How does this relate to cars? Read on and see.
Now, unless you've been hiding under a rock for the last three years, you may have noticed that the economy isn't quite as hot as it used to be. Everyone except the government is cutting back on their expenses, and nowhere is that more present in the car world.
Everywhere, people look at their pocketbooks, the sticker price on a family car, and cringe. The family sedan has long been the king of sales numbers. However, many folks have done the math and research, and have been opting for the compact sedans. And it's quite justifiable.
With prices ranging into the mid $20k's and a plethora of options, most consumers can stretch out their dollar by going a size down on a sedan that offers similar space, performance, and cargo space.The perfect contenders in the crowded arena of consumer sales, not too big, not too small, but right in the middle. Welterweights, in short.
My goal in this feature is to highlight some of the key players in this segment, and offer the best consumer advice for buying them, optioning them, etc. Here is a list of the cars I will be covering (in no particular order): Toyota Matrix, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia Forte, and the Chevy Cruze. I will be posting them in order from what I view as worst to best, with a couple of honorable mentions at the end.
In the spirit of full disclosure, these cars are the ones available in my company's rental fleet that I have first-hand knowledge of, so our options are somewhat limited. To compensate for this, I will be posting information about what options are available for consumers, and at what price. Ready? Here we go.
6TH PLACE: Toyota Corolla
Now, the more consumer savvy of you may be saying "But Iron! The Corolla is the best selling car in this segment! How can this car rank in last place?" I'd be glad to tell you, exuberant reader!
Fair warning, I'm going to use analogies to describe things. In this case, it's hamburgers. See, think of all the burger places you've ever been in, and be comforted by this depressing thought: the best burger place you've ever been in has never shifted more than the fast food place down the street. And that's the Corolla's main selling point. It appeals to the least common denominator in all of us.
Now, this is not to say it's a bad car. If you buy one new, odds are it'll be running for another 20 years. At least. Plus, Toyota sells them fairly cheaply. Without incentives, the base model Corolla will ring the registers around $16k, though that will be with a five speed manual coke-can model. With all the exterior accessories, in the LE trim, with TRD rims and TRD rear sway bar, the registers ring at just under $25,000. And, it should be said, TRD has plenty of aftermarket parts to make your Corolla go faster (my personal favorite is a supercharger that bolts straight on to the engine that costs about $2000).
Even then, with power windows and locks, the Corolla can be had with power windows, cd, auxiliary input for under $20,000. So why am I so hard on it?
Well, I have a confession to make. See, my daily driver is a 2003 Corolla. It's the base model, with power mirrors and an automatic transmission being the only features. The car has served me well on my 40 mile round trip commute. It has a 1.8 liter engine with a 4-speed auto with overdrive. The engine produces 130 horsepower. Why do I bring this up, you ask? Well, guess what the present day Corolla has.
That's right kids. 9 years of innovation has brought us to the same car that was available back when I was graduating high school.
I know the Corolla has been the sales leader for years now, but that has lead Toyota to become complacent, and their car hasn't caught up with the competition.
Final verdict: If you're considering buying a Corolla, for God's Sake WAIT!!! You can do better for your money.
There's more coming, stay tuned hoons!
For the categories performance, handling, features, comfort, and usability... the Mazda 3 wins hands down in my book, with the VW Jetta a close second... actually I take that back... the Jetta might be first with its 2.5L I5 instead of I4, heated seats, and sunroof... >_> Though I might be needing to reassess that per-price-point... My guess is the Jettas in the fleet probably go for a little more than the Mazda 3's... the Cruz's are also pretty amazing, but a little lacking in the performance department for my likings.
ReplyDeleteEducated guess as to your ordering for the 6 cars:
Corolla, Kia, Sentra, Mazda 3, Matrix, Cruz.
Not a bad guess, and the Jetta is a good bet. Unfortunately, we don't have the 2011's in the fleet. They may get an honorable mention at the end. Stay tuned !
ReplyDeleteThe Corolla should've been lower down on the list. Like, 9th or something. Yes, I know it's a 6-car comparison. It's THAT pathetic.
ReplyDeleteI would have put it somewhere in the 16 to 20 range personally... >.>
ReplyDeleteAlso with all due respect iron, I think the "only 2010s jettas in the fleet" is kindof a terrible excuse... my brothers just bought 2 2011/12s (not sure which they got, but they are both brand new), and asside from being the base model of the base models (no ac or even am/fm), there doesn't seem to me that there is much difference between the two model years. I think they got a little bit of an upgrade in the looks dept, but that's it. I still rag on them for getting cars with no ac and no radio... my brothers must be MR... :P
The problem is, Garthor, that I haven't driven the car. I can't give folks firsthand knowledge of the cars. Like I said, they're gonna get an honorable mention, but I can't give my own impressions on the car.
ReplyDeleteYou havnt even done the 2010 jettas?
ReplyDeleteMan, you be missing out... I think its a 2.5l i5, no turbo which means its not as quick as the volvo c30... but its very well balanced and handles exelently... plus I think its a little roomier than your standard corolla. Not to mention sometimes they come with heated seats...