Toyota Yaris as a Road Trip car for my Second semester of College?

I like how the SE version of the 2012 and up Yaris drives, but earlier ones not so much. This and most other similarly sized cars tend to be noisy on the highway, and cross-winds can blow them around.

But I'm sure it's still possible to drive long distances in them. I recently drove from Detroit to DC and back with my three kids in a Nissan Versa. It was noisy and a strong cross-wind kept pushing it sideways--but I also didn't have any trouble staying awake.

The cargo capacity and handling champion in this segment is the Honda Fit. But you'll have more trouble finding a Fit without a ton of miles in your price range.

Another option from left field is the Suzuki SX4. Suzuki no longer sells cars in the US, but the SX4 offers AWD and has been very reliable in our survey. And, as luck would have it, I found one for sale in your area. Like any used car with more than a few miles, I would have it checked out by a mechanic before buying.

+1 for the SX4. Wonderful car when I had one. Fuel economy isn't great, but it's definitely my favorite car in the economy small-hatch segment.

I would second the Fit and Yaris as your optimal choices. Both are extremely reliable and have good interior reconfigurability. Also consider a Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe or a Scion XA/Xb/Xd if you see good deals on them.

I believe you can fold half the rear bench flat in the Yaris, so that opens up some more space for storage + 3 people; you don't get that much behind the bench. The Fit has a lot more interior space, but gets worse mpg. You'll find the Fit more "fun to drive" for the same reason it gets worse gas milage - the gear ratios are lower, so you accelerate faster through them, but are then stuck cruising on the highway at 3,500 rpm at 75mph. You pretty much don't have to downshift up hills, though.

Scions also have short gear ratios like the Fit; Matrix/Vibe ratios are taller, but also with a bigger engine.