Help! I’m graduating from college and need a car

Graduating this spring and looking for a set of wheels?

We’re in the same boat.

I recently graduated from Northeastern University and got a job that requires that I have a car. I decided that as an “adult’’ and because there are so many appealing offers for graduates, it’s a good time for me to buy, and I’ve decided to buy new.

I need something that is $17,000 or less, reliable, gets good gas mileage, is easy to park, and has a high safety rating. To compare cars, I looked at Consumer Reports, since I’ve used it before and I like that it has a no commercial use policy. I test drove the hatchback style of these cars, all subcompacts, since I think they look cool and often get better gas mileage, several also come as sedans if that’s your preference.

Honda Fit

Price: $15,425 – $19,790

Consumer reports score: 68/100
Reliability: Much better than average
Safety: 8 airbags, Electronic stability control, traction control, antilock brakes, and brake assist
Gas mileage: 28 in the city, 35 on the highway

I test drove the Fit base model and loved it. I was impressed with the way the back seats completely collapsed and would probably move most of my belongings. It is a small car but was comfortable to drive and had plenty of cupholders. The display was nice looking, though I didn’t like how the miles per gallon and the odometer display was shaped like a tongue over the speedometer. Consumer Reports thought it has too much road noise. It also has a high resale value and is ranked one of Consumer Reports’ top used-cars. Honda offers interest rates as low at 0.09 percent for recent grads.

Shop for the Honda Fit

Test drove at Herb Chambers Honda, in Boston

Ford Fiesta

Price: $13,200 – $18,200

Consumer reports score: 65/100
Reliability: Worse than average
Safety: 9 airbags, antilock brakes, traction control, stability control
Gas mileage: 29 in the city, 38 on the highway

I test drove the hatchback Fiesta SE, which is a step below the Titanium and a step above the S. I will note that the S does not have automatic windows or a driver’s side armrest. Consumer Reports commended Ford on the quiet, smooth ride, as well as the interior fit and finish. I didn’t particularly care for the 4 inch display on the dashboard for the radio and settings, and I was not a fan of how the lock/unlock button was above the temperature controls rather than on the doors. It has five cupholders in the front seat and one in the back. The basic model also does not come with a spare tire. The back seats, like the Yaris, folded down for more storage, and a removable piece of plastic covered the trunk area to make it feel more like a sedan when you wanted it to. Ford offers a $500 rebate for recent grads and enrolled college students.

Shop for the Ford Fiesta

Test drove at Herb Chambers Ford in Braintree

Scion XD

Price: $15,745 – $16,545

Consumer reports score: 60/100
Reliability: Much better than average
Safety: 8 airbags, antilock brakes, traction control, and electronic stability control
Gas mileage: 27 in the city, 33 on the highway

The Scion XD was my second favorite car to drive. I liked the odometer display a lot, which was a single circle, rather than the three that you normally see, and was impressed that just about everything came standard. It did have an ugly chrome-colored plastic around the radio and climate control buttons, and Consumer Reports agreed that the interior details looked cheep. While Consumer Reports said it had an awkward driving position, I thought it was a pretty comfortable drive. It is noticeably taller than the other cars, making it easier to get in and out of. Overall, it’s a basic car with good ratings and a good amount of cargo space for this class of vehicle.

Shop for a Scion XD

Test drove at Toyota of Braintree

Toyota Yaris

Price: $14,370 – $17,280
Consumer reports score: 41/100
Reliability: Much better than average
Safety: 9 airbags, Electronic stability control, traction control, antilock brakes, and brake assist
Gas mileage: 30 in the city, 38 on the highway

This hatchback was very similar to the Fit during my test drive, but had less cargo space. The back seat was able to be folded down part way, but took away from the advantages of a hatchback. It was pretty loud going up a hill, but otherwise seemed to ride pretty smoothly. I didn’t like that armrests and automatic windows did not come standard, and there were no cupholders in the back seat. It also had a single windshield wiper that is supposed to improve safety while driving in the rain or snow. Consumer Reports found that the radio controls were overly complicated and the rear visibility was poor. On the bright side, it had better fuel economy than the Fit and was ranked as a very reliable car. The other advantage is that Toyota offers free regular maintenance for two years, which is pretty awesome. While the amount varies, as of May 15, 2013, recent college grads were offered a $500 rebate.

Shop for a Toyota Yaris

Test drove at Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston

Kia Rio

Price: $13,600 – $17,900

Consumer reports score: 63/100
Reliability: Better than average
Safety: 8 airbags, Antilock brakes, traction control, and electronic stability control
Gas mileage: 28 in the city, 36 on the highway

I test drove the LX Kia Rio, which has power windows and locks, though there is a lesser version that you can get for less without them. I was not a big fan of the display, especially the small box-like radio display. I agree with Consumer Reports’ ruling for thumbs up on the fancy climate control toggle switches. It had three cupholders in the font, plus a little one that wouldn’t hold my coffee cup, and two more in the back. Consumer Reports thought the Rio had poor visibility in the back. Kia offers a $750 rebate for recent grads.

Shop for a Kia Rio

Test drove at Quirk Kia of Braintree