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Interesting_Bill_456@reddit

Rav4 PHEV since you are in Canada you need some ground clearance during the snow months.

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hx87@reddit

Bro I've driven in 25cm snow in a Chevy Cruze and 40cm snow in a Lexus LS600h L. You absolutely do not need high clearance just for the snow.

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doc_55lk@reddit

This is very region dependent. If OP lives in the middle of buttfuck nowhere then yea maybe a Rav4 might make sense.

If they live near any metropolitan area with a half decent snow clearing schedule though then no, they don't need the ground clearance. People winter drive BRZs here in Toronto for example.

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Track2Trail@reddit

Yeap drove my Camaro all year around on winter tires in Toronto!

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doc_55lk@reddit

Hey nice. I was considering a Camaro for a while before getting what I ended up getting.

Which engine you got under there?

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Track2Trail@reddit

The V6. Was a daily with some occasional track days. Such a fun car I still miss it

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doc_55lk@reddit

Nice. Have a lotta love for the V6 Camaros.

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Track2Trail@reddit

Me too man. Gave plenty of cars a hard time on the track.

The worst thing about the Camaro were the V8 bros. Swore to never go near a car with such a toxic sub culture

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doc_55lk@reddit

Tbh my goal was a V8 at the start but I would not have complained with a V6 either. They sound VERY good with the active exhaust.

Tbh anytime you throw in an engine/model hierarchy you'll start getting toxicity. You'll see this shit in the AMG and M subs too.

The only groups that won't be toxic are ones where there's only one model with one engine. Like the Miata guys or BRZ86 guys. There is no faster or higher end version of these cars so things are pretty chill in these communities.

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Track2Trail@reddit

AMG and M guys are actually not that bad. I ended up with an RCF and no one shits on the V6 or the turbos. We're just happy others are enjoying the car.

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doc_55lk@reddit

Yea nah it can get pretty bad in the AMG community.

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MysticMarbles@reddit

I live in the middle of absolute nowhere and my subcompact hatchback literally never has problems.

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doc_55lk@reddit

Key word: maybe

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Jeff_McAllister@reddit

Sounds out of budget, but a great car

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MountainCash756@reddit

If you need a AWD SUV to drive in Canadian city winters that’s a skill issue

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bdtv75702@reddit

No you don’t. They budget for snow removal rather efficiently in places that snow often. I would go with a hybrid Camry for the extra room.

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HousingSmart4426@reddit

When they plow it leaves snow banks that you have to bust through and parallel parking sucks.

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reidft@reddit

If you live 100km from the nearest town on unmaintained roads maybe

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Snoo_75132@reddit (OP)

Unless I'm looking at the wrong one, it's too over budget for me. Staring price is $52k before HST 🥲

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MountainCash756@reddit

Yea you don’t

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adhq@reddit

No, you don't.

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samit2heck@reddit

Out of those i like the Civic best but all are a decent city choice. You might prefer auto over manual for stop start traffic (they possibly only come in auto where you are).

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Ok-Employee680@reddit

New Hondas have a lot of problems

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samit2heck@reddit

Oh really? The Hyundais have a good warranty i believe. We have an older one still going strong but i can't speak got the newer ones or Hybrid.

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shyandretiring1@reddit

No, he's an idiot

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Due_Attention_4886@reddit

I would never buy a Honda because the suspensions are a lot stiffer than that of Toyotas I’ve been in. They’re kind of uncomfortable for city driving IMO.

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ghostogresnowrabbit@reddit

I have the opposite experience. Toyota is too boaty that I get motion sick.

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Due_Attention_4886@reddit

Understandable. I like the extra-boaty feeling of old American sedans. My current car is a sedan that has some body roll and I like it that way.

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samit2heck@reddit

That's true. I also drive an Alfa with sports suspension so the Honda is probably pretty soft in comparison 😂

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allahakbau@reddit

Just go test drive EV lol

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ObligationCapital847@reddit

Civic

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Intrepid-Contract833@reddit

Crv hybrid

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Simple-Ad-1783@reddit

That list just made me realize. What the heck is Subaru doing? A hybrid Impreza wagon would be selling like hotcakes. I feel like one is in the works, especially with the recent Toyota collabs.

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Dolphin_Princess@reddit

Tesla Model 3

BEV >>> Hybrid for everyday city

Its better on fuel (since no gas at all), its more reliable (since you dont have an engine or complicated transmission), its safer (since lower center of gravity and larger crumple zone), it drives better with less noise and smoother acceleration, and its lower in maintenance (things like regen brake to save on brakepads and save on oil changes)

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YeahIGotNuthin@reddit

I like the civic hybrid, but the current one was new for 2025, which makes them unlikely to be a bargain used.

If you can find / justify the expense for the sport touring version, I think the us market has that version equipped with a heated steering wheel and a sunroof, both of which probably make Canadian winter a lot nicer. Maybe Canada has those options in the sport version.

In the US it’s 10% more expensive for the sport touring one with the upgraded stereo and sunroof and heated steering wheel version. My brother in the Canada adjacent part of the US went with that version. He keeps a car forever (20 years for his previous one) and I think it was money well spent. He is getting 50 miles a gallon and his car will probably outlast me.

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indeciceve@reddit

Sport touring model in Canada does in fact have the heated steering wheel / sunroof as well as wireless CarPlay / upgraded stereo

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Snoo_75132@reddit (OP)

I didn't realize that the Civic Hybrid was that new. I'll look more into the Sport Touring version. Thanks!

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YeahIGotNuthin@reddit

They have made civic hybrids for 20+ years.

But the current one is far and away the best one, and it was new for last year. (The 20 year old one got like 35 mpg. EVERYthing in the segment gets 35 mpg nowadays.)

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Altruistic-Fun5062@reddit

New Hondas are unreliable stay away!

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injapenguin@reddit

How so?

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world_citizen7@reddit

You can't go wrong with a toyota Camry Hybrid. But with gas prices going so crazy these days, you might want to consider a PHEV - can easily save hundreds $$$ in gas a month.

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Pelican12Volatile@reddit

CAMRY!!!!!!

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sinkbeneaththesun@reddit

Honda Civic :) mine is a 2015. Best car I’ve ever owned.

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Ok-Employee680@reddit

New Hondas aren't even near that good anymore and they have a lot of problems right now, sadly :(...

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sinkbeneaththesun@reddit

It makes me very sad as well. Way too many electronics and complicated crap nobody needs. My car even has a manual transmission!

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Ok-Employee680@reddit

I don't know what will do you trade to your current Honda in the future, but stay away from newer Hondas..

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adhq@reddit

Toyota Prius

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Snoo_75132@reddit (OP)

I did look at this but sadly, it's too small 🥲

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doc_55lk@reddit

What do you wanna do with your car that a Prius is too small for you?

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seckarr@reddit

Its not hard for a prius to be small.

The newer PHEV prius has a minuscule trunk. If you have a kid and a pet you already cant pack bags for a week vacation in the prius and be comfortable.

I mean sure, its a post about a city car, but the one time you need to go on a trip, you dont wanna need to spend money on a rental, and have to be anxious about any scratches or whatever that would mean however much in lost deposits

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Snoo_75132@reddit (OP)

The newer Prius seems a bit tight on headroom and trunk space. If I end up having a baby, I feel like dealing with a car seat or stroller could be inconvenient.

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adhq@reddit

It's very comparable in size to your other options. If you need a bigger vehicle, maybe have a look at the Outlander PHEV. It can do quite a distance on battery alone, it's priced very favorably compared to the competition and, you can't argue with their warranty.

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Lapsumdeus@reddit

Your list is incredibly practical, responsible, and makes complete logical sense for a Canadian city dweller. The Civic is especially practically bulletproof. But there is an acronym you need to learn: M.I.A.T.A. -> Miata Is Always The Answer.

1. "Reliability for everyday city driving"

It doesn't have complex hybrid systems or heavy battery packs -> follows the K.I.S.S. rule. For city driving, its tiny footprint means you can instantly parallel park in gaps that a Camry driver would just drive past crying.

2. "I’d prefer a hybrid"

You want good fuel economy. But there the Miata doesn't need it, it achieves great gas mileage through sheer lightness. You'll easily get under 7.0 L/100km on the highway, and that means less complex parts to maintain.

3. "Budget is around $40k CAD, the cheaper the better"

You can buy a pristine, slightly used, low-mileage current generation (ND) Miata for well under $30k CAD. That leaves you with $10,000 extra in your pocket.

4. "I'm Canadian"

I know what you're thinking: A rear-wheel-drive convertible in a Canadian winter? Are you insane? Take a fraction of that $10k you just saved and buy a dedicated set of high-end winter tires on steel wheels. A lightweight, balanced rear-wheel-drive car on proper winter rubber is an absolute blast in the snow.

5. "I'm not really a car person"

Nobody is a car person until they drive a Miata. It is the universal gateway drug to looking forward to driving to the grocery store.

If you truly need four doors, experience A LOT of stop and go traffic, your insurance is a PITA or you plan on hauling lots of friends or Ikea furniture, I like the Honda Civic Sport Hybrid from your list.

But if you rarely use the back seats? Save some money, drop the top, and join the cult. M.I.A.T.A.

(I'm biased)

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SyntheticOne@reddit

Consider a 3 year old EV with AWD for under $25,000US. If you can charge at home these heavily depreciated cars can be absolute winners.

Our cost per mile is about 1/6th the cost of gas per mile in a comparable car. Since our daily use is under 60 miles, we charge using a standard 120V wall outlet.

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Snoo_75132@reddit (OP)

Do you have any recommendations? Haven't seen many used EVs except for Tesla. Will keep an eye out though

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SyntheticOne@reddit

Look for 2-3 year old Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV 6. Most have good warranty remaining. Just check the title to avoid any defects such as Lemon Law or other defects.

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Billios996@reddit

If you can charge at home or work just get a full EV.

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Snoo_75132@reddit (OP)

The only thing that's stopping me is the cost and the lack of charging stations near me. Would mostly be charging at home.

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MotelSans17@reddit

With current government rebates and incentives, there are multiple EV options within your budget. Add the fuel and maintenance savings and its worth checking out. I believe Toyota bZ and CH-R in FWD form can be had within your budget. City driving is where EVs shine.

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Snoo_75132@reddit (OP)

Thank you! I knew about the government rebates but I missed that Toyota had a customer incentive too. It's for a limited time but better than nothing 😅

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IDPotatoFarmer@reddit

Camry hybrid is the best buy here.

Toyota makes the most reliable hybrid drivetrain on the market. It will last the longest and should give you basically zero issues.

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AHappyMeal@reddit

They also license their hybrid system out to other manufacturers is all you need to know which one to choose.

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IDPotatoFarmer@reddit

☝️

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Cocoa_map@reddit

Cervelo Soloist

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LongjumpingJob3452@reddit

Civic Hybrid Sport (or Touring, if you can squeeze your budget just a little) is the best car in your price range. It’s been a top seller in Canada for good reason. It has plenty of power, very good torque, a full suite of safety features, plenty of space in the rear, and amazing handling.

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Snoo_75132@reddit (OP)

Relying on Uber is expensive for anything more than 10 km away