When you think of a compact economy car usually the last thing you think about is driver enjoyment. Heck, you are usually lucky if a compact economy car has power windows, right? Well no, that really isn’t correct. Most modern compact economy cars come with all the toys and safety equipment you would expect from a larger car. And besides, crank windows? Was your last new car, by chance, a rental car?
The compact economy end of the market is just chock full of well equipped, stylish offerings with low sticker prices and (gasp!) a very high fun to drive quotient. Although it doesn’t really qualify as a true “economy” car thanks to a rather high base price, the Mini Cooper was the vehicle that started a sea change in the auto industry as to what people expected from small cars. Out the window went shoddy build quality and wheezing engines and in went personal customization and soft touch plastics.
One thing that hasn’t changed at the economy end of the new car market is the availability of manual transmissions. As economy cars generally have small displacement 4 cylinder engines you will usually find that economy and acceleration times improve with a self-shifter. And really, is there anything more fun than a revvy 4 cylinder economy car with a perfectly weighted manual transmission. Okay? A Ferrari? And when are you going the get a chance to drive one of those?
So, if you are in the market for a fun to drive, economical small vehicle you are in serious luck. We live in an ever expanding automotive golden age full of thoughtfully engineered small car wonders. And unlike in compact economy cars of yore you won’t waste a minute of your time wishing you had a bigger or more expensive car. Here are five of the best 2010 compact economy driver’s cars.
Honda Fit
(Starting at $14,900): (28 city/33 highway)
The Honda Fit is the type of car that could cause an SUV driver to question how much car they really need and use. Thanks to Honda’s patented “Magic Seat” system you can fit a mountain bike standing upright inside and the cargo area is positively cavernous. One other neat trick? You can also fold down all of the seats in case you ever decide to take your Fit camping and can’t handle sleeping on the hard ground.
The Honda Fit is powered by a rather small 1.5 liter 117 horsepower 4 cylinder that feels punchy around town but can get a bit stressed on the highway when attached to the automatic. This is one car where I highly recommend the manual transmission version. And even if you don’t know how to drive a standard, the unit in the Fit is so precise and easy to use even a 16 year old first time driver could get the swing of it in an afternoon.
Honda Civic
(Starting at $15,655): (25 city/36 highway)
The Honda Civic is a perennial best-seller and the gold standard among economical, fun to drive small cars. The 2010 model is basically a carry-over model but that shouldn’t discourage you as the Civic’s styling still looks fresh. The interior, while unusual to look at, is solidly built and highly ergonomic. With class leading residual values you can never go wrong investing your money in a Civic.
VW Golf
(Starting at $17,620): (22 city/30 highway)
All new for 2010, the Golf has subtly freshened exterior styling and a new dashboard that redefines what interior quality means in an economical small car. It’s hard to describe how much more expensive the Golf feels thanks to that new interior but it all looks solid and built to last. Some may say VW went a little crazy with the soft-touch plastic and faux-chrome but taken as a whole the spacious interior gives off a very comfortable, upscale urban living room vibe.
Powered by either a 2.5 liter 170 horsepower 5 cylinder or a 140 horsepower 2.0 liter turbodiesel, the 2010 Golf is not left wanting for powertrain options. There is also, of course, the GTI variant but that moves you up into the Mini Cooper price bracket. The best thing about the 2010 Golf is that you can buy the basic version and still enjoy everything that makes it a VW. The People’s Car is back.
Mazda3
(Starting at $16,045): (25 city/33 highway)
Some say the new exterior styling for the 2010 Mazda3 is fussy and overdone. Whatever you think you can’t deny that at least the interior is a big improvement over the previous model. Although I don’t understand the point of having a navigation screen as large as a postage stamp, the rest of the interior is nicely styled and of high quality. As always, the 3 sells itself thanks to taut steering and precise handling. The engines could do with more grunt and refinement but for most work the 2010 Mazda3 hatch or sedan should keep you perfectly satisfied for years to come.
Hyundai Elantra Touring
(Starting at $15,995): (23 city/31 highway)
Although it looks innocuous enough the Hyundai Elantra Touring was truly shocking when it was launched last year. It was the first time Hyundai ever made a car with a truly fun to drive manual transmission option. Thankfully Hyundai hasn’t messed with that transmission but saw fit to drop prices by a little over a thousand dollars just to get buyers interested.
Other standout attributes include a solidly built interior that is the definition of refined simplicity and a cargo area that is the size of most bat caves. The 138 horsepower 2.0 liter 4 cylinder may not be choking on torque but when mated with the manual transmission it moves the Elantra Touring with plenty of pep for overtaking maneuvers. A Honda or a Hyundai? Whoever thought that would ever become such a reasonable comparison?
