Is a Kia Rio 2019 or Toyota Yaris 2019 better for me?
April 2, 2019 5:59 PM Subscribe
I am in the process of buying a New Car and I want to know what car is better for me this is what I want in a car and care and some info about me
I drive a whole lot on a daily basis and new a new car because my beater car is demanding a lot of soon to be big repair that i can't afford and I would rather buy a brand new car.
me
- I want a car for the next 20+ years it will more likely be my last new car I don't make a huge salary and with the Job I have I can only get a cheap new car.
- Economical, not too expensive to insure, good on car and overall realiable.
- most cheapest one overall in it for the Money
- I drive a lot A WHOLE LOT due to work.
The cars thats interested me the most are the Kia Rio S Sedan 2019 and the Toyota Yaris 2019?
If i want cheap realiable? Which one is the best to go with?
I drive a whole lot on a daily basis and new a new car because my beater car is demanding a lot of soon to be big repair that i can't afford and I would rather buy a brand new car.
me
- I want a car for the next 20+ years it will more likely be my last new car I don't make a huge salary and with the Job I have I can only get a cheap new car.
- Economical, not too expensive to insure, good on car and overall realiable.
- most cheapest one overall in it for the Money
- I drive a lot A WHOLE LOT due to work.
The cars thats interested me the most are the Kia Rio S Sedan 2019 and the Toyota Yaris 2019?
If i want cheap realiable? Which one is the best to go with?
Yaris is pretty small. Have you compared it to driving a Corolla?
posted by oceanjesse at 6:28 PM on April 2, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by oceanjesse at 6:28 PM on April 2, 2019 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Not really the Corollas are much more expensive for me.
Im a californian on a 42k salary so im trying to get the cheapest the bang for the buck long term
posted by iwantworklifebalance101 at 6:30 PM on April 2, 2019
Im a californian on a 42k salary so im trying to get the cheapest the bang for the buck long term
posted by iwantworklifebalance101 at 6:30 PM on April 2, 2019
Have you looked at the Honda Fit? The base price is 16k. I'm in LA and I drive **a lot** and I find mine pretty comfortable + has way more room inside than you'd guess.
posted by BlahLaLa at 6:44 PM on April 2, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by BlahLaLa at 6:44 PM on April 2, 2019 [5 favorites]
Toyota. 20 years is not crazy for a Toyota or a Honda. I don’t think Kias have that reputation, and, well, do you see a lot of old Kias on the road? Look at the used car ads at the beaters. The brand that has the most posts saying “1998, some rust, still runs,” is the one you want to look at if you want yours to be running in 2038 - I don’t think it’s Kia.
But I suggest you rethink the new part. There’s a lot of room to upgrade between “beater” and “new”. A nicer model Toyota or a Honda with 10-20k miles may do better for you than a cheaper new car. And if you drive a lot, that’s what, less than one year’s worth of driving?
posted by Kriesa at 7:07 PM on April 2, 2019 [9 favorites]
But I suggest you rethink the new part. There’s a lot of room to upgrade between “beater” and “new”. A nicer model Toyota or a Honda with 10-20k miles may do better for you than a cheaper new car. And if you drive a lot, that’s what, less than one year’s worth of driving?
posted by Kriesa at 7:07 PM on April 2, 2019 [9 favorites]
The 2019 Yaris was called a Yaris IA last year. In both cases it is a rebadged Mazda 2 and it is a very fine vehicle. Kia is a good choice as well. Based on your particular concerns I take the 2019 Yaris for durability and driving enjoyment.
posted by jcworth at 7:17 PM on April 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by jcworth at 7:17 PM on April 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Kriesa is right, great deals on low mileage Yaris IA are available. If you go pre 2019 be sure to get the Yaris IA - the pre 2019 Yaris sucked.
posted by jcworth at 7:22 PM on April 2, 2019
posted by jcworth at 7:22 PM on April 2, 2019
I grew up in a Honda family and married into a Toyota family; both carmakers have good, solid reputations for building cars that last. Our 2003 Camry is still functional and reliable, despite living outdoors in New England winters the vast majority of its life.
That being said, Mr. Kouti and I cannot in good faith recommend that you buy a Yaris, let alone pay top dollar for a new one. We rented a Yaris once (for a weekend in Sonoma, coming from SFO). Would not do ever again; it felt like a literal toy car on the road. It was barely big enough for my husband and I, two folk of moderately small stature, and our carry-on suitcases and backpacks didn't all fit into the trunk; we *had* been planning on helping cart other people around that weekend but my 6'2" dad barely fit in the front seat. Driving next to even small crossover vehicles was an adventure in wind pushing our car around, let alone next to 18-wheelers on the highway. If your driving for work consists of a lot of highway driving, you are absolutely going to want something more sturdy. Seriously, it was stunning how awful the new-ish Yaris (this was 2014, so the model was no older than perhaps 2012) was compared to our utterly reliable 2003 Camry; we *still* talk about it whenever we have to rent a car for travel because it made that deep of an abiding, awful impression.
We've never driven a Rio so can't provide a rec either way for a Kia, but despite Toyota's strong overall reputation, I would not trust a Yaris to last 20 years with the amount of driving you're talking about. The Honda Fit BlahLaLa mentioned feels much sturdier to drive; I would look into that as another option.
And consider me nthing everyone else who's said "look at the late-model used market." A 1-2 year old car saves you a significant chunk off the list price of a new car; if you're looking for a car to last a long time, you probably need to go up in general quality to at least Corolla-level (which is more likely to hit your price point on the used market), and/or you'll need to baby it a lot more than it sounds like your driving load will let you.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 7:25 PM on April 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
That being said, Mr. Kouti and I cannot in good faith recommend that you buy a Yaris, let alone pay top dollar for a new one. We rented a Yaris once (for a weekend in Sonoma, coming from SFO). Would not do ever again; it felt like a literal toy car on the road. It was barely big enough for my husband and I, two folk of moderately small stature, and our carry-on suitcases and backpacks didn't all fit into the trunk; we *had* been planning on helping cart other people around that weekend but my 6'2" dad barely fit in the front seat. Driving next to even small crossover vehicles was an adventure in wind pushing our car around, let alone next to 18-wheelers on the highway. If your driving for work consists of a lot of highway driving, you are absolutely going to want something more sturdy. Seriously, it was stunning how awful the new-ish Yaris (this was 2014, so the model was no older than perhaps 2012) was compared to our utterly reliable 2003 Camry; we *still* talk about it whenever we have to rent a car for travel because it made that deep of an abiding, awful impression.
We've never driven a Rio so can't provide a rec either way for a Kia, but despite Toyota's strong overall reputation, I would not trust a Yaris to last 20 years with the amount of driving you're talking about. The Honda Fit BlahLaLa mentioned feels much sturdier to drive; I would look into that as another option.
And consider me nthing everyone else who's said "look at the late-model used market." A 1-2 year old car saves you a significant chunk off the list price of a new car; if you're looking for a car to last a long time, you probably need to go up in general quality to at least Corolla-level (which is more likely to hit your price point on the used market), and/or you'll need to baby it a lot more than it sounds like your driving load will let you.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 7:25 PM on April 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
Well, I have a 9.5 year old Yaris and I still love it. Only half of your goal life so far, but I'm planning on another 10 years at least.
Almost 200,000km in that time.
Great fuel economy.
I get it serviced once a year - the most recent cost me AU$290. Can't beat that.
I can fit my bike in the back with the back seats down (they fold flat).
I'm 6" and I fit great. I can even snooze on the back seat if I want to.
I've never experienced the "blown around" feeling Pandora Kouti reports.
posted by trialex at 8:44 PM on April 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Almost 200,000km in that time.
Great fuel economy.
I get it serviced once a year - the most recent cost me AU$290. Can't beat that.
I can fit my bike in the back with the back seats down (they fold flat).
I'm 6" and I fit great. I can even snooze on the back seat if I want to.
I've never experienced the "blown around" feeling Pandora Kouti reports.
posted by trialex at 8:44 PM on April 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
The old Yaris is different from this Yaris.
I'd honestly call it a tossup. The new Yaris is a Mazda, and they're very good, but not quite Toyota good. Meanwhile the Korean car manufacturers (Kia, Hyundai- they're quite closely related) have made huge strides in their quality over the last twenty years. And that long warranty they offer means that Kia has more at stake than their reputation. So if you look for very high mileage Kias, they are definitely out there these days. And while there aren't a ton of 20 year old Kias out there, if you look in the 15 year old range, here in the PNW at least, there are quite a few of them still knocking around Craigslist.
posted by wotsac at 9:08 PM on April 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
I'd honestly call it a tossup. The new Yaris is a Mazda, and they're very good, but not quite Toyota good. Meanwhile the Korean car manufacturers (Kia, Hyundai- they're quite closely related) have made huge strides in their quality over the last twenty years. And that long warranty they offer means that Kia has more at stake than their reputation. So if you look for very high mileage Kias, they are definitely out there these days. And while there aren't a ton of 20 year old Kias out there, if you look in the 15 year old range, here in the PNW at least, there are quite a few of them still knocking around Craigslist.
posted by wotsac at 9:08 PM on April 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
If the thing that's stopping you repairing your beater is being unable to afford to do it, you really really don't want to buy the ten thousand dollar ticket for the one-way trip down the new car dealer's driveway. The high from huffing new-car plasticizer fumes for a few months is just not that good.
Far, far better to pick up a scarcely used car from somebody else who already paid for that trip. Because for the difference in total cost of ownership over two years between a new car and a lightly used one you could buy two more whole beaters and drive one whenever the other was in the shop.
posted by flabdablet at 9:35 PM on April 2, 2019 [8 favorites]
Far, far better to pick up a scarcely used car from somebody else who already paid for that trip. Because for the difference in total cost of ownership over two years between a new car and a lightly used one you could buy two more whole beaters and drive one whenever the other was in the shop.
posted by flabdablet at 9:35 PM on April 2, 2019 [8 favorites]
I also have a long commute (~700km / week) and went for the Yaris 2018. I'm only a 1.5 years (and nearly 60,000km) into this engine, so it hasn't really been tested. In hindsight, only thing I wish I had done was more seriously consider the Corolla. I was really hung up on getting a hatchback, but I don't think the fuel economy would be that different. There is something to be said about not getting the most base model.
I feel like kia is a big dice role. I previously owned Hyundais and one was great where the next was a lemon. I think @Kriesa is right: what do you see being sold in great condition years later?
Toyota's service has been one insult after another (maybe because I bought the base model?), But really, I was just looking to buy an engine.
posted by tamarack at 10:13 PM on April 2, 2019
I feel like kia is a big dice role. I previously owned Hyundais and one was great where the next was a lemon. I think @Kriesa is right: what do you see being sold in great condition years later?
Toyota's service has been one insult after another (maybe because I bought the base model?), But really, I was just looking to buy an engine.
posted by tamarack at 10:13 PM on April 2, 2019
If you don't have a lot of money, a new car is a huge waste of cash! You're paying thousands of extra dollars just for "newness".
I would urge you to strongly consider buying a good quality used car. Look for one whose owner is a slightly older, organized person, who has done mostly highway driving, and been careful about routine maintenance.
Toyota Corollas and Honda Civics last forever.
If money is an issue and you drive a lot, consider a used Toyota Prius - it's a hybrid that costs a little more than a used gas car, but it'll save you TONS of money in gas.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 1:52 AM on April 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
I would urge you to strongly consider buying a good quality used car. Look for one whose owner is a slightly older, organized person, who has done mostly highway driving, and been careful about routine maintenance.
Toyota Corollas and Honda Civics last forever.
If money is an issue and you drive a lot, consider a used Toyota Prius - it's a hybrid that costs a little more than a used gas car, but it'll save you TONS of money in gas.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 1:52 AM on April 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
The Yaris is actually a Mazda product rebadged by Toyota. And despite folk wisdom, Toyota is not the guaranteed reliability monster brand people routinely say it is here anyway. Consumer reports actually just ranked recent Mazdas above Toyota and Honda and Subaru for early ownership reliability, and plenty of Toyota models are not 300k stalwarts.
It won’t last 20 years, however. It isn’t a truck. It’s a very cheap car. Look around and tell me how many 20 year old subcompacts you see. The newer ones are better (esp for rust) but unless you live in the southwest, 20 years of “driving a lot” is unrealistic. You’ll get 200k miles if you take good care of any small Japanese car. Also, spending 20 years driving “a lot” in a 2500 pound tiny car makes my back hurt just thinking about it. Finally, the odds are good that gas-powered ICE cars will be difficult to maintain as daily drivers in less than 20 years.
The Kia, on the other hand, will give you a 10 year warranty. The Yaris is 3. Modern Kias are very reliable. You may get it cheaper than the Yaris.
posted by spitbull at 2:09 AM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
It won’t last 20 years, however. It isn’t a truck. It’s a very cheap car. Look around and tell me how many 20 year old subcompacts you see. The newer ones are better (esp for rust) but unless you live in the southwest, 20 years of “driving a lot” is unrealistic. You’ll get 200k miles if you take good care of any small Japanese car. Also, spending 20 years driving “a lot” in a 2500 pound tiny car makes my back hurt just thinking about it. Finally, the odds are good that gas-powered ICE cars will be difficult to maintain as daily drivers in less than 20 years.
The Kia, on the other hand, will give you a 10 year warranty. The Yaris is 3. Modern Kias are very reliable. You may get it cheaper than the Yaris.
posted by spitbull at 2:09 AM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
Look around and tell me how many 20 year old subcompacts you see.
(waves happily from the driver's seat of his 1995 Daihatsu Mira)
posted by flabdablet at 2:23 AM on April 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
(waves happily from the driver's seat of his 1995 Daihatsu Mira)
posted by flabdablet at 2:23 AM on April 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
So a Prius hybrid gives you 14 mpg more on the highway than a Yaris. Or about a 25% improvement. If you drive 15k a year (a lot for most Americans, the average is 12k), and gas is $3 a gallon, you’ll save about $200 a year on gas.
The Prius hybrid starts at about $8000 more than the Yaris.
You’d have to drive 15k a year for **40 years*** to make up the difference in fuel savings that you spent on the hybrid instead of the Yaris.
Change the fuel price and the ratio stays the same. Change the mileage sharply upwards and you might get there faster. But still, you won't recover that higher cost of a Prius on gas savings over the likely life of any modern car. But maybe it will make you feel more virtuous.
Metafilter is irrationally attached to the Prius and the Honda Fit. People make practical arguments for them, but really they’re just lifestyle choices made by the kind of people who hang out here. Both cars are supposedly eminently practical. Well, so are many others.
I hate the way the Fit drives, personally. And they rust fast too around here. I’d much rather drive a Yaris than a Prius for the fun of it too. Priii are numb as hell to drive. Although if you ask me, spending a couple grand more on the new 2019 Corolla hatch is the way to go if you must buy a Toyota product — similar efficiency, way more fun than any Prius. A bit more robust and durable than a Yaris.
posted by spitbull at 2:27 AM on April 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
The Prius hybrid starts at about $8000 more than the Yaris.
You’d have to drive 15k a year for **40 years*** to make up the difference in fuel savings that you spent on the hybrid instead of the Yaris.
Change the fuel price and the ratio stays the same. Change the mileage sharply upwards and you might get there faster. But still, you won't recover that higher cost of a Prius on gas savings over the likely life of any modern car. But maybe it will make you feel more virtuous.
Metafilter is irrationally attached to the Prius and the Honda Fit. People make practical arguments for them, but really they’re just lifestyle choices made by the kind of people who hang out here. Both cars are supposedly eminently practical. Well, so are many others.
I hate the way the Fit drives, personally. And they rust fast too around here. I’d much rather drive a Yaris than a Prius for the fun of it too. Priii are numb as hell to drive. Although if you ask me, spending a couple grand more on the new 2019 Corolla hatch is the way to go if you must buy a Toyota product — similar efficiency, way more fun than any Prius. A bit more robust and durable than a Yaris.
posted by spitbull at 2:27 AM on April 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
If it were my money, a Toyota Corolla is the car that I would bet on reaching 200,000 miles or better. Your odds are better getting the lowest mileage used Corolla you can afford.
posted by drlith at 5:03 AM on April 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by drlith at 5:03 AM on April 3, 2019 [4 favorites]
FWIW, in my family I have seen a Toyota Corolla get to 300K miles before fully dying, a Honda Accord get to 350K, a Honda Civic get to 290K before it was traded in still running, and a Honda Pilot get to about 250K before it was traded in.
I married into a family that got Hyundais and Kias. They're swapping to Hondas once their cars go. I have a Honda Civic that at about 90K has had no issues beyond normal maintenance so far and I plan to drive it for at least another 5 years.
posted by skittlekicks at 8:46 AM on April 3, 2019
I married into a family that got Hyundais and Kias. They're swapping to Hondas once their cars go. I have a Honda Civic that at about 90K has had no issues beyond normal maintenance so far and I plan to drive it for at least another 5 years.
posted by skittlekicks at 8:46 AM on April 3, 2019
I had a 1997 Corolla that was still running in 2011 at 270k miles at which point it got some front end damage that wasn't worth fixing. I once replaced the starter and that was its only major problem.
My current Corolla is a 2005, at 245k miles, still runs and looks fine apart from some peeling of the clear coat. I've had to redo the brakes due to my own error, otherwise it's been great.
I don't have any experience with Kias but I'm considering the new Yaris for my next car.
posted by exceptinsects at 11:53 AM on April 3, 2019
My current Corolla is a 2005, at 245k miles, still runs and looks fine apart from some peeling of the clear coat. I've had to redo the brakes due to my own error, otherwise it's been great.
I don't have any experience with Kias but I'm considering the new Yaris for my next car.
posted by exceptinsects at 11:53 AM on April 3, 2019
Best answer: My family has consistently had Toyotas, and i'm on my second Hyundai/Kia. I like, actively despise Hyundai now. My current one(leased!) has 60k miles on it and already burns oil, and has been back to the dealership for warranty work several times. The last one was burning a TON of oil by 150k, had a leaky head gasket, and catastrophically failed around 170. And that was on a former old grandmas car that was serviced by the book until my friend got it from her before me.
My old Toyota was around 150k when i got rid of it and i STILL see it driving around over a decade later. It had zero issues besides the stock stereo dying. Didn't burn a drop of oil between changes, shifted super smooth, and still felt tight.
I'm never buying another Hyundai/Kia again. I would absolutely buy a Yaris(although i'd likely try and go for a used Prius c or Corolla)
I recommend the Prius C and Fit to all my friends consistently, and the Yaris is a great car i'd give anyone i know a thumbs up if they suggested it.
posted by emptythought at 11:43 AM on April 4, 2019
My old Toyota was around 150k when i got rid of it and i STILL see it driving around over a decade later. It had zero issues besides the stock stereo dying. Didn't burn a drop of oil between changes, shifted super smooth, and still felt tight.
I'm never buying another Hyundai/Kia again. I would absolutely buy a Yaris(although i'd likely try and go for a used Prius c or Corolla)
I recommend the Prius C and Fit to all my friends consistently, and the Yaris is a great car i'd give anyone i know a thumbs up if they suggested it.
posted by emptythought at 11:43 AM on April 4, 2019
If you want the peace of mind that comes with a warranty, go with the Kia Rio. My wife loves hers and we got a great price. Also, I'm 6 feet tall and have driven it on long trips without feeling cramped.
posted by rocket88 at 8:11 AM on April 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by rocket88 at 8:11 AM on April 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
I just drove a brand new Corolla XSE and it was superb. Sharp and solid and planted and handled great, roomier than my Mazda3 by a lot in back, and just put together.
Counterpoint to the “avoid depreciation buy late model used” advice sprinkled above. IF you keep a new car for a decade or longer, that initial depreciation is amortized significantly, and your full control over the maintenance of the car throughout its history can yield a very similar annual average TCO to buying the same car two years old and with 30k miles. Absolutely a new car is a dumb idea if you replace it every 3-5 years. If you keep it 20 years the initial depreciation hit is a paper loss that gradually evens out. It just costs a couple of grand (like $2500-3000 for a Camry is a calculation I saw recently) per year simply to own a car, minimally and before consumables and insurance costs are even figured. Whether that is depreciation or repair or maintenance cost, that’s the real number people don’t grasp. You don’t buy a car once. You keep on buying it.
posted by spitbull at 2:31 PM on August 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
Counterpoint to the “avoid depreciation buy late model used” advice sprinkled above. IF you keep a new car for a decade or longer, that initial depreciation is amortized significantly, and your full control over the maintenance of the car throughout its history can yield a very similar annual average TCO to buying the same car two years old and with 30k miles. Absolutely a new car is a dumb idea if you replace it every 3-5 years. If you keep it 20 years the initial depreciation hit is a paper loss that gradually evens out. It just costs a couple of grand (like $2500-3000 for a Camry is a calculation I saw recently) per year simply to own a car, minimally and before consumables and insurance costs are even figured. Whether that is depreciation or repair or maintenance cost, that’s the real number people don’t grasp. You don’t buy a car once. You keep on buying it.
posted by spitbull at 2:31 PM on August 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
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