What car: 10 year lifespan commuter and backup kid hauler

I think I have my choices narrowed down but would love a second third and fourth opinion along with questioning my assumptions. (Seriously!) I have a situation where I have basically zero extra time, and so any time spent working on my commuter is not worthwhile or fun to me - at least not as fun as working on one of the fun cars in my fleet. (The fun cars being a 1970 Ford F250 and a 2001 MR2 Spyder.) My wife and I work alternating schedules so we have one car that's the main kid hauler - a 2008 Ford Taurus X - and one that's a commuter - a 2004 Mazda 6 wagon (stick, v6). We switch which car we're driving based on whether we're going to work or at home with the kids. It's come to the point where I want something new or new-ish for the commuter. My plan is to get a 10 year life span out of this with only routine maintenance. Driving is about 5,000 miles a year.

Criteria:
-Hatchback, wagon, or small CUV. Wagon is best but they basically don't exist nowadays.
-Decent gas mileage - prefer 30+ highway.
-Manual trans preferred but not required
-Decently fun to drive in some way
-Reliable!!
-Budget $15k - $20k, flexible in either direction
-Needs to be able to haul the kids if there's a problem with the main kid hauler

Leaders so far:
1) NEW 2018 Mazda3 touring hatchback manual, $16,950. Like the manual, like the fun to drive factor, it's smaller than ideal.

2) NEW 2017 Mazda CX-5 sport FWD (auto, obviously), $19,777. Like the size, don't like the fact that it's a CUV but that's today's station wagons, don't like the auto.

3) Used 2015 Chevy Volt Premium 35k miles, $15,588. Like the efficiency, like the size, don't like the not-as-fun-to-drive factor. Would have to add a charging circuit in the garage as current circuit is fully loaded. (We've even blown the breaker just using what we've already got out there.)

The advantage something like the CX-5 has is that when the Taurus X finally becomes sketchy for daily kid use the CX-5 could replace it, either temporarily or permanently. The Mazda 3 and Volt are too small for that. I know people can travel with kids with less, but we're not those people. Before we had kids we were able to fill big vehicles with stuff on short trips. Now it's comical how much we take with us.

It needs to have a decent size hatch area because I ship large boxes at least once a month. Figure able to fit a 25" cube in back, seats down ok.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Combining the CX5 and the Volt choices, how interesting is the new Kia Niro?  

Small SUV but Hybrid with 49 mpg rating.  Probably a 10 yr/100k warranty that takes you through your entire planned ownership.  Probably $20-$25k 

https://www.kia.com/us/en/build/niro/2019/trims?trim=115&model=815  

The Hyundai Kona looks similar but I think it is not hybrid.

How much rebate is GM putting on the slow selling Buick Regal wagons? 

VW sells manual trans wagons.  Reliable? 

I had a cx5 as a rental and it was nice and even a little fun.  I was pleasantly surprised...not a bad choice at all.

In reply to John Welsh :

I hadn't thought of the Niro! Good suggestion. It looks like there are some new ones in the $21k range. We drive so little that it wouldn't end up saving the difference between it and the CX5 in 10 years, and the CX5 has the edge in acceleration and I bet in fun to drive but that's only solvable by driving them back to back.

I'm afraid of VW's reliability. 50k miles in 10 years should be a cakewalk but compared to the asian brands they are likely still more troublesome.

Buick Regal wagon: Looks like they're still over $24k at the cheapest. Good suggestion, that's cheaper than I expected (List price $36,945!!) and I might have to drive one if they're that cheap.

Accord Crosstrek! Can't lose with a car that ugly.

I love my tsx wagon 

you can get low Mileage 2014 model 

If the Taurus X is doing well, how do you feel about the Ford Flex? It might be larger than you want, but there's a ton of room for kiddos and their stuff. AWD is an option if that's preferred.

Looks like a wide selection of them in your area with under 60k miles for $16-25k

Of course there's always the ubiquitous Subaru Outback too

Low mile Trailblazer SS?

First, the odds of you keeping a car 10 years are about the same as they are for me...somewhere between slim and none.  :D  I've had my G37 for one year and I'm already looking to replace it. 

Having said that, with what you're looking for I'd say the Mazda3 hatch should be at the top of your list.  Others I'd consider are Volvo V60 (not sure if a '15ish would fall in your price range), Kia Soul Turbo or even a Juke Nismo.  Perhaps FoST, but they're probably tighter inside than the Mazda3.

I'll second Mr. Welsh's suggestions. The Kona is getting good reviews and can be had for $21K new. My son has a Niro and it's a relatively nice, economical place to be, just no sporting pretensions. It was around $25K IIRC.

Do they make one of the Kia/Hyundai things that is a plug in hybrid? 

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

Hybrid, PHEV, and full EV now. But I think the PHEV and EV are mostly just sold in CARB states as far as I can tell.

cpo GTI's are starting to dip below 20k. just stay away from the fancy keyless stuff and giant glass roofs.

New VW's come with the 6 year, 72k mile bumper-to-bumper warranty these days, not sure if that sways your decision on them.

Civic Sport hatch w/ manual?

Hyundai Elantra GT?

Hyundai Elantra GT.  The non turbo should be around $15K NEW (2018) after rebates.

Hatch, stick, warranty, 31mpg, more fun than a SUV.

Is there any brownie points available for getting what your wife wants?

Bobzilla recently commented to someone else about the Kia Forte5 SX.  Its a 4 door hatch very similar in appearance to GTI.  I most remember that Bob pointed to some left over, turbo manual trans version that I seem to be quite cheap for what they offered.  

Edit: I suppose nearly the same as Elantra GT mentioned above.  

Klayfish said:

First, the odds of you keeping a car 10 years are about the same as they are for me...somewhere between slim and none.  :D  I've had my G37 for one year and I'm already looking to replace it. 

 

Touche, but really since this is more of an "appliance" buy I haven't been as antsy to replace it - having two fun cars helps me with the daily driver add. I've had the current Mazda 6 wagon for 4 years, but it's got some issues and paying mechanics to work on 180k mile cars is a fools errand. You end up spending more to keep them running than a new one. I calculate about $100/mo in depreciation if we got 10 years out of the Mazda 3, and I'm sure I would spend that keeping an older car on the road if I am not doing the repairs.

The Elantra GT is a good suggestion; it loses out some on fuel efficiency to the Mazda (31 vs 37mpg) and in non-turbo trim is a good bit slower.(8.0 secs to 60 vs 7.3) but looks to cost about the same net. The Turbo (GT Sport?) would be faster but costs several thousand more than the 3.

The Civic Sport is a few thousand more than the Mazda 3. It looks like the hatchback area would be less usable due to the steep slope of it - not that the 3 is without problems there.

@Rons: My wife loves the look of the Mazda 3 and the CX-5. She said we should get the "more fun" one (ie, stick and smaller) unless we're planning on replacing the Taurus X with this car when the Taurus eventually wears out.

I did not need to see that new GTIs are available around $20k. I was entirely opposed to VWs, but 0-60 in sub-6 seconds, better gas mileage than the Hyundai, and those awesome plaid seats... Oh boy. I might be in trouble. I'm pretty scared of the idea of owning a modern VW for 10 years, though.

Got the wife a CX5, drove the CX3 as well, CX3 is a bit sportier, but not much in the acceleration department. My wife wanted more of the SUV side and the CX5 had much better ground clearance, so we went that way. 

Both were good appliances, I like driving the Cx5, its "sporty ish" compared to the 4runner DD.

I forgot .. one of the problems with the Hyundai is the depreciation. A low mileage 10 year old Mazda 3 is still worth a bit of money, say $5,000 or so. A 10 year old low mileage Hyundai is worth about $3.99.

We own an '11 Mazda 3 Hatch,  and the wife has already said that when this one wears out she wants the new 3 or a CX-5.  Having driven the new CX-5 recently, I would recommend it to anyone that is in the market.  Decent space, fuel econony and power, and the interior is a very nice place to spend some time.  

My wife DD's a 2010 Mazda5 that we bought new.  It probably has 63k miles on it.  We live less than 3 miles from the school she teaches at.  

If the CX5 had been available when we bought the "5", I think we would have gone with that instead.  

Hard to go wrong with the CX5.  

If you're interested in Hyundai/Kia, use the depreciation curve to your advantage.  Buy a 2 or 3 year old one.  You'll pay a fraction of the new price and still have a newish, low mileage nice car that you can use for 10 years. 

I'd be very cautious of a VW, regardless of how little you drive.  I just don't trust them.

I'd really suggest the Mazda3.  It's actually at the top of my potential shopping list too.  I'd want the "s Grand Touring" trim, which is the top of the line.  You can get a '15 or '16 with under 60k miles for right in your price range, easily.  Very reliable, fun as hell to drive, super nice inside.  It has all kinds of nice luxury touches, which is super appealing to me.  As you said, 37mpg ain't a bad thing, especially for me who is getting 25mpg on premium unleaded (driving 25k/year).  The one hesitation I have with it is if it's fast enough for me.  It's quick, but I want fast.  Beyond that, I think it checks pretty much every box, and sounds like it would for you too.

I test drove a CX-5 and bought a 2018 Sonata.  Leftover pricing and a ten-year powertrain warranty was very attractive.  I get 31 MPG around town and 37 on road trips.