You don't say how many miles a year you would put on, but for city use, an EV would be good choice. If you plan on using it for road trips, a plug in hybrid. Why does it have to be new? A 2 or 3 year old Bolt or Volt will be half the price of new.

 

I don't trust GM.

 

1. Test drive Corolla hybrid. Its a dog. ..... So, consider a Prius and the Camry/Accord hybrid.
2. Definitely drive the Insight. Only 1 available at dealers around here so no haggling near me. Don't forget the Accord hybrid.
3. Stripped out Camry hybrid LE is what I'd recommend. See #1
4. See #1
5. Fugly... but those smelly tattooed hippie chic's line up for a ride, and like an amusement park, could be fun once.
6. Don't even consider
7. Add in the Corolla gasser 2.0SE or with manual or cvt, or the hatchback. Efficient and affordable and hatchback version might be a hauler.

My vote is for option #3. With todays automotive market going nuts, you could be over the $30k point pretty quickly. Dealer tack-ons are ballistic.

Another option is to skip the hybrid all together. How much gas will you save versus the cost of the vehicle? I would get a gasser only Camry LE or Accord and save the price difference for fuel. $5k price different buys plenty of fuel.

With a hybrid, I'd consider the 'extended' warranty. Honestly, I wouldn't buy one without it. 10yr/125k warranty should be considered and I wouldn't bother with 'service' plans. Maintain it anywhere and keep your receipts. The hybrid warranty just adds on to what you could've spent on fuel too.

Vehicle Service Agreements | Toyota Financial

www.toyotafinancial.com

MyGarage

owners.honda.com

Both the wife and I bought new cars... mine in 2019 and hers in 2021. We looked at MPG/maintenance/warranty and cost to fuel over the expected 10 year life..... hybrid surcharge/expense didn't even make a consideration, until gas hits $10 a gallon.

Once out of warranty, hybrid could turn into a nightmare. Seen plenty disappear from the employee lot, which typical has 500 cars. All smug in the beginning turns to quiet and rapid 'trade in' later on. Noticed a couple of Teslas disappear too.

The base Accord has a 1.5T over the Camry 2.5, and also CVT vs 8 speed. I'd prefer a turbo at higher altitudes and am OK with the naturally aspirated motors at low altitude.

 

Hybrids really shine in the city, so for city driving, I'd suggest you go for a hybrid. I'd also cross the Hyundai off the list. They have too many reports of engine failures and fires, even in 2021. I haven't heard much about the Ioniq, but being a Hyundai, personally, I wouldn't give it much thought.

2 guys on my Honda forum are couriers, they both have Accords (full gas models), one is a 2003 and one is a 2015. The 2003 has almost 830k miles, and the 2015 has almost 600k, so Accords can definitely make great courier cars. If all you can find is the touring trim, you might want to consider shopping around for a leftover 2020 model so that you can negotiate a better deal to meet your budget.

Something important to note is that the Accord hybrid does not include a spare tire, instead, it includes a tire repair kit. Additionally, some taller/larger folks have trouble with their right knee hitting the new Accord's center console- if you're tall, be sure to check that out. Many people don't notice on their test drive, then come to find it annoying later on.

I'll let actual Toyota owners talk about the Toyotas in your list, but there's some about the Accord. In the end, only you can decide which one is best for yourself, so make sure you take a nice, long test drive with each finalist!