Is FoST my answer, or is there a better one? What car?

So it’s prime time car buying season… end of the year, nobody buys cars during the holidays. I’m going to strike while the iron is hot, I can probably snag a killer deal, especially at the end of the month. I’ve looked at this 9 ways from Sunday, because I like and need so many different things. In the broad scope, I’m seeing the Focus ST as my best overall option, but wanted to see if anyone else had a better idea. I posted something similar before, but let me give the run down again.

I drive 30-35k miles per year. So a lot is predicated on that. I also have 3 active kids. Reality is that 95% of my driving is done with just me in the car, but I do take anywhere between one and all three of my kids from time to time. Never on long trips. My wife has a minivan, so we’ve got the practicality thing covered. 4 seats is a must, a wagon/hatch/sedan would be most practical, but I can do a coupe. Max budget is $20k, would really like to go under…as far under as possible. Car must be built this decade and have less than roughly 50k miles. I’m tired of doing the “drive a slow car fast” bit, so it’s gotta have power. MPG is important given how much I drive, but I realize many fun cars get poor mpg. I can live with that if the car is fun enough. Really want a manual. Will consider auto for the perfect car, but prefer true manual. Car must be reliable. I don’t have time or skills to mess with unreliable cars. Maintenance is one thing, I can handle oil, filter, plugs, coils, etc…but flat out unreliable is another story. It’s gotta stand up to my high mileage commute. Therefore, no VAG stuff, ain’t happening. I’m getting older, so I wouldn’t object to luxury touches. Basically, I want a car that does it all for no money. I know that I have to compromise somewhere as there isn’t a car that will check every single wish of mine. It’s just a matter of what will fit the most, and be a good value.

FoST seems to me to be the leader in the clubhouse. Fast, versatile to carry the kids and gear, has nice stuff inside with the ST3 package, good mpg during highway cruising, good handling, should be reliable enough. Other cars I’ve kicked around for a variety of reasons: ’11-’12 Mustang GT (no explanation needed), FiST (fun as heck, but small), Altima coupe (cheap buy in cost, reliable as gravity, no premium fuel, fast), Civic Si (Honda reliable, fun, mpg, practical), Mazdaspeed3 (cheaper than FoST), Acura TSX (Honda benefits, more luxury), RX8 (stupid cheap buy in, amazing handling), G37 (a more reliable alternative to BMW), 3 series/1 series, Charger R/T (big, fast, luxury, but auto only).

So would FoST be your winner here?

This thread is relevant to my interests. I'm trying to nudge DD#1 in the FoST direction to replace her bugeye Impreza wagon. The FoST ticks every one of her boxes except AWD.

WRX?

If you are interested in a charger r/t, the challenger R/T without a sunroof has very similar interior room, adults fit in the rear with leg room if they are not over 6'. And the tremec 6060 is a sweet manual transmission. The Mtx takes premium fuel, I never got over 24mpg highway with the optional 3.90 rear. This is a big car, inside too.

I like all your other options too. The g37 will (IMO) have similar interior room to the focus, but be nicer. The 3.7 is no slouch. My buddy had one for a few years, but I have no experience on MPG. It was tight in the rear seat for me however. He now has a focus, and it is tight for me in the rear seat as well..

While shopping Honda's with my dad I noticed the acura's usually required premium fuel, and the hondas didn't exactly lack on luxury options.

Have fun!

I will say that my wife's TSX makes a stellar appliance car and seats 4 adults comfortably with a very large trunk. Economy is going to be in the upper 20s and it is as reliable as a stone axe. If you search, it's available in a wagon that looks pretty handy. Unfortunately the wagon only came to the US in the Decepticon generation, with no manual available in the wagon, yay beancounters. It's a pretty crisp 5-speed automatic, though.

What about a couple year old Mazda 3 hatchback right before they switched over to the skyactive motors?

I think you have picked the winner already. Jus be sure you check out the ST3 package in person, some people have problems with the Recaro seats not fitting them very well.

For me, I'd be all in on a Forte5 SX. Then, with the money I saved, tune it, buy a second set of wheels and super sticky tires and enjoy. IIRC, they're still running 0% financing still too.

It sounds like the FoST is a good choice for your situation. A friend who works in car sales and buys and sells everything was in a similar situation a couple of years ago. He had one additional criteria which was it had to be a competitive autocrosser. He bought a FoST and it has worked well for him, especially to autocross part.

FoST would be my vote, but I love those things

Earlier in the year, there were a few brand new base models on cars.com at $22k out the door(including tax/title)

Bobzilla wrote: For me, I'd be all in on a Forte5 SX. Then, with the money I saved, tune it, buy a second set of wheels and super sticky tires and enjoy. IIRC, they're still running 0% financing still too.

What year are you talking about? We had an '11 (I think). It was my wife's DD. Really nice car, and decently quick. But not truly fast enough for what I want.

I've test driven the ST2 and ST3 FoST. I'm a skinny guy, so I fit quite well in them. Only question would be if the lumbar support would bother me, and if I go FoST it has to be a minimum of ST2, preferably ST3.

TSX wagon is auto only...combine that with extra weight and only 201hp, it's not quite sporty enough. Wish they offered the 3.5L w/6spd in it, I'd be all over it.

In reply to Klayfish:

-14-up SX cars got the 1.6GDI-Turbo. stock made 201fwhp, 170 at the front wheels. Tuned with no boltons pushes it to 221 at the front wheels, with 244tq. In a 2800lb car. This is with the stock exhaust, intake and tiny intercooler. I know the Optima/Sonata peeps are seeing another 15-20 with a good FMIC and catback. That's putting this car into stupid MS3 category out of 1.6L.

Pontiac G8 GXP

What about cts-v?

Are they in that price range yet?

CTS-V may just be sneaking into that range, but I don't trust their reliability. The G8 GXP is still commanding stupid money, but it's an awesome car.

I'll probably spend a good bit of time at the Ford dealer today, to do some test drives. Ford Racing offers a tune kit for the FoST that adds 90lb ft of torque, all under 3500rpm. If you have the dealer install it, it won't void the warranty. That would give it something like 340lb ft, while still getting 32mpg cruising the highway. Sadly, they don't offer a tune kit like that for the FiST. But I still want to drive a FiST. I can pick up a very low mile car for $15k, or a brand spanking new one under $18k. V6 'Stang is a really nice car too. Funny thing is I'm not a Ford fanboi, but they suddenly have a wealth of fun options.

I have driven both a couple times and I prefer the Fiesta over the Focus. Both of them have way more power than a street car can really use, but the Fiesta is more fun to drive. I liked the Fiat 500 Abarth other than the seat not having enough adjustment to be comfortable to drive, and the Hyundai Veloster turbo turbo R-spec was actually surprisingly nice to drive once you concinver yourself to forget what it looks like from the outside.

Back when I began car shopping a year ago, the Fiesta and Focus just didn't offer the ergonomics I liked. I was not even interested in test driving them. I was coming from an SVT Focus at the time.