Scotty,
Recently came across your video discussing your opinions and rankings of Asian vehicles. Typically, I am more familiar with Honda from friends and family, but the mention of the shim system made me take a deeper look and so I wanted to get your opinion on which car I should get for my wife. Obviously, we are dealing with the COVID like everyone else so we aiming for below 23k, but unsure whether to go new or old.
Thank you ahead of time, sir for your thoughts and your videos!
Raul
My wife has an 09 fit sport, 5 spd. It's been one of the most reliable cars I've driven. She's had zero problems with it.its just needed regular maintance. Oil changes, tune up, tires, brakes, tranny fluid change , even though.its a 5 spd still good to change it. But , she works at an office during the day, and she works for.grubhub some nights, so she drives a lot doing food deliveries and it's been very reliable..she has about 179k on it now. And, yes it has a lot of cargo space.. fun to drive for a 1.5 liter
To begin with, check for overall vehicle ratings at the following site: https://driversonlyrankings.com/
Otherwise, it depends on what kind of vehicle you want ? Sub-Compact, Compact, Mid-Sized, or maybe larger. SUV, Sedan, Hatchback ? How about features, technology, road handling, power levels, fuel consumption, future resale, and many more can be considered.
Per the title of the question, Honda Fit or Toyota Corolla. Different types of vehicle. Fit is called a hatchback, but is really a sub-compact SUV. Toyota Corolla is a 4dr FWD Sedan.
Fit's small size, popular in Asia but due to very low sales, 2020 may be the last year for North American sales. (BTW: Had you heard that Civic is being discontinued in Japan because it's too big for Japanese roads ?)
But I don't understand it ! Fit's very low price, very reliable drivetrain, great fuel economy, NO TURBO on the engine to fail and require big bucks to fix, good seating for 4 persons 6' tall or less, a good stuff-hauler with rear seat folded, makes a great urban commuter for short-medium distance driving, but for long journeys comfort is poor. You feel road bumps and hear wind noise, but not nearly as bad as Honda Civic. I'd recommend the sport w/6 speed if you want very low maintenance and 200,000 mile useful life. But Honda has probably the best CVT on the market, so do maintenance every 30,000 miles and drive conservatively, who knows how long it can last.
Depending on model expect OTD cost in the $23,500.00 range (USD).
Toyota Corolla: A 4dr, FWD Sedan made at a fairly new Toyota plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi. Generally regarded as very reliable, popular, low-moderate cost, NO Turbo's means lower long-term maintenance cost (if it's not there it can't fail), moderate power and good handling but not a road racer.
Comfort is OK, especially for short-medium trips for commuting, shopping, urban/suburban use. Long trips, seat comfort gets poor. You feel road bumps and hear road noise, but not as bad as a direct competitor, Honda Civic.
Tech is good, and features are about the same as the Honda Fit.
Approximate OTD Cost in the $27,500.00 (USD) range, depending on model/features.
Whatever you do, get all the information you can from objective, professional sources before you make any purchase. Good Luck.
I would look at the Corolla. They have a reputation for being one of the most reliable cars on the road. MSRP for them starts under $20000. You might be able to get an even better deal on a new 2020 still in stock. If you need a little bigger car the Camry is a couple thousand more.
A lot, if not all of the 2021 Corollas come with a CVT transmission. That might be a deal breaker for me. Toyota has reputedly have the best CVTs on the market, but CVTs don't have a very good reputation for reliability right now. Having said that, some dealers offer a lifetime drivetrain warranty if you have the vehicle serviced once a year.
