Actually, we’ve taken a chance on 2 year old used cars twice, so far with no problems
One time, a 2 year old lease return
The other time, a 2 year old former rental
A few thousand dollars mean a lot to some people. These are certified low mileage cars (courtesy cars and demos).
I love my 2014 Mazda 6 and it hits all the marks the OP is looking for. The back seat is a little tighter than the Accord or Camry but still comfortable enough for two adults on a long drive. It is sporty, great looking, a blast to drive, gets awesome gas mileage, and has been quite reliable. I have 93,000 miles and have spent just $400 in repairs that were not “routine maintenance”. The newer 6’s are even quieter so I am looking forward to my new one next year!
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I think it would be a waste to trade in so early. If you can wait until 2019 I would trade to avoid the massive depreciation. Have you considered Honda oem add one from the dealer such as rear spoiler?
Your considering a v6 Camry but not a v6 accord? You said the 16 Accord was too plain. I think the Camry is 20 fold more plain than the accord.
Current Camry, yes it is very plain. I’m thinking of 2018 Camry. And yes, I have thought about trading for a V6 Touring Accord. It’s too bad Honda doesn’t put attractive colors on their Accords. White, black, silver and gray are the V6 options. Blah.
My recollection is that the older-design Charger–and the largely mechanically-similar Chrysler 300–shared ONLY the rear suspension with the Mercedes E Class. In light of the fact that Chrysler and Mercedes parted ways a decade ago, and that the Charger and 300 were both redesigned subsequent to that event, I have a VERY hard time believing that the current Charger shares “90% of its mechanical (?) and engineering with the E Class” at this point.
Please post a link to a credible source that confirms your contention.
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Didn’t a regular poster claim they knew someone who leased vehicles and never bothered to even change the oil the whole time they had it?
Also, depending on the vehicle, the dealership might ask as much, if not MORE for the 2~3 year old used car vs new.
Yes, It is too bad they do not offer the red the Sport and Sport SE is offered with. If I had to buy the Touring, the Lunar Silver and dark silver look great. I love the blue as well, but my dark blue crv gets too hot in the summer.
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If looks are the biggest problem, why not take it to a body shop and have them do a professional paint job to the car you have now?
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Be careful with consumer reports. Example, They stated that the 4 liter option was not recommended over the 3 liter engine in a vehicle I planned to buy. Well, I took the 3 liter without test driving the 4 liter. Huge mistake, had opportunity to drive a 4 liter later. Significant difference in performance with no MPG penalty.
Mazda 6 would be decent. But if you lived in the USA the Fusion would be an obvious choice.
Gpierce, you took the words right out of my mouth. I was wondering why no Ford fans had spoken up. While I myself am not a Ford fan, I was thinking that the Fusion could be an excellent choice. With the ECO V6 you get 365 HP, which would quite entertaining to drive.
The OP didn’t indicate where he lives, but if possible I would recommend going to an Auto Mall if one is nearby. Park offsite if possible and spend some time walking around. They usually have the cars open so he could test-fit any that caught his eye.
Another possibility could be a mid-size SUV. While the OP stated that 4WD isn’t needed, AWD, to me, is a safety factor if you live anywhere it rains. Ford Escape or Edge, Chevrolet Traverse, Jeep Cherokee (I know that’s not a popular choice, but I have one and love it).
Have you looked at the new Kia Optima? They’re really sporty looking for a mid-sized sedan, and can be upgraded to near luxurious. While I’ve never driven one, I had a Forte (manual transmission) for awhile and it was a lot of fun to drive. I was tempted to look at the Optima, but I decided to go back to Subaru because I really need the AWD where I live.
My mechanic said that the Kias are pretty reliable–not the best, but not the worst. He’d recommend the Kia over the Mazda or Ford. (I asked him about both when I was looking.) Overall, he likes the Toyotas and Hondas as far as reliability goes, though.
I haven’t owned anything but minivans and a 4Runner SUV since 2003. However, the last vehicle I drove my institution’s fleet was a Ford Fusion. It was the previous generation–maybe a 2009. Even though it was rental car special, it did handle well and I found the seat and driving position very comfortable for me. I have no idea what engine was under the hood, but it seemed responsive for the 100 miles I drove the car. I do like the looks of the present generation Ford Fusion. If I get to the point where I don’t need a minivan, a properly equipped Fusion would be on my list.
That 2009 Ford Fusion you mentioned had a rather sophisticated suspension setup, actually more sophisticated . . . in my opinion . . . than the current model
It probably had the 2.5 liter 4 cylinder. That was the most common at the time
@db4690 You are probably right. I didn’t have time to examine the car. I taught a.moring class on my home campus, drove 60 miles to another college to make a presentation, then zipped back to my campus to teach my next scheduled class. I moved right along on the interstate and did some spirited driving in an urban area. The handling and responsiveness of the Fusion impressed me. I
made the same trip in a Hyundai Sonata a year before and wasn’t particularly impressed with the Sonata. I have to buy vehicles for their utility which limits me to minivans. If you’ve driven one minivan, you’ve driven them all.
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I believe that particular Ford Fusion you drove was based on the Mazda 6 platform, and Mazda is known for “zoom zoom”, so I would expect their cars are supposed to be fun to drive
And the current Fusion, which came out 3 or 4 years ago, is no longer related to the Mazda 6 in any way.
I think Mazda new model is great for you!
I think they have more than just one model. You might be more specific. Never mind, recommending a vehicle to someone is really a waste of time.