Best gen 4 year?

All years of the Gen4 (2016-2022) are good cars. I had a 2016 that was totaled by a Kamikaze deer and now have a 2020 AWDe. The only known problem is that the heat recovery system can develop a coolant leak. The heat exchanger can be inexpensively bypassed if this occurs, but you have to keep track of your coolant level to avoid overheating the engine. If you have the need for speed, The Gen5s are very nice as well.

JeffD

 

Pretty sure 2020 is when they added carplay/android.

there were some styling changes but I don't know of any other significant milestones.

Good luck!

 

My 2020 came with Apple Carplay, but not Android Auto. I had to install a third party stereo to get a CD and Android Auto. the 2019 did not have Carplay, but I sold my old head unit to a 2019 owner so that he could have Carplay.

JeffD

 

Good reminder thanks. Android didn't get added until a year later.

 

By 2022 every bug was worked out. I have one, but you aren’t going to touch it in your price range. FWTW

 

2016 to 2019 model have an issue with their exhaust heat exchanger that could end up costing the owner several thousand dollars to fix if obligated by law or his conscience.

 

The first year at least, you couldn’t change speedometer units, kilometres versus miles.

also I think it was sometime in 2017 model year they changed to spin-on oil filter (from paper element in permanent housing), if that matters to you.

Gen 4’s main Achilles heel was coolant leaking in the the Exhaust Heat Recovery system; I’d suspect that’s the case for earlier years, resolved in later years. Maybe.

The fang tail lights were toned down with the 2019 refresh…

 

If price is important, don't buy local. You can get any year you want for <$20k if the miles are high enough and you are willing to travel. If I were you I wouldn't shop the year, I would shop the features desired. Nationwide search FTW.