When you’re shopping at the cheap end of the used car market, sometimes it pays to look beyond the obvious choices. Sometimes the perfect car is from a marque that you hadn’t even considered, or a model you kind of forgot about until you saw one. Today we’re looking at a couple of those fringe cases to see if they really are hidden gems, or if they’re uncommon for a reason.
I learned two things yesterday: One, I really shouldn’t attend any more rock concerts without earplugs, and two, you all kinda like Volkswagens. Yesterday’s manual Tiguan absolutely massacred its Jeep Renegade competitor, and it looks like Monday’s Golf held on to its slim lead as well. So that’s two stickshift VWs heading into Friday’s final.
I don’t think I’d mind the Tiguan, but I have a feeling I’d prefer the Renegade. I’m very curious about that 1.4 liter MultiAir engine, and even though I made fun of the interior fabric, I think I like its utilitarian feel better. Of course, all that could change after a couple of test drives, but that’s beyond the scope of this little column.
There’s an ass for every seat, the saying goes, and that holds true for cars as well. Even if a particular model may be a sales flop, someone out there has one and loves it. The rest of us barely even remember the car exists, until we see one. These two are like that. Neither one is anywhere close to the first vehicle you think of in their classes, but they both look like they’ve led full lives in the hands of owners who cared for them. Let’s check them out.
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.8-liter DOHC inline 4, six-speed manual, FWD
Location: Eau Claire, WI
Odometer reading: 194,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
I got really confused when I first started researching this car. It seemed like it didn’t exist. I found specs for ’13 Elantra sedans, but no hatchbacks. Then I figured out that if you’re looking for the hatchback, you have to look up Elantra GT, not just Elantra. Apparently Hyundai split them into two different models. With either body style, you had to aim for the bottom rung of the ladder if you want a manual transmission; anything fancier and you’re stuck with an automatic.
Power for the Elantra comes from Hyundai’s Nu engine, displacing 1.8 liters. The Nu isn’t one of the really bad failure-prone Hyundai engines – that was the Theta – but it does have its share of problems, oil consumption chief among them. The seller of this one has lavished it with attention, including new rod bearings, a new clutch, and tons of suspension work. It runs and drives great, and it needs nothing at the moment.
The interior has received a lot of attention too, though it’s where you can’t see. The seller pulled the whole back half of the interior out and lined everything with sound-deadening, and replaced the whole air conditioning system too. It has leather seats in good shape, and a big-ass sunroof, in case you prefer fresh air to the artificially chilled kind.
It lookd good outside, and we can tell from the handy underside photos in the ad that rust isn’t a problem. It does have a little peeling paint, and a wrinkle in one rocker panel. The front bumper has also been replaced for an undisclosed reason. But overall, for a car with nearly 200,000 miles on it, it looks really clean.
2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport ES – $4,995
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Cambridge, MN
Odometer reading: 141,000 miles
Operational status: Let’s assume it runs and drives fine
Mitsubishi played silly name games with this car too. I first looked up the Outlander, and found nothing but CVTs listed for transmission options, and got confused. That’s because this isn’t an Outlander; it’s the smaller Outlander Sport, which is available with a manual. In other parts of the world, the naming isn’t as confusing, because this car is known as the Mitsubishi ASX or RVR. If I remember right, Mitsubishi pulled this same stunt with the Montero and Montero Sport earlier, which were different vehicles too.
To get a manual in the Outlander Sport, you had to opt for the base model, which came with a 2.0 liter engine and only front-wheel-drive. That essentially makes this just a really tall Lancer. This one is being sold by a buy-here-pay-here dealer, and you know they’re not big on disclosing a car’s condition, but I always have to assume that it at least starts, runs, and drives. How well it does those things you’ll have to assess for yourself.
The front half of the interior is in good shape, but the back seat appears to have been removed and replaced by a carpet-covered platform. For what reason, I don’t know. There’s a bracket on the rear bumper too, which makes me wonder if it had a wheelchair lift in it or something. But that doesn’t really make sense either; you can’t operate a manual with hand controls. Maybe the previous owner used a mobility scooter, but could still manage a clutch? I don’t know. Anybody else got a better suggestion?
It’s a great shade of blue, and the paint is nice and shiny, but it does have a couple of rust spots starting to rear their ugly heads. I’m still getting used to seeing cars this new with rust on them; twenty years on the west coast made me almost forget that rust was a thing.
These two cars are both less-common versions of other cars with the same name, made even more uncommon by being base models with manual transmissions. Choosing one of them is like ordering off the secret menu at a restaurant. They’re not really anything special, but if you hate seeing the exact same car as yours coming and going all the time, one of them might be just the ticket. Which one would you pick?
I think you did the Outlander Sport a dirty on this one. Hard to find a bigger discrepancy between sellers and documented care. I’ll risk the higher mileage Hyundai.
I’ve had an earlier iteration of the RVR, sold in the NA name of Dodge Colt Vista, and while I loved the car itself, the engine proved an expensive Achille’s heel and the car had been utterly destroyed belowdecks by midwestern rustbelt iron cancer. A great shame.
I know this version has a completely different drivetrain than that old 1992 Colt, but it’s still in Minnesota, and I don’t know if Mitsubishi learned the lesson that northern winters ain’t no joke.
That said, the also-northern seller hawking the Hyundai provided very encouraging upskirt shots of the Elantra. It’s been over 30 years since I was so gruesomely let down by Hyundai, maybe things have improved?
No Volkswagen to vote on today? All righty, Hyundai it is.
I drove a manual Mitsu Outlander Sport, and found it rather competent, if quite sluggish. The rust is a bitch, as is the lack of rear seating. Thus, this is at best a dog shuttle (not a bad thing).
The Elantra has obvious undisclosed things, of the kind I’d rather not experience.
Mitsu, I guess.
The Hyundai has had a little too much work done on it. Like the owner was trying to make it into something other than a Hyundai Elantra.
Bingo. They’re not luxury car quiet, but they’re not particularly loud either; the added sound deadening is just odd.
Yes. Something happened there. The peeling in that part of the structure is not common.
I’m not so sure that’s the case. It’s just that the Tiguan is one FCP Euro timing kit away from being a handsome, reliable commuter (assuming timing wasn’t already done), and the other car was a Renegade. Put it up against a Rav4 and see how much the collective likes Volkswagens.
First, to address today’s choice, I picked the Mitsu because I figured it would have fewer serious problems than the Hyundai. But looking at the comments here, it may be that I was mistaken on that front and made the “wrong” choice.
But going back to yesterday’s, I took one look at the Tiguan and was all set to vote against it until I saw the opposition was the Jeep. Which promptly dropped me into the dilemma of which one I hated less. In the end, I had to go Tiguan. But I would definitely have preferred another option ANY other option.
I’m actually considering an RVR as my next vehicle. Purely from a price standpoint they are a decent deal. The platform is ancient so most of the bugs have been worked out. I have a Mustang for fun and I’ve been driving a 2012 Kia Soul for the past 8 years as my family car so I’m pretty used to boring. 10 year warranty too. It is also a decent bit bigger than the Hyundai Venue at a similar price so why not?
I had an Elantra GT, I think it was a ’17. Anyway, it had a manual transmission and it was nice enough to commute in. The seats weren’t great for road tripping, and I don’t think leather was an option, so this guy must have had his seats reupholstered along with all the other work he did. My opinion is that, if it passes the test drive and inspection, it’s the better car here.
Could have just pulled the seats from an Elantra sedan. The fronts would fit for sure, not sure about the back.
Clearly it is a car that has been well taken care of and that counts for a whole lot in this age and price bracket.
Good point. And, yeah, care counts for everything.
Elantra, for the undercarriage pics. Owner sounds like an interesting person to meet. Or perhaps run away from. Who puts that kinda work into an Elantra?
As long as I can tolerate this person for the amount of time to complete the transaction, I’m willing to risk weirdos.
I say Elantra because it looks good in comparison. Yes, white Hyundai bring pain, but if the mods/repairs were done right, it’ll be decent.
Besides, it’s white and Tremclad comes in that colour.
I would absolutely go with the Elantra but I saw a lowered outlander the other day and it looked shockingly good.
I just looked that up, and you’re right — it does look shockingly good. Possibly blown shock-ingly good, but still….
The Outlander is a CUV. The Elantra is not a CUV. I want the one that is not a CUV. The fact the owner literally reworked the whole thing helps as well.
Elantra. It’s not trying to look like a SUV.
I had a 15? Elantra GT, unfortunately with an auto. Drove it for about a year. That’s a lot for us. Anyway, drive well and had no issues while we owned it. It was noisy inside. The auto was pretty good with smooth operation and quick shifts in manual mode. The 1.8 didn’t win many stoplight drags, but was “adequate. All in all, a bargain!
The Hyundai has been loved, the Mitsu has been abused.
At first blush, I wanted to go with the Outlander Sport. My brother has one, also a manual, and it continues to serve him very well. I haven’t driven it, but it’s not a terrible place to be as a passenger. But this particular example, however wonderfully blue it may be, looks rode hard and put away wet.
Elantra’s the pick today.
Coin flip – Elantra. Granted we know it runs for now. Though the sunroof turns the car into an Easy Bake Oven.
taking the Elantra because (at a very “base” level) if it has four doors, there should be seats for at least four passengers.
Hatch over Crossover. Well cared for apparently. I’ll take the Nu car today.
That elantra is too ugly to behold. In fact I am going to ublock those photographs so I never have to see them again.
Elantra. They’re both kinda strange. Why dump so much effort and money into an Elantra just to sell it?
The Outlander though? Rusty AND missing most of the interior? Nah.
These are both super sketchy. Why would someone do that much work to a $4000 Elantra, and then ignore the missing paint? Maybe because it’s on the passenger side with the rashed-up wheels, meaning out of sight, out of mind?
That Mitsubishi must have been used as some kind of delivery vehicle, so it probably hasn’t been treated very well. The inclusion of the Receiver Hitch of Unusual Size is also a very bad omen.
OH MY GOD, that Hyundai is so rust-free and well taken care of. Who puts new rod bearings and a new clutch in a Hyundai? People don’t top up the oil in these things, much less actual intensive repair.
I’ve seen the underside of Lancers that have lived a decade in the salt belt. A tall Lancer will not be any better. It will have bolt and nut-shaped bits that are actually just compacted rust. They will not come off, they will break or round off when you apply force.
At this level, you’re buying the care of the previous owner, and I want the guy who cared for the car versus the scuzzy dealer flogging rusty garbage.
Was ready to go Outlander, but with strange mods, who knows what sort of life that thing has lived. Elantra wins my vote today.
Agreed, perhaps it was a delivery vehicle.for the local funeral home.
I don’t know why, but when I first saw the photo of the hatch, I thought, “A casket could fit in there.”
At Great Value Funeral Home(tm), your last trip won’t be in some ostentatious Cadillac.
No sir, you’ll be in a rusty base model Mitsubishi, because you were a man who appreciated value in both life and death.
The rough gearchanges of our driver shall not disturb, as you’ll be rather too dead to notice. However, your spirit from beyond shall appreciate the fact that we’ve chosen the base manual transmission for your final ride, no dirty CVTs smoothly slushing its ratios about as if you were the King of England or a certain unnamed CVT acolyte.
Great Value Funeral Home: Satisfaction Guaranteed.