The $17k Convertible Challenge: ’07 Miata v. ’02 Boxster

I recently found myself with a little money and a desire to drive just about anything other than the Subaru Outback I’ve been stuck in for the last two years, so I went out to find a fun, affordable sports-car. I took my $17k budget and hit the local used car lots for some test drives, and I wound up driving an ’07 Mazda Miata Grand Touring and an ’02 Porsche Boxster back-to-back. Then I had an opinion. So I thought I’d share it. Forgive the lack of pictures – this is another experiment in reviewing, and I didn’t bring a camera with me to my test-drive. I guess I could steal photos, but that would make me feel like a jerk.

The Mom Car Comparo: 2008 Toyota Prius vs. 2001 Subaru Outback

When my beloved Saab finally crapped out for keeps, I purchased my mother’s 2001 Subaru Outback from her.  She promptly went and acquired her “dream car,” a 2008 sea-foam green Toyota Prius.  I’ve been living with the Subaru for a year now, and I’ve also had the opportunity to put about a thousand miles on the Prius.  As someone who considers himself auto-enthusiastic, I thought I’d do a comparo of these two very un-enthusiast cars in order to discover which car is the best mom car.

The showdown of the millennium!