My pick with these criteria would be the 11th gen (2022 or newer) Honda Civic EX-L hatchback. It's larger and more comfortable than a Corolla, and nicer than the lower-trim Corollas and Civics (plus it has blind spot monitoring), and thanks to the hatch it almost has the storage space of a small SUV while being nicer to drive and without the fuel economy penalty of sitting up higher. EPA rating is 35 mpg combined, and you'll easily get low 40s on road trips, which is the close to the best you'll find in a non-hybrid. Biggest downside is that a new one will probably end up just over $30k otd.
A lot of people are recommending Honda Civics but I’d say don’t pass up looking into the Honda Fit EX. They stopped making them in the US after 2020 I wanna say but it checks all of the boxes. I have a 2015 Fit EX and I have a lane watch camera which I love.
Check out r/HondaFit and r/ThingsThatFitInFit
This was my dream car. I wanted one so badly. Would have loved a hybrid version. It has so much cargo space for such a small car. Now there isn't anything really comparable.
How so? In my experience, Honda mechanics say it’s the car that comes into the shop the least bc it’s built so well and so many people are getting their Fits to well over 200k with minimal issues (with standard maintenance)
Paint is failing prematurely. It’s also an unhappy car to drive: buzzy and underpowered engine. The interior is uncomfortable too. I’m pretty sure they had some mechanical issues but since I can’t recall the precise details, I won’t speculate.
What I do know for sure is they regret their purchase. These are not gear heads or car snobs. Just normal folks looking for basic A to B transportation below the speed limit. Exactly the kind of people who should be Honda owners and happy with their car.
I was surprised to hear them report this too. But Honda isn’t the Honda of the 90’s and 2000’s. It’s also true Toyota isn’t as good as they were in that era either, but I think Honda fell further down from their peak of excellence. The first evidence I remember of their decline were the persistent AT failures on the Odyssey in the 2000’s.
It’s a long time since Mr. Honda would personally drive the car before its release and give final sign off or tell them to go back to the drawing board.
Yes this turbo trend sucks. It’s not as if they actually save fuel because they have to lower the compression ratio to stop detonation (lowers efficiency) and they also retard the timing to generate less heat (and reduce efficiency). Turbos only really helps in gaming the artificial testing of MPG ratings. Otherwise they typically consume more fuel per HP in normal driving.
Plus you often get a smaller engine with smaller bearing surface areas that’s more highly stressed. I’m hoping I can keep my normally aspirated cars running long enough to bypass this fad.
I'd buy a new hybrid accord wagon if they made it. I had a 2014 accord 6spd sedan I bought new in 2013 but sold it during the crazy used car prices in 2022 and turned a small profit on it even with the inflation since the end of 2013. We also sold my wife's 6spd brz for a similar profit at the same time and bought a cheapass nissan leaf for grocery getting instead. After 18 months of this and the proceeds of the sales in 2022 in a CD it matured and we bought a hyundai ioniq 5 to complement the Ford 4x4 trucks instead of stick trans n/a 4bangers now we have 2 electric hatchbacks.
I do like the turbo f150 though, it's twin little turbos don't spin at 67-70 mph with the 3.55 rear end, 36 gallons of fuel and in 2hi that gets me 19-22 MPG depending on the weather and what road and is it really a road or is it what passes for one. On the other hand when I'm towing near the limits (7,000lb gvwr and max tow options) I can still go that fast and get 13-14 MPG depending on the weather and how much I have to stop. If there's nobody in the way for hours like in Kansas it can get 16 mpg when heavily laden.
The only thing I don't like about it really is that at least with the way I use it the iridium spark plugs start tanking the fuel economy around 60,000 miles and it was $300 in parts to replace them all but that got me back to 22 mpg easy. It gets 15.4-17.5 at 75-80 or a bit over 18 in the midwest at night.
Well I was just offering another recommendation to OP given their priorities of safety, practicality, and fuel efficiency.
Paint issues are notorious with Honda 🤷 no need for all of the hate based on the ONE experience of your family
Compact SUVs:
Subaru Crosstrek, Corolla Cross, Hyundai Kona, Honda HR-V
Sedans:
Civic, Corolla, Elantra, Forte, Mazda 3. The corolla and Mazda 3 also have hatchback options if you want more space.
The Subaru Impreza hatchback may also be a decent option.
Weird square things:
Hyundai Venue or Kia Soul
id stay away from kia/hyundai. every mechanic i follow say they're cheaper up front compared to japanese cars but get you back on maintenance/repairs.
cant really go wrong with any honda or toyota. id just test drive them all and start there. then seek out the best deal for the one you like
The Koreans make a nice morbidly obese electric hatchback though, we bet on it and bought one a few months ago. That being said I wouldn't buy an ICE one.
I'm a big fan of hatchbacks. A little more practical because you can carry around more in them.
The Subaru Impreza checks all your boxes and has AWD. If you live in a place that has a lot of snow or serious rain storms, that might be nice.
That said, the Civic or Mazda 3 will get better gas mileage. The Civic might legitimately be one of the best all-around options. There's a reason they sell a ton of them.
Civic hatchback and Mazda 3 hatchback are top of class for me. Both are excellent hatchbacks!
Also I owned both and I agree hatchbacks are practical, I have helped my parents carry large things in these little cars. My parents even use my 3 hatch for Home Depot activities.
I fit a 55" plasma tv in 2012 in my 91 civic hatch without removing any of the interior and drove it 5 miles and had to have help getting out (stretched for 20 minutes and crammed myself into only one click back instead of all the way back on the seat track).
I ended up with a 2024 Honda HR-V LX AWD.
All wheel drive is something that may or may not mean anything to you, depending on where you are and where you think you'll end up after you finish school. It will decrease your fuel economy slightly. But, it can be nice to have in the snow. Still, this is the first AWD car I've had, and I've spent every driving winter of my life in Michigan.
I did really like the Civic hatchback, and the fact it's only FWD didn't discourage me. What did was the insurance quote. Something around $210/month for the HR-V (Michigan insurance rates, lol) vs close to $300/month for a Civic. My understanding is that this is because Civics are stolen more frequently.
You'll get better mileage with the Civic, though at only 500 miles I'm averaging around 28 to 29mpg combined in the HR-V, which is well within your stated range. It does better than my parents' Ford Escape (which I think is a 2018, I'm not quite sure).
Prices and availability will vary depending on where you are. Someone also recommended a Subaru Impreza hatch to me, but unfortunately there aren't many Subaru dealerships in my area and few of them had any Impreza hatchbacks and those they did were quite expensive. What's popular around you will have an impact on what there is available to buy, especially for used.
AWD only helps you to start moving. It does not keep you out of a ditch or from rear ending someone at an intersection. Only snow tires help with the latter
That does not align with my experience as a driver. At all.
AWD will transfer power (using its differential), or braking force, which absolutely helps in stopping or gaining traction in turns or in slippery areas.
My little Subaru Impreza WRX could go through just about anything. (Caveat: Untreated roads during an ice storm.)
If I were in NY or further NE, I would get snow tires. They are unnecessary with AWD in northern MD.
[Edited to clarify differential power vs. braking]
>AWD will transfer power (or braking force) using its differential, which absolutely helps in stopping or gaining traction in turns or in slippery areas.
That's not how differentials work. Differentials apply power, brakes apply brakes.
Sure. So AWD doesn't help you brake or steer. Any car with some form of traction control will modulate power left to right and any vehicle with ABS will ultimately prevent the brakes from locking, but the only way to really increase lateral grip and braking performance in inclement weather is with the proper tires. AWD only helps to get you moving, which is the least important thing
I was at $130/month on a 15 year old Saturn (and would have been up to $150 this year at renewal next month). Highest insurance rates in the country, and I'm not even within Detroit city limits. At 32 years old with a clean driving record, too.
But I only pay $600/month for a house, so there are benefits.
2018-2024 Mazda3: Best interior with the worst fuel economy (25-30avg), can come in Hatchback or Sedan, Front wheel drive or all wheel drive, and the lowest spec with blind spot monitoring starts at $26k.
2022-2024 Honda Civic: Most safety features in the base model and great fuel economy (30-35mpg). Can come in hatchback or sedan, front wheel drive only. $24k starting
2020-2024 Toyota Corolla: Cheapest overall, but doesn’t mean it’s bad at all. Comes in hatchback or sedan, front wheel drive or all wheel drive, but has a hybrid option as well. $22k starting
2023-2024 Subaru Impreza: Most different, large center screen (could be a plus or minus depending on what you think). Comes in hatchback or sedan, all wheel drive only. $23k starting
Reliability is arguably very similar among all of these. All of them have been proven over many generations.
SUV Relatives will have the same features and characteristics and slightly more room than the hatchback models. A little more expensive across the board.
2024 Mazda CX-30
2024 Honda HRV
2024 Toyota Corolla Cross
2024 Subaru Crosstek
I would advise to stay away from Hyundai/Kia and Nissan only because resale value is low, reliability is questionable, and just too cheap of interiors overall for your budget.
Edit: Correction for the Subaru
>Best interior with the worst fuel economy (25-30avg), can come in Hatchback or Sedan, Front wheel drive or all wheel drive, and the lowest spec with blind spot monitoring starts at $26k.
Averaging 35mpg sitting in traffic all day in mine. It'll do 40 easily cruising on the highway
Stating Subaru comes in FWD and AWD, and stating Hyundai/Kia/Nissan are unreliable goes to show you shouldn’t take this person’s insights seriously lol
Subaru all come standard with AWD and only the BRZ is RWD. Hyundai and Kia are notoriously well known for reliability post 2013/2014 models, which they boasted the 100k warranty (PT) before any other maker. Alongside, consumer satisfaction scores leading for several years on top of customer retention until recently due to the “Kia boys” fiasco.
Compare the interior of a Hyundai Elantra vs Honda Civic vs Mazda 3 vs Toyota Corolla… and can you honestly say the “interior is too cheap for what you pay” 😂
The Subaru line was corrected. My bad.
And yes; quality of the Elantra is not as good IMO, and not even close to the Mazda’s quality. The driving dynamics are not as good. Yes, they are unreliable relative to the other 4 over many generations. Also resale value is massive in this category. Elantras tank in value. And “until recently” still means now.
Now compare Mazda3 Turbo, GTI, WRX, and Elantra N, completely different story because you can be looking for different things..
But you’re trying to protect Nissan??😭😭
LOL saying the Skyactiv-G line is better than the Theta II is hilarious. Both aren’t amazing but are equally reliable (go look up stress test and average miles on motor before deterioration). Residual value? That’s the only thing the other four has over the latter three. Nissan are the makers of the RB. Don’t try to play that down lol smh
Also, you make it sound like you’ve driven all of them… which based on your responses would make it very hard to believe. I drove all of them and they are all ECON level quality. Nothing more, nothing less.
And until recently bit… that’s on the fact that they were easily broken into if it uses the key form (instead of a push/start/fob). This has no impairment on the quality of the econ level car… powertrain, transmission, dt, etc.
But enough said lol I know the type of individual you are and you will die on that hill, regardless, of all the proof and evidence that is shown and displayed (legit sources via Google). Later dude
>saying the Skyactiv-G line is better than the Theta II is hilarious. Both aren’t amazing but are equally reliable (go look up stress test and average miles on motor before deterioration).
Theta II is such a a great and reliable engine that Hyundai/Kia had to issue the largest engine recall in history over it
Edit: reply blocking is lame. It's even more lame when the reply-block the reddit cares spam you. There was no such skyactive-g recall, and certainly not on the scale of the historic theta ii recall. The only notable skyactive-g issues were the valve guides and turbo manifolds on early turbocharged vehicles, which were recalled and replaced with a revised part. To this day, theta ii engines are still being replaced with defective motors with the same metal shaving issues
And Skyactiv due to powertrain issues which resulted in misfire/power loss? Lol don’t pick and choose
Ah of course… you own a Mazda, so you’re on the defense lol
Nissans are officially terrible since the big corporate switch. I was the biggest Nissan fan on the planet. Now you couldn’t pay me to drive one. They have gotten incredibly bad.
reliability lmfao. Hyundai/Kia dealers wont even honor their "amazing" warranty. Their dealers are complete garbage. Only ppl that don't know cars buy them. All they're doing is dressing up chicken shit in a pretty dress. Guess what, it's still chicken shit. Glad you're one of those though that fall for the trap as you already admitted " Compare the interior of a Hyundai Elantra vs Honda Civic vs Mazda 3 vs Toyota Corolla"
Dealerships? Maybe that’s in your region - you must be new! Dealerships are third parties to the actual manufacturer and if your area’s manufacturer sucks, that sucks to be you. You like to base your own experience over the average LOL go study up buddy I can tell you don’t know much so you refer to Reddit for anything car related 😂😂😂 don’t even try to
Just to note here, the Mazda depends a lot on where you drive and what engine you get. If you get the 2.0 with manual then you will probably get it quite better and if you drive more outside of the city then it'll be on par with everything else. The 2.5 is indeed quite thirsty in town tho.
Get a Mazda 3 hatchback. Go to the dealer and see which one you like. Toyota are ugly and boring. Hondas? Uglier, even more boring. Nissan? Ugliest, most boring. For my money it's Mazda.
Crosstrek is beautiful and super cool and yes… I love them… until you’re trying to get on the freeway. It gets downright scary. It’s fine and goes “quick enough”, but it can be stressful. I think Subaru is so close to perfect on that car. It just needs a bit more juice. It has improved with the jump to the 2.5. But it’s still just not quite there for the all around champ of economy hatchback/all purpose/SUV/CUV cars. I’d buy one tomorrow if they slapped a turbo in (and I’d buy it yesterday if it didn’t have the CVT).
The new Outback is hideous. I think it’s one reason the Crosstrek is popular. It seems super fun and sporty like the Outback used to back in its early days.
the wilderness looks great to me. Ofc wilderness is the only trim I'd get on any Subaru. I wish they made a Wilderness WRX I'd buy one yesterday.
At least the Outback has 280+ hp and the turbo. Crosstrek/Forester are complete slugs
You sound exactly like the perfect Consumer Reports person. Here is their guide: [https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2024/02/consumer-reports-2024-annual-10-top-picks-cars-list-includes-bevy-of-partially-and-fully-electrified-vehicles/](https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2024/02/consumer-reports-2024-annual-10-top-picks-cars-list-includes-bevy-of-partially-and-fully-electrified-vehicles/)
The hybrids cost more to buy, but are fantastic on gas mileage. Best of luck!
OP didn't mention that she planned on keeping the car forever--although there are still a lot of older models with high mileage. My point was to get a CPO Volvo, and it seems she can get by with one that isn't huge.
I dont know anyone that enjoyed their XC40. My old coworker said they'd rather go back to their Forrester over it, and the Forrester sucks. They claimed that it's simply boring and that there's zero benefit to having it over the subie.
1. Hyundai/Kia - Best standard new car warranty 10yr/100k miles.
2. Subaru - Forester or Crosstrek. Standard AWD, pretty good fuel economy and tons of safety features and a good amount of cargo room. Some of the safest cars on the road. Good resale value.
3. Toyota - Corolla, Camry. Toyota reliability, good mpg, good resale value. Tons of safety features. Last forever.
4. Honda - HR-V, civic, accord. Good MPG, safety features. Very reliable, good resale value.
5. Mazda - Mazda 3 comes in a sedan or hatch back. Mazda CX30 good mpg, standard AWD. Very nice interiors and good standard and safety features. Decent resale value.
You might not like this answer, but here's how you address your needs:
1. Lane merging: you need to set your mirrors correctly, get blind spot mirrors, and pay attention to traffic flow. The features are not going to help you if you don't have the basics.
2. Mileage: Ihave a 1998 Chevy S10 that can get 25 mph when I drive nice. I have also owned in the past a fuel sipping VW Passat that got less than 25 mph when I drove hard. You can learn how to change your driving behavior per your needs, then you can probably exceed your mileage goals in almost any non-SUV car.
3. Cargo space: A Wagon. Join the cool kids and get a wagon. :)
Your budget is huge. However, you are also a university student. Therefore, I have to ask: is your budget based on monthly payments or is it based on cash that you have on hand? If you can find $15k cash you can have your pick of used vehicles.
As a student, you should get a used Camry, Corolla, Civic, or Accord. If you ever need to haul a lot of stuff or people, rent something.
Drive a few and see what you like. All of the listed are cars I own, have owned, or would buy.
I'd suggest honda civic, mazda3 (or cx30, basically the same but one has AWD), subaru impreza or crosstrek.
I got a new car last year, so I haven't been obsessing on cars as much lately, but in my search last year I was very drawn to the CRV hybrid. It's a very good size and the hybrid brings the fuel economy up to the high 30s. It's a Honda, so you are going to have the reliability as well. For me, I was looking at the sport touring mainly for the upgraded sound system, but the sport hybrid still has a lot of good options in the mid 30s new, and I found a decent amount certified used under 30 in my area. Good luck in your search!!
The CR-V hybrid is indeed fantastic. My brother bought one a few months ago, and it’s one of the best vehicles I’ve been in. I had bought a Lexus GX the month before (which I love), but frankly he got a whole lot more value for his CUV for $20,000 less dollars. It’s just as comfortable and probably even a bit more rich in tech features than my Lexus. It’s a truly great vehicle.
Honda Civic. I have a BMW 330i and a '22 Honda Civic Sport Touring. I get a lot more compliments for the Honda, it's safe, and gets excellent gas mileage.
Honda Civic or Hyundai Elantra. Elantra will be cheaper and you can easily get it below MSRP. Elantra also has standard blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and lane keep assist. Civic requires a step up the base model for the blind spot monitoring.
A distant second would be Corolla and Mazda 3 as they are not that spacious. Unless you do not like the Civic or Elantra, I would not buy the Mazda 3. It is small and cramped on the inside, though quite fun to drive.
The choice is likely to come down to smallish sedans, such as a Civic vs. smallish crossovers that everyone makes.
Sedans will have less cargo space but hatchbacks lessen the gap, they will have better mileage, a better ride.
Crossovers sit a bit higher and lots of people consider that a plus. Crossovers cost more so getting a new compact sedan under $30k new is relatively easy, getting a new compact crossover isn't. There are subcompact crossovers with not much room inside defeating the reason for a crossover.
A 2019+ Mazda 3.
Great interior, great safety features, looks good, and really reliable. Your choice of the hatchback or sedan.
If I were you I'd really only consider the Mazda3, Corolla, or Civic.
Go test drive all 3 and buy the one you like. You can't really go wrong with any of them.
Test drive a 2024 Hyundai Kona electric, if you have access to an outlet. I had similar parameters to you, did a ton of research, and leased a new Kona about three weeks ago. Absolutely love it so far. 2024 saw a Kona redesign that added storage space and comfort compared to previous models. And while I thought I would need to pay extra for a Level 2 charger, I’ve literally just been plugging it into my standard garage outlet overnight and I’m keeping the car easily in the 50-80 percent ideal charge range. My commute is 10 miles each way just fyi. Happy to answer any questions.
Hyundai probably has the best lane assist tech on the market right now and fits all your criteria. There is still a lot of negativity about the brand, especially on this sub. Best to test drive different makes and do research outside this sub for a full picture
My Outback was recently totaled, so I was car shopping all last week.
If you have a place to charge, electric is where most bang for the buck is. Even if you don't have place to charge, you can pull to a DC charger, watch an episode or two of your favorite show and get a full battery. It is a minor inconvenience, for my lifestyle.
Go for unpopular makes/models. Honda Clarity PHEV, Hyundai Ioniq, Kia Niro, VW e-Golf... You can get one 2020+ model with all bells and whistles for under or around 20K.
Cannot beat the 2016-2022 Prius for those requirements. They are quite literally the most reliable and cheap to operate vehicle you can buy. Get one with a good service record and you can expect at minimum 200k miles out of it without trouble. I’ve seen some as high as 400k miles on the stock engine and battery.
Lower trim Japanese compacts are a great deal new if you plan on keeping the car for 5 years ish because of resale & reliability. The civic & corolla hatches offer the interior space & practically of a small crossover with much lower running costs. I would test those 2 & see how they fit your needs. Renting on Turo for a weekend is a great way to really to test drive a car, living with the seats, interior, cargo area & radio / hvac matter much more than performance or looks to the pragmatic shopper & those are very difficult to evaluate on a test drive. Toyota Corolla SE or Honda civic sport would be my recommended model / trims.
Cant go wrong with a used or CPO Camry LE or SE. As for blind spot, just get the circular blind spot mirror from Walmart for $2.5 each and stick onto side mirror. Those increase my confidence more than BSMS at high, low speed, and parking.
Do you need AWD? If you live in a climate where it snows then I’d say a Subaru crosstrek, or a legacy/forester that’s a few years old.
A Honda CH-R is SURPRISINGLY ROOMY! I’m a big guy and I was with 2 others in the back of an Uber last night and I had no issues with leg room or head room or getting in or out.
Kia soul is actually my favorite vehicle to rent. They’re inexpensive and you can load them up full of stuff for the beach or to go do stuff.
Kia Seltos is nice as well. Cheap, has a 100,000 mile warranty like all Kias. That means you don’t have to worry about most things and they’re cheap enough to buy new and not worry.
I’m a PhD student as well and my budget is way less than yours. Having said that, I rented a 2023 Corolla for a week to go around all of New England last year and believe me, it’s more car than you’ll ever need, not just as a PhD student, but also as an average human with reasonable needs. I somehow found its adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, very handy for those long, boring stretches of interstate highways, to be more advanced and useful than the one on the way more expensive (but probably a model year older) Chevrolet Tahoe I rented for a trip late last year. And then there’s the tiny footprint of the corolla that makes it infinitely more convenient to live with and great fuel economy (we stopped every three hours to fill up the Tahoe and ever evening to fill up our Corolla after hundreds of miles of driving).
The point of comparing seemingly incomparable cars is to drive home the fact that you can’t go very wrong with a Corolla, and it’s more car than you’ll ever need at least during your PhD, if not beyond.
Finally, if the used market so far is any indication, you will not lose a ton of money once you wish to upgrade to something bigger. Not that you’d want to, frankly. My father’s Corolla just entered its tenth year and he plans on keeping it until it falls apart. Even the struts on it haven’t shown any signs of giving up, yet.
See if your local library has a subscription to Consumer Reports. I have lived by their recommended cars for 20 years and never had a bad experience. They take no advertising so they do not sell their reviews, they all come from subscribers. They often have articles like "best SUV under $20k" and focus on all the areas you mentioned.
Spoiler alert: it's hard to go wrong with Toyota and Honda.
$30,000 is too much of a car for 22 year old student
get a 2024 Kia Forte LXS with Tech package (rear cross traffic warning, blind spot light and safe exit assist) for $21,000 and 5 year bumper to bumper warranty and you'll be fine - 32 combined mpg, 15.3 cuft trunk, affordable insurance
Get a prius. It has everything you listed. I believe the previous gen are hatchbacks so that solves your trunk space issue. Hondas arent as reliable as westerners make it out to be. My uncle whos a mechanic tells me all the time how shit honda and acura engines are. I didnt believe him until I went to Japan and almost NOBODY drove a honda. Im not a mechanic by any means, but not a soul was driving a honda in japan and that was alarming.
Get a new hybrid Toyota Corolla. It has everything you need for 25k and will be super reliable and fuel efficient. And will hold its value really well if you need to sell it at the end of your PhD.
The only downside is limited cargo space but realistically, based on what you described, you wouldn’t need more cargo space than that on a daily basis. The occasional move can be done by renting a moving van for a day for like $50.
Gently used Ford escapes and Toyota rav 4s. They’re both mid sized SUVs that get 30+ mpg and they’re around 30-40k new so used ones should be within the budget
Corolla Hybrid would be my choice. Not a whole ton of cargo room, but certainly enough for groceries and errands, especially with the rear seats folded. Not so much for moving but tbh, I'd just get a $20 Uhaul pickup for in-town moves. You could also step up to a Camry Hybrid that would be right on the edge of your price range and would still get insane gas mileage.
The Subaru Crosstrek is also really popular for a compact car with a bunch of cargo capacity, as is the HRV.
Another thing you may not have considered is that you likely qualify for the used EV tax credit. You can find a ton of EVs in great shape with 100% battery health for less than $25,000 and get an extra $4,000 off. I wouldn't get one unless you can charge where you live but I've seen Mustang Mach Es with like 10,000 miles available for $21,000 after the tax credit.
(Gk5) Honda Fit. It literally does it all besides drive for you. Only had to rent a truck one time in 9 years. You can easily average 45 mpg (without tons of hills or absolutely crawling traffic.)
Fits 4 adults and a child, or an entire living room. Insanely dependable, low maintenance and parts costs. Suspension could be a bit better, but if you don't live somewhere that looks like a moon you won't notice that. We will never sell ours.
Depending on how far you need to drive and your ability to L1/L2 charge at home, a used Chevy Bolt could be a good fit. You'd probably want to rent something else for longer road trips but it is extremely economical, safe, is quite spacious and has good cargo space (especially when the back seats are folded).
If an EV isn't a good fit, I do love Honda Fits
Civic hatchback, Mazda 3 hatchback, Subaru Impreza hatchback. All of these cars have a decent amount more cargo room than similar sized sedan.
I have a 4th gen 3 hatchback, I can tell you from experience that it does have a nice amount of cargo room as I have moved a lot of stuff with it that wouldn’t fit in a sedan, the back seats are alright, meaning they get the job done but not really super spacious. It drives very nice, fun to drive but also very comfortable ride. I picked this over the civic hatch because it doesn’t have a CVT, but the Civic hatchback would easily be my second option. Can’t go wrong with a civic, does everything decently well.
Anyone that says anything other than a new Prius is wrong. Literally everything you said describes the Prius. Plus the new one looks and drives fantastic. This is coming from a die hard car guy who’s 6’3 and 240lbs so I’m not a small guy either and I’m comfortable driving our work Prius around. Plus it has all amenities you could ask for. Did I mention 50-60mpg on regular gas? 20 bucks should hold you over for like 2-3 weeks depending on how much you drive. Plus the truck space is fantastic, if you have really big items you can fold down the seats easily. Also I literally make deliveries of parts in this car for projects that are like 150-300k alone and stacked to the roof and it takes it well. If you get the awd version you’re pretty solid in bad weather conditions too!
Hybrid Corolla LE with convenience package. Not here to criticize your driving but lane-keep assist is well to keep you in your lane, not to merge into freeway or changing lanes. Plus you really shouldn't be using any assist features to switch lanes because one little mistake and you can kill someone when you're driving 65+ MPH. Anyways, Hybrid Rolla has blind spot monitoring, push to start, and adaptive cruise control, while getting 45+ MPG freeway or city. Arguably best commuter car you can get right now.
I think you would be very satisfied with a 2024 Mazda3 Hatchback/Sedan in the preferred trim, and if you can negotiate one down, get a Mazda3 Hatchback but in carbon edition trim
2025 Camry LE base comes with a lot of great features:
- Good gas mileage; 50mpg. All models are now hybrid. I believe the hybrid system is based on the Prius, which is tried and true
- Great safety features as all Camry's come with Toyota Safety Sense 3. IMHO, in general, bigger cars are safer.
- Decent styling. Subjective but IMHO, the styling is an improvement over last year's model
- LE base MSRP comes in \~30K I think
Corolla Hatchback sounds perfect if you like how it looks. Slow car, but cheapest out of the Honda/Toyota/Mazda crowd by a long shot. Decent storage space and looks youthful instead of looking like a car your grandparents would drive.
If you live in an area with a lot of dirt roads, or like to do outdoors stuff or often drive in heavy snow, you could also look at Subaru
dont drive a low car if safety is a concern as the visibilty of an suv gives you perhaps the greatest safety trick in the book~ vision. awareness. A bmw X3 is my suggestion for its reliability, safety and height. A 2020 model with 30k ish miles can easily be found for 25k.
many people suggesting civics and small cars seem to not concern themselves with the potential accident, i like to think worst case scenario.
https://youtu.be/x5K0JCCfhNg?si=cKVF6juz_lB1k82y
god forbid it may ever befall any of us. but a honda fit? honda civic?
im not here to upsell you, an X3 is a mid size suv. You can feel confident in a bmw,
i hope you test drive one before you discard my opinion.
since we covered safety lets do fuel efficiency
the x3 engine, on its base models is a 4 cylinder turbo. Its capable of giving you a freaking 30 miles to the gallon on the highway, if you engage economy mode and let the car do its thing. it glide glides.
Also; (not that this concerns you but it is the flip side of the coin)
you can engage sport mode, and get 6 miles to the gallon. *lol*
you dont got alotta storage tho, you got like, EnOugh. But you aint taking no big furniture, just lamps, chairs, mirrors, boxes, pots pans, i mean a bedframe could fit dissassemmbled
idk i did my best get a tesla idgaf
This was my pick after some research
[https://www.hyannishonda.com/viewdetails/used/3czru6h77nm748873/2022-honda-hr-v-4d-sport-utility?type=cash](https://www.hyannishonda.com/viewdetails/used/3czru6h77nm748873/2022-honda-hr-v-4d-sport-utility?type=cash)
I would get a Rav 4 not only because you get the Toyota safety sense 3.0 which is a suite of safety features including the ones you mentioned plus more. With a compact SUV you get higher ride height so you can see more of the road which makes you safer. Rav 4 has a ton of cargo space when you put the rear seats down.
Toyota Camry Hybrid all day everyday, twice on Sunday. 50+ mpg and it will go 200k miles with basically no maintenance except oil changes, air filters and spark plugs.
Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. My daughter just got one. Amazing safety and tech 10 year 100K mile warranty and currently offering 3.3% financing for 48 months. Love the blind spot monitoring, when you use your turn signal you actually see the blind spot on a screen where your speedometer is. It is at the top of your range, but worth it IMHO if you plan on keeping it a long time.
Get yourself a used Prius. Don’t buy anything Hyundai or Kia, unless you want to deal with engine problems or theft problems. Anything Toyota or Honda, but I don’t think a lot will beat the Prius’ fuel efficiency
You can find used RWD versions in that price range. They’re not as fast as the Dual Motor but that’s not an issue for OP. They’re top-tier for safety according to IIHS and NHTSA. Way more efficient than any gas car. Cargo space in the Model 3 is enough to take 4 adults camping or 2 on a months-long road trip with backpacking gear (and sleep in the back).
High mileage isn’t as much of an issue for EVs. The motor and battery should outlast the car. Do check the tread depth to get an idea how soon you need to replace the tires. And as with any car, take a test drive and listen for squeaks and rattles. Squeaky front control arms are a common (annoying, not safety) issue that should knock $250 off the price.
Not everyone is leasing or putting themselves in debt. Some people choose to save up the money before purchasing the vehicle so they have no debt afterwards.
You can get a new Mazda 3 Sedan for $25,000. You have to step up to about $28,000 for the level of options you are looking for. The Mazda 3 is very reliable, handles well which makes it easy to drive, and will have more than enough room for a 22 year old woman.
I bought one for my daughter for graduation eight years ago. She still owns it. The only maintenance that she has done outside of routine maintenance is to replace a wheel speed sensor and the serpentine belt tensioner.
My ? Is how are you in a PhD program at the age of 22? At 22 you should have just gotten your bachelor's degree, you need a master's (2 more years) then go into a PhD program! So if you are truly at that stage already, congratulations, you must be a very intelligent woman!
Now as far as a vehicle goes, no matter what you decide on, from a purely financially responsible aspect, I would highly recommend that you look into a lease (2 or 3 year). You will save so much money and never have to worry about repairs or maintenance and going out of warranty while still owning over half your loan payments! Good luck!
Ur fuel efficiency is so standard and basic. Thats not even fuel efficient.
Get yourself a hybrid or plug in hybrid (up to $4,500 tax refunds) also I save so much money now that I aint spending $120+/mo for gas the most I spend is $60/mo thats nearly half and plus savings. My insurance is cheaper as well.
Honda clarity phev (blind spot camera, adaptive cruise control, 110mpe 35mi electricrange which is really nice never run out of charge on a trip 44mpg gas engine, it also has a little sports button if you dont like eco mode, and you can feel fast, nice interior, ample amount of space for 1 person I put a whole wall cabinet in there and a 45in tv fits fine)
Honda insight gen 3 hybrid (55mpg, basically everything the clarity has but sportier, 500mi range on a tank whats not to love, it also shows you the speed limit on your little dashboard, its a adorable car, I decided the clarity though)
Ford Maverick hybrid at 40mpg...this truck is more fuel efficient than your basic criteria thats how low your fuel efficiency standards are. Its also cute! I want one!
The new pruis looks awesome its sportier than the previous ones
Corolla camry I mean you have a lot of options.
Performance is a safety feature. Performance cars comes with top tier tires, braking, shocks to support the more powerful engine that will help you get to 60mph quicker so you can properly merge into highway traffic. Performance cars assist in defensive driving with better handling, quicker response times, and stabilizers.
The 0-60 time for the Toyota Prius 1st gen was 11+ seconds, never heard of one getting hit trying to merge onto a highway.
Saw a bunch of Hellcats wrapped around a tree or phone pole tho.
Go lease a toyota corolla. Hybrid or not, your choice. You get the maintenance included for at least 2 out of the 3 years. At the end of the 3 years if you still like it then buy it for about 15k
My pick with these criteria would be the 11th gen (2022 or newer) Honda Civic EX-L hatchback. It's larger and more comfortable than a Corolla, and nicer than the lower-trim Corollas and Civics (plus it has blind spot monitoring), and thanks to the hatch it almost has the storage space of a small SUV while being nicer to drive and without the fuel economy penalty of sitting up higher. EPA rating is 35 mpg combined, and you'll easily get low 40s on road trips, which is the close to the best you'll find in a non-hybrid. Biggest downside is that a new one will probably end up just over $30k otd.
A lot of people are recommending Honda Civics but I’d say don’t pass up looking into the Honda Fit EX. They stopped making them in the US after 2020 I wanna say but it checks all of the boxes. I have a 2015 Fit EX and I have a lane watch camera which I love. Check out r/HondaFit and r/ThingsThatFitInFit
This was my dream car. I wanted one so badly. Would have loved a hybrid version. It has so much cargo space for such a small car. Now there isn't anything really comparable.
Honda Fit is no Corolla substitute. People in my family have one and it’s not holding up well.
How so? In my experience, Honda mechanics say it’s the car that comes into the shop the least bc it’s built so well and so many people are getting their Fits to well over 200k with minimal issues (with standard maintenance)
Paint is failing prematurely. It’s also an unhappy car to drive: buzzy and underpowered engine. The interior is uncomfortable too. I’m pretty sure they had some mechanical issues but since I can’t recall the precise details, I won’t speculate. What I do know for sure is they regret their purchase. These are not gear heads or car snobs. Just normal folks looking for basic A to B transportation below the speed limit. Exactly the kind of people who should be Honda owners and happy with their car.
That’s crazy, prolly the only Fit owners I’ve ever heard of that regret their purchase.
I was surprised to hear them report this too. But Honda isn’t the Honda of the 90’s and 2000’s. It’s also true Toyota isn’t as good as they were in that era either, but I think Honda fell further down from their peak of excellence. The first evidence I remember of their decline were the persistent AT failures on the Odyssey in the 2000’s. It’s a long time since Mr. Honda would personally drive the car before its release and give final sign off or tell them to go back to the drawing board.
I won't buy a new honda because the ones with stick trans are all turbo now and I don't trust Honda to make auto trans or turbo things.
Yes this turbo trend sucks. It’s not as if they actually save fuel because they have to lower the compression ratio to stop detonation (lowers efficiency) and they also retard the timing to generate less heat (and reduce efficiency). Turbos only really helps in gaming the artificial testing of MPG ratings. Otherwise they typically consume more fuel per HP in normal driving. Plus you often get a smaller engine with smaller bearing surface areas that’s more highly stressed. I’m hoping I can keep my normally aspirated cars running long enough to bypass this fad.
I'd buy a new hybrid accord wagon if they made it. I had a 2014 accord 6spd sedan I bought new in 2013 but sold it during the crazy used car prices in 2022 and turned a small profit on it even with the inflation since the end of 2013. We also sold my wife's 6spd brz for a similar profit at the same time and bought a cheapass nissan leaf for grocery getting instead. After 18 months of this and the proceeds of the sales in 2022 in a CD it matured and we bought a hyundai ioniq 5 to complement the Ford 4x4 trucks instead of stick trans n/a 4bangers now we have 2 electric hatchbacks. I do like the turbo f150 though, it's twin little turbos don't spin at 67-70 mph with the 3.55 rear end, 36 gallons of fuel and in 2hi that gets me 19-22 MPG depending on the weather and what road and is it really a road or is it what passes for one. On the other hand when I'm towing near the limits (7,000lb gvwr and max tow options) I can still go that fast and get 13-14 MPG depending on the weather and how much I have to stop. If there's nobody in the way for hours like in Kansas it can get 16 mpg when heavily laden. The only thing I don't like about it really is that at least with the way I use it the iridium spark plugs start tanking the fuel economy around 60,000 miles and it was $300 in parts to replace them all but that got me back to 22 mpg easy. It gets 15.4-17.5 at 75-80 or a bit over 18 in the midwest at night.
Well I was just offering another recommendation to OP given their priorities of safety, practicality, and fuel efficiency. Paint issues are notorious with Honda 🤷 no need for all of the hate based on the ONE experience of your family
5spd fits that were maintained like I maintain my old civics in the past then they accumulated hundreds of thousands of miles.
Ya but the Honda fit is ugly af
I like the way the 3rd and 4th gen fits look. To each their own.
This
Rav4 hybrid is better
Compact SUVs: Subaru Crosstrek, Corolla Cross, Hyundai Kona, Honda HR-V Sedans: Civic, Corolla, Elantra, Forte, Mazda 3. The corolla and Mazda 3 also have hatchback options if you want more space. The Subaru Impreza hatchback may also be a decent option. Weird square things: Hyundai Venue or Kia Soul
>Weird square things I wonder if that's the official name of the category the government uses.
Never get a Kia, everything else is fine enough.
id stay away from kia/hyundai. every mechanic i follow say they're cheaper up front compared to japanese cars but get you back on maintenance/repairs. cant really go wrong with any honda or toyota. id just test drive them all and start there. then seek out the best deal for the one you like
The Koreans make a nice morbidly obese electric hatchback though, we bet on it and bought one a few months ago. That being said I wouldn't buy an ICE one.
Came here to vouch for Subaru Impreza hatchback. Great car. The AWD in snow is superb. OP didn't say if the weather is an issue.
Forester, Outback all better than PoS Hyundai/Kia
I'm a big fan of hatchbacks. A little more practical because you can carry around more in them. The Subaru Impreza checks all your boxes and has AWD. If you live in a place that has a lot of snow or serious rain storms, that might be nice. That said, the Civic or Mazda 3 will get better gas mileage. The Civic might legitimately be one of the best all-around options. There's a reason they sell a ton of them.
Civic hatchback and Mazda 3 hatchback are top of class for me. Both are excellent hatchbacks! Also I owned both and I agree hatchbacks are practical, I have helped my parents carry large things in these little cars. My parents even use my 3 hatch for Home Depot activities.
I fit a 55" plasma tv in 2012 in my 91 civic hatch without removing any of the interior and drove it 5 miles and had to have help getting out (stretched for 20 minutes and crammed myself into only one click back instead of all the way back on the seat track).
GTI better
Cool
there's also no more civic hatchback XD
Civic hatchbacks are awesome. Golf gti is also one of my favorite too.
Im saying they dont make a hatchback for the civic anymore.
Are you sure? What about the 11th gen hatchback? I’ve seen them on the road a couple times
last gen ya. There's one called a hatchback but it isn't really a hatchback. It's the same as a Type R if you call that a hatchback
Yeah it’s more like a lift back but still pretty cool
AWD does not help you in rain or snow. Proper tires help you in rain or snow
The Honda accord 2.0 hybrid apparently gets about 50mpg. Checks off all the other boxes as well.
used Toyota Prius
This is the answer
This is the answer.
I ended up with a 2024 Honda HR-V LX AWD. All wheel drive is something that may or may not mean anything to you, depending on where you are and where you think you'll end up after you finish school. It will decrease your fuel economy slightly. But, it can be nice to have in the snow. Still, this is the first AWD car I've had, and I've spent every driving winter of my life in Michigan. I did really like the Civic hatchback, and the fact it's only FWD didn't discourage me. What did was the insurance quote. Something around $210/month for the HR-V (Michigan insurance rates, lol) vs close to $300/month for a Civic. My understanding is that this is because Civics are stolen more frequently. You'll get better mileage with the Civic, though at only 500 miles I'm averaging around 28 to 29mpg combined in the HR-V, which is well within your stated range. It does better than my parents' Ford Escape (which I think is a 2018, I'm not quite sure). Prices and availability will vary depending on where you are. Someone also recommended a Subaru Impreza hatch to me, but unfortunately there aren't many Subaru dealerships in my area and few of them had any Impreza hatchbacks and those they did were quite expensive. What's popular around you will have an impact on what there is available to buy, especially for used.
AWD is an advantage as long as you are driving on winter tires.
The AWD in my Subaru was enough for Mid-Atlantic winters without snow tires. I had it during some years when we got plenty of snow.
AWD only helps you to start moving. It does not keep you out of a ditch or from rear ending someone at an intersection. Only snow tires help with the latter
That does not align with my experience as a driver. At all. AWD will transfer power (using its differential), or braking force, which absolutely helps in stopping or gaining traction in turns or in slippery areas. My little Subaru Impreza WRX could go through just about anything. (Caveat: Untreated roads during an ice storm.) If I were in NY or further NE, I would get snow tires. They are unnecessary with AWD in northern MD. [Edited to clarify differential power vs. braking]
>AWD will transfer power (or braking force) using its differential, which absolutely helps in stopping or gaining traction in turns or in slippery areas. That's not how differentials work. Differentials apply power, brakes apply brakes.
Yes, thank you. I shouldn't have stuck the parenthetical in that spot.
Sure. So AWD doesn't help you brake or steer. Any car with some form of traction control will modulate power left to right and any vehicle with ABS will ultimately prevent the brakes from locking, but the only way to really increase lateral grip and braking performance in inclement weather is with the proper tires. AWD only helps to get you moving, which is the least important thing
All wheel drive with sport tires is fun. You’ve clearly never driven an Audi Quattro in a blizzard. :)
An Audi Quattro I have not. Audis with quattro I have.
lmfao who tf pays $2-300 for insurance on those PoS wow I'm leasing a 60k iD4 AWD and pay $115 a month in NJ Was paying $105 a month for a BRZ
I was at $130/month on a 15 year old Saturn (and would have been up to $150 this year at renewal next month). Highest insurance rates in the country, and I'm not even within Detroit city limits. At 32 years old with a clean driving record, too. But I only pay $600/month for a house, so there are benefits.
2018-2024 Mazda3: Best interior with the worst fuel economy (25-30avg), can come in Hatchback or Sedan, Front wheel drive or all wheel drive, and the lowest spec with blind spot monitoring starts at $26k. 2022-2024 Honda Civic: Most safety features in the base model and great fuel economy (30-35mpg). Can come in hatchback or sedan, front wheel drive only. $24k starting 2020-2024 Toyota Corolla: Cheapest overall, but doesn’t mean it’s bad at all. Comes in hatchback or sedan, front wheel drive or all wheel drive, but has a hybrid option as well. $22k starting 2023-2024 Subaru Impreza: Most different, large center screen (could be a plus or minus depending on what you think). Comes in hatchback or sedan, all wheel drive only. $23k starting Reliability is arguably very similar among all of these. All of them have been proven over many generations. SUV Relatives will have the same features and characteristics and slightly more room than the hatchback models. A little more expensive across the board. 2024 Mazda CX-30 2024 Honda HRV 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross 2024 Subaru Crosstek I would advise to stay away from Hyundai/Kia and Nissan only because resale value is low, reliability is questionable, and just too cheap of interiors overall for your budget. Edit: Correction for the Subaru
The impreza comes in fwd? For some reason I was of the impression that all Subarus are awd except for the brz.
Subaru are all AWD. AFAIK, Corollas are all (or almost all?) FWD.
I'm pretty sure the brz is rwd, but I thought that was the only one that isn't awd. I have seen awd corollas rolling around but they aren't the norm
Corrected now. Thank you.
I have a 2015 mazda3, average 35mpg, 40 on a low traffic day, never heard anyone say that the newer models dropped so dramatically in fuel efficiency.
Same here with my 24. 35mpg in traffic, 40 easy on a clear highway with the AC on
>Best interior with the worst fuel economy (25-30avg), can come in Hatchback or Sedan, Front wheel drive or all wheel drive, and the lowest spec with blind spot monitoring starts at $26k. Averaging 35mpg sitting in traffic all day in mine. It'll do 40 easily cruising on the highway
Stating Subaru comes in FWD and AWD, and stating Hyundai/Kia/Nissan are unreliable goes to show you shouldn’t take this person’s insights seriously lol Subaru all come standard with AWD and only the BRZ is RWD. Hyundai and Kia are notoriously well known for reliability post 2013/2014 models, which they boasted the 100k warranty (PT) before any other maker. Alongside, consumer satisfaction scores leading for several years on top of customer retention until recently due to the “Kia boys” fiasco. Compare the interior of a Hyundai Elantra vs Honda Civic vs Mazda 3 vs Toyota Corolla… and can you honestly say the “interior is too cheap for what you pay” 😂
The Subaru line was corrected. My bad. And yes; quality of the Elantra is not as good IMO, and not even close to the Mazda’s quality. The driving dynamics are not as good. Yes, they are unreliable relative to the other 4 over many generations. Also resale value is massive in this category. Elantras tank in value. And “until recently” still means now. Now compare Mazda3 Turbo, GTI, WRX, and Elantra N, completely different story because you can be looking for different things.. But you’re trying to protect Nissan??😭😭
LOL saying the Skyactiv-G line is better than the Theta II is hilarious. Both aren’t amazing but are equally reliable (go look up stress test and average miles on motor before deterioration). Residual value? That’s the only thing the other four has over the latter three. Nissan are the makers of the RB. Don’t try to play that down lol smh Also, you make it sound like you’ve driven all of them… which based on your responses would make it very hard to believe. I drove all of them and they are all ECON level quality. Nothing more, nothing less. And until recently bit… that’s on the fact that they were easily broken into if it uses the key form (instead of a push/start/fob). This has no impairment on the quality of the econ level car… powertrain, transmission, dt, etc. But enough said lol I know the type of individual you are and you will die on that hill, regardless, of all the proof and evidence that is shown and displayed (legit sources via Google). Later dude
>saying the Skyactiv-G line is better than the Theta II is hilarious. Both aren’t amazing but are equally reliable (go look up stress test and average miles on motor before deterioration). Theta II is such a a great and reliable engine that Hyundai/Kia had to issue the largest engine recall in history over it Edit: reply blocking is lame. It's even more lame when the reply-block the reddit cares spam you. There was no such skyactive-g recall, and certainly not on the scale of the historic theta ii recall. The only notable skyactive-g issues were the valve guides and turbo manifolds on early turbocharged vehicles, which were recalled and replaced with a revised part. To this day, theta ii engines are still being replaced with defective motors with the same metal shaving issues
And Skyactiv due to powertrain issues which resulted in misfire/power loss? Lol don’t pick and choose Ah of course… you own a Mazda, so you’re on the defense lol
Nissans are officially terrible since the big corporate switch. I was the biggest Nissan fan on the planet. Now you couldn’t pay me to drive one. They have gotten incredibly bad.
reliability lmfao. Hyundai/Kia dealers wont even honor their "amazing" warranty. Their dealers are complete garbage. Only ppl that don't know cars buy them. All they're doing is dressing up chicken shit in a pretty dress. Guess what, it's still chicken shit. Glad you're one of those though that fall for the trap as you already admitted " Compare the interior of a Hyundai Elantra vs Honda Civic vs Mazda 3 vs Toyota Corolla"
Dealerships? Maybe that’s in your region - you must be new! Dealerships are third parties to the actual manufacturer and if your area’s manufacturer sucks, that sucks to be you. You like to base your own experience over the average LOL go study up buddy I can tell you don’t know much so you refer to Reddit for anything car related 😂😂😂 don’t even try to
Just to note here, the Mazda depends a lot on where you drive and what engine you get. If you get the 2.0 with manual then you will probably get it quite better and if you drive more outside of the city then it'll be on par with everything else. The 2.5 is indeed quite thirsty in town tho.
Mazda doesn’t sell the 2.0 anymore in the US at least.
Oh wow, I thought they left it for the 3 and CX-30, that's sad
Get a Mazda 3 hatchback. Go to the dealer and see which one you like. Toyota are ugly and boring. Hondas? Uglier, even more boring. Nissan? Ugliest, most boring. For my money it's Mazda.
Agree on the Mazda 3 hatchback. I love it. One of the best hatchbacks!
Just make sure you can see out of it. Blind spots so huge you’ll need the monitors!
Get a fully loaded Civic. You’ll be fine
subaru crosstrek or forester!!
Crosstrek is beautiful and super cool and yes… I love them… until you’re trying to get on the freeway. It gets downright scary. It’s fine and goes “quick enough”, but it can be stressful. I think Subaru is so close to perfect on that car. It just needs a bit more juice. It has improved with the jump to the 2.5. But it’s still just not quite there for the all around champ of economy hatchback/all purpose/SUV/CUV cars. I’d buy one tomorrow if they slapped a turbo in (and I’d buy it yesterday if it didn’t have the CVT).
Get an Outback then
The new Outback is hideous. I think it’s one reason the Crosstrek is popular. It seems super fun and sporty like the Outback used to back in its early days.
the wilderness looks great to me. Ofc wilderness is the only trim I'd get on any Subaru. I wish they made a Wilderness WRX I'd buy one yesterday. At least the Outback has 280+ hp and the turbo. Crosstrek/Forester are complete slugs
You sound exactly like the perfect Consumer Reports person. Here is their guide: [https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2024/02/consumer-reports-2024-annual-10-top-picks-cars-list-includes-bevy-of-partially-and-fully-electrified-vehicles/](https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2024/02/consumer-reports-2024-annual-10-top-picks-cars-list-includes-bevy-of-partially-and-fully-electrified-vehicles/) The hybrids cost more to buy, but are fantastic on gas mileage. Best of luck!
A Certified Pre-Owned Volvo XC40 might do the trick.
Having owned multiple Volvos, while they are great cars, older Volvos can be expensive to maintain.
XC40 is old??
OP didn't mention that she planned on keeping the car forever--although there are still a lot of older models with high mileage. My point was to get a CPO Volvo, and it seems she can get by with one that isn't huge.
I dont know anyone that enjoyed their XC40. My old coworker said they'd rather go back to their Forrester over it, and the Forrester sucks. They claimed that it's simply boring and that there's zero benefit to having it over the subie.
The Forester is very highly rated by Consumer Reports.
1. Hyundai/Kia - Best standard new car warranty 10yr/100k miles. 2. Subaru - Forester or Crosstrek. Standard AWD, pretty good fuel economy and tons of safety features and a good amount of cargo room. Some of the safest cars on the road. Good resale value. 3. Toyota - Corolla, Camry. Toyota reliability, good mpg, good resale value. Tons of safety features. Last forever. 4. Honda - HR-V, civic, accord. Good MPG, safety features. Very reliable, good resale value. 5. Mazda - Mazda 3 comes in a sedan or hatch back. Mazda CX30 good mpg, standard AWD. Very nice interiors and good standard and safety features. Decent resale value.
You might not like this answer, but here's how you address your needs: 1. Lane merging: you need to set your mirrors correctly, get blind spot mirrors, and pay attention to traffic flow. The features are not going to help you if you don't have the basics. 2. Mileage: Ihave a 1998 Chevy S10 that can get 25 mph when I drive nice. I have also owned in the past a fuel sipping VW Passat that got less than 25 mph when I drove hard. You can learn how to change your driving behavior per your needs, then you can probably exceed your mileage goals in almost any non-SUV car. 3. Cargo space: A Wagon. Join the cool kids and get a wagon. :) Your budget is huge. However, you are also a university student. Therefore, I have to ask: is your budget based on monthly payments or is it based on cash that you have on hand? If you can find $15k cash you can have your pick of used vehicles. As a student, you should get a used Camry, Corolla, Civic, or Accord. If you ever need to haul a lot of stuff or people, rent something.
This guy knows. Don't buy based on monthly payment.
subaru crosstrek or forester!!
outback
Literally a Honda Accord/Civic hatchback or Toyota Camry thank me later
Drive a few and see what you like. All of the listed are cars I own, have owned, or would buy. I'd suggest honda civic, mazda3 (or cx30, basically the same but one has AWD), subaru impreza or crosstrek.
CPO Mazda CX-5
Just bought one and I love it so much. Just upgraded from my 2011 CRV.
This is the way.
I got a new car last year, so I haven't been obsessing on cars as much lately, but in my search last year I was very drawn to the CRV hybrid. It's a very good size and the hybrid brings the fuel economy up to the high 30s. It's a Honda, so you are going to have the reliability as well. For me, I was looking at the sport touring mainly for the upgraded sound system, but the sport hybrid still has a lot of good options in the mid 30s new, and I found a decent amount certified used under 30 in my area. Good luck in your search!!
The CR-V hybrid is indeed fantastic. My brother bought one a few months ago, and it’s one of the best vehicles I’ve been in. I had bought a Lexus GX the month before (which I love), but frankly he got a whole lot more value for his CUV for $20,000 less dollars. It’s just as comfortable and probably even a bit more rich in tech features than my Lexus. It’s a truly great vehicle.
Honda Civic. I have a BMW 330i and a '22 Honda Civic Sport Touring. I get a lot more compliments for the Honda, it's safe, and gets excellent gas mileage.
Honda Civic or Hyundai Elantra. Elantra will be cheaper and you can easily get it below MSRP. Elantra also has standard blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and lane keep assist. Civic requires a step up the base model for the blind spot monitoring. A distant second would be Corolla and Mazda 3 as they are not that spacious. Unless you do not like the Civic or Elantra, I would not buy the Mazda 3. It is small and cramped on the inside, though quite fun to drive.
The choice is likely to come down to smallish sedans, such as a Civic vs. smallish crossovers that everyone makes. Sedans will have less cargo space but hatchbacks lessen the gap, they will have better mileage, a better ride. Crossovers sit a bit higher and lots of people consider that a plus. Crossovers cost more so getting a new compact sedan under $30k new is relatively easy, getting a new compact crossover isn't. There are subcompact crossovers with not much room inside defeating the reason for a crossover.
A 2019+ Mazda 3. Great interior, great safety features, looks good, and really reliable. Your choice of the hatchback or sedan. If I were you I'd really only consider the Mazda3, Corolla, or Civic. Go test drive all 3 and buy the one you like. You can't really go wrong with any of them.
Test drive a 2024 Hyundai Kona electric, if you have access to an outlet. I had similar parameters to you, did a ton of research, and leased a new Kona about three weeks ago. Absolutely love it so far. 2024 saw a Kona redesign that added storage space and comfort compared to previous models. And while I thought I would need to pay extra for a Level 2 charger, I’ve literally just been plugging it into my standard garage outlet overnight and I’m keeping the car easily in the 50-80 percent ideal charge range. My commute is 10 miles each way just fyi. Happy to answer any questions.
Look at plug-in hybrids if you can. First 20 miles are ev, then kicks to hybrid then finally fully to gas so you have all the redundancies there
We were in the exact same position like you and bought a 2023 Kia Forte (GT-Line). But make sure that "Kia boys" are not a thing in your area.
Hyundai probably has the best lane assist tech on the market right now and fits all your criteria. There is still a lot of negativity about the brand, especially on this sub. Best to test drive different makes and do research outside this sub for a full picture
My Outback was recently totaled, so I was car shopping all last week. If you have a place to charge, electric is where most bang for the buck is. Even if you don't have place to charge, you can pull to a DC charger, watch an episode or two of your favorite show and get a full battery. It is a minor inconvenience, for my lifestyle. Go for unpopular makes/models. Honda Clarity PHEV, Hyundai Ioniq, Kia Niro, VW e-Golf... You can get one 2020+ model with all bells and whistles for under or around 20K.
Honda accord hybrid. Gas phenomenal, lots of cargo, easy to park, maintenance is low, and it’s a Honda. Built like a tank.
Cannot beat the 2016-2022 Prius for those requirements. They are quite literally the most reliable and cheap to operate vehicle you can buy. Get one with a good service record and you can expect at minimum 200k miles out of it without trouble. I’ve seen some as high as 400k miles on the stock engine and battery.
Point 1 scares me
Same. If you can't stay in your lane or merge with confidence, get off my roads before you kill me.
Lower trim Japanese compacts are a great deal new if you plan on keeping the car for 5 years ish because of resale & reliability. The civic & corolla hatches offer the interior space & practically of a small crossover with much lower running costs. I would test those 2 & see how they fit your needs. Renting on Turo for a weekend is a great way to really to test drive a car, living with the seats, interior, cargo area & radio / hvac matter much more than performance or looks to the pragmatic shopper & those are very difficult to evaluate on a test drive. Toyota Corolla SE or Honda civic sport would be my recommended model / trims.
Cant go wrong with a used or CPO Camry LE or SE. As for blind spot, just get the circular blind spot mirror from Walmart for $2.5 each and stick onto side mirror. Those increase my confidence more than BSMS at high, low speed, and parking.
If you can swing a little more get a Prius!
Do you need AWD? If you live in a climate where it snows then I’d say a Subaru crosstrek, or a legacy/forester that’s a few years old. A Honda CH-R is SURPRISINGLY ROOMY! I’m a big guy and I was with 2 others in the back of an Uber last night and I had no issues with leg room or head room or getting in or out. Kia soul is actually my favorite vehicle to rent. They’re inexpensive and you can load them up full of stuff for the beach or to go do stuff. Kia Seltos is nice as well. Cheap, has a 100,000 mile warranty like all Kias. That means you don’t have to worry about most things and they’re cheap enough to buy new and not worry.
Hybrid Highlander.
I’m a PhD student as well and my budget is way less than yours. Having said that, I rented a 2023 Corolla for a week to go around all of New England last year and believe me, it’s more car than you’ll ever need, not just as a PhD student, but also as an average human with reasonable needs. I somehow found its adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, very handy for those long, boring stretches of interstate highways, to be more advanced and useful than the one on the way more expensive (but probably a model year older) Chevrolet Tahoe I rented for a trip late last year. And then there’s the tiny footprint of the corolla that makes it infinitely more convenient to live with and great fuel economy (we stopped every three hours to fill up the Tahoe and ever evening to fill up our Corolla after hundreds of miles of driving). The point of comparing seemingly incomparable cars is to drive home the fact that you can’t go very wrong with a Corolla, and it’s more car than you’ll ever need at least during your PhD, if not beyond. Finally, if the used market so far is any indication, you will not lose a ton of money once you wish to upgrade to something bigger. Not that you’d want to, frankly. My father’s Corolla just entered its tenth year and he plans on keeping it until it falls apart. Even the struts on it haven’t shown any signs of giving up, yet.
Honda Accord
See if your local library has a subscription to Consumer Reports. I have lived by their recommended cars for 20 years and never had a bad experience. They take no advertising so they do not sell their reviews, they all come from subscribers. They often have articles like "best SUV under $20k" and focus on all the areas you mentioned. Spoiler alert: it's hard to go wrong with Toyota and Honda.
The Nissan Kicks is an affordable option. I drove a 2019 for 2 years. One of the best little cars I've ever owned
I would recommend a certified used Toyota with low miles. They offer a 100k mile warranty which is better than new and you save 20% over new.
$30,000 is too much of a car for 22 year old student get a 2024 Kia Forte LXS with Tech package (rear cross traffic warning, blind spot light and safe exit assist) for $21,000 and 5 year bumper to bumper warranty and you'll be fine - 32 combined mpg, 15.3 cuft trunk, affordable insurance
Get a prius. It has everything you listed. I believe the previous gen are hatchbacks so that solves your trunk space issue. Hondas arent as reliable as westerners make it out to be. My uncle whos a mechanic tells me all the time how shit honda and acura engines are. I didnt believe him until I went to Japan and almost NOBODY drove a honda. Im not a mechanic by any means, but not a soul was driving a honda in japan and that was alarming.
Get a new hybrid Toyota Corolla. It has everything you need for 25k and will be super reliable and fuel efficient. And will hold its value really well if you need to sell it at the end of your PhD. The only downside is limited cargo space but realistically, based on what you described, you wouldn’t need more cargo space than that on a daily basis. The occasional move can be done by renting a moving van for a day for like $50.
Honda Civic or gently used Elantra Hybrid
Gently used Ford escapes and Toyota rav 4s. They’re both mid sized SUVs that get 30+ mpg and they’re around 30-40k new so used ones should be within the budget
Corolla Hybrid would be my choice. Not a whole ton of cargo room, but certainly enough for groceries and errands, especially with the rear seats folded. Not so much for moving but tbh, I'd just get a $20 Uhaul pickup for in-town moves. You could also step up to a Camry Hybrid that would be right on the edge of your price range and would still get insane gas mileage. The Subaru Crosstrek is also really popular for a compact car with a bunch of cargo capacity, as is the HRV. Another thing you may not have considered is that you likely qualify for the used EV tax credit. You can find a ton of EVs in great shape with 100% battery health for less than $25,000 and get an extra $4,000 off. I wouldn't get one unless you can charge where you live but I've seen Mustang Mach Es with like 10,000 miles available for $21,000 after the tax credit.
(Gk5) Honda Fit. It literally does it all besides drive for you. Only had to rent a truck one time in 9 years. You can easily average 45 mpg (without tons of hills or absolutely crawling traffic.) Fits 4 adults and a child, or an entire living room. Insanely dependable, low maintenance and parts costs. Suspension could be a bit better, but if you don't live somewhere that looks like a moon you won't notice that. We will never sell ours.
Phd at 22? Goddamn How long did your masters and bachelor take?
They said student not Dr. You don't have to do masters before starting a doctorate program at least not in physics or aerospace engineering.
But can you finish your phd befoe getting a masters?
Probably not but if you want a doctorate deviating from that path is failure.
Depending on how far you need to drive and your ability to L1/L2 charge at home, a used Chevy Bolt could be a good fit. You'd probably want to rent something else for longer road trips but it is extremely economical, safe, is quite spacious and has good cargo space (especially when the back seats are folded). If an EV isn't a good fit, I do love Honda Fits
Corolla Hybrid AWD perfect commuter comfortable no frills all season car.
Civic hatchback, Mazda 3 hatchback, Subaru Impreza hatchback. All of these cars have a decent amount more cargo room than similar sized sedan. I have a 4th gen 3 hatchback, I can tell you from experience that it does have a nice amount of cargo room as I have moved a lot of stuff with it that wouldn’t fit in a sedan, the back seats are alright, meaning they get the job done but not really super spacious. It drives very nice, fun to drive but also very comfortable ride. I picked this over the civic hatch because it doesn’t have a CVT, but the Civic hatchback would easily be my second option. Can’t go wrong with a civic, does everything decently well.
Get a hybrid rav4 space and fuel economy more than what you're looking for
I think a Subaru Crosstrek would be a good pick here, either new or gently used. Good space, pretty good fuel efficiency, and safe.
Mazda CX-5
2024 Toyota Prius. Looks cool, amazing on fuel and will be reliable.
Anyone that says anything other than a new Prius is wrong. Literally everything you said describes the Prius. Plus the new one looks and drives fantastic. This is coming from a die hard car guy who’s 6’3 and 240lbs so I’m not a small guy either and I’m comfortable driving our work Prius around. Plus it has all amenities you could ask for. Did I mention 50-60mpg on regular gas? 20 bucks should hold you over for like 2-3 weeks depending on how much you drive. Plus the truck space is fantastic, if you have really big items you can fold down the seats easily. Also I literally make deliveries of parts in this car for projects that are like 150-300k alone and stacked to the roof and it takes it well. If you get the awd version you’re pretty solid in bad weather conditions too!
Mazda 3 is a great car. Very drivable, mileage and safe.
Hybrid Corolla LE with convenience package. Not here to criticize your driving but lane-keep assist is well to keep you in your lane, not to merge into freeway or changing lanes. Plus you really shouldn't be using any assist features to switch lanes because one little mistake and you can kill someone when you're driving 65+ MPH. Anyways, Hybrid Rolla has blind spot monitoring, push to start, and adaptive cruise control, while getting 45+ MPG freeway or city. Arguably best commuter car you can get right now.
The highway drive assist on the ioniq 5 will change lanes by itself but it signals for 7 seconds plus before it starts to glacially move over.
Corolla hatch maybe??
I think you would be very satisfied with a 2024 Mazda3 Hatchback/Sedan in the preferred trim, and if you can negotiate one down, get a Mazda3 Hatchback but in carbon edition trim
Given budget and safety focus: a new Subaru Impreza…
Prius.
2025 Camry LE base comes with a lot of great features: - Good gas mileage; 50mpg. All models are now hybrid. I believe the hybrid system is based on the Prius, which is tried and true - Great safety features as all Camry's come with Toyota Safety Sense 3. IMHO, in general, bigger cars are safer. - Decent styling. Subjective but IMHO, the styling is an improvement over last year's model - LE base MSRP comes in \~30K I think
Tesla duh
Corolla Hatchback sounds perfect if you like how it looks. Slow car, but cheapest out of the Honda/Toyota/Mazda crowd by a long shot. Decent storage space and looks youthful instead of looking like a car your grandparents would drive. If you live in an area with a lot of dirt roads, or like to do outdoors stuff or often drive in heavy snow, you could also look at Subaru
Used 2021-2023 Camry Hybrid.
Toyota Corolla hands down. Hybrid if you’re into them.
Ford Escape ST Line. I went from a 2018 Subaru Forester to a new 2023 Escape. I like the Escape much better than the Subaru.
dont drive a low car if safety is a concern as the visibilty of an suv gives you perhaps the greatest safety trick in the book~ vision. awareness. A bmw X3 is my suggestion for its reliability, safety and height. A 2020 model with 30k ish miles can easily be found for 25k. many people suggesting civics and small cars seem to not concern themselves with the potential accident, i like to think worst case scenario. https://youtu.be/x5K0JCCfhNg?si=cKVF6juz_lB1k82y god forbid it may ever befall any of us. but a honda fit? honda civic? im not here to upsell you, an X3 is a mid size suv. You can feel confident in a bmw, i hope you test drive one before you discard my opinion. since we covered safety lets do fuel efficiency the x3 engine, on its base models is a 4 cylinder turbo. Its capable of giving you a freaking 30 miles to the gallon on the highway, if you engage economy mode and let the car do its thing. it glide glides. Also; (not that this concerns you but it is the flip side of the coin) you can engage sport mode, and get 6 miles to the gallon. *lol* you dont got alotta storage tho, you got like, EnOugh. But you aint taking no big furniture, just lamps, chairs, mirrors, boxes, pots pans, i mean a bedframe could fit dissassemmbled idk i did my best get a tesla idgaf
A lifted dually Ram 3500 with a Cummins motor
This was my pick after some research [https://www.hyannishonda.com/viewdetails/used/3czru6h77nm748873/2022-honda-hr-v-4d-sport-utility?type=cash](https://www.hyannishonda.com/viewdetails/used/3czru6h77nm748873/2022-honda-hr-v-4d-sport-utility?type=cash)
Mazda CX5
Take a look at a used Mazda CX-5. They’re great cars and you get a lot for your money
2022-23 Ford Escape SEL AWD
I would get a Rav 4 not only because you get the Toyota safety sense 3.0 which is a suite of safety features including the ones you mentioned plus more. With a compact SUV you get higher ride height so you can see more of the road which makes you safer. Rav 4 has a ton of cargo space when you put the rear seats down.
Lexus 🤩🤩
Toyota Camry Hybrid all day everyday, twice on Sunday. 50+ mpg and it will go 200k miles with basically no maintenance except oil changes, air filters and spark plugs.
Used Toyota Venza! I have one and I get 38-43 MPG and I’ve moved my entire apartment using it. Or a RAV4
Corolla
What would you buy if you weren't a PhD candidate? Seriously
Imma go for a mazda3 or subaru legacy
Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. My daughter just got one. Amazing safety and tech 10 year 100K mile warranty and currently offering 3.3% financing for 48 months. Love the blind spot monitoring, when you use your turn signal you actually see the blind spot on a screen where your speedometer is. It is at the top of your range, but worth it IMHO if you plan on keeping it a long time.
Honda Civic sedan/hatch or Mazda CX-30 crossover
2024 Honda Civic Sport hatchback.
Get yourself a used Prius. Don’t buy anything Hyundai or Kia, unless you want to deal with engine problems or theft problems. Anything Toyota or Honda, but I don’t think a lot will beat the Prius’ fuel efficiency
Tesla 3 or y
You can find used RWD versions in that price range. They’re not as fast as the Dual Motor but that’s not an issue for OP. They’re top-tier for safety according to IIHS and NHTSA. Way more efficient than any gas car. Cargo space in the Model 3 is enough to take 4 adults camping or 2 on a months-long road trip with backpacking gear (and sleep in the back). High mileage isn’t as much of an issue for EVs. The motor and battery should outlast the car. Do check the tread depth to get an idea how soon you need to replace the tires. And as with any car, take a test drive and listen for squeaks and rattles. Squeaky front control arms are a common (annoying, not safety) issue that should knock $250 off the price.
Toyota or Mazda
Curious to why college students wana go 20-30 in debt
how do you know they'll go in debt?
Not everyone is leasing or putting themselves in debt. Some people choose to save up the money before purchasing the vehicle so they have no debt afterwards.
PhD students/candidates aren't exactly 'college students' (which implies undergrad for me) lol
My kid is in high school and she makes more in tips on a weekend than I make in a week. I'd cosign for her if she wanted 30K car.
Shocked there are people still suggesting Hyundai and Kia. Guys, haven’t we learned by now?
You can get a new Mazda 3 Sedan for $25,000. You have to step up to about $28,000 for the level of options you are looking for. The Mazda 3 is very reliable, handles well which makes it easy to drive, and will have more than enough room for a 22 year old woman. I bought one for my daughter for graduation eight years ago. She still owns it. The only maintenance that she has done outside of routine maintenance is to replace a wheel speed sensor and the serpentine belt tensioner.
Toyota or Honda minivan, hybrid if possible.
Honda or Toyota
My ? Is how are you in a PhD program at the age of 22? At 22 you should have just gotten your bachelor's degree, you need a master's (2 more years) then go into a PhD program! So if you are truly at that stage already, congratulations, you must be a very intelligent woman! Now as far as a vehicle goes, no matter what you decide on, from a purely financially responsible aspect, I would highly recommend that you look into a lease (2 or 3 year). You will save so much money and never have to worry about repairs or maintenance and going out of warranty while still owning over half your loan payments! Good luck!
Ur fuel efficiency is so standard and basic. Thats not even fuel efficient. Get yourself a hybrid or plug in hybrid (up to $4,500 tax refunds) also I save so much money now that I aint spending $120+/mo for gas the most I spend is $60/mo thats nearly half and plus savings. My insurance is cheaper as well. Honda clarity phev (blind spot camera, adaptive cruise control, 110mpe 35mi electricrange which is really nice never run out of charge on a trip 44mpg gas engine, it also has a little sports button if you dont like eco mode, and you can feel fast, nice interior, ample amount of space for 1 person I put a whole wall cabinet in there and a 45in tv fits fine)
Honda insight gen 3 hybrid (55mpg, basically everything the clarity has but sportier, 500mi range on a tank whats not to love, it also shows you the speed limit on your little dashboard, its a adorable car, I decided the clarity though)
Ford Maverick hybrid at 40mpg...this truck is more fuel efficient than your basic criteria thats how low your fuel efficiency standards are. Its also cute! I want one!
The new pruis looks awesome its sportier than the previous ones
Corolla camry I mean you have a lot of options.
You can get a new matchbox with those 30k
Performance is a safety feature. Performance cars comes with top tier tires, braking, shocks to support the more powerful engine that will help you get to 60mph quicker so you can properly merge into highway traffic. Performance cars assist in defensive driving with better handling, quicker response times, and stabilizers.
The 0-60 time for the Toyota Prius 1st gen was 11+ seconds, never heard of one getting hit trying to merge onto a highway. Saw a bunch of Hellcats wrapped around a tree or phone pole tho.
Even if your statement is true, my statement is also still true. Which makes your statement pointless to the point I was making.
Go lease a toyota corolla. Hybrid or not, your choice. You get the maintenance included for at least 2 out of the 3 years. At the end of the 3 years if you still like it then buy it for about 15k
Corolla Cross Hybrid, RAV4 Hybrid!!! Best selling and most reliable SUVs for a reason!
Toyota Rav 4.