Less car, less problems? ISO: small car recs
November 13, 2015 8:35 AM Subscribe
I'm looking to downsize my car for city parking and convenience. Would love suggestions on makes, models and years. I want to look for as compact a car as possible, while still meeting my needs below.
* It's got to be safe enough to drive with a kid and fit a child car seat
* It has to be able to drive on highway. I have a 45 mile commute 2 - 3 days a week.
* It needs to get up to 75mph without red lining.
* Some kind of storage in trunk or hatch back.
* Looking for proven reliability
Money is an issue. I do not care much about the look or body condition. I would imagine I need to look for an older model so I that I could pot'lly get it used. Not sure about leasing at this stage. I currently own a '98 Toyota. I live in NYC and like that I don't have to worry about dings and scratches (because I don't care :) ). I'd like decent gas mileage and, again, something fairly reliable.
BONUS: Leasing a car in NYC??? How much should I expect to pay. Can I go somewhere else, outside of metro area, to lease for cheaper?
Thanks, MeFi!
Money is an issue. I do not care much about the look or body condition. I would imagine I need to look for an older model so I that I could pot'lly get it used. Not sure about leasing at this stage. I currently own a '98 Toyota. I live in NYC and like that I don't have to worry about dings and scratches (because I don't care :) ). I'd like decent gas mileage and, again, something fairly reliable.
BONUS: Leasing a car in NYC??? How much should I expect to pay. Can I go somewhere else, outside of metro area, to lease for cheaper?
Thanks, MeFi!
Have you looked at the Mazda 3 sport? It's a hatchback, quite sporty for a cheap compact car, good reliability, excellent safety testing results.
posted by mossicle at 8:47 AM on November 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by mossicle at 8:47 AM on November 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
I love love love my Honda Fit, which I believe would meet all of your requirements.
posted by superlibby at 8:52 AM on November 13, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by superlibby at 8:52 AM on November 13, 2015 [7 favorites]
I have a 2009 Scion xD (which replaced the xA after 2007) and agree with wilky's assessment.
posted by Lucinda at 8:53 AM on November 13, 2015
posted by Lucinda at 8:53 AM on November 13, 2015
FIT!!! we love ours and it *fits* all of your criteria
posted by supermedusa at 9:00 AM on November 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by supermedusa at 9:00 AM on November 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
Buying or leasing a used car in NYC can be frustrating. The big dealers in Brooklyn and Queens are focused on immigrants unwise to the ways of buying a car in America and people with no or bad credit, and can be slow to or incapable of serving a prime-FICO customer who knows what he's doing. They often don't want to let you test drive the car, and you will have a hard time finding anyone who will let you take the car on the highway (which is important for you).
posted by MattD at 9:12 AM on November 13, 2015
posted by MattD at 9:12 AM on November 13, 2015
A friend of mine has a 2008 Kia Soul, which fits all your requirements, and she LOVES it. We have a Honda Civic which is wonderful for city driving (we had it for 7 of our years in Chicago and it regularly got 30+ mpg in the city), easy to drive, easy to park, fits plenty in the backseat and trunk.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 9:17 AM on November 13, 2015
posted by Ms Vegetable at 9:17 AM on November 13, 2015
I have a 2011 Hyundai accent hatchback. A little smaller than the other suggestions, but it's held up well and gets phenomenal MPG.
posted by galvanized unicorn at 9:30 AM on November 13, 2015
posted by galvanized unicorn at 9:30 AM on November 13, 2015
Both the Ford Fiesta and the Kia Soul, base models, meet your requirements AND are so cheap to buy new that you may also have the option of having a brand-new car and warranty, latest safety technology, etc. My spouse got a 2015 Kia Soul earlier this year for $12K and when my 2002 Focus dies (which I love, and which shows no signs of dying at the moment) I plan to replace it with a new Fiesta.
And I guess if you're looking for a rec for an older, cheaper car, I can't recommend the Ford Focus highly enough. I have had zero problems with mine, and I even was in an accident back in 2010 and hardly felt a thing, and it's kept on going.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 9:32 AM on November 13, 2015
And I guess if you're looking for a rec for an older, cheaper car, I can't recommend the Ford Focus highly enough. I have had zero problems with mine, and I even was in an accident back in 2010 and hardly felt a thing, and it's kept on going.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 9:32 AM on November 13, 2015
Nthing a Honda Fit. I love it, it's tiny, and yet it has a remarkable amount of space inside. For example: I regularly transport four 12-year-old boys, their school backpacks and three violins. Great mileage and it fits in basically every parking spot.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:43 AM on November 13, 2015
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:43 AM on November 13, 2015
I recently replace a 1998 Honda Civic with a 2007 Honda Fit. I think this fits your criteria.
I was able to fit four adults, plus all their camping gear in it, comfortably, the weekend I got it. They are deceptively large inside.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 9:59 AM on November 13, 2015
I was able to fit four adults, plus all their camping gear in it, comfortably, the weekend I got it. They are deceptively large inside.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 9:59 AM on November 13, 2015
The Soul is decent enough as a car, but don't buy one. Long term reliability on Kia products is still well behind other makes. I'd probably go for the Fiesta, but that's because I can't stand the wheezy engine in the Fit. The Fit is otherwise a very nice car, though.
If you are buying used, you may want to consider a Pontiac Vibe. It is a badge-engineered Toyota Matrix, which was a pretty darn good car, but can usually be had much more cheaply since it has the Pontiac logo on it instead of Toyota's.
posted by wierdo at 10:14 AM on November 13, 2015
If you are buying used, you may want to consider a Pontiac Vibe. It is a badge-engineered Toyota Matrix, which was a pretty darn good car, but can usually be had much more cheaply since it has the Pontiac logo on it instead of Toyota's.
posted by wierdo at 10:14 AM on November 13, 2015
Consider a Nissan Versa. Mine is pushing 100k (miles). The only thing I've had to do apart from maintenance is replace the front brake rotors because the stock ones warped. New EBC rotors and pads that won't warp cost about $150. The CVT models get the best fuel economy and would be less annoying to drive in traffic, but I lovelovelove my 6-speed manual.
The back seat is big enough that my 6'1" husband can adjust the driver's seat for him, then get in the back seat and there are still a couple of inches between his knees and the front seat.
posted by workerant at 10:33 AM on November 13, 2015
The back seat is big enough that my 6'1" husband can adjust the driver's seat for him, then get in the back seat and there are still a couple of inches between his knees and the front seat.
posted by workerant at 10:33 AM on November 13, 2015
Nthing the Fit. Honda used some serious magic in designing that thing as it seems to have a Tardis like quality of being bigger on the inside. I'm a pretty giant guy who doesn't fit in a lot of cars and I can comfortably sit in the back seat of mine.
posted by octothorpe at 10:36 AM on November 13, 2015
posted by octothorpe at 10:36 AM on November 13, 2015
A Nissan Versa hatchback is going to cost you a lot less money than a Fit. We've had one from about 22K to about 50K miles and about 4 1/2 years, and have had zero mechanical problems. Reliability might be slightly reduced at the end of its life compared to a Fit, but you're going to pay a few to several thousand dollars more for the equivalent Honda.
We bought our Versa as a year-old used rental still under factory from Hertz Car Sales (not Rent 2 Buy). Easy sales process and we paid $11K for what was a one year old car. We figure to get a decade out of it. They're still selling the Versa Note (which is the newer version of the same car) at Hertz.
As was noted above, back seat room is exceptional. Visibility is really good and it has both a short hood and back end, so it's easy to parallel park.
posted by cnc at 11:42 AM on November 13, 2015
We bought our Versa as a year-old used rental still under factory from Hertz Car Sales (not Rent 2 Buy). Easy sales process and we paid $11K for what was a one year old car. We figure to get a decade out of it. They're still selling the Versa Note (which is the newer version of the same car) at Hertz.
As was noted above, back seat room is exceptional. Visibility is really good and it has both a short hood and back end, so it's easy to parallel park.
posted by cnc at 11:42 AM on November 13, 2015
If you lease, expect to get hit with fees or penalties for cosmetic damage that occurs, as well as going over a mileage limit. Driving and parking in NYC would rule out leasing for me.
Without a hard budget, it's hard to say exactly what years and mileage to consider, but I'd also firstly recommend the Honda Fit- it's very versatile with folding seats, economical, safe, fun to drive, the engine and transmission work well together in all configurations, and the fit and finish are best in class, IMO. When I was car shopping 2 years ago, they were hard to find in my budget of $13,000, but now would be much easier.
Scions (xD, maybe xB and xA) are also a great choice. Legendary Toyota reliability and economical.
I'd also recommend the Pontiac Vibe (lower resale value, aka cheaper entry price for you) and Toyota Matrix. They're made in the same plant and are 5 door hatchbacks based on the Toyota Corolla platform.
Ford Focus, Mazda 3 (Skyactiv yields fantastic mileage) are worthy of mention. Fiesta and Mazda 2 are smaller.
I cross-shopped these and ended up with a used 2012 Hyundai Elantra with 96k miles. It's been 1 year, 11 months and I'm at 145k having done just standard maintenance. Hyundai/Kia offer good financing incentives when purchasing New and their warranty is the best in the business.
That said, they depreciate like crazy (unfortunately, I didn't take advantage of that...) so maybe used is the way to go for you.
Wish I had a Fit. Honda Hatchbacks really are the way to go, IMHO.
posted by Giggilituffin at 1:03 PM on November 13, 2015
Without a hard budget, it's hard to say exactly what years and mileage to consider, but I'd also firstly recommend the Honda Fit- it's very versatile with folding seats, economical, safe, fun to drive, the engine and transmission work well together in all configurations, and the fit and finish are best in class, IMO. When I was car shopping 2 years ago, they were hard to find in my budget of $13,000, but now would be much easier.
Scions (xD, maybe xB and xA) are also a great choice. Legendary Toyota reliability and economical.
I'd also recommend the Pontiac Vibe (lower resale value, aka cheaper entry price for you) and Toyota Matrix. They're made in the same plant and are 5 door hatchbacks based on the Toyota Corolla platform.
Ford Focus, Mazda 3 (Skyactiv yields fantastic mileage) are worthy of mention. Fiesta and Mazda 2 are smaller.
I cross-shopped these and ended up with a used 2012 Hyundai Elantra with 96k miles. It's been 1 year, 11 months and I'm at 145k having done just standard maintenance. Hyundai/Kia offer good financing incentives when purchasing New and their warranty is the best in the business.
That said, they depreciate like crazy (unfortunately, I didn't take advantage of that...) so maybe used is the way to go for you.
Wish I had a Fit. Honda Hatchbacks really are the way to go, IMHO.
posted by Giggilituffin at 1:03 PM on November 13, 2015
Well, I will draw the ire of many I suppose, but I do not like the Fit. I owned one, and I would not be eager to cruise on a freeway at 75mph in one, and at least pre 2015 it was NOT a good car in a crash. In fact, it bombed so badly on the Consumer Reports testing that they stopped recommending it. (I understand that the vehicle improved considerably in 2015, but you may want to verify this.) Anyway, it is very versatile, has great visibility, great reliability, and gets good mileage. But does not ride that well at 75 and you have a kid so crash safety is a big deal indeed.
I will make the most boring recommendation in the world - a used Toyota Camry. I have a 2000 that I just ran over the 200,000 mile mark and I still have done NOTHING to it besides standard maintenance. Actually, I take that back I had to replace the starter. I would buy the most recent model you can afford. God it is a boring car, but great on the freeway, and ridiculously reliable. I see no reason whatever why I will not get 300 thousand miles on it, which I am both happy about and sorry for as the car bores me to death. That being said, it is too good to get rid of. Mind you I have owned 30+ cars in my life so I am what they call in the car trade "kinky". I just can not rationalize sinking more money into a depreciating asset when you have something this reliable.
posted by jcworth at 9:02 PM on November 13, 2015
I will make the most boring recommendation in the world - a used Toyota Camry. I have a 2000 that I just ran over the 200,000 mile mark and I still have done NOTHING to it besides standard maintenance. Actually, I take that back I had to replace the starter. I would buy the most recent model you can afford. God it is a boring car, but great on the freeway, and ridiculously reliable. I see no reason whatever why I will not get 300 thousand miles on it, which I am both happy about and sorry for as the car bores me to death. That being said, it is too good to get rid of. Mind you I have owned 30+ cars in my life so I am what they call in the car trade "kinky". I just can not rationalize sinking more money into a depreciating asset when you have something this reliable.
posted by jcworth at 9:02 PM on November 13, 2015
I do not like my 2015 Fit because the way the pillars on either side of the windshield are designed totally block the view when turning. I have come close to hitting pedestrians on so many occasions that I'm just waiting for the day I don't get so lucky. It has a camera on the passenger mirror for blind spots when passing but it doesn't help for seeing what's in front of you. Many Fit owners complain about this in forums. It is also built of total crap materials. I drive very little—in a year, I have only put 4000 miles on the car—and it looks like it was used as a rental car taken on many a joy ride. The interior fabric is snagged in a few places, panel to the hatchback almost comes off, the backup camera somehow got a crack in it already. Not a car I'd recommend for a family.
I have extensively driven a 2014 Ford Fiesta as an extended rental car and I cannot believe how much I loved it. It was the kind of car I would laugh at previously but it was fun to drive, it fit a surprising amount of stuff, and parking it was a joy because it's the size of a mouse.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 1:34 AM on November 14, 2015
I have extensively driven a 2014 Ford Fiesta as an extended rental car and I cannot believe how much I loved it. It was the kind of car I would laugh at previously but it was fun to drive, it fit a surprising amount of stuff, and parking it was a joy because it's the size of a mouse.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 1:34 AM on November 14, 2015
We like our Fit for its hauling capacity, but I have to agree with the above complaint re: the windshield. It's definitely a weak point. In addition to the visibility issue, it's a back-breaking job to clean the inside of the windshield, because of how far forward it slopes.
I'm also not a fan of our Fit's rather stiff suspension and hard seats. My back is usually aching after riding in it for any extended period. Also, the rear storage area is open to view unless you spring for an optional retracting cover (at least, that was the deal when we got our Fit.) Other than all that, though, it's a typically über-reliable, well-built Honda. And can haul an amazing amount of large stuff.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:12 AM on November 14, 2015
I'm also not a fan of our Fit's rather stiff suspension and hard seats. My back is usually aching after riding in it for any extended period. Also, the rear storage area is open to view unless you spring for an optional retracting cover (at least, that was the deal when we got our Fit.) Other than all that, though, it's a typically über-reliable, well-built Honda. And can haul an amazing amount of large stuff.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:12 AM on November 14, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by wilky at 8:45 AM on November 13, 2015 [2 favorites]