking at the Scion xB, you will be getting an efficiently done cargo hauler, but will pay a penalty at the gas pump. One of my coworkers bought an xD, thinking that it would get better fuel economy than the xB, but was let down by the fact that it averaged only about 23-25 mpg at best. The Scion xB EPA numbers are lower than the xD. If you drive a boxy car, it will have trouble moving air out of it's way, so fuel efficiency will be tougher to achieve at highway speeds. An xB equipped close to the Vibe I own it comes up around $21k which is not a bad price these days. I just hope that it drives better than the xD I rode in... a ride that was a good level down from my Vibe in noise and comfort.

[vibolista]

Even if you're not in the market for a Hybrid, take a look at the Ford C-Max as a Vibe replacement.

IMG_4007med.jpg

We just purchased this brand new 2013 SE for my wife today to replace her 1996 Taurus.
We found one with all the options we wanted and a dealer who was ready to move it out thousands below invoice price (which as everyone knows isn't close to true dealer 'cost'.)

There are dozens of well-equipped new 2013's in dealer inventory, built as late as January 2014.

C-Max is based upon the Focus platform, but as a 'tall wagon' it's VERY Vibe-like in size, shape, and handling.
Even though it weighs about 900 pounds more than the base Vibe, and 300 pounds more than a Toyota Prius V, it feels very nimble on the road with 188 combined horsepower.

Actual gas mileage on the 17 mile trip home from the dealer was 47.3. Rated 43 combined, 45 city, and 40 highway.

There's an active Ford C-Max forum, friendly and helpful just like the GenVibe family: http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I've been lurking for a couple of months, and finally registered last week, kostby over there too.

And the Vibe is staying in the family, cause it's still 'my car', and the new toy is 'her car'.

Killer Vibe clone and exact replica of the car we rented in Florida last year, right down to color and glass roof. Great buy! Excellent driving car. Congrats!

[vibolista]

Looks like Honda is bringing over the HR-V, based on the FIt:

http://automobiles.honda.com/hr-v/
Doesn't look all that bad. Won't be out until next winter, though.

Yup, definitely another good Vibe replacement possibility. Honda Fit is small outside and nearly enormous inside... at least that's the impression it gives when you open the hatch. Kinda like Dr. Who's "Tardis"!

If the HR-V is anywhere as efficient as the Fit it's based on, it will be a great car.

[Nasmfell]

Mazda 3 hands down


Mazda has "owned" this segment for quite some time, starting with the 323 back in the mid 80s.

[Chiadog]

Mazda 3 hands down. Mazda has "owned" this segment for quite some time, starting with the 323 back in the mid 80s.

If by "owned" you mean Mazda3 OWNS 5.0% of the compact car market..... You are Correct! I will ask WHY? in a new Mazda3 thread.
http://wot.motortrend.com/1404_toyota_c ... sales.html

[ColonelPanic]

At 5%, Mazda has the market cornered indeed. Don't think I've even had any new 3 sightings in the wild yet.

Then again, for as well as the new Corolla is supposedly selling, I don't see many out there yet. They're pretty easy to spot with those fricken blinding LED headlights. lol

[Chiadog]

How about the HONDA JADE? Coming soon to a country not near North America!

[vibolista]

We'll never see the Honda Jade. I mean, who the heck wants a reasonably sized wagon in this country? The Jade is a Honda built in China, exclusively for China at this moment.

[Chiadog]

We'll never see the Honda Jade. I mean, who the heck wants a reasonably sized wagon in this country? ....

I'm thinking... Aging Vibe Owners???