Plenty of other options that are light-years ahead on reliability, and similarly priced.
- Toyota Corolla 1.8 (139hp) or 2.0 (169hp) are both boringly reliable units. Extremely fuel efficient. Available as hybrid too.
- Honda Civic, 1.5T (180hp) is powerful while 2.0 (158hp) is "old school" port injection engine. 1.5t is more fuel efficient and more powerful, but has/had some fuel dilution issues and turbocharger may be a concern with long term reliability in mind. 2.0 is simpler, therefore should be more reliable in the long run.
- Scion iM (Corolla Hatchback in last days of Scion) lightly used examples are cheaper than competitors.