If you're interested in a new hatchback, maybe you can benefit from my searching too. Any cell that is blank means I could not find data to fill it (like combined mpg), or that option is not offered in that trim or available as an option either (like adaptive cruise control).
I'm planning to replace my 2002 VW Golf with a slightly used Car in about two years. So I'm shopping around for new cars today that will hopefully be available when I'm ready.
The following things are very important to me:
-5-door hatchback, compact in size, maneuverable, easy to park
-affordable ($20-$30k msrp)
-better gas mileage than I currently have (21/28 city/highway)
-manual transmission
-around 50% higher power-to-weight ratio than my current car
-similar cargo space to what I have (18/42 ft^3 seats up/down)
-not requiring premium gasoline
-major reputable brand with history of reliable and inexpensive to maintain cars
-something that is not a rare model so finding replacement parts will be easy
The following things would be nice to have:
-lightweight with strong brakes, easy to stop
-auto rain sensing wiper blades
-auto dimming rear view mirror
-adaptive cruise control
-auto climate control, dual zone is stupid though
-a compass and external temperature displayed somewhere
-not much longer overall than what I currently have (165 in. long)
-lots of zoom zoom, fun to drive, great handling, etc
-cloth seats, I hate leather
-anything but black paint
-an option to mount a class II trailer hitch to fit my bike rack
The following stuff I don't care about at all:
-anything stereo related since I'll be changing whatever comes with the car
-any kind of entertainment, navigation, wifi, backup camera, or other fancy electronic crap to distract me from driving
-any feature where the Car thinks it is smarter than I am that cannot be disabled
The ones that stand out:
The VW Golf GTI Autobahn is the winner in most things but price. It is the most expensive on the list of cars that I would consider. It is everything I want and even has a ton of performance without requiring premium gasoline (!). Too bad it is so expensive.
The Lexus CT200h is an interesting car and has the best gas mileage of the group and come well equipped or has the option to have all the neat things I like. However, it is also expensive and has about the same power-to-weight ratio of my current Golf, which is stupendously slow. So, no thanks.
The Honda Civic Sport Touring edition is better than the Lexus in every way except gas mileage, and it is cheaper, and all the options I like are standard. I cannot find an msrp for it but based on the trim level below it (around $25k) I'm guessing this model will be a little cheaper than the Lexus, but not by much. The Honda is also pretty much the same as the GTI but cheaper and not quite as fast, which might translate into cheaper car insurance premiums. I want to learn more about this one, seems nice.
That leaves the Mazda 3 Grand Touring and the VW Golf Wolfsburg models. Both are very, very similar but the Mazda has the option of being better equipped with the neat stuff I like. I think the Mazda edges out the VW just a little bit because of that.
There are some other good looking cars for anyone on a budget. They generally don't offer the fancy options I was hoping for, but they do everything else pretty good. This includes:
Hyundai Accent Sport, Hyundai Elantra GT, Mini Cooper Hardtop 4dr, and the Subaru Impreza 2.0i 5-door. The Toyota Corolla iM is closest to what I drive currently but with a tiny bit better gas mileage (unimpressive overall).
The ones that don't:
Interestingly, the two models I had high hopes for when I started this are not even remotely competitive in this lineup. The Audi A3 and S3 both require premium gas, don't offer a manual transmission, are more expensive than I thought, are longer and heavier than anything else, and generally have worse gas mileage too.
The go-to favorites of the high-performance crowd like the Subaru WRX and the fast Ford hatchbacks had low gas mileage, which is not surprising considering their Power outputs. How the VW GTI manages to get similar Power output and so much better fuel economy is odd. I hope it's not because they cheat on emissions testing with them too :surprised:
What I think I'll end up with:
The Honda is really catching my eye. It has everything I want, but it will be more expensive than most of the other options, and it is a little longer bumper to bumper than I was hoping. If it winds up being too expensive then the Mazda will likely be the next choice.