Practical, High MPG Used Car Recommendations

[ExFlyBoy5]

It's amazing how much power comes out of small displacement with DI technology, but I suspect the engines will not be that long-lived. As with most engines designed for high performance, durability is not a top priority. To paraphrase an old saying, Fast, frugal, reliable: choose any two.

That's why the Prius is my pick for a reliable fuel sipper. I believe it is Toyota's most trouble-free car, according to Consumer reports. The performance won't rattle your dentures, but it will get you from point A to point B for the lowest cost over the life of the car. And, it's a hatch, which the OP seems to prefer.

Funny in that my DW's latest vehicle ('Yota 4 Runner) is given poor marks for its "aging" V6 engine. There hasn't been a refresh on the 4Runner since 2009...but personally, I like that. Dependable, proven engine and reliability. Of course it gets terrible gas mileage but since we really don't drive too much, that isn't a deal breaker. As a matter of fact, between her 2020 model and my 2018 model year vehicles, we probably won't be in the market for anything for a number of years. At that point, we will probably be looking at a Lincoln or Cadillac.

 

[Chuckanut]

I'd follow Consumer Reports regarding individual models for reliability and low repairs.
Since they interview their own subscribers, it's got at least some truth built into it, and it spans years.

+1 on Consumer Reports.

I would trust them over MMM, Powers, the local newspaper auto reviewer or anybody else. Of course, you still have to do your own due diligence.

 

[Chuckanut]

Another problem with at least Honda's direct gasoline injection engines, is oil dilution (gasoline in the oil). Problem is worse in the winter. My son has a 2017 Honda CRV with the 1.5 liter turbocharged engine and I've been researching this. Sent Blackstone Laboratory an oil sample at 10,000 miles, pulled from the Honda, and it had in excess of 5% fuel dilution and smelled of raw gas. Oil appears overfilled on the dipstick. Honda is basically denying the issue. There are countless complaints about this engine. To get 180 horsepower, a lot of fuel and air had to be crammed into the cylinders of that 1.5 liter engine, more gasoline than can be fully vaporized before it burns, so unburned gas makes its way past the piston rings and ends up in the oil.

I was very tempted to get CRV last year, but Honda's handling of the gas in the oil issue turned me off. So, I got a RAV4 Hybrid. It's not perfect. It has the infamous un-fillable gas tank problem that reduces the driving range by about 100 miles. Not good. But, in a recent letter Toyota has acknowledge the problem and promises a fix is in the works. Compare that with Honda's handling of the gas in the oil problem and I think I made the right choice.

 

[BigMoneyJim]

I've taken two 4500-mile road trips in my 2010 Prius the past three years. I don't recall any comfort issues, but it's been almost 20 years since my last full-size vehicle.

Used Hyundais may be worth a look. They aren't as good as Honda or Toyota, but they really try hard to look and act like them. I had an off-lease 2006 Sonata for a few years. I had to sink a few hundred $$ into it eventually for front end parts, and one of the door handles broke off once, but it was a pretty frugal car for me. There have been several Hyundais in my extended family, and as far as I know everyone was happy with them.

 

[NateW]

I was very tempted to get CRV last year, but Honda's handling of the gas in the oil issue turned me off. So, I got a RAV4 Hybrid. It's not perfect. It has the infamous un-fillable gas tank problem that reduces the driving range by about 100 miles. Not good. But, in a recent letter Toyota has acknowledge the problem and promises a fix is in the works. Compare that with Honda's handling of the gas in the oil problem and I think I made the right choice.

We have a 2014 RAV4 and like it. What is the unfillanle gas tank problem? I have not noticed anything odd when refueling ours.

A friend of mine has the previous generation RAV 4 and it was clearly out of warranty and began using/burning excessive oil. He took it to the Toyota dealer and was told there is a problem with premature piston ring wear. The dealer toped up the oil to the full mark on the dipstick and sealed his oil cap and told him to bring the car back in 500 miles or so for an oil level check and if too much oil was used, he would get a rebuilt engine at no cost as a goodwill effort. Sure enough, he got a free rebuild. That made a very good impression on my friend. Completely the opposite of how Honda is handling serious engine issues. As of 2019 Honda is still using the 1.5 liter direct injected turbocharged engine in the CRV, and I read that Honda added a fix that delays the cabin heat from coming on as a makeshift way of forcing a quicker engine warm up. They may have also developed a software fix that limits fueling by limiting power output.

 

[kevink]

We have a 2014 RAV4 and like it. What is the unfillanle gas tank problem? I have not noticed anything odd when refueling ours.

A friend of mine has the previous generation RAV 4 and it was clearly out of warranty and began using/burning excessive oil. He took it to the Toyota dealer and was told there is a problem with premature piston ring wear. The dealer toped up the oil to the full mark on the dipstick and sealed his oil cap and told him to bring the car back in 500 miles or so for an oil level check and if too much oil was used, he would get a rebuilt engine at no cost as a goodwill effort. Sure enough, he got a free rebuild. That made a very good impression on my friend. Completely the opposite of how Honda is handling serious engine issues. As of 2019 Honda is still using the 1.5 liter direct injected turbocharged engine in the CRV, and I read that Honda added a fix that delays the cabin heat from coming on as a makeshift way of forcing a quicker engine warm up. They may have also developed a software fix that limits fueling by limiting power output.

So from what I can tell the engines in all the newer (2017 on) Honda Civics and pretty much all of the other highly-rated compacts I'm looking at are direct injection. From what you're saying NateW it sounds like you're not at all convinced these engines are going to last for 100-200K miles like the Hondas and Toyotas of old - leaving the poky Prius as the only real option?

As a non-mechanic I found this article helpful - though I must confess the complexity of these modern engines made me nostalgic for the VW beetle engines of my youth that even an idiot like me could maintain.

https://www.samarins.com/check/direct-injection.html

 

[JP.mpls]

Kevink,
Funny you should post this. I just got rid of a wonderful economy car (Honda Civic, 2018, EX-T), and purchased a (MMM Clown Car) Chevy Colorado.

I did this, because my needs changed from a commuter car, to a vehicle that a retired guy could haul gear to Florida in.

My recommended ultimate MMM approved vehicle:

I purchased a 2007 Ford Focus 4 door sedan from a place that buys salvaged cars from insurance companies. It had about 60k miles on it, and I believe it cost $7000.
It had been stolen and recovered. Body was perfect. My preferred 5 speed.

The engines in this era of Focus are wonderful. Lots of power for a small car, so it was a zippy fun car to drive. It got 30 mpg in town, and I kid you not, 40 mpg on the highway.

I consider it an equal to a Honda Civic, at a much lower price.

That car is still going. I gave it to my sister in law who needed something to drive. I believe it has 160-170k miles on it.

JP

 

[Chuckanut]

We have a 2014 RAV4 and like it. What is the unfillanle gas tank problem? I have not noticed anything odd when refueling ours.

The unfillable gas tank does not affect 2014 RAV4s.

In 2019 they redesigned the gas tank and for some reason, many owners of 2019 and 2020 RAV4s have a problem with the pump turning off before the tank is full. Often you can try to squeeze in another gallon or two, but it is time consuming to say the least.

I have noticed it in my 2019. With the tank at the 1/2 level I can barely squeeze in 5.5 gallons, yet it should hold at least 7. At the 3/4 level where I should be able to get at least 9 gallons into it I can maybe get 8 in. IOW, the tank holds about 2 gallons less than it is supposed to hold.

Given my car's 40+ MPG fuel economy that is a good 80-100 miles of range that I am missing.

As I said, Toyota acknowledges the problem and is working on a fix.

 

[mountainsoft]

We had a VW Jetta once, worse car we've ever owned--uncomfortable drive, needed constant engine work, a real lemon.
Every Toyota we have had has been a dream and a work horse, lasting over 200,000 miles with no problems and good mileage.

Sometimes you just get a bad car plagued with problems, regardless of make or model.

I have a 2000 Jetta with 220K miles, my wife has a 2004 Jetta with 134K miles, my daughter has a 2003 Jetta with 197K miles. They're all comfortable, nice to drive, and have been fairly reliable.

I did have to replace a throttle body and catalytic convertor shortly after I bought my 2000 Jetta. Those were expensive repairs, but I only paid $1900 for the car. Otherwise, the only repairs have been maintenance items (brakes, filters, timing belts, etc.) and door latches.

We've always driven VW's, and always done our own repair work, so I can't really say how they compare to other cars. But we enjoy them.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Funny in that my DW's latest vehicle ('Yota 4 Runner) is given poor marks for its "aging" V6 engine. There hasn't been a refresh on the 4Runner since 2009...but personally, I like that. Dependable, proven engine and reliability. Of course it gets terrible gas mileage but since we really don't drive too much, that isn't a deal breaker. As a matter of fact, between her 2020 model and my 2018 model year vehicles, we probably won't be in the market for anything for a number of years. At that point, we will probably be looking at a Lincoln or Cadillac.

My daily is a '95 BMW 540i. Aging design, yes. I bought a replacement car a couple years ago (another '95 Bimmer 5 series) but this one refuses to die. If the AC conks out, it's gone.

 

[Rustic23]

We have a 2016 Acura MDX. On the highway we get 32 mpg. It has 80,000 miles on it, and the trade-in is $16,000! We live rural, so more highway than city. The mpg for the 80,000 is 27.6. While this is not high, I can live with it for the comfort and roominess this car provides.

 

[mpeirce]

So far we've been looking at late-model used Honda Civic Sports (2017 on), Mazda 3's and lately some VW TDI Golfs which seem to be a kind of contrarian bargain with hugely extended warranties thanks to the one-time event of VW trying to atone for their emissions scandal. I have my doubts about VW reliability but know from renting one in Europe that TDI and GTI Golfs are a blast to drive. Anything else we should be looking at (or avoiding?).

Our GTI (2015) definitely is a blast to drive. And yet it gets a solid low/mid-30's mpg around town and around 40 mpg on the highway.

It's very practical too, being a hatch back. We're haul lots of stuff in it.

It's not a bad long distance driver either. I've driven from Ohio to Florida with no regrets.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

With gas prices@ $2.20/gallon and minimal commuting, who cares about gas mileage?

I do care a little, that's why I'm rocking a 2015 F150 3.5L Ecoboost that has gotten over 20 MPG lifetime (about 50K miles). 2000# payload and tons of torque means a vehicle with which I can tow my tractor, load up a yard of top soil or a truck load of hardwood, or just have the hard shell cover on w/my bags securely locked and out of sight for a trip. Added a great sound system (sub, focal speakers, amps, sound deadening) and it is good to go!

Honestly, now that I've had a couple trucks, I will never go back.

 

[BigMoneyJim]

leaving the poky Prius as the only real option?

I wouldn't claim the Prius is fun to drive in the normal sense of fun driving. It doesn't corner "fun" or accelerate/decelerate "fun" like a 5-speed sporty thing. It probably won't win any races.

But I've never found it inadequate to daily driving. It excels at that. Just not in a particularly fun way. But I've never felt like it had inadequate acceleration. The thing has two power plants, and it can get up and go when needed.

The only "fun" one might have is the gamification of trying to get the most efficiency out of the hybrid system. I'm anti-hypermiler myself, but for some silly reason I enjoy trying to keep it in all-EV mode in parking lots and alleys.

But now the Prius is my secondary/long-range car, and I have a LEAF EV as my primary driver. I do find that one fun to drive. And it's always in EV mode.

With gas prices@ $2.20/gallon and minimal commuting, who cares about gas mileage?

Last time I thought this I bought a late-model Chevy 1500 with a 350 V8 as my primary/only vehicle. And then the gas prices went way back up again.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I purchased and drove home a New 2020 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion yesterday. Quite an impressive car for a so called Non luxury brand. It has so much tech in it is untrue, way more than my current 2 year old BMW 330i. No Heads up display but I can live with that.

Finished off as good as any BMW I have had inside (sans leather), very nice 8" touch screen, makes my BMW look sad.

The 2 items they should have added are: Auto Opening Back Hatch with leg waving, and a Homelink Mirror. The mirror is available as an aftermarket part.

At almost $20k less than the BMW equivalent I was going to buy, I think it was a good choice.

 

[frank]

I drive a 2012 prius and like it. it is a great all around car. for long trips it could be alittle more comfortable. I was looking at a new camry hybrid, but my grandaughter bought a chevy cruze and she said it rides well, is comfortable on long trips and gets 42 mpg. something to look at.

 

[NateW]

Sometimes you just get a bad car plagued with problems, regardless of make or model.

I have a 2000 Jetta with 220K miles, my wife has a 2004 Jetta with 134K miles, my daughter has a 2003 Jetta with 197K miles. They're all comfortable, nice to drive, and have been fairly reliable.

I did have to replace a throttle body and catalytic convertor shortly after I bought my 2000 Jetta. Those were expensive repairs, but I only paid $1900 for the car. Otherwise, the only repairs have been maintenance items (brakes, filters, timing belts, etc.) and door latches.

We've always driven VW's, and always done our own repair work, so I can't really say how they compare to other cars. But we enjoy them.

I drive a 2004 Jetta TDI and I agree that it is fairly comfortable and has been trouble free for the most part, has 190,000 miles on it. My mother had a 2000 Jetta TDI and I serviced and repaired them both. The A4 series Golf/Jettas had serious problems with door latch micro switches (there are 3 in each latch assembly), like you have discovered, require a door latch assembly replacement. Another high-failure item is the clutched alternator pulley. It is available separately, but takes a special bit set (not very expensive) to replace it. The early A4s were plagued with weak front door window regulator clips that broke, causing the glass to fall into the door.

About timing belts and VWs: It is crucial that the engine mount bolts be replaced and properly torqued when changing the timing belt because if not done, there is a chance the bolts will break, or the threads in the aluminum alloy engine mount will strip while driving, and the engine to drop on the right side, causing severe damage. These are single-use torque-to-yield fasteners. Many repair shops reuse the bolts. The aluminum engine mount should either be replaced or a steel threaded insert (TimeSert) installed the third time the bolts are removed. The engine mount is removed when replacing the timing belt because it is bolted to the engine block inside the timing belt's path. Also the coolant pump (driven by the timing belt), timing belt rollers and tensioner should be replaced. Always use OEM parts here.

A must have if you regularly work on VWs is a Ross-Tech VCDS scan tool. This pc-based tool is what the independent VW repair shops use. It emulates the VW dealer scan tool and must be used for adapting some of the vehicle electronic systems if they are replaced.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I drive a 2004 Jetta TDI and I agree that it is fairly comfortable and has been trouble free for the most part, has 190,000 miles on it. My mother had a 2000 Jetta TDI and I serviced and repaired them both. The A4 series Golf/Jettas had serious problems with door latch micro switches (there are 3 in each latch assembly), like you have discovered, require a door latch assembly replacement. Another high-failure item is the clutched alternator pulley. It is available separately, but takes a special bit set (not very expensive) to replace it. The early A4s were plagued with weak front door window regulator clips that broke, causing the glass to fall into the door.

On both VAG products I've owned, the door handles broke at least once. On an Audi mailing list I used to frequent, members often blamed any numbskull engineering flaw on their cars as the work of "team doorhandle."

To me, Volkswagen is the Mopar of Europe in terms of design and engineering. They come up with interesting concepts (the '80s quattros were decades ahead of their time) but then undercut the product by using underengineered components. The rollout of the original Audi A4 comes to mind, which was followed by complaints of bad coil packs and control arm bushings.

 

[mountainsoft]

The A4 series Golf/Jettas had serious problems with door latch micro switches (there are 3 in each latch assembly), like you have discovered, require a door latch assembly replacement.

Yep, I had to replace all four door latch assemblies in both my 2000 Jetta my daughters 2003 Jetta. So far I've only had to replace the front two latches on my wife's 2004 Jetta.

Another high-failure item is the clutched alternator pulley. It is available separately, but takes a special bit set (not very expensive) to replace it. The early A4s were plagued with weak front door window regulator clips that broke, causing the glass to fall into the door.

Hmm.. We haven't had either of those issues with any of our Jettas. Something to look forward to I guess.

My wife's old A3 Jetta had a back window fall down like that while we were on vacation several years ago. I had to pull the door panel and jam a board under the window to keep it up until we got home.

About timing belts and VWs: It is crucial that the engine mount bolts be replaced and properly torqued when changing the timing belt because if not done, there is a chance the bolts will break, or the threads in the aluminum alloy engine mount will strip while driving, and the engine to drop on the right side, causing severe damage. These are single-use torque-to-yield fasteners. Many repair shops reuse the bolts. The aluminum engine mount should either be replaced or a steel threaded insert (TimeSert) installed the third time the bolts are removed. The engine mount is removed when replacing the timing belt because it is bolted to the engine block inside the timing belt's path. Also the coolant pump (driven by the timing belt), timing belt rollers and tensioner should be replaced. Always use OEM parts here.

Yep, I figured if I was taking everything apart I was going to get all new bolts, a new engine mount, new timing and alternator belt, new tensioner pulley, and new cooling pump. Thankfully, most of this stuff is available in OEM part "kits", so it's easy to order everything you need.

A must have if you regularly work on VWs is a Ross-Tech VCDS scan tool. This pc-based tool is what the independent VW repair shops use. It emulates the VW dealer scan tool and must be used for adapting some of the vehicle electronic systems if they are replaced.

I have it on my small laptop but don't use it much. The one time I did need it was when I had new keys made and had to program the car to the different keys. Worked fine.

 

[RetMD21]

Prius is an obvious choice. Fiesta of Focus is a contrarian move. The transmission issues were finally resolved but the used prices never recovered. I have driven a lot of subcompacts but probably should have gone with something bigger (Accord vs Civic) Now that driving to work isn't an issue I am looking for more comfort and flexibility.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Prius is an obvious choice. Fiesta of Focus is a contrarian move. The transmission issues were finally resolved but the used prices never recovered. I have driven a lot of subcompacts but probably should have gone with something bigger (Accord vs Civic) Now that driving to work isn't an issue I am looking for more comfort and flexibility.

After commuting two hours a day in the early '90s I got tired of killing my back driving little rollerskates and decided to go big, regardless of cost. At the time the 1980s Mercedes diesels were coming on the market used with 100K+ miles on them. Diesel fuel was about 2/3 the cost of regular unleaded at the time, and the cars were spectacularly overengineered. The seats ... oh, the seats, supported with coil spring boxes. I'd get off work after eight hours in an office chair and settle behind the wheel for the ride home. Ahhh. Like a favorite easy chair. I eventually owned two of 300D's, a coupe and a wagon. The coupe was the best, but a rear-ender on the freeway ruined it.

 

[Music Lover]

I have a 2015 Acura TLX. It gets 40 mpg on the highway and is very quiet and comfortable on long trips. Sacrificing comfort to maybe save $20 on a 10 hour road trip isn't good value for me.

 

[zinger1457]

I have a Toyota Avalon Limited Hybrid and like it, very comfortable for long rides and gets ~43mpg, range ~500 miles on a full tank.

 

[JAXN]

Check out Mazda

Mazda builds very good cars that are reliable and very fun to drive.

I used that site in post 31(?) from Samarins and was sold on Mazda build quality based on their thorough reviews. Bought a 2013 Mazda 3 in October with 140k miles that runs great, averages 32mpg. Two weeks later also bought a 2014 Mazda 6 with 145k miles which is the nicest car I've ever owned. I expect to put at least another 100k on both vehicles. Got a steal price on each compared to equivalent Toyotas and Hondas.

I have always bought one owner used cars and I'll be looking for a Mazda SUV when my wife's 2007 Honda Pilot finally dies (at 190k miles now). So take a look at Mazda. As good as Toyota and Honda with MUCH more soul and style. Good luck!

 

[NeverBored]

We love our 2015 Prius V - the hatchback is great for trips and hauling garden stuff home, and provides a better rear view than the basic Prius. DH named it "Get In." Great mileage, although the increased size and weight reduces the mileage some. I drive a 2011 Sienna, which was bought as our retirement vehicle. Not sexy, but comfortable and we could fit two bikes in the back with luggage by taking bike front wheels off. It's been solid and dependable. 18-22 mpg in city driving, 28 easily on the road.

Unfortunately, DH's health issues have reduced our adventuring even before Covid. But we'd buy the same cars again.