Help Me Find A 2017-2018 Car for under $25K

No Username on 02/11/2018 - 23:14
Last edited 03/11/2018 - 19:02

Help Me Find A 2017-2018 Car for under $25K

Need help picking out a new car as my car is getting too old and randomly shuts down. (Not worth fixing it anymore.)
Had a few of these cars, in the poll in mind. But don't know what the best option is money wise. If you guys know of any better deal please comment below.
Budget is around $25K. Location Victoria, Melbourne
Don't care about performance. Just want something jammed packed with Technology and Safety Features.

Requirements:
  • 4 Door
  • Colour: Silver
  • Transmission: Auto
  • Body Type: Sedan
  • Be able to last a few years without major failure.
  • Easy to fix
Would like to have:
  • Apple and Android Auto
  • Keyless Entry
  • Lane Keep
  • Blind Spot Monitoring

UPDATE: Made a comparison list, showing features present on each vehicle.
https://imgur.com/a/UGPxBI5

Poll Options expired

  • 1
    Holden Astra LS+ $21,566
  • 1
    Holden Astra LT $23,557
  • 9
    Mazda 3 Neo Sport $23,490
  • 4
    Honda Civic VTi $24,990
  • 3
    Hyundai Elantra $24,485
  • 15
    Hyundai i30 $25,485
  • 6
    Other (Please Comment Below)
Automotive Car

Comments

  • hypie on 02/11/2018 - 23:27

    Good question, would like to find out what people think. I think you should add durability to your list of requests.

    • No Username on 02/11/2018 - 23:31

      Pretty much. Will update list thanks.

  • Godric on 02/11/2018 - 23:29
    +2

    something jammed packed with Technology and Safety Features.

    Invest in that 80k Merc

    • No Username on 02/11/2018 - 23:30
      +2

      High Yield investment?

    • hypie on 02/11/2018 - 23:32

      My folks got a Mitsubishi Eclipse recently (not this price bracket, but i assume you can get similar for less). But it has pretty similar safety/tech features to the C200 W205. Lane departure, auto cruise control, breaking and maintaining distance, side mirror warning lights, rear, side and overhead view cameras. I don't know what else you could really want.

      Oh and it has android auto and carplay.

  • jelko on 02/11/2018 - 23:52
    +6

    Kia Cerato. The Sport+ model will get you most of everything you have asked for. 7 year warranty. Fixed price servicing.

    • No Username on 02/11/2018 - 23:54
      +1

      Thanks, Checking it out now. Looks promising so far.

  • p1 ama on 02/11/2018 - 23:56
    +2

    Personally, I would avoid Holden. Their sales are abysmal ever since they closed down factories here in AU and although their old Commodores were great, their newer cars are just crap. The Cruze was a particularly bad lemon, reports of them catching fire, serious defects and recalls, and even the ACCC stepping in. The big issue with Holden, though, is that I'm just not sure they're going to be around in 10 years time. If you're buying a car, you want to make sure that someone's around to make the parts and that there's still enough sales volume that you have mechanics who are experts in those cars.

    I would consider the Mazda 3 Neo, Honda Civic VTi and Toyota Corolla to basically be the same mould of car. They're all quite reliable, I'd be happy driving all of them and I think they'd be the most sought after cars as well, which will help with the resale value if you intend to sell your car later on. I don't think you can go wrong with any of these three. They're all pretty no-nonsense cars.

    The Hyundai Elantra and i30 are basically the same car in a different form. If you're looking to buy new, I'd rather go with one of the three above because they hold their value much better. If you're buying newish-second hand, e.g. 1 - 2 years old, then Hyundai would be a good bet because they tend to be cheaper at that age than the three above. Hyundai's warranty is also longer than the Japanese manufacturers.

    I would also consider the Subaru Impreza, which I actually really like. It's AWD, so naturally will guzzle more petrol than your standard FWD but it's a lot better to drive in the rain. If you're only ever driving on local roads or cruising down straight freeways, this won't matter, but if you have winding roads, the AWD will handle a lot better and give you much more confidence hitting those curves. It's also a super reliable car and I actually think Subaru has one of the best after-sales support of any of the car manufacturers.

    Basically, long story short:

    1) Reliable, somewhat bland, holds value well, easily available parts - Toyota/Mazda/Honda/Subaru
    2) Good value, especially if newish (but not brand new) - Hyundai/Kia (which is the same company as Hyundai)
    3) Care more about how you look - Euro

    • No Username on 03/11/2018 - 00:09
      +1

      Thanks Noted.
      Edit: Only considered Holden because my friend can get me a 20% discount as he has been working at Holden for 30+ years.

      • dcep on 03/11/2018 - 03:50

        german astra hatch under 20k ?

        • pegaxs on 03/11/2018 - 10:25

          Not German. (For what it’s worth, the latest Astra was designed by a Korean designer, most likely working out of the old Daewoo factory in Korea.)

          And there is a reason why it’s under $20k. There is an imminent fire sale incoming for Holden. The Astra is a poor selling, very poor resale car. Same with the Cruze, which has now been renamed Astra.

          The latest batch of Astra badged vehicles have been made in Poland, Korea’s old Daewoo plant and the old Vauxhall plant in England. Top quality places to buy cars from.

          I would be surprised, that if someone buys a Holden this year or the next, that Holden still exists by the end of their warranty period. If they do, it will be by the skin of their teeth and a shell of its former glory.

        • [Deactivated] on 03/11/2018 - 10:51

          Needs 98 fuel. Good looking car though. Questionable infotainment. Expensive parts since German made.

  • pegaxs on 03/11/2018 - 00:04

    “Land Keep”? Is that a buzz word or a manufacturers own words for something else? Having trouble finding what it’s generic term is…

    • No Username on 03/11/2018 - 00:05

      Whoops typo.

      • pegaxs on 03/11/2018 - 00:08

        No, I think it’s right… it seems to be Holden’s buzz word for “lane departure warning”

  • [Deactivated] on 03/11/2018 - 00:43

    if your car randomly shuts down, have you tried cleaning the MAF sensor?
    As for new cars, ill get a new Toyota corolla for an extra 2k. however I heard that the engines a Mazda so maybe get a Mazda 3. I don't know if the new ones still have VVT issues?

    • No Username on 03/11/2018 - 00:48

      I think the air flow sensor is damaged and is reporting false high temps causing the engine to force shutdown. But the part cost $400 which is not worth the fix as my car is only worth $1500. Have not tried cleaning it yet though.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/11/2018 - 01:15

        ouch 400 bucks sounds way too high, last time I checked for my car (2003 Toyota Camry) its like 80 bucks in ebay and I chucked it in myself free ;P. But yeah maybe time for an upgrade

        I think that for this price point it's going to have to be either a Japanese car or a Hyundai, wouldn't touch Holdens anymore with them being manufacture in euro/deawoo kr(GM KR) and their track of record, think of Holden Astra (2004) issues.

        For Hyundai, they do have technology packed in more than the Japanese, however once they do break that's going to be a pain, but that issue should be lower with a 7 year warranty. Considering that the Koreans have increased their quality of cars, ill have no issues recommending it except for parts, support, also resell value and transmission(unless Aisin Transmission).

        As for the Mazdas, Toyota and Hondas, for reliability I'd probs go for Honda as they're engines are great as long as you do the typical coolant flushes and oil changes like transmission/power steering. I have no issues to recommend a Honda (Newer) or Toyota because have great transmission, but no one can beat Toyota for CVT transmission (Experience with Prius) and its durability. So these three brands a great solid and safe choices.

        I wouldn't touch a Subaru or Mitsubishi for their weak transmission.

  • Richardc on 03/11/2018 - 01:10

    corolla, camry

  • psyren89 on 03/11/2018 - 01:54
    +1

    Does it have to be a sedan? Would recommend a Swift if not.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/11/2018 - 02:33

      Suzuki have terrible automatic transmission, wouldn’t recommend em for longevity

      • spackbace on 03/11/2018 - 14:35

        From someone who worked at a Suzuki dealership, and saw the many used Swifts, dealt with service and warranty departments, sorry but I beg to differ.

        Suzuki R&D is on par with Toyota. Very rarely saw a Suzuki come in on a flatbed (as opposed to the Holdens in the same dealership).

    • bigmanlukaku on 03/11/2018 - 16:27

      i would highly recommend a honda jazz if the poster is happy with a hatch back. A lot of safety features and a lot of room for a city car. Its what the old 90s civics used to be

  • smuggler on 03/11/2018 - 09:24

    Hyundai i45?

  • lnq on 03/11/2018 - 10:50

    Prius, superior eCVT engine.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/11/2018 - 10:50

    Big ups to the Cerato as well. Amazing warranty on Kias right now and if you want a sedan… well, can't say much more. I'd rather a hatch/wagon personally, but if you want a sedan it's the way to go. I30 is obviously a great choice too. The i30 is the most recently released other than the 'rolla, and I'd say for 25k and new, you'll get the most tech bang-for-buck out of an i30.

  • toristo on 03/11/2018 - 11:21

    Previous Mazda owner. Loved it. Cheap to maintain, economical, fun manual to drive. 10/10 would buy again. Partner didn't like the manual in the city, and it was getting (very) old.

    Current Honda owner. Like it. Maintenance is a little higher, less fun to drive as it's an auto, but great around the city with loads of tech. Android Auto is pure joy compared to my old life. I picked it up a demo VTI for just over $20k with 1000km on it. Colour wasn't my first choice, but for a $4k+ saving, and a ridiculously high amount given for the Mazda as a trade in, I took it and have no regrets.

  • bigmanlukaku on 03/11/2018 - 11:51

    you wanted a sedan didnt you? hyundai Elantra is a nice car as is the cerato for a bit less money. done deal i reckon

    • Vieira4 on 03/11/2018 - 12:30

      Elantra currently lacks the safety package that is available on Cerato.

      • p1 ama on 04/11/2018 - 03:25

        What's included with the safety pack?

  • No Username on 03/11/2018 - 19:05

    Any more reasons I should avoid Holden? So far from what I can see is that Holden has the most features at the lowest cost. Thanks for everyone's input so far.

    • spackbace on 03/11/2018 - 19:18
      +3

      Ex-Holden salesperson here - put them off the list, don't contemplate it.

      The VF Commodore was the last good Holden. I'd buy 1 with very little hesitation.

      Holden has tried a few times to bring the Euro models in, each time they've been fraut with failure. First as the early Astras and Vectras which had reliability issues. Then as Opel, which lasted a year or 2 before they ditched those franchises. Now lastly as the Astra, Insignia and Cascada (and 'Commodore' aka Insignia).

      Each time these models fail, resale nose-dives. And this latest batch will fail.

      The Astra sedan is Korean made, I wouldn't touch it. Astra hatch if you don't care that it might be worth pennies in 5yrs.

    • p1 ama on 04/11/2018 - 03:21

      My advice is to go look at how much 3-ish year old cars are. Something like a Corolla will be around 15k for a low km (<30,000) one. If you look at a Holden (e.g. Cruze), they're under 10k. Why do you think that is? They were both around the same price new.

      I'm not sure what you mean by "features". I'd say the most important feature of a car is to move and with the amount of recalls on Holdens (especially the designs out of the old Daewoo factory), I'd say they're not very good at that. Other features are mostly gimmicks you won't need.

  • Levathian on 04/11/2018 - 12:58
    +1

    Impreza 2i-S owner here. If you want a lot of features and aren't phased by performance, go the Impreza. It's eyesight active cruise control system really is amazing, it has android auto/car play, very good handling and very good safety overall.

    Main downsides: expensive servicing compared to Toyota/Hyundai/Mazda, it works ok on ULP91 but a lot of people (and some dealers) recommend you run it on 95 instead, very underwhelming acceleration, can be a bit thirsty in town (and being an AWD it will use more fuel overall than it's 2WD competitors).

    From your list as others have said, avoid Holden. Mazda 3 is a solid reliable beast but it doesn't have android auto yet, I don't know much about Honda these days but apparently servicing can be expensive (as servicing is every 10K km). Hyundai i30 is a really nice car with everything at a great price point so I'd definitely consider that one too.

    • No Username on 04/11/2018 - 15:05
      +1

      I was thinking of Impreza but it doesn't come with parking sensors, BSM and RCA. But the interior looks really nice.

      • Levathian on 04/11/2018 - 15:35

        Yeah RCA and BSM features are only available in the 2i-S (which is $5K over your budget :( ) model. You can buy parking sensors on the impreza but they're expensive and apparently they only give audial guidance, not graphical.

        If you want the full suite of safety equipment and android auto you're probably best looking for an i30 active with smart sense, though I'm not sure if that one has parking sensors or not.

  • spackbace on 04/11/2018 - 16:36

    To be fair, no one needs bsm or rc, they're just nice to have. I certainly wouldn't be going for a lesser quality or less reliable car in an attempt to get those features.

    They're driving aids, and if you can't drive well without them then god help us all lol

    • No Username on 04/11/2018 - 20:47
      +1

      I can drive well. (Never had an accident in my life or damaged the body of my vehicle.) It just nice to have since my old car didn't have any of these features. My old car doesn't even have working ABS or traction control. I think I might go with the All New Kia Cerato Sedan S model with the Safety Option 1 package. Total cost being $23,029.20.

      • p1 ama on 04/11/2018 - 21:10
        +2

        That's a good car, I'm sure you'll be happy with it. However, before you splurge your cash, don't confuse gimmicky features with ABS or traction control. Like having airbags, ABS and traction control are an important safety feature which is so important that they are on every single new car worth buying.

        On the other hand, things like blind spot monitoring and lane keep just look cool on TV ads. You sound like you're a driver who knows what they're doing. You shouldn't have any issues with staying in your lane and doing a headcheck when necessary.

        • Levathian on 04/11/2018 - 22:39

          My car has them and they're great features (my mirror handles light up when someone is in my blind spot) but I agree with you. I'd value fuel economy, servicing costs, reliability etc. more.

          Though I wouldn't buy any 2018 car that doesn't have active/adaptive cruise, AEB or a reversing camera.

          And I would encourage OP to take the cerato, i30, Mazda 3 and any other cars on their short-list for a drive and 'test out' different BSM and RCTA systems to see how they compare because some are more effective than others.

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