Not exactly a car person, so hoping I could get a little advice on maybe shortlisting a few makes/models to look at and/or avoid.
I’m looking to replace an 09 Corolla XLE, that was deemed a total loss after being rear ended, to give you some idea of what I’m looking for. A 4dr sedan, not a hatchback or station wagon, cheap, reliable, fuel efficient. Use cases would primarily fall into the commuter and errand running categories so it doesn’t need to be flashy, but if I can get all that and nice looks, bonus. I’d prefer to buy new, just so if there are any issues I can make the dealership fix them. Not especially picky about most of the rest, but I would like to have a decent stereo system. I splurged on the JBL stereo for the Corolla, so something at least comparable would be highly desired. Also, I bought the Corolla new, so I tend to drive things more or less until they get to be too much of a PITA to maintain.
So far the Carmry and Civic are topping my list, but had a couple questions.
Are there any other makes/models I should be considering?
Are there any other makes/models I should absolutely not be considering? I seem to recall seeing something about Hyundai and Kia cars being very easy to steal, for example.
This info is probably very out of date, but I’ve heard that the regenerative brake system on hybrids can be very expensive to service. So A) is that still true, and B) if yes, are there other mitigating factors to consider?
Assuming I could find a car with a more traditional geared automatic transmission would there be any benefit to that over a CVT? I don’t have a lead foot, and aside from occasionally needing to merge onto the freeway or pass someone, I will gladly trade some acceleration power for fuel economy.
I live in a state which has basically about 8-9 months of nothing but bright sunny days, and I have to park outside. Is it worth paying the dealer to apply those paint protection films for this purpose? Approximately how long could you expect that to last? 5 years? 10? 20? Any other methods you could recommend for a lazy person who doesn’t get around to washing their car as often as they should and wants something of a “set it and forget it” solution?
Think that should do it for now. May have more questions later, but this will definitely get me started.
If you are looking for an economical driving appliance with great fuel economy, you can’t beat the Camry. If you want something fun to drive and also reliable, you should look at a Mazda 3. The Civic doesn’t compare to either of the other two sedans, in my opinion.
I would consider the following based on what you’ve mentioned
Toyota Camry- You really can’t go wrong. Not exciting, but reliable, and cheap to run.
Toyota Corolla - If you liked your old one, you’ll probably like the the current one, the new model is a little bigger than your old one, so it may be big enough. Also not exciting, but reliable and cheap to run.
Mazda 3 - Not quite as efficient as the Toyota’s, but with a bit more personality, also can be had with a traditional automatic transmission.
Civic - Not quite the paragon of reliability it was 20-30 years ago. But still more reliable than average, and a bit sportier than the Corolla.
Sentra - The newer models are decent. A bit underpowered, but with a nice interior for what your spending. Reliability has been improving in recent years per CR. The Sentra tends to see more discounts than the other cars on the list.
CVTs get better mpgs than conventional automatics. The current designs seem to be more durable but be sure to read the maintenance section of your owners manual.
Ceramic coatings for the paint seem to be a good investment but I would not have the dealer add that. Find a good detail shop after you buy the car.
Hyundai/Kias have issues with engines at between 80K and 110K miles. Avoid them.
You can’t beat Toyota’s reliability overall…
If you liked your 2009 Corolla, why not just buy another one, they have a history of being very reliable… My daughters 2017 is far better equipped then my 2009 Matrix (Corolla based)…
The Camry is a step up from the Corolla and now in Hybrid form, even better gas mileage, if you have the budget, go for it…
Whatever you do, if you are after fuel mileage, DO NOT buy a truck… lol
Any newer model Toyota CVT or multi geared automatic transmission should all be serviced ever 60K miles or 6 years regardless of what the owners manual says, Hybrids are a whole different puppy all together and are about bullet prof…
There is NO such thing as a sealed automatic and or CVT transmissions, only ones with dipsticks and those without dipsticks…
Before you buy, do your home work on Ceramic coating, it is great but costly, check with some local detailer guys to get some cost on your vehicle of choice, then see what the dealer charges, chances are the dealer will hire one of the guys you already got a price from and then mark it up some, the only “good” thing about paying the dealer, is if money is tight and you had just rather finesse it over however many years, but it will cost much more…
The first thing you should do is visit the manufactures web sites . You can see just about all the trims . options , prices and warranty . Second have a realistic idea of what you can actually afford and are willing to spend.
Forget the addons like ceramic coating because of a small accident some insurance carriers will not pay to have the ceramic coating replaced.
Consumer Reports online is also available at many public libraries. I can log into my library online, search for consumerreports.org, sign in with my library signin and read it from home.
Thanks for all the responses everyone. Seems like if I want a “forever car” it’d be difficult to beat the Camry. I ended up getting an Uber ride in a '24 LE which was probably a lot smoother than my old Corolla and I was chatting with the driver about it most of the way and he was quite bullish about it being a good buy.
Just had a couple small follow up questions if anyone wants to take a stab at them.
I’m definitely more function over form, but I have to admit I love the look inside and out of the recent Altimas, aside from the stupid flat section on the steering wheel. Just kind of curious what would make the Camry a better overall choice.
There’s a chance I’d be moving to a state that has weather anywhere from 100F+ days in the summer to windchills of -40F in the winter. I’m guessing Toyta’s engineers accounted for most of this, but just kind of wondering how the battery pack might fare in those kinds of conditions.
Sort of a curiosity question. I drove my old Corolla almost like it was a manual transmission, in that I had the gear timings down and would let off the accelerator just a little to let it shift. I assume this won’t really be an issue for a CVT, just probably even less necessary, but wanted to make sure.
In one of the videos someone posted about the '25 Camry, it mentioned something about if you don’t drive it for a while the transmission fluid, or maybe engine oil, may turn “milky”. There can be times when I don’t drive the car for several days, or maybe just really short drives of maybe 10 minutes like to the grocery store once a week. Is this something I would need to be concerned about?
For someone who’s mostly looking for a commuter type car, is there any benefit at all to the AWD option? Probably 99.9% of my driving will be on city streets or county/interstate highways. If I do end up moving, I will note that the city has taken to running the plows with the blades a good inch or so off the ground, but it’s fairly flat terrain and plenty of people with basic FWD cars make it around just fine.
Engine oil or transmission fluid turn milky if they mix with water. That’s not going to happen unless there is an internal leak between the systems. Don’t worry about it.
It might or might not suit the original poster, size-wise, and I do know as I’m a bit older since purchasing my 2010 usd in 2020, I wish I’d gone for a Civic from the same model year or slightly later. Eigth Gen Accords can feel like a bus in tight parking quarters.
Looks is about all most Nissans have going from them, they have a track record of break downs much more than Toyotas and Honda and even Mazda…
Part of what makes an automatic an automatic, is it is an automatic, letting off the gas pedal right before it shifts then hitting the gas pedal again while at speed/accelerating/under load can/will affect/reduce the line pressure to the clutch’s etc and cause it to wear the clutch/bands friction material from slippage and or over heat the ATF… Letting off the gas pedal right before a shift and then hitting the gas again can/will also be hard on the planetary gears, sun gear and ring gears as well as the ring n pinion and the spider and side gears, as well as other parts of a typical automatic transmission…
I don’t even want to think what it would do to a CVT belt/chain…
