I am not looking forward to our next car purchase. Our "haul-all" is currently a '97 Subaru Legacy Wagon with a flat-4 engine. It does the job powerwise, and we had to get a roof box to fit all the stuff we need to bring with us on road trips (dog, stroller, carseat, luggage, etc.) Now, with another baby on the way, we're definitely planning for larger car in the forseeable future.
Gas mileage is very important to us, but space and utility (not the sport kind) trump that by necessity. Ideally, we would have a hybrid all-wheel drive vehicle with ample cargo space, enough power to accelerate up 7% grades with a full car, and seating for 7 (some of which should be removable to provide ample cargo space). Such a beast does not yet exist (does it?), so compromise is in our future.
