The Best Compact Cars for 2011

This is the bread and butter of the international market. Family cars in Europe; commuter cars here, this may not be the most interesting segment, but it surely is one of the most contested. In the marketplace, it’s all about mileage; here, it’s about the least boring choice. Small cars don’t have to be penalty boxes, as these prove.

Fehlio’s Choice: Volkswagen Golf

It just looks so good.

It’s the most handsome in its class, it has the best engines in its class, the best ride/handling balance in its class, and the best interior in its class. Its better than the Mazda just enough to justify the price hike.

Alternately: Mazda 3

The old one just looks better.

Everything I said about the Mazda 2 applies here, it’s just bigger. It’s a hatchback, which I love, but you can get it as a sedan, if you’re silly. It just kinda looks like a clown.

Please Don’t: Ford Focus

If I wanted an ugly car, I'd buy that Mazda right above.

At least until the new one comes out next year. It’s ugly, it hasn’t been changed since 1998, and the one redeeming factor (the hatchback) was lost in 2008. It can’t get replaced soon enough.

Irronically, the Mazda 3 which is so much better than the Focus is based mostly on the mechanicals of the 2nd-gen Focus we never got, which goes to show that Ford can make good cars; they just don't make them often enough. I have very high hopes for the 2012 "World" Focus.