Vipin is the family “car person” and has been tasked with helping his younger sister with her first real adult car. She is looking for something easy to park, luxury-ish, reasonably priced around $25,000 with good fuel economy and reliability. What car should she buy?
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Here is the scenario.
As the car nut in the family, I’ve been commissioned by my younger sister to help her find her first “adult” car. She’s a recent transplant to NYC but given a new work opportunity, will have to commute to Westchester (a 60-70 mile daily commute). Her first car was a 2010 Hyundai Accent hatchback she received as a high school graduation gift from our dad and lovingly named ‘Delilah’. (As an FYI, I was given a Kymco ZX50 scooter for my graduation but who’s keeping score?) But now that she is in her late twenties and has a high-level job with a serious commute, she’s looking for something more grown-up and tasteful but still manageable for city life.
She wants a car that softly yells luxury but not necessarily a luxury brand. The car has to be great on gas and small in size due to parking. Doesn’t have to be a new car but should be no older than 4 years old and have good reliability and safety scores. Unfortunately, it definitely has to be an automatic. Cannot be a Hyundai/Kia and cannot be more expensive than $30K, ideally under $25K.
Quick Facts:
Budget: ideally less than $25k no more than $30k
Location: NYC
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Luxury-ish, good MPG, easy to park
Doesn’t want: Too big or too expensive to maintain
Expert 1: Tom McParland – Luxury-Ish
Finally scoring that first “adult” car is an exciting time. My first real purchase was a 2004 Mini Cooper S that I ordered from the factory, yeah I am that old. With Hyundai and Kia out of the picture, I assume you targeting the Honda/Toyota zone but you would prefer something a bit nicer. Fortunately, the Acura brand has you covered.
The Integra is essentially a fancier version of the already excellent Honda Civic. It has a nicer interior, a slick fastback body style, and a “sportier” look. This car has, “young professional, but still responsible with my money” vibes. The turbocharged four-cylinder is punchy enough to zoom around the city and returns a respectable 37 MPG on the highway. The compact size is practical enough to hold four adults but still easy to park. New models retail for well over $30,000 but lightly used examples like this Acura Certified car with under 15,000 miles can be had closer to the $25,000 mark.
Expert 2: Owen Bellwood – Not A Hyundai-Ish
Being the only car fan in a household is something we’re all used to here at Jalopnik, so it’s exciting to be involved in this quest to find the perfect grown up car for your sister. And while I’m inclined to say that the perfect grown up car for this particular scenario is a 1999 Bentley Arnage, I’ll admit that this might not be the cheapest to maintain.
So, instead, you should not not get a Hyundai, and get a Genesis. For $25k, you can get a lot of car if you opt for a Genesis over traditional premium brands like Mercedes or BMW, and provided you can see past its parent company then the Genesis G70 would be perfect for your needs.
This 2022 model is good as new, and comes with the automatic transmission you so desire, decent fuel economy for the class and an understated style that all luxury cars aim for. In addition, you get a seriously swanky interior that’s got heated leather seats, wireless connectivity and driver assistance tech like lane keeping for those long drives home from the office. Plus there’s parking cameras for squeezing into those tight New York City spots. This car really ticks all the boxes.
Expert 3: Bradley Brownell – The Best Prius You Can Find
A non-enthusiast needs a car for a long commute that is comfortable, quiet, and reliable? There’s only one correct answer, and it’s the Toyota Prius. This has been my go-to answer for normie car needs for over a decade, and for good reason. Toyota really knows what it’s doing when it comes to hybrid and reliable. The current Prius is a much better car than the previous model, but that’s outside your price range. If you have a place to plug in and can find a Prius Prime, I can’t recommend a plug-in hybrid enough. PHEVs make the best commuters.
This one, conveniently located in Jersey, is available on eBay with a $19,950 price tag, which seems reasonable for a three-year old example with 41,000 miles on the clock. You’ll easily get another 200,000 miles out of this machine if you keep it up, and it’ll return damn near 60 miles per gallon in the city, even without a plug. Plus this one isn’t silver or white, which is a huge plus in my eyes.
Expert 4: Amber DaSilva – There’s Nothing Easier To Park
Okay, Vipin, hear me out. Your sister wants luxury and comfort for her commute, but still has to deal with owning a vehicle in the city. As a Brooklyn resident myself, I know how much parking here sucks — and what the solution to that suck is. The solve is to park two wheels, not four, and I’ve found your sister those two wheels — plus a licensing course and two full sets of gear — all within her budget.
First, let’s talk about the bike. This is a brand new 2024 Honda Gold Wing, the kind of bike people lust after for decades and usually only get after retirement. But bikes are cheap, far cheaper than cars, so your sister’s Hyundai budget gets her the absolute best of the best from the motorcycling world. Seven-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission, Apple CarPlay, built-in luggage, an electric windscreen — the Gold Wing has just about every feature you could ever want in a vehicle.
Motorcyclists also need gear, but that top-of-the-line motorcycle is just $22,999, so we’ve got room in the budget. Let’s get your sister a comfortable helmet with a visor that will never fog up, a fully armored casual flannel, some always-in-style black riding jeans, a pair of leather gloves, and some armored Italian sneakers. Everything is perfectly covert and wearable as regular daily clothing, yet still slideworthy. That brings us to a total of $24,128.09. Add in the licensing course, and you’re looking at $24,526.09.
“But what about rain or heat or cold?” Easy. Let’s add another gear set in there for inclement weather. A mesh jacket with waterproof and thermal layers for those hot, cold, or wet days, a matching pair of pants, and gloves and boots with waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex built right in. Now you’re looking at $25,696.05, well within you $30,000 budget and nearly as low as your $25,000 stretch goal, for everything you need to have the most luxurious commute possible. For something that can be parked in the city, yet taken anywhere in the world with the utmost comfort, the Gold Wing is perfect. Or I guess you could just go get this CPO Mazda3 hatchback for $24,295.