What kind of car is the best . . . Honda or VW or Toyota?

Question

I can't decide between a 07 VW Jetta or Toyota 4 - runner or 07 Honda CRV. I am looking for good gas car

Answer 1

Toyotas seem to last for years on end.

Answer 2

While it may be true that US auto makers have been making improvements in reliability, since their reliability used to be abysmal, even a large step forward isn't enough to match that of the Japanese makers. I wouldn't put the German makers like VW (or even BMW or Mercedes) at the top of the list. They make fine cars, but not the most reliable ones. Honda (and Acura), Toyota (and Lexus and Scion), and Subaru rank consistantly at the top of the list for reliability. There are going to be exceptions in both directions, an American manufacturer may make a particulary reliable model (or individual car) that breaks from the trend. Likewise, the Japanese may sometimes make a less reliable car. Note that many of the foreign branded cars are actually manufactured here in America, so this is not a slam against American workers. The cars you're comparing are 2 years old or less, wait 10 years and see which gives you more trouble. I'm on my second year with a 12 year old Toyota Camry, and aside from replacing the rear struts last year (reasonable on an 11 year old car), I've had zero problems with it. Before that, I drove a 1993 Honda Accord for 12 years, and again, no serious problems, just routine maintenance like timing belt changes. I'd probably still be driving it if it wasn't totaled by flooding. The definition of "totaled" is that it costs more to fix it than the car is worth, so the insurance company only pays fair market value for the car. Therefor, I am not surprised that it cost a lot to repair the CRV when it was "totaled", since that's exactly what "totaled" means. If you mean that it suffered a lot of damage in a crash and cost a lot to repair, I wouldn't use that as a criteria to judge a car's value. The car is suposed to deform and crumple in a collision to protect the occupants, that's why unibody based SUV's (like the CRV) can be safer than standard framed SUV's in a crash -- the unibody can be designed to deform more uniformly to absorb energy and protect the occupants. But this does lead to higher repair costs. Well worth the tradeoff in my opinion.

Answer 3

If you are just deciding between those I'd go with the Honda...cheapest down the board (maintenance, insurance, etc)....but not really on gas since it is a CRV.

Why?

The Toyota 4-Runner (although a great vehicle) will eat more gas, VW's are not (in my experience) long lasting.

Answer 4

VW does not do as well on J.D. Power surveys as Honda or Toyota. Between the 4-runner or the CR-V, the choice depends on your needs and wants. RAV-4 is Toyota's small SUV, CR-V's class. Toyota and Honda give you the peace of mind of a well-built vehicle with a good resale value.

I have the CR-V. In the 2006 model, which I have, the gear select is in a weird place -- it will poke your wrist when you reach for the radio. I'm getting only about 20-21 mpg with half highway, half city driving, and I'm no leadfoot.

After seeing J.D. Power surveys, I like: Honda, Toyota, Lexus and Hyundai (if you really want to save money; their reputation for quality is rising and their warranty is industry-best).

Answer 5

I have a 99 honda crv with 103K miles on it. LOVE IT! Reliable, good gas mileage, roomy, low insurance rates, all around great vehicle. Jetta is small, costly repairs & VW just doesn't make cars like they used to. 4 Runner is a nice vehicle but pricey.
Have to go with the Honda. They keep on going.

Answer 6

If youre looking for gas, I WOULD say go with a Honda... but not a Honda SUV. So, if it HAS to be one of these, I would go with the VW Jetta. Otherwise, go with a Honda car, like an Accord.

Answer 7

Out of those 3, the Jetta will probably get the best gas mileage, simply because it is a car and not an SUV. But Hondas are the most reliable of those three brands.

Answer 8

They are all excellent choices, but if VW's engines are still made by Audi, I wouldn't have one. I had a friend that had Jetta and he said after about 120,000 miles it started using oil, but that has been quit a few years back and they may have done some modifications to the motors sence then. My first choice would be Honda. They are bullet proof.

Answer 9

Hondas can go over 300,000 mile easily. If you keep up on the maintenance, a Honda will last almost forever! Great gas mileage and will ALWAYS start in the coldest of weather! :-)

Answer 10

I've had all three, Honda out-performs them all. Less maintenance, power, great gas & looks good. Have fun!