Everyone wants to have a nice car that is also a great value. That’s easier said than done and many people walk away feeling like they didn’t get a good mix of both categories. It doesn’t have to be that way though as there are some cars out there that critics love and you can afford. To that end we give to you the Best Cars for Your Money in 2013. This list was compiled by a combination of five year costs versus the critics list of performance, interior, comfort and reliability.
Best Subcompact Car
Our best subcompact vehicle is the Honda Fit. For such a small car it has a surprisingly ample amount of cargo space. Despite a weaker engine its manual transmission and nimble handling make it fairly fun to drive. The biggest factor that put it at the top is its above average reliability rating that beats out its peers. It also has impressive cabin space and cargo space that rivals some compact SUV’s. Its Magic Seat lets you rearrange the seat in different cargo configurations. It comes standard with USB port and optional Bluetooth and navigation. The biggest knock on this car is the underpowered engine and somewhat noisy cabin. It has a 1.5 liter 4 cylinder engine with 117hp and 27/33 mpg.
Best Compact Car
The Ford Focus makes the top of our list in this category. Its excellent fuel economy and good cargo space is what puts it over the top. It even has a special economy package available that you can get as an upgrade. It has a sporty styling that is fairly fun to drive and offers up superb handling. The front seats are comfortable although the back seats are a little low on leg space. The interior is of a quality appropriate for its class and costs. The biggest complaint on the Focus was the confusing infotainment system and the hatchback has poor rear visibility. It has a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine with 26/36 mpg and 160hp.
Best Hatchback
Just as it ranks as the best compact car so the Honda Fit ranks as the best hatchback. Critics said that while the engine is underpowered it is still surprisingly fun to drive but what really sells it is the good reliability rating that it received. It also has an impressive amount of cargo space that includes the Magic Seat that lets you reconfigure it in multiple positions as needed. It comes standard with a USB port and options for Bluetooth and navigation. The biggest complaint it the underpowered engine at limited rear view visibility. It comes with 1.5 liter 4 cylinder engine that with 117hp and gets 27/33mpg.
Jeff Jordan writes in lives in Southern California. He writes about automobiles and technology. Check cars for sale at Enterprise Car Sales.