I'm going to be looking for used vehicle for a family member and the criteria is:
Price: Type: Sedan, wagon, or hatchback that is good on gas
Drivetrain: Automatic FWD. I am open to AWD, but it's generally less reliable so I'd rather get them a FWD with winter tires.
I'll be doing all the work on this vehicle so reliability and something easy to work on are key. I don't care too much about mileage and year, but generally the newer and less km's the better for safety. I'm pretty confident in doing most work such as brakes, suspension and auxiliary systems, but I don't want to have to get too deep into the weeds when it comes to transmission and engine repairs.
I know this segment is beat to death by many car review articles and the top choices are Toyota's and Honda's, but they are also expensive for what you get. No one seems to talk about the "easy to work on" category which I think is pretty important and I'd like to hear more of your experiences on this topic.
The vehicles currently on my list are as follows. Feel free to critique, add to the list, or comment on what years to avoid:
Chevrolet: Cruze, Malibu
Ford: Focus, Fusion, Escape
Honda: Civic, Accord, Fit
Hyundai: Elantra/Sonata
Kia: Optima, Forte
Mazda: 3, 6
Nissan: Sentra, Altima, Maxima (as long as they don't have a CVT)
Toyota: Corolla, Camry, Matrix
Volkswagen: Jetta, Golf
Price: Type: Sedan, wagon, or hatchback that is good on gas
Drivetrain: Automatic FWD. I am open to AWD, but it's generally less reliable so I'd rather get them a FWD with winter tires.
I'll be doing all the work on this vehicle so reliability and something easy to work on are key. I don't care too much about mileage and year, but generally the newer and less km's the better for safety. I'm pretty confident in doing most work such as brakes, suspension and auxiliary systems, but I don't want to have to get too deep into the weeds when it comes to transmission and engine repairs.
I know this segment is beat to death by many car review articles and the top choices are Toyota's and Honda's, but they are also expensive for what you get. No one seems to talk about the "easy to work on" category which I think is pretty important and I'd like to hear more of your experiences on this topic.
The vehicles currently on my list are as follows. Feel free to critique, add to the list, or comment on what years to avoid:
Chevrolet: Cruze, Malibu
Ford: Focus, Fusion, Escape
Honda: Civic, Accord, Fit
Hyundai: Elantra/Sonata
Kia: Optima, Forte
Mazda: 3, 6
Nissan: Sentra, Altima, Maxima (as long as they don't have a CVT)
Toyota: Corolla, Camry, Matrix
Volkswagen: Jetta, Golf
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