Car suggestions for 20-something - daily and autocross

DD#1 has been driving her 2002 Impreza wagon for about 8 years now.  She uses it as a daily, and she's also autocrossed it 3-5 times per year.  It had about 70,000 on it when we bought it, and it has about 140,000 on it now.  It's showing its age, partly because she tends to use stuff up a bit, and partly because it's a 15-year-old Subaru.  She'd like to replace it with something like so:

• Budget:  $10k-$12k
• Age: as new as practicable in that price range
• Drivetrain:  AWD strongly preferred
• Seating:  4 adults

She's got some conflicting criteria.  I keep nudging her towards practical-ish cars that are also fun-ish to autocross; in particular, a FiST or FoST.  She keeps talking about getting a regular daily and a separate car for autocross.  Normally I would support this idea wholeheartedly, but I suspect it will never actually happen, and in the meantime, I'd like to see her with something more fun than an underpowered automatic trans Impreza.  This may be her polite way of telling me she's done autocrossing, or not; I'm not sure. 

In our discussions, she's mentioned the following preferences:

• 5-door or small wagon format preferred (secondary to AWD in her priority)
• Manual trans (though if she's really getting an autox car as well, this is less important in the daily)
• Hybrid (she's aware that this is largely incompatible with a manual)
• Remaining reliable service life of 5+ years (she's her parents' daughter and we keep cars a long time)

So, what does the hive recommend?  Keep in mind that this part of the world doesn't include the automotive bargains some of you seem to find so easily, so "$10,000 Prius and $1,500 creampuff Miata that fell into her lap" is not a very likely scenario.

In reply to Duke :

If there wasn't the 5-door/wagon requirement, I would say CR-Z. Honda reliability, manual transmission and hybrid. Not sure on price but I feel like they are in that range. Honda Fit Sport perhaps?

I'm pretty sure it is impossible to simultaneously fulfill all of those desires, so whatever she ends up with will likely be to some extent a compromise.

Given the above criteria, I think it's going to be really hard to go wrong with a FoST. Plenty big enough inside to fit real adults in the back, or haul a load of crap home from Ikea, favorably classed for auto x, and they're a blast to drive. Budget for a set of snow tires if winter driving is a concern. Biggest downside might be trying to find one that hasn't been beaten to hell and back.

Alternatively, some ideas that meet at least a couple of her requirements:

-WRX seems obvious, but might be tough at that budget. Also guaranteed to have been abused.

- Volvo V50, 5 doors, AWD-turbo-manual combo is available, but hard to find. Should be under budget, though.

-Volvo V70, bit long in the tooth but should be well under budget, more spacious and "grown up" looking.

-E46 wagon - I think you can get the 325ix in a manual, right?

Yeah the only cars that are hybrids and let you choose your own gears at all are high-end sports cars or supercars. In fact the same is true of cars that are hybrids and in any way sporty right now. Add the increased complexity of a hybrid and its effect on maintenance costs, and she should probably drop that requirement.

Maybe just a newer manual Impreza? I was also thinking about the Volvo wagons, but because they have some new hybrid models coming out.

In reply to GameboyRMH :

And the first gen Insight, but I think that's pretty obviously not what she's looking for. 

What about a g35x or a g37x?

Wow, that's a tough list to fullfill in one car. 

This is a weird idea, but what about a Mazda CX-3? Not exactly a proven autocrosser, but would be fun with a set of springs and shocks. Not hybrid level, but great mileage. Has AWD. Is reliable. Is a 5-door. 

Otherwise, I agree with you. Why not a FiST or FoST? Other than the AWD part, it's perfect. With a good set of snow tires they probably do fine in the snow. 

fist or fost is perfect its just not awd. i agree with cybereric... there are a ton of cars that fit almost everything but finding one that ticks every box is going to be tough.

Find the nicest 2005 Civic Hybrid with a 5 speed that you can.

It has the electric steering from the Civic Si, most of the suspension bits are common with the RSX, and the engine itself is from an overseas Fit.

Hook up a grid charger every oil change, and you don't need to worry about the battery too much.  Clean the EGR passages once in a while too.

Yeah, we understand that no car is going to meet all the criteria.  We're aware that manual hybrids are almost nonexistent, and sporty manual hybrids even more so.  The hybrid criteria really only comes into play if she goes the 2-car route.

$10,000 Mazdaspeed 6 - just how bad an idea is this?

$12,000 Civic Si - looks relatively new; not AWD

Another $12,000 Si - 2 years newer, 20k more miles, still not AWD

Finally, a female's car preferences list that doesn't include the term "cute". 

CyberEric said:

Why not a FiST or FoST? Other than the AWD part, it's perfect.

She's only ever really had AWD cars - her first car was an AWD 1998 Impreza L wagon, replaced by the bugeye in similar trim.  She's used to them and is (for better or worse) fairly attached to the idea.

In reply to Duke :

I believe those Si's should have the helical LSD, so while not AWD they should offer some traction advantage in low-grip situations. Also, they're Hondas, so longevity should be more likely than other brands.

If AWD is a must (which I don't think it should be unless you live somewhere with winter for most of the year and travel country roads more than city)- Subaru WRX/Imprezza or Saab-aru probably your best options as far as reliability and real world functionality. If you don't mind the higher cost of maintaining a vehicle Audi would S4 would be an awesome pick as well. Good interiors, safe but classy exterior, beautiful exhaust notes, and enough power to keep you happy. Plus luxuries. Will still fit most of your needs of seating 4 people, AWD, good driving car, and I'm sure if you semi-hyper mile'd it, you could push the 30's in MPG. Just keep it out of boost. 

If RWD is acceptable FRS/BRZ/GT86 great auto-x friendly car still very useable in the real world. 4 adults, maybe 3 if they sit sideway in the back. MX5 is the better drivers car, but take it from a previous NA owner and current ND owner, not very real world friendly. BMW 3 series would fit the bill well as well.

Duke said:

Yeah, we understand that no car is going to meet all the criteria.  We're aware that manual hybrids are almost nonexistent, and sporty manual hybrids even more so.  The hybrid criteria really only comes into play if she goes the 2-car route.

$10,000 Mazdaspeed 6 - just how bad an idea is this?

$12,000 Civic Si - looks relatively new; not AWD

Another $12,000 Si - 2 years newer, 20k more miles, still not AWD

 

Well obviously I'm going to say go for the mazdaspeed6 but obviously I'm a little bias.  I can say that I absolutely love mine. They are a bit... quirky though.  

What about one of those god awful looking Nissan Juke's with the turbo and a manual trans and some lowering springs?

pres589 said:

What about one of those god awful looking Nissan Juke's with the turbo and a manual trans and some lowering springs?

probably the most GRM thing suggested so far. I love it.

Have the older CX-5's fallen into that price range yet?  I'm not even sure if they built AWD manuals.. maybe the shifter was just a FWD base model option.

I'd probably go v70.

Actually, a Kia Soul Turbo might be a better move, because it's not nearly as ugly.  So I'm changing my answer to Kia Soul Turbo and some lowering springs (because they're still too tall).

In reply to pres589 :

are the turbo soul's in that price point yet? I'm not sure they've been making the turbo soul for that long

Yeah, I thought of that later.  If the Juke was just less needlessly ugly... 

Go for funky with Suzuki AWD manual 6 speed SX4. Roadrace might be the spot with suspension options. 

Roadrace's rear sway bar is supposed to be a nice improvement for the SX4, as are different rear shocks.  I have a front wheel drive SX4, a Sportback, which sits slightly lower than the rest of the variations of SX4.  They all use the same dampers, though.  In any case, mine has been a pretty decent car, but be sure she's okay with the fuel economy.  It's not a big car and it gets non-impressive mileages in my estimation, like mine that pulls about 28mpg average.  Using A/C or driving when it's about 35 degrees or colder out will bring it down further.

I think at this point, $12k for an SX4 of any sort should get you an $8k car and enough money for a serious waltz through Roadrace's catalog.  Turbocharging the car via their kit sounds fun but I don't love the car nearly enough or anything like that.

We actually considered the SX4 when they were newer, but now they are kind of aging orphans, and remarkably thin on the ground around here.

$13,500 FiST - looks pretty unmolested.

$13,000 FoST - modified, but looks carefully done, and cared for.