I maintain that one car is all anyone really needs, but I also maintain that everyone should have as many cars as they want, so don’t @ me. I can also assure you that I do not walk my talk, as I absolutely want at least two cars, need be damned. But what two cars? There are endless dream-garage permutations (which usually involve more than two cars), but when you’re talking sensible, real-worldable choices where you haven’t won Powerball, it gets a lot tougher to nail down just two choices.
When I announced the AA topic in Slack, Thomas piped up to say, “If we’re talking really sensible new car money, Mazda MX-5 Club plus Ford Maverick XLT Hybrid AWD with the 4K tow package,” to which Mark chimed in with “MX-5, yes, but make my second car a Chevy Express cargo van.”
I was thinking along the same “something + Maverick” lines myself, but as the vehicle I would drive most often would be the not-Maverick, I think I’d tire of always folding myself into a Miata for anything I didn’t need a truck for. And so, I’m going Volkswagen GTI and Ford Maverick – hybrid, but base or a click above is fine.
Now, I know there are hotter hatches than a GTI, but just under 300 horsepower is plenty for me, and the GTI keeps things sensible with its $35,000ish pricing. Plus it’s the quintessential “hot hatch” and I’ve always wanted one. And more importantly, it’s still a super-practical hatchback that my wife won’t mind driving, except she can’t drive stick, so she’ll be driving the Maverick.
Your turn:
What New Cars Would You Choose For A Sensible Two-Car Solution?
Top graphic images: Volkswagen; Ford
Chevy Equinox EV AWD
Ford Maverick Hybrid AWD 4K Tow Package
I’m not sure what constitutes sensible, two cars is not sensible by definition. If we’re looking at average-ish priced cars, I’d do a Mustang GT and a Bronco
I’d probably go with a Miata and a Toyota hybrid. I’ll get a little weird with it and say Crown Signia.
I’d probably just go with the current garage:
GRCorolla – does daily driver, RallyCross and track, plus turbo noises. Can also deal with bad weather.
CrossTrek – spouse’s daily driver plus mild offroad (forest road to the trailhead) and bad weather capability. If we could get by with an EV, maybe a Solterra which pretty much duplicates the CrossTrek capabilities. And I’m in Santa Fe and legally obligated to own at least one Subaru.
Clio Hybrid + MX-5 1.5 Soft Top.
Actually quite a lot closer to reality than I am ready to admit.
An Aptera and a Cami TerraWind.
That’s really the only combination that covers every use case.
“Sensible” is a point of view, so a Corvette ZR1 and an Escalade V should cover me.
1: Maverick Tremor in Eruption Green or Orange Fury
2: Mazda CX-5 in Navy Blue, or Mazda CX-50 Hybrid in Cypress Green, or a Bronco Sport Badlands Sasquatch in whichever color the Maverick isn’t of the same two choices above.
I’m a single guy whose garage is pretty much perfect as far as I’m concerned with a ’24 Integra and a ’95 Miata. So sticking with the Integra and an MX-5. If I need a truck I’ll rent one. Make my Teggy Apex Blue Pearl and the Miata Soul Red.
That makes quite a lot of sense and one of the few replies that didn’t make lose my will to live…
Probably something similar to what I have now:
GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 with the 3.0 Duramax for doing household projects, hauling the pups around, towing our camper to the middle of nowhere, bringing my MTB out to the trailhead, and road trips generally (the fuel economy is shockingly good at reasonable speeds on the highway). I would probably go with the short bed if it was going to be a daily; the medium bed adds just enough length to make parking a genuine frustration.
Mercedes GLC 350e (PHEV) for my wife’s daily commute, shopping that doesn’t include lumber, trips to the city, and hauling the inlaws around when they’re in town. The battery range is good enough that we’ve only had to fill it up 5 times in the 8 months we’ve owned it.
Being a retired couple, I think the new Kia Seltos and a Blank Slate would serve our needs. Not exciting choices, but rooted in reality.
Tougher than I thought it would be. I’d like an enjoyable smaller commuter and the bigger family road trip and dog hauler.
The Mostest Sensiblest answer:
Prius Prime and Sienna Hybrid.
But I’m not willing to give up on small stickshift cars yet, and I want the ability to tow a small travel trailer and get down rougher dirt roads. So we’re going whole hog and saying:
GR Corolla and Expedition 4×4 with a 2-inch aftermarket lift and the aero valence ripped off.
Not so sensible now, are we!
I don’t really like anything new, but with internet play money, a Subaru Trailseeker as an EV, and WRX tS for the manual. Don’t have a need for a two-seater like a BRZ as I always have my dog with me, and AWD is necessary. Don’t need or want a truck or bigger SUV (Trailseeker looks like a wagon to me. . . though haven’t seen one in real life yet).
An Outback and a Tacoma.
I am not qualified to address any aspect of this question.
Right now maybe hybrid maverick and one of the Toyota/ Subaru Bev like the bz. Would fit most of my needs most of the time sans pulling a trailer or hauling heavy equipment. I could probably swap the maverick for an r1t and do a little more.
But I could see slate truck and maybe Kia telluride or ev9 or perhaps something being a good mix.
We currently have 6 vehicles in our fleet. We’re a 2-person family. If we were forced to cut our fleet down to 2 new vehicles, we’d probably order a new Slate truck to replace my rusty regular-cab, 5-speed, RWD pickup and keep our 2024 Trax since it looks the same as a 2026 model and only has 7000-ish miles on it.
But we’d still have to keep the El Camino and the MGB in storage somewhere.
Given we have a camper and a 20 foot flatbed trailer, at least a half ton pickup is pretty much a minimum requirement. Beyond that, a hybrid SUV of some sort.
So for new, an F-250 or F-350, and I’d have to research the SUV. We have a RAV4, but I really don’t like the looks of the new one, so probably a Pilot.
Ok that graphic is way too accurate. Right now I have a 2024 ID4 and a 2026 Silverado. It’s a great combination. I can do truck stuff like haul dirtbikes and pull camping trailers while also having an electric option for the day to day stuff like grabbing groceries and taking the kids to school (They prefer me dropping them off in the truck).
Chrysler Pacifica (with stow-and-go seating and an extended warranty) and a Miata. I’m not commuting, any more, so MPGs are less important. One for hauling, extended family or stuff, and one for fun.
None. No new cars are sensible anymore.
Yeah, this is hard, it seems like there’s less and less out there that interests me as time goes on, and even ones I sort of like still have crap like screens instead of gauges
Oh, come on – we’re using play Internet money here. Dream big!
It’s not about the money. At all. It’s about the stupidity of ALL of them at this point. Screens, screens, screens screens. Excessive complication. BMW station wagons that with my fat ass in the drivers seat exceed *3 tons*. Greenhouses you can’t see out of. And so on.
You have a point there.
Yeah, my brain keeps short-circuiting without some sort of financial parameter to work around. Because, to me, there’s nothing ‘Sensible’ about $30k and $45k Honda Civics.
I don’t even care about the price particularly, I could justify a $100K car if anyone made one I had the *slightest* desire to own.
Sentra + MX-5?