Originally Posted by
mainertodd
Cheaper, yes--it's currently the cheapest car on my spreadsheet, just ahead of the Versa. If I drove more miles, its lead would increase. And yes, if gas prices go up, the advantage tilts even more toward the Mitsubishi. Better bargain? That depends on what else you value. But regardless, it's clear that it's an economical car to purchase and own, insurance notwithstanding.
I do actually have a separate calculation that ranks different cars by various qualities (specific features, suspension, cargo space, reliability, safety, etc.) and then comes up with a "dollars per feature" cost. It's entirely subjective, of course, but it at least helps me to get a rough idea of which cars produce value for money. In that calculation, the Corolla iM is the winner. The Mirage is a bit further down, but still qualifies as a good bargain, at least according to my needs.
The real problem is that there are so many good cars out there now, and so few bad ones. I can make an argument for or against just about all of them! :-)