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First Car Guide

We define First Car material as a car priced right—close to or under $20,000—for someone just starting out. Ideally it’s also compact, fuel efficient, a safety leader, and equally well suited for an empty nester or just about anyone on a serious budget.

Subaru Impreza

Year: Starting at $18,395 MPG 25-33 The new Impreza is the roomiest Impreza ever with a longer wheelbase. Your passengers sitting in the back won’t complain anymore of little to no legroom, as the Impreza offers two more inches of legroom than previous models. You will also be more comfortable in the driver’s seat, gaining a little more room for hips and shoulders. There are also numerous compartments to stow your life’s necessities, like phones and purses. With more room comes more fuel economy in the Impreza. This isn’t normally something you would see in the same sentence, but Subaru has figured out how to get more than 30 percent more fuel economy in the Impreza. Even equipped with Subaru’s well-known all-wheel drive, the Impreza is projected to get 27 MPG city and 36 MPG on the highway. The new Impreza’s exterior has gone through a makeover, returning to Subaru’s original sporty design. You can choose between a four-door or five-door model, both with bolder and more dynamic exterior designs. Both models come standard with carpeted floor mats, a standard item most automakers don’t offer. Also offered is more flexible storage space, including a split-folding back seat, perfect for transporting life’s adventures. For the money, the Impreza combines practicality with bold, sporty design for a reasonable price. …
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Smart fortwo

Year: Starting at $12,490 MPG 34-38 The Smart is still a curiosity in the American market, despite the increasing manufacture of ultracompact and electric cars. The Smart ForTwo is great for what it was designed for – short trips in big cities where parking and gas are too expensive to warrant a full-sized vehicle. It does a fantastic job of parking in tight spaces, and can park with its nose to the curb where a normal car would have to parallel park. The gas mileage is good – 34 mpg in the city, 38 mpg on the highway – but not a huge jump over some fuel-efficient or hybrid sedans. The Smart makes up for this by being much cheaper than most hybrids, starting just above $13,000. The very small package assumes certain sacrifices, and the long-legged among us might feel claustrophobic in the Smart’s tiny interior. Luckily, a convertible model is available for those who like to feel the breeze in their hair or need extra headroom. Smart made the wise choice of keeping the interior sparse and not cluttering the already tight space. With a top speed under 70 mph, the Smart won’t get your blood pumping, but it is a good option for city dwellers, and fits well with an environment-friendly lifestyle. …
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Scion xD

Year: Starting at $16,545 MPG 27-33 The xD was Scion’s replacement for the xA, but it looks more like a shrunken version of the utilitarian xB. The xD is about a foot smaller than the xB, and it is not quite as tall or as wide as its sibling. It also sits on a smaller wheelbase. Despite it’s small size and low weight, the xD doesn’t exactly shoot off the starting blocks. However, the nimbler of Scion’s five-door offerings gets the best fuel mileage of the fleet (excluding outlier Scion iQ) at 33 miles per gallon on the highway. The xD’s interior isn’t quite spacious, but neither is it cramped. The rear seats fold flat to allow for increased cargo space. Like all Scions, the xD’s list of add-ons is almost overwhelming, and goes far beyond usual offerings of upgraded wheels and window tints. With available accessories like shocks, mufflers, and brakes, and a base price at $16,000, the xD is perfect for an enthusiast on a budget. Don’t wait too long, though. There is talk of replacing the xD with an all new model as part of Scion’s never ending crusade for novelty. …
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Scion xB

Year: Starting at $17,750 MPG 22-28 The 2012 Scion xB is not the unapologetic box that made us love Scion. After its first redesign, the car looks significantly different, and hasn’t improved much on handling or fuel economy. Some of the xB’s issues are mitigated by an available package from Toyota Racing Development that smooths out the handling, and the xB is extremely utilitarian for such a small car. It seats five with the seats up and boasts enough space for a move across town or a trip to Home Depot with the seats down. The spacious interior echoes the xB’s oddball aesthetic with a center-mounted dashboard and color-contrasting audio control nobs. That unconventional arrangement fits with the xB’s unique attitude, and if the base interior feels sparse it can be conveniently upgraded with all manner of Scion extras. Some of the most enticing add-ons include a navigation system and a rear-seat DVD player. Scion’s “one and done” business model could mean that the 2012 xB will be the last one, though the demise of the lovable toaster-on-wheels has yet to be confirmed. Even if it is on its last leg, the xB is affordable, practical, and it makes a statement as soon as it turns the corner. …
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Scion iQ

Year: Starting at $15,495 MPG 36-37 At first glance, it’s easy to mistake the Scion iQ for the Smart ForTwo. Both are tiny city cars with high gas mileage and relatively few practical uses outside the urban center. The iQ has improved upon some of Smart’s drawbacks, however, and has the dubious honor of being the smallest four-passenger car for sale in the United States. The iQ is often marketed as a 3+1 car instead of a four-seater, because the front driver’s seat is positioned further back than the passenger seat, eating up much of the rear legroom on that side. The Scion earns essentially the same gas mileage as the Smart, with 36 mpg in the city and 37 on the highway, but where it really shows its advantage is in the ride. Despite its short wheelbase, the iQ doesn’t jostle you over every bump in the road. It is also extremely maneuverable, with a turning radius almost three feet shorter than the Smart’s. If you’re looking for an ultracompact car with a little more legroom, the Fiat 500 is a safer bet, but the iQ has the rest of the bases covered. …
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Mitsubishi Lancer

Year: Starting at $15,995 MPG 25-34 The racing-inspired Lancer Evolution has definitely been a favorite in years past, but Mitsubishi has left it as is for the 2013 model year in favor of updating some of the other Lancer trim levels that appeal to a more money-conscious drivers. Now, all-wheel drive is no longer exclusive to the Evolution, but a standard feature on the Ralliart. In fact, many cosmetic features that would generally be bundled in a package, like exterior-matching door handles and mirrors, and interior chrome trim come standard on the many of the trim levels, as do power windows, mirrors, and doors. If that sort of thing isn’t important to you, you’ll be pleased to hear that nearly all safety and security features are standard on all models, making every trim level a safe purchase. With Electric Power Steering, a continuously variable transmission, and a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, the Lancer receives up to 26 mpg city and 34 mpg highway, but don’t expect a quiet ride to go along with the mileage. The Lancer is definitely a fun car to drive and a smart buy, but wind and road noise will be considerable for those who intend to use the car for normal driving rather than amateur racing. …
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Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Year: Starting at $19,170 MPG 23-28 There’s a reason why the Outlander Sport is Mitsubishi’s best-selling vehicle in North America. With its sticker price of only $19,170, combined mileage of 27 mpg, and ability to seat five adults comfortably, the Outlander Sport is a great car for someone who wants an affordable sport-utility vehicle. The car comes with one engine, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but you have the choice of a five-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). For the 2013 model year, the Outlander Sport has been redesigned both inside and out with new bumper designs and wheels, as well as new interior fabrics and chrome accents. When you head out to the dealerships, you’ll see the car in two new colors, but you’ll find that it’s particularly eye-catching in Laguna Blue. No matter where you live, we promise that having a cerulean blue car parked in the driveway will make your house look like a tropical getaway! If you like bells, whistles, and tons of lights, you have the option of purchase a wide array of packages to customize your car. The most fun packages are the LED Illumination and Premium packages, which add floor illumination and a panoramic glass roof with mood lighting to make your evening drives a bit more magical. …
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Nissan Versa

Year: Starting at $11,990 MPG 27-36 It’s anybody’s guess whether the 2013 Nissan Versa sedan will hang onto its title of cheapest car in America, since pricing has not been announced yet. But Versa was the Holy Grail when it came to inexpensive cars last year after Hyundai walked away from the fight over such a title with its redesigned Accent. The base 2012 Versa sedan with a five-speed manual transmission starts at a remarkable $11,770, including a $780 destination charge. Nissan redesigned the Versa sedan for 2012 and it still has appeal for those shopping for the best value. The Versa also comes in a hatchback version, which has yet to undergo a major revision and is a carryover from the 2012 model year. The Versa sedan has much to recommend it since highway fuel economy increases to 40 mpg this year on CVT-equipped models. The sedan is equipped with a 109-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. A Versa sedan with a four-speed automatic transmission is new for 2013. Different trim levels on the sedan also add new features for 2013, including the addition of a rear spoiler on CVT-equipped models and goodies like a remote key fob trunk release on SL models. In addition to excellent value, the sedan also has a huge trunk and plenty of ride comfort. On the downside, acceleration is acceptable, but not thrilling. If you’re into extreme couponing, stockpiling toilet paper, and penny pinching, the Versa should be on your shopping list. …
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Mazda MAZDA2

Year: Starting at $14,720 MPG 29-35 The Mazda 2 has a lot to recommend it, from its long list of standard and safety features, to its decent cabin and cute looks. But the subcompact delivers low fuel economy for such a small car – and doesn’t even hit the magic 40-mpg mark in highway driving. The Mazda 2 also has a steep base price for such a small car, with the base 2013 Sport model starting at over $15,000. An uplevel Mazda 2 Touring model tops $17,000. On the plus side, the Mazda 2 enters the post-modern world with a new USB port, something it lacked in the past. Its refined four-cylinder engine feels livelier than its 100-horsepower rating would suggest, especially when it’s linked to the five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic transmission is optional. There’s no denying that the five-seater is a fun-to-drive city car, but there may be too many compromises for some. The Mazda 2 has a tight back seat and limited cargo room. It lacks the luxury features available in newer subcompacts like the Ford Fiesta. That means no navigation system or heated seats. The Touring model is the way to go if you’re looking for amenities. It includes fifteen-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, chrome exhaust tips, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an audio system with six speakers. The main problem with the Mazda 2 occurs once comparison shopping begins. When you stack it up against its sizeable competition, it’s merely average. …
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Chevrolet Spark

Year: Starting at $12,185 MPG 32-38 It’s a car for a small planet: the Chevrolet Spark is tiny and adorable. It also has a five-door hatchback body style with a reasonably sized back seat area, making it an unusual choice in the minicar category. Priced starting at just under $13,000, it’s a logical alternative to cars like the Fiat 500. Unfortunately, the Spark doesn’t astonish with great fuel economy: it makes 28 to 32 mpg in town and tops out at 38 mpg on the highway. Since 40 mpg has become the number to beat, that’s not a brilliant figure, especially considering the Spark only offers 84 horsepower from a 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine. Five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions are available, and despite its diminutive size, the Spark has a grown-up set of ten standard airbags. Chevrolet is aiming this, its first U.S.-market minicar, at city dwellers, which explains in part why it offers MyLink information and entertainment with a seven-inch color screen, Bluetooth streaming audio, and Pandora and Stitcher compatibility. It may not be the greenest of the small cars, but it’s a pretty colorful choice for a starter car. …
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