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I don't want a Civic or a Corolla, an Accord or a Camry. In fact, I want a hatchback. So what are we left with? Protege5 or possibly a Mazda3 hatchie? Mazda6 hatch? An previous gen Saab 9-3? A Subie Impreza wagon, Outback or Forester? Focus (even the problem plagued SVT)? Volvo V70?

My criteria are pretty simple. OK, they're not, which is why I'm asking for ideas and feedback. I want something with a hatch into which I can chuck my bass guitar rig (Ashdown for you bassophiles) and drive to rehearsals and gigs with no fuss, or weekend gear for the hill country. Something somewhat fun to drive - no transportation appliances if at all possible. Something with a bit of personality. Something reliable with fewer than 75K miles that can handle heavy Austin traffic+heat. Something that costs less than $10K but preferably early '00s at the oldest (so I can finance).

Discuss!  

Hi there. I own an '03 Protege5. I've been really happy with it. It's been very reliable, and is fun to drive. I wish it had a little more power, but it's not a completely gutless pig. Personally, I'd stay away from VWs. That was my last car, and it was one headache after another. You could probably get an '01 or '02 P5 for less than $10k. If you can find an Impreza for around $10k, definitely worth a look. My only concern longer-term would be with the AWD hardware. I'm not sure what the longer-term maintenance is with that drivetrain. You might also want to take a look at a used Pontiac Vibe GT or Matrix XRS. The engines are a little peaky on them, but they'll get up & go when you stomp on 'em.

Also, (don't laugh) you might want to consider a PT Cruiser. You can pick them up for a song, and they're very practical, and fairly fun-to-drive. The stickshifts can be kind of hard-to-find, but if you can find one, I'd give it a look.

As far as the Focus, the one to get is the 2.3L PZEV model. I think Ford only made it for about one year (2005, I believe). It's got a lot of torque, gets good mileage, and is really close to the SVT in performance, but the power is in a much more useable RPM range.  

There's a clean '02 MP5 with only 42K miles down at the Toyota stealership... and it's inly $7,200. Sounds like a deal, but we'll wait to see what Carfax says.

The PZEV Focus. That's one I forgot but will soon be checking into. The SVT was a bit of a handful in terms of maintenance. The notorious DSI clip that necessitated replacement of the entire intake manifold, ECU issues, brakes. Which is a shame cause the interior and form factor were top notch.

WRX... my main concern is the 19 year old salesperson I once witnessed doing after hours four-wheel burnouts in the dealer's lot. If that's how the sales team is treating them, I can only imagine the nine levels of Hell their previous owner subjected them to.

My unrealistic yet oh-so-tempting option is a late 90s E36 M3, or even an M Coupe. They tend to be higher mileage, but Jebus I want one. Prices seem to have settled around $11K, but some owners have a more warped sense of reality. I dunno.

My backup plan is to try to find an '07 Fit S and finance it for an eternity. However, around here they're so hot dealers are charging new MSRP for used. *sigh* Thank God for Autotrader.  

Finally, someone who recognizes the value of a practical semi-hot hatch.  

Yes, the MP5 is great, and it's probably the best car for you.  It's no secret that they're reliable, but my good friend's 2002 MP5, as well as my own 2000 Protege 4dr have proven astonishingly reliable.  

First, the MP5.  My friends car has more than 130,000 Miles on it, and it's still on its original clutch.  He's maintained it well, and it's still just as solid and fun to drive as when he first got it.  And those aren't 130K highway miles.  He's a photographer who used to live in Chicago and put most of those miles in stop and go traffic.  Absolutely nothing mechanical has ever failed.  He's replaced a couple shocks, brakes a few times, a battery, and....well that's it.  

My Protege has been equally reliable.  At 100K miles, it's still on its original clutch and belts.  I've changed the front brakes twice, and had the ignition coil replaced a long time ago under a recall.  

But a Corolla will be reliable too.  As you're probably aware, the Mazdas are the best handling, most fun cars you can get at that price point.  Mine is still solid, and still handles with razor sharp precision despite never having an alignment.  My friends MP5 handles better (thanks to the upgrades that the 2002/2003 model year had) and is most certainly, one of the best handling front-drive cars i've ever driven.  It cruises at high speed dead straight, has a steering rack full of feel and precision, and the chassis is tossable and brilliantly stable in high-speed corners without a hint of excessive understeer.  

All of the other cars that you and the other posters have mentioned have serious flaws that offset their advantages.  

As you note, the WRX won't be as reliable.  But even if it's been treated with kid-gloves, it'll be vastly less efficient, and it'll require premium fuel, and if you're smart, synthetic oil changes more frequently.  

The PZEV Focus has the same engine as the current Mazda3.  It's torque rich for sure, but it's bolted to a focus, which should be enough to hault that line of though.  The Focus definitely handles well, but build quality and reliability are so inferior, I'd forget it all together.  

Funny idea about the E36 M3, though.  It's obviously in a class way, way beyond the Mazda, but you'll pay for it; big time.  Just imagine routine repairs for shocks, brakes, a funky emissions sensor, a bunk electric mirror switch etc.  240HP and BMW chassis magic might be tempting, but if you're gonna finance an $11K car, can you really afford to maintain a $40-50K BMW that's 10 years old?

Keep searching for that new Fit, however.  You probably already know how awesome that car is, 105HP be damned.  It's light, fun, and built to Acura standards with a fantastic interior.  Nothing comes close for the money...except perhaps the new Scion xD.  

I've not driven the xD, and it's probably not as spunky as the Fit, and especially the MP5.  But if outright handling glory isn't a top priority, you might find plenty to like about the xD, including an interior that seems clever and upscale for its price.  

Let me know what you think.