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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 |
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Select Vehicle to Get Local Pricing
Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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