Top 10 Micro Cars: Life in the Tiny Lane
Small is beautiful — or at least affordable. Here are our picks for the top “micro” cars on the road today.
As this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit made oh-so clear, small gas-sipping cars — or those that don’t run on gasoline at all — are what automakers and government overseers think American drivers want. Even with gas prices relenting, few people have extra cash to swipe away at the pump, so MSN Autos rounds up 10 cars that prove small can be beautiful — or at least beautifully economical.
Chevy Aveo
Click picture to enlarge 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
Though American automakers are more comfortable building land whales, not automotive minnows, the Aveo is a pint-sized compact that will leave plenty of room in both the garage and the checking account. The 2009 Aveo carries a 1.6-liter Gen 3 Ecotec engine, and with a manual transmission it earns an Environmental Protection Agency fuel-economy estimate of 27/34 mpg (city/hwy). Available as a sedan or 5-door hatchback, the Aveo carries standard front and seat-mounted side-impact airbags. Wearing a Pontiac nameplate, the Aveo is known as the G3.
Ford Focus Coupe
Click picture to enlarge With considerably more panache than the four-door model, the Focus coupe has been redesigned for 2009, though most of its new traits are cosmetic. A sport-tuned exhaust system delivers more horsepower but also a “throatier” sound, aimed at turning on millennial buyers. It comes with either a Duratec inline 4-cylinder engine or a “super-clean” Duratec 20E that qualifies the coupe as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV). Options include such perks as a Microsoft Sync system, electronic stability control and chromed aluminum wheels. Seats in the Focus are molded from nonpetroleum vegetable foam.
Honda Fit
Click picture to enlarge Fortunately, the options for driving small are more appealing than they’ve been in a long time. Case in point: the Fit. First introduced in Japan in 2001, the Fit debuted stateside in 2006. With a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder VTEC engine, the Fit deserves its fair share of accolades for balancing efficiency with peppy performance. A center-mounted fuel tank opens up interior space, and optional voice recognition, 16-inch alloy wheels and iPod integration are among the generous list of features that make the Fit much more than simply good enough. The Fit also frequently tops Internet lists of the cheapest cars to own because of its sticker price, resale value and admirable fuel economy.
Hyundai Accent
Click picture to enlarge 2009 Hyundai Accent
In its third generation, the Accent remains a solid, if not exhilarating, member of the subcompact club. A 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine gets 26/35 mpg (city/hwy) with its optional automatic transmission. The Accent isn’t likely to disappoint in reliability; J.D. Power and Associates called the Accent the most dependable subcompact, based on responses from 52,000 owners of 2005 Accents.
MINI Cooper
Click picture to enlarge Perhaps the most performance-minded micro on American roads is the MINI. Drawing on decades of road rallying (not to mention tight European parking), BMW has taken the MINI brand and imbued it with a host of features such as a 1.6-liter 16-valve aluminum engine (offering 118 horsepower), an on/off ignition button, traction control and six airbags. With a squat “bulldog” stance, the standard MINI Cooper, Cooper S and Convertible make the most of their small footprint, translating it into tight turning, responsive acceleration and respectable fuel economy: 25/34 mpg (city/hwy) with automatic transmission. An all-electric MINI is now being leased to a limited number of Californians.
MINI Cooper Clubman
Click picture to enlarge 2009 MINI Clubman
New for model year 2008, the Clubman builds on the success of its Cooper compadre. With 10 extra inches of width and 3 extra inches at the wheelbase, the Clubman is what the Brits would call an estate, aka a wagon on this side of the pond. The Clubman’s extra size is portioned up between the passenger cabin — where legroom is more generous — and rear cargo space, and is accessed by two unique barn-like doors. Despite 54 more horsepower than the Cooper, the MINI Clubman earns the same 25/35 mpg (city/hwy) with its automatic gearbox.
Nissan Versa
Click picture to enlarge 2009 Nissan Versa
First appearing in 2007, the Versa delivers more power than its subcompact peers, with a 1.8-liter 122 horsepower engine. A standard Xtronic continually variable transmission boosts drivability as well as mpg. Bluetooth connectivity, a smart key and a 6-disc CD changer are options. It also can’t hurt that in 2008 the Versa earned the Consumers Digest Best Buy Award for the third year in a row.
Scion xD
Click picture to enlarge 2009 Scion xD
If small and efficient strike you as boring, cars such as the Scion xD are trying to snap you out of the doldrums. At 155 inches long the xD is not the smallest of the pack, but earns a laudable 26/32 mpg (city/hwy) from its 1.8-liter engine with an automatic transmission. Options on the highly customizable xD include LED taillights, a cabin light kit with illuminated cupholder, 18-inch alloy wheels and a navigation system. Perhaps more useful are the standard features, which include anti-lock brakes, side and curtain airbags, and a dedicated iPod input.
smart fortwo
Click picture to enlarge Smallest of the small at 106 inches long, the smart fortwo is almost 40 inches shorter than a MINI Cooper. Even so, the fortwo (built “for two” passengers), has deceptively ample legroom. For 2009 the fortwo will offer two new colors and some small interior changes, but no radical overhaul. The Passion Coupe has a more fleshed-out list of features, such as alloy wheels, climate control and power windows. And a 2009 Brabus edition of the Coupe and Cabriolet soft-top offers upgraded exhaust tuning and suspension, alloy wheels and extra flair inside and out.
Toyota Yaris
Click picture to enlarge If you want to drive small, the Yaris is a mini hero worth experiencing. Available in 3- and 5-door hatchbacks and a 4-door sedan, the Yaris family is the winner of numerous awards for safety and reliability. At 150 inches, the 3-door hatchback is one of the shortest cars out there — a plus when it comes to parking agility, as well as overall efficiency. The EPA rates the smallest Yaris at 29/36 mpg (city/hwy), but MPGOmatic.com averaged almost 50 mpg on the highway (though the Yaris lacks an mpg readout with which to flaunt it). ABS brakes and side and curtain airbags are standard, and all three Yaris versions offer a generous options list.
Jacob Gordon is a freelance writer, a blogger for TreeHugger.com and a producer of TreeHugger Radio. He can be reached at jacob@treehugger.com.
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