List of small hatchback cars

marty

1 MW
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
2,810
Location
Buffalo, New York USA
Want a new car. Thinking 4 door hatchback. Electric might be good, gas seems way cheaper. Really would like a plastic car. What goes wrong where I live, Buffalo NY. Is rust. Rust caused by salt on the streets in the winter. Salt is used to melt the ice. Steel is a stupid material to build a car from. After 15 to 20 years car will be rusted junk.

Looked at manufactures web sites. See Starting MSRP. Guess the next step is to go look at each car. I dread the bargaining process. Any suggestions on getting the lowest price?

Chevrolet 2018 Sonic $15,295

FIAT 2018 500X $19,995

Ford 2018 Fiesta $14,205

Honda Fit 2018 $16,190

Hyundai 2019 ACCENT SE $14,995

Kia 2018 Soul $16,200

Mazda 2018 MAZDA3 5-DOOR Sport $19,3454

Mitsubishi 2018 MIRAGE $13,395

Nissan 2018.5 Nissan Versa Note $15,600

Subaru 2019 Subaru Impreza 2.0i 5-door $19,095

Toyota 2018 YARIS LIFTBACK $15,635

Volkswagen 20?? Golf $20,910
 
marty said:
Wondering if I could rent each car on my list for a week or so? That would be a good way to check it out in detail.

Yeah you could rent the cars if they are available for rent, I would just cruise around to the different rental lots and see what they got, then run in and ask them what they have at the lot because some will be rented.

Next is to ask the stealership if you could drive the car for a few days, probably with a fee attached.

Then there are those Airbnb type car rental companies.

I would seriously look at whats good and bad about each car, there is a book out there called Lemon Aid by Phil Edmunston and is a great resource to read. You maybe could find it at the library, or make notes inside Chapters/Indigogo and save some money. Also, you need to know what you will be hauling. My friend bought a Nissan Rogue and we can't even fit all our camping gear in it, even with the back seats down. I did offer my friend that book I had, I have lots of those books over the years. He handed it back to me when I handed him the book. He regrets buying that car/suv or whatever it is. The shoulder room is too tight for 6'+ dudes, gas mileage is horrible. Thats what you get when you rush the process.

Additionally, when the auto show rolled into Calgary last year, I sat in the Suburu's and they were spacious to my amazement, and I am 6'4" tall probably 6'5" tall. Plus they are AWD, good for the snow, not sure about the gas mileage.

All things to consider, knowing that gas prices will always increase, here it is $1.22cdn per liter.

The Chevrolet Sonics are probably garbage TBH.

Mitsubishi's might be more in parts, I remember I had a Mazda truck and the cylinder head went, cracked in a few spots. No dice on finding a cylinder head for that 2 decade old truck.

FIATS - I have no clue about, Chrysler corp owns them, so that tells you about build quality, unlike the major name imports.

Kia's used to be absolute garbage, but they are good if not great today.
Same goes for Hyundai.

Them Nissan Versa's are awsome on gas, I have rented them a few times and they are spacious for us tall dudes.
I believe even in the city 2 yrs ago, I was getting 10km/L or better.

If going for older used small cars, the 1.6L or lower engines are awesome on gas.
Like the Suzuki's or Geo's.

Chevrolet 2018 Sonic $15,295

FIAT 2018 500X $19,995

Ford 2018 Fiesta $14,205

Honda Fit 2018 $16,190

Hyundai 2019 ACCENT SE $14,995

Kia 2018 Soul $16,200

Mazda 2018 MAZDA3 5-DOOR Sport $19,3454

Mitsubishi 2018 MIRAGE $13,395

Nissan 2018.5 Nissan Versa Note $15,600

Subaru 2019 Subaru Impreza 2.0i 5-door $19,095

Toyota 2018 YARIS LIFTBACK $15,635

Volkswagen 20?? Golf $20,910
 
The last few years the Nissans have had serious transmission issues with their version of a CVT. Normally I am a fan of Nissan products.

Here are the ones I'd check out, any one should have a much better than average reliability record.

Honda Fit 2018 $16,190

Kia 2018 Soul $16,200

Mazda 2018 MAZDA3 5-DOOR Sport $19,3454

Subaru 2019 Subaru Impreza 2.0i 5-door $19,095

Toyota 2018 YARIS LIFTBACK $15,635
 
marty said:
Want a new car. Thinking 4 door hatchback. Electric might be good, gas seems way cheaper. Really would like a plastic car.

Prius Prime. Electric _and_ gas. Mostly plastic. $27,300.
 
Markz WROTE:
FIATS - I have no clue about, Chrysler corp owns them, so that tells you about build quality, unlike the major name imports.

Does that mean they are good since Chrysler imports them? Did you know that Fiat bought Chrysler in 2014? Now it's FCA corp.
I had a 1063 Fiat 500 as my first car. Fun but way too small. Only got 6 kids in it in a major snow storm.

Dan
 
Cars-R-Coffins_Sticker.jpg


In a hideous northern climate, I suppose being alive, hunkered down in a coffinmobile, beats freezing to death on a bike, with some dignity.

Both cars and hideous northern climates are avoidable, though.
 
how small ?
how "new" ?
several folk have posted of great deals on end of lease Leaf's, Fiat 500E's, Prius , Volt, etc
ex lease usually ensures good maintenance history, and buying from reputable dealers ( if such a thing exists !)
But certainly "try before you buy" . personal preference is what matters.
If new is the choice, then look for a killer lease/finance deal rather than buying.
 
Playing with edmunds.com
2018 FIAT 500X
1.4L 4-cyl. Turbo engine, 25 cty/33 hwy (starting at $19,995)
or
2.4L 4-cyl. engine, 25 cty/33 hwy (starting at $19,995)

This looks like a question for a motor head mechanic in the service department of a Fiat dealer. I choose 1.4L 4-cyl. Turbo engine because it might be smaller and easier to pull it out when it breaks?
 
Daughter had a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe, I believe, and she was sideswiped on Interstate Hwy and rolled it 3+ times. 3 occupants escaped with just soreness including 5 year old in car seat. Insurance totaled the car and they went with a NEW Hyundai. Love it, especially mileage. This is in East Central Florida, though, not a salt state, except for storms and fog. They live 2 miles from ocean.
 
My first choice would be the Honda. It's not tops at anything but it's a solid all rounder and resale value in future will be solid.

I also wouldn't hesitate to buy a Toyota or a Hyundai.

For gods sake don't buy the Chevy. Or the Fiat.

The Focus is probably the best domestic on the list. And I think it's mostly European at this point.
 
EVen though I'm a Honda guy, I'd say get the Subbie. Where you live and drive, it should be the only choice. All wheel drive, plenty of room, and decent fuel economy. For the rust problem, undercoat, then undercoat again. A weekly wash and wax during winter will also help a lot.
 
Thanks all for the suggestions. Using edmunds.com made a spread sheet.
compare01.png
Here is PDF file.

2018 Mitsubishi Mirage Hatchback 37/43 MPG and $14,541 Lowest price and highest MPG.

Before I buy anything I need a service manual. Called mitsubishicars.com GENERAL CONTACT INFORMATION number. Girl said to go here:
https://mitsubishitechinfo.com/epacarb/
Subscription options include the following:
1 - Day: $19.95
7 - Days: $99.95
30 - Days: $249.99
180 - Days: $999.95
365 - Days: $1,499.95

$1500 a year to view a service manual. This is some kind of bad joke?
 
All are noisy IME. The Yaris is the only Toyota I absolutely hated. Between the Mrs and I, we have owned more than a dozen. Camry, Sienna, Tundra, Tacoma, Corolla, and our first a Tercel. The Yaris handled horribly, not even close to nimble. Noisy as hell and the dash controls were mounted dead center. Weird. I wanted to like it, as I was happy with the original Tercel that ended up hauling all the parts and tools for my irrigation repair business. I sold the Tercel at 187,000 miles and it went another 40,000 with new tires belts and alternator. I traded the Yaris in after 3000 miles. I just couldn't live with it. It seemed that if I drove 90MPH every dick in a truck had to pass me like I was granny driving.

Top of the list for me is the Honda. Still a bit noisy but extremely reliable. Like most Honda and Toyota products.
 
Never imagined this would happen. In my lifetime, vehicle service manuals were paper books. Then CDs that you could buy on eBay for $30 or so. Now has the world changed? Subscriptions :(

Chevrolet, acdelcotds.com $1200 Year
FIAT, technicalinformation.fiat.com ?
Ford, motorcraftservice.com $2700 Year
Honda, techinfo.honda.com $350 or $1000 Year
Hyundai, hyundaitechinfo.com $600 Year
Kia, kiatechinfo.snapon.com $1500 Year
Mazda, mazdaserviceinfo.com $2250 Year
Mitsubishi, mitsubishitechinfo.com $1500 Year
Nissan, nissan-techinfo.com $720 Year
Subaru, techinfo.subaru.com $2500 Year
Toyota, techinfo.toyota $480 or $1295 Year
Volkswagen, erwin.vw.com $1500 Year

How to hack into all these web sites?
http://bugmenot.com/
BugMeNot: share logins
 
So they don't want you or any other one working on their cars.
Hyundai and Kia have a 5 / 50 or 60 bumper to bumper and 10 year 100,000 drive train.

Cars today are too complicated for the normal mechanic to do much without training or the manuals. They're not saving a tree they are forcing cars to come back to the dealer. If thy don't they need an educated mechanic/technician. So happy I got out when I did.

A good car today doesn't need much, not like the 70/80's. 100,00 to 200,00 miles is kinda normal with a little maintenance. Chance oil, filters, a few brake jobs and tires is about it. Yeah if you have a computer related problem it's back to the dealer.

I like Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Toyota, Nissan and maybe a Ford in there.
I would not buy a German car other than a Mercedes. If I could afford one I could afford to have it serviced. German cars are good but are over engineered and need to be maintained more.
As said before Subaru is a good pick with the weather up north.

Dan
 
I have a 2013 Honda Fit. Great little car. The interior space is very flexible. When we moved my son to college he had the whole living room piled with stuff, bike, guitar, small furniture, boxes, bags, I was sure we were going to have to rent a van, but somehow went into the Fit.

However, I hardly drive it any more since getting a Chevy Spark EV. The Fit is an nicer car in almost every other way, but the electric driving is a much better experience. Also, while the Honda Fit is one of the cheapest cars to own and run, it is still about double the cost of the Spark EV due to the zero maintenance and low fuel cost.
 
Service manual or technical information / techinfo as it seems to be called now is really really important for me. Here's why. After I buy a new car the most likely thing to happen is leave key in the ignition and open door. Hear that dinging noise? First thing I do with every car and truck I ever owned is remove all beeping, buzzing, dinging, noises. Wire diagrams are nice to have so I can figure out which wires to cut.

Just had a connect laptop to truck issue. 2012 Isuzu Reach. Limp mode. Without software, Truck would still be limping.
IDSS Diagnostic Service Tablet
$3,800.00 and Out of Stock

For about $1000 got hacked software, cheap laptop, and gadget to connect computer to truck. Yea I know I could just take it to the dealer. That would have required a tow truck and I don't like going to doctors. Do all my own medical work.

Have used alldatadiy.com for service manuals. Usually easier to navigate then funky dealer CD service manuals. Alldatadiy.com is a DIY version of alldata.com At alldatadiy.com I see the newest year is 2017 with only a few vehicles. Curious what vehicles you get to look at if ya pay $179 a month for a subscription? Will call alldata.com on Monday. No I would not pay $2000 a year to view service manuals.

If I was to base my new car decision on service manuals. At $350 a year Honda is lowest price. What if they raise it to $3500 a year? Would I try to copy the whole techinfo.honda.com web site? Yep!
 
If i thought there was a remote chancethat i might need a service manual for a new car within the first 5 years ( warranty period ). I would cross it off my list.
Get the dealer to disable the beeps etc or a hundred bucks to the local tech smart mechanic with the kit....but dropping thousands $$$ on a service manual for a brand new car just seems crazy. ,!
 
Get a used Mazda2.
It is the most aerodynamic little hatchie on the road in the USA.

Also if you can go without a hatchback.. look at the Yaris IA.
It's fuel economy is grossly understated and it is a peach to wrench on. The underhood layout is great and the car is about 2300lbs.
I managed >50mpg highway while test driving one.

The regular Yaris doesn't have the same 1.5 direct injection motor and thus won't pull the same fuel economy, nor have the same low end torque as the IA.
I wouldn't bother with it.
 
-dg said:
I have a 2013 Honda Fit. Great little car. The interior space is very flexible. When we moved my son to college he had the whole living room piled with stuff, bike, guitar, small furniture, boxes, bags, I was sure we were going to have to rent a van, but somehow went into the Fit.

The Fit would be my new #2 choice because the power it has.. the unfortunate thing is that it has smaller tires than the Yaris IA.. so the ride was rougher on our roads which are potholey nightmares.

Great car otherwise, i agree.
 
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