Heavy use vehicle - Honda Civic vs Toyota Corolla vs Hyundai Elantra (2014, coupe)
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I have had experience in the Maryland/D.C. area with a 2007 Toyota Matrix. It has about 110000 miles now. No real major issues. Mostly just needed maintenance. Oil change, battery change, tranny fluid change, spark plugs, cleaning of battery terminals.
Not too much corrosion after nine years. The fasteners are pretty much rust-free I am about to replace the diode rectifier in the alternator, but it can still work like nothing is broken.
The suspension held up so far, and so has the emissions.
No electrical gremlins.
They use a long life coolant that has so far lasted. Even the brake fluid didn't look bad after 8 years.
The rear door gasket fell loose. The tensioner ;-)ring had to be replaced maybe a couple years ago, which resulted in a small oil leak.
The seats, though, don't mesh with me. My mom might be fine, but I hate sitting in the car and it is cramped for my 6ft body.
I think the difference between these three is merely some small degrees of separation. Driving that much, I would likely buy the one I liked how it drove the most.
Who wants to be behind the wheel of a car for 20K miles a year, hating how the transmission works?
The D.C. area is littered with 25-30 mph speed limit areas and radars and cameras to keep you honest. The city itself and P.G have ****ty roads, so a durable suspension is desirable. Interior ergonomics are more important.
Buying a new vehicle, will put about 16k to 20k miles per year on it. Not just highway miles, but this includes heavy stop and go traffic in NOVA/DC area. Sometimes the car will carry 4 or 5 passengers with luggage. Not looking for some performance hog, but just saying the engine will be working hard.
I thought I would start with the 3 more popular cars right now for economy and high-mileage. I care about RELIABILITY the most.
I am old-fashioned and I really have a problem with the CVT tranny in the Civic and Corolla now. The new 2017 Elantra has a 6-speed transmission. I have ridden in a 2013 Elantra and it felt solid, good interior and nice to drive. I never thought about it, but is it wrong to put the new 2017 Elantra ahead of the Civic and Corolla for this vehicle purchase? The new 2017 Elantra doesn't look all that bad either. The new Civic has the CVT and would be getting the turbo model. However, do turbo models have a lower lifespan than a normally aspirated engine like the Elantra or has technology improved?
This vehicle needs to last at least 10 years.
For me, if Hyundai offered a 6-speed manual and Toyota/Honda had only a CVT - that would make the decision for me right there- I'd grab the Hyundai and not look back.
4 or 5 passengers plus luggage in a Corolla for 20,000 miles per year? Is this a group of itinerant dwarves? The back seat of a Civic, a Corolla, or an Elantra would be torture for more than 15 minutes.
The CVT on the Subaru Impreza is actually quite good, IMO, better than what Honda's been doing with similar. And the hatch version gets you more cargo space than the sedans. Reliability has been very good in recent years, and the AWD both improves handling on dry pavement and is a nice plus during the annual DC Snowmageddon.
another vote for the Subaru Impreza
they are bulletproof, consumer reports rates them at the very top along with the Honda and Toyota
I'd recommend a Toyota Yaris. The drivetrain in those cars are bulletproof and no timing belt to ever worry about. Great gas mileage as well and the hatchback design is super convenient . Not to mention parts are super cheap, smaller tires, less oil etc. I bought a Yaris 2 years ago for similar driving conditions and I love it.
OP, you sound like a taxi use.
Why no Prius? They are dominating cab business here.
I get it, you have "problem with CVT" but Prius does not actually have one, though it's called CVT. Besides, do your $$ calculation for gas used. 40 to 50 mpg does not appeal to you?
New or newer Prii are actually quite fun to drive.
4 or 5 passengers plus luggage in a Corolla for 20,000 miles per year? Is this a group of itinerant dwarves? The back seat of a Civic, a Corolla, or an Elantra would be torture for more than 15 minutes.
I've carried 4 passengers in a modern Corolla just fine - usually for about 30-45 minutes. No one complained. Today's Corolla, Civic and Elantra are actually much bigger than in year's past.
Yes and Prius is Corolla platform. With more cargo room being a hatch.
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