The cures for city driving

We’ve targeted three slick options for the young, urban professional

By Michael Wigman

The mammoth beast stands six feet tall, towering over the showroom like an angry grizzly bear. Staring into the massive grill brings about a feeling of sympathy for any animal that is unfortunate enough to feel its wrath.

The tires would fit on a tractor, and one would take up a small office if laid on its side. Glancing at the plaque placed next to this monstrosity of a vehicle quickly informs the buyer they will have to get a second job to afford the gas.

While the idea of plowing through Chicago’s notoriously congested streets and ramming taxi cabs is enticing, it only takes a few moments of rational thinking to realize the 2009 Hummer H3T is not suitable for city driving by a young professional.

A Hummer will garner the looks and envy most young urbanites crave, but its size, price and terrible gas mileage make it an impractical choice.

Attempting to choose a new automobile can be a daunting experience, especially when the vehicle will primarily be driven in the city. A young professional usually finds themselves facing budget constraints and the unique requirements an urban vehicle should have.

A compact or midsize automobile is the most compatible choice for city living. Parking is always a tight squeeze in Chicago, and it is not enjoyable driving around the block for 30 minutes because your car is too big for the only spot left on your street.

The average price for a gallon of gas in the city was recently $3.17, so fuel efficiency is important as well. Also, Chicago likes to bill itself as a “green city,” and nobody wants to be the jerk driving the SUV that gets four miles per gallon.

Parental advice is to always buy the most practical car on the market, no matter what the features or styling. The exterior and interior styling and features usually matter to a young professional though.

Nobody wants to empty out their bank account to drive a box on wheels with manual windows and a four-cylinder engine.

The following list has taken into consideration all the issues that a young professional in Chicago faces when buying a vehicle. These three automobiles, viewed recently at the Chicago Auto Show, represent the best options for young city dwellers in their respective segments of the automobile market.

2008 Saturn Vue Red Line
With a base price of $27,925, this sleek and stylish mid-sized SUV has all the ingredients a young urbanite craves. The exterior features 18-inch alloy wheels on performance tires, 360-degree ground effects and chrome exhaust tips. Simply put, the Vue Red Line looks just as good as a luxury brand mid-sized SUV, for half the price. The interior of the car doesn’t disappoint either. A six-speaker CD player compatible with any MP3 player comes standard, along with XM Satellite Radio. The fold-down backseat ensures the fruits of an all-day shopping trip will easily fit. The V6 engine gets 16 miles per gallon in the city, and the independent strut-type suspension allows it to handle even the worst of Chicago’s potholes.

2008 Nissan 350Z Coupe
Some sports cars immediately grab everyone’s attention as they drive by. The 350Z gives people whiplash as it rockets past. The V6 engine pumps out 306 horsepower and propels the car from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in 5.4 seconds. If you ever wanted to experience the feeling of driving like a crazy cabbie, this is the car. The exterior of the car just screams fast, with its aerodynamic body being its main characteristic. Looking at the 350Z immediately makes your heart start pounding. The Coupe comes with an optional Digital Bose stereo system with MP3 player compatibility, although it will be tacked onto the base price of $28,120. It gets a respectable 18 miles per gallon, and while it will lose some of its driving fun in the winter, everyone knows living in Chicago is all about the summer time anyway.

2008 Honda Accord EX-L
This is the car for anyone who considers themselves a practical shopper. The Accord annually wins accolades for design, safety and reliability. The redesigned 2008 edition adds some muscle to previous versions without losing any of the quality that makes Hondas such great cars. This car doesn’t look like the Accords of old though, as it has an aggressive sports car aura. The top-of-the-line EX-L comes with a base price of $28,310, which ensures the car features the best of everything the company has to offer. A V6 engine that produces 268 horsepower still achieves a credible 19 miles per gallon in the city. The interior has everything one could want, including heated seats, which are always a plus in the middle of a Chicago winter. A six-disc CD changer with seven speakers, XM Satellite Radio and leather seats makes the Accord EX-L worth every penny.

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