Recent grad buying his first new car...

[Chiketkd]

A good friend of mine graduated from Physical Therapy school last winter, and has been working at a Sports Clinic just outside of Charlotte, NC for ~6 months.

He's getting married in a year, and wants to buy a "practical" new car in the 20K and under price range. He left a message for me last Thursday night, but I didn't get a chance to catch up with him until last night, when he updated me on what he's test-driven thus far:

1) Toyota Camry (4 cyl)
2) Mazda 6i (4 cyl)

He wasn't thrilled with the Camry, but fell head-over-heels for the sweet styling of the Mazda 6! As his fiancee lives in NY, I talked to him about the base Legacy 2.5 sedan (non-turbo) and the benefits of an awd car in the Winter. He's setting up an appointment to test-drive one early this week and will give me an update by Wednesday evening.

Any other cars he should consider?

-Chike