The Best Small Cars of 2024

Small cars are built for budget-minded shoppers who prioritize value and convenience. They cost less — both at the dealership and at the pump — and they’re easier to park on city streets or in congested suburban parking lots.

We tested dozens of the latest small cars (including compact and subcompact models) to determine the best ones on the market. Once considered barebones, today’s smaller vehicles are upping their performance, safety features and technology.

Using a step-by-step methodology, we evaluated the small cars on the market for attributes including value for money, safety and performance. Below are our five top choices, with explanations on how each stands out from the pack, as well as their pros, cons and key specs.

(If you’re interested in a broader look at the new vehicle marketplace, check out our full list of the Best Cars & Trucks of 2024.)

Best Small Cars of 2024

Best Overall: Hyundai Elantra
Best for Safety: Acura Integra
Best for Retained Value: Honda Civic
Best Warranty: Hyundai Elantra
Best CPO: Honda Civic

Reviews of the Best Small Cars

Best Overall: Hyundai Elantra

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• Price: $21,475
• Mileage: 31/40 mpg

Starting at $21,475, the Hyundai Elantra performs better, costs less and lasts longer than most of the competition. (The Mitsubishi Mirage, starting at $16,695, is cheaper, but comes up short in terms of performance and feel.) The Elantra surprised us when we drove it around suburban Florida for a week, delivering more comfort and performance than you’d expect for its budget-friendly price.

Though its 147-horsepower engine is less robust than most rivals’, the Elantra handles well around corners and on pavement. It’s also fuel-efficient, delivering around 31 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, which is outstanding for the class. The five-seat Elantra’s trunk is on the small side for the segment, but its 14.2 cubic feet should accommodate a couple of suitcases or a grocery haul.

We think the Elantra is such a good value that we named it the overall best car for the money in 2024, across all categories of vehicles.

Best for Safety: Acura Integra

Courtesy of Acura

• Price: $31,800
• Mileage: 26/36 mpg

Safety is an important consideration when purchasing a small car because these vehicles generally don’t have the strength or hardiness of an SUV or truck. Though many small cars today now include important safety features as standard, our pick for best in safety in the category is the Acura Integra, which received a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) after returning to the market following a 17-year hiatus.

Starting at $31,800, the four-door hatchback is the most expensive car on this list. But the price gets you a wide range of safety equipment, including a rearview camera, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert.

Best for Retained Value: Honda Civic

Courtesy of Honda

• Price: $23,950
• Mileage: 26/36 mpg

The Acura Integra and Honda Civic both earned nods from JD Power for their residual value – that is, the dollar amount they retain after a three-year period of ownership.

Residual value is important because it determines your monthly lease payments as well as the amount you’d need to pay if you decided to purchase the car once your lease ends.

Honda and Acura, which is also owned by Honda Motor Co., stand out in the small car segment for their reliability, performance – both models can achieve 200 horsepower depending upon the trim – and overall desirability among entry-level small car shoppers. The Integra and Civic also both get essentially the same gas mileage. However, because the higher-end Integra costs more (starting at around $7,500 higher), we're going with the Civic for this award.

Best Warranty: Hyundai Elantra

• Price: $21,475
• Mileage: 31/40 mpg

A comprehensive warranty could wind up saving you thousands of dollars over the span of your car ownership. And considering that small car owners tend to be especially concerned about costs, it’s extra important that buyers look for a good manufacturer warranty.

The Hyundai Elantra is covered by a five-year/60,000-mile limited warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. That’s a standout in the small cars segment. (The low-cost Mitsubishi Mirage, which starts at under $17,000, has the same warranty, but the Elantra drives much better.)

Typically, most models, such as the Honda Civic, provide a three-year/ 36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year/ 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Acura Integra is covered by a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty.

What this means is that you can drive the Elantra more miles, or hold onto it for more years, with the confidence that you will not have to pay for repairs out of pocket.

Best CPO: Honda Civic

• Price: $23,950
• Mileage: 26/36 mpg

Honda and its higher-end Acura brand are known for their rigorous CPO programs. Honda offers three levels of coverage, each with a 182-point inspection. The top-level HondaTrue Certified+ program is for vehicles under a year old with fewer than 12,000 miles on the odometer. That’s practically a new car.

Vehicles under the mid-tier HondaTrue Certified program must be six years old or less and under 80,000 miles. HondaTrue Used vehicles are 10 years old or less. Acura’s Precision Certified program requires vehicles to pass a 182-point inspection, be from model years 2022 or 2023, and have fewer than 80,000 miles. Because the Civic's starting price undercuts the Integra by more than $7,500, the Civic is the better value and we're giving it the nod in this award category.