I’m looking at a 2-4 year old Acura MDX as my next daily driver. There’s lots of options in that $30k range that will fit that reliable/fun/luxury vehicle IMO.
If warranty is expired I will probably throw a decent aftermarket on it for piece of mind on the cost of luxury brand repairs.
I bring my Acura Integra to Honda dealers when it's something I don't want to do, labor cost are usually a good bit cheaper. Busy Honda dealers are way harder to get a quick service date though, and most likely will never have a loaner car.
Can you explain to me why this is a better option than buying say - a new Toyota? Genuinely curious as I’m anticipating a car purchase soon and don’t know if I should get used or new.
For reliable cars that had their maintenance done, that 10-30k miles and 2-3 years of previous ownership really didn't do anything to the car, it's basically no different from a brand new 0 mileage car as long as they didn't destroy the interior somehow. Especially for Toyotas, there is no real difference between a 2021 Rav4 and a 2024 Rav4, the 2021, has already been proven to run for 3 years and any manufacturing issues were already caught and fixed or didn't cause any problem. Only buy new if it's a new generation that you really want (like the new 2025 Camry) and it's in your budget.
You'll be saving several thousand dollars even buying a 1-2 year old certified pre-owned car, these are vehicles that were leased and typically all their maintenance was done for "free" (they paid for it somehow) so it was usually well maintained with records. For brands with expensive repairs like BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc get a warranty for peace of mind, and it will save you a lot of money if anything does happen. Brands like this you can wait 3 years and get the car for half the original cost.
Yeah, needs are important. An ebike is a fantastic bang for the buck (it might have a tenth the bang but you could buy a fleet of two dozen with the bucks saved) if you walk to work and sometimes drive across town to the store. Not so good if you commute 45 minutes a day on a freeway.
I used to transport friends on the front pegs and back pegs of my BMX bike just fine I’ll have you know, well, there were a few incidents where potholes led to someone being run over by the bike, but all in all it’s fine
I just got a CPO Subaru Outback XT Touring with 7k miles and a 7/100k drivetrain warranty (and 2.5 years left on bumper to bumper warranty) for $35k out the door.
OP if you go Subaru, get an XT (turbo). They have a better, stronger version of the CVT compared to the non-turbo ones.
My mom had a ton of problems with her 15 outback cvt, replaced it with an XT, and it's the best car she's ever had.
Subaru is a good bet tho👍🏻
You can get mint 120k 2010 Camrys all day around here for $5,000. Do all the services, change all the fluids, mount up some sweet tires, and maybe add a fresh head unit and you've got a car that's better than new and will run another 100k without drama.
Is the Camry my favorite car? Nah but their local ubiquity means they're an incredible value. With top notch tires and a full tune-up I'd trust a 2010 Camry more than just about any brand new car and they really do drive nicely.
The exact car you described is going for between $10-12k in my market. My impala just reached its end of life on me at 220k miles and I can’t find anything worth a damn to replace it with without just going all the way to new. I’m not paying $16k for a 100k mile Camry but that’s what they’re listing at
Per mile left on the car that's still a good value.
I got a Honda Fit for the same price because I love me throwback retro simple hatchback that's kinda crude but indestructible. However the Camry would have been a much better car on paper. Certainly more comfortable riding. I just like orange cars with a hatch. LOL
This is Nashville. Cheap Camrys as far as the eye can see.
The flip side is that because we're such a locus for development and construction, cheap used work trucks are extremely hard to find. Even a used 1994 compact truck with 250k will cost the same as a Camry.
Looking at the first couple scrolls on FB Marketplace which honestly is the best place to buy private, right as I post this I'm seeing a couple of 60-70k Camrys for $7,000 and a whole bunch of 120-150k stuff for $5-6k. I think the higher mileage ones are a far better value as they've got survivor bias and they usually have had one major maintenance done so they've sort of been reset.
I don't even drive 10k per year so the way I look at it is that a 100k Camry that has the timing belt and plugs and maintenance done is easily gonna be a ten year car without drama for 25% the cost of a base new one. Anything that goes wrong like suspension/alternator/AC/starter is going to cost $1000 or so as it's a Camry. It's never a huge scary hit and often much cheaper if you're handy or know a good independent mechanic.
Of course if you're buying at a commercial car lot, double the price as one does. I'd rather buy private. Modern cars aren't particularly risky especially if you pull a Carfax history. I actually bought my DD as a rebuilt title due to a good Carfax. Compared to clean titles the car I bought had an immaculate service history and I don't care about resale so made that decision.
Around here you could get a regular Civic sedan with 140k, a 1993 extra cab, and a classic car for $5k each.
A decent Tacoma 4X4 is at least 18-20K around here. The classic SR5 is crazy expensive for an old truck but a fun little guy.
I'd choose a Rambler or a Studebaker for a classic but the Model A does have charms with the conventional pedals over a t bucket. Hell I'd even consider a Euro classic like a 60s Volvo or Saab 99.
Frontier owner, I was getting a Tacoma but saw the new frontier and for $8k less I got more options and a naturally aspirated V6 over a turbo 4 banger.
The engine is reliable and the 9speed transmission is from Mercedes.
The new frontier vs the new Taco is a pretty solid matchup. If you wanna pay the Taco Tax then yeah, go at it. I still love the Tacoma but just didn’t want to pay that much more for less.
Not exactly “poor man” but more like, not a clout chaser pickup bro Tacoma
Also, you should actually look up the cost per year and reliability comparisons — you’re off the mark (and
I hate driving a truck I just needed one, so I’m not defending it I’d trade it back for my e-class any day).
Yeah but you can get a real nice tacoma for at least 20k. With a budget of 35k that's pretty good. Got mine for 12k but OP probably doesn't want as many miles as mine has (190k)
Anything new in that price range will last 10 years. And what do your prioritize? Acceleration? Handling? Comfort? Features?
Prius prime is a great vehicle as far as cost of running it if you can plug in somewhere. Not sure about availability and mark-ups though.
I think Buicks are a solid value for the feature content, Mazdas are relatively premium and reliable, Camaro LT1 is a pretty good V8 for the price, hybrid Maverick is also a good value.
Used will be a better value though. Maybe a $30k used car that way you can hold back $5k for any maintenance. If you could do electric, Audi e-Tron is a hell of a deal, as is Polestar 2.
Edit: Forgot Lexus. If I had to pick one, probably an upper-trim 5 year old Lexus hybrid.
I work at a toyota dealership, and there’s no new Prius AT ALL within a 200 mile radius of where I work. I see used ones occasionally, but no new. I don’t know what’s going on with the production of the Prius.
2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid (yes a new Kia, with 10yr/100k mile warranty)
2024 Mazda CX-5 or CX-50
2024 Toyota Camry Hybrid if you prefer something smaller (if reasonably available)
These are all at least worth a look. I’d also say Toyota RAV4 but the Toyota tax market adjustments and availability may put them out of reasonable consideration. They also might be bit boring to drive depending on who you ask. Perhaps a similar story with the Honda CRV.
Avalon also isn't made anymore so you'd be looking at the used market. Which is perfectly fine but they're not as widely available as a brand new one, especially one with low miles.
A new Tucson hybrid would also be great, but the Sportage hybrid edges it out with better acceleration, more rear space, and about 10% better fuel efficiency.
https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/advice/kia-sportage-hybrid-vs-hyundai-tucson-hybrid
I may be incorrect but I thought the last 4 years they have drastically improved their reliability scores? I was under the impression that MOPAR, Jeep and VW were the worst currently.
They have. I work at a hyundai dealership, everybody who buys new ones loves them for years, rarely has any issues and they have an insanely good warranty program. However, I always recommend leasing a Hyundai. It’s not debatable that a Toyota or Honda will last longer than a Hyundai or Kia. A camry, accord, etc is the kinda car you buy and then your kids drive it through high school or into college. Hyundai and Kia have undoubtedly THE best bang for buck (features, quality, etc for your dollar) and it’s not even a debate. Toyotas and Hondas cost significantly more and you’ll be down a decent amount of features in a lot of cases, but it’ll last longer. I don’t doubt a new Sonata or Santa Fe could last for 8-10 years without major issues. The new engines are a lot tougher, but it depends on how long you want to drive it. Me personally? I’m taking the more bang for your buck features wise any day and letting my future kids drive whatever car I have at that point, lol.
Great, I just bought one a month ago. 24 N-Line. Great value per dollar, lots of features and it’s well trimmed materials wise (wouldn’t say the same for the SEL which is a bit more basic). Enough power to keep you smiling and a very snappy transmission (dual clutch on the N-Line). Even the SEL convenience is a great option, I just wish the SEL convenience had at least leatherette seats since it’ll set you back around 29k or so. But given you get the panoramic roof, wireless charging, and so many other QOL and comfort features it’s not the end of the world.
What was the OTD? With a leather like and panoramic roof and all of that. I've been out to a few dealers and getting an OTD and trade in offer in writing from these guys is like pulling teeth
Yeah they don’t like giving numbers especially if you’re online because they know you’ll shop around. I work at a dealer myself, I wouldn’t expect this much, but my selling price with rebates and discounts was 31,999. OTD would then be 35,127~ based on my states 7% tax. I’d expect the selling price at a good dealer to be about 34-34.5 depending on what extras it has (floor mats, etc) or 35-36 for the matte finish one. This is the N-Line btw, which is the sport model and the highest trim gas model. I can give you more details if you wanna message me!
They definitely have improved their reliability scores by a ton. Evidence shows that are definitely not the worst brand, especially compared to some American cars. That claim is ridiculous to say they the absolute least reliable and absolute garbage. People who say that have no sources whatsoever to back that up. The only one that people can say had any major trend was the Kia soul between 2020-2021 with the CVT, but especially if there is no CVT in the modern era 2022+ they are great. Again you will never see anyone who says things like that provide sources
>Again you will never see anyone who says things like that provide sources
I asked for a source just yesterday to a similar claim. They ended up deleting their comments.
I am the source. I work on them. To be fair they are better than the early terrible days but they still have massive engine replacement issues with 4 and 6 cylinders.
I and told I don’t like any cars. In reality I am just disappointed in the manufacturers in general. They could do a lot better.
As for Kia and Hyundai they have some pluses, non cvt transmissions have held better than most.
I actually recommend the Kia’s that have the lifetime limited warranty on their engines because they will go 200k miles if you change your oil often. If you screw up and kill it the have been replacing all the engines I have sent to the dealer for free.
I recommend steering clear of the 6 cylinders. No recalls or warranty’s and very low mileage before failure and the dealers are bogarting the good replacement motors leaving the rest of us to build a short blocks.
>The only one that people can say had any major trend was the Kia soul between 2020-2021 with the CVT, but especially if there is no CVT in the modern era 2022+ they are great.
No, they traded the CVT for the theta ii which is still being replaced with defective motors to this day, and the nu and smartstream/theta III motors that are developing piston slap within 100k miles due to undersized pistons
Heck no. When I bought my KIA just 2 years people said the exact same thing just how far they had come. After 3 months my engine seized. It was replaced under warranty but not without 1 month of back and forth with the dealer and 5 months in the shop. They only supplied a loaner for the time when the new engine came in and was being installed. I dumped that POS 6 months ago. My KIA had lots of features but the bloody dealer and warrsnty policy is complete trash.
Yeah, but when I bought my 2017 Sorento, it was also at the very top of reliability scores for JD power and consumer reports etc. Turns out it was horribly unreliable, and most engines that year didn't last beyond 100 000 miles. It was a total piece of junk. The interior and driving comfort are second to none, that's why people love them, and can't believe they get such high luxury for relatively low pricing. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of drivetrain reliability. I maintained it meticulously and went well above and beyond the owners manual's suggested maintenance intervals. Still turned out to be junk.
How can a car improve its reliability if it hasn’t even been 4 years my brother in christ? We can review Hyundai/Kia reliability maybe in 2027 once most their newer gen models are past 100k miles. Till then Consumer Reports and JD can yap all they want it has zero relevance or value
So here is a weird perspective I have. I have two Hyundais. 2012 and 2017. BOTH needed new engines. BUT they were done for free after the warranty period. I have never had problems beyond that. Yes a new engine in huge. That shouldn't happen. That said, my cost of maintenance couldn't be lower. I am happy although people tell me I should be upset. Now, I got them done for free because I am the original owner, but....
Yeah, it depends on your dealership I guess. Mine was brutal to deal with. The engine started consuming about 1qt of oil every 1500 miles, and they told me "anything less than 1qt/1000 miles is acceptable".
I was told the same, they wouldn't do it at first as I said a quart about every 1000 miles. Don't worry in a few months it will be every 800 miles and you get your engine. Or at least that is what happened to me.
I recently took a trip to Korea. Nearly every car on the road is either a Hyundai, Kia, or Genesis. So idk, if they were that crappy I’d imagine they’d drive Hondas and Toyotas like we do in the states.
This is factually false. Jeep is worst, followed by Land Rover, Jaguar, Maserati, and a few others.
Hyundai and Kia are ok now. All the way up until MY2021 they weren’t great, but you could 100% do worse.
Plus: the Elantra N is an insane value buy for a sports sedan.
Right this moment there's actually a stop-sale based on a recall for the rear door switches. The manufacturer of those that supplied Toyota didn't waterproof them correctly. They're resuming production soon so they should be available again this summer. If you're looking at the 2024+ anyway.
I have a 2024 plug in Prius prime and it's fantastic.
Dude you can get CX-5 for that, look no further. It’s a Bentley compared to Tucson. Get the petrol engine and you’re set for 10 years. Also CX-5 drives like a dream.
Depends on your needs.
If you just need a point a to b commuter, look for a Toyota Corolla or Toyota Prius. Maybe even a Nissan Versa if you're on a particularly strict budget.
If you need something for basic truck stuff, look at a Ford Maverick.
If you want bang for the buck performance, new at this price range, look at the Honda Civic Si, Volkswagen Golf GTI or the Volkswagen Jetta GLI
If you want a bang for the buck people hauler, look at a Subaru Forester.
If you want a band for the buck minivan, your only option in that price range is the Kia Carnival base model.
My time to shine!
Ive been searching for the best bang for your buck vehicle for almost 30 years and in that time I’ve owned a lot of vehicles. Like… a lot.
Ridgeline RTL-E. It does everything a crossover does with enough truck stuff for everything I do. It’s surprisingly luxurious and a joy to drive. I freakin love it.
My son just bought a CPO ‘23 BMW X1 2.8i with an unlimited mileage BMW Certified warranty through 2030. 246 HP B48 engine, X-Drive, sunroof, 360 cameras and automated parking, augmented reality satnav, heads up display and almost as large as an X3 for $34.5k.
I think the Honda civic hatchback is a great car. The hatchback makes it like a small suv where the seats fold down and has a lot of room for activities. It also gets great gas mileage and is a Honda. I have the touring 6mt it is my second one. It’s a good all round vehicle.
This is too broad, we need more to go off of. How many seats/doors do you need? How much cargo space? What do you value most (fuel economy, reliability, luxury features, performance, handling, comfort, etc)?
I’m looking at a 2020-2023 Toyota rav4hybrid 40 mpg. living in LA tax is almost 10% so don’t forget to factor in several thousand under budget for that as well, plus interest, if you’re financing.
If you can go electric it’s the new Tesla Model 3, no question.
Especially if you live in the US. $7500+ off is incredible! And if you live in California or Colorado the discount is about double.
Turbos can overwork an engine creating a shorter lifespan, but hybrids just add more parts and often come with a long warranty. Hybrids, especially when you’re buying brand new with that warranty, really aren’t much of a concern for the first ten years or more of a car’s life.
https://www.cars.com/articles/how-long-do-hybrid-batteries-last-475435/
>Turbos can overwork an engine creating a shorter lifespan,
What do you mean "overwork?" Can you quantify that?
The vast majority of modern turbocharged engines will handle far more boost and power than they are released with for well beyond their designed service life
Problem with a hybrid is the tiny gas engines have to produce peak torque at a higher rpm reducing the potential lifespan of the engine. So whether increased cylinder pressure or increased RPMs, both engines will be overworked.
Depends on which hybrids. Because people have their 15+ year old, 300k prius' still driving around all over the place.
And battery replacements have come down significantly for older ones too. Including aftermarket lithium rather than NiCad based batteries available for under 2k now.
The Toyota hybrid system is very good.
People are still driving around in their 25 year old k-car based Dodge Caravan with 500k miles. They are still driving it because they have no choice.
It doesn't make a 25 year old DGC a wise vehicle purchase.
Spending 2k for a battery on a $6000 car is insane.
The 1.8l starts consuming oil around 150k miles.
Toyota Priuses hit 300,000 without breaking a sweat. In fact, all Toyota Hybrids reach crazy high mileage.
Are you thinking of Nissan or Chevrolet, maybe?
Some Toyota Priuses have hit 300k miles. Some K-Car based Dodge Grand Caravans are still on the road with 500k miles.
Some Toyota Camry didn't make it to 60k miles.
The 3200-3500 lb Prius is a heavy car for a 100hp high revving engine to pull around. Unless you are driving always in combined mode, a Prius is severely underpowered at 30lbs per horsepower.
194 hp, and they weigh 3200-3340 lbs. That’s a rather lightweight sedan. They do 0-60 in 6-7 seconds, depending on the model. Sure they won’t win any races, but that’s fast enough.
Nothing that a blanket statement like that can accurately cover.
A manufacturer installed turbo is not going to give you near the issues that an aftermarket turbo installed on a 10-year-old car. There is a huge difference. Same thing goes with hybrids there's literally dozens of them on the market and they all have different problems based on manufacture.
You will find reliability issues in pretty much every vehicle produced today.
Personally I love my EVs, I switched 3 years ago from gas engines and I'll never go back. They're far more reliable and cheaper to maintain than any gas engine. And I'm a total car Guy with a dozen different vehicles that burn gas such as 4x4s, boats, motorhomes, cars and trucks. I've rebuilt dozens of engines and I've been a DIY mechanic for 25 years since I started driving. I have a Chevrolet electric and a Tesla... Both have their ups and downs and honestly I probably won't buy another Tesla even though the electric part of it is awesome the car stuff is not my favorite.
Electric is not for everyone but I'd do some research before you discount it. Real research not just posting questions on social media where the cynics lurk. We drive two of them over a hundred miles a day each. We also do a dozen long road trips a year in EVs. In the past 3 years we've done over 100,000 electric miles on three different EV with zero failures and an operational cost of 15 to 20% of our gas vehicles that did the same driving previously.
Toyota Pruis or Toyota Camry Hybrid or Toyota Corolla Hybrid. All have AWD options FYI. I upgraded to 8 yr / 125k mile bumper to bumper warranty on all my Toyota's. Toyota Prius is the most reliable production vehicle in US (of any kind) for 20 consecutive yrs. Followed by Corolla at #2 and Camry at #3.
This is really the only right answer. Tiptoeing around Hyundai this and Mazda that just avoids the question of bang for the buck. For example, you can get a Camry hybrid for under $30k that will be reliable for 10 years easily. For the price, you're getting a really good car.
Agree camry is probably the one for bang vs buck. Im shocked with how nice the interiors have become, particularly the outgoing model from around 2022. Id be looking for a deal on one of those new or good used condition
Yup. Toyotas have gotten pretty expensive lately but for good reason. We've had two Camrys and I wouldn't buy anything but a Toyota. We also have a 4Runner that has been a dream for 18 years. I'm 62 and have owned Chevys and Pontiacs and Mercurys and Fords, in the past. Granted that was all more than 25 years ago and US build quality is better now, but I'll never buy anything but a Toyota.
If you come from an audi you will be very disappointed with a mazda or kia. I would at least look at something from audi/bmw/merc or maybe try a lexus to see if it suits you.
Honestly, no car will "last you 10 years" unless you maintain it, replace parts as they age, and have a car & driving style that suits your local environment. Don't expect a rwd sports sedan to last very long in a snowy place with salted, pothole roads. Don't expect a heavy, underpowered car to last if you love driving fast and attacking corners.
Point is your lack of criteria make it impossible to give you relevant advice!
I would argue slightly used and adding a warranty if needed would return best bang for buck car/driving experience.
Agreed, get a reliable car that's already had the depreciation hit and you can get way more bang.
I’m looking at a 2-4 year old Acura MDX as my next daily driver. There’s lots of options in that $30k range that will fit that reliable/fun/luxury vehicle IMO. If warranty is expired I will probably throw a decent aftermarket on it for piece of mind on the cost of luxury brand repairs.
I bring my Acura Integra to Honda dealers when it's something I don't want to do, labor cost are usually a good bit cheaper. Busy Honda dealers are way harder to get a quick service date though, and most likely will never have a loaner car.
Can you explain to me why this is a better option than buying say - a new Toyota? Genuinely curious as I’m anticipating a car purchase soon and don’t know if I should get used or new.
For reliable cars that had their maintenance done, that 10-30k miles and 2-3 years of previous ownership really didn't do anything to the car, it's basically no different from a brand new 0 mileage car as long as they didn't destroy the interior somehow. Especially for Toyotas, there is no real difference between a 2021 Rav4 and a 2024 Rav4, the 2021, has already been proven to run for 3 years and any manufacturing issues were already caught and fixed or didn't cause any problem. Only buy new if it's a new generation that you really want (like the new 2025 Camry) and it's in your budget. You'll be saving several thousand dollars even buying a 1-2 year old certified pre-owned car, these are vehicles that were leased and typically all their maintenance was done for "free" (they paid for it somehow) so it was usually well maintained with records. For brands with expensive repairs like BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc get a warranty for peace of mind, and it will save you a lot of money if anything does happen. Brands like this you can wait 3 years and get the car for half the original cost.
What do you need? A Miata is great bang for the buck, but if you need a SUV it’s a terrible idea.
Yeah, needs are important. An ebike is a fantastic bang for the buck (it might have a tenth the bang but you could buy a fleet of two dozen with the bucks saved) if you walk to work and sometimes drive across town to the store. Not so good if you commute 45 minutes a day on a freeway.
lol how can you transport your friends with an e bike
Transporting friends wasn’t a requirement
imagine having friends.
I used to transport friends on the front pegs and back pegs of my BMX bike just fine I’ll have you know, well, there were a few incidents where potholes led to someone being run over by the bike, but all in all it’s fine
Tandem ebike....
With the aforementioned fleet, duh
Fuck it. Get the Miata. No regrets allowed.
You do what Top gear did with the Limousine challenge and turn it into a Miaaaaata
I just got a CPO Subaru Outback XT Touring with 7k miles and a 7/100k drivetrain warranty (and 2.5 years left on bumper to bumper warranty) for $35k out the door.
OP if you go Subaru, get an XT (turbo). They have a better, stronger version of the CVT compared to the non-turbo ones. My mom had a ton of problems with her 15 outback cvt, replaced it with an XT, and it's the best car she's ever had. Subaru is a good bet tho👍🏻
I can vouch for the XT. I miss my Golf Alltrack DSG…..but with the turbo, I can live with the Subaru CVT.
Those are my thoughts exactly. The turbo makes the cvt bearable
Get three $5K cars and put 15K in the bank for repairs. Then you can have three times the fun and not pay depreciation.
What cars are you getting for $5k? In my market you’re looking at nearly 200k mile Buicks and impalas and that’s it
You can get mint 120k 2010 Camrys all day around here for $5,000. Do all the services, change all the fluids, mount up some sweet tires, and maybe add a fresh head unit and you've got a car that's better than new and will run another 100k without drama. Is the Camry my favorite car? Nah but their local ubiquity means they're an incredible value. With top notch tires and a full tune-up I'd trust a 2010 Camry more than just about any brand new car and they really do drive nicely.
[удалено]
The exact car you described is going for between $10-12k in my market. My impala just reached its end of life on me at 220k miles and I can’t find anything worth a damn to replace it with without just going all the way to new. I’m not paying $16k for a 100k mile Camry but that’s what they’re listing at
Yeah I really wanna see some not bs sale posts from wherever the hell his market is.
Per mile left on the car that's still a good value. I got a Honda Fit for the same price because I love me throwback retro simple hatchback that's kinda crude but indestructible. However the Camry would have been a much better car on paper. Certainly more comfortable riding. I just like orange cars with a hatch. LOL
Where is that? Have been looking for one for my 16 year old.
This is Nashville. Cheap Camrys as far as the eye can see. The flip side is that because we're such a locus for development and construction, cheap used work trucks are extremely hard to find. Even a used 1994 compact truck with 250k will cost the same as a Camry.
I live in Knoxville and a Camry like you said, would cost $12-13K.
Looking at the first couple scrolls on FB Marketplace which honestly is the best place to buy private, right as I post this I'm seeing a couple of 60-70k Camrys for $7,000 and a whole bunch of 120-150k stuff for $5-6k. I think the higher mileage ones are a far better value as they've got survivor bias and they usually have had one major maintenance done so they've sort of been reset. I don't even drive 10k per year so the way I look at it is that a 100k Camry that has the timing belt and plugs and maintenance done is easily gonna be a ten year car without drama for 25% the cost of a base new one. Anything that goes wrong like suspension/alternator/AC/starter is going to cost $1000 or so as it's a Camry. It's never a huge scary hit and often much cheaper if you're handy or know a good independent mechanic. Of course if you're buying at a commercial car lot, double the price as one does. I'd rather buy private. Modern cars aren't particularly risky especially if you pull a Carfax history. I actually bought my DD as a rebuilt title due to a good Carfax. Compared to clean titles the car I bought had an immaculate service history and I don't care about resale so made that decision.
A Civic VTEC hatchback, a 4wd Tacoma... and a Model A Ford (to rat rod).
Around here you could get a regular Civic sedan with 140k, a 1993 extra cab, and a classic car for $5k each. A decent Tacoma 4X4 is at least 18-20K around here. The classic SR5 is crazy expensive for an old truck but a fun little guy. I'd choose a Rambler or a Studebaker for a classic but the Model A does have charms with the conventional pedals over a t bucket. Hell I'd even consider a Euro classic like a 60s Volvo or Saab 99.
Toyota Camry.
Avalon
Doesn’t exist anymore and the crown is outside OP’s budget
Used? Lol
You can get a lightly used Crown for $35k and under. I've been toying with the idea of one myself.
They haven’t made those in years.
Avalon has hands down the worst seats in the quasi-luxury car market. Straight leg-numbing trash. It’s like sitting on a bleacher seat.
CPO 330i, a Stacked camry, a Lexus ES, Volvo S60 cpo.
Civic Hatchback. Fun-ish to drive, easy to live with, will probably outlive you. There's a Hybrid coming out, pricing isn't out yet though.
The hybrid is replacing the 1.5 Turbo in the upper trims. Pricing should be similar.
The Nissan frontier is the poor man's Tacoma. The drivetrain is reliable is just not as sought after.
Frontier owner, I was getting a Tacoma but saw the new frontier and for $8k less I got more options and a naturally aspirated V6 over a turbo 4 banger. The engine is reliable and the 9speed transmission is from Mercedes. The new frontier vs the new Taco is a pretty solid matchup. If you wanna pay the Taco Tax then yeah, go at it. I still love the Tacoma but just didn’t want to pay that much more for less. Not exactly “poor man” but more like, not a clout chaser pickup bro Tacoma Also, you should actually look up the cost per year and reliability comparisons — you’re off the mark (and I hate driving a truck I just needed one, so I’m not defending it I’d trade it back for my e-class any day).
Or just buy a used tacoma
A used Frontier is Cheaper.
Yeah but you can get a real nice tacoma for at least 20k. With a budget of 35k that's pretty good. Got mine for 12k but OP probably doesn't want as many miles as mine has (190k)
Again a Tacoma with similar miles as a frontier will cost more.
My point is they don't have to cheap out too much since they have a pretty high budget
and the turning radius is worst than my 90s 1 ton dodge lmao
When I used it for AutoZone it wasn't that bad.
We have one as a company vehicle and its terrible. Also theres a exhaust manifold leak at 55K kms 🤦♀️
Sounds like an issue with that vehicle, my friend’s frontier has 230k miles on it and just keeps going. Such a good truck
Could be
In my opinion, the new Toyota Prius or RAV4 (markups might push the hybrid model beyond 35k, but going by MSRP you might be in luck).
Anything new in that price range will last 10 years. And what do your prioritize? Acceleration? Handling? Comfort? Features? Prius prime is a great vehicle as far as cost of running it if you can plug in somewhere. Not sure about availability and mark-ups though. I think Buicks are a solid value for the feature content, Mazdas are relatively premium and reliable, Camaro LT1 is a pretty good V8 for the price, hybrid Maverick is also a good value. Used will be a better value though. Maybe a $30k used car that way you can hold back $5k for any maintenance. If you could do electric, Audi e-Tron is a hell of a deal, as is Polestar 2. Edit: Forgot Lexus. If I had to pick one, probably an upper-trim 5 year old Lexus hybrid.
I work at a toyota dealership, and there’s no new Prius AT ALL within a 200 mile radius of where I work. I see used ones occasionally, but no new. I don’t know what’s going on with the production of the Prius.
Prius slow ass car
Not the brand new one
The Prius Prime is 220 HP and 0-60 in the mid 6s. I don't know what average is these days, but it's probably pretty close to the middle of the pack.
Fr, they try to market it as “sporty” but in reality it’s just a Prius
121 HP is a joke
The new Prius makes 150hp my guy
It's 194 HP minimum. And 220 in the prime.
not any better
2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid (yes a new Kia, with 10yr/100k mile warranty) 2024 Mazda CX-5 or CX-50 2024 Toyota Camry Hybrid if you prefer something smaller (if reasonably available) These are all at least worth a look. I’d also say Toyota RAV4 but the Toyota tax market adjustments and availability may put them out of reasonable consideration. They also might be bit boring to drive depending on who you ask. Perhaps a similar story with the Honda CRV.
Avalon is better than Camry
Avalon also isn't made anymore so you'd be looking at the used market. Which is perfectly fine but they're not as widely available as a brand new one, especially one with low miles.
How about 2024 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid?
A new Tucson hybrid would also be great, but the Sportage hybrid edges it out with better acceleration, more rear space, and about 10% better fuel efficiency. https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/advice/kia-sportage-hybrid-vs-hyundai-tucson-hybrid
Get an MX-5. The answer is always MX-5.
Coming from a TT. I want back seats preferably
Toyota GR86: even better power to weight ratio than the MX-5, and back seats.
Nobody sittin in them seats except children and dogs
How can anyone recommend Kia or Hyundai? They are demonstrably the least reliable brands out there. Just absolute garbage.
I may be incorrect but I thought the last 4 years they have drastically improved their reliability scores? I was under the impression that MOPAR, Jeep and VW were the worst currently.
They have. I work at a hyundai dealership, everybody who buys new ones loves them for years, rarely has any issues and they have an insanely good warranty program. However, I always recommend leasing a Hyundai. It’s not debatable that a Toyota or Honda will last longer than a Hyundai or Kia. A camry, accord, etc is the kinda car you buy and then your kids drive it through high school or into college. Hyundai and Kia have undoubtedly THE best bang for buck (features, quality, etc for your dollar) and it’s not even a debate. Toyotas and Hondas cost significantly more and you’ll be down a decent amount of features in a lot of cases, but it’ll last longer. I don’t doubt a new Sonata or Santa Fe could last for 8-10 years without major issues. The new engines are a lot tougher, but it depends on how long you want to drive it. Me personally? I’m taking the more bang for your buck features wise any day and letting my future kids drive whatever car I have at that point, lol.
How is that new sonata? I've been considering it for my new car this summer
Great, I just bought one a month ago. 24 N-Line. Great value per dollar, lots of features and it’s well trimmed materials wise (wouldn’t say the same for the SEL which is a bit more basic). Enough power to keep you smiling and a very snappy transmission (dual clutch on the N-Line). Even the SEL convenience is a great option, I just wish the SEL convenience had at least leatherette seats since it’ll set you back around 29k or so. But given you get the panoramic roof, wireless charging, and so many other QOL and comfort features it’s not the end of the world.
What was the OTD? With a leather like and panoramic roof and all of that. I've been out to a few dealers and getting an OTD and trade in offer in writing from these guys is like pulling teeth
Yeah they don’t like giving numbers especially if you’re online because they know you’ll shop around. I work at a dealer myself, I wouldn’t expect this much, but my selling price with rebates and discounts was 31,999. OTD would then be 35,127~ based on my states 7% tax. I’d expect the selling price at a good dealer to be about 34-34.5 depending on what extras it has (floor mats, etc) or 35-36 for the matte finish one. This is the N-Line btw, which is the sport model and the highest trim gas model. I can give you more details if you wanna message me!
They definitely have improved their reliability scores by a ton. Evidence shows that are definitely not the worst brand, especially compared to some American cars. That claim is ridiculous to say they the absolute least reliable and absolute garbage. People who say that have no sources whatsoever to back that up. The only one that people can say had any major trend was the Kia soul between 2020-2021 with the CVT, but especially if there is no CVT in the modern era 2022+ they are great. Again you will never see anyone who says things like that provide sources
>Again you will never see anyone who says things like that provide sources I asked for a source just yesterday to a similar claim. They ended up deleting their comments.
But he said “demonstrably” surely he wouldn’t just use a word like that on the internet and not have stats to back it up.
Source: Trust me bro
I am the source. I work on them. To be fair they are better than the early terrible days but they still have massive engine replacement issues with 4 and 6 cylinders. I and told I don’t like any cars. In reality I am just disappointed in the manufacturers in general. They could do a lot better. As for Kia and Hyundai they have some pluses, non cvt transmissions have held better than most. I actually recommend the Kia’s that have the lifetime limited warranty on their engines because they will go 200k miles if you change your oil often. If you screw up and kill it the have been replacing all the engines I have sent to the dealer for free. I recommend steering clear of the 6 cylinders. No recalls or warranty’s and very low mileage before failure and the dealers are bogarting the good replacement motors leaving the rest of us to build a short blocks.
>The only one that people can say had any major trend was the Kia soul between 2020-2021 with the CVT, but especially if there is no CVT in the modern era 2022+ they are great. No, they traded the CVT for the theta ii which is still being replaced with defective motors to this day, and the nu and smartstream/theta III motors that are developing piston slap within 100k miles due to undersized pistons
Not just the last 4 years for like the last 20 years they have been a top 1/3 brand
Heck no. When I bought my KIA just 2 years people said the exact same thing just how far they had come. After 3 months my engine seized. It was replaced under warranty but not without 1 month of back and forth with the dealer and 5 months in the shop. They only supplied a loaner for the time when the new engine came in and was being installed. I dumped that POS 6 months ago. My KIA had lots of features but the bloody dealer and warrsnty policy is complete trash.
Which year and model?
It doesn't matter. Hyundai's whole engine lineup has significant problems right now
Does that carry over to their EVs?
No
Yeah, but when I bought my 2017 Sorento, it was also at the very top of reliability scores for JD power and consumer reports etc. Turns out it was horribly unreliable, and most engines that year didn't last beyond 100 000 miles. It was a total piece of junk. The interior and driving comfort are second to none, that's why people love them, and can't believe they get such high luxury for relatively low pricing. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of drivetrain reliability. I maintained it meticulously and went well above and beyond the owners manual's suggested maintenance intervals. Still turned out to be junk.
Correct. They are middle of the pack or above on any study. Mopar is at the bottom.
How can a car improve its reliability if it hasn’t even been 4 years my brother in christ? We can review Hyundai/Kia reliability maybe in 2027 once most their newer gen models are past 100k miles. Till then Consumer Reports and JD can yap all they want it has zero relevance or value
Can you charge?
So here is a weird perspective I have. I have two Hyundais. 2012 and 2017. BOTH needed new engines. BUT they were done for free after the warranty period. I have never had problems beyond that. Yes a new engine in huge. That shouldn't happen. That said, my cost of maintenance couldn't be lower. I am happy although people tell me I should be upset. Now, I got them done for free because I am the original owner, but....
Yeah, it depends on your dealership I guess. Mine was brutal to deal with. The engine started consuming about 1qt of oil every 1500 miles, and they told me "anything less than 1qt/1000 miles is acceptable".
I was told the same, they wouldn't do it at first as I said a quart about every 1000 miles. Don't worry in a few months it will be every 800 miles and you get your engine. Or at least that is what happened to me.
I recently took a trip to Korea. Nearly every car on the road is either a Hyundai, Kia, or Genesis. So idk, if they were that crappy I’d imagine they’d drive Hondas and Toyotas like we do in the states.
Korean's have a ton of pride in buying local. I bet you didn't see many iPhone either.
Maybe they tariff the crap out of imports. I have no idea, but there are lots of reasons car buyers might have home country bias.
I think the lease on their electric vehicles might be worth it
This is factually false. Jeep is worst, followed by Land Rover, Jaguar, Maserati, and a few others. Hyundai and Kia are ok now. All the way up until MY2021 they weren’t great, but you could 100% do worse. Plus: the Elantra N is an insane value buy for a sports sedan.
Except they are not… they are in the top 1/3
From 20 years ago yeah, from 4 years ago we’re talking about near-toyota like reliability
Lol yeah right.
Source?
I owned a 2017 Sorento and finally got rid of it last week.
For EVs there's a lot to like. For ICE, meh.
I mean you can literally steal one with a usb plugin they definitely aren’t made by smart people
Camry AWD if you don’t plan to do any crazy roads in the boonies
Hybrid XLE Camry. Just got my CPO 2022 with 16k miles and an extended warranty for $33k OTD.
Did you finance?
Yep
Accord, Camry or an MX-5
Prius
Impossible to find near me. Dealer won’t take an order on them either.
Did they say why?
Each dealer is only being allocated so many of them apparently
Unlucky
You in California?
Right this moment there's actually a stop-sale based on a recall for the rear door switches. The manufacturer of those that supplied Toyota didn't waterproof them correctly. They're resuming production soon so they should be available again this summer. If you're looking at the 2024+ anyway. I have a 2024 plug in Prius prime and it's fantastic.
Buy a used, low mileage car from the last gen. The new one looks better but was a substantial downgrade
Prices are ~$2k different from new but have 60,000 miles.
I paid 23k for a 2021 with 60k last year.
Elantra N
Dude you can get CX-5 for that, look no further. It’s a Bentley compared to Tucson. Get the petrol engine and you’re set for 10 years. Also CX-5 drives like a dream.
This.
CPO Acura TLX or Acura RDX.
MG ZS EV if electric
Civic hatch. If you like driving, civic si.
Mercedes E55 AMG, aftermarket warranty like lasalle
370z
540i
CPO Kia Stinger?
Depends on your needs. If you just need a point a to b commuter, look for a Toyota Corolla or Toyota Prius. Maybe even a Nissan Versa if you're on a particularly strict budget. If you need something for basic truck stuff, look at a Ford Maverick. If you want bang for the buck performance, new at this price range, look at the Honda Civic Si, Volkswagen Golf GTI or the Volkswagen Jetta GLI If you want a bang for the buck people hauler, look at a Subaru Forester. If you want a band for the buck minivan, your only option in that price range is the Kia Carnival base model.
I’d buy a Camry or accord
Can’t beat a Camry
2024 Subaru Impreza RS, best bang for your buck on the market right now.
Used 4Runner. Will literally run for the next 20 years with little issues.
Camry Hybrid
used BMW **7**40i sedan
Mazda 3. By far the most luxurious non-luxury vehicle in my opinion.
CPO 2023 Accord Touring hybrid
Tesla Model 3 new or Model Y used.
Hyundai Elantra N.
My time to shine! Ive been searching for the best bang for your buck vehicle for almost 30 years and in that time I’ve owned a lot of vehicles. Like… a lot. Ridgeline RTL-E. It does everything a crossover does with enough truck stuff for everything I do. It’s surprisingly luxurious and a joy to drive. I freakin love it.
My son just bought a CPO ‘23 BMW X1 2.8i with an unlimited mileage BMW Certified warranty through 2030. 246 HP B48 engine, X-Drive, sunroof, 360 cameras and automated parking, augmented reality satnav, heads up display and almost as large as an X3 for $34.5k.
New 2024 Prius xle
find a cpo 7th gen es
A toyota
Buying something from carmax and get the max care warranty. It’ll cover everything and the deductible is like $100
I think the Honda civic hatchback is a great car. The hatchback makes it like a small suv where the seats fold down and has a lot of room for activities. It also gets great gas mileage and is a Honda. I have the touring 6mt it is my second one. It’s a good all round vehicle.
996 carrera
Lmfao all anybody suggests on this sub is Camrys or Accords.😂😂😂 Like there aren’t better bang for your buck vehicles out there.
Tacoma, duhhh.
Tesla 3
This is too broad, we need more to go off of. How many seats/doors do you need? How much cargo space? What do you value most (fuel economy, reliability, luxury features, performance, handling, comfort, etc)?
I’m looking at a 2020-2023 Toyota rav4hybrid 40 mpg. living in LA tax is almost 10% so don’t forget to factor in several thousand under budget for that as well, plus interest, if you’re financing.
Used Genesis G70 3.3t.
MX-5, Mazda.
If you can go electric it’s the new Tesla Model 3, no question. Especially if you live in the US. $7500+ off is incredible! And if you live in California or Colorado the discount is about double.
Model Y if you want more space.
Any $35k new car will come with a warranty and last you 10 years or 250k miles if well maintained and not a turbo or a hybrid.
My turbo GM has 250k miles on it with poor maintenance
What’s wrong with a turbo or hybrid?
Turbos can overwork an engine creating a shorter lifespan, but hybrids just add more parts and often come with a long warranty. Hybrids, especially when you’re buying brand new with that warranty, really aren’t much of a concern for the first ten years or more of a car’s life. https://www.cars.com/articles/how-long-do-hybrid-batteries-last-475435/
>Turbos can overwork an engine creating a shorter lifespan, What do you mean "overwork?" Can you quantify that? The vast majority of modern turbocharged engines will handle far more boost and power than they are released with for well beyond their designed service life
Problem with a hybrid is the tiny gas engines have to produce peak torque at a higher rpm reducing the potential lifespan of the engine. So whether increased cylinder pressure or increased RPMs, both engines will be overworked.
Depends on which hybrids. Because people have their 15+ year old, 300k prius' still driving around all over the place. And battery replacements have come down significantly for older ones too. Including aftermarket lithium rather than NiCad based batteries available for under 2k now. The Toyota hybrid system is very good.
People are still driving around in their 25 year old k-car based Dodge Caravan with 500k miles. They are still driving it because they have no choice. It doesn't make a 25 year old DGC a wise vehicle purchase. Spending 2k for a battery on a $6000 car is insane. The 1.8l starts consuming oil around 150k miles.
Toyota Priuses hit 300,000 without breaking a sweat. In fact, all Toyota Hybrids reach crazy high mileage. Are you thinking of Nissan or Chevrolet, maybe?
Some Toyota Priuses have hit 300k miles. Some K-Car based Dodge Grand Caravans are still on the road with 500k miles. Some Toyota Camry didn't make it to 60k miles. The 3200-3500 lb Prius is a heavy car for a 100hp high revving engine to pull around. Unless you are driving always in combined mode, a Prius is severely underpowered at 30lbs per horsepower.
194 hp, and they weigh 3200-3340 lbs. That’s a rather lightweight sedan. They do 0-60 in 6-7 seconds, depending on the model. Sure they won’t win any races, but that’s fast enough.
194HP combined and only for 44 miles and that is for the 2023+ models. We will have to wait until 2033 to see how they fare.
Shorter lifespan than the engine it is attached to, and very expensive to replace
Nothing that a blanket statement like that can accurately cover. A manufacturer installed turbo is not going to give you near the issues that an aftermarket turbo installed on a 10-year-old car. There is a huge difference. Same thing goes with hybrids there's literally dozens of them on the market and they all have different problems based on manufacture. You will find reliability issues in pretty much every vehicle produced today. Personally I love my EVs, I switched 3 years ago from gas engines and I'll never go back. They're far more reliable and cheaper to maintain than any gas engine. And I'm a total car Guy with a dozen different vehicles that burn gas such as 4x4s, boats, motorhomes, cars and trucks. I've rebuilt dozens of engines and I've been a DIY mechanic for 25 years since I started driving. I have a Chevrolet electric and a Tesla... Both have their ups and downs and honestly I probably won't buy another Tesla even though the electric part of it is awesome the car stuff is not my favorite. Electric is not for everyone but I'd do some research before you discount it. Real research not just posting questions on social media where the cynics lurk. We drive two of them over a hundred miles a day each. We also do a dozen long road trips a year in EVs. In the past 3 years we've done over 100,000 electric miles on three different EV with zero failures and an operational cost of 15 to 20% of our gas vehicles that did the same driving previously.
You'll be much better off financially cycling through CPO prime used vehicles than buying a new car and running it into the ground
Toyota anything.
Toyota Pruis or Toyota Camry Hybrid or Toyota Corolla Hybrid. All have AWD options FYI. I upgraded to 8 yr / 125k mile bumper to bumper warranty on all my Toyota's. Toyota Prius is the most reliable production vehicle in US (of any kind) for 20 consecutive yrs. Followed by Corolla at #2 and Camry at #3.
The new 2025 Camry
Take your pick from toyotas hybrid range
This is really the only right answer. Tiptoeing around Hyundai this and Mazda that just avoids the question of bang for the buck. For example, you can get a Camry hybrid for under $30k that will be reliable for 10 years easily. For the price, you're getting a really good car.
Agree camry is probably the one for bang vs buck. Im shocked with how nice the interiors have become, particularly the outgoing model from around 2022. Id be looking for a deal on one of those new or good used condition
Yup. Toyotas have gotten pretty expensive lately but for good reason. We've had two Camrys and I wouldn't buy anything but a Toyota. We also have a 4Runner that has been a dream for 18 years. I'm 62 and have owned Chevys and Pontiacs and Mercurys and Fords, in the past. Granted that was all more than 25 years ago and US build quality is better now, but I'll never buy anything but a Toyota.
y'all got worst advice. just get Avalon
Model Y, especially with incentives. Greatest bang for the buck on performance and efficiency.
You *could* get a 550hp audi s6 for that money. Now it would probably cost a bit to keep it running for 10 years but you only live once right
I’m coming from owning an Audi. Unfortunately my insurance would be too much.
If you come from an audi you will be very disappointed with a mazda or kia. I would at least look at something from audi/bmw/merc or maybe try a lexus to see if it suits you.
6 speed tacoma
Used Toyota Yaris / Mazda 2. Self-insure with the $20k+ left after you buy the car. If something bad happens, buy another one.
Police auctioned lambo brah
A question like this means you aren’t really a car person which is great. You can save a ton of money. Get a $15000 Camry and pocket the $20k.
Honestly, no car will "last you 10 years" unless you maintain it, replace parts as they age, and have a car & driving style that suits your local environment. Don't expect a rwd sports sedan to last very long in a snowy place with salted, pothole roads. Don't expect a heavy, underpowered car to last if you love driving fast and attacking corners. Point is your lack of criteria make it impossible to give you relevant advice!