Well to be fair, they're entry level commuter cars. Ford Falcons and AMC Gremlins were equally depressing in their times. Most people don't seem to care though. I have co workers with Kia Spectras, Hyundai Accents, etc. and their cars aren't causing them to fall into month long bouts of depression. A lot of people just don't care.

Are cars getting more expensive? Yes. Do I recommend a household making under 30k to drop the dough on a new car? Probably not. But, there is a silver lining on those new cars. They last longer now and are much more reliable, so if you keep the car for life you really might be getting more miles for your money. Though, I'm on the phone and don't know how to do the math on that, so I might be wrong.

I love my car. I hate my car payments. Don't tell my wife I said this, but if I could do it all over again? I'd have bought a used car as a daily driver and maybe a project car for fun. I was young, dumb, and in love. I learned my lesson on that though! I can only hope when it comes time to buy a house I don't make a similar mistake.

I do agree cars are getting more expensive though. A brand new '85 Mustang GT in 2016 dollars is a steal compared to a '16 Mustang GT. Airbags, traction control, back up cameras, and other safety devices add to that price, which is a shame for cost, but arguably keeps us safer. So, I don't know. At least they last longer (until the electronics get screwy).