Fit, Cruze, Focus Whats your take, What else to look at?

[sxtasy]

I am helping my sister find an economical car and I'll admit I don't know much about this segment. She is going to be a student, so payments/financing apr should be reasonable, with fuel economy and reliability also being important factors.

We took the Honda Fit out today, seems to be a pretty good car, although it seems underpowered and a little pricey for what you get. Going to take the Chev Cruze eco out tomorrow as well as the Ford Focus. I personally might lean towards the Cruze as I like the idea of a turbo with 6 spd auto while maintaining great fuel economy.

Whats beyonds input? What else should we look at and consider?

[flipstah]

I'd go for the Focus because of the interior design.

I sat in a Cruze once and it felt like a taxi.

[J-D]

I'd go for the focus out of those 3, just personal preference though.

[kvg]

The new focus is pretty nice

[dj_rice]

Nissan Juke?Nissan Versa Hatch?Toyota Yaris

[heavyD]

Focus.

[corsvette]

Cruze gets amazing fuel economy, really liked the way they drove too. Look at owner reviews on Edmunds, most Cruze owners are very happy. I do like the Focus' looks, but have yet to drive one.

[speedog]

Sonic has the Cruze turbo package and there's the soon to be released Chevy Spark

[corsvette]

Forgot about the Dodge Dart, think they are hitting showrooms in the next month or so.

[sxtasy]

Focus seems to be pretty popular here, just built one on Ford site and looks like pretty good value. 0% finance is always nice too.

Originally posted by dj_rice
Nissan Juke?Nissan Versa Hatch?Toyota Yaris

Versa should be on the list, imo Juke and Yaris are just too ugly.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[spikerS]

Originally posted by sxtasy
Focus seems to be pretty popular here, just built one on Ford site and looks like pretty good value. 0% finance is always nice too.



Versa should be on the list, imo Juke and Yaris are just too ugly.

Versa? God no. One of the biggest pieces of crap I have ever driven. There is a reason they were giving them away free a couple years ago. You could give that car another 50hp, and it would still be underpowered.

[FiveFreshFish]

If the current model year Honda Fit is like the '09, the headrests are very uncomfortable. They're positioned for maximum safety but too far forward for comfort, and they only adjust up and down.

Also, if you have long legs or sit close to the steering wheel, you will bash your knee on this switch pod getting out of the car. It's more intrusive than it appears in this pic.

[npham]

Driven the new Focus, the transmission is full retard at slow speeds and my buddy just bought a new Cruze which I thought was pretty nicely equipped, and gets great mileage. He's got 3 car seats in the back which impressed the hell out of me as well. Didn't care for the manual transmission but it was much more liveable than the Focus. Haven't been in a Fit or driven it, but I hear tons of good things so it would be between the Fit and the Cruze.

[kvg]

3 car seats

Originally posted by spikers


Versa? God no. One of the biggest pieces of crap I have ever driven.

Hey I like mine and I actually picked it over a Sentra, Fit, or Civic, but you have to get a manual or cvt not a auto. I think right now the focus is the best bang for you buck. The juke is cool but I think it's a love it or hate it car.

[K3RMiTdot]

i agree the focus sucks at low speeds, it sort of lags, but non the less focus looks better than the fit.
Fit is becoming a bit dated, if that matters to you.
Cruze sucks.

Focus!

[relyt92]

Originally posted by kvg
3 car seats



Hey I like mine and I actually picked it over a Sentra, Fit, or Civic, but you have to get a manual or cvt not a auto. I think right now the focus is the best bang for you buck. The juke is cool but I think it's a love it or hate it car.

Any issues with piston slapping in yours? My mom has like 10k on her 2011 versa with the 1.8l and is getting slap but nissan considers it 'normal' so won't do anything about it.

[kvg]

Let me guess it happens when it cold? If its a clicking noise when it's not piston slap. Anyways I got 71k on mine now and it's been a trouble free 71k. It's not a now motor as the used it in a sentra for years and the 2.0 in the sentra now is basically the same motor (mr18/mr20).

[Stealth22]

Originally posted by spikers
Versa? God no. One of the biggest pieces of crap I have ever driven. There is a reason they were giving them away free a couple years ago. You could give that car another 50hp, and it would still be underpowered.

Doesn't surprise me. I rented an Altima a couple of months ago, and I thought it was the biggest piece of crap I had ever driven. It did not feel like a $27K to $30K vehicle.

Hell, I drove a Ford Fusion (the new one) as a rental a couple of years ago when it was first refreshed, and I was pretty impressed with that car. I'm renting another vehicle ("full size") soon on a trip out east, and I hope to god that I get a Camry or Fusion. I'll even take an Impala over an Altima.

/mini rant

[ianmcc]

If she can drive a standard then go with the Focus and a MT.
The new automatic fails to deliver.