Five of the coolest new cars for under $18,000

2013 Dodge Dart / Chrysler Group

(MoneyWatch) Not long ago, buyers of inexpensive cars got just what they paid for. Materials often seemed cheap, especially on the interior, and performance and handling were mediocre at best. But high gas prices and federal rules tightening MPG requirements mean automakers need to sell more compacts and subcompacts. So new models have changed to inexpensive but cool.

Kelley Blue Book and its kbb.com web site polled its editors and reviewers to select the coolest cars available for under an $18,000 transaction price at dealerships. They say these models are fun to drive - and I agree. In addition, most of them have MPG ratings that will let you pass by the gas station more often than with your old car.

The winner, the Dodge Dart, is a 2013 model just going on sale. All the others are 2012 models. Here are more details on five of their top picks:

Dodge Dart Chrysler Group's first fully new car under the control of Fiat, the Dart, is a stylish debut. Handsome inside and out with a spacious cabin, its handling shows off its origins in a Fiat-owned Alfa Romeo model, as my test drive showed. It should be a worthy competitor in the compact class. Kelley data show the base SE model with a four-liter standard engine available at $16,790. But by stepping up in price to just over $18,000, you can get the much more fun 1.4-liter turbocharged engine and added high-tech features in the SXT version. This engine has a rating of 27 MPG in city driving, 39 highway.

Mazda Mazda 3 This car's name may be generic but its performance is anything but. Traditional Mazda focus on cars owners love to drive plus the company's new SkyActiv mileage-boosting technology is a winning combination. The Mazda 3 could be a little roomier, but if that isn't an issue for you, it can look like a bargain at what Kelley says is a $14,766 transaction price. MPG ratings are 25 city, 33 highway.

Chevrolet Sonic Chevrolet's new subcompact is off to a strong start in sales, and with good reason. The Aveo it replaces was a prime example of a lame small car. But the Sonic upgrades to a handsome exterior look, plus a comfortable interior. It uses the same engines as the bigger Chevrolet Cruze, a 1.8-liter standard engine and a 1.4-liter turbocharged choice. Mileage ratings are 26 MPG in the city, 35 highway. Kelley finds the Sonic available in the base model for $14,129.

Ford Fiesta Introduced in 2010, the Fiesta was one of the first subcompacts from U.S. automakers adapted from a popular European model. With an edgy, eye-catching styling, Fiesta stands out in its class. Reviewers surveyed by U.S. News ranked the Fiesta No. 2 among affordable small cars (behind only Honda Fit, which is much less cool looking). Beyond its looks, the Fiesta competes well on crisp handling and a comfortable interior. Fiesta's MPG rating is 28 city, 38 highway. Available in both sedan and hatchback, Kelley finds the Fiesta available starting at $13,382.

Kia Soul Undoubtedly the funkiest-looking entry on the list, the Soul is as cool as the hip-hop hamsters in its television ads. If you want practicality too, its squared-off styling translates to roomy cargo space. And the Soul has standard tech features like Bluetooth connectivity that are essential to young buyers. Available with both 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter engine options, the Soul is rated at 27 MPG city, 35 highway. With automatic transmission, the Kelley purchase price is $15,795.

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[hypnotoad72]

Comparing the Honda Fit's record in terms of safety, I'd say most Ford cars will do a better job... if one wants to be more likely to walk away from an accident...

[MrBoomshadow]

Most Ford cars are larger. The Fiesta and its stablemate, the less-economical Mazda2, also have less cargo space. Both cars are very close in the eyes of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

"The federal government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has tested the 2012 Honda Fit, and gives it an overall score of four out of five stars. The Fit also receives four stars in front and side crash tests and for rollover risk.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety names the Fit an IIHS Top Safety Pick. To receive this award, vehicles must receive the highest score of "Good" in front, side, rear and roof strength tests.

The 2012 Fit has standard side curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution, traction control and brake assist."

[Source: US News and World Report Best Cars and Trucks, 2/17/2012 at http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Honda_Fit/Safety/]

"The 2012 Ford Fiesta hatchback and sedan models receive identical scores from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which gives vehicles up to five stars in four areas. The Fiesta receives a four-star overall rating, with five stars for side crash safety and four stars for rollover and frontal crash safety.

The 2012 Fiesta sedan and hatchback are Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Picks. To receive the IIHS' top safety award, vehicles must receive the highest score of "Good" in front, side, rear and roof strength crash tests and have standard electronic stability control.

All Fiesta models come with side-curtain airbags, a front safety belt reminder, a tire pressure monitoring system, hill start assist, four-wheel anti-lock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution. A driver knee airbag is also standard. The Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus are the only other vehicles in this class to have this standard safety feature.

Reviewers say visibility is poor in the hatchback, but the Fiesta does not offer a rearview camera."

[Source: US News and World Report's Best Cars and Trucks, 3/22/2012, at http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Ford_Fiesta/Safety/]

Also, "cool" is in the eye of the beholder. Some of the Fit's more unusual styling cues, such as the bumps on the headlamps, serve a very specific engineering purpose: they divert wind to lower wind noise by a few decibels.

Finally, the Fit also has more cargo room than not just the Fiesta/Mazda2, but even the Kia Soul:

The Soul boasts plenty of interior storage cubbies for smaller items, including under-floor storage. The 2012 Kia Soul's cargo space is good for the class. It has 19.3 cubic feet available with the rear seats in use, and 53.4 available with them folded. The Honda Fit, however, has up to 57.3 cubic feet of cargo space and passenger seats that adjust to let you haul a bike or surfboard. [US News & World Report's Best Cars and Trucks, updated 4/6/2012 at http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Kia_Soul/Interior/] Plus, the Honda Fit gives you 27 city MPG and 33 highway MPG, just one highway MPG shy of the Soul.

While it lacks the fuel economy of the Kia Soul, you'd be better served buying a Scion xB, whose 70.1 cubic feet of cargo with rear seats folded dwarfs the Soul's. Otherwise, get a Fit.



[Full disclosure: I do not work for or own stock in Honda, Kia, or Toyota, but my wife owns a 2010 Fit and I own a 2011 Scion xB.]