The best compact cars have a lot going on. They are fuel efficient, and they are easier to navigate in the city. They are also very affordable compared to their midsize sedan siblings. And as far as style goes, they are looking pretty sharp.
There are a ton of choices right now in the compact car market. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to give you some help in choosing the best compact car. But keep in mind, what works best for you might not be the top overall car – you’ll have to put your butt in some driver’s seats to make your own decision. Here’s our list of the best compact cars out there right now.
Rated at 40 miles per gallon on the highway and 28 mpg in the city, the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta continues a legacy of incredibly fuel mileage. And just to clarify – there are no Dieselgate scandal ratings used here. You might not find the Jetta all that exciting to drive with its 150-horsepower 1.4-liter four-cylinder, though. If you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of efficiency, the 210-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo engine, 6-speed DSG auto trans, and independent front and rear suspensions could be what you want.
The Jetta isn’t the best-looking car of the bunch, but it’s not the worst either. It’s a subdued sedan that could work for either family or business, but probably not much for pleasure.
One of the more stylish entries for best compact car is the 2018 Kia Forte sedan. There’s nothing really dramatic about it but it all comes together quite handsomely. The Kia grille is attractive, the silhouette is proportional, and it rides on nice wheels. All things that matter.
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The Forte doesn’t blow the doors off with fuel efficiency, although it’s not horrible either. Automatic trans is better than manual, getting 37mpg highway and 29mpg city. Base horsepower is just 147 horsepower from its Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter four-cylinder. It improves slightly with the EX trim to 164, but it’s still not uber-exciting.
Surprisingly, the 2018 Ford Focus gives a spunky ride compared with some of the others. It’s available in a sporty hatchback or a slightly more efficient sedan. Thanks to Torque Vectoring Control and independent front suspension, it feels nimble. Engine options are all over the map. The standard choice is a 1.0-liter EcoBoost for 40mpg highway and 30mpg city. Or choose an available 2.0-liter Ti-VCT four-banger to get 34mpg highway and 24mpg city. Another efficient option, although costlier, is the 2018 Focus Electric, getting up to 118MPGe city and 96MPGe highway.
The Focus looks better than ever. Less like an economy car and more like a sporty model, it’s a great option for a youthful crowd.
Definitely one of the most stylish compact cars is the 2018 Mazda3 sedan. You get that bold diamond-shape grille, aggressive looks and smooth body lines. The interior is just as refined as the exterior with either good fabric or nice leather upholstery and decent mid-range tech available.
It gets tricky comparing the Mazda3 to the rest of the compact car segment. While its base engine is a 155-horsepower 2.0-liter that can do 37mpg highway, the better option is bigger. The 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder makes 184 horsepower and is way more fun to drive. MPGs are just a touch lower at 26mpg highway, which seems to be an acceptable trade-off for the higher horsepower.
While it looks good for sure, the Subaru Impreza punches its ticket based on performance. Yes, it has a 2.0-liter BOXER engine with a measly 152 horsepower, but the standard-equipment Symmetrical All Wheel Drive and Torque Vectoring make up for it in leaps and bounds. It still gets up to 38mpg highway and 28mpg city, which elevates it up the standings.
The Subaru Impreza has decent looks but it’s not a showstopper. It’s a Cinderella story – the base model is bland and boring, but the dressed-up version gets noticed at the ball.
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.
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.
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.
There’s so much good going on with the Honda Civic these days. We’re not even talking the SI or Type R right now. The 1.5-liter turbocharged engine makes a spirited 174 horsepower paired with either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic. It stretches fuel efficiency to 42mpg highway and 32mpg city, which is better than the rest so far.
The car itself is so much fun. The Civic sedan is a blast once the turbo winds up, and it comes well equipped at every trim level. It looks like a mini sports car, even the four-door sedan, with aggressive looks front and back. It’s easily one of the best compact cars.
There’s only one way to beat the Honda Civic, and that’s by not burning any gas whatsoever. The Chevrolet Bolt is a fully electric car, new for the 2017 model year, and it’s blowing away the competition on every front. It has up to 238 miles of range on a single charge, has impressive performance with its 200-horsepower electric motor, and it operates completely silent.
The looks aren’t too shabby either. The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is a hatchback with good sight lines, driver-assistive safety features and modern interior functions. It’s by far the best compact car on the market today.
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