Car buying advice needed

[marcela]

Anyone out there currently have a Ford Fusion? Do you like it? Anything we should watch out for? Also looking for suggestions for other cars that might have a similar feel, but be more ecofriendly.

[TheAnonOne]

I have an 09' fusion v6. When I drove long distances it realistically only got 25mpg, around town, 19....

It's a roomy car, comfortable and so far reliant as it has 140,000 miles now.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

[GhostSaver]

If he really has his heart set on the Fusion, maybe you could find a used Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid and get some better gas mileage?

My default suggestion for a second car for a 2 car household is a used Nissan Leaf. Yes, the range can be somewhat limiting, but it is the most wallet-friendly thing to drive on a per-mile basis and you already have a perfectly good gas car for the commute.

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

70 miles/day round trip? If he can charge at work a used BEV would be very comfortable for that, like a Leaf or a Focus Electric if he likes Fords. If he really likes Fusions the Energi system is a nice approach - I have a C-Max -and is not very expensive used. C-Max Energis are for whatever reason less expensive and have more cargo space than the Fusion Energis.

[Vindicated]

I drive a lot for work, and chose a Chevy Cruze TDI (2L Diesel).  I average 45-50mpg on the HWY (My record is 52.4mpg for 50 miles!), 30-35mpg in the city.  Not "green" but efficient for lots of HWY miles.

Unfortunately, I drive far too much to use a Plug-in efficiently.

[Imustacheyouaquestion]

70 miles a day sounds like you should also be considering moving closer to his job!

[FLBiker]

I totally agree w/ your husband about some cars just being too small.  I'm just 6' 1", but when we were car shopping, I tried things like a Yaris and a Ford Focus and they were just too small.  We got a Corolla.  While I like it OK, I actually feel like Toyota isn't worth the premium for "reliability" -- our 09 Corolla has had basically the same number of issues over the last 6 years as our 1999 Ford Explorer Sport.  Not too many, but not none, and not so few that it's worth the extra couple of thousand dollars compared to a similar Ford or Hyundai (IMO).  If we had to do it over again, I definitely would have considered a Fusion (as they tend to be cheaper than Corolla's).

That being said, I'm personally not in favor of choosing a car because of the style.

[neo von retorch]

I'm 6'2". I've made all the mistakes in car buying, so you don't have to. Here are my criteria for evaluating a car:

• Already depreciated
• Efficient
• Multi-purpose
• Reliable

Things like color or style shouldn't really come into it (but they still will.) For a car to be depreciated, it has to be 3+ years old. (Some people ignore this rule, and it's true that cars that hold their value well, like many Honda/Toyotas don't grant you wild savings just by being a few years old.) Efficient cars are typically economy cars and some mid-level sedans. But sedans don't qualify as multi-purpose, in my opinion. You really need a hatchback, wagon or one of the more efficient SUVs. Reliability is easiest to count on if it's a Toyota or a Honda. Oh, and the car should fit me, and ideally I'd fit OK in the back seat, since if I fit, anyone fits! Given all that, here are my recommended cars:

• Honda Fit
• Toyota Matrix / Pontiac Vibe
• 2012+ Mazda 3
• 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport (2.0L engine)

Of these, I fit just great in the Fit or the driver's seat of a Corolla/Matrix/Vibe. I haven't really explored the Mazda3 yet, but the CX-5 was a great size for a giant like me, and I averaged 31-32 mpg in the 6MT version. You can't go wrong with a Honda Fit. He might assume it's just like the Accent, but he should test drive it before making that conclusion.