I’ve been leasing a Saturn Aura XE. I have the 2008 model (the 2007 won the North American Car & Driver Award), and have been pleased: very reliable, reasonably priced, comfy interior, good sound system, and good looking IMHO. There are a few design quirks that I dislike but which aren’t a big deal.
Now my three-year lease term is coming to an end in July. The car’s still in very good condition, and I could now buy it without too much trouble, but I’m wondering about leasing another car, esp. since Saturn as a brand will soon be defunct (a casualty of GM’s retrenchment).
Any suggestions? I’d like something comparable in price, very reliable, good-looking, and American-made, if possible.
Do you require a midsize, or are you looking at other sizes? New or used?
If you like the Aura, the Chevy Cruze would probably suit you. I gave a description of it here.
It fit somewhere in between a compact and a midsize - a bit larger than the compacts of most other marques. They are reliable (so far as anyone can tell), good looking in a conservative way and made in the USA.
Saturn is already gone. There might be some cars left over, but the brand itself is kaput.
That said, I’d have to agree that the Malibu is a platform twin to your Aura so it’ll be fairly similar overall. The downer is that the Malibu gets redesigned next year. The upside is that you might be able to swing a decent deal on the current model.
If you are looking at the Malibu, you could also look at the re-designed 2011 Chrysler Sebring or Dodge Avenger. Most people find it a bit less refined (especially with the 4 cyl engine) and the roofline makes the styling a bit odd, but it’s otherwise a competent vehicle that should be a bit cheaper than most competitors, and it’s also built in the USA.
In all serious…ness? Seriousity? The Dodge Avenger is a pretty nice car; its handling and ride are now actually “Sporty” and the interior is worthy of the class.
It’s a pretty good poster child for what can be done when your corporate overlords actually care about your products…
I have had great experiences purchasing used 3 series BMWs off lease that are in the 25K range and include the 100K mile certified preowned warranty.
For a little more you can optionally have maintenance includes. These cars have generally had included maintenance that was followed by their owners (it was free), the service history is known and the build quality is pretty good.
Consumer Digest has noted that they are a best buy and I think it is hard to go wrong since you get a great car, good warranty, known history and strong resale value.
I would at least look as an option if you are going to buy.
I would not recommend buying the Saturn…service options may be dwindling since the brand is discontinued. Look at Consumer Reports and stick with the most reliable, economical models. Honda Accords are built in Marysville, Ohio and fit your criteria.
well, you mean built here, or sold by a company based here?
if the former, then pretty much any midsize sedan on the market; the Camry, Accord, Sonata and Optima are all US-assembled. If the latter, then Chevy Malibu, Buick Regal, Ford Fusion, Dodge Avenger, or Chrysler 200.
Thanks. I’m focusing on the Malibu and the Regal right now. The Malibu has great reviews and more of a track record than the Regal. I’ll test-drive a Malibu on Sunday.
All right, so a midsize sedan around $25k then. It’s got a V6 and an automatic transmission, with a fairly comfortable ride, so I’ll assume that’s the kind of thing you like.
Firstly, here is a site that consolidates all the latest US (NHTSA and IIHS) safety test results.
One thing to note is that the newer a car’s platform is, the safer it is in crashes usually. You want the newest platform possible.
So for the cars jz78817 has listed,
Toyota Camry: Elderly platform dating back to 2006 and due for replacement in a year or 2. This is show in its relatively poor crash test results. I would not consider this car unless there are large discounts on price, which I think there actually are right now.
Honda Accord: Also a bit older platform (2007), does well in crash tests in general but scores only “Average” in the IIHS roof crush test. Only comes with a 5 speed transmission while most competitors use 6 speeds. Looks nice IMO and drives well as most Hondas do. People find the interior to be a bit outdated and report squeaks and creaks quite soon after purchase. Better than the Camry but still should be selling for a discount due to the old platform.
Hyundai Sonata/Kia Optima: Brand new platform, although oddly the early builds had some problems with the revised crash tests that were later remedied. The optima still managed only 3 stars on the NHTSA rear side impact test. For the price these are very well equipped compared to the competition, e.g. if you go with the turbo model (Hyundai uses a turbo 4 cylinder in place of a 6 cylinder engine that most other car companies use) you get standard dual zone climate control and bluetooth. The turbo engine gets better fuel economy that the competitor’s V6 engines and is torquier, and will run on regular fuel. Looks quite nice. Would be close to the top of my list. Complaints are that the suspension and tires are not quite up to handling the turbo engine’s power, meaning that despite having more power it’s not really any faster than its V6 competitors, and drive is noise and unrefined.
Chevy Malibu: Came out in 2008 but already due for replacement next year or so. Okay safety. Has some strange choices in trim and options: The V6 isn’t available in the retail model, only special order fleet models can have it. No dual zone climate control available. It’s not a bad car I guess, but comparisons are a bit tricky because even the top level trim with all the bells and whistles still only come with the 4 cylinder engine. Unless that’s the sort of thing you want.
Ford Fusion: Platform is a bit old, mediocre safety, I personally don’t like the way it looks. Otherwise it’s fairly competitive. You can get it with Ford SYNC, which is supposed to be the best thing ever in terms of in car electronics integration. There are lots of Ford dealers so it’s likely you have one close to you, there are quite a few drivetrain choices - a 3.0l V6, a 3.5l V6, and available all wheel drive. Built in Mexico.
Dodge Avenger/Chrysler Sebri…I mean 200: Already talked about, the 200 is a bit strange looking but the Avenger is OK. Mediocre safety. Very good V6 engine with lots of power and torque while still getting respectable fuel economy. Middle of the road in most other respects, although Chrysler dealers should be keen to deal.
Buick Regal: Brand new platform, has not yet had a revised NHTSA safety rating but scores excellent on all IIHS tests and generally speaking GM’s brand new platforms like the Regal and Cruze have all aced safety tests everywhere. Built in either Russelheim Germany or Oshawa Canada. It’s the best looking of the bunch, but doesn’t drive great according to most people. The form factor is also a bit smaller than the others, it’s only available with 4 cylinder engines and for $25k you can only get into the bottom rung naturally aspirated 4 cyl, which is quite a bit less powerful than the V6 engines you would be looking at with the others. If you step up to the turbo engine you’re looking at quite a bit more money and not really much more power - still less than most V6s. I guess you really have to test drive it to be sure.
To these I’ll Add:
Nissan Altima: Built in Tennesee, not great safety ratings, the V6 engine is good but the car is sparsely equipped for the price and the interior isn’t great. Don’t really like the looks. It also comes with a CVT transmission which delivers a strange driving experience. Take it for a drive and see for yourself I suppose.
Subaru Legacy:Built in Indiana, gets excellent safety ratings as all Subarus do. All models are all wheel drive. I think they look great inside and out. Like the Accord it has relatively thin A-pillars and good visibility, and is generally more of a driver’s car. However the drivetrain choices are problematic - the base model 4 cyl with the CVT is great and gets better fuel economy than even many 4 cyl competitors that are only front wheel drive, but obviously power is only adequate. I’m a manual transmission sort of fellow so I would go for the 6 speed manual anyway. If you step up to the 3.6l 6 cylinder engine, then your only transmission choice is a 5 speed automatic coupled to a much less efficient “full time” all wheel drive system that gets significantly worse fuel economy than its competitors with little particular benefit.
Mazda6: Built in Michigan, a platform mate of the Ford Fusion. Does poorly on the IIHS rear impact and roof crush tests. Otherwise it’s better looking than the Fusion and has some different engine choices.
Buick Lacrosse: If you’re going to try the Regal you might as well try the Lacrosse too. It’s a bit pricier than the Regal but by all accounts is a much better car and better than the equivalent Lexus or Acura models.
This is hot off the press, but the 2012 VW Passat is now made in Tennessee and thus eligible for your consideration. Obviously no one here has driven or even seen one, but here’s some info:
Of note, VWs have always had excellent safety, so there should be no worries there, and a diesel model is also available if you are so inclined.
But of the ones that are actually out, I guess my top 3 would be Sonata/Optima, Avenger/200, and Subaru Legacy.
