Mike is helping his mom replace her daily driver, a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze. She is frustrated with the slow acceleration and overall quality of the car, and has her eye on some kind of "rugged" looking crossover. With a budget of about $30,000, what car should she buy?
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Here is the scenario:
My mom is 56, lives in Delaware and needs a car that isn't a Chevy Cruze. So my mom's been telling me about how her 2014 Chevy Cruze is way too slow to put up with the traffic on her way in and out of work in Delaware.
She's really grown to love the new Trailblazers and RAV-4s, but deep down she really loves the new Broncos and Defenders with their rugged, off-road and super outdoorsy inspired design. She used to have an 04 Nissan Xterra before her Cruze and she loved that Xterra.
This next car needs to have a somewhat respectable amount of power, or at least be able to speed up quick enough to put up with highway traffic. Budget is about $30,000
Quick Facts:
Budget: about $30,000
Location: Wilmington, DE
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Good passing power, something kind of "rugged"
Doesn't want: A slow poke
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Expert 1: Tom McParland - Turbo Subaru
While the Chevy Cruze was a decent effort to compete with the likes of the Corolla and Civic, it often fell short in a few areas. However, it seems like you have gotten your money's worth, given that you have had it all this time. With your eye towards a rugged off-roader, I would caution you that many of those rigs aren't quite as comfortable for highway cruising and tend to be a tad thirsty at the pump.
The Subaru Outback may not be the boxy rock-crawler you had in mind, but it offers a great combination of quality, comfort, features, and safety. The body style also makes for an easier transition from a small car to a bigger crossover/wagon. Outbacks are plentiful at this price point, but if you are looking for some extra punch for highway merging, you will want to target the XT models that feature the turbocharged 2.4-liter motor, producing 260 horsepower. It will still return a respectable 29 MPG on the highway.
Here is a 2024 Outback Touring XT, which is fully loaded for exactly $30,000.
Expert 2: Andy Kalmowitz - Peppy Bronco Sport
Mike, I'm really excited to see that your mom realizes she's worth more than an old Chevy Cruze. She deserves more, and that's exactly what the Ford Bronco Sport can give her. Sure, it's not going to be nearly as rugged or off-road oriented as something like her old XTerra or a Defender, but it finds a nice middle ground between those types of cars and stuff like the Rav4 and Trailblazer she seems to be fond of.
What you're getting is a car with plenty of pep, thanks to a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-popper that puts out 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. It'll feel like a rocket ship compared to the Cruz. Plus, thanks to GOAT modes, she'll be able to do some light-ish off-roading if her heart so desires, not that I think it will. At the very least, she'll be able to tackle the odd snowstorm Delaware gets hit with. On top of all that, you get all of the modern safety and tech convenience features you could want on a new car.
Because I'm a swell individual, I found you the perfect Bronco Sport. It's a pre-owned 2022 Badlands that comes in under her budget at about $28,700, and it has fewer than 30,000 miles on the clock and a clean CarFax. In a word, it's perfect for your mother. She's going to love it.
Expert 3: Amber DaSilva - Adorable Renegade
Mike, I do — and this is rare — think Andy has the right answer here. The Bronco Sport is really aimed at someone who wants the rugged off-roady looks of a Bronco or Wrangler, but doesn't want the poor ride quality of a body-on-frame 4x4. But, if your mom would like to save nearly a third of the cost of that Bronco Sport, she can get another brand's take on the same formula: The Jeep Renegade.
Personally, I've always loved the looks of the little Renegade. It's still boxy, still rugged, but also kind of adorable in its proportions — a combo the Bronco Sport doesn't quite nail in the same way. It's also a discontinued Stellantis product, which means it's dirt cheap. This one's $20,500, and you can find them for even less.
Sure, a discontinued Jeep built on a Fiat chassis may not sound like the paragon of reliability, but Ford's had issues of its own recently on the recall front. Consider also that this Renegade has already made it four years at this point — the kinks may well have been all worked out. Save your mom some money, and tell her to get something both boxier and cuter than the Bronco Sport.
Expert 4: Collin Woodard - Hustle For A 392
Look, Mike, everyone here has given you good advice, but I think you and I both know your mom doesn't really want a Bronco Sport or an Outback. What she really wants is a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392. It's rugged and outdoorsy, and unlike the regular Wrangler, it's also quick as hell. Perhaps more importantly, though, it sounds fantastic. Even if you don't like it, you know I'm right.
Of course, there's one big problem with the Hemi-powered Wrangler — it's out of your mom's budget. Instead of the low end of the market being just under $30,000, we're talking a little less than $50,000. If you want that Wrangler in a real color, it'll probably cost a little more. Personally, I'm a big fan of this Hydro Blue Pearlcoat Wrangler in New York that's listed at $49,888 with only 38,257 miles on it.
I don't know how strict your mom's $30,000 budget is, but even if $50,000 is way more than she can afford to spend, if I've learned one thing from the internet, it's that she should ignore those so-called "financial advisors" and do it anyway. Having a payment she can't afford on a car she absolutely adores will motivate her to work harder. Every month, while her friends are lazily looking forward to retirement, she'll have to find a way to pull herself up by her own bootstraps, and that'll give her the mindset she needs to succeed at life. What could be better than that?
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