2007 Economy Cars. How do they measure up to one another?

Question

Anyone know the best bargain for a 2007 economy car in the NJ/Pennsylvania/Delaware area? Lookin for cheapest price, highest mileage, etc. Not a stickler for a quiet, comfortable ride, mainly concerned with economy & longevity. Thanks for any thoughts/info!

Answer 1

VW Jetta TDI, it has a disel engine which gives you about 40 mpg and the engine will last over 300,000 miles or 500,000 km. So it can be the most economy car with the longest life ever and the most religable becasue it is a disel engine!
It may cost you a bit more than anything else at first but it will make it even after a year, and about 3 years later you will save a lot on maintenance, gas, and cars value.

Answer 2

First off, TDI's are not currently sold in the US (they don't meet current emissions standards), so your only options are regular gas or hybrid. Since you are looking for the cheapest transportation possible, that pretty much rules out hybrids.

Honda and Toyota are generally regarded as the most reliable and fuel efficient makes on the market, but it comes at a price. You can get a low-end Honda Civic or Toyota Corrolla for around $15k, or a Toyota Yaris starting around $12k. But keep in mind these are stripped down models that may not have even the basic amenities people have come to expect (air conditioning, power windows).

If you're looking for something with a better upfront value, you can get a Hyundai Accent or Elantra, or a Ford Focus for significantly less. $15k will get you a fairly well optioned version of any of these cars. Neither has the reliability reputation or fuel efficiency of the Toyota or Honda models noted, but they have both improved in the last decade.