Affordable New Cars for 2010: Honda Civic – (MSRP: $15,455 – $24,455)
Cited for it’s all around excellence, the 2010 Honda Civic has impressed many buyers with its powerful engine and excellent acceleration. Although the Honda Civic is not rated as high on mileage as other affordable new cars for 2010, rated by the EPA at 25 mpg city, and 36 mpg highway, the Honda Civic makes up for this with its smooth ride and responsive braking. The design of the Civic, maintains the uniform sleekness of design that carries a rather banal response from drivers, although I personally find the new model more aesthetically pleasing from previous years. The Civic does get knocked for its limited cargo space, less than comfortable rear seating and apparently, the navigation system brings its own chagrin. I would not really see this model a top pick for those family vacations, but driving through the city to work seems a much more suitable role, especially if one considers its top notch safety rating in government crash tests, typical of the Civic. The Civic continues its legacy with being a top choice for this years affordable new cars.
Affordable New Cars for 2010: 2010 Ford Focus – (MSRP: $16,290 – $18,780)
Known for the popular Sync infotainment system, the 2010 Ford Focus is another affordably priced new car, with good overall praise this year. With a slightly lower EPA mileage than the Civic, the Ford Focus is rated to get 24 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, the Focus also has a less impressive engine, rated to be slow in passing maneuvers, and acceleration. While the engine won’t allow you to peel out on that green light, the Ford Focus has excellent handling enjoyed by many, with overall praise on its tight grip of the road allowing for responsive steering and precise turns. The automotive press knocks the exterior design of the Focus; however I personally find it to be a step up from the Civics’ basic body shape, with the Focus possessing a little extra flare. The Focus benefits strongly on interior design due to its integrated Sync system, however loses points for limited cargo space and few choices on interior options. For parents looking for a safe car for their kids, the Focus offers the innovative MyKey system, which is an automated system designed to discourage unsafe behavior by limiting speed to 80 mph, disabling the stereo until seatbelts are locked in place and emitting audio chimes at when the vehicle reaches speeds of 45, 55 and 65 miles per hour.
Affordable New Cars for 2010: 2010 Subaru Impreza – (MSRP: $17,495 – $26,995)
The Subaru Impreza provides an excellent affordable vehicle for 2010, giving an interesting option for those of you living in colder areas. Coming with standard symmetrical all wheel drive, and a bevy of safety features such as six safety airbags, anti-lock brakes, brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution, vehicle dynamic control and a traction control system, the Subaru Impreza fits quite possibly the most advanced all around driving assist systems capable of being fitted inside a single vehicle. Recommended for tough winter conditions, the Subaru Impreza is the best bet when it comes to trekking through the most hazardous environments when that trip has to be made. If the suite of systems fails to prevent an accident, then you are backed up by the Impreza’s top notch government rating, with several 4 and 5 star ratings in various crash scenarios. Although the exterior has been considered dull, the interior make up for this, being generally well received by many reviewers with easily read gauges, simple dash layout and a fairly comfortable rear seat. The base 2.5i Impreza rates low on the EPA rating, performing at 20 mph city and 27 mph highway, and while it gets a small knock for a noisy cabin, the performance of this vehicle comes highly praised. Overall this vehicle is a more targeted option in this year’s affordable new cars, designed for those facing rough environmental driving conditions without the option to wait it out at home.
Source: U.S. News Affordable Car Rankings
