11) 2020 Subaru WRX
$27,495 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.3/10
Value: The Subaru WRX is the priciest compact car on this list. It has the highest base price and total cost of ownership, as well as below-average fuel economy. With rival compact cars offering more features at a lower base price, the WRX is a pricy investment.
11) 2020 Subaru WRX
Quality: With its robust powertrains, quick acceleration, and agile handling, the WRX is one of the most exciting cars to drive in its class. You’ll find comfortable seating and plenty of room inside, but the Subaru’s cabin design and quality come up short when compared to rivals. The WRX comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and the brand’s StarLink infotainment system with a 6.5-inch touch screen. Adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and pre-collision braking are available. The WRX suffers from a poor predicted reliability rating.
10) 2020 Volkswagen Jetta
$18,745 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.6/10
Value: With a base price of $18,745, the Volkswagen Jetta is an affordable compact car. Even with its decent fuel economy, it has a fairly high total cost of ownership.
10) 2020 Volkswagen Jetta
Quality: The Jetta delivers solid performance, but a less exciting ride than rivals. Its interior features some soft-touch materials, but its use of hard plastics gives it a less elegant look. The cabin is roomy and seats five people comfortably. All models come with smartphone integration and a user-friendly infotainment system with a 6.5-inch touch screen. Adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, and rear cross traffic alert are available.
9) 2020 Subaru Impreza
$18,695 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.6/10
Value: With a low starting price, standard all-wheel drive, and plenty of safety features, the Subaru Impreza delivers good value for the money. It achieves decent gas mileage, and places in the middle of our rankings for total cost of ownership.
9) 2020 Subaru Impreza
Quality: Overall, the Impreza ranks low on our list of compact cars due to its lackluster performance. The interior’s use of low-grade plastics looks out of place compared with competitors. Its below-average predicted reliability rating also puts it at a disadvantage against its competitors. On the plus side, the Impreza’s cabin has comfortable seats, ample room for passengers, and an extensive collection of technology features. The Impreza also comes with a long list of safety equipment, including a rearview camera, adaptive cruise control, and lane keep assist.
8) 2020 Volkswagen Golf
$21,845 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10
Value: Considering the ride quality, upscale cabin design, and number of standard technology and safety features, there is quite a bit of value packed into the Volkswagen Golf’s base price of $21,845. The Golf’s total cost of ownership falls right in the middle of the compact car class.
8) 2020 Volkswagen Golf
Quality: The Golf accelerates quickly, handles well, and is fun to drive. Its upscale cabin is adorned with quality materials, comfortable seating, and technology such as smartphone integration and Car-Net, which offers navigation and a Wi-Fi hot spot. The Golf gets high marks for safety and comes with a long list of driver assistance technologies. However, the Golf only has an average predicted reliability score.
7) 2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI
$27,595 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.6/10
Value: Although the Volkswagen Golf GTI carries an above-average starting price, its extensive list of features and exhilarating ride make it a good value for the money. However, it has the second-highest total cost of ownership on the list due to its lackluster fuel economy.
7) 2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI
Quality: Ranked as our top compact car, the GTI is fun to drive. Its sleek cabin is well-appointed with premium materials, supportive seats, and ample head- and legroom. The GTI has a user-friendly infotainment system with a 6.5-inch touch screen. It comes with a rearview camera, forward collision warning, and pedestrian detection.
6) 2020 Mazda3
$21,500 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.5/10
Value: The Mazda3 ranks high on our list of compact cars. Compared with rivals, this small sedan has a high starting price, though it comes equipped with a long list of features. Fuel efficiency is average for the segment, and the Mazda3 has a relatively high total cost of ownership.
6) 2020 Mazda3
Quality: The Mazda3 is fun to drive, with a peppy engine and tight handling. The upscale cabin features high-quality materials, comfortable seats, and plenty of technology features. Rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic high-beam headlights, and stop-and-go adaptive cruise control are standard.
5) 2020 Hyundai Veloster
$18,800 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10
Value: With its reasonable starting price, lively ride, and expansive list of features, the Hyundai Veloster delivers strong value for the money. Although its fuel efficiency is below average for a compact car, the Veloster comes in with the fourth-lowest total cost of ownership on our list.
5) 2020 Hyundai Veloster
Quality: The Veloster is sporty and handles well. Seating is supportive and the interior has plenty of room, but its use of lower quality materials gives it a cheap look. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two USB ports, and a user-friendly infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen come standard. The Veloster is equipped with a variety of driver assistance features including a rearview camera, forward collision warning, and blind spot monitoring.
4) 2020 Hyundai Elantra
$18,950 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10
Value: The 2020 Hyundai Elantra features one of the lowest starting prices in its class. It achieves excellent fuel economy, and has the second-lowest total cost of ownership in the compact car segment. Equipped with a variety of technology and safety features, the Hyundai Elantra is a good value at a good price.
4) 2020 Hyundai Elantra
Quality: While the Elantra puts up sluggish performance when compared with its rivals, the cabin is roomy and the cargo area has plenty of space. Available features include smartphone integration and a wireless charging station. The Elantra has a good predicted reliability rating, and comes with several safety features including forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and a rearview camera.
3) 2020 Honda Civic | Finalist
$20,650 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
Value: Overall, the Honda Civic has a low total cost of ownership. With its decent fuel economy, low starting price, and variety of standard features, the Civic is a practical choice that is easy on the wallet. It also offers drivers a lot of standard features in its base model.
3) 2020 Honda Civic | Finalist
Quality: The Civic delivers an engaging and lively ride. Its modern cabin is roomy with comfortable seats. The car comes with a long list of driver assistance features, and received strong safety scores. However, it trails some rivals with an average predicted reliability rating of three out of five.
2) 2020 Toyota Corolla | Finalist
$19,600 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10
Value: The Toyota Corolla boasts the lowest total cost of ownership in its class. You’ll save money at the pump with the Corolla’s top-notch fuel economy. The Corolla was named a finalist for our 2020 Best Compact Car for the Money award.
2) 2020 Toyota Corolla | Finalist
Quality: Redesigned for the 2020 model year, the Corolla’s cabin looks sleek but feels less roomy than its competitors. The infotainment system may look a little outdated, but it is easy to use. All models come with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 collection of driver assistance safety features, and the vehicle has received strong safety ratings. The Toyota Corolla also has an excellent predicted reliability rating.
1) 2020 Kia Forte | Winner
$17,890 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.5/10
Value: The Kia Forte features one of the lowest starting prices in its class. With its stellar fuel economy and low total cost of ownership, it’s no surprise that the Forte was awarded our 2020 Best Compact Car for the Money award.
1) 2020 Kia Forte | Winner
Quality: The Forte places near the top of our compact car ranking. Its cabin is roomy and well-appointed with quality materials. A large trunk and rear-split folding seat provide plenty of space for cargo. All models come with Kia’s user-friendly infotainment system and an 8-inch touch screen. With strong safety and predicted reliability scores, the Forte is a great buy.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
If you’ve been shopping for a compact car but aren’t sure which suits you best, check out our full compact car ranking. You can find valuable information on our new car lease deals and purchase deals pages when you get ready to buy.
Hate the idea of negotiating at the dealership? Save money by using our Best Price Program to get pre-negotiated prices on your new. Shoppers through our program report that they have saved over $3,000 off the sticker price through this program.
11 Best Compact Cars for the Money in 2020
- 11) 2020 Subaru WRX: $27,495 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.3/10
- 10) 2020 Volkswagen Jetta: $18,745 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.6/10
- 9) 2020 Subaru Impreza: $18,695 | U.S. News Overall Score: 7.6/10
- 8) 2020 Volkswagen Golf: $21,845 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10
- 7) 2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI: $27,595 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.6/10
- 6) 2020 Mazda3: $21,500 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.5/10
- 5) 2020 Hyundai Veloster: $18,800 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10
- 4) 2020 Hyundai Elantra: $18,950 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10
- 3) 2020 Honda Civic | Finalist: $20,650 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.4/10
- 2) 2020 Toyota Corolla | Finalist: $19,600 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.2/10
- 1) 2020 Kia Forte | Winner: $17,890 | U.S. News Overall Score: 8.5/10
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The Top 11 Best Compact Cars for the Money
If you are shopping for a car that is easy on your wallet, it’s natural to focus on its purchase price. But affordability extends beyond what you pay at the dealership. As a driver, you are responsible for insurance, taxes, repairs, and fuel. A car that seems like a great deal, but has poor fuel economy or a below-average predicted reliability rating, will cost you more in the long run.
Fortunately, the market teems with new compact cars that offer a great combination of value and quality. In the following article, we’ve ranked the top compacts currently on the market.
Note that our scores and rankings are updated frequently. This means that the scores included in this slideshow may not match the scores in our reviews.
Read on to see the 12 best compact cars for the money.