Best small car

[mmarlo 1]

My family has had a history of very good performance from Toyotas--Corollas, Camrys, and Avalons. Out of the many Toyotas we've had, aside from standard maintenance, we've only had to make one repair--replacing a wheel bearing that went bad. Not like the series of problems we had with previous Fords. At least you shouldn't have to worry about your transmission if you get a Corolla or a Civic.

[homesick_american 1]

Neons are junk.

Get a Civic or Accord. It will keep its value, be super reliable and fuel efficient.

Everything he said, plus this: Toyotas are also excellent cars.

[KarenCee 3]

FORD = Fix Or Repair Daily

I drive a KIA...no problems, good gas mileage. We are going to look for an older model Toyota for Joel (his suggestion) but we're not opposed to an older model Honda either.

[beameup 0]

Although not popular in the U.S., Mitsubishi makes some very good vehicles that are very popular everywhere else except the U.S. primarily because they were late coming into the U.S. market following: Toyota, Datsun (Nissan), Subaru, and Honda (who had made motorcycles only up until that time), Mazda, Isuzu, etc.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Neons are junk.

There is a reason that Neons (and other Chrysler products) have the name "Dodge" on them--that's EXACTLY what one should do with these!

Get a Civic or Accord. It will keep its value, be super reliable and fuel efficient.

The OP wants a SMALL car--so Civic OK; otherwise Corolla (Prizm also if "true" Corolla not available at that price, due to popular image--though Prizm is cent-percent Corolla, and can take just as much abuses).

[Reba 2]

I've actually had a Mitsubishi car, under the Eagle name in Canada years ago, and it was #######. I honestly don't think they're the best out there, performance wise, price wise, or longevity wise.

For re-sale value on used cars, Hondas always perform the best. Read any of the car magazines, look up on the internet "car comparissons" or Toyota vs. Honda, or Honda vs. GMC or or or...Kias may be priced well when they're new, but they don't hold their re-sale value.

Go for performance and reliability. Honda would be my first choice, then maybe Toyota. Sorry, but the North American engineered cars just can't compete with mileage performance and reliability.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I've actually had a Mitsubishi car, under the Eagle name in Canada years ago, and it was #######. I honestly don't think they're the best out there, performance wise, price wise, or longevity wise.

For re-sale value on used cars, Hondas always perform the best. Read any of the car magazines, look up on the internet "car comparissons" or Toyota vs. Honda, or Honda vs. GMC or or or...Kias may be priced well when they're new, but they don't hold their re-sale value.

Go for performance and reliability. Honda would be my first choice, then maybe Toyota. Sorry, but the North American engineered cars just can't compete with mileage performance and reliability.

Basic problem with North American engineered cars: the engineering teeth were cut on big-block (300+ in³ V-8's and 200+ in³ 6-bangers) engines--and they haven't figured out how to make a worthwhile 4-banger (the engines of every North American built 4-banger shows that these companies didn't even think of COPYING a European or Japanese 4-banger).

[Dr_LHA 3]

Although not popular in the U.S., Mitsubishi makes some very good vehicles that are very popular everywhere else except the U.S. primarily because they were late coming into the U.S. market following: Toyota, Datsun (Nissan), Subaru, and Honda (who had made motorcycles only up until that time), Mazda, Isuzu, etc.

I would avoid old Mitsubishis like the plague, they fall apart. Has everyone forgot the scandal that racked that company a few years ago?

[LaL 418]

i my solara.

oh and - NO NEONS!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Neons are junk.

Get a Civic or Accord. It will keep its value, be super reliable and fuel efficient.

Thanks, Dr_LHA! I've heard great things about Hondas, everyone seems to love them.

The hardest part is to convince my husband to buy a non-American car, but in this case, I'm the one taking out a loan, and I will be the primary driver. He will get my very American Chevy, so he probably won't mind me driving a Civic too much

Tell your husband that the Honda Civic has one of the highest resale values of any car. The fuel effeciency, performance, reliability and safety are hard to match.

Acuras are also great cars. I bought a used Acura Integra that had 160,000 miles on it for a little over 2g's years ago. I drove it for another 70,000 miles before trading it in. It was the best car I ever owned. With the hatchback, I could fit just about anything in the back.

[Robor007 0]

Neons are junk.

Get a Civic or Accord. It will keep its value, be super reliable and fuel efficient.

As a former Neon owner I can attest to that. There's a reason they're cheap.

Get a 4 cylinder Civic or Accord. Reliability, fuel efficiency, and resale value. Just make sure you don't get one that some kid has 'modded' (and beat on). Corolla's are nice too but IMO Toyota's are too expensive.

[Emancipation 2]

Just a side note about a 4 cylinder Civic.

Hubby & I own one, and I owned my own one in Canada. I would HIGHLY recommend the manual transmission (and not only because you can pretend you are a race car driver). I think you get more speed/control that way in acceleration as well as snow. 'Scuse the girl-lingo here, but I know driving my mother's 4 cylinder Toyota (automatic), and my standard there was a WORLD of difference in pick up etc. and my car salesmen at Honda actually suggested getting a manual, and I never regretted learning to drive a standard one little bit!

[Robor007 0]

Just a side note about a 4 cylinder Civic.

Hubby & I own one, and I owned my own one in Canada. I would HIGHLY recommend the manual transmission (and not only because you can pretend you are a race car driver). I think you get more speed/control that way in acceleration as well as snow. 'Scuse the girl-lingo here, but I know driving my mother's 4 cylinder Toyota (automatic), and my standard there was a WORLD of difference in pick up etc. and my car salesmen at Honda actually suggested getting a manual, and I never regretted learning to drive a standard one little bit!

I've always preferred manual transmissions. You have so much more control of the car. Sure they're a pain in stop-n-go traffic but IMO the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

[Dr_LHA 3]

Yes, I should also add that every Honda I've owned has had a manual transmission. I've heard their automatics can be a bit "sluggish", but that said I find that to be true of the automatics on most small cars, unless they're on the higher end of the price range (e.g. the 6 speed tiptronic Beetle is lovely, and the Mini's CVT is also great).

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Tell your husband that the Honda Civic has one of the highest resale values of any car. The fuel effeciency, performance, reliability and safety are hard to match.

Acuras are also great cars. I bought a used Acura Integra that had 160,000 miles on it for a little over 2g's years ago. I drove it for another 70,000 miles before trading it in. It was the best car I ever owned. With the hatchback, I could fit just about anything in the back.

I'm one of the few who'd argue against that; the old Legend was rather similar to the Accord in general (except @ value-retention, see below), and the Integra had smaller interior and boot than my 1986 Hyundai Pony (though the Integra did have better power undeniably than the defunct-Mitsubishi engine--it had POINTS and MANUAL CHOKE--in the Pony).

Plus Acuras (unlike plain-jane Hondas) are lousy @ value-retention. I can remember examining car ads in 1995 (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) and seeing a 1991 Legend with 75K miles advertised @ $9,995 (retail price new in 1991 was $31,995)--the same price as an 1991 Accord LxI with similar mileage.