I've been in the market for a new car but as I inherited a family vehicle this is my first time hunting. My brand and model familiarity is limited to the Ford Windstar I've been driving for the past five years. If it helps, I live in Montreal, Canada.

Right now my priorities are comfort (large/tall), gas mileage (50-minute daily commute), getting winter tires, and automatic transmission. I'm used to driving in a higher seat and having a decent amount of cargo/passenger space, but those are acceptable losses if I get something smaller than a mid-range (assuming I am even using the term correctly). I'd prefer a car with four doors as well.

If I wanted to buy/lease something recent, does anyone have any recommendations so I know what to check out on the lot? While I don't have my budget set in stone, I don't see myself buying anything that might be branded as a luxury or sports vehicle, nor can I afford something electric.

Any suggestions or recommended reading to better help myself? Should I lean more towards leasing instead of buying to avoid depreciating values?

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply - I may update this first post with new information. : )