My coworker is looking for a cheap dependable commuter car.

He needs something that is easy to work on, 4 cylinder, fwd, cheap to repair.
The Honda Civic looks like a good candidate.

Anyone have any other suggestions/experience?

Anything to stay away from?

Everyone I've spoken to that had a Dart liked it. If you can find an unthrashed Focus or Cruze, you can probably get it cheaper than a comparable Civic or Corolla. My younger daughter just turned 14, and the cars I mentioned are the ones I will be looking to get for her. Market has changed, but 2.5 years ago, I picked up an 06 Civic with 96k on it for my older daughter. Car has been flawless, has 124k on it now. I've done brakes, tires, belts, hoses, fluids, and rear stabilizer links and bushings. I've got about $5k in it, including purchase price.

Avoid anything European. My $.02.

My little brother really likes his Honda Insight, 52 MPG?. He's a recent convert from Nissan. Don't know anything about repair costs, he hasn't had any.

I bought a used Nissan Leaf electric car on the dealer lot for $7500. Had a little over 20,000 miles and was still under warranty. That has been a super nice little car. Very reliable, zero maintenance costs, easy to take care of.

An ex employee had good luck with the cruzes, Drove the cr-p out of them both. The 1st one had abou 120K on it, picked it up for 1800. ran it up to 170K and it was totaled. 2nd one 144K paid about 2200 for it, ran it up to 190k just normal maitenance tyep stuff. the first one did get a new A/C compressor otherwise brakes, tires oil changes. they were both manuals

I have a 2012 Cruze 2LT Manual I bought new. It had some teething issues but its been basically flawless the last couple years. If its a manual make sure it doesn't whine in 5th or 6th gear and it'll be fine.

The 1.4 engine is super easy to work on but you will need an e-torx plus socket set. I would guess at some point they will all need a valve cover, intake manifold, and vent tube with check valve. All cheap and easy to replace parts.

Compared to a civic or a corolla, its a much more comfortable car and it has a huge trunk. Its a likeable car.

I would say avoid VWs and Nissans. If the Nissan is stick shift and dirt cheap it might be OK.

My daughter has a '14 Cruze. Bought it w/20k...currently a tick over 100k. It's been a good little car. Couple issues w/t-stat housing leaks(crap design GM!) but other than that...brakes,tires, oil changes.

If they are considering buying a timing belt vehicle count on having to do a timing component job. People do not have this done because the car is running fine. Even when the add says its been done chances are it was just the $35 rubber belt replaced and not the idler, water pump, tensioners and seals that are hard and leaking by now.

Honda... we have had several of them..great cars!! in the last 10 years I had a 2011 Civic I bought for commuting then the 2016 Honda HRV I bought after the Civic because I wanted All Wheel Drive. When I was working several of my co workers drove Civics with well over 100,000 miles with minimal problems

My wife likes her 2008 Civic Coupe. She has had it since 2007 I do not think many are as clean. There is one in the next block that would scare me! Was driven by a young man who drove it like I drove my Challenger 340 in 1980. He beat on that car like a rented mule! He should have been able to kill it but is now handed down to his younger sister. How it is still running I have no idea but is and is driven all over.

Anything with the Toyota 1.8 in it. Pontiac Vibe leads people to believe that you support GM (LOL). 292K on mine.

having sorted out an 07 Civic for a friend this past summer I can state that Honda's are NOT easy to work on.

Being a hybrid didn't help either. AC compressor was one of the issues.

I have 303,000 on my '96 Breeze, and it's been as bulletproof as can be.
2.0L stick car, mid-30s MPG.
Been a nice commuter, even in big snowfall with winter tires.
More solid than the Japanese stuff of the same era.
I would think the later generation Stratus/Cirrus would be just as good.
That may be too old for the OP's buddy, though.

I believe no one has asked thus far. What is the price range?

Come on.
He's Mopar guy and member of Moparts.com he is cheap.
So low price should be assumed.

Ford Fusion is the most dependable bang for the buck and cheaper than most other econo boxes to insure!
KID

I agree Civic maybe not a hybrid though. Older ones won't be anyway. Corolla too. And as Not a Charger mentioned Ford Focus were good but not pre-'03 (I believe) because they had a lot of issues.

You realize that an 07 Civic hybrid, which is what I was referring to, is 15 years old. Most would call that an old car.

Yeah I hear ya. But weren't a lot of that year and even later models not hybrids?

I had a Toyota Yaris that I drove as a commuter car for almost 300,000 IIRC. Got awesome gas mileage and very dependable. Hardly spent a dime on it.