In article <C5st37.HF3@ns1.nodak.edu> bell@plains.NoDak.edu (Robert Bell) writes: >In article <1993Apr13.182100.26650@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> jnielsen@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (John F Nielsen) writes: >>In article <49071@fibercom.COM> rrg@rtp.fibercom.com (Rhonda Gaines) writes: >>> >>>I'm in the market for a new car.  Currently I own a '90 Mazda MX-6 DX >>>which has served me just fine.  However, I'd like to get >>>a 4-door car since I don't relish the thought of moving a carseat >>>around in a 2-door car.  My criteria are: 4-door, a/c, am/fm cassette, >>>quick acceleration, cruise control, decent rear seat legroom (my >>>husband is a 6-footer).  It must also be under $20k >>>preferably closer to the 11-15k range (which will probably rule out >>>the Accord).  The '93 cars that have caught my eye are: Toyota Corolla,  >>>Toyata Camry, Mazda 626, Pontiac Grand Am, Pontiac Grand Prix,  >>>Honda Accord, (and Civic if it's roomy enough and still comes in a  >>>4-door model), Hyundai Sonata, and maybe even a small Oldsmobile,  >>>although not the Achieva.  All opinions, benchmarks, >>>recommendations, etc. are welcome.  The Civic does still come in a 4 door model.  My wife and I looked quite seriously at the 626, Prizm (Corolla), and Civic, as well as some other cars.  Our impressions: all three seemed well built and had the features we wanted - these are similar to the features you want except for cruise control, and we want a manual transmission and are considering anti-lock brakes.  I also hate automatic seatbelts and we both think having an airbag is a plus.  In general, comfort and performance were both significant.  Some specific +'s and -'s are listed below.  Mazda 626  + very comfortable and roomy  + can theoretically get ABS on DX model, though in practice this is    hard to find  + base price for base model includes numerous little things like:    tach, variable speed wipers, rear defroster, 60/40 split folding rear seat  - more expensive than many other cars listed below  Honda Civic  + DX gets significantly better mileage than other cars listed here  + comfortable front seat  + adjustable seat belt mounting  - no ABS without EX model (includes $1000's of other things like a sunroof)  Geo Prizm/Toyota Corolla  - seats not very comfortable to us (your mileage may vary)  + adjustable seat belt mounting  + can get ABS without lots of other extras  Saturn  + SL2 was quite comfortable, though SL1 less so  - motorized attack belts  Dodge Spirit    no real outstanding +'s, but seemed generally ok  - rear seat does not fold down  Chevy Corsica  + comes with ABS standard  - lower "would you buy that car again" and safety ratings in    Consumer Reports (than first 3 cars above)  - suspension didn't feel as stiff as the others (this would be a +    for some)  The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry were both more expensive than the 626, and in our minds, not significantly better.  We probably gave disproportionately low consideration to the "big 3", due (a) to my wife's family's general dislike of Chrysler products, (b) some unimpressive GM products owned by my parents and a housemate of mine (c) the Taurus comes with automatic transmission, I find the seat of the Tempo very uncomfortable, and the escort has attack belts and no air bag.