New Car help!

[archibaldcrane]

Remember that the Genesis and BRZ take premium gas too.

[Denchi]

I got an 09 Civic EX-L last August and I'm loving it. Price was right and since it was the EX-L (Heated leather seats/mirrors, sunroof, upgraded audio, etc etc) I went for it.

But, since you said no Hondas, and since it's a fact anyways, the Mazda 3/6 have been leading that class for a little while now. They're supposedly much more peppy/fun to drive and they get good gas mileage, cheap to own and maintain, etc etc.

When I was test driving cars I was pretty set on a Subaru since I live in Minnesota. But, those things have the highest resale value of any car, so you don't get as much bang for your buck, and they kind of drive like shit. They're not comfortable at all......but they're AWD. So as said before, if you are going to be driving through snow/mud constantly go for it, otherwise there are better options. Also they're expensive as fuck to repair.

[BerenTebogo]

Yeah the manual option on the fusion is shitty :\ but it looks SO NICE UGH

I guess I'll see how bad the automatic is, 1.6 ECO BOOOOOOOOST just sounds shitty.

[archibaldcrane]

Yeah the manual option on the fusion is shitty :\ but it looks SO NICE UGH

I guess I'll see how bad the automatic is, 1.6 ECO BOOOOOOOOST just sounds shitty.

The 2.5L or 1.6L Eco-boost engines are basically the same horsepower - 175 give or take 3. The Ecoboost has 9 more ft/lbs of torque (184 vs. 175). The Eco-boost gives you a whopping 3 mpg better with the manual. It's not a high-performing car, it's not going to be anywhere near the Genesis or BRZ. Honestly the argument is whether you want a coupe or a sedan here.

[Coren]

I have a 2012 altima 4dr with the auto trans. I've put 32k miles on it so far and it's been solid. It's not as fun to drive as my previous 2dr manual cars, but then again, it's for work and hauling the kid. My only real complaint is the gas mileage; I was hoping for 30ish, and I'm usually lucky to get 26-27. I drive roughly 50% highway miles, the rest around town. Only when I do a full tank on the highway do I get near 30mpg. I paid ~$22500 for it.

[Anakron]

The Ford Fusion hybrid has been getting a lot of criticisms due to people being largely unable to get Ford's estimated MPG ratings (they don't all come from the EPA). But they do look very nice with their Aston Martin grille.

The Genesis Coupe, while looking relatively nice, and having very good numbers even on the 2.0T, has pretty crappy quality IMO. For example, if you listen carefully when you open and close the doors you can make out some awful vibrations and mechanical sounds (not the good kind), kind of like the whole thing is loose. It's hard to describe in words, but if you do the same on something like an A4 or a Panamera, you'll instantly know what I'm talking about. They just feel more solid. Now I know the doors aren't the most important thing in car, but in my experience it's a good indicator of general build quality. If you sit in a Genesis Coupe yourself and feel around the interior, you get the same kind of vibe too.

Of the cars you'll listed, I highly recommend a Mazda 3 i Grand Touring Sedan. For a smidge over $25k (that's MSRP, so you can probably get out-the-door for under $25k), you'll get a manual, HID, Nav, Leather, push-button start, as well as 27/39 MPG. It's one of the weaker options out there, with only 155 HP, but the whole package is really hard to beat, considering its quality is pretty good too.

An FR-S will likely run you $3-4k more than the Mazda for the purchase alone, since you'll probably have to pay close to MSRP, and you won't have most of the amenities the Mazda has. It'll be a lot more fun to drive for sure, though.

[RKenshin]

I came to give input on the 2011 Scion TC, but... so much for that!

Friend of mine recently picked up the newest Ford Fusion, and I have to say... it's a pretty damn awesome car, and honestly even seemed underpriced for the features/performance.

[Humblejoe]

Also remember if you're doing daily driving with the car, and you're in an area with snow, the FR-S/BRZ and Genesis are rear wheel drive. The Fusion is a solid choice, based upon nearly all reviews available. The 1.6 makes the car feel a bit faster than it is. The Focus is also rated well, I'd suggest an Audi but the maintenance is unnecessarily expensive, and Nissan has a pretty poor reliability rating over most of its vehicles. The Genesis is rated well, but it's not as bargain quality, and high performing, as a couple other choices.

[Avinor]

2 things probably worth adding to the list:
Ford Focus. Not as good looking as the Fusion, but cheaper and has gotten great reviews. Getting the manual avoids one of the few areas of criticism, and you can get it as a sedan since hatchbacks are out (though I think the hatch looks better).
Honda Accord. Also gotten rave reviews. Can get a coupe since I figure you don't need the space, available with a manual with the base four or the V6 (though that might be out of the price range).

[BerenTebogo]

The Fusion is starting to get serious consideration also at this point.

Going to test one when I have more than 2 minutes to myself in a day, lol.

[Palpatine]

I've loved my Mini Cooper S for well over 3 years now. The only drawback--of course--is passenger space. 30mpg and super fun to drive.

[Shakki]

I bought a 2013 Hyundai Elantra back in October and love it. I use it as a commuter car, but even for something so mundane, it's a lot more fun to drive than my previous car (2003 Kia Rio).

The main draws for me were: 6-speed manual transmission, decent gas mileage (I average ~36mpg combined city/highway), good warranty. It's also within your price range, and as for insurance, I think my payments went up by about $40 after the switch. I'm told it looks "sporty" as well, if that sort of thing matters to you.

[Mojo]

Any thoughts about the Tesla Model S? If I was going to spend that much on a car, I'd at least give it a test drive and see how you like it. Couldn't hurt.

Edit: Seems like it's a lot more expensive than I was led to believe. Breaks the budget I think.

[Raelia]

Any thoughts about the Tesla Model S? If I was going to spend that much on a car, I'd at least give it a test drive and see how you like it. Couldn't hurt.

Edit: Seems like it's a lot more expensive than I was led to believe. Breaks the budget I think.

Only by about fifty grand.

[foopy]

Get the hyundai because koreans are awesome.

Source: I'm korean.

[archibaldcrane]

Any thoughts about the Tesla Model S? If I was going to spend that much on a car, I'd at least give it a test drive and see how you like it. Couldn't hurt.

Edit: Seems like it's a lot more expensive than I was led to believe. Breaks the budget I think.

I've test driven it twice, it's fucking awesome but well out of this price range.

[Fairy-Killer]

I don't understand the hype over the Genesis, maybe it has changed in a couple years. I test drove one before grabbing my Camaro and was a little underwhelmed with the comfort of it. Sure, it looked cool, but I couldn't handle the seats it had for my five hour trips. It felt like it should've been a few thousand less than what it was. I also test drove an Altima coupe, and while it was comfortable has hell and a smooth ride, it just didn't have the power I wanted. But... The car is a different style than what I was looking for. I can't attest for either car's reliability, but I've always heard great things about Nissan.

As for my 2010 Camaro, it has the mix of comfort and sportiness that I wanted. However, my car has had a beating and has cost me quite a bit. I actually had a deer run into the side of my car one night, and the next night, my car got hailed on. The deer and hail repair cost me about $2500. Just recently, my fuel evaporator release valve has gotten stuck open so my check engine light is constantly on as I refuse to pay $600 to get it replaced. As for gas mileage, Chevy says 29 which is highly possible if you drive like a grandmother. I drive a pretty relaxed and only push it occasionally, and I'm getting about 22.5.

Good luck with the purchase.

[Humblejoe]

Hyundai Elantra Coupe could be a choice, but don't expect much from power. It does get near 40mpg though!

[Anakron]

I don't understand the hype over the Genesis, maybe it has changed in a couple years...

With the recent refresh and upgraded engines, the thing looks amazing (on paper) for its price. 270+ HP for $25k and 340+ HP for $29k. The 3.8 has equal or more (crank) HP than the 335is, G37 IPL, and the S4/S5, all of which cost at least $20k more (except for the S4, which starts out at about $17k more). Yet it loses to to all of them in a 0-60 run, probably due in part to its weight, but much more likely due to an inefficient transmission and powertrain (the Audis have the benefit of AWD).

EDIT: The 3.8 also has more HP than the Camaro and Mustang V6s, which are its real competition (it also loses to the Mustang V6 in 0-60).

[Kalmado]

I've loved my Mini Cooper S for well over 3 years now. The only drawback--of course--is passenger space. 30mpg and super fun to drive.

I'm about to work at a new MINI dealership opening and I can't wait to drive them. My friend who is the Fixed Operations Manager has test driven a few and he said they are a blast to drive. With all of the accessories you can get they look to be a very fun car to own if you like to accessorize.