DRIVERS,

START

 

YOUR
ENGIN

A GUIDE TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAR

 
  
 

BY SIMON ETRA, CONTRIBUTOR

HONDA CIVIC

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HYUNDAI AC

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Cas tere are so many to choose from, and of
those, there are many varieties. But when you
factor in a college student’s budget, the number of
options dwindles significantly. What I hope to shed
light on, however, is the best choices that offer the
most value. That is, their manufacturer’s suggested
retail price (MSRP) generally falls within a college
student’s budget, yet they offer great performance,
fuel economy, styling, reliability, and fun.

Now, what do great performance, fuel economy,
styling, reliability, and fun really denote?

Great performance means going from 0 to 60
miles per hour (or just under 100 km/hr)—that’s
better than average. Nobody enjoys pulling away
from a red light or stop sign like a slowpoke.

The sensation of a responsive gas pedal can be
thrilling. An engine that returns a lot of horsepower
and a high top-speed is also indicative of good
performance, especially if you drive up a lot of hills
or frequent highways regularly.

A good fuel economy really needs no further
explanation. Anything from 10-15 miles per gallon
(or 4.3- 6.4kilometres per litre) is too low. Take into
consideration a student budget and the fluctuating
prices of fuel and you've got a certainty that no
pickup trucks or sport utility vehicles will make the
cut (sorry Hummer aficionados).

Styling is fairly subjective. There are some
vehicles that don’t have a polarizing design whereas
others do (like the Pontiac Aztek, which is no
longer in production, but whose design yours truly
does not particularly mind). So keep in mind that
you may not fancy the design of a finalist—don't
say I didn’t warn you!

Reliability in an automotive context pertains to

few (read “cheap”) repairs and maintenance, both
: safety and longevity. Buying a car is a substantial

: investment—with the exception of beaters costing
: no more than $500 (and even then, we are college
: students after all!). With that said, who wants to

: deplete their bank account only to have to buy

: another car ina year or two due to it breaking

: down? Or increase credit card debt by paying for

: repairs, parts, and maintenance? And the worst-

: case scenario is paying with your health if a vehicle
: is unsafe.

Finally, fun isa little bit of each of the other

factors I cited. Fun is a car that’s enjoyable to drive,
: isn’t as thirsty as a desert-dwelling nomad, turns

: heads (in a good way), and will keep its owner—as
: well as itself—safe.

Now, you may ask what qualifies me to render

: wisdom as to the cars that offer the best value.

: Well, first of all I know an individual (who shall

: remain nameless) who has access to an abundance
: of vehicles because he works at a vast dealership.

: Sometimes when he brings an automobile home,

: he offers me the opportunity to test drive it—mind
: you, responsibly and with him present. So don’t

: imagine I put the cars through rigorous tests and

: do professional tests on race tracks.

Another reason that I can comment on

: best value is because I am a lifelong automotive
: enthusiast. I know a lot about cars in general as
: well as individual models from manufacturers.

And now, without further ado, I present to you

the top five vehicles (in no particular order), that
: offer the best value for college students. I have test-
: driven all of these automobiles.

 

CHEVROLET ¢

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TOYOTA COR

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