Introduction
Are you a young car enthusiast looking to buy their first car? Are you someone looking for a fun daily? Or are you someone who already has a fun car and just needs a good daily? If so, you’re in luck – because this video is for you.
Now I’ve been saving up and am looking to get myself a new car, and I just have four simple requirements:
- It needs to have 4 doors for practicality.
- It needs to be relatively reliable.
- It needs to be relatively cheap (around $30k CAD).
- It needs to be able to be driven in all weather conditions.
Now these requirements come about for two reasons, firstly this will be my only car, so it needs to do everything, secondly – I live in Canada, so all four seasons hit us pretty hard here.
And the problem I’m having is that I can’t decide which car to buy, there are so many options. So, I figured that I’d write them all down, if nothing else it’ll help me with my decision and hopefully it can help you with yours.
I’m going to list these cars in no particular order, and then we’ll get into the pros and cons of each one. Here are the cars that I think are some of the best daily drivers on the market right now:
- Honda Fit
- Honda Civic Si (8th – 11th gen)
- Honda Accord (6 speed V6 coupe or 2.0 Turbo 10 Speed)
- Hyundai Elantra N
- Mazda 3 Turbo
- Volkswagen Golf GTI / Jetta GLI
- Acura TLX Aspec (1st or 2nd gen)
- Lexus IS350 or IS300 (2014+)
- Subaru WRX (VB)
Honda Fit
Pros:
- Price: Probably the cheapest car on this list, can be had for $10k used in decent condition
- Handling: Surprisingly rigid chassis which allows it to corner very hard
- Reliablility: Extremely reliable, no shortage of high mileage examples
- Practicality: Lots of space and very practical for a daily
Cons:
- Luxury: No modern or luxury creature comforts, it is an old and cheap car
- Performance: Not very fast in a straight line
- Performance Potential: Not much aftermarket performance potential unless you do an engine swap, plenty of aftermarket handling and cosmetic upgrades though
The Honda fit is one of the greatest cars of all time, and if you disagree you can argue with a wall on that one. Honda set out to create an affordable, small and efficient econobox, and somehow ended up producing one of the best handling cars ever.
I’m not lying, you can find videos of these things chasing after Porsches on tracks. The chassis is somehow so rigid that it can take corners at very high speeds, even more so with upgraded suspension.
It can do this while also being extremely practical for a daily. It’s got tons of interior space with the backseats being able to fold up or down (Honda’s magic seats, yes that’s what they’re actually called) and I think 8 or so cup holders. The little 4 cylinder won’t produce any astounding power numbers but will be extremely fuel efficient even if you drive it like a go kart.
It doesn’t take much effort to find these things listed online for about $10k CAD used, but you unfortunately won’t be finding any new ones for sale in North America because they’ve been discontinued here.
The two main downsides are the power potential and creature comforts. Because this is an economy car you won’t be finding any luxurious or surprising features like a premium sound system or heated steering wheel. But I think these are pretty fair-trade offs given the price you’d pay and all the things it does well.
Honda Civic Si (8th – 11th gen)
Pros:
- Cheap: Can be found used for $15 – $30k CAD depending on which generation you’re after
- Reliable: Older gens are slightly reliable than newer ones, but that’s not to say the newer ones aren’t good
- Lots of aftermarket support
- Can make more power: Both generations have broad aftermarket support for performance modifications
Cons:
- Lack of luxury / modern creature comforts: No generation is a luxury car, but the older generations specifically miss out on many modern creature comforts
- Performance: Making more power requires a good amount of money and voiding warranty
For decades, the Civic Si has been the go-to car first car for young enthusiasts, and that’s for good reason. It’s fairly cheap, with used 8th and 9th gens listed between $10k – $20k CAD and used 10th and 11th gens being listed between $20k – $30k CAD (checkout my article about the 11th Gen Civic Si).
They are also very reliable cars that can take some abuse, with the 8th and 9th gens being able to withstand slightly more abuse than the 10th and 11th generations just due to their naturally aspirated motors. The turbo L15 in the newer generations isn’t bad by any means, it still is a Honda motor after all, but it can’t compare to the older naturally aspirated motors (check out my article on naturally aspirated motors).
As you likely know, these cars only come in a manual and their driving dynamics are where they really shine. They are some of the engaging and enjoyable cars to drive, and since they don’t come with a ton of power, you can actually rev them out on the street and go through a few gears without being a felony speeds.
This of course leads to the only real downside of these cars that I see, which is their lack of stock power. For over a decade Honda has been delivering 200 horsepower after the Si, so if you’re after power and straight-line speed then this may not be the car for you.
Of course, the 8th and 9th gens will lack modern technology and creature comforts, but given that they are both over a decade old that should be expected. The 10th gen does better but still isn’t what I’d consider good, the 11th gen on the other hand does amazing. The 11th gen will come with most modern creature comforts and some luxury features as well.
I’ll end this section off with a mention of the aftermarket support. If you’re into Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements (RICE), then you’re in luck – there are an abundance of these available for the Civic! On the performance side, all generations can really wake up with full bolt-ons and a tune. If you want bigger power numbers you can consider forced induction on the 8th and 9th gen, or a bigger turbo on the 10th and 11th gen. The transmission will need to be upgraded to support big power in these cars, and the 10th and 11th gen will likely need upgraded head studs to cope with more boost.
Honda Accord (6-6 Coupe or 10th gen 2.0T)
Pros:
- Reliability: Proven to be a highly reliable platform
- Performance: Can make more power than many cars on this list
- Practicality: Plenty of space (big coupe or sedan)
- Comfort: Very comfortable for a daily driver
Cons:
- No new option, both drivetrains have been discontinued
- If buying the coupe, it will be an old car so it will have old car problems for maintenance
- If buying the sedan it can be hard to find a clean one, most have been modified a lot
The Honda Accord tends to slip under most people’s radar, which is good if you’re after a unique build. The 6-6 coupe (V6 with 6 speed manual) is definitely a very unique build that you don’t see often, the 10th gen with the 2.0 Turbo and 10 speed is more common (though the 2.0 Turbo with a manual is more rare).
Both of these models have proven time and time again that they are reliable, online forums have no shortage of high mileage examples. Furthermore, in their stock form both of these cars are pretty fast, faster than anything we’ve covered so far on the list actually.
I’d consider both of these cars to be practical daily’s, sure the sedan is a bit more practical than the coupe because of the back seats. But I would say the Accord coupe is one of the most usable coupes because of it’s size, it is large and the backseats are actually usable.
Both models are also capable of making a lot of power, though this is far easier in the sedan. The 2.0 Turbo can pick up large amounts of power from relatively few mods and a tune given that it is a turbo motor. The coupe would need some bigger investments and likely go to forced induction to make bigger power.
The biggest issue here is that both of these platforms have been discounted, with the last coupe being produced nearly a decade ago and the last sedan about 5 years ago. Meaning you will likely need to search a good bit before you find a clean used example of either model.
Hyundai Elantra N
Pros:
- Performance: Might be the most powerful cars on this list, amongst the best performing
- Value: You get a lot of performance and power for your money
Cons:
- Reliability: Hyundai doesn’t have the best reliability reputation but their new cars have been doing much better
- Not the easiest to find clean used cars, a lot have been abused and modified
- Comfort & Practicality: Suspension can be a harsh for a daily driver, might be too performance focused; Cross brace reduces ability to carry longer objects
This might one of most controversial cars on the market right now, plenty love it but just as many hate it. I’m not here to hate or love any of the cars on this list, I’m only here to evaluate their pros and cons as daily drivers.
Let’s start off with the good stuff. There’s no question about it, this is one of the best performing cars on this list, both in terms of power and handling. In fact some reviewers claim that its suspension is too stiff for a daily driver.
The exterior and interior styling are bold and many have polarizing views of them. I personally am mostly a fan, it isn’t the best looking car but it definitely isn’t ugly either. The value you get with this car is perhaps one of the best on the list when it comes to performance, if you are solely after speed and power then this may be the car for you.
The last 2 aspects remaining to discuss are the practicality and reliability. Let us address the elephant in the room, Hyundai has never had the greatest reputation when it comes to reliability. But the newer generations of Hyundai have been doing better, and cars from the N division do seem to be a cut above the rest – so make of that what you will.
Finally, we arrive at practicality, ultimately this is a front wheel drive 4 door sedan, so yes it is practical enough to be a daily. However, it is worth noting that there is a rear cross brace between the trunk and back seat which would prevent you from fitting longer items.
Mazda 3 Turbo (Hatchback)
Pros:
- Looks: Hatchback is one of, if not, the best looking cars on the list
- Value: Good value, loads of luxury features for the price
- Price: Can be found for less than $30k used CAD and tons of clean used ones
Cons:
- Practicality: Back seat is pretty tight
- Transmission: Automatic transmission is slower and less engaging than many other transmissions on this list
- Performance: Least performance focused car on the list
When it comes to luxury on a budget, I’d say that the Mazda3 is criminally underrated. The only car on this list that can rival the luxury and features of the current generation Mazda3 is the Acura TLX, which costs considerably more (of course a newer Lexus IS would compete here too, and probably win).
Clean examples of used Mazda 3’s can be found for less than $30k CAD and are readily available, often times with some warranty remaining on them too. These cars also look really good, Mazda nailed the design on these and created something truly timeless. The hatchbacks from half a decade ago still look very good today – the same cannot be said for previous generations of many other cars on this list.
But of course it can’t all be good, the value you gain in luxury comes at the cost of the performance driving experience. The Turbo only comes with a traditional 6 speed automatic, which is by no means a bad transmission, but it isn’t as fast or engaging as many of the other transmissions on this list.
Furthermore, Mazda opted to use a torsion beam rear suspension and although they have done an excellent job dialing it in, it cannot compete with a multi-link rear suspension. On the practicality front the Mazda 3 is a mixed bag, the Turbo will come with all wheel drive so it can handle all seasons but its back seat is also very small which would reduce the practicality.
I personally think that the Civic Si and Mazda 3 Turbo are two sides of the same coin. In the Civic your money goes toward performance and driving dynamics at the cost of luxury, whereas in the Mazda your money goes towards luxury at the cost of performance and driving dynamics. It simply is a matter of choosing which feature set you value most.
One final note, the engine on the Mazda 3 Turbo is impressive. It has proven itself to be reliable time after time and can output up to (on 93 octane fuel) 250 horsepower stock. A JB4 and some bolt-ons can really wake this car up and make some serious power.
Volkswagen Golf GTI / Jetta GLI
Pros:
- Amongst the fastest cars on the list
- Looks good
- Tons of aftermarket support
- Easy to make lots of power
- Good creature comforts
Cons:
- Pricier than other cars on this list
- Can difficult to find clean used examples
The Golf GTI and Jetta GLI are two of the most popular daily drivers in the automotive scene, and for good reason too. They offer more luxury and performance than most cars of this list, and they might even deliver the best balance of the two as well.
They both will come with the EA888 motor, and if you’ve been in this hobby for a little while you’ve likely heard of it. This motor can make huge power with relative ease, its performance potential to cost ratio outclasses nearly everything on this list except for maybe the VB WRX.
Furthermore these cars are fairly reliable, Volkswagen has been producing them for a very long time so they’ve had plenty of time to refine them. Of course, it is likely that some of the Japanese cars would be more reliable than these, but that doesn’t mean these are bad by any means. So because of that, I won’t call their reliability a con here.
But everything can’t be good, all these amazing traits must come at a cost – and a big cost is here is the literal cost. Used examples can be purchased in similar price ranges to most cars of this list, but the maintenance costs of these vehicles are typically higher.
Finally, if you’re shopping used you will most likely be looking at a MK8 version of these cars. Nearly all the interaction through the steering wheel buttons, infotainment and HVAC is done through screens, there are very few buttons. I am sure that one could get used to this but it definitely is less than ideal, and I see it as something that could be annoying especially to those who live in colder climates and wear gloves.
Acura TLX Aspec (1st or 2nd gen)
Pros:
- Luxury: Plenty of creature comforts and performance features
- Performance Potential: 2nd gen has lots of aftermarket performance support
- Looks: One of the best-looking cars on the list
- Availability: Easy to find clean used examples
- Reliable
Cons:
- Cost: Can be pricier than other cars on the list
- Performance Potential: 1st gen has some transmission issues, limited aftermarket performance upgrades for the V6
- Performance: Slow due to weight, doesn’t handle as well as most cars on the list
The TLX slips under nearly everyone’s radar and is criminally underrated in my opinion. Part of this could be due to the fact that it is a relatively new car compared to the others on this list, having only two generations in recent years.
The 1st gen TLX is a decent enough looking car, it looks good but isn’t anything spectacular. But the 2nd gen TLX is a real showstopper, I’d say it is easily one of the best-looking cars of the modern era. We find more of this on interior, with the interior of the 1st gen being very good, and the interior of the 2nd gen being even better.
If I was shopping for a first gen I would be looking for the Aspec model with the V6. The V6 offers plenty of power though has very limited aftermarket support if you want to make more power. Additionally, the nine-speed automatic is pretty good but early versions did have some issues. For its age, it offers many great creature comforts such as heated and ventilated seats, memory seats and a 360 camera. Used examples of these can go for about $30,000 CAD, which is pricey given these cars are almost all over half a decade old.
If we look at the 2nd gen, the pros of the previous generation carry over, the 2.0 turbo coupled with a 10-speed automatic is an excellent drivetrain. The transmission issues have been mainly eliminated, and the 2.0 turbo can make plenty of power with aftermarket modifications. It offers the same creature comforts and more, however it also carries the pricing issue. These are expensive cars, both used and new, and there’s no way around that.
The final thing left to discuss is performance. The TLX is a very heavy car, and this hurts both its straight-line speed and handling. Given the weight, its power to weight ratio simply doesn’t allow it to be very fast in a straight line. The handling definitely improved in the 2nd gen and handles better than your average sedan across both generations, but you still feel that weight.
Lexus IS300 / IS350 (2014+)
Pros:
- Design: Good looking car inside and out, even old ones look good
- Luxury: Great luxury features
- Reliable
Cons:
- Price: Expensive, even used
- Practicality: Not very fuel efficient
- Performance: One of the slower cars on the list, not a lot of aftermarket performance support
The Lexus IS350 was underrated for a long time, but I fear that is no longer the case – there have been thousands of videos made explaining how good this car is, which in turn has raised awareness about it. But that being said, it still is an extremely good car.
The V6 used in these cars is either more reliable or on par with every other engine on this list. These cars also look very good, Lexus is one of the best in the game when it comes to design. However, that’s not to say this car is without its flaws.
For starters, since so many people know how great it is, they’ve become expensive. A clean used example is approaching the cost of some brand-new cars on this list. And we’ve all seen the meme that Toyota here has produced a V6 with 4-cylinder power but 8-cylinder fuel efficiency.
Finally, I want to end by saying that these are not slow cars. They certainly are not the fastest thing on this list, but despite what TikTok would have you believe, they are not slow.
Subaru WRX (VB)
Pros:
- Performance: One of the most powerful cars on the list
- Handling: Amazing AWD system
- Performance Potential: Strong aftermarket support and can make big power
Cons:
- Price: One of the priciest cars on the list
- Design: Doesn’t look that good stock, money needs to be put into it to make the exterior look good
Last but not least, we arrive at the VB Subaru WRX. When this car came out it got a lot of hate, and that’s because Subaru tried something very new and radical with its styling. I’ll admit at first I really wasn’t a fan, but since then its really started to grow me – and some people have really figured out how to make these things look good.
This is amongst the most powerful cars on the list and is has probably the best AWD system on the list too (checkout my article about drivetrains). Furthermore, it is also capable of making much more power with just a downpipe, intake and tune. On paper this should make it sound like the best car on the list, but its not.
The main drawback here is the price. It offers a really good package, and its priced that way. I don’t think this car is overpriced for what it offers, I think it’s fairly priced. But that being said, it is more expensive than most of the cars on this list. You can get a 3 year old base model for about $30k CAD, but the base model will lack creature comforts that you would get on most other cars listed here.
All things considered, if you have the money to play with and you need AWD, then this could be a very solid option for you.
Conclusion
Now as you can probably tell, this is a decision that I’m struggling to make, so I’m coping by projecting it onto all of you (assuming that somebody actually reads this article). That being said, writing this all down has helped me out a bit.
I think that the Civic Si (11th gen) is tied with the Mazda 3 Turbo as the best options for me out of all cars on the list. They’re both fairly practical, very reliable, in similar price ranges, look good and can be driven in all seasons.
I also think that they’re two sides of the same coin. In the Si your $30k goes toward an amazing manual transmission, suspension set-up and overall driving experience. Whereas in the Mazda your $30k goes toward some luxury features, a smooth 6 speed automatic transmission, memory seats, nice interior materials and an overall more comfortable experience.
I really think that no car on this list is a bad choice, I myself think I’d be happy with any one of them, but I would probably be happier in some more than others. As for the Mazda 3 and Si, there really is no wrong choice there. Both will be fun to drive everyday, they will be fun in different ways but that preference is up to you.
I’ll end off with an honourable mention to the Golf GTI, the only reason it didn’t tie with the Mazda 3 and Si are because its reliable. Is it an inherently unreliable vehicle? No. Is it as reliable as the Civic and Mazda? Also no.
Sources: AutoTrader
