Looking for a car under $15000?

It's mainly for my wife. So something reliable, safe, practical and small. No SUVs or trucks. Something like a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. Just trying to get other ideas. As those 2 are my main contenders.

If you call a corolla small…
i gave my wife a 3 year old used bmw 320d fully loaded for about that price (a little less). I don't think she'll be happy with a civic or corolla as a replacement again, even if it's a brand new one.
it's a diesel, so cheap yet powerful, very safe, reliable and very enjoyable to drive. We have it 7 years now and still drives way better and more comfortable than any Japanese car in that price range.
You have to look out for a good deal of course, but it only took me 2 hours of searching online.

New or used?

That is a very generous bracket. You can get a great car either way.

If you have a good dealer nearby, Honda anythings are terrific. My wife and I drive our Fit and we have an absolutely great dealership. The car has cost us nothing but maintenance which has a gauge that nags when the car wants attention. Fits are tough Samaris and they get good mileage. They are likely under 15k if you live in the states. The storage area is deceptively large (2 by 4s can be brought home along with my wife when I drive to the lumberyard. I once got 37 boxes in the car which my neighbor was astonished at.

I know nothing about cars, but the warrentee is good enough and the interior is a masterpiece of engineering -- that's what made me buy it in the first place. Add the Fit to your list. You won't be sorry. Our vehicle lives in winter conditions 6 months of the year and we have travelled from Edmonton Alberta Canada to Oklahoma City a number of times without incident (3000 miles I think) -- once in February. It has also gone to Tucson without any trouble at all. Ours is 8 years old.

Those are the leaders in the small, reliable car market. Hyundai is close on reliability, and possibly better value, so that's worth a look. The i30 seems a pretty nice car and compares well with the cars you mentioned.

Here we can buy all sorts of JDM cars, used from Japan. Wife has a 1.8 Toyota Caldina, which is comparable to a Corolla wagon, and I have a Toyota Blade, which is basically a 275hp Corolla. Both have been great cars so far, although after driving the Blade, the wife wants a new car.

I've driven Hondas before, and they are good cars too.

Subaru? Otherwise those two. If you get snow every winter I'd get the Subaru.

Honda & Toyota are good. So is Mazda 3 or 6.

Then go for a used one

04 Deville