These are all on my short list, new or used, as long as the price is below $13K and as they become available:

Yaris
Versa
Aveo
Xa
Corolla
Civic DX (or used HX)
Rio/Accent
Golf or smaller VW alternative
Protege
Echo

I would like to wait until all three of Yaris, Fit, and Versa are available for test drives before I make a final decision. I will probably get the one that has the highest city mpg figure, though.

I have contacted Mazda and they have made it clear that there are no plans to bring Verisa to the USA, otherwise that would also be on my short list.

It looks like VW will not bring a sub-Golf car to the USA before 2008 but I hope to be wrong about this.

Gosh, I would also like to try the Getz and the Corsa and the Polo and the Lupo but they are not available, either. It seems to me that all the best choices will not be available in the USA. I would very much like to read about comparisons between existing Fit/Jazz (I expect them to be very similar to the USA upcoming Fit) and some of these other models that we can't have in the USA.

 

I will probably get a 2006 Honda Civic Si. I'm looking at the Honda Fit for my wife, however I would like to check out the Toyota Yaris as well.

 

I received my brochure for the Nissan Versa in the mail yesterday. Pretty nice-looking, except the seats are not "magic". Hopefully I'll be getting some info about the Fit from Honda pretty soon.

 

In 2000, I sold my 95 Jetta GLX (VR6) and Honda CB-1 (400cc streetbike) before moving overseas. Since then, I have only had the wife's 2000 Mazda MPV, and have been shopping the magazines and internet for the car I will buy when I return to the U.S. in January 2007. The list evolved over time:

1. VW GTI
2. Mazda 3
3. Civic SI

I have watched the price of those cars climb out of my comfort level. It's a shame that the selection of small cars in the U.S. is so limited. The European Focus is nice. I would also like to have the option of a VW Polo, but I don't, so it will be the Fit. I just bought a Honda CBR400RR, another product not available in the U.S., because it is perceived as too small and underpowered. I can't wait to get back and show all those idiots it isn't.

Searching for a retirement home in New Zealand...

 

I like the VW Golfs, but their reliability is terrible. My brother had a Jetta (a '99) and it had all sorts of problems. The engine was great, just everything around it failed. I won't be going for the Golf TDI until VW gets more reliable (although I'd really like a diesel).

 

better buy one quick! (if you want a new one) US emmision regulations are changing for 2007 and as it looks now VW will stop selling the TDI in the US.. and to make matters worse, the MKV Golf isn't coming until 2007 (GTi is here now tho) so no Golf TDIs any more... Just the stupid ugly Jetta.

So at the moment your choice for a new diesel car in the US are:

Mercedes E320 CDI
VW New Beetle TDI
VW Jetta TDI
(from what I've heard the very last 2005 Golf TDI was sold about a month and a half ago, no more are coming)

 

Considered the following:

2001 Honda Fit "W" Version 1.3
2005 Honda Fit "S" Version 1.5
2005 Honda Integra Type R
2003 Nissan Silvia S15

Ended up with the 2001 Honda Fit. Fun to drive but lacking power to match my driving style.

 

I forgot to mention the Mini Cooper S, but that was dropped because my golf clubs wouldn't fit in the boot with the back seat up.

 

The Yaris looks interesting, but I'm also considering the new Civic coupe Si or not, Corolla XRS and on the used variety, a Volvo S40.

 

I'll also consider this if it become a production model.

Hyundai Accent SR

 

A Hyundai Accent SR, huh? Gotta admit, it looks nice. If you want a 5 door version of this car disguised as a Kia, try the 2006 Kia Rio 5 door hatch. It actually looks similiar, and I think the engine is shared between the Accent and the Rio. Boy, 2006 is really gonna be interesting with all the new cars. :-)

 

Would be nice if the Accent came in 5 doors and was cheap... Of course being a Honda freak, it should be interesting to see what my next car is.

 

Since it seems that Honda is screwing us over with a regular tranny instead of the CVT7 I think I might get a scion XB which has way more room up front for someone tall like myself. I really wanted the Honda Fit but Honda decided to downgrade another imported model. I wanted the real fit not some American immitation crap. Honda sucks in this regard, they don't want the fit to drastically eat into the sales of the CIVIC and other models, so they downgraded it. SOBS! I'm tired of the hand me down crap we get from Japan. I used to be a faithful HONDA FANATIC but not anymore. UNLESS that tranny info I saw posted was bs because HONDA is being so secretive about the specs. I am going to wait until the specs are finalized, if there is no CVT7 then my friends and I will not be getting any fits.

 

The Fit/Jazz has not been paired or tested with any other auto transmission besides the CVT anywhere in the world. The one American who started the rumour about a 5 speed auto could not back up his claims that it appeared on some mythical promotional video of the US Fit when repeatedly asked. The initial production run of Fits is manufactured in Japan not the US. Honda Japan wants the car to succeed and isn't radically altering their production for a run of just 60,000 cars to be sent to the US in what essentially is a trial.

 

ahcow whats the verdict then? which do you like better?

the focus i had was a pzev car so i think there trying(with the small cars at least)

 

Unfortunately my dealership has actually verified that the dealer Interactive Network for the U.S. now has some limited Fit info on-line - it shows tranny option has 5MT and 5AT.
That said it could still be just some cut and paste info - Sunday will tell.

 

Just out of curiousity, how hard would it be for Honda to install a 5 speed auto trans in the Fit? Wouldn't they simply use the 5 speed auto from the Civic? Seems to me that it would just be a matter of switching tansmissions on the assembly line. ?? Also, would the Fit get better or worse mileage with the 5 speed auto? I've noticed that in a lot of the Fit class cars, like the Aveo, etc, that the cars with the automatics actually are rated higher in mileage than the manual tranny, due to the final gear ratio in the diff.

 

Some are also speculating that is is indeed a CVT with the option of only 5 simulated speeds as opposed to 7....

 

subaru claims the auto in the forester gets better mileage in auto form. i don't believe it
though, not in the real world. you have a torque conv. soaking up power in a trad.
auto(not with a cvt though)

 

If they are going to give us only a 5 speed CVT then that sucks, because what they are really doing is decreasing the fuel efficiency so it won't rip away sales from the Honda civic and the civic hybrid. The CVT7 would get superior MPG versus 5 speed auto or a CVT5. Honda in the US has always been paranoid about newer models eating into the sales of their current models. I really would like a CVT7! If it comes with a CVT7 I will definitely get one, if it doesn't Honda better have a damn good reason for giving the Americans the shaft other wise I might look else where and buy a Scion.