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I had similar criteria and narrowed down my own search a little. Look into used Subarus and Chevy Cruze. I didn't need 4 wheel drive but I know for sure the Subarus has it and I think it was available with the Cruze. All offer leather and heated seats and I found (through research) that they tended to be reliable. I didn't care about it look into sunroof though.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Pontiac Vibe. It's is 95% Toyota Matrix but less car literate people avoid it because it's a discontinued GM brand. I'm close to buying one myself, I see ones all the time 2009/10 with 90k miles for $7,000 to $9,000. With the Toyota engine it should get 200k with no problems. There was an AWD option but there not common. I think more Matrixs came in AWD.
Pontiac Vibe. It's is 95% Toyota Matrix but less car literate people avoid it because it's a discontinued GM brand. I'm close to buying one myself, I see ones all the time 2009/10 with 90k miles for $7,000 to $9,000. With the Toyota engine it should get 200k with no problems. There was an AWD option but there not common. I think more Matrixs came in AWD.
I had a 2010 for about a year. The are great cars, decent mileage, fairly sporty and fun to drive.
I don't think they came with leather, heated seats or sunroofs like the OP wants. I've never seen an AWD version either so might be hard to ind one.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cranston
The air-con systems are not the same and the Vibes are inferior to the Toyota's and prone to failure.
Those less literate people might know something after all.
My understanding is that the engine is Toyota but some parts are GM. The consumer reviews on Edmunds for a 2009 Vibe are as good as any vehicle which is atypical of any GM product I've seen. I'm not saying that there could issues in Vibes that Matrixes don't have been I still think the differences are minor. Historically GM products made at the Fremont factory with Toyota have held up very well.
Vibe and matrix were made in the same factory in California, built by the same people using mostly the same parts. Body panels and trim varies somewhat. Vibe had more standard options (roof rack), some different electronics (on star). Vibe offered body cladding that I do not think was offered for Matrix.
You will hear all kinds of BS claiming differences, greater durability, etc. from Toyota fanboys and girls (that probably are not any Pontiac fanboys left). It is safe to expect that if someone says something is different about the two and you cannto verify it, then it is untrue. Amazing how much completely imagined BS there is out there asserting all kinds of non-existent differences (even "go with Toyota , their quality is better Umm did you miss the same design, same parts, same people, same factory")
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Umm did you miss the same design, same parts, same people, same factory")
