TheDonEffect

Well that's also comparing to MSRP, I'm sure most aren't paying anything near msrp, so overall I don't see it too bad.

kevinS2OOO

For comfortability, reliability (less maintenance...this is a DD remember), resale value, and Honda, I'd go for the Civic SI.

TommyDeVito

I can get one for $1k under invoice or $24.6k but that is a base and you'll have to pay for shipping. Would be delivered right to your driveway. I can also get $500 under locally but once the first few dozen are spoken for it moves to just invoice. At the end of the year you'll be able to get $1k under invoice easy maybe more off. Have to let the hype and first sales die down.
Out of your choices I vote for the WRX. It will hold resale value better than the other choices. Subarus hold values very well. I bought a new STi in '08, drove it for 3 years and lost the least value on anything I've owned 4 or 2 wheels ever. The other choices are wrong wheel drive. They can come out with the most sophisticated diff ever made and they'd still be FWD. With that long of a commute I'd want a car that can get me through rain and winter conditions.
You might look at the CVT if it's going to be a commuter. The CVT was EPA tested in the wrong mode and it's supposed to get >30 highway in I mode with your foot out of boost. They tested it in sport.
60 miles round trip though so you might wan to expand your choices and dig some more to find something that sips fuel. I'd still stick with AWD (and Subaru) but maybe skip the turbo. Commuters get racks of miles and fuel. I'd save the dough on the front end. The base Impreza Sport is a really good car and very inexpensive. I was surprised when driving one.
Waiting for them to bring a new DIT FA or FB in the STi and I will buy another one. My commute just got real short, <1 mile so I no longer need a car for a work commute. That's a 80MPG Zuma 125 now.
Good luck. If you drive all three I'm sure you will buy the new Rex, hands down. Probably best bang for the buck performance car under $40k now.

Jdrum1

Another vote for the Si.


No surprise that I’m partial to Honda products (given this is a Honda board).

It seems like the best compromise of proven reliability, efficiency, practicality (with a little fun thrown in).
Being used as a daily, I’m guessing the miles will rack up (assuming you plan on keeping it for a while). With that, resale is somewhat moot; the difference in value between the cars on your list will be negligible after so many years/miles. Plus, I don’t buy cars to resale them……



I like the looks of the Focus. I like the direction Ford has gone with it (and the fiesta). I don’t know about the Focus, but the Fusion and F150 EcoBoost engines are coming up well shy of their clamed MPG numbers.


I love the WRX (like any good car enthusiast should). As others have mentioned, there are some reliability concerns and it’s going to be the most expensive to own and operate.


I also don’t think I’d want a turbo for a DD. I know turbos can be reliable, but I want simplicity in a DD.



That said, I don’t think any of them are going to be bad choices (and I like them all).

rockville

I would go with the Ford.
1. I'm mildly biased to Ford... I loved my Contour SVT.
2. It's a hatchback. Once you go from a hatch to a car with a trunk you realize just how nice that large opening really is. Sadly, the Civic we get in the US has no hatch. If it did I would have no trouble suggesting it based on the quality of the previous Civics.
3. I think the Ford is the best looking of the bunch. That's not actually saying much. The VW GTI is better looking simply because it's a cleaner design. The Ford fit and finish is equal to the VW but the styling is a bit over the top. Kind of like the new Corvette, they turned it up to 11.

rockville

Timely thread
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=533160
The guy bought the ST for under $20k

V6 Donut

The Civic SI or the Ford Fiesta ST gets my vote

s.hasan546

the wrx probably will have the best resale. It's crazy what 08 wrx's still go for. STI's were more prone for the ring land failures; etc. Hvn't heard much about base wrx's having bad reliability stock. Too many people mod the hell out of them and than complain when they blow a motor

honda606

I was debating these exact vehicles as well until I attended the Houston Auto Show a few weeks back. The ST quickly got removed from my list. Love the specs but the seats were horrible. Made for guys with 32 inseam and below. Not sure what Ford was thinking there. The WRX was nice to look at on the exterior, and the specs are also quite nice, but I couldn't live with that interior. It felt really low grade and wasn't something I would be satisfied with in the long run.

Then I saw and sat in the Mk7 GTI. I'm pretty much sold on it. It will be my first non-Honda car in over 10 years if I go that route. I'm still considering a left over 2013 Si Sedan though. I'm a die-hard Honda fanboi and it's hard to move away, but 2013s with navigation are just far and few between and I'm not really willing to buy a plane ticket to somewhere 1k+ miles away and drive it back. I can't stand what they did with the exterior restyling on the 2014 so that's out of the question.

So 2015 GTI vs 2013 Si Sedan for me. Likely going to gamble on the VW this time around.

WRX2S2K

I'm having a really hard time with this decision.

I really appreciate the Honda reliability, simplicity, and efficiency of the Civic Si with it being front wheel drive and NA. I just got a quote for $20K for a 2013.

I really liked the motor on the Focus ST. Nice torque everywhere on the tach which makes for relaxed driving around town. But I'm apprehensive about domestic cars since I had a couple back in the 90's and both were not reliable. I'm sure things are better, but I'm not sure?

At this moment I'm leaning towards the WRX if I can get good pricing. I had a 2004 for 6 years/100,000 miles and didn't have one thing go wrong with it and it had great resale value. Although I'm a bit concerned about some of the stories I've heard with the 2.5 turbo engine failures and poor tuning from the factory. Has anyone heard if the new 2.0 turbo has been reliable in the Forester?