Best 15 Compact Cars

4. Mazda3

When it comes to quality, durability, affordability, handling, performance, and fun, it’s hard to beat the Mazda3. A 2.5 liter, 184 horsepower engine that gets up to 41 mpg helps as well. This is a beautiful car inside and out. Soul of Motion Mazda calls it. It combines Mazda’s revolutionary Skyactiv® technology, Radar Cruise Control, i-Activsense® safety features, incredible efficiency, and unmatched driving dynamics to produce pulse-quickening performance that’s both fun and functional. In any of its 4 trims, the award-winning Mazda3 is exhilarating.