I always buy used cars and recommend them to most car buyers.

I dislike SUV's and think you can almost always get something safer, more fun to drive, more energy efficient. My favorite car type is the station wagon. I have a 2002 VW Passat station wagon, which is a bit pricey but very comfortable for family trips. When I'm taking a bike a short way and don't have passengers, the easiest thing to do is to fold the back seats down and toss the bike in the hatch. I don't even have to take off a wheel. I've carried two or three bikes simultaneously this way.

My second favorite type of car is the hatchback. I've had three Saab hatchbacks which are about as roomy as station wagons. My wife has a 1998 Honda Civic hatchback. It's a tiny car. When the back seats are folded down, it has room for an enormous amount of luggage. She has even managed to transport my daughter's upright bass in it.

My gut feeling is that the Ford Focus family of models offers a nice compromise of value and function. I haven't researched it, though. They have a hatchback and a wagon.

If you want lots of room and luxury, I think nothing beats a minivan. They're kind of out of style these days, giving way to the SUV. But they drive much better. I've never had one, but I rent them occasionally. I think they're more of a luxury car than a Lincoln Town Car. They're great. But they're expensive, and the gas mileage is no better than an SUV's. And for some reason, they depreciate extremely rapidly.