I'm looking for a four-door vehicle for around $10,000 that will get me at least another 100,000 kilometres. Ideally, we'd like a hatchback. I know Toyotas and Hondas last forever, but they're boring and everybody has one. Is there anything else you can suggest? – Dave, Toronto
This month, Consumer Reports put out a list of the 10 top-rated cars that its subscribers most often reported as having more than 200,000 miles (320,000 kilometres) on the odometer.
Except for a Ford F-150, they were all Toyotas and Hondas. Sure, they're reliable.
But these models are also big sellers – so a lot of people have them. But there are other options.
Here are three hatchbacks for less than $10,000. They all get top reliability ratings from Consumer Reports. And (almost) none of them is a Honda or Toyota.
2010-2012 Kia Soul
Those hip-hop hamsters from the commercials haven't aged well, but an older base-model Soul still has features some newer cars lack.
The base version has a 1.6-litre, 138-horsepower four-cylinder, plus six airbags, ESC, Bluetooth, heated front seats and power locks and windows.
The 2U and 4U both have a 2.0-litre, 164-hp engine. Each adds more features (including keyless entry and LED-lit speakers on the 4U) – and cost – onto the base. Despite the 4 in the 4U, AWD is not one of those features. There was also 4U Retro, 4U Burner and 4U Luxury.
It's boxy. But it's better-looking than the other boxy wagons/compact SUVs, such as the Nissan Cube and the Scion xB that sprang up in Canada around the same time. For 2012, it got a styling refresh inside and out.
It's not as roomy as an SUV, but it has a surprising amount of cargo room – 546 litres with the back seat up and more than 1,512 litres with it folded flat.
There have been three minor recalls for these years. Edmunds.com said the Soul is "surprisingly fun to drive," but is noisy and has a bit of a rough ride on the highway. Consumer Reports gives 2010-2013 Souls excellent predicted reliability.
2010-2012 Mazda3 Sport
The sport is the Mazda3 sedan's better-looking fraternal twin. It's the one with the hatchback.
Redesigned for 2010, the Mazda3 has four hatchback versions – the 2.0-litre, 148-hp four-cylinder Sport GX, the 2.5-litre, 167-hp Sport GS and Sport GT; the pricier, racier MazdaSpeed3, which you probably won't find in this price range, has a turbocharged 2.3-litre, 263-hp engine.
It has 481 litres of space behind the seats and 1,213 litres when they're folded.
Edmunds praises the Mazda3's handling and interior finishes, but says the ride might be firmer than some might like. Transport Canada lists two minor recalls for the 2010 Mazda3. Consumer Reports gives it excellent predicted reliability, but notes that the cabin is noisy and the back seat is tight.
2011 Scion xB
Okay, we're cheating here – it was made by Toyota as part of its now-defunct millennial brand.
The car was introduced to the U.S. market in 2003, but didn't make it to Canada until 2010. It's powered by a 2.4-litre, 158-hp four-cylinder.
The xB is boxy, like the Soul. With the second-row seats in the upright position, the xB has just 328 litres of cargo space – the least of the three cars here. But with the seats flat, that jumps to 1,979 litres. Inside, the centre-mounted gauges might take a little getting used to.
Transport Canada lists two recalls. One is for a potential problem with the driver's side power window switch. The other, which affects just nine vehicles, is because the tire inflation label lists the wrong tire size.
Consumer Reports gives the xB excellent predicted reliability. It scores above average to excellent in every category – except body integrity, where it gets the lowest rating due to "squeaks or rattles."
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