I Want A Stylish And Sporty Commuter Car For Under $20,000! What Car Should I Buy?
Anthony is moving from Seattle to Chicago and he is looking to replace his aging 2005 Infiniti FX35. He likes the power and style of his crossover-coupe, but would prefer something with better MPG and it would help if the next ride was a tad easier to park. With a budget up to $20,000, what car should he buy?
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Here is the scenario.
Quick Facts:
I’m an early 30’s single guy moving to Chicago from Seattle in a week and I currently drive a 2005 Infiniti FX35 which I’ve owned for a little over a year. I love the car – it has the right balance of power and size, but it’s got some rust and a rattly heat shield, and it doesn’t fit next to my neighbors car in my garage at the condo I just purchased. It also only gets about 8mpg around the city, though I’ve been driving it in Seattle on steep hills and expect to get a little better mileage in Chicago. MPG isn’t a huge deal for me because I’m only going to be driving a few times a week at most, relying on public transit for commuting for the most part.
I’m looking for something good looking and sporty for whipping around on errands and the occasional trip up to a lake house 2 hours away. Don’t need CarPlay but would be nice to drive something with a real infotainment set up. AWD preferred for the winters, manual or automatic, prefer V6 but open to a 4 cylinder with some good oomph! I can spend up to $20k
I don’t like Mercedes.
Budget: up to $20,000
Location: Chicago
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Sporty, style, decent MPG
Doesn’t want: A Mercedes
Expert 1: Tom McParland- It’s Turbo Time!
Image: cars.com
If you are looking for something “sporty” easy to park and with better MPGs than the big Infiniti I would suggest something with a turbocharged four-cylinder motor over a V6. The natural fit for these scenarios is a VW GTI, but sourcing one with reasonable miles under twenty grand is a tall order. However, the Hyundai Veloster Turbo is a hot-ish hatch that offers plenty of features and enough zip to be fun around town. The Veloster Turbo has a 1.6-liter turbocharged motor that makes a tad over 200 horsepower, and while that may seem like a step down from your 300-hp Infiniti, keep in mind the Hyundai weighs about 1,000 pounds less. This smaller profile and more efficient motor means you can get upwards of 29 MPG with city driving.
Inventory for these is relatively plentiful, but if you can score the newer body style you get some nice upgrades in terms of tech. Here is a super sharp blacked-out 2019 Turbo R-Spec with under 40,000 miles. This one is a manual if you don’t mind shifting your own gears, but there are other automatics easily available as well.
Expert 2: Owen Bellwood – It’s Now Or Never
Photo: Alfa Romeo
You know what they say, Anthony, every car fan needs to drive an Alfa Romeo at some point in their life. And now, I believe you’ve reached that point in your life.
You want sporty looks, pretty much every Alfa Romeo has that in bucket loads. You want a fun drive, that’s another guarantee with most of its cars. And if you want a car that manages more than 7 MPG, comes with all-wheel drive and a decent infotainment system then, Anthony, I think Alfa Romeo has the perfect car for you: the Alfa Romeo Giulia.
There are a few different options around you, depending on your color preferences or, maybe more importantly, how many miles you want your new Giulia to have covered. I think the best bet is this white 2017 Giulia Ti that comes with a ton of extras and accessory packs. It’s got a turbo-charged Alfa four cylinder engine at its heart, keeps the car’s excellent good looks and is finished with a lush black leather interior – the perfect place to soak up your two-hour drive to the lake.
Don’t make the smart choice, make the right choice; get a Giulia.
Expert 3: Andy Kalmowitz – You Need To Focus, Tony.
How you doin’, Tone? I hope Chicago treats you well. I’ve never been, but it seems nice based on “The Bear” and “Ferris Bueller.” Anyway, I’ve got the perfect car for you, my friend. What you need above all else to replace your aging Infiniti is a Ford Focus ST.
It’s going to have just about everything you’re looking for. You’re going to get your sporty engine with over 250 horsepower, a great manual transmission, a smaller footprint than your Infiniti, wayyyy better gas mileage (22 city, 31 highway, 25 combined, according to the EPA) and on top of all that it is not a Mercedes. What more could ya want, Ant?
I suppose one of those things you could want is all-wheel drive, but buddy, I promise you don’t need it. Slap a proper pair of winter tires on this bad boy, and you’ll be just fine. All-wheel drive is a construct of your mind. You don’t need it!
Anyway, as always I’m a really good dude, so I found you the perfect car. It’s a few hours away from Chicago, but that’s not a problem. It’ll give you a good chance to explore your new state! What we’ve got here is a post-facelift 2016 Focus ST with the sick-as-hell Recaro seats and bright red paint. It’s got a little bit over 76,000 miles on the clock, but that’s not too bad all things considered. It’s a great car, Anthony, and you deserve it, because you’re a great guy.
Expert 4: Steve DaSilva – Classic For A Reason
Anthony, if there’s one thing I know about lake houses, it’s that the roads leading to them are inevitably gravel or horribly potholed pavement. They’re also solitary, isolated locales beset by slashers and other forms of horror movie villain. For both of these reasons, you need a WRX.
First comes the pavement. Would you want to drive on gravel in anything other than one of the most heritage-filled rally cars ever built? The WRX line has been sliding through dirt corners longer than most TikTokers have been alive, making it perfect for reaching your remote escape. Won’t be too shabby in the winters, either — but don’t use its AWD as an excuse not to buy snow tires.
Second, the slasher aspect. In my experience, every lakeside cottage is eventually attacked by a shadowy villain, who takes out its occupants one by one before finally being killed by a designated Final Girl. Statistically, you are unlikely to be that final girl. That means you need something fast and capable to escape in if you’ve got any hope of surviving the vacation, and the turbocharged FA20 has your back.
Here’s a local WRX for just under $19,000, which leaves you enough room in the budget to pick up that set of snows we talked about. Don’t get slashed by mask-wearing ne’er-do-wells, Anthony. Pick an escape vehicle that’ll get you out.
Expert 5: Collin Woodard – Think Abarth It
Photo: Fiat
These are all pretty good suggestions, Anthony, but they might actually be a little too reasonable. Especially considering the fact that you barely plan to drive whatever car you buy. You can afford to get something a little more out there because public transportation in Chicago is pretty solid. When you do drive it, though, you going to want something that makes that trip feel special even if you’re just putzing around town.
So why not save a few bucks and get a Fiat 500 Abarth instead? Here’s a 2013 with with a manual transmission and only 62,000 miles on it for a hair under $10,000. If anything breaks, you’ll still have plenty of money left over to fix it, and with the rear seats down, you’d be surprised how much stuff you can fit in a Fiat 500. It’ll be easy to park and get decent gas mileage, too. It might not have all-wheel drive, but a good set of winter tires should make it plenty capable in the winter.
Most importantly, though, it’s got that exhaust note. Every time you drive it, the sound it makes will turn it into an event. Technically, the Fiesta ST is a better car, sure, but if you’re mostly driving around the city, I would argue the 500 Abarth will be more fun. It just has the rare ability to be a hoot even in the most mundane of driving situations.
