Need a new daily driver.
 

Sorry if this isn't the right forum, but the right forum seems to get no traffic.

I'm thinking about either a Mazda 6, Honda Accord Sport or a VW GTI. I want good mpg, not completely boring and, ideally, reliability. That last criteria makes me question the GTI, but they do drive well.

Any thoughts?

Hmmm... you name three cars and then set parameters that exclude two of them. Sounds like you're getting the Mazda. :D

Disagree with above. In the same boat as the OP a few months back and settled on the Accord Sport with a 6 speed stick. Couldn't be happier. Not "fast", but adequate. Very quiet, nicely featured, comfortable and consistently gets north of 30mpg. Not sure I'll ever spend for a high end DD again. This has been a good experience.

In the Accord's defense, I haven't seen the newest models up close and personal. Have spent some time in a friend's 2012. Nice car, but for me it just felt like something was missing. Might sound cliche but it's that "soul" thing. Felt like an appliance... and a nice one at that, but it didn't make me want one. As soon as my butt hit the seat of the Mazda6, I thought, "This is a car I WANT to own."

2014 Mazda 6 Grand Touring vs. 2013 Honda Accord EX-L – Comparison Test – Car and Driver

I have a 2013 GTI drivers edition DSG. I love it. Build quality is very high. I've had 5 vw's and this is by far the best one as far as interior quality and fun. Luckily mine had the Laguna wheels. I hate those other wheels that look like ninja throwing stars that on the other models. I highly recommend the GTI. And yea, the extended warranty

A 4 door Golf R would be pretty close to perfect except for 2 things. One is that the MPG could be better and 2 is, like you said, get the extended warranty. I'm just not sure I want to deal with that.

As for the Accord, I've driven one and it was like Honda got their mojo back. Once upon a time, Honda was high value but the cars felt good and I think the latest Accord goes back to that. On the other hand, I haven't been able to spend any time with the Mazda.

If you don't mind MPG go with a built jeep cherokee XJ. Not in the slightest boring...

Color within the lines.

If I lived out in AZ, I'd want something that did well off road.

For better or worse, I live in the northeast and I need to deal with a 20 mile commute in heavy traffic.

Focus ST needs to be added to the list. Seriously, go drive one. ;)

13' MK6 TDI Golf. Last year they are built in Germany, and about 45 real world mpg highway. Have to keep it german!! :D:D:D

Looked at few Japenese offerings recently but just got back from test driving a C220CDi W204. Great car. Plenty of mumbo and great economy to boot. I think we will probably buy it.

Lotus Elise.

It works for me.

Vw quality has come a long way in the last 10 years. I've owned 5 going back to 1994 and my last two, both mk6 generation, were/are great compared to my earlier models. My 2000 golf was made in Mexico and was a lemon. With the mk6, if you keep up with the service schedule and don't treat the car like a teenager you should be ok. But yea the 3 year/36k mile warranty has always sucked and I didn't want to take a chance this time. I'm averaging 32 mpg highway.

This. Put aside what you think you know about the Focus and Ford and go try it. Better than the GTi in my opinion, and it won't strand you.:cool: Currently the frontrunner for my new daily driver in a few months.

Otherwise I'd vote for the Mazda6. They manage to infuse fun in everything they build, while also making a damn good car. My wife has a 2013 Mazda5 that is really fun for a van, it's Mazda #4 for our family and all have been great. Extended family owns a Miata, 6, and 2x 3, all similarly excellent cars.

No VW, even my lemon, ever left me stranded. While the focus may have more impressive performance numbers, does that matter in real world conditions and is it worth it considering the focus is butt ugly and has a comparatively cheap looking and feeling interior...

Have you been in the new focus? The interior is as nice as anything else in its class, and again, it won't strand you. ;). Seriously you need to drive one, way more fun than should be allowed in a car like that. ;)

The internet is full of VW horror stories. My BIL has been stranded multiple times by his VW products, but like a beaten spouse he stands by them faithfully.

You need to update your misconceptions. VW interiors have been trending downmarket recently while Ford is greatly improving. A recent Passat rental is one of the most disappointing cars that I've driven. I would rate the Focus interior as the equal of the GTi, and I've looked at both. Styling is subjective of course, the GTi has looked the same for approximately a decade. I like the GTi and consider it to be the only real competitor to the ST, but it doesn't have the charm or character in my opinion.

Not dying on the road is a really, really low bar these days

I had an B5 A4 that was a total PITA, but it never left me stranded. My current Subaru has also never left me stranded and hasn't required me to fix something ever other month. My wife had a B5 Passat that wasn't nearly as bad as my A4, but still wasn't nearly as reliable as the Japanese branded cars we drive now.

For my purposes, I can't think of a better daily driver than the Golf R (well, maybe a new Audi S4) since it has AWD, is quick, has a body style that's very practical (I drive a wagon now), has a great ride/handling combination. There's just one problem with it which it's a VAG product.

As I said I have had 5 VW's. the interiors have gotten consistently better, not worse. And the same goes for the mechanics of the cars. Better not worse. I have had some real horror stories with VW and will say I will never own another one other than the GTI - which like the 911, has a ton of history and refinement over the years. To each their own. For me, the GTI does everything I need it to, perfectly an I doubt it will leave me stranded.

Actually the only car I've had that did leave me stranded besides my old 911, was my Ford mustang which was a piece of garbage

Read up on the ST. It's in a different league than the moosewang. Designed in Europe to be a world car, and truly leaps and bounds ahead of the mustang in terms of design. Open up your mind, read about the car and drive one.

I love VWs too, but for almost 10k less the ST is more fun to drive. Hard to argue with that.

Two problems - you can't get a stick. I would consider a lightly used Golf R, but it has to have three pedals.

I'm also a fan of the Focus and have considered one for a daily. Unfortunately, they're changing the front end styling this year to look like a Fusion. The face on the fusion is okay but one of things I like about the Focus is the current styling. I hope they don't mess with too much else.

I never said I wanted a stick.

In almost 30 years of driving, I've never owned an automatic, other than the car my wife drives. At this point though, my commute is bad enough that I'm willing to give it up.

Mazdaspeed 3 :--) Fun, practical, not boring, reliable.

My GTI is my first car without a stick. The DSG was one of the reasons I bought it. I love the DSG and don't miss shifting one bit. If I want to shift I can drive my 911 once and a while. The paddle shifters that come with the DSG are fun too if I'm in the mood to be more involved

id say to get a new wrx, the only downside is mpg though that is improved.

If you are set on 2 pedal it would be cool to try out a DSG. Too bad the only automated manuals in this segment are VAG at this point I think.

I dont trust the reliability of VAG products at this point. The evidence is anecdotal but there is enough of it to scare me off.

Love my 2013 Golf R 4-door daily-driver. Rs are only available with a manual. But you can't get a new one right now - there are no 2014 Rs. You have to wait for the (even better) 2015 model.

I stand corrected on the R, I was mixing it up with the R32 which has been DSG for a while. Worth noting though, a new R is about $10k more than a GTi.

It should ! I am just finishing my ownership experience with a 2007 Passat Wagon 3.6 4Motion.

It was expensive, the car always made me nervous. It was fun until the troubles started

It's getting a steering column lock sensor done for the 2nd time,right now. It's getting traded very soon. The treatment from the dealership was worse.

My 2013 R replaced my 2004 R32 (with 134k miles) - the 2004 R32 was a truly great car with a truly great engine. The original R32 (U.S.) was only available in 2004 (5k units) & only with a manual. The next R32 was also only sold for 1 year - 2008 (5k units) - & it was only available with paddle-shifters. I passed on it because I want a manual.

The Golf R was sold in both 2- & 4-door models in 2012 & 2013. I think they imported about 5,600 in the 2 years combined.

You are correct about the price difference between the R & GTI. In fact, I initially didn't consider the R because it was too expensive. The differences between the R & GTI are great. I did not want a FWD car, so the GTI (which is a great car) was not on the list. I also like that the R has 56 (28%) more horsepower than the GTI! Here is a link to a VW press release highlighting the many differences, including HP, IRS, firmer suspension, brakes, steering ratio & of course, AWD: Volkswagen of America Releases 2012 Golf R Specs and Pricing.

So far (11k miles) I love my R, although the turbo has to be driven a bit differently (revs!) than the VR6.

Here's a photo of my R with its winter boots on.



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1398270463.jpg

What is your location and commute like? I wouldn't consider a daily that isn't AWD in my area, otherwise I would support the Focus ST option.

As to the VAG hate - My B5 S4 was by far and away the best daily driver I've ever had... and the most expensive. Truly - even more than the 951. If I made more moola I would deal with it because when well maintained they are absolute bliss (actually, I would probably get a C5 Allroad and mod it a little). On the other hand, I had a MkIII Jetta with a 2.0l ABA in it, which was quite possibly the worst driving and worst constructed car in the history of time. VAG products vary, but as a rule I would only consider one made in Germany and well maintained. (But I wouldn't pay $35k for a Golf, R or not.)

To each his own, but I daily drove a 996 with snow tires all winter. A Focus ST, or any other FWD car, would be a breeze with snow tires.

I'm in upstate New York near buffalo and never had a problem with front wheel drive cars

The climate here is unique to say the least. Close to 100 days per year there is snow on the ground. There are a significant number of hills/slopes to negotiate. And during the winter there are likely 90 days where a 5"+ snowfall may occur (it generally only happens 2-5 times per year, but you have really no idea when).

*The day counts are scientific wild a** guesses, but at least scientific.

If I lived 100 miles SW in the Tri-Cities, or 200 mi W on the other side of the Cascades, I wouldn't be concerned with AWD either. But, I'm in a unique area and the places I have to be are far too important to wait a day for plows to come through (because I am super important - intentionally sarcastic).

When I went shopping last, I wanted a hatchback two door and a stick to go with something entertaining. I drove a Civic but couldn't get a stick. Drove a Mazda and was really close to buying as it was fast and felt well built but something was missing that I couldn't put my finger on. Would have gone with the VW but again no stick and no two door. Finally went with the Mini. Got what I wanted plus 40 mpg.