When I was traveling for work I'd have to rent a car every week, sometimes even two or three different cars in one week, so I estimate I probably drove 150+ different cars in three years, most of them new. I can say with 100% confidence that there isn't a single American made car from any manufacturerer that handles and feels like the top Japanese makes: Nissan, Toyota or Honda.
95% of American made cars feel small, stiff, unresponsive, and have a counter-intuitive dash/console layout. I have literally had my choice when driving brand new two-door and four-door mid-to-lexury sedans from Pontiac, Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Mercury, Dodge, Plymouth, Eagle, Buick, Olds, etc ... etc ... and I wouldn't take a single one over a Camry or a Maxima.
Now, what do you mean when you say you want an "economy car?" Does "economy car" mean you want a low-priced new car, or something in the $20K+ range that's stickered with a 30/40 mpg split? Eliminating hybrids, your only choices for a good economy car are between the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Volkswagon Golf/Jetta TDIs.
The Saturn Ion, quite honestly, isn't even an economy car. The most fuel efficient version, the 4-cyl, 2.2L manual gets 26/35, with an invoice between $11K-$18K.
You could get a Corolla or Civic -- any 4-cyl automatic -- that will get over 30/40 mpg and cost $2000 less and require $1000s less in maintenance.
Really, the Ion is so-not-an-ecomony car that you could buy a used 4-cyl Camry and still get better mileage. Heck, you could buy something like a leased-back 2000/2001 Camry XLE V6 for under $10,000, and I'm talking fully loaded with everything but the Lexus boilerplates, plus the dealership will have it shined up like-new, and still get 24/34.
Personally, if I were buying a low-priced/economy car, and by low-priced I mean "$20K-ish" and economy I really mean "coupe," I'd get the Scion (Toyota) tC:
http://www.scion.com/showroom/tc/gallery/
95% of American made cars feel small, stiff, unresponsive, and have a counter-intuitive dash/console layout. I have literally had my choice when driving brand new two-door and four-door mid-to-lexury sedans from Pontiac, Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Mercury, Dodge, Plymouth, Eagle, Buick, Olds, etc ... etc ... and I wouldn't take a single one over a Camry or a Maxima.
Now, what do you mean when you say you want an "economy car?" Does "economy car" mean you want a low-priced new car, or something in the $20K+ range that's stickered with a 30/40 mpg split? Eliminating hybrids, your only choices for a good economy car are between the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Volkswagon Golf/Jetta TDIs.
The Saturn Ion, quite honestly, isn't even an economy car. The most fuel efficient version, the 4-cyl, 2.2L manual gets 26/35, with an invoice between $11K-$18K.
You could get a Corolla or Civic -- any 4-cyl automatic -- that will get over 30/40 mpg and cost $2000 less and require $1000s less in maintenance.
Really, the Ion is so-not-an-ecomony car that you could buy a used 4-cyl Camry and still get better mileage. Heck, you could buy something like a leased-back 2000/2001 Camry XLE V6 for under $10,000, and I'm talking fully loaded with everything but the Lexus boilerplates, plus the dealership will have it shined up like-new, and still get 24/34.
Personally, if I were buying a low-priced/economy car, and by low-priced I mean "$20K-ish" and economy I really mean "coupe," I'd get the Scion (Toyota) tC:
http://www.scion.com/showroom/tc/gallery/
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