5. 2018 Hyundai Elantra
Another car that gets you further on less fuel is the 2018 Hyundai Elantra. Standard equipment under the hood is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with up to 38mpg on the highway. The Eco trim has a 1.4-liter turbo for up to 40mpg highway, albeit with only 128 horsepower, and the 1.6-liter turbo Sport model has a thrilling 201 horsepower.
Hyundai is a fantastic combination of all the things that matter in the best compact cars. It has a low entry-level price, as well as extremely well-equipped upper trim levels, and it offers excellent efficiency. And it looks pretty darn good to boot. The interior quality, while better than it used to be, still feels a little cheap. Still, it’s one of the best compact cars.
4. 2018 Nissan Sentra
A car that’s often overlooked is the Nissan Sentra. Here’s a compact car that looks the part, drives phenomenally well, and still does pretty decent on gas. The 2018 Nissan Sentra’s rudimentary 1.8-liter has just 130 horsepower and gets up to 37mpg highway, but what more do you need? The Sentra Nismo is overkill – 188 horsepower from a turbocharged 1.8-liter, and efficiency drops to 30mpg highway.
LED headlights, great swooping body lines and the distinct Nissan grille are the basis of its appearance. The interior compliments it nicely with available leather on the SR trim.
3. 2018 Toyota Corolla
The 2018 Toyota Corolla scores itself bonus points based on its long-term reliability. It goes further in a lifetime than virtually any other car, so we have to give that some consideration. Besides its dependability, the Corolla’s redesigned appearance gives good reason for young people to want the car that previously looked bland. That’s the way to expand a demographic.
Under the hood is a 1.8-liter four-cylinder with 132 horsepower. It can be paired with either a CVT transmission or a six-speed manual. It’s underpowered compared to the competition, and with just 36mpg highway rating, it’s the dependability that helps it stay at the No. 3 spot on our list of the best compact cars.
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