Can anyone suggest a hatchback that gets 40+ mpg?

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

My wife has been commuting with a Buick Lesabre ever since we got it as a wedding gift. However, it is now over 10 years old, and is starting to cost us more and more in repairs. We also looked over our finances and realized how much we are spending on gasoline.

I started out driving a 1981 VW Rabbit that got an average of 44 mpg on the highway. She mostly drove an early 90's Geo Metro that got something like 47 mpg on gasoline. Both were manual transmission vehicles.

We were hoping to find that they had improved fuel efficiency of hatchbacks over the past 20 or 30 years, but so far what I've been finding is rather lackluster. I keep finding smaller cars that are only getting about 35-38 mpg - or quite a bit worse than our decades old cars got.

Can anyone recommend a hatchback that gets 40mpg or better and that might have a roughly 5 year old used version available for $10k or less? We need to get our gasoline costs under control, and having a more fuel efficient vehicle for her commute would probably be the best place for us to start. I think it might help us save $60 a month in fuel cost, or about 20% of our total monthly gas spending. Thanks!

 

[theeedude]

Ford Fiesta. But I wouldn't sweat the difference between 35 and 40mpg, since it's an inverse scale. 5mpg difference is a lot if it's going from 15mpg to 20mpg, then it's saving 1.67 gallons per 100 miles. Going from 35 to 40 mpg is only 0.35 gallons per 100 miles savings.

 

[bryanl]

Honda Fit

 

[TridenT]

Prius.

Cannot say about the 5 year and less than $10k. Priuses are not POS and have really good resale value for many reasons. (Reliability and they're a status symbol in the PNW especially)

 

[thedarkwolf]

Golf TDI another really high resale car though
Bug TDI Less desirable to people so lower resale but still a high MPG hatchback

 

[hans007]

you really can't compare whatever you were getting anecdotally to the EPA sticker of a much newer car. you probably can do better if you are just cruising.

like i drive a 328i. the sticker says 33mpg fwy. if i drive without traffic at 70mph i can easily get like 37-38.

anyway, i'd probably say the same thing as what the others say, if you want it under 10k and less than 5 years old, the fiesta.

its the same generation as the current one, and the curent one withthe 1.0 eco boost gets 45 fwy epa.


if you want to go diesel , you can maybe find a TDI golf, but probably still not under $10k.


if it doesnt have to be a hatchback, i guess you could probably actaully get a 2013 versa CVT for close to $10k now.

 

[gus6464]

A used Prius? You can get a 2008-09 for around that price and will be far more reliable than any of the cars mentioned above.

 

[MiataNC]

There is really only 1 car that meets your criteria (hatch, +40mpg, cheap maintenance)...

1: Prius.

2nd place: Honda Fit 5-Speed Manual will easily get 35mpg with mixed driving. I flog the crap out of the 2011 I picked up a couple months ago and never get less than 34mpg. It is one of the best "bang for the buck" cars on the road. The damn thing is a TARDIS (bigger on the inside than the outside).

FYI: Cross anything VW off your list. After 3-5 years they are maintenance nightmares compared to Japanese and American used cars.

 

[Ferzerp]

Highway driving or city driving?

If city driving, Prius. If highway driving, look at the other suggestions on the list too.

 

[z1ggy]

I believe the new 2014 mazda3i with skyactive will get 40mpg. Not sure though as the review I read they tested a sedan. I believe it was a 6 speed manual as well, so that's something to consider.

 

[tweakmonkey]

I'd say 01-05 Honda Insight (50-60 mpg) but you'd have to replace the hybrid battery at some point (~$1500). Other than that it would last forever and sometimes you find one for sale that has a fresh battery. A bit older than your needs (5 years) but other than the hybrid battery they have no issues. Only a 2 seter though

 

[cbrsurfr]

I believe the new 2014 mazda3i with skyactive will get 40mpg. Not sure though as the review I read they tested a sedan. I believe it was a 6 speed manual as well, so that's something to consider.

2014 isn't going to be under 10K.

 

[_Rick_]

Maybe CR-Zs have dropped into your price range.
With the hatch-coupe mix body not the most practical, but it looks interesting, and should do reasonable MPG, and the reception wasn't great, which should make for low residuals.

 

[z1ggy]

2014 isn't going to be under 10K.

Did not see that requirement, woops. Nevermind. In a few years that might be possible..

 

[desy]

Buy a used Focus for 7-8G
2-3G buys a lot of gas

 

[thedarkwolf]

FYI: Cross anything VW off your list. After 3-5 years they are maintenance nightmares compared to Japanese and American used cars.

Maybe the gas versions but the TDIs are pretty rock solid.

 

[MiataNC]

Maybe the gas versions but the TDIs are pretty rock solid.

Yes and no. They are great cars.....but.....

Replacing a failed HPFP will run @$1500 or more. TDIs are also not immune to all of the other VW common issues (electrical gremlins in the accessories, window regulators, etc.). You also have to change the oil more often, and Diesel is generally .20-.30$ higher per gallon. On top of that properly maintained TDIs hold their value extremely well. Any TDI in the OP price range is going to have high miles on the odometer, most likely not be well maintained, have a spotty history, be 2-4 years older than a comparable Prius, or some combination of these.

The ROI compared to a Prius just isn't there. The only real advantage to the TDI (or any other VW) is that they are a lot more fun to drive, and the interiors are much nicer with Euro flair.

Anyone who buys a used VW needs to go into it eyes wide open. They are great cars, but they have frustrating idiosyncrasies that make them hard to love. If you love VWs for all the things they do right, and can live with what goes wrong, then go for it. Otherwise...

 

[Topweasel]

I started out driving a 1981 VW Rabbit that got an average of 44 mpg on the highway. She mostly drove an early 90's Geo Metro that got something like 47 mpg on gasoline. Both were manual transmission vehicles.

Not to get off track and I if I think of any models that come to mind I will bring them up.

But I always get annoyed when I see these "I used to get 50% better gas mileage back in the day"

Emmisions and growing weight for safety did kill gas mileage in the late eighties and the new tests make cars look about 20% worse than they used to, but neither of those cars got anything near those numbers.

84 is as far back as I can go but only 2-3 of the gas ones got over 30 and the top was 32. That was back when they only had to coast at 55 for the whole highway test. It would probably wouldn't get much over 25 by todays standards. Apparently the GEO metro did have a pretty high ratings in its moving chicane lineup of 3c 1L engines. I know people bought them, but man, that is a dangerously slow car, not even on a joking can't move out of it's own way car either. Not exactly a car you should be comparing your hopeful new purchase with. You won't find cars like that any more. Even GM's worst cars won't cut that many corners anymore to get a car like that on the streets. The closes was the Aveo, that car had me scared at 70mph ( I could feel the tires slipping) and it's still 2x the car GEO is. The GEO was an attempt to get EU style short commuter into the US, it didn't work, they don't fit in our highway system, and where seriously unsafe. Even then that GEO would only get a high 30s on the current tests.

Which brings up a point. If you want a GEO type car (that's safer and better suited for the highway). Their is the Aveo and a 2010 would net you ~35mpg. and compared to what the first poster said that is only .3 gallons extra per 100 miles or $10 a month at 1k miles. $600 over the course of 5 years. A Fiesta would be a good choice as well.

 

[desy]

I had a 95 Civic hatch that got over 40
Bare bones, 13" rims, no AC, power nothing, not the steering, not even the second mirror but awesome mileage

 

[thedarkwolf]

Yes and no. They are great cars.....but.....

Replacing a failed HPFP will run @$1500 or more. TDIs are also not immune to all of the other VW common issues (electrical gremlins in the accessories, window regulators, etc.). You also have to change the oil more often, and Diesel is generally .20-.30$ higher per gallon. On top of that properly maintained TDIs hold their value extremely well. Any TDI in the OP price range is going to have high miles on the odometer, most likely not be well maintained, have a spotty history, be 2-4 years older than a comparable Prius, or some combination of these.

The ROI compared to a Prius just isn't there. The only real advantage to the TDI (or any other VW) is that they are a lot more fun to drive, and the interiors are much nicer with Euro flair.

Anyone who buys a used VW needs to go into it eyes wide open. They are great cars, but they have frustrating idiosyncrasies that make them hard to love. If you love VWs for all the things they do right, and can live with what goes wrong, then go for it. Otherwise...

I have an 04 jetta wagon TDI so yes I know about them. My 10k mile oil changes are not a big deal lol. Mine has 225k miles on it and yes it does have some electrical issues, the sun roof has started acting up, the drivers side electric door lock is acting up, and the rear hatch electronic popper doesn't work. None of which would be a big deal to fix if I felt like bothering. I paid $3500 for and it came with a stack of paperwork. Yes you do need to know the big issues that the cars can run into. The 04 for instance likes to eat its cam but mine was replaced at 180k miles by the previous owners. Every car has a few big dollar issues that can pop up including the prius battery. No it isn't very common but then neither is HPFP failure. The prius is just too damn boring for me. I'd much rather have a first gen insight if I were going hybrid. At least you can get a stick with one of those.

and my previous car an 03 pontiac vibe you know a TOYOTA had just as many electrical problems only they were more critical ones so I had no choice but to fix them. At least with my VW the problems are just in unneeded luxury options.

 

[Brian Stirling]

My 2012 Focus has averaged 38.5mpg over the 32K miles I've put on it and if I can cruise at modest speed it will comfortably get over 40mpg. I've had tanks over 45mpg, but speed had to be lower to get that kind of mileage.

At 80mph I can expect about 35mpg, 39mpg at 70mph, 43mpg at 60mph, 47mpg at 50mph and over 50mpg at 40mph. So speed matters as does being able to cruise without stop and go.


Brian

 

[desura]

Besides the Prius suggestions...

Honda Insight, if you can get a really good deal. Really good deal defined as 3-5k less than a comparable Prius.

It's similar in shape to a prius, though it gets about 10mpg worse mileage and has a less advanced hybrid system. Some people say it is a more sporty drive.

Now, the cheapest Gen3 2010+ Prius I've ever seen was like 11.5k. Most are around $15k.

The Gen 2's from 2004-2009 should be cheaper, but of course might have more problems, and get slightly worse (5%) mileage.

I saw a Chevy Volt recently for like $18k on ebay. It had 60k miles on it.

 

[AdamK47]

This week I averaged 42MPG with my $12K Spark.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Maybe the gas versions but the TDIs are pretty rock solid.

Maybe they should only sell TDIs then because every VW I've ever dealt with was an unreliable piece of shit and because of those experiences I'd never buy another VW as long as I live.

 

[brainhulk]

Anyone have the new Versa hatchback. I keep seeing ads for brand new selling for $10k.