The really little cars on road trips, Are mountains gonna pose a problem?

[Three6Eight]

I was wondering if any of you take your really little cars on road trips. Im talking Metros and Aspires or any car under 100 horsepower. The slow guys basically.

I take a 500 mile road trip every month or 2 and each time I take my Regal. The trip is from San Diego to Fairfield and its all flat except for the grapevine. The Regal is good for 33 miles per gallon if I drive sensibly but I really want to try taking my Metro. If it can pull off 40 plus that would be really nice.

My concern of course is safety. Im not concerned about other drivers because when I leave I leave at around 11 pm (8-10 hour drive) so for the most part Im not afraid of getting ran off the road.

I did say for the most part because 1 stretch is intimidating. The grapevine, california members probably know it and if your not a Cali member its basically a mountain that goes 4000 feet up or so, something like that.

I never thought a car can struggle from a slight incline or having the A/C on or having a passenger but any one with a ss then 100 horsepower car should know all about it.

Anyway is it just not a smart Idea taking a car like a Metro on a road trip? Would it over heat climbing a mountain? Can it maintain the proper speed so you dont piss everyone behind you off?

I've taken the trip in a 04 Corolla once and it was not a problem. I couldnt rocket up the mountain or anything but it didnt struggle there either. That car did about 36 miles per gallon in that trip kinda dissapointing.