The automotive landscape is dominated by big trucks and SUVs, with the market for smaller sedans and hatchbacks shrinking every day. Thankfully there are still lots of small cars on sale today that are practical, reliable, efficient, and, most importantly, fun. The best compact cars can be your do-it-all machine, capable of taking the kids to school, hauling stuff from the grocery store, and delivering sports car-like performance on your favorite back roads.
These are our favorites for 2024. More Car Rankings: | | | The Civic has been a mainstay among compact cars for decades, and for good reason. It's efficient, reliable, fun to drive, and affordable, and that's as true as ever for the 2025 lineup.
A and available for hatchback and sedan body styles, and the receives welcome tweaks as well. For those seeking the most performance-oriented Civic, there's the sensational Type R hot hatchback, which packs 315 horsepower and remarkable prowess around a racetrack. The Mazda 3 distills everything that makes other Mazdas great into a small, practical package.
It's available as a sedan or a hatchback, with either a naturally aspirated or turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four engine, and with either front- or . Unfortunately Mazda only lets you opt for the manual transmission if you choose the less powerful nonturbo engine, but at least it offers a stick-shift at all.
We love the Mazda 3's styling inside and out, and the turbo version is especially fun to drive, with class-above refinement and lots of features to boot. The makes a serious proposition as the perfect daily-driver, delivering awesome looks, a useable cabin, and impressive fuel-economy figures in a tidy, maneuverable package. While the Prius is far from being considered a performance car, a low center of gravity and competent chassis tuning means it's fun to toss around, especially given the low-traction, efficiency-first tires.
Go for the 220-hp Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, and you can get to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds. The eighth-generation is as great as it ever was, with handsome looks, a lovely interior, and wonderful driving dynamics worthy of the hot-hatch segment's founder.
Power from the turbocharged engine is more than adequate, and there's even an available six-speed manual transmission—though that option will go away after the 2024 model year. We'd rank it higher on this list if it weren't for an infuriating infotainment system that uses mostly capacitive touch sensors in place of real buttons and knobs, even for things like volume and climate control. The Acura Integra takes the Civic's chassis and adds a layer of luxury and comfort, though it doesn't take away what made the Honda so great.
It still feels light on its feet and fun, especially with the optional six-speed manual gearbox in the A-Spec model. Like the Civic Si, the Integra gets a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making the same 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque.
The exciting Integra Type S, meanwhile, borrows from the Civic Type R, and it earned our . The redesigned Mini Cooper maintains the fun-loving spirit of the old one, only with a few more modern touches. The interior is where you'll notice the biggest changes, as it incorporates a new circular touchscreen and interesting-looking new materials on the dashboard.
Under the hood of the Cooper S is a 201-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, which we think is the one to have compared with the base Cooper's 161-hp turbo-four. Sadly, a manual transmission isn't on the menu anymore.
In base form, the Hyundai Elantra is hardly exciting, but Hyundai offers a few different options for those who want a bit more spice from their compact sedan. The N Line model (pictured) has a 201-hp turbocharged inline-four plus a few other sporty tweaks, and the is a serious performance sedan with 276 hp and a chassis to match. Plus, they're both relative bargains, with the N Line coming in at just under $30,000 and the Elantra N starting at less than $35,000.
If you're in the market for a car like the Golf GTI but prefer a sedan body style, go for the . It uses a slightly less powerful version of the GTI's drivetrain, rated at 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque and delivering similar performance numbers. The Jetta is also refreshed for 2025 with more attractive styling.
Buyers can choose between a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, both of which send power to the front wheels. With the six-speed equipped, the GLI can sprint to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds.
The Subaru Impreza has gone hatchback-only for 2024, eschewing the sedan body style altogether. We think its better this way, as having a hatch rear end makes the Impreza more practical (and better-looking). Sadly the manual has been dropped, meaning the only choice of transmission is a continuously variable automatic.
We suggest going for , shown above. It gets sportier looks and a bigger 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine making 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque.
The base versions of the Toyota Corolla have lost nearly all their enthusiast cred lately, having dropped their available manual transmissions and offering a middling driving experience. And the doesn't do much to help, despite paying homage to a cool Corolla hot hatch from the 1980s. But Toyota makes up for the lack of pizzazz in the base models with the sensational , which combines a 300-hp turbo three-cylinder, a six-speed manual transmission, and a trick all-wheel-drive system.
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