KIA SOUL

KIA SOUL

MSRP: $16,015
EPA Mileage: 23/31 (CTY / HWY)

With an eye catching exterior, the Kia Soul has a solid build quality and smart interior. Under the hood is a 16-valve inline 4-cylinder than makes 130 horsepower. While it’s not the quickest car on the block, it’s no slouch either. The suspension is surprisingly responsive when cornering, doing a great job of reducing body roll and damping bumps. The Kia Soul was rated by the EPA as having 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, a little lower than other vehicles in the same class. Standard features of the Kia Soul include an MP3 compatible radio, satellite radio (subscription required), Bluetooth connectivity, USB and auxiliary audio jacks, six speakers and steering wheel mounted controls.

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TOYOTA YARIS

TOYOTA YARIS

MSRP: $15,680
EPA Mileage: 30/36 (CTY / HWY)

When first introduced in 2012, Toyota advertised the Toyota Yaris with the tagline “It’s a car!” No truer statement can be made, the Toyota Yaris certainly is a car. Designed with economy in mind, the Toyota Yaris comes in at a base price of $15,680. Coming standard with the Toyota Yaris is a 6.1 inch touch screen for Toyota’s app-based infotainment system, six speakers, HD radio, a USB port with iPod control, and Bluetooth phone, voice recognition and music streaming capability. The Toyota Yaris’s little four-cylinder engine produces 106 horsepower, which isn’t much in the way of power, but allows the Yaris to pull off an EPA estimated 30 mpg city / 36 mpg highway.

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KIA RIO

KIA RIO

MSRP: $14,990
EPA Mileage: 27/38 (CTY / HWY)

The Kia Rio is a stylish, well-equipped, and fuel efficient sedan. With a 138 horsepower 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine under the hood, the Kia Rio isn’t going anywhere fast, but that’s not the vehicles purpose. The Kia Rio comes standard with air conditioning, a six-way manual driver’s seat, satellite radio (subscription required), USB and auxiliary audio jacks. Additionally it offers steering wheel mounted controls, and keyless entry. Steering and handling are average for the Kia Rio, at times feeling a little floaty when at higher speeds. The Kia Rio gets great fuel mileage with 27 city and 38 highway, and the efficiency-minded Active Eco System helps to use as little fuel as possible.

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HONDA FIT

 HONDA FIT

MSRP: $16,610
EPA Mileage: 29/37 (CTY / HWY)

The Honda Fit proves that a small, affordable car can still be fun to drive. Successfully mixing economy with versatility, the Honda Fit is a joy to drive. The 1.5 liter four-cylinder engine puts out 130 horsepower, and the six-speed manual transmission shifts smoothly through the gears. The Honda Fit is very responsive when you want it to go quick, although it is limited by its low horsepower. Rear seat legroom is spacious, and when the rear seats are folded down the cargo capacity is a respective 53 cubic feet. With a MSRP of $16,610, the Honda Fit is a little pricier than others on the list, but it’s well worth it in the end.

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HYUNDAI ACCENT

HYUNDAI ACCENT

MSRP: $14,745
EPA Mileage: 27/38 (CTY / HWY)

The Hyundai Accent stresses strong value and ample interior space, with predictable performance that doesn’t vary much from it’s competition. With a 1.6 liter 138 horsepower engine, the Hyundai Accent will get you where you need to go, just don’t expect to get there fast. The Accent accelerates, steers, and handles adequately, and the engine sips gas with a 27 mpg city / 38 mpg highway rating. The interior is nothing fancy, as to be expected with such an economically affordable car. The layout is simple and clean, with low gloss plastic and streamlined dash controls. The Hyundai Accent has a respectable amount of cargo space for a vehicle of its size, and even more if the seats are folded down.

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