Yes, vinyl is very appropriate for basement use, but like all other flooring types, check to make sure you do not have a moisture problem before installing it.

Vinyl is certainly not as resistant to tears and scratches as ceramic tile is, but most vinyl does have an inner layer built into it now which tends to resist tears quite well. I wouldn’t hesitate to consider it in a high traffic residential area.

One of the rubs against ceramic tile is that it is cold and hard. There are floor heating systems available to make your floor more comfortable to the touch, but in terms of hardness, yes, ceramic is much like hardwood in that it doesn’t have much give. If you want something that has more cushion to it, perhaps you should consider a floating floor.