The (other) new hatchback nobody is buying...but are they any good?

I'm on the fence between one of these (used) or a used Prius for my next car. Aside from the manual transmission and the independent rear suspension, the Prius seems to be a better car in every other measure.

That's been the problem with the Corolla Wagon (i.e. Matrix i.e. iM et al etc ) since 2004. The Prius is basically better in every way. At least in the 1st gen Matrix you could spec out an 8000rpm screamer engine, but the iM is so underpowered that the Prius is probably faster at this point.

Other than the lack of powertrain options i think the iM is a fine little hatchback. Good thing there are lots of people goofy enough to NOT cross-shop it with a Prius, or it couldn't exist.

We drove an iM when searching for a replacement for our Mazda3 hatch. It was a solid car. We ended up with a Mazda6, but I wouldn't kick the iM out of bed.

If you can get a Cruze hatch in LT trim now for under $17k new, I'd strongly suggest to wait 18-24 months if you can. That will be a $9k car and have 30-40k miles on it. Total bargain.

The Cruze hatch will be available with a diesel and 6 speed manual soon. May the FSM bless us with a cheap, 52mpg hatch!

As for the Toyotas, I prefer the looks of the iM, but the iA tends to get better reviews I think. Even though it looks like a turd

STM317 wrote: The Cruze hatch will be available with a diesel and 6 speed manual soon. May the FSM bless us with a cheap, 52mpg hatch! As for the Toyotas, I prefer the looks of the iM, but the iA tends to get better reviews I think. Even though it looks like a turd

The IA is a closet mazda. By default sportier and more fun than a corolla

How about a Civic sport. It is a hatchback... Unless it is over budget. When my Prius dies I will seriously consider one.

mndsm wrote:

STM317 wrote: The Cruze hatch will be available with a diesel and 6 speed manual soon. May the FSM bless us with a cheap, 52mpg hatch! As for the Toyotas, I prefer the looks of the iM, but the iA tends to get better reviews I think. Even though it looks like a turd

The IA is a closet mazda. By default sportier and more fun than a corolla

But what about price difference?

Oh, yeah, this thread is relevant to my interests.

hotchocolate wrote: How about a Civic sport. It is a hatchback... Unless it is over budget. When my Prius dies I will seriously consider one.

The Civic hatch is a fine (if ugly) car but there is no way in hell you will get one for $5k off MSRP like the iM or Cruze. A buddy of mine bought one and struggled to get near invoice price. Besides, the 3 2.5 hatch would be my pick in that price bracket.

Duke wrote:

mndsm wrote:

STM317 wrote: The Cruze hatch will be available with a diesel and 6 speed manual soon. May the FSM bless us with a cheap, 52mpg hatch! As for the Toyotas, I prefer the looks of the iM, but the iA tends to get better reviews I think. Even though it looks like a turd

The IA is a closet mazda. By default sportier and more fun than a corolla

But what about price difference? Oh, yeah, this thread is relevant to my interests.

The iA, as noted earlier, is a Mazda2 sedan with an ugly nose. The iM is a Corolla hatchback (new Matrix) - it's a much bigger car than the iA, and about $4500 more MSRP.

bastomatic wrote: The iA, as noted earlier, is a Mazda2 sedan with an ugly nose. The iM is a Corolla hatchback (new Matrix) - it's a much bigger car than the iA, and about $4500 more MSRP.

So, the iA is stickered at about what the iM is going out the door for.

I cant speak for the 2nd gen Cruzes, but my '14 (1.4t 6mt) is FAAAAAR from an isolation chamber. The steering response is crisp, feedback is there, throttle response is acceptable (some googling reveals that newer plugs could be a lowbuck fix), and the OEM tune leaves a lot of boost/timing on the table. As soon as powertrain coverage is out, im going to get the ECU flashed with a sportier tune - folks are making a lot of additional power on a stock mill with some 0's and 1's.

If the Newest hatch has similar characteristics, it would be a very decent DD, especially if theyre taking a haircut on the sticker. The extra interior space would be nice. Im not a huge fan of the aesthetics of the 2nd gen Cruze, but pretty much all of the compacts these days look kind of like a jelly bean with a Halloween mask on. Shapeless, with too much future-ey plastic stuff slapped on the nose, and Cruze is no exception. But, ive got about 45k on the clock, nary an issue underhood (knock on wood), and im loving 32+ mixed mpgs on 91 octane. My only complaint is the shifting is a little vague. I miss shifts at times, getting stuck on the gate versus dropping into gear, but thats probably a bit of operator error combined with OEM bushings.

Overall, I would buy another Cruze in a heartbeat - price, options, availability all were right for me. Im coming to realize however that a small car is nice and all for many reasons for a single man. Yet, as a married man, who occasionally needs to move additional adults around for work and for pleasure, a Malibu would probably have been a suitable option as well. Too bad 3 pedals are not really an option there...

pointofdeparture wrote: The Civic hatch is a fine (if ugly) car but there is no way in hell you will get one for $5k off MSRP like the iM or Cruze. A buddy of mine bought one and struggled to get near invoice price. Besides, the 3 2.5 hatch would be my pick in that price bracket.

Where are you guys getting $4-5k off of new iM's? The Toyota website has a base 6-speed at $19,635 including destination. To be at even $4k off they would need to be selling in the mid fifteens.

Looking at Autotrader I see a few dealers as far away as Oregon advertising them just under $17k (after the $1750 rebate) which doesn't even get you to $3k under sticker.

In reply to SEADave:

A local Toyota dealer had a site listing with the $16,9xx after-incentives price crossed out and a "call for special pricing!" message, so I shot over an email and they came back with $15,8xx which is about $4k under MSRP.

In reply to 4cylndrfury:

C&D has said that the 2nd gen Cruze does a great job of being a compact Malibu and even went as far as suggesting the manual is worth skipping. They made it sound like it's a great car for people who want a compact that drives like a full-size but not so much for people who want a sporty compact. Keeping in mind they said the 1st gen Cruze Eco was a surprisingly fun and competent handler, it sounds like the new model is indeed less entertaining.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-chevrolet-cruze-manual-first-drive-review

We took our 2016 Cruze from Chi to NYC last summer. 4 adults plus luggage for a week. About 12 hours each way and everyone had room. Would my Pathfinder have been more comfy? Yes but I got over 35 mpg and ran 75-80 mph a lot of the time. I an jonsing for the hatch...

The iM is weirdly good, particularly with the TRD lowering springs you can get from the parts counter of any Toyota dealer (progressive rate, but cuts body roll by a noticeable amount while still providing for decent ride quality).

pointofdeparture wrote: In reply to 4cylndrfury: C&D has said that the 2nd gen Cruze does a great job of being a compact Malibu and even went as far as suggesting the manual is worth skipping. They made it sound like it's a great car for people who want a compact that drives like a full-size but not so much for people who want a sporty compact. Keeping in mind they said the 1st gen Cruze Eco was a surprisingly fun and competent handler, it sounds like the new model is indeed less entertaining. http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-chevrolet-cruze-manual-first-drive-review

I guess I can see where theyre coming from. Especially if the hatch is heavier. While the 1.4t has more to offer than what the stock tune is giving, its not setting any records out of the gate. Adding weight will quickly make this point more pronounced.

From a handling perspective though, it is definitely sportier than advertised. Im not sure at all how much you can monkey around with the underpinnings of a car's suspension in WTCC, but over the last handful of years, the Cruze has been on fire there. I dont have pics of 2nd gens in action, but Im reading that there will be Cruzes in the '17 season.

It has come to my attention that some dealers are selling the Kia Forte SX hatch in the mid $16's thanks in part to a generous $3k rebate. This model of the Forte comes with a 200hp turbo DI engine and I've seen tests showing 0-60 times around 6.7 seconds. Plus it is available with a 6-speed and a quick autotrader search shows manuals are actually out there in dealer stocks.

While a Kia may not be as sporty as a WRX or a GTI, it sure seems to pack more performance than other cars mentioned in this thread.

The only down side to the KIA is gas mileage. In spite of that I really like the Forte hatch.

A friend of mine bought the scion version of the IM a couple months ago. 6 speed fun to drive, little power but 40ish mpg. He bought it new for 15k. Decent amount of kit including backup camera. It looks pretty good in black.

Klayfish wrote: If you can get a Cruze hatch in LT trim now for under $17k new, I'd strongly suggest to wait 18-24 months if you can. That will be a $9k car and have 30-40k miles on it. Total bargain.

That's what we are doing. Selling the Forte, she'll run the Rio for another year or so and we'll pick up either an Optima 1.6T or a cruze Hatch for under $10k with no miles.

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote: The only down side to the KIA is gas mileage. In spite of that I really like the Forte hatch.

Same here. I really, really like the Forte5 SX. The current model year even has some serious goodies like cooled seats standard on the manual that are just plain unavailable on its competitors. Unfortunately the fuel mileage is just crappy and apparently the throttle response and drivability isn't great either. Some people say a tune helps but then you're spending the extra 60 cents a gallon on premium gas...

pointofdeparture wrote: In reply to 4cylndrfury: C&D has said that the 2nd gen Cruze does a great job of being a compact Malibu and even went as far as suggesting the manual is worth skipping. They made it sound like it's a great car for people who want a compact that drives like a full-size but not so much for people who want a sporty compact. Keeping in mind they said the 1st gen Cruze Eco was a surprisingly fun and competent handler, it sounds like the new model is indeed less entertaining. http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-chevrolet-cruze-manual-first-drive-review

I had a new civic and Cruze hatch back to back a couple weeks ago. The Cruze was far more fun to drive. It turned in quicker, and generally felt more "eager". I was happier with the Cruze's auto than the Honda's CVT as well.

Not sure if the 16 got it, but I believe the 17 has the new 1.4T. Apparently a more capable motor. My friend has a 1.4T Cruze manual. It wasn't bad. Not my thing, but better than I expected.

I've been eyeing (no pun intended) the iM since it hit the market in Scion trim. This thread has definitely got me curious to shop them at my local dealer, although it may be tough to sway me from a Civic Sport Hatchback.