Most Practical Car To Buy
Editors contributing to this list most often mentioned the features below when describing their ideal commuter car. Some features are driver aids, some are infotainment features, and the rest are comfort or convenience features. Our picks may not have every one of our must-haves, but each will have most of them.
most practical car to buy
If you choose the EX, with a starting price of $31,110, you will get a well-equipped SUV that has all of the features you would want in a 5-passenger commuter car. However, commuters will be even happier with the Sport Hybrid, which increases combined fuel economy from 30 mpg to 40 mpg. And if most of your commuting is in traffic or around town, you could see fuel economy as high as 43 mpg.
In 2002, Honda came up with something that was way beyond its time. Before SUVs and crossovers were anywhere as popular as they are now, people relied on huge 4X4 pick-up trucks or station wagons. Honda has practicality at the very heart of its modern-day designs, and in the early 00s introduced one of the most practical cars in JDM history; the Honda Element.
A rugged and usable little crossover was the Element. It could haul people and things very comfortably and practically. We think the Honda Element was too far ahead of its time to get the appreciation it deserved, so much so that its design could easily be mistaken for only 10 years old. Built with an outdoor, camping lifestyle in mind, the Element is one of the most practical cars that money can buy.
The year is 2001, the millennium mania is wearing off, and car manufacturers are all attempting to bring the future to the present. Car design consisted of swooping lines and crazy paint colors. Cars were getting bigger, more expensive, and more luxurious. However, for most of the public, this was what they wanted but not necessarily what they needed.
The Element came at a time when the public hadn't been exposed to the whitewash of crossover SUVs that we have on the road now. It did all the things anyone could ask of it. Being assembled in the USA from Japanese design was the perfect recipe for a strong, reliable, and most of all practical daily car.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Element could easily pass as a car no more than 10 years old. So now, onto the extensive list of things that make it one of the most practical used cars you can buy. First things first, suicide doors. While this may seem like a gimmick to most, the real reason is actually genius.
It's easy to see what Honda was doing. They wanted the Element to be the kind of car that a cool 20-something group of friends would jump in and go on a surf trip in. While most "lifestyle" vehicles are all talk no show, the Element was the opposite.
The second biggest concern noted in the study is range anxiety. To provide the most practical options for shoppers, we added a minimum EPA-rated range of 246 miles as a qualifying feature for all-electric cars, which is the average range across all non-luxury EVs. Choosing a PHEV that offers a gas backup when electric range runs out can also be a good compromise for shoppers hindered by range anxiety.
All finalists must also offer the following set of features as standard or available: Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection and lane departure warning. Among qualifying vehicles that met the initial pricing and features criteria, the final list was narrowed down to those with the most affordable median prices.
"You're led to this back office. They'll often refer to it as the box," says Van Alst. This is where the dealership will try to sell you extended warranties, tire protection plans, paint protection plans, something called gap insurance. Dealerships make a lot of money on this stuff. And Van Alst says it's often very overpriced and most people have no idea how to figure out a fair price.
Gap insurance promises to cover any gap between the purchase price of replacing your almost-new car with a brand-new car if your regular insurance doesn't pay for full replacement if your car gets totaled. Van Alst says gap insurance is often overpriced and is fundamentally problematic. If you still want the product, it's best to obtain it through your regular insurance company, not the dealer.
When thinking about reliable used cars, the Toyota Camry is most likely the first car that comes to mind. With an available 2.5-liter four-cylinder or 3.5-liter V-6 engine that can be all-gas or hybridized, you have so many options when choosing your particular configuration for this family sedan.
While most model years of the Camry are going to be fairly reliable, 2017 stands out as a particularly dependable year. It has an unprecedented 5 out of 5 stars in reliability from J.D. Power. This rating means that you can rest easy when you drive away whether you are buying from a private seller or a dealership.
Honda is another automaker that is well-known for making some of the best cars on the market when it comes to reliability. The Honda Civic is offered as a coupe, sedan, and hatchback and has a wide variety of engine options. All of them, though, are known for being fuel-efficient and practical.
With a sporty look and a tuned suspension, it offers the best of all worlds. The 2017 Altima is one of the most reliable model years for this car with an above-average rating of 3.5 out of 5. If you need a sporty feel without the lack of space that comes with convertibles or luxury cars, it could be a great option.
The Chevy Malibu has been in production since 1964 and this midsize sedan has remained popular with families no matter what changes it has gone through. With both gas-only and hybrid powertrains available, the Malibu is a great option for car shoppers who want something practical that has a low MSRP, a high-quality interior, and gets good gas mileage.
The 2020 Accord is one of the most reliable models on offer with a reliability rating of 83 out of 100 from J.D. Power. If you want a simple, well-put-together family sedan, the Accord could be the way to go.
While the word reliability usually brings about images of practical economy cars, there is still some room for fun in the world of dependability. The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a fantastic example. This sporty convertible has been an affordable, practical car for people who like a little bit of excitement with their reliable automobile.
By far the most dependable version of the Miata was made in 2018. This model year has a reliability rating of 4 out of 5 from J.D. Power and is a great option if you want a sports car without all the mechanical trouble.
The Toyota Prius debuted in the United States in 2001 and has since become emblematic of the hybrid and partially-electric vehicle movement in the country. While the Prius hit some snags with its reliability when it first came out, it has since evolved into a practical and dependable vehicle that can save you money at the shop and the pump.
The 2016 Toyota Prius is one of the most reliable hybrids of all time with a J.D. Power reliability rating of five out of five. With this kind of quality, you can be sure that your hybrid will give you years of money-saving service without the problems you might expect from other economy cars.
The Kia Forte is a five-seat compact sedan that brings sporty styling, practical features, and safety together in one vehicle. Kia vehicles are known for being inexpensive cars but they also have a decent reputation for reliability.
The Forte in particular is known for being dependable while also having good options for its four-cylinder engine and the choice between a manual or automatic transmission. The 2018 Forte is one of the most reliable model years with a 4 out of 5 rating from J.D. Power.
Volkswagen has sold more than 17 million Jettas since it was first released and its stylish stance and practical performance make it a good choice for drivers with many different needs. The Jetta comes with a base turbocharged four-cylinder engine as well as a comprehensive six-year or 72,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.
The 2020 Jetta is one of the most reliable model years with an 85-out-of-100 reliability rating from J.D. Power. This dependability combined with the warranty makes it a great car for people who rely on their vehicles.
Buying a used car can be difficult since the market is so oversaturated and you never know what kind of problems you are going to run into. Knowing how used cars score on reliability ratings is a great place to start since you can find out what kind of service you can expect and how long a vehicle will potentially last once you purchase it. By understanding what some of the most reliable used cars on the market have to offer, you can drive away with the confidence you need.
Different cars have different characteristics and talents. The Fiat 500e is stylish, nippy and cute, but it's also relatively small and impractical and doesn't have the biggest range. The Renault Zoe, meanwhile, is a little bit anonymous to look at, but has a much better range than the Fiat.
Small cars are great. In fact, small cars might just be the best cars. Because while the appeal of a vast SUV cannot be denied, the main purpose of a car is to get you from A to B, and small cars beat almost all others in this field due to the fact they do the same task as far larger machines, while costing less to buy and run, and producing fewer pollutants - whether on the road, or during the manufacturing process.In fact, if you're buying a small car, you're making a really canny decision, because it costs almost as much to design, build and engineer a small car as it does a large one yet, due to the nature of marketing and the way the car industry is set up, buying a small car tends to involve significantly less outlay than buying a big one. 041b061a72