Okay, so this one won't be quite as much fun as other Friday Top Ten lists, but it's certainly more achievable... I've got about a year's worth of payments left on the big Ram 'o' Doom. When it's paid off, I'd like to pick up a small, reliable, economical car to bang back and forth to work in - there's really no point putting wear and tear on a full size pickup truck just to get back and forth to my job. I'd much rather put that stress on a smaller, better-on-gas, cheaper-to-maintain little sedan or hatchback. So with that in mind, here's my Top Ten choices for a commuter car. The first five are "practical" econoboxes; the second five are decidedly more fun...
1. Nissan Versa. The base Versa 1.6 starts out under $10K. Not much more to say there. Nissan reliability for a very reasonable monthly payment. And it gets literally double the Ram's gas mileage.
2. Toyota Yaris. The Yaris sedan looks basically like a small Corolla, which I drove down to Charlotte and back for the NRA convention. The Corolla handled very well, got decent gas mileage despite being flogged like a rented mule, and in general was a pretty decent car. I suspect the Yaris would be pretty much the same, only smaller.
3. Honda Fit. The Fit makes the "top three" for reliability, but is the last because it doesn't offer a sedan version, only the hatchback. It does have Honda reliability plus we already own a Pilot, which we traded our 10 year old Accord in for after a decade of boring, reliable, exemplary service.
4. Hyundai Accent. The Accent is on a par with the Versa 1.6, price-wise, but comparing Hyundai to Nissan just isn't a fair comparison. The Hyundai does have the better warranty, though, and I wager that it would be easier to find a stripped Accent than a Versa 1.6...
5. Chevy Aveo. The Aveo is at the bottom of the "responsible" choices for many reasons, most of which centering on it being a Government Motors POS Daewoo rebadge. Fortunately, it is a favorite of rental car companies, meaning that two year old versions can be picked up for next-to-nothing. HIGHLY unlikely this would be the one unless it's a helluva good deal.
I'm splitting the list here. The cars already listed are my "responsible" choices. There are the choices that I'd make if I listen to the grown-up, responsible side of my brain. They're also the most likely to be purchased new, with automatic transmissions and air conditioning. They make the most sense, being four door vehicles that can transport the whole family in a pinch. The rest of the list, well... You'll see...
6. MINI Cooper. I have to admit to a definitive fondness for the original Mini; however I'm not about to deal with British "engineering" from 40 years ago to get an original. I actually sat in a MINI at a car show about five years ago and was amazed at how comfortable it was.
7. Subaru WRX. The sedan version would be preferable, but if it came down to the hatchback version I'd take a good long look at it. Especially given that it's a four cylinder motor putting out only 40 horsepower less than the Hemi in my Ram...
8. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. This would have to be a used version, as the new Evolutions start in the mid-$30Ks. Would be kinda slick to have a little four door sedan that could keep up with Corvettes and Mustang GTs, though...
9. Honda Civic Si. Although the Civic Si is second-to-last on the list, it's the most likely out of the "less-responsible" side of the list to be chosen. Honda reliability with a bit of a tweak; it's a Civic at heart, which means it will run well for a very long time, but with 200 HP to back it up...
10. VW GTI. And no, Robb, I won't get the four door. That's an abomination. I had a GTI after college, picked it up pretty cheap after it had lead a long, hard life of abuse; and when it wasn't actively falling apart it was a very sweet ride. The Germans know how to build a sports sedan, that's for damn sure.
So there's my list of Top Ten little cars for me to consider once my truck is paid off. As I've mentioned, I've split the list into two halves, one "responsible" and one "less-responsible". Since this would be a second car for me, with my 4WD Ram as backup, the car doesn't have to be a winter driver or super uber-reliable (although reliability does rank really high on the "reason to get" meter).
What other cars should I consider?
That is all.
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32 comments:
EVO's kick ass, but they're butt ugly.
Also, you will be shocked when you get an insurance quote for one. They're one of the most expensive cars to insure.
I'd go with the WRX.
Actually I've been toying around with the idea of selling / trading my Mazda for a used bugeye WRX.
I really like the mini-Coopers, but they are NOT priced reasonably. Any savings in gas are more than offset by sticker price. I'm thinking about, in 4 yrs - if the Legend makes it that far - giving it to my daughter as her first car & getting myself a Kia Soul.
As far as just driving to work....come on, you know you want it.
Mike,
Perhaps not - remember, I'm an old fart. :D
We'll see when the time comes. I need to measure my garage - one of the prime criteria is that I be able to fit the new car *and* the Harley in the smaller garage bay, which should help narrow some of the choices.
The garage is ~ 22-23 feet of interior depth. ~ 4 feet is lost to the stairway into the house. The Harley takes up another ~ 4 feet or so if parallel to the garage door, so I need a car with an overall length of around 15½'. Pretty sure even the WRX wagon will fit.
If space weren't a consideration, I'd be getting a Challenger with the 6.1L Hemi... :)
RW,
Yeah, I thought about that. It's not so much about saving money on gas, it's more about saving wear and tear on the truck. It's also about having something that is *NOT* a supreme pain in the ass to park in the city...
And being able to get my car in the garage *with* my bike.
I'll most likely wind up with the Versa sedan - whether I get a new base version or a 2-3 year old next-model up will be determined at the time I'm ready to buy.
While I would ideally like something with a little sportiness, reliability and good gas mileage trump sporty IMHO.
The Smart is right out because I need something capable of carrying two passengers for the summer when I bring the kids to camp...
I've been stuck driving a Hyundai Accent for the past 3 weeks or so.
I like it a lot better than the Mazda 6 I started off with.
It drives tighter even though it has three times the mileage the Mazda did.
Now, it's Zero to 60 is just "Yes", but driving in Houston rush hour, I haven't been run over yet.
Depending on how you feel about GVT Motors and the pricing in your area Malibu's are a great car, though a bit bigger than most of what you suggest. I bought a year old 06 three years ago for 13k and it only had 11k on it, and was the 3.5 V6. I love that car. From what I understand the newer ones generally only have the 4 banger in the engine compartment and get even better fuel milage and the ride is pretty comfertable. Again though it may be beyond a reasonable price range to find one or even fit one in the garage that you want.
Two kids to camp and you want a sedan? Yer nuts, dood.
I had a Civic coupe for six years; great reliable car with zero style points.
Test-drove the Subaru Impreza wagon (the WRX's weaker twin) and very much enjoyed it, but it didn't fit my needs at the time. I continue to be amused by the WRX STi, with it's user-controlled center diff and water-onto-coil intercooler for the turbo.
(PS: They call it a "blown" engine for a reason.)
Why the preference for a sedan over a hatch? I really like my Fit, and it's averaged 38mpg. The Yaris is a POS, it just feels cheap and flimsy. A friend of mine has a Versa and it's pretty nice. At the time, C&D had a good small car comparison. It basically said you should buy the Fit, but if your sister asks, she should buy the Versa. The Versa has a bit cushier seats and a softer ride, the Fit is a touch sportier.
Tomcat,
Given the low price of the Versa and Yaris, I doubt I'll make it down to the Accent. It's good to know it comes with at least one endorsement!
Jester,
The Malibu's just too big - OAL is 16'. It *might* fit, but it's a REAL squeeze. If I were getting something that large, I'd get an Accord Coupe - now THERE is a sweet looking car...
Z,
Camp = summer camp program run by the school that the kids go to every day, not for camping. For camping I'll still have the Dodge, and hopefully with a cap (shell) on it.
Zeeke42,
I prefer an enclosed trunk for traveling. Just one of those throwback things.
I'll still have my pickup truck - and the wife's Pilot SUV - if I need to transport anything of any size.
I'd much rather have something with a separate, lockable trunk if I'm driving down to Pittsburgh for the NRA convention, though...
As someone who has the WRX wagon... They are a blast to drive. Get anywhere from 24-32 MPG depending on how much you lay off the turbo. ;)
Insurance is not really that expensive. 34 yo with some speed issues and it is still pretty cheap. The only thing is the lockable trunk does not apply in the wagon version. Oh well.
Cheers,
Nate
I just gave away my "college car", which had become exactly what you were talking about. It was a '94 Geo Prizm, basically a re-badged Corolla, made by in the US at Nummi, up until 1998 I believe. I'd recommed that car in either of the badges very highly. Toyota quality, made in the US (at least partially) and with great mileage and serviceability.
I had 223k on it when I gave it away, still with the original clutch AND timing belt. I'm not particularly proud of never having changed the timing belt, but it is a clearance design engine, so no expensive, engine destruciton when it let goes. That and the fact that I always thought I'd be done with the car within a few months had me not changing it for many years!
I don't know if you've thought about mazda3, when I was looking for a car two years ago as a get-to-work-mobile I was down to used Mini or new Mazda 3. Japanese reliability and it handles great. I got the base model which had a 2.0L when I got it. Now it's up to 2.3L for base and 2.5L for the others. I average 30mpg highway most of the time at about 70mph.
Mine was $l5K new incl taxes/tags,etc. You could probably find used for l2-ish.
The Mini was a ton of fun to testdrive but I ended up wanting the larger capacity for friends and stuff.
Not sure what you think of Fords, but I've had very good luck with them over the years (knock on wood...) and Ford did not take Gov't money. Both the Fiesta and the Focus meet the garage requirements. The Escape does as well. I've had a Ford Escape Hybrid since November 2004 and have no problems. Good luck...
Well this is the internet, so reality is negotiable I imagine;
Renault R5 Turbo, or Dodge Shelby GLH Turbo (Omni from hell)
Chuck,
I think Toyota made the Corolla bigger after that iteration. The OAL of the 2010 Corolla is 179" - compared to the 169" of the Yaris sedan or the 150" of the Yaris coupe/hatchback.
Corolla will fit, and if I can find one that's a couple years old for a good deal I'll definitely consider one.
TheAxe,
Ooh, another one to add to the list. I'm going to be doing a lot of test driving I think... :)
Jim,
Ooh, good point on the Focus. They've got a sport(ish) package on the 3 door hatchback, too, if I'm not mistaken...
Plus I have a friend who's a Ford master mechanic who works for a local dealership... hmmmm...
Anon,
The GLH is in the same category as the original Mini - it'd be cool as all hell, but just not something I'd want as a daily driver...
The Mini, despite its heritage, is not British now, it's built by BMW.
+1 to what Kevin said. I've had a Mini for 5 years now, and it has been rock solid. I love it. It's really fun to drive.
Maybe my neighbor had a lemon but he had a Mini and it was constantly in the shop. Another problem with it is that it uses run flat tires which are not cheap to replace.
I owned our particular Mazda 3 for... fourish years (got it after my Outback got annihilated after Katrina), and the only way I would have gotten rid of it was for the Bullitt I currently own, a John Cooper Works Mini Hardtop (the only way to go with Minis), or a MazdaSpeed 3. The 3 occupies a remarkably happy medium ground just above "scary-cheap", in that, when I purchased mine, you could get new ones for as little as 12k, and "fully loaded" ones for about 22k (mine was the latter, and came with leather, power driver's seat, Bose 6CD sound system, manual tranny, sun/moon roof, trip computer, and pretty much all the other bells and whistles you could want). The 2.3 was more than enough to get the front wheels loose, and I can only imagine that the 2.5 is better, and that 30mpg at 70mph is fact - gotta love it for road trips. It was zippy, handled well, and the aftermarket parts collection for it is huge now (and there is this great little gap in the back of the engine bay that is coincidentally perfect for a turbo...).
Or you could go the MazdaSpeed route, and get the turbo from the factory, with the full associated warranty :).
Personally, I find the aesthetic style of the new 3s to be a little... disturbing (they come across as looking like psychotic, glom-your-face-off HAPPYCARS!), and I wish the Speed3 came in AWD (you can actually do a tranny swap with an Audi, but that is another matter...), but aside from that, I have no complaints.
Likewise, Mazda just released their 2, which is direct competition for the Fiesta/Yaris/Fit/etc. The reviews I read indicated that the 2 is shorter, more powerful, and handles better than its effectively-identical Fiesta cousin, but I have not done a whole lot of research on either.
'Course, you can always hold out a few more months/years, and go for that whacktackular Mini Countryman that just got scheduled... AWD, supersized, not-really-mini "crossover". Huh.
I have a 2009 Corolla and have been very pleased. I've read that it's the most popular car in Afghanistan due to its reliability, and if there's a country that would place a premium on that aspect, it's Afghanistan.
You want a Miata with a Hayabusa engine. Miatabusa!
Back in the real world, I'm interested in hearing about what ends up in the garage.
I've been looking at replacing my current ride for awhile; RW hit it with the Kia Soul. I didn't know if I'd like it, but it's not too far off from what I'm driving now. I tested a Soul Sport with the manual stick and came away more impressed with the ride/drive/NVH than most for-pay reviewers have. It might be the one that gets the nod.
Another thing only briefly touched on was the Mazdaspeed3. It's a rocket on rails. Since you're a 2/3 scale version of your previous self, you can even get in and out without grunting. Paint the grill the same color as the body and it doesn't look so much like there's Ecstacy in the gas tank.
When we had a emergency and NEEDED a second car by Monday Morning, my wife went out and bought a 2007 Honda Fit right off the truck. Never regretted it! Use it as my daily commuter to school (100 mile round trip), the Missus took it to your neck of the woods a couple of months ago (Rockport), never gave us a bit of trouble. One of the neat features is that not only does the rear seats fold flat, but the seats can fold up, creating a huge box behind the front seats, so you can get Dogs and Cats and kids Tricycles and older TV sets and other bulky objects into it w/o hauling it up to chest level to load. Top Gear rated it (called the Jazz in the U.K) and the Yaris as the best of the breed. We got the top of the line Sport model so we could get the power windows, auto tranny, (Bad Knees, no more clutches in rush hour for me), even the "Flappy Paddles" if I want to be "Fast and Furious"! The Best part is the The Wife and I are "Big People", and there is NO Problem with us together on long trips. Take a test drive, you might be surprised. When the wife's car goes in a few years, we'll probably buy another one. My $.02, of course.
Oh, I almost forgot: Mahindra got EPA approval for their 2.2L turbodiesel pickup last month, which means it might be available around the first of 2011. 5000 lb towing capacity, 1.5ton haul, crewcab and 30mpg, all in something that came straight out of a 1970's Japanese pickup designer's nightmare.
www.mahindrana.com
I recommend a Carolla, even one that's a few years old. If you just want a reliable back and forth car, it's hard to beat that.
My son's fiancee has a Hyundai. It's a piece of crap. A guy I work with bought a brand new Kia SUV. It spent three weeks of the first month in the shop for problems that the mechanics couldn't figure out. He finally told them that if they didn't fix it, then he was going to seek redress under the Lemon Law. Miraculously they fixed it and picked up the first four months of car payments. A friend's daughter bought a Kia SUV only to discover that it didn't have AC although she had been told it did. They put AC in, since it's a dealer installed option, but that sort of thing tells me a lot about the company and it's not good.
Despite President Feckless' attempts to tear down Toyota so as to bolster Government Motors Toyotas are light years ahead in quality.
Look at the diesel Golf - incredible gas mileage and it goes.
The Mazda2 is out now. It is cooler looking and sportier than the alternatives and also get great mileage.
I love my yaris. Love even more that they now offer a 5-door, not just 3door and 4door. Prefer the hatch.
Peppy, CHEAP, fuel efficient, fun to drive. What's not to love?
I'd get a Honda, but a Civic, not a Fit.
Saying that, I'm seriously considering getting a smart car just so I can do this
http://www.crainium.net/jdjArchives/2009/07/smart_car_mods.html
I used to own a bubble gum card with a Porsche exactly like that.
Subaru fangirl here, though i'd go with an older WRX wagon. The current generation looks too much like a Focus.
Consider, also, the Mazdaspeed 3 hatch.
@cai11ean: What's not to love? The fact that they don't sell a 5 door with a manual, mainly. But also the interior just felt cheap to me in a way the Fit and Versa don't.
@zeeke42 I'm all about utility. I like basic, plastic/cloth/vinyl interiors that I and the dogs won't kill by getting them muddy/dirty/etc. Funny thing is, the interior of my little 3door yaris doens't feel cheap to me, and I love all the storage.
It's a vehicle to get me place to place, not a fashion statement. All the fancy stuf is wasted on me, I either don't care, or live in fear of ruining it by hard wear.
Besides, for $10,000 out the door brand spaking new, and getting 40mpg, I've absolutely no complaints.
Stay the hell away from the aveo. The fit and finish are terrible, and the ergonomics are worse. I like my Smart, but it is *just* a commuter box. You can get a shopping cart worth of groceries in the back and a passenger, though.
I know this is kind of late, but I like my Versa hatchback. It's not great off the line, but once the engine is wound up, it has nice pickup. Pretty comfy and the seats fold down flat for carrying lots of stuff.
The only thing I don't like about it really is that Nissan dropped the base price by $5000 between 2009 and 2010, thus screwing me as far as Blue Book value.
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