Revamped style and comfort meets unmatched reliability and value. The 1980s marked a decline in the popularity of hatchbacks, driven by a series of uninspiring models presented over the years. This led to consumers viewing them negatively for an extended period. However, a few exceptional models persisted, maintaining some life … Read more
If you’ve shopped for an electric vehicle, finding something that costs less than $40,000 is a challenge. Typically, comfort, range, or something else is sacrificed to reach a palatable pricing level. One significant exception is the Nissan Leaf, a model that brought full electrification to the masses in 2011. Its … Read more
Grrrr! With the GR Corolla! The rumor mill suggested it, but it wasn’t until March came to an end that Toyota confirmed that the GR Corolla is, in fact, REAL. No, this is not some April Fool’s Day prank. The Corolla line is indeed expanding to accommodate a performance variant … Read more
The Peugeot 308 is a compact hatchback or station wagon first revealed in 2007. Foremost, the Peugeot 308 was aimed at the European market, which extended to select regions in Asia, Russia, and South America. A significant market for the 308 is China, where it is sold as a compact … Read more
The 2022 Toyota Corolla soldiers on in the shrinking compact car segment. More than a half-century has passed, and the Toyota Corolla is one of the most recognized models in the world. In the U.S. market, sedan and hatchback versions are available, as is a hybrid. The Corolla remains a … Read more
The VW Golf R is back and better than ever. Not since 2019 have we seen a Golf R, the ultimate expression in subcompact hatchback prowess from Volkswagen. This model along with the GTI is all that’s left of the Golf product line for the U.S. market as VW pivots … Read more
America’s most inexpensive car is the Chevrolet Spark, an import from South Korea that is also one of the smallest models on the road. The Chevy Spark is a microcar or an A-Segment model with a starting price below $15,000. But if you want one, know that production ends in … Read more
The Honda Civic has long been a top player amongst small cars. Ever since its 1973 release, the Civic has won new customers, increased in size, and is now arguably the best compact mainstream model. Though the competition remains intense, the Honda Civic demonstrates that small does not just … Read more
The Honda City is a subcompact sedan that was first revealed by Honda in 1981. The car was meant for Japan and other select markets like Australia and Europe, which is why it was initially produced as a hatchback. At that time, hatchbacks were popular in Europe, and Honda was … Read more
Kia is a Korean automotive brand that manufactures vehicles of all shapes and sizes. One such car in their roster is the Kia Cerato that has been in production since 2003. In America, the same car is called the Kia Forte, while in Europe, it is known as the Kia … Read more
GM introduces the first of 30 planned new EV models. Chevrolet is at the forefront of vehicle electrification with its compact Bolt EV. Since its introduction, it has served as the face of pure-electric vehicles for GM. For 2022, the Bolt is refreshed and will be joined by a second … Read more
Mazda’s hottest hatch since the Mazdaspeed3 is here. Do you remember the Mazdaspeed3? That model was arguably the best hatchback Mazda has produced to date, one that was sold from 2007 to 2013. After it was discontinued, Mazda fans have longed for its return. Well, the Mazdaspeed3 isn’t returning, at … Read more
Upscale Mazda3 is offered as a sedan or hatchback. Small car models are dwindling in numbers as consumers continue to move to crossovers. For the remaining players, including the Mazda Mazda3, offering distinct features is important if customers are to be won to the segment, let alone the marque. The … Read more
The parade of cars is shrinking, but small cars remain in demand. Low prices. Smart styling. Fun driving. These are among the chief attributes you’ll find, at least in some models. Once again, Hyundai proves its mettle by offering a full line of small cars, including sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks. … Read more
If you take heed to various Internet reports, you may think that new car ownership is far beyond your reach. Indeed, in May 2019, Kelly Blue Book reported the average transaction price for a light vehicle (passenger vehicle) was $37,185. But the average transaction price can be certainly misleading, as … Read more
The new vehicle market has certainly turned as consumers are shopping for crossovers and trucks in far greater numbers than they are for cars. Indeed, approximately seven in 10 new passenger vehicle sales are categorized as light trucks (SUVs, vans, and pickups), according to the Auto Alliance. But what … Read more
N Line performance comes to Hyundai. Hyundai offers the compact Elantra in sedan and hatchback body styles, the latter known as the Elantra GT. For 2019, the first “N Line” model arrives, this one serving as the top trim for the GT. The N Line replaces the GT Sport, but … Read more
Throughout the long reign of the Ford Mustang, several different platforms have underpinned this iconic pony car. Probably the least popular was the Mustang II, which shared the same platform supporting the lowly Pinto, a subcompact model. The Pinto was a poster child for 1970s-era crappy car design, although the … Read more
All-wheel drive comes to Mazda’s compact hatchback and sedan. The Mazda3 hatchback adds available all-wheel drive, perhaps setting the framework for Mazdaspeed to return. Mazda is a small player in a world of large car manufacturers, but its presence outstrips its size. The company is best known for mainstreaming the … Read more
The Kia Soul is a runaway hit for this Korean manufacturer, a cult favorite with the youth. Kia has long used a team of anthropomorphic hamsters to market the Soul, a boxy model that has outlasted the competition. Those furry rodents have been in and out of seclusion for the … Read more
Pity poor Fiat. This Italian automaker returned to the U.S. market in 2011 after a long absence, but soon found customer’s tastes had already begun to move away from cars to crossovers. Even with the introduction of a tiny 500X crossover a few years later, Fiat demand has never met … Read more
VW’s bunny makes its third visit. This time as a limited-edition Rabbit trim. The Volkswagen Rabbit is set to return once again. This time, it isn’t a model name. Instead, VW has chosen to deliver a limited-run Golf GTI Rabbit edition, apparently for the 2019 model year only. 2019 Volkswagen … Read more
The Kia Stinger makes good on its performance credentials. Is it a hot hatchback or perhaps it is a fastback sport sedan? No matter how you define it, the all-new 2018 Kia Stinger is unlike anything we have ever seen from this wonderfully unpredictable Korean brand. Sure, the large Kia … Read more
The best-selling Corolla is the most attractive one yet. When you have the world’s best-selling model and the market is shifting away from cars to crossovers, you have a bit of a dilemma on your hands. On the one hand, you can acknowledge the shift and reduce your investment in … Read more
A summer arrival for the 2019 Corolla hatchback. Updated May 25, 2018, to reflect prices and fuel economy ratings. I’ve checked out new vehicles on showroom floors, at auto show exhibits and also upon various ballroom, convention center and theater stages. I’ve yet to find myself tired of the process, … Read more
Second-generation Nissan Leaf takes a big leap forward. How do you improve the world’s most popular electric car? For starters, you rethink everything, from exterior styling to interior comfort as well as from charging to acceleration and beyond. That’s exactly what Nissan has done with the 2018 Leaf, a four-door … Read more
Mazda3: Fun-to-drive and affordable. Small cars have been taking it on the chin these past few years as the market continues to shift to crossovers. Mazda is well represented in the SUV market with three distinct models in the subcompact, compact and midsize range. Yet, this automaker hasn’t abandoned cars … Read more
Fourth-generation Kia Rio rolls out. Demand for small cars is down, but don’t tell that to Kia Motors. The Korean automaker is well entrenched in the segment, offering both the subcompact Rio and the compact Forte. The Kia Rio rolled out in 2001 and we’ve seen it grow since, although … Read more
Hyundai breathes fresh life into its little sport hatchback. Automakers are responding to a wholesale shift in consumer demand by building more SUVs and fewer car models. This unprecedented shift means some manufacturers are catching up, including Hyundai which will release its small Kona SUV early in 2018, giving it … Read more
Hyundai rhymes with Sunday. —Updated Dec. 10, 2017, to reflect this model’s safety score.— Most car designs are getting slammed in the face of an ever increasing onslaught of all things SUV. While sedans and coupes aren’t likely to go the way of some wagons, the market is heavily skewed … Read more