The Kia Niro PHEV is a nice package that’s well equipped, fuel-efficient and within her budget.Courtesy of manufacturer
I am looking to purchase my first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or electric vehicle (EV). My maximum budget is $30,000 including tax, but my preference is to spend $15,000 to $20,000, tax included.
Most of my driving is within the lower mainland of Vancouver with occasional trips into the interior. I camp and hike and will use the car to drive to campsites and mountains on maintained roads, not forest service roads, or off-road. My preference is for a hatchback or small SUV but I’m open to a sedan-type model. I am tall and am looking for a roomy, comfortable front seat.
I am also open to a used vehicle. Is there somewhere you recommend to source used vehicles? – Gillian
Mark Richardson: Let’s start with a reality check for 2025. Petrina, what’s the cheapest new car in Canada right now, and how much is its most basic model?
Petrina Gentile: Well, cars are expensive nowadays. The average price of a new vehicle in Canada is more than $66,000, according to AutoTrader.ca, and the cheapest new vehicle in Canada is probably the 2025 Nissan Versa, ringing in at $23,500, before taxes.
Richardson: And how much is the cheapest all-electric new vehicle?
Gentile: There’s nothing for less than $40,000 in Canada. The cheapest is a 2025 Fiat 500e full-electric hatchback, starting at $41,190, before taxes. There’s no longer the $5,000 federal government rebate that brought the price down. And that only gets you a meagre 227 kilometres of range.
The cheapest new electric vehicle is a 2025 Fiat 500e full-electric hatchback, starting at $41,190, before taxes.Jason Tchir/The Globe and Mail
Richardson: Actually, if Gillian qualifies for the maximum provincial rebate in British Columbia – and that’s a big if, since it’s based on her income – the price comes down to $37,619 before taxes. The final after-tax price would be just over $42,000, which is still way over her price range for an EV that’s small and cute and totally the opposite of what she wants.
Gentile: When Ottawa ran out of money for the EV rebate program this year, electric vehicles suddenly became even more expensive.
Richardson: So we’re looking at a used vehicle. It can’t be a PHEV or an EV, because those are just too costly, though an older Nissan Leaf might sneak into her budget.
Gentile: An older Leaf would do the trick. In her price range of $15,000 to $20,000, there are several on AutoTrader.ca that would fit the bill.
Richardson: Gillian asked about our recommendation for a place to source used vehicles, and I always use AutoTrader because it shows me comparative prices of other vehicles in the area. I find that a really useful tool for not paying too much.
Gentile: Me too. She should be able to find several used Leafs in B.C.
An older Leaf would do the trick and is in her price range of $15,000 to $20,000.
Richardson: There are plenty for sale below $20,000 all in, but those are all the first-generation model that was produced up to 2016. That Leaf didn’t travel far and was slow to recharge, and it’ll be even less capable with 100,000 kilometres on it. I’d be wary for a first-time buyer, but if Gillian really wants to go all-electric, it’ll do it for her.
Gentile: The first generation was a nightmare for the same reasons you mention – I’d stay away from it. What about a first-generation Kia Niro plug-in hybrid? There are a handful of 2020 models listed on AutoTrader in the mid-$20,000s.
Richardson: They’ll come in under her maximum budget once she includes the taxes. I don’t remember if the seating is comfortable for a tall person, but it’ll be easy enough for her to try out at any used dealership.
Gentile: I’m not tall – I’m five-foot-five – and there was good headroom for me. It’s pretty spacious inside with nice cargo-carrying capacity, too.
Richardson: I’m just under six feet and I don’t recall space and leg room as being an issue. But what about a car that fits her preferred $15,000-to-$20,000 all-in budget? Maybe just forget electrified cars and think of something reliable and conventional, like an older Mazda CX-3 or a Subaru Crosstrek?
Gentile: Both are good options. Personally I like the ride and handling of the CX-3 over the Crosstrek. There are a few used 2017 CX-3 models online that are fairly well equipped and within her budget. As far as the Crosstrek, there are some, too, but she’d have to get an older model from 2016 or 2015 to get within her budget.
A conventional and affordable vehicle like the Mazda CX-3 is a good non-electric option.
Richardson: The CX-3 is probably the better size for her, and Mazdas are usually good value for the money. She doesn’t need the all-wheel-drive capability of the Subaru, though it wouldn’t go amiss if she strays onto a poor-quality road.
Gentile: I prefer the interior of the CX-3 over the Crosstrek, too. The Crosstrek seems outdated in the cabin, but the 2018 CX-3 has held up well over the years. With the exception of a small centre screen, the dashboard still looks modern.
Richardson: Commenters to this column usually decry Mazdas for premature rust, but the maker solved that problem long ago. A 2018 CX-3 won’t have any unusual rust issues.
Gentile: I agree. So what’s your pick for Gillian?
Richardson: I think she’ll be happier with a car that saves her money. She should leave the electrified cars for next time, and choose a conventional and affordable vehicle like the Mazda CX-3. The Kia Sportage and Hyundai Kona might also fit the bill for her.
Gentile: I disagree. I think she should make the move to plug-in hybrid and give a used Kia Niro PHEV a try. It’s a nice package that’s well equipped, fuel-efficient and within her budget.
What car should you buy? Write to Mark and Petrina at globedrive@globeandmail.com and use ‘What car’ as part of your subject line. Emails with different subject lines may not be answered.
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