Whoever Wants a Honda Civic, Say "I"

As you could probably guess, in the auto market right now, Hondas are selling out left and right. Everyone wants a Honda Civic, or an Accord or a hybrid of one of the two; myself included. And people aren't only trying to buy new, they are definitely browsing used without batting an eyelash, thanks to this economy.

(Honda Civic hybrid above) The 2009 models are going for $23,000 to 26,500, approx. right now.

The cool thing about Hondas is they are such trusty cars; they have great resale value. You can get a used Honda for close to the same price of a new one (if you're trying to sell yours--though I have no idea why you'd want to at this time--but yes, there are actually people who are trying to sell theirs). And even when you buy used, if you sell it again years down the line, you can still find someone who wants to buy because these cars last for a long time before they start going bad.

(2008 Honda Accord coupe) Anywhere from $21,000 to 31,700)

So, yes, I too want a Honda. A Civic Hybrid to be exact. You'd better get on the list right now though. When I was checking them out at the Roush dealership over in Westerville, they told me that Civic Hybrids won't be available until spring of 2009. And with that news I exclaimed I'd settle for either the hybrid or the regular Civic (because anything is better than the gas-guzzler-good-for-nothing-small-SUV I'm currently whippin') and they told me there aren't many of the regulars left either! Of the 600 total Civics Rousch Honda had in their inventory, there were only 4 left! And that was back in July. It's probably -5 by now.

I'd buy new or used, though, for close to the same price, as I said before, I might as well get the new one. I was trying to wait out for the hybrids to get back in stock. The 2009 Civic Hybrid is on the website and it will get up to 40/45 MPG on the highway! Though, as I spoke to a sales person at the dealership, they did explain to me that the Hybrid is better for one thing, and the regular Civic for another. For example, the Civic regular is better on the highway, so if you'll be doing lots of commuting or driving cross-state, traveling etc. then you'd probably want that one. But if you do much more stop-and-go, city/local travel, then the Hybrid is the better choice for your lifestyle. Either way, gas mileage is great on both models, of course, and easy on your pocket.

(2009 Honda Fit...just released! ) It gets 34 MPG on the highway and 28 city. They're selling for under $16,5oo.

The price of a Honda coupe or sedan...which ever...is affordable and as close to a non-depreciable asset as you can get in a car. Obviously cars depreciate, but Hondas do much much less than most cars. Here's a savings calculator right on their site so you can see how much money you'll save overtime by buying one.

But on the subject of hybrids and MPG-savvy cars, let's peruse the other options. Obviously, companies are churning out hybrids more and more, as we move towards a more "green" society and one that is less dependent on oil/gasoline. Pretty soon, just about every model of any car you can think of will come in hybrid form, along with the regular version. Some choices other than the Honda that you should look into are: below, the 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid.

I've heard many great things from Nissan owners. A friend of mine had her Maxima until the poor thing would drive no more. They last for a long time, are well made, drive nicely and are affordable, safe and can be seen as slightly luxury at times. This guy is selling for around $26,650, according to Yahoo! Auto.com. My guess is that you could still find a 2008 model and get a steal on this car.

The competition to the Fit: the new Toyota Yaris! Both are compact cars. The Yaris comes in this 3-door and in a sedan, as you will see below. This is soooo affordable at $10,800 or so, to about $15,000 at the most. I am going to test drive the sedan this weekend!

(A 2009 Toyota Prius)

These babies are selling out too. They're running for about $20,000 to $25,500 right now. Priuses are well worth the money, and at that price, it's not too expensive for what you're getting. Hondas prices are up because they have the leverage, being that everyone wants one. So even the non-hybrids are going to be more than this car here. You will have money in the bank once you start driving this car and saving on gas...it gets 45 MPGs highway and 48 city!!!! This is the true commuter's car.

This is the Toyota Yaris sedan. The sedans and the 3-door both get 35 MPGs on the highway (if they are automatic).

And then there's always a Smart Car.

This car is just a front seat and a bitty little trunk. Though, it's very cost-effective. Literally, it's just two-doors...there's a passenger seat, and a driver's seat. That's it. They are so cute. They are like the fleas of the insect world--super small, but they can be formidable if they choose. Pricing is right around $11,500 to $12,000 on these specialty cars. There aren't many dealerships so, we are lucky, as Columbusers to have a dealer in our own city. Germain motors (specifically Germain Mercedes at Easton) has a small section that's been turned into Smart Car. Months ago, the lot was full of Smart Car inventory. Last time I drove by there, about a couple weeks ago...there was only 1 Smart Car left! People are realizing that getting 41 MPG on the highway is a beautiful thing.