So, after I close on this condo in mid-July*, I’m very likely going to have to find another car. I’m leaning toward used. Now I’m just going to need to figure out what cars to put on my list to look at.
Key things:
[ul]
[li]I don’t want a big car. The rental I’m in is a Camry and I hate how big it feels. (yeah, I can adjust, but I just prefer smaller).[/li][li]Hatchbacks are preferred over sedans, but not required[/li][li]If a regular engine (non-hybrid), I strongly prefer a manual transmission - this worries me with a used car, because someone who doesn’t know how to drive a stick well can do a number on the clutch in relatively few miles. I am flexible on this point though. [/li][li]I won’t buy a Ford. I had a terrible experience with the last one I bought, and I won’t even consider one. [/li][/ul]
Cars that are currently on my list to look at:
[ul]
[li]Fit[/li][li]Civic[/li][li]Corolla[/li][li]Prius[/li][li]Yaris[/li][li]Mazda3[/li][li]Mazda5 (this may be bigger than I want)[/li][/ul]
I’m not opposed to other makes, and I’m early in this process. There will be a lot of test driving going on and a lot of research. This is just one aspect.
*I’m not vehicle-less until then. Right now I’m in a rental, and once I don’t have that anymore, I can use the truck that was my dad’s before he passed. My brother’s been driving it, but he has another car he can use - it just doesn’t have A/C, so he usually drives the truck. The truck will actually be nicer to have with a move coming up.
I can only give my opinion between the Mazda 3 and Mazda 5 - I’ve rented both in the past. I know you want a very small car, but the Mazda 3 was ridiculously small and clunky. Felt like I was in a tin can. The Mazda 5 was a great little-ish car. If I could’ve afforded to buy a new vehicle back then, that’s what I would’ve gone with.
Personally, I love the look of the Ford Fiesta hatch and Ford Focus hatch. And they have great reviews. But you said Ford was definitely out, so… nevermind.
Are you sure you’re not thinking of the Mazda 2. which would be a sum-compact like the Yaris? The Mazda 3 is a compact like Corolla or Civic. Small, but not what I’d call ridiculously small.
That’s what I’m wondering, my Mazda3 doesn’t feel very small, I can put bikes (without the front wheel attached) in the back, and small furniture. And a Mazda3 is bigger than a Yaris, 175" vs 155". So it would be a size upgrade for OP at least.
I had a 2008 Mazda3 5-door and I now have a 2014 Mazda CX-5. The Mazda 3 is definitely NOT small or clunky–it has room for 4 adults (5 would be tight) and decent trunk/hatchback space. I had the 2.3 engine and it had enough power and handled quite well.
I would describe the CX-5 as basically a Mazda3 on steroids. Incidentally, I think they’re coming out with a CX-3, which sounds like a mini-SUV.
Civic is not available with hatchback, unless you get a pretty old one. The Fit is available with manual transmission, but I don’t think they are very popular. Could be tough to find a used one.
I would agree with the VW Golf. It’s actually a pretty nice car. There’s the Subaru Impreza hatchback with AWD, which is also a nice car.
I have a Scion xA that I love, ten years old and going strong. Small, hatchback, stick shift, and Toyota reliability. Of course they don’t make that particular model anymore, but used ones are available. And the current model (the xD) is probably even better.
What year did you own your last Ford? Things may have changed, and as long as you have small Mazdas on your list, you’re essentially looking at Fords anyway.
One drawback to the Golf is that dealership repairs can tend to be expensive, but if you can find a small independent import specialist shop, they tend to be cheaper than the dealer
The Golf is lots of fun to drive as well, and the TDI version gets really good fuel mileage
Avoid the Prius unless you truly hate driving and merely want a transportation appliance, the Prius is the most boring car in the universe, it’s the car for people who hate cars and hate driving
I own a 2008 Honda Fit, with over 80,000 miles on it. Bought it new and since then it hasn’t burped, farted or stumbled. It appears somewhat bullet-proof.
As a hatchback it can’t be beat. I’m amazed at what I have managed to put into this car.
I average 32 US mpg throughout the year.
If you are doing a lot of highway driving, I don’t recommend the Fit (see below!). At highway speeds it does have a choppy ride. But occasional highway trips are fine. Where it really shines is in the city and as a commuter.
I was at the local Honda dealer one day and they showed me a 3 year old 2008 with about 270,000 miles on it. The only major repair was a clutch replacement. It was a standard. They guy did a lot of highway driving!
The car is now parked for six months every year, April to October. I’m trying to make it last. My other ride is a Honda motorcycle with 145,000 miles on it!
Is this still true? I thought Ford and Mazda parted ways a while back.
The VW TDIs are a hoot to drive, especially on mountain roads (rental Golf in the Pyrenees - hit a switchback, downshift, and hit the throttle - the car squirts up the road as the turbo hits, it was all smiles). I’d be wary of the maintenance costs, a friend I used to commute with said the oil changes on his cost about $100 on his TDI.
I was walking the new car lot some time ago (waiting for my car to be serviced) and noticed a few Mazda 3s and Honda Civics with manual transmissions were available and not very expensive. In fact, there was a new 2013 Mazda 3 on the lot (the 2014s were just out) that looked like a screaming deal. I assume the manual tranny made it a hard sell. I don’t need a car and I thought about buying it because it looked like a bargain. Maybe if you look around you might find something similar.
One other thing, **QuickSilver **mentioned the Hyundai Accent. I have a 2001 sedan which has turned out to be a surprisingly good little car (230,000 miles and still going). I can only imagine they are better 14 years later.
If you are set on used, may I suggest you give a Mazda Protégé a look. The Protégé was replaced by the 3. I had one and I lived that car. In the hatchback version it had tons of room, sat 4 comfortably and was a blast to drive.
You don’t want a Mazda5 – I have one and I love it, but unless you need 6 seats it’s too ponderous for your needs.
Mazda2 - Spartan and cheap, featherweight and fun to drive
Yaris - Surprisingly solid, they’ve come a long way with this platform
Fit - Versatile interior configurations, reliable and refined
Lexus CT 200h - If you want your small car with a little bit of an upscale feel
MINI Cooper (Clubman?) - Don’t worry about the reliability, just enjoy the driving experience
Prius C - If you positively must get every last mile out of a drop of gas
I had a Honda Civic that I bought used and drove for 10 years. Absolutely the most reliable car I’ve ever owned. The only reason I got rid of it was because my wife can’t drive a manual transmission, so we sold it when we got married.
Platforms are still shared, until Mazda starts with something brand new. Platforms are engineering-intensive, and change a lot more slowly than than the rest of the car. And of course with so many shared components, it takes quite a while for Mazda to replace its entire supply chain.
Although Ford reduced its investment to about 2% (giving up control of Mazda), Ford and Mazda still build each other’s cars throughout much of the world, and cross-license/co-develop designs (just not as much as in the old days).
