Currently I have a 2007 Xterra, which I love except for the gas mileage. So trying to think of ideas on what vehicle would get decent mpg and still hold 7ft rods (they are all one piece). Price range under 25k, I know not much options but worth a shot.....

I bought a Toyota RAV4 for my daughter.

The vehicle has a peppy 4 cylinder engine

which is all you need unless you plan to

tow.

http://www.toyota.com/rav4/

http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/rav4/2010/review.html

8-)

Currently I have a 2007 Xterra, which I love except for the gas mileage. So trying to think of ideas on what vehicle would get decent mpg and still hold 7ft rods (they are all one piece). Price range under 25k, I know not much options but worth a shot.....

If you're just hauling the rods you can drive pretty much anything.  I had a Nissan Altima that carried my gear around just fine.  fold the back seats down and the rods go through the trunk into the car.  No problems.  I have 6'6" rods, but had tons of room.  7'6" ones would've fit easy.

I bought a 05 Tacoma last year. It's a 4 cylinder 4x4 extended cab and I love it. I wouldn't trade this truck for the world. Of course you can haul your rods in the bed. But I bring my rods to work everyday to sneak in some fishing when I get the chance after work  And I keep the rods inside my truck so nobody thinks of stealing them. I also can easily fit my 8' pond prowler on the bed. All around great truck and it gets decent gas milage.

7' rods will fit in pretty much any car you look at, with the obvious exception of little two-seater convertibles like the Miata.

If they fit fine in this thing...

...they'll fit in anything.

I bought a 05 Tacoma last year. It's a 4 cylinder 4x4 extended cab and I love it. I wouldn't trade this truck for the world. Of course you can haul your rods in the bed. But I bring my rods to work everyday to sneak in some fishing when I get the chance after work And I keep the rods inside my truck so nobody thinks of stealing them. I also can easily fit my 8' pond prowler on the bed. All around great truck and it gets decent gas milage.

I got an extended cab Tacoma last November, man do I love that truck.  Gas mileage is decent and you can fit up to 7'6'' rods in the cab, the bed in mine is 7'4'' diagonally.  That was the test for the decision to buy  ;D , we test drove it to the house and loaded the bed and cab with rods to see what fit and what didn't...I do have a 7'9'' swimbait rod but I just let it stick out the back window.  If it's gas mileage you want my wife just bought a Prius for 24K, lay the front seat down and you can fit just about any bass rod in there  : ....I gotta admit that I do like it....it's neat.

My buddy in Hawaii has a totally restored VW thing. If you want it, pay me and I'll go get it for you.