best gas miser for under $10k?
 

I own a small business that does landscaping with native plants and natural areas restoration. With our growing crew we're finding a need for a second vehicle in addition to our small truck. So now I'm looking for a small "sales vehicle" that is very fuel efficient but won't cost us too much.

I am hoping to get something used and maybe even pay cash for it, thus my $10k price limit, but for a good value I could spend more and go with financing. We're looking for a small wagon or hatch back. Basically we need a vehicle that will carry two people and cargo, or 4 adults comfortably. I would like it to get in the neighborhood of 40mpg on the highway stock (then we'll see if we can do better with mods and hypermiling training for my staff).

Any thoughts? I really like the idea of the VW TDI models, but they seem expensive, and really hard to find.

Any Civic, Corolla, Focus, Yaris, Fit or other small car should get you upper 30s to lower 40s if you drive nicely. You can also find a used Prius out there for under $10k, and that'll get you 50 mpg if you drive nicely.

The first generation Scion xB has more headroom and legroom in front and back than most mid-size cars, and it's a foot shorter than a previous generation Civic. I get >40 mpg highway driving consistently if I keep the speed down.

Pontiac Vibe or Toyota Matrix. Several on here getting more than 40mpg.

You can get just about any car, even a first-generation Insight, for under $10k. However, if you need four seats and some cargo space, the Prius offers the best mileage. Plus, people recognize it as a "green" vehicle, which seems appropriate considering the nature of your business.

A used Mazda5 would fit the price, is available in stick or auto, and can carry 2/3/4/5/6 adults depending on cargo configuration needed. Small, yet lots of room. EPA 19/25 with 2.3L I-4 and 5MT. No idea about hypermiling performance, but I'm sure easy cruising at 55-60 MPH would yield well above 25 MPG - probably in the mid to high 30's range judging by my Mazda MPV (3.0L V6 and 5AT), which will cruise at 50 MPH getting 32 MPG.

40 highway stock, in a wagon-type vehicle? You'd have to already be hypermiling to achieve that in anything that size outside of diesel.

I am fond of Ebay "Completed" listings as these show what people have paid. Using your criteria:

$10,450 - 2006 Prius, 88,500 mi
$10,400 - 2004 Prius, 68,787 mi
$10,350 - 2007 Prius, 102,068 mi
$10,000 - 2006 Prius, 115,000 mi

This is a hatchback that seats up to five or the rear seats fold down:

96 ft{3} - passenger
16 ft{3} - luggage

It is not rated for towing but many of us have bought and installed receivers and I use it with a folding trailer for oversized loads.

2,932 lbs - curb weight
3,795 lbs - gross weight

To get less than 40 MPG on the highway, you have to drive faster than 75 mph (standard day, inflated tires, e.t.c.)

Bob Wilson

I might have an option to barter for a 2003 Prius (battery pack replaced in 2007), but do the rear seats in the 1st generation cars fold down or come out so it can act like a hatchback?

A Toyota Yaris hatchback seems like it would fit your needs almost perfectly if you added a trailer hitch, altho get one with the 5 speed because the automatic is pretty much the only thing people have had issues with and it kills your mileage, but the Yaris is nice because when you fold down the rear seat it's hard plastic back there instead of carpet and it folds down pretty flat, there are a few of the hatch backs that are 4 door vehicles as well, but they seem a bit rare.

Otherwise if you are ok with a vehicle that is a bit older, check out the Saturn Station Wagon, you get alot of space in the back, 4 doors and there is one for sale in Madison for $2,000 with an EPA rating of 34mpg 2000 Saturn Wagon SW2
I like to compare vehicles off the EPA numbers instead of off "joe over there gets 60mpg with his car" because you are going to be using this vehicle to haul people and stuff and people who are not slow careful drivers will most likely end up driving it as well so they will end up getting closer to the EPA mileage.

You can also look at the EPA's web site and use their Power Search to put in details about what kind of vehicle you need then compare them or sort them based on the MPG that they get.

Yes and no.

The NHW11 (2001-03) is a sedan body and there is an opening behind the rear seat:

http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/pri_batt_730.jpg

http://hiwaay.net/~bzwilson/prius/pri_batt_750.jpg

That is where the traction battery is located, a significant hump. The rear seat back is normally released by two bolts at the bottom and then lifted up. In Europe and Japan, they had a folding rear seat option but I've not been able to find one in North America.

Bob Wilson