Belt-tightening time at your business and you need a new car? Relax. If you think you should buy your next company vehicle from a luxury, upscale automaker, think again.
While driving an expensive car or SUV tagged with a nameplate from Lexus, Lincoln, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz or another status-enhancing manufacturer can boost your ego, how about shopping for a lesser-known, under-the-radar brand? Scion, Saturn, Hyundai, Suzuki, Kia, Subaru and Mazda don't scramble to compete with the likes of The Big Three, Toyota or Nissan. Nor do they create as much excitement. But these small companies are getting plenty of attention, and some of their cars measure up in terms of size, features and mechanics.
In fact, J.D. Power rates some of the humblest autos as highly on reliability and dependability as the big-ticket types. For example, Scion and Saturn rate the same for dependability as Audi and Infiniti. And Mazda, Kia and Hyundai rate alongside Lincoln and Audi for quality, according to the surveys. Besides, do you really want to pay a premium price if all you need is four wheels, a reasonably peppy engine, a comfortable ride, a decent-sized trunk, air conditioning, radio, and power doors and windows?
If you can save thousands of dollars not only on sticker price but on fuel bills, it makes sense to take a look at the smaller automakers. Here's a selection of some surprising four-door business vehicles that cost $20,000 or less while achieving a fuel-efficiency range of 20 to 30 miles per gallon.
Suzuki Reno
$13,830; 20city/28highway mpg.
Never heard of the spacious little hatchback? It's one of seven business vehicles with Italian styling from this Japanese company. It's an effective car for station commuters or short hauls, or viable as a second or third car. With remote entry, power doors and windows, sunroof, and split rear seats, the 2008 Reno holds 45 cubic feet of cargo. It has few hi-tech features beyond cruise control, but automatic transmission and an anti-lock braking system are options. The warranty is impressive: seven years or 100,000 miles.
Mazda6
$19,220; 21/30 mpg.
Mazda gained recognition selling reasonably priced sports cars. Today, it does the same for the sedans, wagons and hatchbacks that fill its dealerships. Matching Acura, Audi and BMW for overall quality, Mazda's newest model is the midsize 2009 Mazda6, a sleek, sporty sedan that seats five. Far more than basic wheels, it's filled with standard luxury and technology features, including a height-adjustable driver's seat and tilt/telescopic steering wheel. Re-engineered hinges make the front doors easier to close.
Scion xD
$15,450; 26/32 mpg (automatic transmission).
A respectable five-door subcompact, the 2009 xD is a brand new, fun, fashionably designed hatchback with a cockpit-style interior. Sister to the boxy xB, the xD is plenty roomy. It has 38 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and extra under-floor storage. Standard features include a rear window defogger and wiper, remote entry, cruise control, iPod jack, brake assist and six airbags.
Hyundai Sonata GLS
$18,795; 21/32 mpg.
As this Korean company's top, fuel-efficient sedan, the roomy Sonata builds on Hyundai's reputation for overall quality equal to Lincoln, Cadillac and Volvo, and outranking Land Rover. The four-door has a 16-cubic-foot trunk. It's the only midsize sedan under $20,000 with electronic stability control as a standard feature. The interior competes well against premium cars, with well-designed console and dash, and a USB output and jack for charging iPods.