A contest to find Victoria’s next top model is coming, but the contestants aren’t tantrum-prone divas or wafer-thin waifs. In fact, the final contestants combined weigh in at nearly two and a half metric tonnes.

The Victoria Car Share Co-Op is asking Victorians to vote on one of two vehicles being considered as the newest addition to the car share’s stable of cars, trucks and minivans.

The Victoria Car Share Co-Op pits Nissan against Honda in a battle to become the organization's latest purchase. Image supplied. © VibrantVictoria.ca

The choices offered up for voting are the Nissan Cube and the Honda Fit. Both Car Share Co-Op members and non-members are eligible to cast ballots, with each vote entered in a draw for driving credits, Mountain Equipment Co-Op gift cards and other prizes.

VCSC Co-Manager Nicole Huk won’t divulge the leading contender but says entries are arriving at a good rate. The contest closes May 15, 2010. In early June, the Co-Op will announce the intended purchase at an event that will also unveil an updated branding for the 13-year old organization. The new car will join an existing fleet of 19 vehicles that are shared by the VCSC’s 400 members.

The Fit and Cube have established themselves as versatile all-purpose cars. Both offer reasonable fuel economy and seating for five. Nissan’s Cube beats Honda in terms of cargo space but some critics shudder at the boxy, assymetrical “Tokyo Chic” styling. And despite being priced relatively high for a sub-compact, the Fit’s sporty wedge shape and slight edge on fuel economy has been well received by critics. The VCSC already has two Hondas—a Civic and an Insight Hybrid. They also own one other Nissan, a Sentra.

The Car Share is designed for people who need access to a vehicle but aren’t daily drivers. Members buy a refundable $400 share to join the Co-Op,  along with a $15 monthly fee. Members are then charged a usage amount based on mileage and hours of use. The VCSC says a typical trip across town costs members around ten dollars, substantially less than the cost of a taxi or rental car.

The car share program is gaining popularity with Downtown residents, with VCSC cars parked at reserved spaces in or next to new condo buildings like The Falls on Douglas Street and the Juliet on Johnson Street. City Hall has recently been granting condo developers exemptions from parking requirements, often encouraging builders to include car share membership in their plans as a way of reducing construction costs while satisfying customer demand for convenient access to an automobile.

For more information on the Victoria Car Share Co-Op click here. Informaton on the contest is here.

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