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Thread: Best "Modern" Subcompact Car?

  1. #1
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    Default Best "Modern" Subcompact Car?

    So my mom has had a 2014 Chevy Sonic RS since new and loves the thing to death. And it is a fantastic little car... When its not broken.

    It has had the turbo replaced at least once, the transmission at least once, the valve cover and intake manifold multiple times (stupid pcv system design, we did a fix to it eventually) and finally the engine lost a ton of cylinder pressure on one hole.

    Managed to find a cheap-ish lower mileage engine and we will swap it in, but the car has over 200k kms on it now and probably time to go. Between my father and I, we have spent more time fixing that car then ANY vehicle either of us has owned both of our lives.

    The folks are partial to GM vehicles, so the obvious solution is a low mile 2nd gen Sonic RS. Are these any better?

    And if not, what 2016+ subcompact hatch is good? It needs power to go down the highway (mom is a bit of a fast driver), needs to be big enough two adults can fit in it comfortably to go back and forth to Edmonton/Calgary, and reliable. Hybrids will be considered, I know 1st gen priuses were penalty boxes, but from the ones I drove they weren't bad cars.

    Ease of use is a paramount consideration, as my mom is "mostly" tech illiterate. If it has a tech feature, it better be automatic, or have the ability to be disabled.
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    If I had known you guys would end up being such bitches, I would’ve opened the parenting forum.

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    Benz B200
    Originally posted by sputnik
    Cell providers are the next Blockbuster video stores.

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    Fit

    If they want the “best” of anything other than maybe a one ton pickup, the first step should be avoiding American cars.

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    X2 on fit

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    x3 Honda Fit

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    Going back to a Sonic after your stories of unreliability would be like stuffing your own turds back up your ass.

    *Just to clarify - my recommendation is to not do that.

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    Tell me more about this turd-stuffing option.

    If she likes the sonic, keep the one she has. Don't buy a slightly newer but probably no more reliable one.

    If she wants a better car, there is no Chevrolet subcompact that can be on the list.
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    Tell me more about this turd-stuffing option...
    Pretending you don't already have two accounts on my OnlyFans??!
    You ain't foolin no one!

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    Quote Originally Posted by cjblair View Post
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    Fit

    If they want the “best” of anything other than maybe a one ton pickup, the first step should be avoiding American cars.
    Eh, they're old. Old people have stupid mentalities. The 2002 cavalier they had "was the best car ever"... Which from a reliability standpoint, I guess was true. It was also a GIANT piece of shit in every metric short of "goes down road and doesn't leave you stranded".

    I agree with the sentiment of keeping the car, especially there are not many reasons not to keep a paid off vehicle bought from new. The problem isn't the cost to maintain, its the time. Bringing it to a mechanic and getting everything done they'd like would easily be a $5k bill I bet. Vs something newer like a Fit that likely is a better car as well.

    This goes into other issues, like them needing to relax with the penny pinching as they move closer to retirement. It takes old people longer to do less, and they have less life to do it. It's getting better, but they still wince at the smallest of purchases sometime.

    *They are very well off, they just have a poor concept of time/expense.
    Quote Originally Posted by rage2 View Post
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    If I had known you guys would end up being such bitches, I would’ve opened the parenting forum.

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    I hear ya. Old people will waste all day to save a few bucks.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Wouldn’t the GR Yaris be the correct answer to this? Albeit ungettable here.
    Last edited by killramos; 05-08-2022 at 05:59 PM.
    Originally posted by Thales of Miletus

    If you think I have been trying to present myself as intellectually superior, then you truly are a dimwit.
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    fact.
    Quote Originally Posted by Yolobimmer View Post
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    guessing who I might be, psychologizing me with your non existent degree.

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    X4 Honda Fit..

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    Chantastics Honda Fit.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    It's a bit bigger but Chevy Trax or Buick Encore? Simple GM stuff, probably at least somewhat less crappy reliability wise.

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    Fiesta ST?

    While ES has gathered a big honda fit following, and Chantastic's heavily modded one aside, I find them REALLY boring.
    Boosted life tip #329
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    Make the smart choice.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    Chantastics Honda Fit.
    If only it came this way from the factory

    If you do go for a Fit, avoid the 2015 as they seem to have some starter issues among other things. And if you get a 2016, avoid the push starter models. They fail and are under a factory warranty but are still a pain having to deal with the service department. Unless you know it's already been replaced, of course.

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    I had bought the Kona out of the Seltos/CX3/Juke/Encore/Renegade/Ecosport/HRV/CH-R/Taos family
    Don't even consider the lower model engine though

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    Kona is a nice vehicle. And better made than most in the class. Might be too big for this person though?
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Old people don’t care about safety? What’s the likelihood of surviving an accident in a toy vehicle. If they drive down the Albertabahn on a regular basis, I’d want something with a good level of protection. Sonics will fold like tin foil around your average Alberta truck.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    Kona is a nice vehicle. And better made than most in the class. Might be too big for this person though?
    Definitely have my eye on this and my father isn't some wierdo "duhmestic only" guy, he does not mind imports so I think it certainly is on the list.

    As for safety, my mother is fairly well educated and understands statistics and probability. Not much of an appeals to emotions type.
    Quote Originally Posted by rage2 View Post
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    If I had known you guys would end up being such bitches, I would’ve opened the parenting forum.

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