Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
Best Rated Compact Cars
April 3, 2014
If you're looking for a car that's easy to get around town and has some fun options, then a subcompact or compact car may be the right choice for you.
Consumer Reports recently revealed what they consider the best subcompact and compact cars available right now. The subcompact list includes the Kia Rio, Chevrolet Sonic and Honda Fit, while the compact list features the Subaru Impreza, Hyundai Elantra, and Toyota Prius.
Consumer Reports has listed models they suggest avoiding. For subcompacts, that includes the Smart ForTwo and Scion iQ, while for compacts they suggest staying away from the Mitsubishi Lancer and Dodge Dart.
If you're looking to purchase a subcompact or compact vehicle, I recommend you use TrueCar No Haggle and CarsDirect to get the best deal possible on any of these vehicles.
Best & Worst Subcompact Cars
Category | Vehicle | Base MSRP Price Range | Overall MPG |
---|---|---|---|
Best Overall | Kia Rio | $13,900-$18,090 | 30 |
Best Overall | Chevrolet Sonic | $14,170-$21,610 | 28 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Mitsubishi i-MiEV | $22,995 | 111 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Toyota Prius C | $19,080-$23,360 | 43 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Smart ForTwo | $13,270-$28,000 | 39 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Honda Insight | $18,725-$23,915 | 38 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Honda CR-Z | $19,995-$23,990 | 35 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Scion iQ | $15,665-$17,850 | 34 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Ford Fiesta | $14,100-$21,400 | 32-33 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Fiat 500 | $16,195-$31,800 | 33 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Honda Fit | $15,425-$36,625 | 30-33 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Mazda2 | $14,720-$17,050 | 30-33 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Hyundai Accent | $14,645-$17,395 | 31-32 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Nissan Versa Sedan | $11,990-$16,890 | 32-33 |
Best for Fuel Economy | Toyota Yaris | $14,430-$17,340 | 32 |
Fun to Drive | Ford Fiesta ST | $14,100-$21,400 | |
Fun to Drive | Fiat 500 Abarth | $16,195-$31,800 | |
Fun to Drive | Mini Cooper | $19,950-$35,700 | |
Small Car, Big Footprint | Honda Fit | $15,425-$36,625 | |
Small Car, Big Footprint | Nissan Versa Note | $13,990-$15,990 | |
Small Car, Big Footprint | Nissan Cube | $16,760-$18,860 | |
Models to Avoid | Smart ForTwo | $13,270-$28,000 | |
Models to Avoid | Scion iQ | $15,665-$17,850 | |
Models to Avoid | Chevrolet Spark | $12,170-$27,010 |
Best & Worst Compact Cars
Category | Vehicle | Base MSRP Price Range |
---|---|---|
Best Overall | Subaru Impreza | $17,895-$23,195 |
Best Overall | Hyundai Elantra | $18,750-$22,700 |
Best Overall | Toyota Prius | $24,200-$34,905 |
Best Overall | Mazda3 | $16,945-$26,495 |
Models to Avoid | Scion tC | $19,210-$22,440 |
Models to Avoid | Mitsubishi Lancer | $17,195-$38,195 |
Models to Avoid | Dodge Dart | $16,495-$22,995 |
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter

Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author

Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
December 2023
- Best 0% Finance Deals December 2023 Dec 07, 2023
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Dec 07, 2023
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Dec 07, 2023
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Dec 07, 2023
November 2023
- Biggest Price Drops on New Cars (Fall 2023) Nov 30, 2023
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Nov 30, 2023
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Nov 30, 2023
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Nov 30, 2023
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Nov 23, 2023
- Best Black Friday Car Deals Nov 23, 2023
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Nov 23, 2023
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Nov 23, 2023
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Nov 16, 2023
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Nov 16, 2023
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Nov 16, 2023
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Nov 09, 2023
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Nov 09, 2023
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Nov 09, 2023
- Best Car Deals by Category Nov 02, 2023
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Nov 02, 2023
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Nov 02, 2023
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!