American Compact Sedans- A Buying Guide Pt. 2

Welcome back to part 2 of the American compact sedans buying guide. Now, let's get started with one of the only AWD cars in its class, the Subaru Impreza.

Subaru Impreza

The Suburu Imprezza isn't a bad car. First of all, base engine is in between the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic's. It is a 2.0 liter boxer engine that makes 148 horsepower. What is great about this car is that it has standard AWD. You cannot even get AWD on other cars in its class unless your are in the sorry Mitsubishi Lancer. Transmission options aren't great though. You can only get stick shift on the base 2.0i, or you can "upgrade" to the evil CVT. If you want a trim nicer than the base 2.0i, then you must have the CVT.

Suburu Imprezza

 For the interior, there is a Starlink system tat looks nice, but has touch sensitive buttons. The interior, like the Nissan Sentra, is logically laid out. However like the Nissan Sentra, the interior is also boring. However, the information screen between the gauges is nice and colorful, and the steering wheel feels great in your hands. In terms of safety, it is available with Subaru's amazing Eyesight system that got a Superior rating in the IIHS front crash prevention test and it aced all the tests for IIHS. In terms of driving, the car is noisy, but it has great visibility. How much does it cost to get this AWD beast? The Impreza starts at around 18,000 dollars.

Now, if the Impreza isn't for you and you want an AWD car, then take a look at the Mitsubishi Lancer.

Mitsubishi Lancer

The Mitsubishi Lancer is another AWD car. However, it costs less than the Subaru Impreza starting at around 17,000 dollars. Then again, AWD is an option. The base ES 2.0 comes with a 2.0 MIVEC engine making 148 horsepower. It could be hooked up with a 5 speed manual or a CVT. The ES 2.4 AWC, SE 2.4 AWC, and the SEL 2.4 AWC all have all wheel drive, CVT transmissions, and a 2.4 MIVEC engine that makes 168 horsepower, The top of the line GT 2.4 has pretty much the same specs as the other trim levels higher than the base ES 2.0, except it is available with a 5 speed manual. 

Mitsubishi Lancer

So, what's so great about the Lancer. It has available AWD, unlike most cars in its class. One neat thing about this car is that if you have AWD, then you can turn it off. That's about it. The rear seat space is decent. Cargo space is small at around 12.3 cubic feet. For the interior, it is logically laid out but boring, The information screen in between the gauges isn't even colored. Instead, it has this ugly orange tone to it. Now, me must talk about how dated this car is. It has been around since 2007. That's pretty old.

Now, if you don't want a Japanese car, why not look at the Koreans. Let's take a look at the Kia Forte.

Kia Forte

The Kia Forte is Kia's entry into the compact sedan game. The base LX trim sports a 1.8 L 4 cylinder that makes 145 horsepower which is okay for its class. It has a standard 6 speed manual and an optional 6 speed automatic. Step up to the EX trim and you get 2,0 L 4 cylinder with 173 horsepower and a standard 6 speed automatic. One of the top selling points of this car is the cheap base price. It starts at less than 16,000 dollars. 

Kia Forte Interior
By Shadiac

The Forte does what an average commuter car does. It drives fairly well but it isn't as sporty as a Mazda 3. It has sporty looks, which is something that is important in the compact sedan class. There is a fair amount of available tech. There is UVO, a system that could record where you parked your car and get road side assistance. However, like every other car, there are problems. Like many other cars in its class, the interior is not unique. It has the traditional tiny looking screen and climate control on the lower half of the dash. There is no floating screen like a Mazda 3 or curves like in a Honda Civic. However to be fair, both these cars are more expensive than the Forte.

If you don't want a Kia but want something Korean, then take a look at the all new Hyundai Elantra.

Hyundai Elantra

The Hyndai Elantra was recently redesigned for the 2017 model year. It may be one of the most advanced cars in its class. The 2.0 L 4 cylinder in the SE trim makes 147 horsepower. It comes standard with a six speed manual and is available with a six speed automatic transmission. The top of the line limited trim comes with the same 4 cylinders as the SE trim but has a standard 6 speed automatic.Even with the little power, don't be fooled. It does pull. This car starts around the same price as the other cars in its class. It starts at around 17,000 dollars. This car is fancy. There is available rear heated seats, memory seats, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, and many other luxury items in cars.

Hyundai Elantra
By Car and Driver

The Hyundai Elantra is filled with technology that helps tackle everyday problems. The Blue Link feature allows you to unlock and lock the car remotely, flash your lights remotely, remotely start your engine, and do many other things. The Elantra may be the newest car in its class but it sure doesn't feel like it. It looks similar to any other car in its class. It's not unique or different. It's more like it's just another sedan. The interior isn't unique either.  It has the traditional screen and climate control on the lower half of the dashboard. It also has the color display screen between the gauges. This car may not be amazing, but it does do what a commuter car should do.

Thank you so much for reading. If you have any feedback, corrections, requests, or questions, send me an email at edster.chen@yahoo.com.