Subcompact cars are fun, fuel-efficient and in high demand. Today’s sub-compacts have more bells and whistles than ever before. Newer engines give them some added pep, putting some zip in these small, versatile vehicles. There are advantages to a smaller car as well other than gas mileage, like parking. If you live in the city, owning a subcompact car can be a lifesaver. Worried about not having enough room? Most subcompact cars still have enough seating for five people, offering plenty of room for couples and small families. In addition, properly equipped subcompact cars handle just fine on wet and even snowy roads. Three of the best sub-compacts for 2018 will be the Honda Fit, the Mini Cooper and the Ford Fiesta. Read on to learn more about these new subcompact models that are taking the market by storm.
Top 3 Subcompact Cars of 2018:
- Honda Fit
- Mini Cooper
- Ford Fiesta
Honda Fit
The Honda Fit has seating for five while getting around 30 miles per gallon in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. With a folding rear seat, drivers can choose between extra seating or ample cargo room. The lower trim levels have cloth seats and the higher levels have leather. The infotainment center is good and there is Apple CarPlay, power accessories, air conditioning and more. It has a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that cranks out 130 horsepower, which is plenty of horsepower for such a lightweight car. The engine is connected to a six-speed automatic that offers smooth transitions between gears. A Continuously Variable Transmission is standard on the top trim and available on the others. It has enough pep and has better handling than you might expect from a car in this class. It has great safety ratings and comes with a rearview camera standard on all models.
Highlights:
- Flexible and large cargo area
- Seats five
- 40 miles per gallon on highway
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta also has some punch for a small car, and does well on mileage as well, getting 30 mpg in the city and as much as 41 mpg on the highway. It has Ford’s easy-to-use infotainment center, spacious and comfortable front seats and nimble handling. It is one of the lower-priced cars in its class, especially at the lower trim levels. The back seat is a little small and that is one of the few drawbacks. There are three available engines that offer between 120 and 197 horsepower. It has two manual transmissions with either five or six speeds. A six-speed dual clutch automatic is also available. The ST trim is a sports package that has great acceleration. There are four trims available, and you can get most of them as a hatchback or a sedan. The SE adds the SYNC 3 package, which is Ford’s famous infotainment center. The Fiesta has good safety scores but does not have some of the safety features other cars have.
Highlights:
- Lower priced than most subcompacts
- Three engines and four transmissions
- Good gas mileage and good handling
Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper is just a cool looking little car, and it performs well enough to be among the best of subcompacts. It has three turbocharged engines available that can give you from 134 to 228 horsepower. It has European-style handling, and with those powerful engines, it is a fun car to drive. It is not truly a sports car, but you may think it is. Rear seat space is very small. Cargo room is not real impressive either, but it makes up for that as a fun car to drive. Some models come equipped with four-wheel drive, giving these Minis exceptional handling on most road conditions. The Mini Cooper is one of the more high-priced cars in this class. The interior is very nice, with leatherette seat standard on all trim levels. There is some plastic, but it looks and feels good. The interior is one of the nicest of any subcompact car on the market. It has good safety ratings as well, and the sporty aspects make this one car to have on your short list when considering a car in this class.
Highlights:
- 228 horsepower in largest engine
- Great handling
- Three turbocharged engines
Conclusion
Subcompact cars have come of age. Any of these three would serve you well, and there are others that would please most people as well. They have powerful engines in their small packages, and with handling improvements, they are just fun to drive. You will appreciate the great gas mileage, too.