Honda
Pierce is a high school student from L.A. and is about to get his first car. He wants something safe, reliable, and "upscale," but preferably not a boring Honda Civic. With a budget up to $20,000, what car should he buy?
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Here is the scenario:
I'm about to receive my license and my parents want to purchase a run of the mill, boring civic for me. Fortunately I have an opinion what car I can choose. I want it to be somewhat upscale and reliable with at least pre collision breaking and lane departure warning. I transport my dog a lot so maybe rear seat room. It has to be less than 10 yrs old and no more than $20,000
Quick Facts:
Budget: up to $20,000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Roomy, reliable, upscale
Doesn't want: A boring Civic
Expert 1: Tom McParland - Upscale-ish
Cars.com
Pierce, I'm going to apologize ahead of time for what will likely be a slew of angry comments about how a 17 yr-old should not be getting a $20,000 car, because we all drove some $1,000 crapbox in high school and did just fine. I think a lot of people forget just how expensive "cheap cars" have become and how much of a challenge it is to find something quality at those lower price points.
While a Civic is a fine choice for a new driver, it's ok to want something a little nicer. My suggestion would be the Mazda6. I think it's the best "luxury sports sedan" you can buy without having any of the downsides of a European brand. You get a fun, stylish car, packed with features and with Japanese build quality that will be an easy sell to the parents. Your local CarMax has a nice selection of these, including this 2018 Grand Touring Reserve that is loaded with all the tech and safety you could ask for. Maybe just don't tell the folks that this has the turbo engine.
Expert 2: Daniel Golson - A lot of car for the money
Upscale, more interesting than a Civic, good safety features and room for a dog? I gotchu. What you need is a Volvo V60. Sadly there aren't many of the standard V60s out there, so you'll probably have to settle for a Cross Country model, but they're just as great as the versions without body cladding. (The cheapest non-CC V60s are all front-wheel drive anyway.) The V60 looks phenomenal even nearly a decade after its debut, and the interior has held up well in terms of both design and technology, too. The one I've found for you sadly just has a black interior, but at least the outside is Denim Blue.
It won't be the most exciting car to drive, but the V60 Cross Country is very refined, comfortable and quiet. 25 mpg combined and 31 mpg on the highway ain't bad, and with 250 horsepower the turbocharged engine will scoot you to 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds, which is plenty quick. Reliability doesn't seem to be too big of a problem on these, either. Plus, you'll be driving around happy knowing that all the car nerds around you are secretly impressed by how cool your Volvo wagon is.
Expert 3: Amber DaSilva - Think bigger
The Mazda6 is a fine car and all. Daniel's even closer with the V60 Cross Country, but you deserve to start your automotive ownership journey in the best car possible. Don't settle for a mere V60, get yourself a Volvo V90.
All the room your dog could ever want, without even intruding on passenger space — you could load this thing up with four friends plus man's best one, and still keep everyone comfortable. It's got all the luxury that Sweden can offer, and that includes both a comfortable interior and the safety features that you and your parents want. The styling, too, speaks to luxury. Just look at those headlights, and tell me you wouldn't pick this over a Mazda.
Plus, you're into cars enough to reach out to Jalopnik, so you might appreciate the Sparco wheels on this particular example. I can't say they're the color I would've gone with, but I'm shocked at how well they fit the car's aesthetic — they really turn this wagon into something aggressive. Get the bigger Volvo, and be happy with your dog.