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Hi

I have owned a 1996 Toyota Curren for about three years. It has been very reliable but I have come to the decision that is time to replace it as it is a little impractical for my purposes, for a few reasons:
- it only has two doors so I don't use it to go on long trips with more than one friend
- it uses quite a bit of petrol (I am currently getting about 7.6km per litre). This is probably because 80% of my trips are less than 5km and often in heavy traffic
- although the car feels fairly compact when you are inside it, it is quite long and wide which makes parallel parking a little tricky!

So basically I am looking for something that is reliable, economical around town and doesn't look like a "nana car".

I am prepared to spend about $8,000 on a that is 2004 or newer. Most of the cars advertised for sale that meet my price and age requirements seem to be used imports. I have been looking at the Honda Civic hatchback, Mazda 3/Axela and Suzuki Swift.

How do these cars perform in terms of reliability and economy? Are there any other cars you would suggest I look at?

Thank you!

Alex

The Mazda 3/Axela 1.5L might be the better option in your price range. It is a good vehicle with a proven track record for reliability and the fuel economy will be pretty good. The Suzuki Swift in this price range might be fitted with a 1.3L engine which will not be that suited to you for the long trips but if you can get a 1.5L or 1.4L engine then it will be a great option. The Honda Civic in this price range might be the 1.7L engine which will the thirsty, compared to the other choices you have, and it doesn't have the freshest look that you are looking for. The Toyota Corolla RUN X is also worth considering.

Thank you very much, that's very helpful.