Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
As Throt said, look into 2015 and newer Sonatas. They're way roomier than the Camry and more headroom than the Accord. Mine last year was $10k.
Looking for a mid sized MPG friendly sedan
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Originally Posted By: Throt
Used Sonata's are pretty cheap (cheaper than I'd like honestly, degrades my resale value). Nick1994 picked a nice one up for cheap a while back, which is what I wish I had done vs. the debt on a new one. Oh well, live and learn.
OP, keep in mind the 2.4 used in the Sonata had a major flaw from the factory. Not all were affected of course, but some were not manufactured properly and developed rod bearing failures prematurely killing the engine. This literally just happened to a co-worker of mine this past week.
Used Sonata's are pretty cheap (cheaper than I'd like honestly, degrades my resale value). Nick1994 picked a nice one up for cheap a while back, which is what I wish I had done vs. the debt on a new one. Oh well, live and learn.
OP, keep in mind the 2.4 used in the Sonata had a major flaw from the factory. Not all were affected of course, but some were not manufactured properly and developed rod bearing failures prematurely killing the engine. This literally just happened to a co-worker of mine this past week.
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: Throt
Used Sonata's are pretty cheap (cheaper than I'd like honestly, degrades my resale value). Nick1994 picked a nice one up for cheap a while back, which is what I wish I had done vs. the debt on a new one. Oh well, live and learn.
OP, keep in mind the 2.4 used in the Sonata had a major flaw from the factory. Not all were affected of course, but some were not manufactured properly and developed rod bearing failures prematurely killing the engine. This literally just happened to a co-worker of mine this past week.
In my opinion, the Sonata does not provide the same refinement as Camry or Accord either.
Originally Posted By: Throt
Used Sonata's are pretty cheap (cheaper than I'd like honestly, degrades my resale value). Nick1994 picked a nice one up for cheap a while back, which is what I wish I had done vs. the debt on a new one. Oh well, live and learn.
OP, keep in mind the 2.4 used in the Sonata had a major flaw from the factory. Not all were affected of course, but some were not manufactured properly and developed rod bearing failures prematurely killing the engine. This literally just happened to a co-worker of mine this past week.
In my opinion, the Sonata does not provide the same refinement as Camry or Accord either.
How much do you drive, and how picky are you with refinement?
I personally would buy new Sonata for the long warranty, used Mazda6 / Fusion / rental retired Camry for the deals, or new Accord because used is not depreciating at all.
There are lots of choices and deals out there in mid size, you really can't go wrong if you are not looking for just a show off car.
I personally would buy new Sonata for the long warranty, used Mazda6 / Fusion / rental retired Camry for the deals, or new Accord because used is not depreciating at all.
There are lots of choices and deals out there in mid size, you really can't go wrong if you are not looking for just a show off car.
Somebody mentioned the Ford Fusion. Called the Mondeo in Europe.
That is what I would go for. Even though dynamically the previous model was a little bit better.
The only criticism of the current Mondeo is the handling and steering feel is not as good as previous.
I used them hard and they did huge mileages (diesel estates/station wagons)
I have never owned a Korean family sized saloon as despite being reliable I have thought the interior quality was not as good as other vehicles.
That is what I would go for. Even though dynamically the previous model was a little bit better.
The only criticism of the current Mondeo is the handling and steering feel is not as good as previous.
I used them hard and they did huge mileages (diesel estates/station wagons)
I have never owned a Korean family sized saloon as despite being reliable I have thought the interior quality was not as good as other vehicles.
I've driven them all, especially the midsize family sedans(the compact family sedans, less so) and they're all nice to drive. The midsize sedans are a better value and you get more for you money. Not more in terms of indiviual features but, in build quality, solidity, quiet/comfort, materials, trunk and or back seat room, and MPG is close. All of the midsize family sedans are BIG today. How big is big enough? Yes, the Passat is bigger inside but, does BIGGER matter when they're all kind'a BIG?
You just need to pick the vehicle that most closely fits you personal criteria(checks the most boxes for you). I found that all of the midsize family sedans standard 4 cyl had enough power for me and anything more is just more.
Question to ask yourself:
Does it have enough power?...standard 4cyl, turbo 4 or V6?
Do you want more rear seat or larger trunk?
Are the seats to you level of comfort(too hard/too soft)?
How quiet is quiet enough?
How many toys do you want in your car?
How BIG is BIG enough? I'm finding that they're getting too big for my liking. Where I am actually leaning toward(moving down to) the Compact family sedans today(Civic/Corolla/Sentra/Elantra-Forte' etc.). They're all moving up to the next size category according to the EPA spec's however, all cars are marketed for a specific segment.
The midsize family sedans... Passat, Sonata/Optima, Accord, Camry, Altima etc. are all approaching the "LARGE" car category however they're still marketed as midsize. Same with all segments. They're just getting bigger! Lots of compelling things to think about.
You just need to pick the vehicle that most closely fits you personal criteria(checks the most boxes for you). I found that all of the midsize family sedans standard 4 cyl had enough power for me and anything more is just more.
Question to ask yourself:
Does it have enough power?...standard 4cyl, turbo 4 or V6?
Do you want more rear seat or larger trunk?
Are the seats to you level of comfort(too hard/too soft)?
How quiet is quiet enough?
How many toys do you want in your car?
How BIG is BIG enough? I'm finding that they're getting too big for my liking. Where I am actually leaning toward(moving down to) the Compact family sedans today(Civic/Corolla/Sentra/Elantra-Forte' etc.). They're all moving up to the next size category according to the EPA spec's however, all cars are marketed for a specific segment.
The midsize family sedans... Passat, Sonata/Optima, Accord, Camry, Altima etc. are all approaching the "LARGE" car category however they're still marketed as midsize. Same with all segments. They're just getting bigger! Lots of compelling things to think about.
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Id consider a lightly used 2016-17 Civic 4 door in that. Nearly as much room as the camrys.
Accord is a leader for a reason but with that said, I recently spent some time behind the wheel of my dad's new '17 Civic LX and was mightily impressed (for context he traded a '15 Accord Sport for it). The new Civic is more fun and rewarding to drive than the 9th gen. Accord while having a better ride, it has impressive interior room, and returns 30's city/40mpg on the highway. You'd be doing yourself a disservice to not give it a look.
Id consider a lightly used 2016-17 Civic 4 door in that. Nearly as much room as the camrys.
Accord is a leader for a reason but with that said, I recently spent some time behind the wheel of my dad's new '17 Civic LX and was mightily impressed (for context he traded a '15 Accord Sport for it). The new Civic is more fun and rewarding to drive than the 9th gen. Accord while having a better ride, it has impressive interior room, and returns 30's city/40mpg on the highway. You'd be doing yourself a disservice to not give it a look.
Originally Posted By: JDM396
Ok boys... looking for a used $15kish used sedan that's mpg friendly for a third vehicle. Mostly looked at Camrys in the 2012-2016 range. Owned Hondas for years so I've looked around for some ~2012-2015 Accords. Don't know much about the Subarus or Mazda6s. Willing to listen. Any feedback from owners?
I would get a 2013-2015 Accord. My brother has a 14 Accord EX-L and it is a nice car! Nice interior, feels solid, lots of room and gets upper 30's on the hwy. They should be in the $15k range now.
Ok boys... looking for a used $15kish used sedan that's mpg friendly for a third vehicle. Mostly looked at Camrys in the 2012-2016 range. Owned Hondas for years so I've looked around for some ~2012-2015 Accords. Don't know much about the Subarus or Mazda6s. Willing to listen. Any feedback from owners?
I would get a 2013-2015 Accord. My brother has a 14 Accord EX-L and it is a nice car! Nice interior, feels solid, lots of room and gets upper 30's on the hwy. They should be in the $15k range now.
sleeper:
2011-ish lincoln mkz hybrid.
You may be surprised....
2011-ish lincoln mkz hybrid.
You may be surprised....
Patman
Staff member
I also vote for the Kia Optima, I had one as a rental car last year on a trip to Florida and I was amazed at how great the gas mileage was on the highway, it was well over 40. It felt like a well put together car too, even though it was one of the older ones in their fleet and had something like 30,000 rental car miles on it (which is like 90,000 normal car miles)
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Originally Posted By: pandus13
sleeper:
2011-ish lincoln mkz hybrid.
You may be surprised....
Lincoln MKZ's are really nice and will chirp 2nd gear!!
sleeper:
2011-ish lincoln mkz hybrid.
You may be surprised....
Lincoln MKZ's are really nice and will chirp 2nd gear!!
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: das_peikko
Buick LaCrosse
For comfort, this is a good choice. I guess if MPGs are the most important thing, a Prius would be a solid choice.
X3...and the Buick’s get above average mpg’s.
Originally Posted By: das_peikko
Buick LaCrosse
For comfort, this is a good choice. I guess if MPGs are the most important thing, a Prius would be a solid choice.
X3...and the Buick’s get above average mpg’s.
Originally Posted By: gofast182
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Id consider a lightly used 2016-17 Civic 4 door in that. Nearly as much room as the camrys.
Accord is a leader for a reason but with that said, I recently spent some time behind the wheel of my dad's new '17 Civic LX and was mightily impressed (for context he traded a '15 Accord Sport for it). The new Civic is more fun and rewarding to drive than the 9th gen. Accord while having a better ride, it has impressive interior room, and returns 30's city/40mpg on the highway. You'd be doing yourself a disservice to not give it a look.
I agree and add don't get the turbo engine, only get it with NA engine.
Honda did a great job with the suspension and interior.
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Id consider a lightly used 2016-17 Civic 4 door in that. Nearly as much room as the camrys.
Accord is a leader for a reason but with that said, I recently spent some time behind the wheel of my dad's new '17 Civic LX and was mightily impressed (for context he traded a '15 Accord Sport for it). The new Civic is more fun and rewarding to drive than the 9th gen. Accord while having a better ride, it has impressive interior room, and returns 30's city/40mpg on the highway. You'd be doing yourself a disservice to not give it a look.
I agree and add don't get the turbo engine, only get it with NA engine.
Honda did a great job with the suspension and interior.
Originally Posted By: JDM396
Ok boys... looking for a used $15kish used sedan that's mpg friendly for a third vehicle. Mostly looked at Camrys in the 2012-2016 range. Owned Hondas for years so I've looked around for some ~2012-2015 Accords. Don't know much about the Subarus or Mazda6s. Willing to listen. Any feedback from owners?
MPG a priority... Hybrids. Look for used Camry Hybrids & Fusion Hybrids. I've got the Fusion drivetrain in my C-Max, and its very smooth, and with either Camry or Fusion (or CMax) you'll get over 40 MPG average. Footnote: There are no clutches or torque convertors in the Fusion/CMax drivetrain, as it whirs smoothely through a planetary gearset for jerk-free power & torque. Must drive it. Camry works very similarly.
Possibly a Chevy Volt (used obviously) might be another hybrid you'd like, based on the Chevy Cruze there.
Ok boys... looking for a used $15kish used sedan that's mpg friendly for a third vehicle. Mostly looked at Camrys in the 2012-2016 range. Owned Hondas for years so I've looked around for some ~2012-2015 Accords. Don't know much about the Subarus or Mazda6s. Willing to listen. Any feedback from owners?
MPG a priority... Hybrids. Look for used Camry Hybrids & Fusion Hybrids. I've got the Fusion drivetrain in my C-Max, and its very smooth, and with either Camry or Fusion (or CMax) you'll get over 40 MPG average. Footnote: There are no clutches or torque convertors in the Fusion/CMax drivetrain, as it whirs smoothely through a planetary gearset for jerk-free power & torque. Must drive it. Camry works very similarly.
Possibly a Chevy Volt (used obviously) might be another hybrid you'd like, based on the Chevy Cruze there.
My commute is a pretty easy 25 miles with about eighteen traffic lights, most of which you can usually coast without touching the brakes.
In any given week, the car will do about forty miles of true city out of around 400 total.
On the interstate, I can set the cruise at around 73-74 mph and see at least 32 mpg.
If I try to go faster, a frustrating exercise on our crowded and truck-clogged roads, I'll see 28-29 mpg.
Trying to run young to mid-eighties is such an exercise in frustration that I don't bother to try ATM.
The worst tank I've seen from this car was around 24 mpg with my wife driving it in mostly stop and go in a week of below zero morning lows.
You must see some awful traffic in which only a plug-in hybrid would deliver decent fuel economy.
OTOH, we've been to various Florida cities, so I can relate, as we said back in the day.
In any given week, the car will do about forty miles of true city out of around 400 total.
On the interstate, I can set the cruise at around 73-74 mph and see at least 32 mpg.
If I try to go faster, a frustrating exercise on our crowded and truck-clogged roads, I'll see 28-29 mpg.
Trying to run young to mid-eighties is such an exercise in frustration that I don't bother to try ATM.
The worst tank I've seen from this car was around 24 mpg with my wife driving it in mostly stop and go in a week of below zero morning lows.
You must see some awful traffic in which only a plug-in hybrid would deliver decent fuel economy.
OTOH, we've been to various Florida cities, so I can relate, as we said back in the day.
I really enjoy my Mazda 6 with manual transmission. I test drove just about every car in the 20-30k range and I preferred the Mazda driving characteristics above all the others. I get around 36mpg with the non turbo 2.5 liter four.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: das_peikko
Buick LaCrosse
For comfort, this is a good choice. I guess if MPGs are the most important thing, a Prius would be a solid choice.
I picked the LaCrosse in my sig over a C-Max specifically for comfort on my 60+ mile round-trip commute. I'm averaging right at 30 mpg over the 27,000 miles I've driven it. I love that it's also quiet as a tomb.
Originally Posted By: das_peikko
Buick LaCrosse
For comfort, this is a good choice. I guess if MPGs are the most important thing, a Prius would be a solid choice.
I picked the LaCrosse in my sig over a C-Max specifically for comfort on my 60+ mile round-trip commute. I'm averaging right at 30 mpg over the 27,000 miles I've driven it. I love that it's also quiet as a tomb.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: Throt
Used Sonata's are pretty cheap (cheaper than I'd like honestly, degrades my resale value). Nick1994 picked a nice one up for cheap a while back, which is what I wish I had done vs. the debt on a new one. Oh well, live and learn.
OP, keep in mind the 2.4 used in the Sonata had a major flaw from the factory. Not all were affected of course, but some were not manufactured properly and developed rod bearing failures prematurely killing the engine. This literally just happened to a co-worker of mine this past week.
2015 and newer Sonatas are not affected by this, it’s a refreshed engine design too.
Originally Posted By: Throt
Used Sonata's are pretty cheap (cheaper than I'd like honestly, degrades my resale value). Nick1994 picked a nice one up for cheap a while back, which is what I wish I had done vs. the debt on a new one. Oh well, live and learn.
OP, keep in mind the 2.4 used in the Sonata had a major flaw from the factory. Not all were affected of course, but some were not manufactured properly and developed rod bearing failures prematurely killing the engine. This literally just happened to a co-worker of mine this past week.
2015 and newer Sonatas are not affected by this, it’s a refreshed engine design too.
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