Seth Stevenson of Slate tested six inexpensive cars to find out which gave the best bang for the buck.
The cars tested included the Honda Fit, Kia Rio, Nissan Versa, Saturn Ion, Scion xA, and the Toyota Yaris.
Stevenson found Saturn Ion quite solid and with an engine that provided plenty of power. However, steering was off and he hated the centrally-placed instrument panel. The Kia Rio’s engine, on the other hand, sounded strained during the highway driving test. He did like the driver-side armrest, a rarity among cars today.
The Nissan Versa had the best interior, he notes as he touched the leather-wrapped steering wheel. Interiors can only go so far, though. Cars are meant to be driven and he found the car’s stick shift not only awkward to use, but nearly dangerous.
The Scion xA was an interesting review. Stevenson’s only issue was the brand’s image. Scion is aimed at the tuner crowd and he found the “equipped” car, with its techno-rave fluorescent interior lighting, off-putting. Otherwise, interior upholstery, space, and engine power was top-notched.
The Toyota Yaris barely passed the Scion xA. While he found the car solid and engine more than adequate, design issues, from the car’s nose to the centrally-placed instrument panel, knocked it from last place.
The winner was the Honda Fit. Stevenson found the compact had the best in handling, acceleration, and comfort. The huge truck space created when the second-row seating was dropped made the Fit into a compact station wagon. And he loved the ergonomics of the various storage compartments, find them exactly where he wanted them.
Our take? All these vehicles are viable. With the exception of the Versa’s stick shift problem and, maybe, the Rio’s acceleration (or lack of) issue, personal taste and pricing play great roles when buying a car. We found, for example, the Versa and xA had the more interesting looks and were not bothered by the centrally-placed instrument panel on either the Ion or the Yaris. We whole-heartily agree, though, the xA’s lights leave something to be desired.