[splitimage]

I was in a rather serious car crash on fri. and it looks like it's 50/50 whether my insurance will agree to repair it, or to write it off completely. It is an old car - 99 civic but it runs great so I really hope they'll repair it. But realistically there is a lot of damage.

So I may need to buy a new car now - 2 years ahead of when I'd hoped to. So my research is jsut starting, so I'd appreciate any advice / opinions that people have.

My criteria are safety, gas mileage, and price. I want to stay under 20K if I can. I don't' put on a lot of mileage / year, maybe 12 K on Avg, but it's mainly highway driving, so it's got to handle well at high speeds and have good accelleration. The rest of my driving is city so I want compact for ease of parking.

Right now I'm leaning towards the ford Focus. I drove one as a rental for a few days and really liked it.

But I'd really appreciate other advice / opinions.

Thanks.

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[Naturefreak]

So sorry to hear about that (((splitimage))) . Happy you are OK though.
Timgt5 is usually good at these things . I wouldn't have a clue.

[Timgt5]

Hi there, first of all I concur with Babysteps and am glad you are ok. Cars can be replaced, people cannot. As for a replacement for your civic, the Focus, while not a bad car is not at the top of what is called the C (compact class) here are some that meet your criteria of cost, efficency, performance, and safety.

The Honda Civic: This one is a perinial favorite with most experts. The current Civic, combines decent agility, room and comfortable ride. The Civic's 1.7L engine gets it 36MPG.







The Mazda 3: This one is the sportiest in the class. The 3 is a lot of fun to drive with better handling than all of its competitors. The interior is paticularly nice for a compact, with uplevel materials. The 3 is also very well equipped for the money. The base 2.0 packs 140HP and gets 33MPG, there is also a more powerful 2.5L as option which packs 165HP. The 3 comes in both 4 door sedan and 5 door hatchback trims.









The Hyundai Elantra: This is Consumer reports current top pick for compact car. The Elantra is roomy, well fitted and has a very smooth highway ride. The Elantra also comes standard with Stability Control at all trim levels. In addition to the sedan there is also an availible wagon with up to 60 cubic feet of cargo space. The Elantra is rated at 35MPG.



2010 Hyundai Sonata: This is actually a midsized car, but the 4 Cyl is rated at 33mpg for 2010. Hyundai just rolled out a redesigned 2011 model so the left over '10s should be available for well under 20K for a four cylinder. At that price it would be quite a bargain as the Sonata rides very smoothly,is extremely quiet and packs resonable performance. The Sonata also has a huge interior. Hyundai also has the best warranty with 10 years/ 100,000 miles on the drivetrain (engine and transmission)







I would advise giving a good thirty to forty five minute test drive to any car you look at, and take a friend along to help take notes.

You are welcome to PM me with any futher questions.

[modelcarguy]

That is good info there Tim. I would like to add to it if I can. During a test drive of a car have another licensed driver with you. After you have driven it for a while let them drive while you sit in the back seat. Ride back there for at least 10 minutes. If you are going to be carrying passengers- friends or children- you want them to be comfortable also. My first new car I bought I neglected to do that. It was impossible for anyone to ride in that back seat.