Hello again! I have been looking for a used car under 20k. I want a car that is fun-to-drive, practical, reliable, and not too expensive to maintain. It should handle corners well and be fast. It should hold all of my gear during long trips and have 4 doors. I also live in a snowy climate and would like this to be a daily driver. I'd also prefer an automatic transmission for commuting. Any recommendations? Thank you!
This has Civic Si written all over it!
A wildcard entry would be a Subaru if you want to drive fast, in the snow..
Used Suburu WRX.
My general recommendation would be:
A Honda Civic or an Subaru Impreza. For the current generation Civic, the hatchback.
If you want super duper sporty:
A Honda Civic Si or a Subaru WRX. The WRX theoretically corners better because of its lower center of gravity due to the placement of its boxer engine.
Honda has racing in its blood, so it is. It a bad choice either.
I'd say try considering a manual car if you want the most fun to drive option. They work just fine for commuting once you get used to it, unless you go into medium-heavy traffic everyday on your way to work and back. In this case, you will have less frustration with an automatic.
Now it depends how fast you want, but rule of thumb the faster you want to go the more money you will need. Here are my suggestions:
Honda civic 2006-2011 (8th gen) : More fun to drive, feels faster, at the cost of rougher suspension
vs
Honda civic 2012-2015 (9th gen) : More gentle ride at the cost of a bit less fun and doesn't feel as fast (both have great handling)
Honda civic SI 2006-2011 (8th gen) : Same thing as mentionned previously, but the engine revs higher, higher RPM for peak horsepower and is usually considered to be the most fun of the 2 generations
vs
Honda civic SI 2012-2015 (9th gen) : Same thing as mentionned previously, but the engine doesn't rev as high, peak horsepower is at lower RPM (faster to reach) and is usually considered to be the most daily capable of the 2 generations
If you choose to go for a civic, either SI or normal (SI is closer to your budget), it's basically: sporty car > daily driver = 8th gen, daily driver > sporty car = 9th gen
Obviously there are many other options out there I simply share my knowledge of these specific models and years.
Subaru WRX is a great option too, but if you get one get the manual not the CVT, they tend to have some troubles.
Cut your budget by 1/3 to 1/2 and maybe even more and get a Honda Fit! Anything from 2009 to, … say, today? Even a new one is pretty close to your budget!
F.S.
You may like an Avalon. They have nice V6's, are very reliable, and are comfortable for long trips and commutes with their soft rides.
Here's a nice example I found:
