Best and Worst Affordable Small Cars

In the U.S. News analysis of the Affordable Small Car class, there's a clear trend: reviewers like small Hondas.  The company's products account for three of the top five affordable small cars, while Toyota's youth-oriented Scion division and Mazda round out the top five.

Top Five Affordable Small Cars

Honda Fit

Reviewers say that the compact five-door Fit has the soul of a sports car and the practicality of a wagon  Its fun-to-drive handling, nice appointments and flexible folding rear seat are highlights.  Car & Driver  named the 109-horsepower, 38 MPG fuel-sipper to its "10Best" list,  Be aware that the Fit will be all-new for 2009 and the new version will gain electronic stability control, which is currently unavailable.

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic delivers the convenience of a comfortable mid-size family car.  The smooth ride and interior space are favorites with reviewers, who appreciate the availability of uplevel options such as leather seats and a navigation system, but are put off by the outlandish two-level dashboard with digital speedometer.

Scion tC

The Scion tC scores with critics thanks to sleek style and sporty driving in an efficient, budget-priced vehicle.  Despite the praise, reviewers are less thrilled about the interior space.  It is still a sport coupe, after all.

 

 

 

Honda Civic Hybrid

Honda's green Civic wins a spot as a stand-alone model thanks to its hybrid-electric drivetrain which delivers as much as 45 MPG in highway driving.  The Civic hybrid earns praise for going about its business with the regular Civic's grown-up car manners and appearance.  While the powertrain's driving experience is similar to that of a conventional car, reviewers say that it is most similar to the driving experience of a slow car.

Mazda3

A product of Mazda's "Zoom-Zoom" mentality, the Mazda3 wins over enthusiast drivers who enjoy its accurate, direct steering and well-controlled suspension.  Testers like the Mazda's adventurous styling, but are less impressed that side airbags don't come with every level of equipment, and electronic stability control isn't available at all.

 

Bottom Three Affordable Small Cars

There's consistency at the bottom of the class, as two of the bottom three cars are from Suzuki and one is a Chevrolet.  The cars share more than just low rankings: all three cars trace their origins to the General Motors subsidiary that encompasses the remains of the former Korean automaker Daewoo.

Chevrolet Aveo

Well, the Aveo is cheap, but, well, it's cheap.  The underpowered engine has to work hard, and delivers gas mileage that is disappointing for such a small, slow car.  The Aveo's seats are literally a pain in the rear, and the steering earned criticism.  Finally the Aveo has few safety features as standard equipment and side curtain airbags aren't available in any trim level.

Suzuki Forenza

With the Forenza, Suzuki promises a compact car at a subcompact price.  Trouble is, while the Forenza is bigger in size than some other affordable small cars, its appeal is considerably smaller, according to reviewers.  Most complaints center on the Forenza's lack of power, poor handling and bad scores on some safety tests. 

Suzuki Reno

Suzuki's European styling gives the Reno a clean appearance, and the interior has good room for the car's tiny size.  But the 2.0-liter engine is noisy and slurps down the fuel, delivering an embarrassing-for-its-size 28 MPG in highway driving and a ghastly 19 MPG in city driving.