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DEALS OF THE WEEK

Sick of sitting on public transit? These affordable, city-friendly vehicles may help cut your commute time

As many Canadian cities see their population growing, the expansion of metropolitan areas has coincided with a nearly 60-per-cent rise in commuters taking public transit between 1996 and 2016, according to Statistics Canada.

Urbanization and the changing preferences of millennials have led some to predict the demise of car ownership in the near future. This appears to be premature. Albeit at a slower pace, the number of people driving to work also increased by nearly 30 per cent during the same period.

In fact, the average Canadian commute was 26.2 minutes overall, but that average duration was a whopping 71 per cent higher at 44.8 minutes for commuters who needed to take public transit. While this may illustrate a dire need for further investment in public transit to meet the needs of growing cities, there are affordable options in the interim that may be able to help reduce your commute time.

We've featured some of our favourite offers this week on city-friendly cars under $25,000. If you don't find an offer that suits you, be sure to check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest incentives and discounts on any new car, truck or SUV.

2018 Mazda3 GT Automatic

2018 Mazda3 GT.

Powered by Mazda's SKYACTIV-G 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine, the 2018 Mazda3 GT produces 184 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque and achieves a combined fuel economy of 7.8 litres/100 km. Standard features on the GT trim include a freestanding seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with integrated Stitcher internet radio functionality, dual-zone climate control, an electronic parking brake, a wide-angle rear-view camera, LED headlights with automatic levelling and on-off functionality and LED tail lights and fog lights. Available features include a nine-speaker premium Bose surround-sound system, radar cruise control, smart-brake support and a traffic sign recognition system.

  • MSRP: $24,000
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $1,000 (as compared with no incentive in December)
  • Estimated dealer discount: $500
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,835
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $24,335
  • Finance for 60 months at zero-per-cent interest for $463 a month including tax, which includes a $750 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at zero-per-cent interest for $367 a month including tax, which includes a $1,200 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance and zero down payment

Get Local Price on Globe Drive

2018 Hyundai Elantra Sedan GLS

2018 Hyundai Elantra Sedan.

The 2018 Hyundai Elantra sedan outputs 147 horsepower and 132 lb.-ft. of torque through a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine that achieves a combined fuel economy of 7.4 litres/100 km on trims with an automatic transmission. The GLS trim features a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a six-speaker audio system with SiriusXM capability, leather seating surfaces with heated front seats, a heated, leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, a 4.2-inch cluster display and push-button ignition. Active safety features on this trim include autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection and a lane departure warning system with lane keep assist.

  • MSRP: $23,999
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $1,000
  • Estimated dealer discount: $250
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,845
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $24,594
  • Finance for 60 months at zero per cent interest for $482 per month including tax and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 60 months at 1.99 per cent interest for $373 per month including tax and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance and zero down payment

Get Local Price on Globe Drive

2018 Nissan Versa Note SR

2018 Nissan Versa Note.

The 2018 Nissan Versa Note features a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine that produces 109 horsepower and 107 lb.-ft. of torque at a combined fuel economy of 7.0 litres/100 km. The SR trim features a 5.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with SiriusXM capability and voice-controlled navigation, speed-sensitive volume control, an around-view monitor that provides a bird's-eye view of the vehicle's surroundings, push-button ignition, heated front seats, side-view, mirror-integrated LED turn signals and a rear roof spoiler.

  • MSRP: $19,698
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $1,000 (as compared with no incentive in December)
  • Estimated dealer discount: $250
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,740
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $20,188
  • Finance for 60 months at 1.49-per-cent interest (as compared with 2.99 per cent in December) for $405 a month including tax, which includes a $500 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at 1.49-per-cent interest (as compared with 2.49 per cent in December) for $280 per month including tax, which includes a $1,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance and zero down payment

Get Local Price on Globe Drive

2018 Kia Rio EX Tech

2018 Kia Rio.

The 2018 Kia Rio sedan is equipped with a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine that achieves a combined fuel economy of 7.5 litres/100 km, while outputting 130 horsepower and 119 lb.-ft. of torque. A notable feature on the EX Tech trim is the UVO Intelligence service, which allows the driver to monitor the vehicle's health and maintenance cycle, to control certain vehicle functions such as remote ignition and climate control, and to call for help in case of an emergency, all through a mobile application available for compatible Apple and Android devices.

The EX Tech trim also features a seven-inch infotainment system with an integrated navigation system and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather seats and a rear-view camera. Standard safety features include an autonomous emergency-braking system, hill-assist control, brake assist and electronic brake force distribution.

  • MSRP: $23,545
  • Manufacturer cash incentive: $750
  • Estimated dealer discount: $250
  • Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,700
  • Cash purchase price before tax: $24,245
  • Finance for 60 months at zero-per-cent interest for $471 a month including tax and assumes zero down payment
  • Lease for 48 months at 2.99-per-cent interest for $428 a month including tax and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance and zero down payment

Get Local Price on Globe Drive


Andrew Tai is CEO of Unhaggle. Follow on Twitter @ahytai Manufacturer incentives and pricing calculations are based on Ontario customers and subject to availability of inventory. Dealer discounts shown are estimates for illustrative purposes only, may vary by region and are given at the discretion of individual dealers. Please note that while every effort is made to ensure the information above is accurate at the time of publication, pricing, incentives and discounts are subject to change or discontinuation at any time. Vehicle images may not represent the exact model featured in the pricing provided. Consult your local dealership for details.